The "Greatest" Zoos in the United States

Pleistohorse

Pleistohorse

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Just for the fun of it...and because I literally and obsessively compile lists...I've been putting together a list of the greatest zoos in the United States and Canada. I've compiled this list by using various measures to rank each zoo. Scoring points, for example, if the zoo is AZA/CAZA accredited, the number of photos posted on ZooChat, zoo rankings published on travel websites and by individual ZooChatters (including myself for the 50+ I have visited), to whether or not the zoo exhibits North American Black Bears. I would compare this activity to a Fantasy Sports League...neutral (mostly) statistical analysis. "Greatest" is not meant to convey largest, most popular, my personal favorites, or best...except in a strictly Alexandrian way. Phase I is complete. I've also pulled the Canadian Zoos from the list, as I believe the metrics analyzed in Phase I were greatly to their benefit. Phase II (scoring native species displayed, number of birds species displayed, natural predator/prey balance....etc....) will see the Canadians wrapped back in to the total scores. As it stands Calgary has scored the highest of the Canadian Zoos, currently ranked as the 7th Greatest Zoo in the United States and Canada. Now, again, just for fun and for the benefit of other list keepers out there...here is my ranking of the 150 Greatest Zoos in the United States...so far.
 
150. Oglebay's Good Zoo, West Virginia
149. Southwick's Animal Park, Massachusetts
148. Ochsner Park Zoo, Wisconsin
147. St Augustine Alligator Farm, Florida
146. Sunset Zoo, Kansas
145. Lincoln Children's Zoo, Nebraska
144. New York State Thompson Park Zoo, New York
143. Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, Minnesota
142. Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo, Florida
141. Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail, Georgia
140. Spring River Park Zoo, New Mexico
139. Charles Paddock Zoo, California
138. Big Bear Alpine Zoo at Moonridge, California
137. Western North Carolina Nature Center, North Carolina
136. Navajo Nation Zoo, Arizona
135. Brandywine Zoo, Delaware
134. The Zoo at Chehaw, Georgia
133. Popcorn Park Zoo, New Jersey
132. Amarillo Zoo, Texas
131. Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo, Louisiana
130. Zooworld Panama City Beach, Florida
129. California Living Museum, California
128. Racine Zoo, Wisconsin
127. Ellen Trout Zoo, Texas
126. BREC Baton Rouge Zoo, Louisiana
125. Potawatomi Zoo, Illinois
124. Peoria Zoo, Illinois
123. Lee Richardson Zoo, Kansas
122. Dakota Zoo, North Dakota
121. Virginia Zoo, Virginia
120. Staten Island Zoo, New York
119. Salisbury Zoo, Maryland
118. National Aviary, Pennsylvania
117. Eire Zoo, Pennsylvania
116. Honolulu Zoo, Hawaii
115. Miller Park Zoo, Illinois
114. Frank Buck Zoo, Texas
113. Sequoia Park Zoo, California
112. Franklin Park Zoo, Massachusetts
111. Rosamond Gifford Zoo, New York
110. Akron Zoo, Ohio
109. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, Connecticut
108. Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Alabama
107. Como Park Zoo, Minnesota
106. Seneca Park Zoo, New York
105. Queens Zoo, New York
104. Potter Park Zoo, Michigan
103. Prospect Park Zoo, New York
102. Lehigh Valley Zoo, Pennsylvania
101. El Paso Zoo, Texas
 
100. Folsom City Zoo, California
99. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Florida
98. Nashville Zoo, Tennessee
97. Fort Wayne's Children Zoo, Indiana
96. Reid Park Zoo, Arizona
95. Wildwood Wildlife Park, Wisconsin
94. John Ball Zoo, Michigan
93. Blank Park Zoo, Iowa
92. Abilene Zoo, Texas
91. The Living Desert Zoo, California
90. Living Desert Zoo & Gardens State Park, New Mexico
89. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Texas
88. Alameda Park Zoo, New Mexico
87. Bramble Park Zoo, South Dakota
86. Henry Vilas Zoo, Wisconsin
85. Tulsa Zoo, Oklahoma
84. Sacramento Zoo, California
83. Austin Zoo, Texas
82. Wildlife Safari, Oregon
81. Gulf Breeze Zoo, Florida
80. Alexandria Zoo, Louisiana
79. Orange County Zoo, California
78. ZooAmerica, Pennsylvania
77. Central Park Zoo, New York
76. Buttonwood Park Zoo, Massachusetts
75. Montgomery Zoo, Alabama
74. Buffalo Zoo, New York
73. Riverside Discovery Center, Nebraska
72. NEW Zoo, Wisconsin
71. Six Flags Great Adventure & Wild Safari, New Jersey
70. Kansas City Zoo, Missouri
69. Naples Zoo, Florida
68. Santa Barbara Zoo, California
67. Brevard Zoo, Florida
66. Utah's Hogle Zoo, Utah
65. Turtle Back Zoo, New Jersey
64. Cameron Park Zoo, Texas
63. Fresno Chaffe Zoo, California
62. Dickerson Park Zoo, Missouri
61. Albuquerque Biopark Zoo, New Mexico
60. Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium, Washington
59. Jackson Zoo, Mississippi
58. Caldwell Zoo, Texas
57. Palm Beach Zoo, Florida
56. Binder Park Zoo, Michigan
55. Stone Zoo, Massachusetts
54. Roger Williams Park Zoo, Rhode Island
53. Topeka Zoo, Kansas
52. Maryland Zoo, Maryland
51. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado
 
