Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium Wildlife World Zoo - Safari expansion

[Arizona Docent]

Is it all a ride area or are they building some new American animal exhibits too?

When they were building the Africa section, they issued some press releases/interviews regarding both expansions (this was in Spring 2013). At that time they stated the following:
It will include animals from North, Central and South America, such as wolves, mountain lions, bears and buffalo.
Here is the full article: Wildlife World Zoo will see a wild expansion

 

[Arizona Docent]

AdventureLand (part 1)
The newest addition is now open and I saw it in person three days ago. It is no longer referred to as an Americas section and is called AdventureLand. It features many North American animals but also whatever else of no particular category, including Asian water monitor and axis deer. The Safari Park expansion that opened previously has decent mammal exhibits including quite nice hoofstock yards (large and grassy with trees) and a nice path with some rather bare bird cages along them. The new Adventureland expansion has some very poor mammal exhibits (plus a few decent hoofstock yards with grass and trees). Compared to the semi narrow and winding path in the former expansion, this one has wide open dirt with little to no shade. Just a huge letdown. Carnival rides are also a major feature which of course any sensible ZooChat member will hate.

 

[Arizona Docent]

AdventureLand (part 2)
One feature here that is absent from the previous Safari expansion are indoor small animal exhibits. There are three buildings, most with end exhibits that allow those particular inhabitants to go inside or outside (though the outside cages are just hard dirt and twigs). No theme to these buildings. For example the farthest back has three exhibits: squirrel monkey, Asian water monitor, hairy armadillo. Another has perhaps eight or ten exhibits, including three species of North American fox: red, gray, arctic.

The bison yard and puma and bobcat exhibits were all completely flooded and the animals had to stand on a tiny strip of dry land at one side. Was there a water main break? Who knows, as there were no staff members anywhere in sight working on anything and no signs to explain the situation. Things like this make me question the quality of animal care at this zoo. I keep hoping they will improve things, but to be perfectly blunt they do not and seem content to keep adding 1960's era exhibits and cheezy carnival rides. I went for the cubs (leopard etc) and got good photos, but honestly I have a hard time supporting this second rate facility and after seeing this dismal addition I doubt I will ever go back.