Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Thoughts

tigertiger

tigertiger

Well-Known Member
I have been to this zoo recently a few times and have a few thoughts that I would love to talk about.

1. I have never in my life seen a more unhelpful map. The map actually put me off because it spent more time emphasizing the water park and rides than animals.

2. Perhaps I went with two high of expectations but I find my biggest 'complaint' with the zoo (which I really do love) is that there's no exhibit that sticks out in my mind. There's nothing I go 'oh wow, that's great!' In fact, there were numerous exhibits that I went "well...this is it?"

3. I was glad to see how many aviaries the zoo has but disappointed by their size. Perhaps it is me but a room with birds flying doesn't qualify as an aviary.

4. As I have never made it out west, Columbus has the best elephant exhibit I have ever seen.

5. I really like the fact that there is ONE entrance to the zoo rather than numerous ones. However, I do not like that there is no path to take to see the whole zoo that does not double over a good portion of it.

6. I was impressed by the amount of turtles at the zoo! I was unaware there were so many!

7. Are there any cats at Columbus? I feel like I saw a few lions in a sad little exhibit and a sleeping tiger and another sleeping leopard but that was it. I know they have a good amount of cats behind the scenes but I am curious as to how many I may have missed.

8. Koalas!
 
If you check out the thread "Snowleopard's Epic Road Trip" then someone in there is a long and comprehensive review of the Columbus Zoo. It is certainly one of the biggest and best zoos in North America (in my opinion) and both authors of the book "America's Best Zoos" rank it in their top 10 if not top 5 zoos on the continent. Having said that, I am the first to admit that there might well be NOT a single amazing, outstanding, award-winning exhibit at the zoo. (Maybe the bonobo habitat?) However, I feel as if about 85% of the zoo is above average, and overall there are extremely high standards at the park. Lots of really good exhibits, but nothing mind-blowing. Lots of cool things: koalas, manatees, an aquarium, multiple okapi yards, etc.

The Australian road house and Aussie section is much better than many other zoos, the Asia Quest area is above average, the elephant and rhino paddocks are large, the North American zone is just about the oldest section of the zoo but the enclosures are huge and the collection is impressive. With the polar area opening later this year, the 70-acre African Savanna in 2013 or so, and a South American section after that the Columbus Zoo might well be the most complete zoo in North America in the future.
 
On Exhibit Felids:

1.2 Cougar
1.1 Bobcat
1.2 Amur Tiger
1.1 Pallas Cat
1.2 South African Lion
0.1 Leopard
1.1 Fishing Cat

Off Exhibit Felids:

Cheetah
Snow Leopard
Clouded Leopard
Serval
 
drills

can you confirm if the two female drills due to go to Edinburgh in Uk are still in columbus? Edinburgh have recently recieved 0.2 but we believe these may be from Europe, not yours.
 
3. I was glad to see how many aviaries the zoo has but disappointed by their size. Perhaps it is me but a room with birds flying doesn't qualify as an aviary.
Click to expand...

What is your definition of an aviary?
 
tigertiger said:
2. Perhaps I went with two high of expectations but I find my biggest 'complaint' with the zoo (which I really do love) is that there's no exhibit that sticks out in my mind. There's nothing I go 'oh wow, that's great!' In fact, there were numerous exhibits that I went "well...this is it?"
Click to expand...

I'm surprised to hear you and other zoo chatters say this because there is one that really sticks in my mind: Manatee Coast! Compared to some other facilities I have been to (Cincy, Lowry, Seaworld) Columbus has my favorite! The indoor exhibit with retractable roof, great underwater viewing, an artificial "tide", the size, free-flying ducks and pelicans and mixed with other fishes, rays and an occasional sea turtle is a highlight when I visit. Also taking in consideration that is one of four facilities outside Florida that houses them and one of two that are not located in year round warm weather impresses me. They educational info that the exhibit has greatly increases its value as well (I personally like that they run their own Ultimate Zoo episode). Compare it nearby Cincy and other manatee exhibits its one of the best.
 
I do not know if the drills have left. I heard they were getting close but I did not expect them to depart this early. I can find out today however. I'll post what I learn later.
 
tigertiger said:
2. Perhaps I went with two high of expectations but I find my biggest 'complaint' with the zoo (which I really do love) is that there's no exhibit that sticks out in my mind. There's nothing I go 'oh wow, that's great!' In fact, there were numerous exhibits that I went "well...this is it?"
Click to expand...