50. Riverside Zoo, South Carolina
49. Disney's Animal Kingdom, Florida
48. Knoxville Zoo, Tennessee
47. Birmingham Zoo, Alabama
46. Cape May County Zoo, New Jersey
45. Phoenix Zoo, Arizona
44. Great Plains Zoo, South Dakota
43. Oakland Zoo, California
42. Central Florida Zoo, Florida
41. Pittsburgh Zoo, Pennsylvania
40. Lowry Park Zoo, Florida
39. Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana
38. Dallas Zoo, Texas
37. Denver Zoo, Colorado
36. Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Arizona
35. Zoo Miami, Florida
34. San Diego Safari Park, California
33. San Francisco Zoo, California
32. Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma
31. Gladys Porter Zoo, Texas
30. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Washington
29. Toledo Zoo, Ohio
28. Henry Doorly Zoo, Nebraska
27. Audubon Zoo, Louisiana
26. Zoo Atlanta, Georgia
 
25. Houston Zoo, Texas
24. Louisville Zoo, Kentucky
23. Alaska Zoo, Alaska
22. Sedgewick County Zoo, Kansas
21. Los Angeles Zoo, California
20. Jacksonville Zoo, Florida
19. San Antonio Zoo, Texas
18. St Louis Zoo, Missouri
17. Philadelphia Zoo, Pennsylvania
16. Brookfield Zoo, Illinois
15. Fort Worth Zoo, Texas
14. Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio
13. Cleveland Zoo, Ohio
12. Detroit Zoo, Michigan
11. North Carolina Zoo, North Carolina
10. Memphis Zoo, Tennessee
09. Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota
08. Smithsonian Zoo, District of Columbia* (*later to be scored with Maryland)
07. Milwaukee County Zoo, Wisconsin
06. Lincoln Park Zoo, Illinois
05. Woodland Park Zoo, Washington
04. Columbus Zoo, Ohio
03. Oregon Zoo, Oregon
02. Bronx Zoo, New York
01. San Diego Zoo, California

So there you have it. Phase I: The Greatest Zoos in the United States. On to Phase II.
 
Pleistohorse said:
150. Oglebay's Good Zoo, West Virginia
149. Southwick's Animal Park, Massachusetts
148. Ochsner Park Zoo, Wisconsin
147. St Augustine Alligator Farm, Florida
146. Sunset Zoo, Kansas
145. Lincoln Children's Zoo, Nebraska
144. New York State Thompson Park Zoo, New York
143. Oxbow Park and Zollman Zoo, Minnesota
142. Santa Fe Community College Teaching Zoo, Florida
141. Bear Hollow Wildlife Trail, Georgia
140. Spring River Park Zoo, New Mexico
139. Charles Paddock Zoo, California
138. Big Bear Alpine Zoo at Moonridge, California
137. Western North Carolina Nature Center, North Carolina
136. Navajo Nation Zoo, Arizona
135. Brandywine Zoo, Delaware
134. The Zoo at Chehaw, Georgia
133. Popcorn Park Zoo, New Jersey
132. Amarillo Zoo, Texas
131. Louisiana Purchase Gardens & Zoo, Louisiana
130. Zooworld Panama City Beach, Florida
129. California Living Museum, California
128. Racine Zoo, Wisconsin
127. Ellen Trout Zoo, Texas
126. BREC Baton Rouge Zoo, Louisiana
125. Potawatomi Zoo, Illinois
124. Peoria Zoo, Illinois
123. Lee Richardson Zoo, Kansas
122. Dakota Zoo, North Dakota
121. Virginia Zoo, Virginia
120. Staten Island Zoo, New York
119. Salisbury Zoo, Maryland
118. National Aviary, Pennsylvania
117. Eire Zoo, Pennsylvania
116. Honolulu Zoo, Hawaii
115. Miller Park Zoo, Illinois
114. Frank Buck Zoo, Texas
113. Sequoia Park Zoo, California
112. Franklin Park Zoo, Massachusetts
111. Rosamond Gifford Zoo, New York
110. Akron Zoo, Ohio
109. Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, Connecticut
108. Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, Alabama
107. Como Park Zoo, Minnesota
106. Seneca Park Zoo, New York
105. Queens Zoo, New York
104. Potter Park Zoo, Michigan
103. Prospect Park Zoo, New York
102. Lehigh Valley Zoo, Pennsylvania
101. El Paso Zoo, Texas
Click to expand...
Ochsner Park does not belong on any top 150 lists! Great zoo, but it's so tiny!
 
