GraysonDP
Well-Known Member
Zoo Miami Review
Date of Visit: January 7, 2017
Yesterday I visited Zoo Miami for the first time in nearly a decade. While I remembered the zoo was good, I found it to be even better than I recalled and was quite impressed by its new additions since I last visited: Amazon and Beyond and Florida: Mission Everglades. Miami is one of the largest zoos in the country and also one of the newest since it opened in 1981. The majority of the zoo was built between 1981 and 1990 and is made up of fairly spacious open exhibits surrounded by moats. Most of these exhibits are located on two loops- one that primarily exhibits Asian animals and another that showcases almost exclusively African animals. In both cases the lion’s share of the moated yards display an impressive collection of hoofstock, as well as pachyderms, big cats, carnivores, apes and birds.
Zoo Miami’s growth and prosperity was extremely stunted by the destruction of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, causing one of its major exhibits (a massive aviary called Wings of Asia) to be completely rebuilt. Since Hurricane Andrew, complexes Amazon and Beyond and Florida: Mission Everglades have opened and have a dramatically different feel, design and focus than the earlier habitats. They usually focus on much smaller animals and exhibits, more immersive exhibitry, closer proximity of habitats to visitors, etc. Both are largely excellent but provide a different experience from the older moated exhibits. Two things about Zoo Miami that depart from its peer institutions are virtually all of the animals in the zoo come from relatively warm climates and nothing has been knocked down or drastically renovated.
Despite this discrepancy in exhibitry style, Zoo Miami feels like a very complete zoo and is one of the most satisfying ones I have visited in quantity and quality. Almost nothing on the grounds is truly substandard, the newer exhibits reach for greatness in theming and animal welfare and the older ones for the most part hold up well. A large chunk of the zoo is not the most imaginative or rich in terms of immersion and detail and the moated exhibits form a cohesive, uniform style. However, this is offset by them providing good amounts of space and opportunities for the animals to act naturally.
Excellent
Florida: Mission Everglades- Miami’s newest, most memorable and cutting-edge exhibit complex is built with the mission of inspiring visitors to appreciate and care for the famous wetlands located close to the zoo. It starts out strong with a scenic pond for a wide variety of Florida birds to wade and swim. While seemingly mundane, this habitat is the perfect way to start the journey into the Everglades and feels especially immersive since many wild birds fly into it. A typical netted aviary for native birds is found nearby.
Up next comes the best American crocodile exhibit I have ever seen with a gargantuan pool and ample grassy land area. It reminds me a lot of the crocodilian enclosures at MOLA in Fort Worth. Best of all, the underwater viewing is superb and there even is a small tunnel for people (although the size is less than ideal for adults) that goes into the exhibit. Across from it is a huge underwater viewing window for one of the best river otter exhibits I have ever seen. A slide for children goes through part of the habitat and it is incredible to see the otters swim around in their large pool. The land area is quite immersive and does a great job at recreating the habitat of the animals. The muddy backdrops in both the otter and crocodile exhibit are topnotch, the vegetation is realistic and overall they are definitely among the very best of their kind.
One smallish habitat and another larger one create the rotating exhibits for black bears and Florida panthers. The panthers were not out on the day of my visit and one of the yards was empty but the other had a pair of bears in it. The empty habitat was a bit on the small side and was average in terms of enrichment and naturalism. The one the bears were in was much better with tall grass, a good amount of enrichment, some nice immersive details and a great mock cave that provided viewing. In particular, I like the deadfalls and rockwork. One habitat has a very nice pool while the other has great use of trees. Both yards were surrounded by a fence that was a bit of an eyesore and I would say they’re the weakest part of the complex but still fairly good. A few terrariums for reptiles are found in near the glass windows looking into the bear/panther exhibits. A mixed-species habitat features armadillos, gopher tortoises and burrowing owls and has plenty of opportunities for them to dig and hide.