We've discussed this a few times before. There aren't that many exhibits that stand out but I think you overlooked a few. I think we have the Midwest's best elephant exhibit. We have one of the best tiger and sun bear exhibits. I would rank our bonobo exhibit as the best in North America. I know Snowleopard is a huge fan of the Roadhouse. And Loxodonta already mentioned Manatee Coast.

And the best is still to come - our Polar Bear exhibit will be in the top five in the nation and I think it will be right behind Detroit rank-wise. The Brown Bear exhibit should stand out as well.
 
snowleopard said:
... and both authors of the book "America's Best Zoos" rank it in their top 10 if not top 5 zoos on the continent. Having said that, I am the first to admit that there might well be NOT a single amazing, outstanding, award-winning exhibit at the zoo.
Click to expand...

SnowLeopard is right -- both Jon and I regard Columbus as one of the Top 5 zoos in the USA, yet if you look at our "Top 25 Zoo Exhibits" lists, neither of us put a single Columbus exhibit on the list. We have, though, talked about expanding our list for the website and coming up with our (combined) "Top 50 Exhibits" and, if so, I'm certain we'll put 1 or 2 Columbus exhibits on that list. Probably Manatee Coast and/or Asia Quest.
 
okapikpr said:
What is your definition of an aviary?
Click to expand...

An open air room with free flying birds. However, IMO, calling the free-fly spaces at Columbus aviaries almost debases some of the larger, multi-level aviaries out there. My living room is larger than the aviary in the Roadhouse.
 
loxodonta said:
I'm surprised to hear you and other zoo chatters say this because there is one that really sticks in my mind: Manatee Coast! Compared to some other facilities I have been to (Cincy, Lowry, Seaworld) Columbus has my favorite! The indoor exhibit with retractable roof, great underwater viewing, an artificial "tide", the size, free-flying ducks and pelicans and mixed with other fishes, rays and an occasional sea turtle is a highlight when I visit. Also taking in consideration that is one of four facilities outside Florida that houses them and one of two that are not located in year round warm weather impresses me. They educational info that the exhibit has greatly increases its value as well (I personally like that they run their own Ultimate Zoo episode). Compare it nearby Cincy and other manatee exhibits its one of the best.
Click to expand...

Columbus definitely has the best manatee exhibit I've ever seen (seeing three and all :P) but my only complaint is that there is no way to put aside the fact that it is just a giant pool.
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
We've discussed this a few times before. There aren't that many exhibits that stand out but I think you overlooked a few. I think we have the Midwest's best elephant exhibit. We have one of the best tiger and sun bear exhibits. I would rank our bonobo exhibit as the best in North America. I know Snowleopard is a huge fan of the Roadhouse. And Loxodonta already mentioned Manatee Coast.

And the best is still to come - our Polar Bear exhibit will be in the top five in the nation and I think it will be right behind Detroit rank-wise. The Brown Bear exhibit should stand out as well.
Click to expand...

I think I did give credit to that massive amount of elephant space at Columbus. I've only seen two sun bear exhibits so I can't say much about that but I will say the idea behind the indoor part is a bit tacky. I was expecting more of the roadhouse. I personally think it's the better nocturnal exhibit I've ever seen but those type of exhibits aren't my cup of tea generally (I'm more a large carnivore & bird fan).

I think generally the problem with Columbus (as far as phenomenal exhibits and all) is not that it doesn't have good exhibits (minus the lions and penguins, I can't think of a single exhibit I looked at and went 'really, what were they thinking' while I do that a lot at many of my favorite zoos), it's that I have never been more aware that I was in an in-city metropolis than when I was at Columbus. I felt like I was in a Monopoly game. To a certain extent (and again, I love the zoo...I do however enjoy talking critically about these types of things), this reminds me of conversations I've had in threads with zoovisitor: Columbus doesn't have the 'zoo' atmosphere in the same way more immersion zoos do.
 
tigertiger said:
An open air room with free flying birds. However, IMO, calling the free-fly spaces at Columbus aviaries almost debases some of the larger, multi-level aviaries out there. My living room is larger than the aviary in the Roadhouse.
Click to expand...

