The Virginia Zoo opened in 1900, known at the time as “Lafayette Park Zoo.” Nestled in Lafayette Park, it has been reported that neighbors can hear the elephants at night. 53 acres in size, it has a stellar Asian section (Trail of the Tiger), a solid African section (Okavango Delta), a Children’s Farm (closed for renovations), and misc. small exhibits.
When you first see the entrance you are greeted by the elephant sculpture, “All Things Within Things” created by artist Matthew Gray Palmer. This elephant is made up of a thousand butterflies with a gold butterfly on the tip of its trunk (the wings are in the shape of an upside down elephant head). With the contrast of the heavy elephant being made up by delicate butterflies, it is the artist’s intention to show how we are all connected. The entrance is made up of a big Southern style building and water fountains are there too cool off visitors.
After you pass the fountains, you cannot help but veer to the left to see the zoo’s newest exhibit, “Trail of the Tiger.” With tall, themed buildings, a tiger sculpture, and beautiful exhibits, you are transported to Asia. You approach the glass windows to view the outside orangutan exhibit. It consists of many climbing structures and will be an enriched playground for the orangutans. That is when they decided to fully embrace venturing outside for good. After this is the start of the elevated boardwalk with the siamang exhibit on your left. Similar to Denver zoo’s design, it is a basic island with many climbing features for the lesser apes. The moat gets its water from a cascading waterfall off to the side. I believe it is a nice home for the zoo’s two siamangs.
You turn to corner and approach the exhibit for the zoo’s newest inhabitants, the sun bears. This one belonged to the binturongs and it looks like they kept most of the climbing structures in tact. For being small bears, this seems like a nice exhibit to explore and places to hide and keep cool. Due to their cautious personalities and maybe the heat, they both liked hiding underneath the ledge of the boardwalk. But if you went to the far right and looked down, you’d be able to spot them. Up next is a meshed aviary known as a bird’s paradise. Lush in plants, I heard one of the birds chirping in delight. However, for guests, it’s a bit hard to see them unless you really get up close. Some featured birds were the Victorian crown pigeon, white crusted laugh thrush, azure-winged magpie, bleeding heart dove, and Japanese bantam, just to name a few.
Across from them are the bedroom areas for the siamangs and orangutans, which are right behind their outside exhibits. Both were a little cramped for the inhabitants, but they did have climbing structures. Also, the orangutans are from the Brookfield Zoo so they are used to and prefer to stay inside. In the corner is a cave where you view into the back of the orangutan and tiger exhibits.
You can continue your journey when you climb up the boardwalk and cross through the bridge. The Sarus cranes are on your left and the red panda and Demoiselle Cranes on your right. The red panda exhibit is beautiful. Lush with plants and a big tree in the middle with a limb that hangs over the boardwalk. There are also ladders that go up to a little hut where the red panda can hide. This was a time where being on the boardwalk looking down on a creature, I almost wish I could get an eye level view of them. Up next is the rhinoceros hornbill in a well-planted aviary on the right and unused land on the left. I am anxious to see how the zoo will use the land for in the future. The boardwalk descends into a zigzag ramp that takes you past the future exhibit for the binturongs. This exhibit is larger than their past one and I think it is an upgrade for them. I hope they keep the big tree in the middle of the exhibit. There was a sign saying this exhibit will be completed in the fall.
I completely past this future exhibit during my first walk through when I saw the Malayan tapirs right past this section. Their exhibit is quite nice as it has a shaded area with trees in one corner, a nice pool that comes up to the boardwalk, and a long yard for them to roam. One thing about this exhibit, among others in this area is the apparent view of the chain-linked fence in the back. Although I prefer it be in the back than always in the front obstructing my view, it’d be nice if one day plants could grow bigger to sort of disguise it better. I was fortunate enough to see both tapirs swimming in their pool. It is quite an experience to have a tapir emerge from the water, look up at you, and have its nose perked up! From reading a sign and seeing first hand, you need to be careful; the male tapir sprays far. Across from them is the Asiatic black bear exhibit. It is such fun that the zoo has both the sun bear and the moon bear. These brothers have a lush exhibit with a waterfall trickling down to their pool in the front of their exhibit. There are two platforms, with climbing ladders attached, and a pool to give the bears different levels to view the world.
