His wife was mentally ill and shot him in a domestic incident. Larry "Dean" Ripa was peculiar to say the least, but a leading expert in regard to the husbandry and breeding of bushmasters.
Worst Zoo in the U.S. You've Ever Been To
- Thread starter CarLover
- Start date
Every zoo I've been to has at least been decent, but if I had to pick one zoo I've been to that's my least favorite, it would be the Orange County Zoo. I'm not saying it's a bad zoo, and it's nowhere near that, but I think it's too small. I'm personally a fan of mid-size to large zoos, but this zoo can be finished in about 30 minutes. That, combined with its low number of animals puts this zoo at the bottom of my list.
If you don't like Potter Park now, you should have seen it back in the 1970's when I first did--ugh! Today's version is light years better, seriously.
The worst zoos I can remember seeing are the old Central Park and Prospect Park (Brooklyn) Zoos in the early 1980's, before the city had the good sense to turn them over to the New York Zoological Society, now the Wildlife Conservation Society, which basically pretty much tore them down and started over. I probably got taken to some even worse roadside ones while on vacations as a kid but don't have any clear memories of them right now.
Two days ago, I would have said the Aquarium of Niagara is the worst zoo I've ever visited, due to their horrendous pinniped exhibits and below-average fish tanks. However, the zoo I visited yesterday makes Aquarium of Niagara look like a paradise for animals: The Animal Adventures Family Zoo and Rescue Center in Bolton, MA. While they claim they have "rescued" all their animals, most of them are actually in need of being rescued. They exhibited a West African Crocodile and a Smooth-fronted Caiman in what were essentially fish tanks. The West African Crocodile tank didn't even have a land area big enough for the whole Crocodile and I am not sure the Caiman even had enough room to turn around. They kept two kangaroos in an entirely-indoor exhibit the size of a bathroom and kept a singular black-capped Squirrel Monkey in what looked like a closet. Their primate exhibits didn't even have areas for the primates to appropriately climb! The aldabra tortoise was in an exhibit maybe three square feet larger than the Tortoise itself. Many of the animals were showing stereotypical behaviors, and almost every exhibited desperately needs improvement. I'm honestly surprised some of these exhibits are legal, and find it disgusting that places like this fly under the radar while animal rights groups and public figures attack the Bronx Zoo and other incredible institutions. If you want to attack some zoos, attack places like this that are actually committing animal abuse! I have attached a few pictures of some of their worst exhibits below. You can read my review of the zoo here: Animal Adventures Review: a visit to New England's worst zoo. [Animal Adventures Family Zoo & Rescue Center]
That is horrific! Those animals need to be rescued immediately.Two days ago, I would have said the Aquarium of Niagara is the worst zoo I've ever visited, due to their horrendous pinniped exhibits and below-average fish tanks. However, the zoo I visited yesterday makes Aquarium of Niagara look like a paradise for animals: The Animal Adventures Family Zoo and Rescue Center in Bolton, MA. While they claim they have "rescued" all their animals, most of them are actually in need of being rescued. They exhibited a West African Crocodile and a Smooth-fronted Caiman in what were essentially fish tanks. The West African Crocodile tank didn't even have a land area big enough for the whole Crocodile and I am not sure the Caiman even had enough room to turn around. They kept two kangaroos in an entirely-indoor exhibit the size of a bathroom and kept a singular black-capped Squirrel Monkey in what looked like a closet. Their primate exhibits didn't even have areas for the primates to appropriately climb! The aldabra tortoise was in an exhibit maybe three square feet larger than the Tortoise itself. Many of the animals were showing stereotypical behaviors, and almost every exhibited desperately needs improvement. I'm honestly surprised some of these exhibits are legal, and find it disgusting that places like this fly under the radar while animal rights groups and public figures attack the Bronx Zoo and other incredible institutions. If you want to attack some zoos, attack places like this that are actually committing animal abuse! I have attached a few pictures of some of their worst exhibits below. You can read my review of the zoo here: Animal Adventures Review: a visit to New England's worst zoo. [Animal Adventures Family Zoo & Rescue Center]
Dr Bright N04
Well-Known Member
For me so far, its the Jungle Adventures zoo in Christmas Florida.
Lycaon
Well-Known Member
I would say the Honolulu zoo is the worst zoo I've been to so far (it isn't terrible tho, it's just mediocre).
Now, there are some somewhat ok exhibits (like the Africa section), but a lot of the exhibits aren't the best (particularly their terrible orangutan exhibit). And the ectotherm complex certainly isn't very good either.