Pleistohorse said:
25. Houston Zoo, Texas
24. Louisville Zoo, Kentucky
23. Alaska Zoo, Alaska
22. Sedgewick County Zoo, Kansas
21. Los Angeles Zoo, California
20. Jacksonville Zoo, Florida
19. San Antonio Zoo, Texas
18. St Louis Zoo, Missouri
17. Philadelphia Zoo, Pennsylvania
16. Brookfield Zoo, Illinois
15. Fort Worth Zoo, Texas
14. Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio
13. Cleveland Zoo, Ohio
12. Detroit Zoo, Michigan
11. North Carolina Zoo, North Carolina
10. Memphis Zoo, Tennessee
09. Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota
08. Smithsonian Zoo, District of Columbia* (*later to be scored with Maryland)
07. Milwaukee County Zoo, Wisconsin
06. Lincoln Park Zoo, Illinois
05. Woodland Park Zoo, Washington
04. Columbus Zoo, Ohio
03. Oregon Zoo, Oregon
02. Bronx Zoo, New York
01. San Diego Zoo, California

So there you have it. Phase I: The Greatest Zoos in the United States. On to Phase II.
Click to expand...
Was not thinking Milwaukee would be higher the Brookfield
 
Pleistohorse said:
25. Houston Zoo, Texas
24. Louisville Zoo, Kentucky
23. Alaska Zoo, Alaska
22. Sedgewick County Zoo, Kansas
21. Los Angeles Zoo, California
20. Jacksonville Zoo, Florida
19. San Antonio Zoo, Texas
18. St Louis Zoo, Missouri
17. Philadelphia Zoo, Pennsylvania
16. Brookfield Zoo, Illinois
15. Fort Worth Zoo, Texas
14. Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio
13. Cleveland Zoo, Ohio
12. Detroit Zoo, Michigan
11. North Carolina Zoo, North Carolina
10. Memphis Zoo, Tennessee
09. Minnesota Zoo, Minnesota
08. Smithsonian Zoo, District of Columbia* (*later to be scored with Maryland)
07. Milwaukee County Zoo, Wisconsin
06. Lincoln Park Zoo, Illinois
05. Woodland Park Zoo, Washington
04. Columbus Zoo, Ohio
03. Oregon Zoo, Oregon
02. Bronx Zoo, New York
01. San Diego Zoo, California

So there you have it. Phase I: The Greatest Zoos in the United States. On to Phase II.
Click to expand...
I would rate St. Louis, Cincinnati, and Brookfield above Detroit; I'm familiar with them all and I am a Detroit Zoo member. We have a fine zoo, well worth a visit, but it's not quite in the same bracket as the ones I mention.
 
On another (now infamous) thread there was quite a heated debate about top five American zoos based strictly on statistics. The issue some of us had with that listing (and that I also have with yours) is that the criteria used to rate them is arbitrary. In your case it would be helpful I think if you listed all of your ranking criteria (the black bear one seems odd to me, but I suppose if you had mentioned a cat species instead I wouldn't complain ;) ).

I think this will be true of any ranking that anyone comes up with, so this is certainly not meant as a knock against you. I think it is nearly impossible to come up with an initial set of criteria that is completely objective. The resulting ranking may be objective based on the criteria (as I am sure yours is), but the criteria skews the results. To use the other thread as an example, the person who created it listed conservation as of very low importance. In my opinion this negates the validity of the entire list, as for me conservation is of utmost importance and the only justification for a modern zoo. Honestly if I were to make a ranking I would give conservation efforts half of the entire score and combine all other criteria to equal the remaining half together.
 
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