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Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by zoomania18, 17 Feb 2011.

  1. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    best US animal exhibit / enclosure

    hi i would like to ask which zoo have rather ''good exhibit / enclosure for the animals . such as

    1. naturalistic exhibit for the animal
    2. clean and beautifully landscape zoo similarly to singapore zoo
    3. immersion exhibit
    4. lots of animal type and species
    5. exhibit with moats , rockwork and streams and etc
    and what is the best US exhibit for the

    jaguar
    lion
    tiger
    barbary sheep
    elephant

    because my relative is coming over to visit me and my family . so i am think of taking my small cousin to the zoo
     
  2. Zooplantman

    Zooplantman Well-Known Member

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    There are many beautifully landscaped zoos in the US, but nothing that I can think of quite like Singapore... which I consider a garden zoo.
    In their own unique styles, though, Cincinnati and DAK, perhaps Indianapolis a bit and Toledo & Riverbanks, put similar attention to being landscaped and pretty (as opposed to more natural like Woodland Park Zoo or SDWAP). Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita) falls in between. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum is another unique landscape. OK, the more I write the more I want to write. So this list is not complete by any means and I hope my zoo horticulture friends never see this! :D
     
  3. KCZooFan

    KCZooFan Well-Known Member

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    Jaguar-Jacksonville, Woodland Park, Saint Louis

    Lion-Busch Gardens, San Diego Safari Park, Sedgwick County Zoo (Wichita), Toledo Zoo, Kansas City Zoo

    Tiger-Minnesota, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Bronx, Hogle Zoo (Salt Lake City, )Como (Saint Paul), and Omaha for poor exhibits but an outstanding collection.

    Elephant-North Carolina, Nashville, Dallas, Kansas City, San Diego Safari Park, Oakland; I know there's a thread about it on here somewhere, just can't seem to find it.
     
  4. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    oh really . have you been to singapore zoo b4 . is it a open concept zoo rite ???
     
  5. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    thank kczoofan for your effort . heard that jaguar cove is a awesome exhibit ??? never been there . is it true
     
  6. KCZooFan

    KCZooFan Well-Known Member

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    Neither have I, but from pictures I've seen, it looks truly amazing.
     
  7. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    what abt the african wild dogs or spotted hyenas. which zoo have the best
     
  8. KCZooFan

    KCZooFan Well-Known Member

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    I beleive Denver has a very good exhibit for both known as "Predator Ridge"
     
  9. Zooplantman

    Zooplantman Well-Known Member

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    I think I'd recommend Woodland Park Zoo's over Jacksonville, personally
     
  10. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    thank zoo planrman
     
  11. jbnbsn99

    jbnbsn99 Well-Known Member

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    Interesting animal choices. I am really wondering why you picked Aoudad (aka Barbary Sheep). It's not an animal that you will see at a lot of North American zoos. They are common enough in ranches and the like, but I have not seen one in a zoo since I was a kid. Honestly, I wonder why this is.

    For the rest of the list.
    Jaguar - WPZ
    Lion -SDWAP
    Tiger - you've got 3 choices here I think. Bronx and Minnesota clearly for the Amur Tiger while I think Dallas for tropical tigers. Bit of different needs for the different subspecies.
    Elephant you will get the most debate on. Depends on how you define best. Different exhibits meet different definitions. Currently all the top contenders are for Africans (SDWAP, DAK, North Carolina, Nashville, and Dallas).

    Oh and Barbary Sheep - there is probably only one choice here and that is SDWAP. Toronto also has them, but that is about all you will get for them.
     
  12. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Looks like I agree with what everyone else is saying.

    Elephants - in this order - Nashville Zoo, Dallas Zoo, probably North Carolina Zoo (haven't been myself).

    Jaguar - Nothing truly spectacular that I have personally seen (and I have seen a lot of cat exhibits, but not the aformentioned Jacksonville and Woodland Park). I am anxiously anticipating The Living Desert exhibit that opens on April 1 (which I will likely see on Memorial Day).

    Tiger - Minnesota Zoo, probably the new Bronx Zoo exhibit (have not seen it myself), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo when there is snow, the old Busch Gardens exhibit (have not seen the new replacement, but based on photos the old one was better), Fort Worth Zoo, Memphis Zoo, Nashville Zoo.

    Lion - San Diego Safari Park, Sedgwick County Zoo, Denver Zoo, Out Of Africa.
     
    Last edited: 18 Feb 2011
  13. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    hi zoochatters , anyone know any great and awesome for the big cat or feline family .

    such as tiger , lion , jaguar , leopard ,cheetah, lynx, and etc
     
  14. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    thank in advance
     
  15. siamang27

    siamang27 Well-Known Member

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    Tiger, lion and jaguar exhibits are already listed on this thread...
     
  16. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    erm sorry , i mean clouded leopard , serval and snow leopard exhibit , just curious which zoo have the best exhibit for them
     
  17. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    For lots of big and small cats together, Memphis Zoo may have the best overall area. Ten species in a circular loop in all pretty good enclosures (no single one that is truly outstanding, but none that are bad either).

    Nashville Zoo is undisputed best clouded leopard exhibit and also has quite good tiger and puma. Their eurasian lynx enclosure is a bit small, but when I went two years ago had a white lynx in with a typical lynx.

    Phoenix Zoo has a very good cheetah exhibit (but not a whole lot else in the way of cats), but then again most cheetah exhibits are decent to very good. This is the one big cat species that gets consistently better quality exhibits.

    Cincinnati Zoo will be opening their newly redone small carnivore house and have new outdoor snow leopard and puma exhibits that I am sure will be quite nice. Also has white lions and both white indian and malayan tigers, as well as cheetahs.

    Houston Zoo has a cat row with average size exhibits but they are nicely landscaped and have lots of vertical climbing area. These are for clouded leopard, ocelot, fossa (cat-like), leopard (though they technically now house a jaguar/leopard cross that they took from a rescue facility). The separate tiger enclosure is pretty good and lion enclosure is very good with a very unique tunnel in the middle. Newly redone jaguar exhibit is decent and adjacent puma exhibit is being redone. Brand new cheetah exhibit is unfortunately subpar.

    Philadelphia Zoo has Big Cat Falls with five very nice big cat habitats. Separate areas have average exhibits for cheetahs and canadian lynx.

    The Living Desert is another fave of mine. Nine species of desert or savannah cats spread throughout the zoo in very naturalistic exhibits.

    San Diego Safari Park is hard to beat for lions.

    Arizona Sonora Desert Museum may have the best puma exhibit. Also uniquely designed Small Cat Canyon with above and ground level viewing of ocelot and bobcat. (Used to also have jaguarundi and margay).

    CONCLUSION - If you are looking to see a large number of cats in overall nice quality exhibits, my top two choices are Memphis Zoo and The Living Desert. Also perhaps Oklahoma City Zoo in this category, though I have not been there.
     
  18. snowleopard

    snowleopard Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    @Arizona Docent: very nice list, and of the 9 zoos that you listed only The Living Desert is one that I have not been to in the last few years. Oklahoma City is a terrific zoo for many animals (including cats) but one more establishment to add to your list would be Utah's Hogle Zoo. There are several cat species in the subpar small mammal house, but "Asian Highlands" is outstanding and contains 5 cat species.
     
  19. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    beside zoo in america , do you know any good and awesome exhibit big cats / small cats in europe , asia , africa and africa zoo
     
  20. zoomania18

    zoomania18 Well-Known Member

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    i know my title is best US animal exhibit / enclosure

    but beside america , does anyone know any good exhibit for the big cats , small cats