I'm sure they care for their animals well, but in terms of exhibit design, it's not the best.
Now, there are some somewhat ok exhibits (like the Africa section), but a lot of the exhibits aren't the best (particularly their terrible orangutan exhibit). And the ectotherm complex certainly isn't very good either.
I'm sure they care for their animals well, but in terms of exhibit design, it's not the best.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
Two days ago, I would have said the Aquarium of Niagara is the worst zoo I've ever visited, due to their horrendous pinniped exhibits and below-average fish tanks. However, the zoo I visited yesterday makes Aquarium of Niagara look like a paradise for animals: The Animal Adventures Family Zoo and Rescue Center in Bolton, MA. While they claim they have "rescued" all their animals, most of them are actually in need of being rescued. They exhibited a West African Crocodile and a Smooth-fronted Caiman in what were essentially fish tanks. The West African Crocodile tank didn't even have a land area big enough for the whole Crocodile and I am not sure the Caiman even had enough room to turn around. They kept two kangaroos in an entirely-indoor exhibit the size of a bathroom and kept a singular black-capped Squirrel Monkey in what looked like a closet. Their primate exhibits didn't even have areas for the primates to appropriately climb! The aldabra tortoise was in an exhibit maybe three square feet larger than the Tortoise itself. Many of the animals were showing stereotypical behaviors, and almost every exhibited desperately needs improvement. I'm honestly surprised some of these exhibits are legal, and find it disgusting that places like this fly under the radar while animal rights groups and public figures attack the Bronx Zoo and other incredible institutions. If you want to attack some zoos, attack places like this that are actually committing animal abuse! I have attached a few pictures of some of their worst exhibits below. You can read my review of the zoo here: Animal Adventures Review: a visit to New England's worst zoo. [Animal Adventures Family Zoo & Rescue Center]
I think Animal Adventures ties with Space Farms as the worst zoo I've been to.
~Thylo
The now closed Southern Nevada Zoo in Las Vegas. 2 acres crammed with dustbowl cages for lions, tiger, ostrich, chimp and such. Worst part was that the animals The only good memory I had of my visit was seeing my first fossa. I was young and family had brought me there. After that we learned to better vet our zoos. To this day I often have deliberations about which non-AZA zoos to visit. I know plenty of non-aza institutions are great or average, but often information on them can be skimpy.
Below is a video I found of the zoo as I remember it (maybe improved as my visit was in 2004 and it didn't close for years after that).
My runner up though is White Post Farms on Long Island, New York. Its aestetically pleasing but has a history of keeping animals like giraffe, camel, and zebra in maybe 2,000sq foot yards. And the primates were displayed on concrete if I remember correctly. Its just bad as well. That video is the second one I attached (Giraffe yard shown at 6:45).
Below is a video I found of the zoo as I remember it (maybe improved as my visit was in 2004 and it didn't close for years after that).
My runner up though is White Post Farms on Long Island, New York. Its aestetically pleasing but has a history of keeping animals like giraffe, camel, and zebra in maybe 2,000sq foot yards. And the primates were displayed on concrete if I remember correctly. Its just bad as well. That video is the second one I attached (Giraffe yard shown at 6:45).
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The "worst" zoo I have been to is Columbian Park Zoo in Layfette, Indiana. I wouldn't say it was a bad zoo, just underdeveloped. It had a lot of good or adequate exhibits, I wouldn't specify there was a single "bad" exhibit, just a lot more room to expand. I did pick up a few lifers for me, such as New Guinea Singing Dog and black-tailed prairie dog.
Without a doubt, Alligator Alley in Wisconsin Dells gets the title for the worst zoo I have been too. It makes pretty much every zoo on this thread look like Omaha.
IDK if we're including aquariums here, but I'd say that the one in Camden, NJ (Adventure Aquarium?) and Newport Aquarium are pretty disappointing. I'm not saying that they don't have decent aquatic exhibits and husbandry. They certainly do.
Specific things I disliked were mainly the non-aquatic displays. Camden kept hippos indoors all year in a smallish exhibit, and the water portion looked muddy with feces. Newport seems to rotate special exhibits between crocodilians, rays, tortoises, otters, women dressed like mermaids, and the occasional big python species in a rainforest-y room with a pool. I absolutely hate this with every fiber of my being. I live 50 minutes from it and refuse to visit. Why would you have a large exhibit room like that just to make it an ill-fitted exhibit for whatever your management can scare up season-to season?
