I have been enjoying the thread started by member blackrhino called Best Zoo Exhibit in the U.S., and I have posted my list of my favorite zoo exhibit complexes of the 40 zoos I have visited in that thread. The thread focus is on themed multiple enclosure multiple species complexes, and my list only included them, although I broke the rule and included a few foreign zoo exhibits I have visited, I just couldn't ignore them. One subject that has come up in the thread is the difference between exhibit complexes and individual exhibit enclosures, so I am now posting my list of my favorite individual exhibits. Feel free to post yours or comment on these! It was hard enough to narrow down my favorite exhibit complexes, but this task is even harder and more subjective too. These individual exhibits can be from exhibit complexes, or ones that stand on their own. It is hard to remember every single exhibit, and I must admit that those I have taken pictures of are more likely to be fresh in the memory! Also, zoo exhibits with more detailed maps are more likely to jog the memory. Also, I may not have seen every exhibit at a zoo although I try to. I have included individual exhibits with both single species inhabitants and multiple species inhabitants, as long as they occupy one enclosure. In some zoos, there are exhibits with two enclosures of the same species, and I have made certain to rank them separately. I have categorized my list into six lists because it seemed like comparing apples to oranges: 1. Birds 2. Fish 3. Mammals, Aquatic - more time in water than out 4. Mammals, Large 5. Mammals, Small 6. Reptiles and Amphibians I did not include an insect list because the choices are more limited and I have not paid enough attention to them. Since I have included fish and aquatic mammals, I decided to include exhibits from the 28 aquariums I have visited, most of which are in the U.S. The lists are either 15 or 25 exhibits, depending on the number of candidates I came up with. So that is an explanation of my criteria! Perhaps with more consideration I will be able to combine all these lists into one top 10! BIRDS: 1. Owens Rainforest Aviary, San Diego Zoo 2. Scripps Aviary in Gorilla Tropics, San Diego Zoo 3. Antarctic Penguin Exhibit in Penguin Encounter, Sea World Orlando and San Diego 4. Free-flying Birds in Lied Jungle Main Exhibit, Henry Doorly Zoo 5. Wings of Asia Main Exhibit, Miami Metrozoo 6. Humboldt Penguin Exhibit, Woodland Park Zoo 7. Free-flying Birds in Tropical Forest, Montreal Biodome 8. Arctic Birds Exhibit in Penguin Encounter, Sea World Orlando and San Diego 9. Emerald Forest in Range of the Jaguar, Jacksonville Zoo 10. Antarctic Penguins Exhibit in Kingdoms of the Seas, Henry Doorly Zoo 11. Eagle Canyon in Great Northwest, Oregon Zoo 12. Antarctic Penguins Exhibit, Montreal Biodome 13. African Aviary, San Diego Wild Animal Park 14. Asian Aviary in Maharajah Jungle Trek, Disney's Animal Kingdom 15. Penguin Cove in Wilds of Africa, Dallas Zoo FISH: 1. Kelp Forest, Monterey Bay Aquarium 2. Outer Bay Main Tank, Monterey Bay Aquarium 3. Living Seas Main Tank, EPCOT 4. Tropical Pacific Main Tank, Aquarium of the Pacific 5. Forbidden Reef, Sea World San Diego 6. Underwater Dome, Seattle Aquarium 7. Monterey Habitats Main Tank, Monterey Bay Aquarium 8. Ocean Realm, Adventure Aquarium 9. Coral Reef Main Tank, Florida Aquarium 10. Sunken Shipwreck, Downtown Aquarium Denver 11. Open Ocean Oceanarium, Sydney Aquarium 12. Shark Tunnel in Kingdoms of the Seas, Henry Doorly Zoo 13. Shark Reef Main Tank, Shark Reef 14. Shark Encounter Main Tank, Sea World San Diego 15. Shark Encounter Main Tank, Sea World Orlando 16. Shark Realm, Adventure Aquarium 17. Shark Exhibit in Mundo Maya, Dallas World Aquarium 18. Phillipine Coral Reef, California Academy of Sciences 19. St. Lawrence River Exhibit, Montreal Biodome 20. Forest Floor Exhibit in Orinoco Rainforest, Dallas World Aquarium 21. Desert Fish Exhibit, Downtown Aquarium Denver 22. Sardine Dome in Outer Bay, Monterey Bay Aquarium 23. Cichlid Exhibit in African Rainforest, Toronto Zoo 24. Moon Jelly Ring Exhibit, Seattle Aquarium 25. Blind