Several baby alligators have a fantastic exhibit with a huge pool, realistic backdrops and shores and lots of grassy land area. Unlike the crocodile exhibit, this one is viewed from a boardwalk and gazebo above. A great interactive feature is a netted bridge that passes over the habitat. It is very similar to the crocodile exhibit in terms of quality and size though and is one of the best of its kind I’ve seen. Bald eagles have a state-of-the-art exhibit with the perhaps best mock tree I’ve seen, containing plenty of height and perching opportunities. Even better, visitors are able to enter the habitat through the boardwalk. The habitat is netted and fairly naturalistic. In the center of the complex, there is another bird exhibit that features both the zoo’s birds and native birds who pass through. This mix helps make the complex feel even more immersive and recreative of the Evergaldes.
The last two animal habitats are rotational ones for raccoons, bobcats and gray foxes. While they are not the most complex or dynamic, I appreciate them primarily because it is one of the absolute largest bobcat exhibits I have ever seen. This is a species that so often gets slighted in terms of space so seeing this was quite a treat. Also I liked the amount of enrichment present in the habitats and climbing opportunities for the raccoons. A boat ride goes around the entire complex but unfortunately I didn’t get to ride on it. Last, I want to say Florida: Mission Everglades is one of the most immersive complexes I’ve ever seen and I love the different thematic qualities that help transport the visitors to their natural habitat. I went through the complex twice and it quickly went on my all-time favorites list.
Amazon and Beyond- While not quite as impressive as a whole as Mission Everglades, this is a brilliant addition to the zoo and one of the two best South American exhibits I’ve ever seen (only Jacksonville’s Range of the Jaguar might be better.) Unlike Jaguar (which is centered around a huge themed plaza), Amazon is a winding trail divided in three sections. Immersive features such as a rich canopy and a nice waterfall transport visitors into the Amazon. The first exhibit visitors see is a fairly spacious and tall topped enclosure for howler monkeys and squirrel monkeys. The steel caging is unattractive but inside the exhibit is quite naturalistic, well-planted and has plenty of height and climbing opportunities for the primates. Across is a walkthrough netted exhibit featuring caimans and South American birds, which is also fairly lush habitat. Nearby a variety of reptiles and amphibians live in well-furnished terrariums.
Up next are two exhibits for jaguars, which they can access via an overhead tunnel. The exhibits are quite naturalistic and well designed with plenty of water, great rockwork, deadfalls, lush vegetation and varied terrain but are average in terms of size. I’d still say they are the second best jaguar habitats I have seen (again after Jacksonville although based off of the pictures Woodland Park, Los Angeles and Philadelphia look great.) The second habitat is made up primarily of a huge pool for the jaguars to swim as well as rockwork with a lot of height. This concludes the Clouded Forest section of the trail.
Up next comes the Flooded Forest section of the complex. The crown jewel of this portion is the state-of-the-art Orinoco crocodile habitat. It has a fairly deep and spacious pool with underwater viewing, superb backdrops and rockwork and lots of immersive details. The bottom of the pool is meticulously designed with lots of realistic detail and lots of vegetation can be found behind the habitat. This is definitely one of the best reptile habitats I have ever seen. Next door, an anaconda lives in a large terrarium with lots of mud, vegetation and water. Flooded Forest gallery contains a large tank for a variety of Amazon fish and stingrays live in a nearby tank. However the glare on the big tank bothers me a lot. Toucans, golden lion tamarins, iguanas and tropical birds live in a lush habitat viewed behind glass. It is filled with plenty of climbing opportunities for the primates and perching opportunities for the birds.
The final part of the Flooded Forest section is the great harpy eagle exhibit. Their habitat has an ample amount of height and plenty of vegetation. It was really cool to see these rare birds in a great setting. Up next is the last portion of the adventure: Atlantic Forest and it begins with the giant otter habitat, which is one of the best single-species exhibits I have seen anywhere. The exhibit is enormous and by far the largest otter exhibit I have ever seen. The habitat starts with a stream surrounded by a shore and brilliantly immersive backdrops. It leads into an gigantic pool with crystal clear water and plenty of fallen over logs. This pool is so impressive since it is deep, spacious and really looks like part of the Amazon River. Everything in the habitat looks natural and it is perfect for the giant otters that live in it. I’ve seen them at a couple of zoos but this is definitely the best of the bunch by a long shot.
