What is your favorite Zoo?

[Zac495]

Philadelphia Zoo.

 

[Amy]

The Bronx Zoo has to be the best for that. In fact they've eliminated almost all the "cages"--as far as I can remember, all the animals have their own large areas. Certainly all the large animals do.

Thanks! I'll add this to our list of zoos to visit.

 

[Amy]

Spring 2009 the San Diego Zoo is opening up a brand new elephant area called Elephant Odessey. http://www.acppubs.com/article/CA6606715.html

Thank you for that wonderful news!!!

 

[wackymother]

This is true....and I love the Bronx Zoo....which is now actually called the Wildlife Conservation Society.

I own a window cleaning company, and the Zoo is one of our contracts....we actually clean the glass that is set up for you to view the animals in their natural habitats and we see first hand the education that goes on there 5 days a week with schools coming everyday of the week. It's a fantasic place to visit and an excellent education experience.

Wow! This is like knowing a celebrity! That must be a pretty fun job.

 

[Bill4728]

For those who have visited many zoos across the country, which are the best "natural setting" zoos in your opinion? For example, we love the San Diego Wild Animal Park, but we don't like the San Diego Zoo because, among other things, we hated the depressing concrete and small elephant enclosure. We have a love/hate relationship with zoos. We love seeing the animals, but we hate the caged settings and lack of space for most animals. We would prefer to see fewer animals than more in the same sized zoo if it means those animals would, on average, have larger spaces.

I also like zoos which have a natural setting for the animals. I don't think the SD zoo has enough natural settings for the animals there.

On the other hand the Seattle zoo has gone so overboard with the natural setting that with many of the exhibits, the zoo visitors can't see any animals at all.

 

[Rose Pink]

I've heard good things about the Brookfield Zoo in Illinois, but we have not had a chance to visit yet.

I went there once when I was a youngster visiting my Grandma in Chicago. My only memory of that visit to the Brookfield Zoo was not one of the animals but my first (and only) glimpse of an albino African-American child. I couldn't take my eyes off him. I was young and it made quite an impression on me. He was with a group of school children--must have been a field trip for them. Odd, the things we remember from our childhood. Most of my life has been forgotten but that memory is still there.

 

[Banker]

Zoo Atlanta !!

Zoo Atlanta is one of the ten oldest operating zoos in the country....sorry, don't know what the other 9 are...zooatlanta.org A new panda cub was born at the end of August this past year. great panda exhibit!!!

 

[jlr10]

I don't think the SD zoo has enough natural settings for the animals there.

While I agree that may have been true in the past the San Diego Zoo has slowly been redoing areas for years. They started with Tiger River and have continued to change areas with the Elephants being the latest. The zoo is located at Balboa Park, which has many historic buildings. Land in the area is scarce and at a premium. They are doing as much as they can within the bounds of park and surrounding areas. If you wish to see the animals in even more natural settings then the Wild Animal Park in Escondido (northern San Diego) has most of the animals in areas small enough to be considered enclosures but large enough not be considered cages. I have friends who work at both places and know the care they put into their animals and the breeding programs to continue endagered species is some of the best around.

So, with a large hometown bias, I vote for the San Diego Zoo.

 

[pedro47]

San Diego and the zoo in Washington, DC.