Cave Fish Exhibit in Kingdoms of the Night, Henry Doorly Zoo MAMMALS, AQUATIC: 1. Beluga Whale Exhibit in Wild Arctic, Sea World San Diego 2. Beluga Whale Exhibit, Vancouver Aquarium 3. Manatee Rescue, Sea World Orlando 4. Manatee Coast, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium 5. Commersons Dolphin Exhibit in Journey to Atlantis, Sea World San Diego 6. Dolphin Cove, Sea World Orlando 7. Pacific White Sided Dolphin Exhibit in Oceanarium, Shedd Aquarium 8. Sea Lion Exhibit in Pacific Point Preserve, Sea World Orlando 9. Dolphin Exhibit in Rocky Point Preserve, Sea World San Diego 10. Hippopotamus Exhibit in Edge of Africa, Busch Gardens Tampa 11. Hippopotamus Exhibit in Ituri Forest, San Diego Zoo 12. Walrus Exhibit in Wild Arctic, Sea World San Diego 13. Stellars Sea Lion Exhibit in Stellar Cove, Oregon Zoo 14. Beluga Whale Exhibit in Wild Arctic, Sea World Orlando 15. Pygmy Hippo Exhibit in Monkey Trails and Forest Tails, San Diego Zoo MAMMALS, LARGE: 1. Mountain Habitat, San Diego Wild Animal Park 2. Gorilla Exhibit #2 in Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo 3. Polar Bear Exhibit in Polar Bear Plunge, San Diego Zoo 4. Baboon Reserve, Bronx Zoo 5. Lion Exhibit in Predator Ridge, Denver Zoo 6. Asian Elephant Exhibit in Wild Asia, Taronga Zoo 7. Tiger Exhibit #1 in Maharajah Jungle Trek, Disney's Animal Kingdom 8. Grizzly Bear Exhibit in Northern Trail, Woodland Park Zoo 9. Gorilla Exhibit #1 in Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo 10. Mountain Goat Exhibit in Canadian Wilds, Calgary Zoo 11. Polar Bear Exhibit in Wild Arctic, Sea World San Diego 12. Mandrill Exhibit in Wilds of Africa, Dallas Zoo 13. Gorilla Exhibit #1 in Pangani Forest Exploration Trail, Disney's Animal Kingdom 14. Bonobo Exhibit in Gorilla Tropics, San Diego Zoo 15. Gorilla Exhibit in Gorilla Tropics, San Diego Zoo 16. African Savanna, San Francisco Zoo 17. Tiger Exhibit with bridge in Jungala, Busch Gardens Tampa 18. Jaguar Cove in Tropical Rainforest, Woodland Park Zoo 19. Mountain Goat Exhibit in Northern Trail, Woodland Park Zoo 20. African Elephant Exhibit in Kilimanjaro Safaris, Disney's Animal Kingdom 21. African Savanna Main Yard, Busch Gardens Tampa 22. Tiger Exhibit with waterfall in Jungala, Busch Gardens Tampa 23. Gorilla Exhibit in Wilds of Africa, Dallas Zoo 24. Lion Exhibit in African Savanna, Toronto Zoo 25. Lion Hyena Exhibit Jeep Yard in Edge of Africa, Busch Gardens Tampa MAMMALS, SMALL: 1. Free-ranging Golden Lion Tamarins in Lied Jungle, Henry Doorly Zoo 2. Free-ranging Monkeys in Tropical Forest, Montreal Biodome 3. Asian Small Clawed Otter Exhibit in Islands of Southeast Asia, Columbus Zoo 4. Swamp Monkey and Otter Exhibit in Ituri Forest, San Diego Zoo 5. Siamang Exhibit, Disney's Animal Kingdom 6. Asian Small Clawed Otter Exhibit in Asia Trail, National Zoo 7. Fishing Cat Exhibit in Wild Asia, Taronga Zoo 8. Ebony Langur Exhibit in Jungleworld, Bronx Zoo 9. Fruit Bat Exhibit in Maharajah Jungle Trek, Disney's Animal Kingdom 10. Colobus Exhibit in Gorilla Tropics, San Diego Zoo 11. Beaver Exhibit in Laurentian Forest, Montreal Biodome 12. Red Heart, Sydney Wildlife World 13. Bush Dog Exhibit in Tropics of the Americas, Palm Beach Zoo 14. Asian Small Clawed Otter Exhibit in Wild Asia, Taronga Zoo 15. Klipspringer and Mongoose Exhibit in Kopje, San Diego Zoo 16. Lion Tailed Macaque Exhibit in Sun Bear Forest, San Diego Zoo 17. River Otter Exhibit in Play Park, Jacksonville Zoo 18. Patas Monkey Exhibit in African Savanna, Woodland Park Zoo 19. Wet Cave Bat Exhibit in Kingdoms of the Night, Henry Doorly Zoo 20. Giant Otter Exhibit in Range of the Jaguar, Jacksonville Zoo 21. River Otter Exhibit in Laurentian Forest, Montreal Biodome 22. Dwarf Mongoose Exhibit in Predator Ridge, Denver Zoo 23. Squirrel Monkey Exhibit in Play Park, Jacksonville Zoo 24. Giant Otter Exhibit in Carnivore Kingdom, Philadelphia Zoo 25. Klipspringer and Hyrax Exhibit in Wilds of Africa, Dallas Zoo REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS: 1. Alligator Swamp, St. Augustine Alligator Farm 2. Slender Snouted Crocodile Exhibit in Monkey Trails and