Giant anteaters live in a medium-sized habitat that is quite naturalistic. It is complete with realistic mounds, great vegetation and a nice mix of terrain. Tamarins, agoutis and tamanduas live in a nice habitat while bats live in a brilliant nocturnal exhibit that’s dark as can be. While there are some flaws, Amazon and Beyond is overall borderline outstanding and a phenomenal complex any zoo would be proud of.
Wings of Asia- The best and largest walkthrough aviary I have ever seen. I was impressed by the level of lushness and naturalism found in the netted enclosure and it was a thrill to view the habitat at many different levels. The Asian theming is really well done and the temple ruins and ponds are nice touches. A great variety of Asian birds are found here and a tall side exhibit features wrinkled hornbills. Another all-time great exhibit for Zoo Miami.
Asian River Life- A fairly nice set of habitats for a nice variety of Asian species. This is one of the view parts of the main loops which is not designed in the open moat exhibit model. Asian-small-clawed otters live in a good habitat with a good amount of water and can be viewed on two different levels. Clouded leopards live in an enclosed medium sized exhibit with plenty of height. It is not as impressive as habitats for the species at the National and Nashville Zoos but is one of the better ones around and fairly naturalistic. Water monitors have a nice exhibit as well. Finally Komodo dragons live in a decent habitat that’s well furnished.
Hoofstock Yards- In a time when so many zoos have phased out a majority of their hoofstock yards in favor of building modern exhibits, this is THE zoo to go see hoofstock. Where else can you see giant eland, Somali wild ass, gaur, okapi, nyala, banteng, guanaco sable antelope and Arabian oryx at the same zoo in very good exhibits? All of these exhibits are moated. On the Asian loop, anoas have a solid exhibit while a herd of bantengs live in a spacious habitat with a huge tree in it although it is a bit bare. An exhibit for a large herd of Somali wild ass replicates their arid habitat while sable antelopes (although out of place since they’re from Africa) live in a large grassy habitat with plenty of room for them to grass and roam. Trees provide ample shade for the antelope. Addra gazelles live in a similar smaller exhibit with a good mix of terrarin.
Bactrian camels live in an open, decent sized habitat with a large rock formation on the side, a few trees and some logs on the ground. It is probably the best camel exhibit I have seen. Next door Dromedary camels live in a slightly smaller habitat with a few palm trees. One of the best hoofstock yards at the zoo is a large open habitat for gaurs. The rocky backdrops are well done and large trees provide a good amount of shade. It’s the second best gaur exhibit I have seen (after the Bronx Zoo) and it is a great place to see the lumbering cows. Addax live in a sandy, relatively bare yard while Arabian oryx have a similar habitat nearby.
In the African section, nyalas live in a nice shaded habitat with plenty of trees, space and varied terrain. Next up is a brilliant yard for giant elands and Addra gazelles. While it may not seem flashy at first, IMO it is an excellent exhibit: it has tons of space, ample grass, good spacing of trees and a nice mix of terrain. Additionally, it goes quite fair back and feels quite expansive. Grevy’s zebras live in a solid grassy yard that’s quite open. I especially like the shade provided by the large trees. Okapis live in a medium-sized habitat that is probably the most disappointing of the bunch. It is fairly shaded and grassy but not as lush or large as I would have liked.
The most popular of the hoofstock habitats is Samburu Station, which features reticulated giraffes, Grant’s zebras, Grant’s gazelles and ostriches. While it is not as immersive as the best of the newer savannas found around the country, this one is quite good. It is quite large and has plenty of open space for the animals to run, grass and browse. It reminds me of the African Plains section at the Bronx Zoo since both are large, fairly naturalistic African hoofstock exhibits that have aged quite well despite an older style. The habitat mixes grass and sand well and is dotted by a few realistic rocks and trees. The scope of the exhibit is impressive and I would say it’s definitely one of the better giraffe and zebra habitats in the country. A special treat on my visit was seeing a huge herd of giraffes gallop around the exhibit as they sensed rain was about to come. Greater kudus and Addra gazelles live in an excellent grassy habitat that is quite large. I love the naturalistic backdrops and how spread out the exhibit is. A few sparse trees provide shade and the spacious habitat provides plenty of opportunities for the antelopes to grass and run around.
