Zoos are places that allow the visitor to experience nature and see a variety
of animals up close. Thousands of zoos exist worldwide that feature wildlife,
such as lions, rhinos, and polar bears. The animals are exhibited in habitats
that look similar to the landscape in their country of origin. Zoological
studies are also conducted at zoos that are collaborated with various
universities, research facilities, and conservation organizations. Staff members
work at teaching visitors about the importance of wildlife safeguards and
protecting natural habitats. Unfortunately, harmful hunting and poaching
practices have led to the extinction of several different species.
In addition,
a large number of animals are listed on the endangered species list. By
informing the public about the dangers surrounding hunting wildlife, zoo
officials and conservation agencies hope to create more awareness about certain
hunting practices and how they can affect the animal population.
15) The Singapore Zoo
As the name implies, the Singapore Zoo is located in
Singapore. It was opened in 1973 and sits on 69 acres. Over 2,500 animals are
housed at the zoo, which also represents more than 300 different species.
As is
done at the San Diego Zoo, the Singapore Zoo houses animals in spaces that look
very similar to their natural habitats. Moats and glass partitions are used to
separate zoo animals from visitors.
The zoo showcases many exhibits and
highlights two fun shows as well. "Breakfast with an Orangutan" and "Elephants
at Work and Play" draw a good number of zoo guests each year. Some of the
animals you’ll find at the Singapore Zoo include ring-tailed lemurs, spider
monkeys, leopards, polar bears, tapirs, wolves, and flamingos. Zoo
transportation is available in the form of a pony, horse, carriage, or boat.
14) The Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located, as you might suspect,
in Philadelphia, has the noted distinction of being the United States' first
zoo. Established in 1874, the menagerie sits on a modest 42 acres. The zoo
highlights over 1,300 animals and is known for successfully breeding animals
that in captivity.
The Philadelphia Zoo works with various worldwide groups for the protection
of animals as well as the safeguarding of their habits. Because of the zoo’s
ability to breed hard-to-breed species, many of the zoo's animals are rare or
endangered.
A children's zoo is located at the zoo as is a lake for
paddle boating, and a balloon ride, and carousel. The zoo also displays many
educational exhibits, all which teach visitors about animals, their habitats,
and what steps can be taken to keep the animals safe.
Several specialized
exhibits are located in the Rare Animals Conservation Center, which houses
unusual animals like naked mole rats, blue-eyed lemurs, and tree kangaroos. Big
Cat Falls, at the zoo, features a number of species of big and wild cats,
including African lions, Amur tigers, and black jaguars.
Channel 6 "Zooballoon" Flies With Passengers Above the
Philadelphia Zoo:
By Jeffrey M. Vinocur
via Wikimedia Commons
13) The Welsh Mountain Zoo
Sometimes called the Colwyn Bay Zoo, the Welsh
Mountain Zoo is located in Colwyn County in Wales. The zoo was opened in 1963 and
covers a total of 37 acres. Home to a variety of interesting exhibits, the zoo
has been working at adding animal enclosures for the past several years.
Deer Enclosure at the Welsh Mountain Zoo or Colwyn Bay Zoo:
A new
tropical house for reptiles has been built as well as new alligator enclosures.
Lovely tree-lined paths make park visitors feel closer to nature.
One of the
popular exhibits includes the Sea Lion Rock, home to California sea lions. The
zoo also features snow leopards and is the home of the first Bactrian camel to
be born in captivity. The Condor Haven at the zoo features Andean condors and a
variety of avian species from South America. The Eurasian otter showcase is a
popular exhibit too.
Sea Lions at the Welsh Mountain Zoo:
12) The Nogeyama Zoological Gardens
The Nogeyama Zoological Gardens is
sometimes called the Yokohama Zoo because it is located in Yokohama, Japan. It
is also referred to as "Zoorasia." Opened in 1951, the zoo spans over 24 acres
and is home to about 1,400 animals and 100 different species. The lovely zoo is
free to the public.
Some of the animals living in the zoo include Mandarin
ducks, hamadryas baboons, lions, tigers, ruffed lemurs, wallabies, condors,
bears, eagles, and red pandas. In fact, when you first enter the zoo, the red
panda might be the first animal you see.