The trail continues with a shared exhibit for the white-cheeked gibbon and the Asian small-clawed otter. I expected this area to be bigger. However, there is still a big pool for the otter and many climbing devices for the gibbons. Plus the two species can interact with other providing great enrichment. The second time I went past this exhibit, the male was poking the sleeping group of otters. Across from them is an Asian looking building used for the restrooms. Water drains spill out water on to the sidewalk to provide some coolness for visitors. To end this area are the titled animals, Malayan tigers. However, the day I came, they were completing to fill up the pool. The pool was finally back to normal, but no tigers were found. I assume they were inside sleeping in air conditioning. The exhibit still seemed very nice and it has the perk of underwater viewing.
Moving on, the Okavango Delta starts with a visitor plaza with outside tables and chairs. Huts with straw roofing are used for a restaurant and what it appears to be a former gift shop. The gift shop looked like it was close due to the roof coming apart. This area had signs explaining the area and the culture behind it. The first exhibit you see belongs to the white rhinoceros and zebras. I assumed out of all the animals, the African animals were the ones who would be out. But the heat may have been too much for them. I did not see the rhinos, zebras, and the elephants and giraffes were inside their barn. This dampered the experience a little bit, but there were still beautiful exhibits to see. On the right were exhibits for the red river hog and the mandrills. The red river hogs had mud to wallow in and the mandrills and bushes to hide in and to beat the heat. On the right was the exhibit for the ostriches and giraffes. You could look at it straight on, and then continue up the boardwalk to the back of it. Going up the boardwalk, you come to a wooded area that is used for the bongos, crowned cranes, and Egyptian geese. At the top you past by the blue bellied roller aviary and enter the barn. What is unique is you can see the elephants and giraffes below you. This works better for the giraffes since you can be at eye level with them. To see the elephants inside on a hot day swaying back and forth was a bit confusing to me. However construction was being done around the entrance of their exhibit. They were allowed outside later in the day. Their outside exhibit seemed average, but for its size I could only seeing them increase the herd to the minimum of three elephants. Any more and it would be a bit crammed. However, there is some grass left, a big shaded structure for them to stand under, and a decent sized pool.
To me, the star exhibit is the lion exhibit. You can look at it straight on with a pond in the front, red rock molding in the back, and a big bolder in the middle that reminded me of their own pride rock. The boardwalk goes around this exhibit so you can go up and behind their exhibit and look down on them. It’s a very nice scenic view. To finish up the area is a small exhibit where you get really close to Fennec foxes (almost too close that a visitor could reach in a try to touch them), rock hyrax exhibit with mesh around it, and a small meerkat exhibit with a moat drop off that takes up too much space and hot wiring all around it so the creatures do not escape. When you get back to the main level of the zoo you can see a yard for the Aldabra tortoise.
The rest of the zoo is not being utilized to its fullest and is calling out for another top notch exhibit. The zoo intended to represent many different continents. However now they have an Australian section, which is just an exhibit with emus, wallabies, and kangaroos obstructed by a chained link fence. The American section is a shaded exhibit for bison, a lush exhibit for an injured bald eagle, and a new prairie dog exhibit, with viewing bubbles, that is currently closed for renovations. However, they do have many gardens in this side of the zoo, which are pretty to explore. One feature I did enjoy was an old cage used for the chimpanzees could enter. Here you can see what it may have been like to be in the cage and provide photo opportunities for the animals in your family.
The nocturnal/reptile house begins with a nice outdoor yard for Stanley cranes and a duiker. It was a nice exhibit and leads me to believe this area might not be so bad. But continuing on is an outdated exhibit for squirrel monkeys. I will not go into detail about the nocturnal house as it was extremely outdated with exhibits were too small for mammals like the ocelot. They had a decent collection of reptiles and amphibians, but nothing was ground breaking about their terrariums.