Further down guanacos and rheas live in a large grassy habitat that is decently spacious and well-planted. A group of medium-sized grassy habitats near the Australian section for red river hogs, warthogs, Visayan warty pigs and bay duikers are more standard and relatively average. Overall Miami is one of the best zoos for exhibiting hoofed animals even though all of the yards are over 30 years old.
Rhinoceros Exhibits- Two species of rhinos live in habitats in a similar style to the hoofstock yards. Indian rhinoceroses live in the Asian Loop in a decent sized yard with multiple pools and a good amount of shade. This is a good exhibit but the black rhinoceros exhibit is even better and the second best habitat I have seen for the species (after Disney’s Animal Kingdom). Their habitat is enormous and must be over an acre in size. It goes back quite far and is quite wide. Even better, there is plenty of mud for them to wallow in and rocky backdrops for them to hide behind. Not necessarily modern but the exhibit ages quite well and is good for the pachyderms.
African Elephant Exhibit- Borderline average and not as large as modern elephant complexes but this habitat gets in the excellent habitat since it is much better than people give credit for and decently naturalistic. I like how grassy the exhibit is and the pools are quite nice. Also, the backdrops are fairly natural and a decent amount of enrichments can be found. I would not say this is one of the best elephant exhibits in the country and some updating/expansion of size would be welcome but I would say it is slightly above average and much better than several other elephant exhibits. I would even put it above the since closed Elephant Forest at the Woodland Park Zoo, which was seen as the best of its kind when it opened a few years after Miami’s habitat.
Various Primate Exhibits- Siamangs and gibbons live in a huge island habitat loaded with trees, vines and climbing opportunities. Guenons have a lush, well-vegetated moated exhibit, which is quite good. Lemurs live in a decent exhibit while a spider monkey exhibit is average at best.
Galapagos/Aldabra Tortoise Exhibit- The largest tortoise exhibit I have ever seen.
Date of Visit: January 7, 2017
Yesterday I visited Zoo Miami for the first time in nearly a decade. While I remembered the zoo was good, I found it to be even better than I recalled and was quite impressed by its new additions since I last visited: Amazon and Beyond and Florida: Mission Everglades. Miami is one of the largest zoos in the country and also one of the newest since it opened in 1981. The majority of the zoo was built between 1981 and 1990 and is made up of fairly spacious open exhibits surrounded by moats. Most of these exhibits are located on two loops- one that primarily exhibits Asian animals and another that showcases almost exclusively African animals. In both cases the lion’s share of the moated yards display an impressive collection of hoofstock, as well as pachyderms, big cats, carnivores, apes and birds.
Zoo Miami’s growth and prosperity was extremely stunted by the destruction of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, causing one of its major exhibits (a massive aviary called Wings of Asia) to be completely rebuilt. Since Hurricane Andrew, complexes Amazon and Beyond and Florida: Mission Everglades have opened and have a dramatically different feel, design and focus than the earlier habitats. They usually focus on much smaller animals and exhibits, more immersive exhibitry, closer proximity of habitats to visitors, etc. Both are largely excellent but provide a different experience from the older moated exhibits. Two things about Zoo Miami that depart from its peer institutions are virtually all of the animals in the zoo come from relatively warm climates and nothing has been knocked down or drastically renovated.
Despite this discrepancy in exhibitry style, Zoo Miami feels like a very complete zoo and is one of the most satisfying ones I have visited in quantity and quality. Almost nothing on the grounds is truly substandard, the newer exhibits reach for greatness in theming and animal welfare and the older ones for the most part hold up well. A large chunk of the zoo is not the most imaginative or rich in terms of immersion and detail and the moated exhibits form a cohesive, uniform style. However, this is offset by them providing good amounts of space and opportunities for the animals to act naturally.