Maybe but I doubt you have seen breeding behavior between Bali mynhas in your living room. I'm not saying they compare to Miami's or Omaha's aviaries but they are still aviaries no matter how you look at it and if they are successful in breeding endangered species there is no problem with me.
 
tigertiger said:
I think I did give credit to that massive amount of elephant space at Columbus. I've only seen two sun bear exhibits so I can't say much about that but I will say the idea behind the indoor part is a bit tacky. I was expecting more of the roadhouse. I personally think it's the better nocturnal exhibit I've ever seen but those type of exhibits aren't my cup of tea generally (I'm more a large carnivore & bird fan).

I think generally the problem with Columbus (as far as phenomenal exhibits and all) is not that it doesn't have good exhibits (minus the lions and penguins, I can't think of a single exhibit I looked at and went 'really, what were they thinking' while I do that a lot at many of my favorite zoos), it's that I have never been more aware that I was in an in-city metropolis than when I was at Columbus. I felt like I was in a Monopoly game. To a certain extent (and again, I love the zoo...I do however enjoy talking critically about these types of things), this reminds me of conversations I've had in threads with zoovisitor: Columbus doesn't have the 'zoo' atmosphere in the same way more immersion zoos do.
Click to expand...

It is one of the better sun bear exhibits but I agree the indoor part is lacking. Roadhouse, in my opinion, is one of the best noc houses in the U.S. Especially since it is australsia themed and has such rarities as palm civet, tiger quoll and brown kiwi. When i went in the summer of '08 they had fishing cat kittens on display in the entrance area of the Roadhouse. I love the Roadhouse.

I do however agree Columbus has some flaws in their exhibits. I do not agree with you on the penguin enclosure but lions, orangs, siamangs, grizzly and black bear exhibits could be better. I know they are doing a new grizzly and eventually a new lion exhibit and if the siamangs are given access to the gibbon enclosure then I digress but the orang exhibit is large but barren, the siamang is a small indoor enclosure and the black bear exhibit is small and barren as well (once again, if the black bear exhibit is going to improve after the grizzlies move then I retract this statement).
 
I love discussing the Columbus Zoo, as many people (such as myself) are eager to rate it as one of the 5 best zoos in all of North America. However, as has been pointed out numerous times on this thread, there aren't many world class exhibits to be found there in comparison to zoos such as Bronx or Woodland Park. The Aussie Roadhouse is brilliant, Asia Quest has some terrific enclosures, Manatee Coast is in my opinion fantastic, the entire North American section is above average and will only be better once the Polar Frontier with grizzlies and polar bears is completed in the near future. The black bears will have a redesigned exhibit all to themselves, and the collection is quite impressive in that area of the zoo. The Pachyderm house is the largest of its kind on the continent, and it is virtually impossible to find grottoes, pits, bars or cages anywhere in the zoo. The African forest area has an amazing bonobo forest, and okapi, colobus monkey, leopard and other enclosures that are all above average.

For me the Islands area is a little bit of a letdown, as the orangutan exhibit is totally inappropriate and yet it is fairly new. The komodo dragons and Asian small-clawed otters have huge enclosures, but the rotating gibbons exhibit is only average. The lions and gorillas have exhibits that are more traditional in appearance, but in reality there is not much to nitpick about with the Columbus Zoo. I've visited some collections where I've wanted to bulldoze half the zoo,:) but with Columbus I truly believe that it is more of a "fine-tuning" process. What is startling is that there has basically been a new enclosure that has opened or been renovated every year for over a decade, and now the future looks extremely bright with the Polar, African Savanna and South American sections. It is difficult to see this zoo falling on hard times, and I'm sure that a decade from now it will still easily remain a top 5 zoo in North America.
 
snowleopard said:
Maybe the Columbus Zoo really is the 2nd best zoo in the United States:):

Ad has all the poop on new Columbus Zoo ranking | AP Texas News | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
Click to expand...

Actually, the rating they are all excited about in Columbus is the "US Travel Guide" rating them #1 in the nation! But while I definitely DO think Columbus is one of the Top 5 zoos in America, I would caution them on getting too excited about this US Travel Guide list. This is a list that rates Lion Country Safari as the #3 zoo in the nation, and it's a list that completely leaves Omaha and the Bronx off the list!
 
But who can blame them about advertising this to death? I mean, we all need the money!!

I agree with you, though. I was vastly more impressed with the exhibitry at the bronx.
 
Britton said:
But who can blame them about advertising this to death? I mean, we all need the money!!

I agree with you, though. I was vastly more impressed with the exhibitry at the bronx.
Click to expand...

I agree. Columbus is still a great zoo. But any Top 10 list that leaves out Omaha is bogus.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top