Red Panda at "Zoorasia":
This unique marsupial is
extremely popular at the zoo and the Red Panda Enclosure alone draws a large number of visitors each year.
Another facility within the zoo is the Makigahara Children’s Zoo. The small
animal menagerie, which opened in 1970, houses such animals, as mice, chickens,
pigeons, and guinea pigs.
Clouded Leopard at the Nogeyama Zoological Gardens:
The Nogeyama Zoological Gardens is proud to be the
first zoo located in Japan to successfully house such animals as the sloth bear,
the ring-tailed lemur, the clouded leopard, a giant anteater, and the
Kleinmann’s tortoise. In 1972, the zoo was the second zoo in the world to
successfully breed Andean condors in captivity.
11) The Australia Zoo
Founded by the late, great, Steve Irwin (lovingly
referred to as the "Crocodile Hunter") and his wife, Teri, the Australian Zoo is
one zoo you will love the moment you moment enter it.
The Late Steve Irwin Performing Live at the Australia Zoo:
Richard Giles
via Wikimedia Commons
The zoo encourages
visitors to participate in animal interaction, giving children and adults the
chance to interact with or feed such animals as elephants, koalas, wombats,
kangaroos, and snakes.
Sign Near Front Entrance of the Australia Zoo:
In some instances, visitors can even interact with
tigers. Some tourists have also fed elephants out of their hand. Other animals
featured at the popular zoo include zebras, birds, crocodiles, and cheetahs.
Over 1,000 animals are showcased at the Australia Zoo, which which sits on a
massive 100 acres in Queensland. The zoo, which was originally opened by Steve
Irwin's parents, Bob and Lyn Irwin, was once called the Beerwah Reptile Park.
Bob Irwin is a noted herpetologist.
Black Parrott at the Australia Zoo - Beerwah Queensland,
Australia:
By Cindy Andrie
via Wikimedia Commons
Located next door to the Australian Animal
Hospital, the zoo won the Australian Tourism Award in both 2003 and 2004.
10) The Wellington Zoo
The Wellington Zoo is located in Wellington, New
Zealand. It was the first zoo to be built in New Zealand and stretches out over
a total of 32 acres. The zoo is home to more than 500 animals, some of which are
considered rare or endangered. The zoo serves as a safe haven for such animals
as the miniature sun bear and the Sumatran tiger.
Historic Elephant House at the Wellington Zoo - Wellington,
New Zealand:
By Spawn Man
via Wikimedia Commons
Calling attention to the
importance of conservation, the zoo is designed with enclosures that are
supported by solar heat, and advocates the breeding of endangered animals.
Zoo
visitors can interact with one of various animals, such as the zoo's one-legged
kiwi, and can see such interesting animals as giraffes, red pandas and cheetahs up close.
Chimpanzee Stretching and Chimp Enclosure at Wellington
Zoo:
By Spawn Man
via Wikimedia Commons
The Wild Theatre at the zoo hosts animal presentations and can be
rented out for events and parties. Sick and injured animals are taken to the
Nest, located on the zoo property.
9) The Edinburgh Zoo
As the name suggests, the Edinburgh Zoo is located in
the city of Edinburgh in Scotland. The 82-acre zoo, which is home to over 1,000
animals and over 150 species, was built in 1913. The Scottish menagerie receives
nearly 600,000 visitors annually.
The zoo is the most visited tourist attraction
in Scotland, just after Edinburgh Castle, and is involved in the breeding of
rare and endangered animals. The zoo also regularly participates in many
conservation activities.
Distinguishing itself as the first zoo in the world to
both house and breed penguins, the zoo is also home to a resident penguin by the
name of Sir Nilis Olav. Sir Nilis Olav was knighted by Norwegian King Harald V.
The facility is also the first British zoo to serve as a home to a koala bear
and giant panda. The Living Links exhibit at the zoo features both monkeys and
squirrels, and the zoo's resident bear, Wojtek, once served in the military.
A
show is also featured daily at the site as well, called "Animal Antics." Zoo
visitors are entertained by zoo animals showing off their natural skills.
8) The Basel Zoo
The Basel Zoo is located in Basel, Switzerland. Lovingly
called "Zolli" by those who call Basel home, the menagerie is known as
Switzerland’s oldest zoo. Covering approximately 32 acres, the attraction is
also Switzerland’s largest zoo. The zoo receives 1.8 million visitors annually
and was ranked as one of the best zoos in the world by Forbes Travel in 2008.