Excellent
Florida: Mission Everglades- Miami’s newest, most memorable and cutting-edge exhibit complex is built with the mission of inspiring visitors to appreciate and care for the famous wetlands located close to the zoo. It starts out strong with a scenic pond for a wide variety of Florida birds to wade and swim. While seemingly mundane, this habitat is the perfect way to start the journey into the Everglades and feels especially immersive since many wild birds fly into it. A typical netted aviary for native birds is found nearby.
Up next comes the best American crocodile exhibit I have ever seen with a gargantuan pool and ample grassy land area. It reminds me a lot of the crocodilian enclosures at MOLA in Fort Worth. Best of all, the underwater viewing is superb and there even is a small tunnel for people (although the size is less than ideal for adults) that goes into the exhibit. Across from it is a huge underwater viewing window for one of the best river otter exhibits I have ever seen. A slide for children goes through part of the habitat and it is incredible to see the otters swim around in their large pool. The land area is quite immersive and does a great job at recreating the habitat of the animals. The muddy backdrops in both the otter and crocodile exhibit are topnotch, the vegetation is realistic and overall they are definitely among the very best of their kind.
One smallish habitat and another larger one create the rotating exhibits for black bears and Florida panthers. The panthers were not out on the day of my visit and one of the yards was empty but the other had a pair of bears in it. The empty habitat was a bit on the small side and was average in terms of enrichment and naturalism. The one the bears were in was much better with tall grass, a good amount of enrichment, some nice immersive details and a great mock cave that provided viewing. In particular, I like the deadfalls and rockwork. One habitat has a very nice pool while the other has great use of trees. Both yards were surrounded by a fence that was a bit of an eyesore and I would say they’re the weakest part of the complex but still fairly good. A few terrariums for reptiles are found in near the glass windows looking into the bear/panther exhibits. A mixed-species habitat features armadillos, gopher tortoises and burrowing owls and has plenty of opportunities for them to dig and hide.
Several baby alligators have a fantastic exhibit with a huge pool, realistic backdrops and shores and lots of grassy land area. Unlike the crocodile exhibit, this one is viewed from a boardwalk and gazebo above. A great interactive feature is a netted bridge that passes over the habitat. It is very similar to the crocodile exhibit in terms of quality and size though and is one of the best of its kind I’ve seen. Bald eagles have a state-of-the-art exhibit with the perhaps best mock tree I’ve seen, containing plenty of height and perching opportunities. Even better, visitors are able to enter the habitat through the boardwalk. The habitat is netted and fairly naturalistic. In the center of the complex, there is another bird exhibit that features both the zoo’s birds and native birds who pass through. This mix helps make the complex feel even more immersive and recreative of the Evergaldes.
The last two animal habitats are rotational ones for raccoons, bobcats and gray foxes. While they are not the most complex or dynamic, I appreciate them primarily because it is one of the absolute largest bobcat exhibits I have ever seen. This is a species that so often gets slighted in terms of space so seeing this was quite a treat. Also I liked the amount of enrichment present in the habitats and climbing opportunities for the raccoons. A boat ride goes around the entire complex but unfortunately I didn’t get to ride on it. Last, I want to say Florida: Mission Everglades is one of the most immersive complexes I’ve ever seen and I love the different thematic qualities that help transport the visitors to their natural habitat. I went through the complex twice and it quickly went on my all-time favorites list.
Amazon and Beyond- While not quite as impressive as a whole as Mission Everglades, this is a brilliant addition to the zoo and one of the two best South American exhibits I’ve ever seen (only Jacksonville’s Range of the Jaguar might be better.) Unlike Jaguar (which is centered around a huge themed plaza), Amazon is a winding trail divided in three sections. Immersive features such as a rich canopy and a nice waterfall transport visitors into the Amazon. The first exhibit visitors see is a fairly spacious and tall topped enclosure for howler monkeys and squirrel monkeys. The steel caging is unattractive but inside the exhibit is quite naturalistic, well-planted and has plenty of height and climbing opportunities for the primates. Across is a walkthrough netted exhibit featuring caimans and South American birds, which is also fairly lush habitat. Nearby a variety of reptiles and amphibians live in well-furnished terrariums.
