It's time again for everyone's favorite completely objective and non controversial popularity contest!
Every year USA Today hosts a public poll for readers to vote on their favorite zoo, safari park, aquarium, and zoo exhibit. You can vote every day once until May 24 at noon and the winners are announced on June 4. Here are the nominees for this year:
Best Zoo Nominees:
1. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ
2. Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
3. Brevard Zoo, Melbourne, FL
4. Bronx Zoo, New York, NY
5. Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, IL
6. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO
7. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Cincinnati, OH
8. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus, OH
9. Dallas Zoo, Dallas, TX
10. Denver Zoo, Denver, CO
11. Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, TX
12. Houston Zoo, Houston, TX
13. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert, CA
14. Nashville Zoo, Nashville, TN
15. Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA
16. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, NE
17. Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR
18. Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO
19. San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
20. Smithsonian's National Zoo, Washington DC
Best Aquarium:
1. Adventure Aquarium, Camden, NJ
2. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA
3. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, LA
4. Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas, TX
5. The Florida Aquarium, Tampa, FL
6. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA
7. Maui Ocean Center, Maui, HI
8. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA
9. Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
10. National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
11. New York Aquarium, New York, NY
12. Newport Aquarium, Newport, KY
13. North Carolina Aquariums, NC
14. Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, OR
15. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg, TN
16. Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA
17. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL
18. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN
19. Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi, TX
20. Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield, MO
Best Wildlife/Safari Park:
1. B. Bryan Preserve, Point Arena, CA
2. Bear Country USA, Black Hills, SD
3. Bearizona, Williams, AZ
4. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL
5. Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, Divide, CO
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom, Orlando, FL
7. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX
8. Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, Yellowstone, MT
9. Keystone Safari, Grove City, PA
10. Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park, Ashland, NE
11. Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee, FL
12. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, San Antonio, TX
13. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville, WA
14. Safari West, Santa Rosa, CA
15. San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego, CA
16. White Oak Conservation Center, Yulee, FL
17. Wild Animal Safari, Pine Mountain, GA
18. Wild Safari Drive-Thru, Jackson, NJ
19. Wildlife Safari, Winston, OR
20. The Wilds, Cumberland, OH
Best Zoo Exhibit:
1. Animal Care Center, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
2. Asia Trail, Smithsonian's National Zoo
3. Asian Highlands, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
4. Boyd Family Asian Trek, Zoo Knoxville
5. California Trail, Oakland Zoo
6. Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo
7. Devereaux Tiger Forest, Detroit Zoo
8. Elephant Lands, Oregon Zoo
9. Florida: Mission Everglades, Zoo Miami
10. Judy and Jerry Kent Sea Lion Sound, Saint Louis Zoo
11. Land of the Tiger, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
12. Maharajah Jungle Trek, Disney's Animal Kingdom
13. Meerkat Manor, Utah's Hogle Zoo
14. Museum of Living Art, Fort Worth Zoo
15. Predator Ridge, Denver Zoo
16. Rocky Mountain Wild, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
17. Russia's Grizzly Coast, Minnesota Zoo
18. Simmon's Hippo Outpost, Dallas Zoo
19. Tiger Crossroads, Nashville Zoo
20. Walkabout Australia, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
What do you think of this year's nominees? Any snubs or places that don't deserve to be on the list?
Every year USA Today hosts a public poll for readers to vote on their favorite zoo, safari park, aquarium, and zoo exhibit. You can vote every day once until May 24 at noon and the winners are announced on June 4. Here are the nominees for this year:
Best Zoo Nominees:
1. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ
2. Audubon Zoo, New Orleans, LA
3. Brevard Zoo, Melbourne, FL
4. Bronx Zoo, New York, NY
5. Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, IL
6. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, Colorado Springs, CO
7. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, Cincinnati, OH
8. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, Columbus, OH
9. Dallas Zoo, Dallas, TX
10. Denver Zoo, Denver, CO
11. Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, TX
12. Houston Zoo, Houston, TX
13. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens, Palm Desert, CA
14. Nashville Zoo, Nashville, TN
15. Oakland Zoo, Oakland, CA
16. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, NE
17. Oregon Zoo, Portland, OR
18. Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, MO
19. San Diego Zoo, San Diego, CA
20. Smithsonian's National Zoo, Washington DC
Best Aquarium:
1. Adventure Aquarium, Camden, NJ
2. Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, CA
3. Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, New Orleans, LA
4. Dallas World Aquarium, Dallas, TX
5. The Florida Aquarium, Tampa, FL
6. Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA
7. Maui Ocean Center, Maui, HI
8. Monterey Bay Aquarium, Monterey, CA
9. Mystic Aquarium, Mystic, CT
10. National Aquarium, Baltimore, MD
11. New York Aquarium, New York, NY
12. Newport Aquarium, Newport, KY
13. North Carolina Aquariums, NC
14. Oregon Coast Aquarium, Newport, OR
15. Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Gatlinburg, TN
16. Seattle Aquarium, Seattle, WA
17. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL
18. Tennessee Aquarium, Chattanooga, TN
19. Texas State Aquarium, Corpus Christi, TX
20. Wonders of Wildlife, Springfield, MO
Best Wildlife/Safari Park:
1. B. Bryan Preserve, Point Arena, CA
2. Bear Country USA, Black Hills, SD
3. Bearizona, Williams, AZ
4. Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL
5. Colorado Wolf and Wildlife Center, Divide, CO
6. Disney's Animal Kingdom, Orlando, FL
7. Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Glen Rose, TX
8. Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, Yellowstone, MT
9. Keystone Safari, Grove City, PA
10. Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park, Ashland, NE
11. Lion Country Safari, Loxahatchee, FL
12. Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, San Antonio, TX
13. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, Eatonville, WA
14. Safari West, Santa Rosa, CA
15. San Diego Zoo Safari Park, San Diego, CA
16. White Oak Conservation Center, Yulee, FL
17. Wild Animal Safari, Pine Mountain, GA
18. Wild Safari Drive-Thru, Jackson, NJ
19. Wildlife Safari, Winston, OR
20. The Wilds, Cumberland, OH
Best Zoo Exhibit:
1. Animal Care Center, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
2. Asia Trail, Smithsonian's National Zoo
3. Asian Highlands, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
4. Boyd Family Asian Trek, Zoo Knoxville
5. California Trail, Oakland Zoo
6. Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo
7. Devereaux Tiger Forest, Detroit Zoo
8. Elephant Lands, Oregon Zoo
9. Florida: Mission Everglades, Zoo Miami
10. Judy and Jerry Kent Sea Lion Sound, Saint Louis Zoo
11. Land of the Tiger, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
12. Maharajah Jungle Trek, Disney's Animal Kingdom
13. Meerkat Manor, Utah's Hogle Zoo
14. Museum of Living Art, Fort Worth Zoo
15. Predator Ridge, Denver Zoo
16. Rocky Mountain Wild, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
17. Russia's Grizzly Coast, Minnesota Zoo
18. Simmon's Hippo Outpost, Dallas Zoo
19. Tiger Crossroads, Nashville Zoo
20. Walkabout Australia, San Diego Zoo Safari Park
What do you think of this year's nominees? Any snubs or places that don't deserve to be on the list?