This zoo has two fantastic exhibits and it begs for more to be built to make this a more complete zoo. I love to hear plans of the zoo focusing on another geographical area. I am not sure if they have the money currently for it, but it they can build another exhibit that matches the Trail of the Tiger, they will be in the right direction. This small zoo is not to be missed if you are in the area!
When you first see the entrance you are greeted by the elephant sculpture, “All Things Within Things” created by artist Matthew Gray Palmer. This elephant is made up of a thousand butterflies with a gold butterfly on the tip of its trunk (the wings are in the shape of an upside down elephant head). With the contrast of the heavy elephant being made up by delicate butterflies, it is the artist’s intention to show how we are all connected. The entrance is made up of a big Southern style building and water fountains are there too cool off visitors.
After you pass the fountains, you cannot help but veer to the left to see the zoo’s newest exhibit, “Trail of the Tiger.” With tall, themed buildings, a tiger sculpture, and beautiful exhibits, you are transported to Asia. You approach the glass windows to view the outside orangutan exhibit. It consists of many climbing structures and will be an enriched playground for the orangutans. That is when they decided to fully embrace venturing outside for good. After this is the start of the elevated boardwalk with the siamang exhibit on your left. Similar to Denver zoo’s design, it is a basic island with many climbing features for the lesser apes. The moat gets its water from a cascading waterfall off to the side. I believe it is a nice home for the zoo’s two siamangs.
You turn to corner and approach the exhibit for the zoo’s newest inhabitants, the sun bears. This one belonged to the binturongs and it looks like they kept most of the climbing structures in tact. For being small bears, this seems like a nice exhibit to explore and places to hide and keep cool. Due to their cautious personalities and maybe the heat, they both liked hiding underneath the ledge of the boardwalk. But if you went to the far right and looked down, you’d be able to spot them. Up next is a meshed aviary known as a bird’s paradise. Lush in plants, I heard one of the birds chirping in delight. However, for guests, it’s a bit hard to see them unless you really get up close. Some featured birds were the Victorian crown pigeon, white crusted laugh thrush, azure-winged magpie, bleeding heart dove, and Japanese bantam, just to name a few.
Across from them are the bedroom areas for the siamangs and orangutans, which are right behind their outside exhibits. Both were a little cramped for the inhabitants, but they did have climbing structures. Also, the orangutans are from the Brookfield Zoo so they are used to and prefer to stay inside. In the corner is a cave where you view into the back of the orangutan and tiger exhibits.
You can continue your journey when you climb up the boardwalk and cross through the bridge. The Sarus cranes are on your left and the red panda and Demoiselle Cranes on your right. The red panda exhibit is beautiful. Lush with plants and a big tree in the middle with a limb that hangs over the boardwalk. There are also ladders that go up to a little hut where the red panda can hide. This was a time where being on the boardwalk looking down on a creature, I almost wish I could get an eye level view of them. Up next is the rhinoceros hornbill in a well-planted aviary on the right and unused land on the left. I am anxious to see how the zoo will use the land for in the future. The boardwalk descends into a zigzag ramp that takes you past the future exhibit for the binturongs. This exhibit is larger than their past one and I think it is an upgrade for them. I hope they keep the big tree in the middle of the exhibit. There was a sign saying this exhibit will be completed in the fall.
I completely past this future exhibit during my first walk through when I saw the Malayan tapirs right past this section. Their exhibit is quite nice as it has a shaded area with trees in one corner, a nice pool that comes up to the boardwalk, and a long yard for them to roam. One thing about this exhibit, among others in this area is the apparent view of the chain-linked fence in the back. Although I prefer it be in the back than always in the front obstructing my view, it’d be nice if one day plants could grow bigger to sort of disguise it better. I was fortunate enough to see both tapirs swimming in their pool. It is quite an experience to have a tapir emerge from the water, look up at you, and have its nose perked up! From reading a sign and seeing first hand, you need to be careful; the male tapir sprays far. Across from them is the Asiatic black bear exhibit. It is such fun that the zoo has both the sun bear and the moon bear. These brothers have a lush exhibit with a waterfall trickling down to their pool in the front of their exhibit. There are two platforms, with climbing ladders attached, and a pool to give the bears different levels to view the world.