Up next are two exhibits for jaguars, which they can access via an overhead tunnel. The exhibits are quite naturalistic and well designed with plenty of water, great rockwork, deadfalls, lush vegetation and varied terrain but are average in terms of size. I’d still say they are the second best jaguar habitats I have seen (again after Jacksonville although based off of the pictures Woodland Park, Los Angeles and Philadelphia look great.) The second habitat is made up primarily of a huge pool for the jaguars to swim as well as rockwork with a lot of height. This concludes the Clouded Forest section of the trail.
Up next comes the Flooded Forest section of the complex. The crown jewel of this portion is the state-of-the-art Orinoco crocodile habitat. It has a fairly deep and spacious pool with underwater viewing, superb backdrops and rockwork and lots of immersive details. The bottom of the pool is meticulously designed with lots of realistic detail and lots of vegetation can be found behind the habitat. This is definitely one of the best reptile habitats I have ever seen. Next door, an anaconda lives in a large terrarium with lots of mud, vegetation and water. Flooded Forest gallery contains a large tank for a variety of Amazon fish and stingrays live in a nearby tank. However the glare on the big tank bothers me a lot. Toucans, golden lion tamarins, iguanas and tropical birds live in a lush habitat viewed behind glass. It is filled with plenty of climbing opportunities for the primates and perching opportunities for the birds.
The final part of the Flooded Forest section is the great harpy eagle exhibit. Their habitat has an ample amount of height and plenty of vegetation. It was really cool to see these rare birds in a great setting. Up next is the last portion of the adventure: Atlantic Forest and it begins with the giant otter habitat, which is one of the best single-species exhibits I have seen anywhere. The exhibit is enormous and by far the largest otter exhibit I have ever seen. The habitat starts with a stream surrounded by a shore and brilliantly immersive backdrops. It leads into an gigantic pool with crystal clear water and plenty of fallen over logs. This pool is so impressive since it is deep, spacious and really looks like part of the Amazon River. Everything in the habitat looks natural and it is perfect for the giant otters that live in it. I’ve seen them at a couple of zoos but this is definitely the best of the bunch by a long shot.
Giant anteaters live in a medium-sized habitat that is quite naturalistic. It is complete with realistic mounds, great vegetation and a nice mix of terrain. Tamarins, agoutis and tamanduas live in a nice habitat while bats live in a brilliant nocturnal exhibit that’s dark as can be. While there are some flaws, Amazon and Beyond is overall borderline outstanding and a phenomenal complex any zoo would be proud of.
Wings of Asia- The best and largest walkthrough aviary I have ever seen. I was impressed by the level of lushness and naturalism found in the netted enclosure and it was a thrill to view the habitat at many different levels. The Asian theming is really well done and the temple ruins and ponds are nice touches. A great variety of Asian birds are found here and a tall side exhibit features wrinkled hornbills. Another all-time great exhibit for Zoo Miami.
Asian River Life- A fairly nice set of habitats for a nice variety of Asian species. This is one of the view parts of the main loops which is not designed in the open moat exhibit model. Asian-small-clawed otters live in a good habitat with a good amount of water and can be viewed on two different levels. Clouded leopards live in an enclosed medium sized exhibit with plenty of height. It is not as impressive as habitats for the species at the National and Nashville Zoos but is one of the better ones around and fairly naturalistic. Water monitors have a nice exhibit as well. Finally Komodo dragons live in a decent habitat that’s well furnished.
Hoofstock Yards- In a time when so many zoos have phased out a majority of their hoofstock yards in favor of building modern exhibits, this is THE zoo to go see hoofstock. Where else can you see giant eland, Somali wild ass, gaur, okapi, nyala, banteng, guanaco sable antelope and Arabian oryx at the same zoo in very good exhibits? All of these exhibits are moated. On the Asian loop, anoas have a solid exhibit while a herd of bantengs live in a spacious habitat with a huge tree in it although it is a bit bare. An exhibit for a large herd of Somali wild ass replicates their arid habitat while sable antelopes (although out of place since they’re from Africa) live in a large grassy habitat with plenty of room for them to grass and roam. Trees provide ample shade for the antelope. Addra gazelles live in a similar smaller exhibit with a good mix of terrarin.
