Zoos in Arizona

So sorry I did not see this post until now. As regulars know I live in Tucson (for over two decades) and am familiar with the major zoos.
@drill You must drive really slowly if you think Phoenix is three hours from Tucson! :p In reality it is exactly half that time - one and a half hours. Of course the greater Phoenix area is huge, so I am talking about just getting into the city on the southern end (though Phoenix Zoo is not far from there).
@drill I find your list of Arizona facilities intriguing. I have never heard of Liberty Wildlife; can you explain what and where it is? A few places are rescue centers that can only be visited on select days by appointment (Oasis Sanctuary, Phoenix Herpetological, Southwest Wildlife). Arboretum at Flagstaff has no animal exhibits as far as I know, so not sure why you list them. Also there is a new one: Tucson Petting Zoo and Funny Foot Farm.
 
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Here is a list of Arizona facilities I have personally visited (will discuss more in followup):
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson)
Reid Park Zoo (Tucson)
Phoenix Zoo (Phoenix)
Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium (Litchfield Park)
Douglas Wildlife Zoo (Douglas - thankfully closed)
Payson Zoo (Payson - thankfully closed)
Phoenix Herpetological Society (Scottsdale)
Bearizona (Williams)
Out Of Africa (Camp Verde, formerly in Fountain Hills)
Keepers Of The Wild (Valentine)
Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary (Prescott)
 
It would help if I knew how long you will be in the state and what sights the family wants to see. Feel free to start a private conversation with me or continue to discuss on this thread. (Also may help to know what time of year). For example are you here for a week to see major sights like Grand Canyon? Are you staying in one hotel in Phoenix for the entire time or are you traveling around? Arizona is without a question one of the most beautiful states in the country, confirmed by the fact we have more national parks and national monuments than any other state. (Not to mention the numerous state parks and even tribal parks like Monument Valley). It is also a big state. I also don't know if the rest of your family is keen on zoos or not.

Anyway the four major players in the zoo world are (not surprisingly) in the two major metropolitan areas: Greater Phoenix in the state's center and Tucson in the state's south. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (Tucson) is, in my opinion and that of many other ZooChatters, the best zoo in the state. It is also uniquely Arizona, focusing on plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert. This alone makes it worth a visit, because why see animals you can see at any other zoo when you can see animals that are unique to the region you are visiting? Reid Park Zoo (Tucson) is small and can easily be seen in a couple hours. It may be worth it for the elephant exhibit but is otherwise decent but not exceptional (though big plans are in the works). Visit if you have time but if you are only in Tucson for one day go to Desert Museum and then neighboring Saguaro National Park. Phoenix Zoo is good (but not outstanding IMO) but has a decent Arizona Trail and an excellent bighorn sheep mountain (much better than one at Desert Museum). They also spearheaded the breeding program that saved Arabian oryx from extinction and have an exhibit that details this. As others said they have California condor as well. Wildlife World (on the far western fringes of the Greater Phoenix region) has one of the largest and most diverse animal collections in the country and the largest in Arizona (though the physical land area is smaller than Phoenix Zoo). However their exhibit quality and animal care range from acceptable to horrendous. There are so many disgusting, outdated cages (even some that are new like black bear) that I no longer visit the zoo as they clearly have no intention of improving their standard of care. If you want to see rare animals this is the place but be forewarned you are supporting subpar care and will see rows of "aviaries" that are just like pet shop cages. There is a reason they are no longer AZA accredited; they are also overpriced.
 
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Arizona Docent said:
@drill I find your list of Arizona facilities intriguing. I have never heard of Liberty Wildlife; can you explain what and where it is? A few places are rescue centers that can only be visited on select days by appointment (Oasis Sanctuary, Phoenix Herpetological, Southwest Wildlife). Arboretum at Flagstaff has no animal exhibits as far as I know, so not sure why you list them. Also there is a new one: Tucson Petting Zoo and Funny Foot Farm.
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I think the Arboretum exhibits amphibians. Liberty Wildlife is a animal rescue facility open to the public on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday from 9-5. It is in Phoenix.
 
I looked at Flagstaff Arboretum website and did not see any mention of amphibian exhibits nor did I see any photos of these in their gallery. They may have them, of course, but there is no mention. In any case, an arboretum with a few amphibian displays is reaaallly stretching the definition of zoo.

Liberty Wildlife appears to be a rescue center for native wildlife. Again this is stretching the definition of zoo, but is a bit closer because they do have wild animals and are open to the public at select times. Here is their website for those interested: Liberty Wildlife | Wildlife rehabilitation, natural history education and conservation services

Tucson Botanical Gardens has a seasonal butterfly house if you want to count this.
 
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