These kinds of aquariums aren't the atrocities that roadside zoos are, but the cheesy commercial theming is a big turn off for me. It's cookie cutter stuff for the lowest common denominator. Outside of the major big-name institutions like Shedd and Monterrey Bay (there are obviously several others), I tend to stay away from aquariums in general anymore.
Specific things I disliked were mainly the non-aquatic displays. Camden kept hippos indoors all year in a smallish exhibit, and the water portion looked muddy with feces. Newport seems to rotate special exhibits between crocodilians, rays, tortoises, otters, women dressed like mermaids, and the occasional big python species in a rainforest-y room with a pool. I absolutely hate this with every fiber of my being. I live 50 minutes from it and refuse to visit. Why would you have a large exhibit room like that just to make it an ill-fitted exhibit for whatever your management can scare up season-to season?
These kinds of aquariums aren't the atrocities that roadside zoos are, but the cheesy commercial theming is a big turn off for me. It's cookie cutter stuff for the lowest common denominator. Outside of the major big-name institutions like Shedd and Monterrey Bay (there are obviously several others), I tend to stay away from aquariums in general anymore.
As animal lovers it's frustrating to see, but things like mermaids (and animatronic dinos) bring in a TON of money for these places. They also get more families to come out and possibly learn about species and conservation things they can do at home. Those lowest common denominators make it possible for these places to have the better species and contribute to conservation programs, both through keeping species and financing in situ programs.
If you're ranking Adventure and Newport Aquariums - two facilities which I have not visited but heard lots of good things about - as 'the worst zoos in the US you've ever been to" then clearly you've never been to even a remotely bad zoo in the US.
The room you speak of, though it wasn't initially built as one, was later turned into a temporary attraction/special exhibits room. Something that is fairly common in zoos and aquariums. This room is currently the Stingray Hideaway, and has been for nearly five years, it's safe to say that it's here to stay.
The crocodilians (the albino alligators) have also been a permanent feature for many years. Giant Tortoises and otters haven't been around for awhile either. Since it is my hometown aquarium and I've visited what feels like 1,000 times, I don't quite care for Newport anymore. That however, doesn't change the fact that it is a respectable institution - albeit overpriced. I also can't think of any of their themes coming off as cheesy, if anything several of their galleries are fairly unique.
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I don't think I ever been to an actually bad zoo in the US but I was underwhelmed by Turtle Back Zoo. I had higher expectations for TBZ than for Santa Fe College Teaching zoo, which is similar to Orange County Zoo from what BerdNerd describes, and I like SFTZ more. And of course one bad visit is not enough to evaluate a zoo's value, but still.
My first problem include being given an outdated map, which made fell shattered when I found out that the aquarium was closed down, or the South American herbivores got replaced with cheetahs. Many of the enclosured felt underwhelming such as the Asian big cats, bison, American birds of prey (their cages looked like they were bought from a hardware store.) Even the decent exhibits (with the exception of prairie dogs and reptile house) felt underwhelming or awkward.
As I previously said, I had high expectations for this zoo, probably because it gave off the vibe that it is New Jersey's major zoo. Hence it is this is the most dissapointed I got from a zoo visit. Having my brother with me beccause he drove me there didn't help if
but that is not the zoo's fault.
My first problem include being given an outdated map, which made fell shattered when I found out that the aquarium was closed down, or the South American herbivores got replaced with cheetahs. Many of the enclosured felt underwhelming such as the Asian big cats, bison, American birds of prey (their cages looked like they were bought from a hardware store.) Even the decent exhibits (with the exception of prairie dogs and reptile house) felt underwhelming or awkward.
As I previously said, I had high expectations for this zoo, probably because it gave off the vibe that it is New Jersey's major zoo. Hence it is this is the most dissapointed I got from a zoo visit. Having my brother with me beccause he drove me there didn't help if
I knew any better I would have used an uber
But they were partying in disco before, so at least they had their fun.
I had the complete opposite feeling about TBZ, it was way better than I expected.
The aquarium was just a couple of tiny tanks with super common species.
I don't have a clue what you mean by "South American herbivores" as the only species they've had that match that description are capybara and llama. The cheetah, when out on view, usually goes in the black bear exhibit.
The American BOP were in temporary exhibits, as the signs indicated, because a hurricane made their previous exhibits unlivable and the zoo had to go through a whole process to build them new ones. The zoo is heavily controlled by the county and many residents want the place gone, so any sort of upgrade or improvement is a fight.
Nearly everything at the zoo is from the last 20 years, it is amazing what they've managed to do with the place.