Bactrian camels live in an open, decent sized habitat with a large rock formation on the side, a few trees and some logs on the ground. It is probably the best camel exhibit I have seen. Next door Dromedary camels live in a slightly smaller habitat with a few palm trees. One of the best hoofstock yards at the zoo is a large open habitat for gaurs. The rocky backdrops are well done and large trees provide a good amount of shade. It’s the second best gaur exhibit I have seen (after the Bronx Zoo) and it is a great place to see the lumbering cows. Addax live in a sandy, relatively bare yard while Arabian oryx have a similar habitat nearby.
In the African section, nyalas live in a nice shaded habitat with plenty of trees, space and varied terrain. Next up is a brilliant yard for giant elands and Addra gazelles. While it may not seem flashy at first, IMO it is an excellent exhibit: it has tons of space, ample grass, good spacing of trees and a nice mix of terrain. Additionally, it goes quite fair back and feels quite expansive. Grevy’s zebras live in a solid grassy yard that’s quite open. I especially like the shade provided by the large trees. Okapis live in a medium-sized habitat that is probably the most disappointing of the bunch. It is fairly shaded and grassy but not as lush or large as I would have liked.
The most popular of the hoofstock habitats is Samburu Station, which features reticulated giraffes, Grant’s zebras, Grant’s gazelles and ostriches. While it is not as immersive as the best of the newer savannas found around the country, this one is quite good. It is quite large and has plenty of open space for the animals to run, grass and browse. It reminds me of the African Plains section at the Bronx Zoo since both are large, fairly naturalistic African hoofstock exhibits that have aged quite well despite an older style. The habitat mixes grass and sand well and is dotted by a few realistic rocks and trees. The scope of the exhibit is impressive and I would say it’s definitely one of the better giraffe and zebra habitats in the country. A special treat on my visit was seeing a huge herd of giraffes gallop around the exhibit as they sensed rain was about to come. Greater kudus and Addra gazelles live in an excellent grassy habitat that is quite large. I love the naturalistic backdrops and how spread out the exhibit is. A few sparse trees provide shade and the spacious habitat provides plenty of opportunities for the antelopes to grass and run around.
Further down guanacos and rheas live in a large grassy habitat that is decently spacious and well-planted. A group of medium-sized grassy habitats near the Australian section for red river hogs, warthogs, Visayan warty pigs and bay duikers are more standard and relatively average. Overall Miami is one of the best zoos for exhibiting hoofed animals even though all of the yards are over 30 years old.
Rhinoceros Exhibits- Two species of rhinos live in habitats in a similar style to the hoofstock yards. Indian rhinoceroses live in the Asian Loop in a decent sized yard with multiple pools and a good amount of shade. This is a good exhibit but the black rhinoceros exhibit is even better and the second best habitat I have seen for the species (after Disney’s Animal Kingdom). Their habitat is enormous and must be over an acre in size. It goes back quite far and is quite wide. Even better, there is plenty of mud for them to wallow in and rocky backdrops for them to hide behind. Not necessarily modern but the exhibit ages quite well and is good for the pachyderms.
African Elephant Exhibit- Borderline average and not as large as modern elephant complexes but this habitat gets in the excellent habitat since it is much better than people give credit for and decently naturalistic. I like how grassy the exhibit is and the pools are quite nice. Also, the backdrops are fairly natural and a decent amount of enrichments can be found. I would not say this is one of the best elephant exhibits in the country and some updating/expansion of size would be welcome but I would say it is slightly above average and much better than several other elephant exhibits. I would even put it above the since closed Elephant Forest at the Woodland Park Zoo, which was seen as the best of its kind when it opened a few years after Miami’s habitat.
Various Primate Exhibits- Siamangs and gibbons live in a huge island habitat loaded with trees, vines and climbing opportunities. Guenons have a lush, well-vegetated moated exhibit, which is quite good. Lemurs live in a decent exhibit while a spider monkey exhibit is average at best.
Galapagos/Aldabra Tortoise Exhibit- The largest tortoise exhibit I have ever seen.