Home to many firsts, the zoo is noted as the first zoo to hatch greater
flamingos as well as the first zoo to feature a birth of an Indian rhino in
captivity.
Indian Rhinos at the Basel Zoo:
In fact, the zoo has had a number of successes with the breeding of
animals, some of which have included cheetahs, okapi, and Somali donkeys. Not
only that, all the Somali donkeys located in other zoos in the world are related
to the donkeys bred in Basel - the home of the first Somali breeding program.
Breeding Flamingos at the Basel Zoo:
The zoo also features an aquarium which exhibits red-bellied short-necked
turtles and an African exhibit, which is home to hippos, rhinos and ostriches.
Snow leopards can also be found at Sauter Garden at the zoo.
7) The Schönbrunn Zoo
Located in Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria, the
Schönbrunn Zoo was founded in 1752 and is the oldest zoo in the world. Many of
its buildings are fully preserved and display a Baroque design. The structures,
which are flanked by modern-styled designs, are truly a sight to behold.
Giant
pandas are featured at the zoo along with an Amazon Rainforest exhibit and an
aquarium. Visitors can walk beneath a simulation of a flooding Amazon. Don't
miss the Arctic exhibit either, which features a variety of animals from the
polar icecap.
Seal Fountain and Administrative Building at Tiergarten Schönbrunn:
By Manfred Werner
via Wikimedia Commons
The Schönbrunn Zoo also has the noteworthy distinction of being
the birthing place of the first elephant born in captivity.
If you ever want to
see the zoo at night, you can book a night excursion and see how some of the
nocturnal animals behave when fully awake.
6) The National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
The National Zoological
Gardens of South Africa are located in Pretoria. Sitting on 210 acres, the zoo
is home to approximately 9,000 animals, or over 700 different species.
Overview of a Portion of the National Zoological Gardens of
South Africa:
By NJR ZA
via Wikimedia Commons
Depicted
by a varied terrain, the zoo is also the setting for the Apies Rivers, which
flows over a sloping and flat landscape. Established in 1899, the popular
attraction regularly receives over a half a million visitors each year.
The
entrance to the zoological gardens is surrounded by an aviary. Other animals
you'll see along the way include chimpanzees, lemurs, cheetahs, giraffes,
elephants, and red pandas. Lions, tigers, tamarins, kangaroos, and owls call the
zoo home as well.
Lion Enclosure at National Zoological Gardens of South
Africa:
By NJR ZA
via Wikimedia Commons
Because the zoological park is so big, visitors can rent golf
carts to travel throughout the facility and sightsee. Two restaurants are also
located on the grounds, where you can grab a bite to eat when you’re taking a
break from all the activity.
Cableway over the National Zoological Gardens of South
Africa, Pretoria:
By NJR ZA
via Wikimedia Commons
5) The Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo was opened in 1899 and is located in Bronx,
New York. An extremely popular site, the Bronx Zoo sits on an 265 acres and
features 4,000 animals, all which represent 650 different species. Some of the
major exhibits and attractions include the Bug Carousel, the Congo Gorilla
Forest, Tiger Mountain, the Wild Asia Monorail, and the Madagascar exhibit.
In
addition to the noted attractions, the zoo is also home to a sea lion pool, an
African plains exhibit, a baboon reserve, and a children's zoo. The Himalayan
Highlands exhibit also holds great appeal. A zoo shuttle is provided to zoo
visitors for their convenience in seeing the numerous exhibits and sights.
Indoor exhibits and major interest points include the zoo's butterfly garden, a
state-of-the-art, one-of-a-kind 4-D theater, a Jungle World exhibit, the zoo's
Mouse House, and a World of Reptiles exhibit. Families can spend hours at the
attractions. Zoo staff place an emphasis as well on supporting endangered
animals and related conservation activities.
Skyfari at the Bronx Zoo:
4) The Toronto Zoo
As the name suggests, the Toronto Zoo is located in the
city of Toronto in Canada. Opening in 1974, the zoo sits on 710 acres of land.
The zoo is currently home to 5,000 animals and 500 different species.