The trail continues with a shared exhibit for the white-cheeked gibbon and the Asian small-clawed otter. I expected this area to be bigger. However, there is still a big pool for the otter and many climbing devices for the gibbons. Plus the two species can interact with other providing great enrichment. The second time I went past this exhibit, the male was poking the sleeping group of otters. Across from them is an Asian looking building used for the restrooms. Water drains spill out water on to the sidewalk to provide some coolness for visitors. To end this area are the titled animals, Malayan tigers. However, the day I came, they were completing to fill up the pool. The pool was finally back to normal, but no tigers were found. I assume they were inside sleeping in air conditioning. The exhibit still seemed very nice and it has the perk of underwater viewing.
Moving on, the Okavango Delta starts with a visitor plaza with outside tables and chairs. Huts with straw roofing are used for a restaurant and what it appears to be a former gift shop. The gift shop looked like it was close due to the roof coming apart. This area had signs explaining the area and the culture behind it. The first exhibit you see belongs to the white rhinoceros and zebras. I assumed out of all the animals, the African animals were the ones who would be out. But the heat may have been too much for them. I did not see the rhinos, zebras, and the elephants and giraffes were inside their barn. This dampered the experience a little bit, but there were still beautiful exhibits to see. On the right were exhibits for the red river hog and the mandrills. The red river hogs had mud to wallow in and the mandrills and bushes to hide in and to beat the heat. On the right was the exhibit for the ostriches and giraffes. You could look at it straight on, and then continue up the boardwalk to the back of it. Going up the boardwalk, you come to a wooded area that is used for the bongos, crowned cranes, and Egyptian geese. At the top you past by the blue bellied roller aviary and enter the barn. What is unique is you can see the elephants and giraffes below you. This works better for the giraffes since you can be at eye level with them. To see the elephants inside on a hot day swaying back and forth was a bit confusing to me. However construction was being done around the entrance of their exhibit. They were allowed outside later in the day. Their outside exhibit seemed average, but for its size I could only seeing them increase the herd to the minimum of three elephants. Any more and it would be a bit crammed. However, there is some grass left, a big shaded structure for them to stand under, and a decent sized pool.
To me, the star exhibit is the lion exhibit. You can look at it straight on with a pond in the front, red rock molding in the back, and a big bolder in the middle that reminded me of their own pride rock. The boardwalk goes around this exhibit so you can go up and behind their exhibit and look down on them. It’s a very nice scenic view. To finish up the area is a small exhibit where you get really close to Fennec foxes (almost too close that a visitor could reach in a try to touch them), rock hyrax exhibit with mesh around it, and a small meerkat exhibit with a moat drop off that takes up too much space and hot wiring all around it so the creatures do not escape. When you get back to the main level of the zoo you can see a yard for the Aldabra tortoise.
The rest of the zoo is not being utilized to its fullest and is calling out for another top notch exhibit. The zoo intended to represent many different continents. However now they have an Australian section, which is just an exhibit with emus, wallabies, and kangaroos obstructed by a chained link fence. The American section is a shaded exhibit for bison, a lush exhibit for an injured bald eagle, and a new prairie dog exhibit, with viewing bubbles, that is currently closed for renovations. However, they do have many gardens in this side of the zoo, which are pretty to explore. One feature I did enjoy was an old cage used for the chimpanzees could enter. Here you can see what it may have been like to be in the cage and provide photo opportunities for the animals in your family.
The nocturnal/reptile house begins with a nice outdoor yard for Stanley cranes and a duiker. It was a nice exhibit and leads me to believe this area might not be so bad. But continuing on is an outdated exhibit for squirrel monkeys. I will not go into detail about the nocturnal house as it was extremely outdated with exhibits were too small for mammals like the ocelot. They had a decent collection of reptiles and amphibians, but nothing was ground breaking about their terrariums.
This zoo has two fantastic exhibits and it begs for more to be built to make this a more complete zoo. I love to hear plans of the zoo focusing on another geographical area. I am not sure if they have the money currently for it, but it they can build another exhibit that matches the Trail of the Tiger, they will be in the right direction. This small zoo is not to be missed if you are in the area!