Entrance to the Toronto Zoo:
Divided
into "geographic" sections, the zoo features animals in the Canadian domain,
Eurasia, Australasia, Africa, the U.S, the Tundra Trek, and the Indomalaya eco
zone. The Indomalaya area of the zoo features such animals as the Indian
rhinoceros, the orangutan, the whistling duck, and butterflies.
You can see
such animals as moose, bison, cougars, and grizzly bears in the Canadian section
of the facility. The Tundra Trek highlights Arctic exhibits of animals,
including reindeer, snowy owls, arctic foxes, and polar bears.
Featured animals
are located both inside and outside, and can be viewed at different levels in
the facility. Kid-friendly attractions, which draw the younger set, include a
kids zoo, the Waterside Theatre, and Splash Island. In addition, the zoo has
appeared in films and on TV. The facility was seen on TV in 2011 in an episode
of "Undercover Boss," and also appeared in the Canadian documentary, "Zoo
Diaries."
3) The Berlin Zoological Garden
Established in 1844, the Berlin Zoological
Garden is the oldest zoo in Germany. It is also the most popular. Stretching out
across 84 acres, the zoo is home to over 19,400 animals from over 1,400
different species. The zoo also features an aquarium, with both the zoo and
aquarium playing host to nearly three million visitors annually. One of the most
popular zoos in both Europe and the world, The Berlin Zoo regularly conducts
research, working with other zoos and universities in this capacity globally.
Elephant Gate Entrance to Berlin Zoological Garden:
By Dieter Brugmann
via Wikimedia Commons
View of the Berlin Zoo from the Scaffolds of the Kaiser
Wilhelm Memory Church:
By A. Savin
via Wikimedia Commons
Animals seen at the zoo include king vultures, brown fur seals, burrowing owls,
giraffes, lions, penguins, tayras, and arctic wolves.
2) The Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire
First opening its doors in 1931, the Whipsnade Zoo is located in Bedfordshire, England. The zoo, which sits on 600
acres, is home to over 2,700 animals from about 200 different species.
Because
of the park's size, visitors can choose to drive, walk, or use the bus service
at the zoo. The zoo features enclosed animal areas as well as landscapes where
zoo animals can run free. Both Australian wallabies and peacocks have free reign
of some of the open areas in the park.
Exhibits featured at the zoo include the
Passage through Asia, which is home to Bactrian camels, hog deer, and yaks, and
the Elephant Herd exhibit, which, as you might guess, houses elephants.
Elephants at Whipsnade Zoo:
Birds
can be seen at the Birds of the World Exhibit, including the eagle owl, Harris
hawk, macaw and toucan. Children like interacting with the animals at the
Children's Farm, some of whom include the turkey, alpaca, llama, goat, and
chicken.
1) The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo is located in San Diego, California.
It was opened back in 1916 and features 3,700 animals from over 650 different
species. The zoo, which sits on 100 acres of land, is a popular well-known
attraction, having the largest membership of any zoo in the world. Over a half
million people currently hold zoo subscriptions.
Main Entrance to the San Diego Zoo:
The zoo at San Diego can be
credited with being the creator of the exhibit concept, an idea that features
natural animal enclosures versus iron or steel cages. Therefore, in the San
Diego Zoo, animals are displayed behind see-through enclosures and surrounded by
plant life and vegetation, all which replicates the animals' natural habitats.
Double Decker Bus for Guests at San Diego Zoo:
Exhibits and attractions include the Monkey Trails and Forest Tales exhibit, the
Owens Aviary exhibit, Panda Trek, the Scipps Aviary exhibit, the Polar Bear
Plunge, Elephant Odyssey, the Sun Bear Forest, Tiger River, and Gorilla Tropics.
The zoo at San Diego has also been featured on TV a number of times, seen in
cartoon animations, and the presented on the covers of music albums. The zoo has
frequently been referenced in stories and books as well.
Conclusion
Visiting a zoo is a great learning experience for both children
and adults. Zoos make us all more aware why it is important to concentrate our
efforts on wildlife conservation.
If you would like to help in this regard, then
go online and research the various conservation organizations that are involved
in saving endangered animals.
Find out what you can do to contribute to an
organization's activities. Or, donate your time to a local area zoo. In the
interim, you'll want to add a visit to one or more of the aforementioned zoos to
your bucket list or travel itinerary.