Forest Tails, San Diego Zoo 3. Komodo Dragon Exhibit in Islands of Southeast Asia, Columbus Zoo 4. Gharial Exhibit, Honolulu Zoo 5. American Alligator Exhibit in Florida Wetlands, Palm Beach Zoo 6. Gharial Exhibit, San Diego Zoo 7. Caiman Exhibit in Tropical Forest, Montreal Biodome 8. African Crocodile Exhibit in Edge of Africa, Busch Gardens Tampa 9. Freshwater Crocodile Exhibit in Tiger River, San Diego Zoo 10. Sea Turtle Exhibit in Shipwreck Rapids, Sea World San Diego 11. Komodo Dragon Exhibit, Miami Metrozoo 12. Cayman Island Blue Iguana Exhibit, Shedd Aquarium 13. Freshwater Crocodile Exhibit in Australia: Wild Extremes, National Aquarium Baltimore 14. African Crocodile Exhibit in African Savanna, Honolulu Zoo 15. African Crocodile Exhibit in Kilimanjaro Safaris, Disney's Animal Kingdom Okay those are the lists, any comments? Looking at them, I feel like I've missed all sorts of favorites in favor of these, hmmm.
Here is my personal choices for each category (I am judging from personal visit and photos) Birds Humboldt Penguin Exhibit at Woodland Park Zoo Fish Kelp Forest at Monterey Bay Aquarium Mammals, Aquatic Stellar Sea Lions Exhibit at Oregon Zoo Mammals, Large Jaguar Cove at Woodland Park Zoo Mammals, Small Asian Smalled Clawed Otter Exhibit at National Zoo Reptiles and Ambphibians African Crocodile Exhibit at DAK
Interesting Thread: Off the top of my head: Birds: Penguin "walk-through" at St. Louis Fish: Kelp Forest, Monterey Aquatic Mammals: Beluga/White-sided Dolphin, Shedd Aquarium Large Mammals: Gorilla #2, Bronx Zoo Small Mammals: Red River Hog, Mandrill, DeBrazza Monkey, Bronx Zoo (or are these large mammals?--if so then how about Omaha's wet bat cave) Reptiles: Lizard enclosure, entrance to Arizona Sonora Desert Museum
Just curious geomorph why do you have DAK and Busch Gardens' tiger exhibits? Neither are that good for the tigers, and they don't exactly replicate an Asian forest where tigers come from. They are just made for easy viewing for visitors. Also, I see you don't have Tiger Mountain, yet you have been to the Bronx Zoo. So DAK and Busch Gardens have better enclosures for their tigers than Bronx? To me that doesn't make sense.
reduakari, I wish I had seen the beluga part of the Shedd Oceanarium, when I went there three years ago it was closed off because they had either a pregnant beluga or a new baby, I forget which but it was sensitive. Can the belugas normally have access to the dolphin tank? Also, yes I categorized Bronx's Mandrill and Red River Hog exhibit as a large mammal exhibit, but admittedly it is borderline small mammal. It was in the rumming but didn't make the cut! blackrhino, I tend to like exhibits with architectural elements, striking graphics, and even gimmicks like the pop-up window in Busch's Jungala's tiger exhibit, and its pedestrian bridge over the enclosure, and the tiger tunnel bridge over the visitor cave. I even like stylized rockwork in Jungala, which is not meant as an exact recreation of a place. Or the Indian temple ruins and ancient faded murals of Maharajah Trek at DAK. I am not as sensitive to complete natural immersion, although I love it too. I would have loved to see Bronx's tiger exhibit but I ran out of time, that was the only area of the zoo I missed after an exhaustive day there! On that topic, there are a few zoos I have been to that I have not seen completely, I should mention them. Columbus Zoo, I saw half the zoo if that, I was visiting there with three other people who decided we had to leave early to go buy liquor and drink. Its a sore spot with me. Fort Worth Zoo, it poured rain the entire time I was there, and I finally gave up trying to see it all. I went back on a clear day a few days later and it was Spring Break and the whole place was mobbed with a mile of traffic to get in, so I gave up.
Here's some that come to mind in no order: Birds: Scripps Aviary(SD) Owens Aviary(SD) Condor Exhibit(SD) Large Raptors(SD) Simmons Aviary(Omaha) Penguin Exhibit(Omaha) Hummingbirds(Omaha) Penguin Exhibit(Sea World SD) Free Flight Aviary(DC) Large mammals: Lion Camp(SDWAP) Elephants(SDWAP) Hippos(SD) Gorillas(SD) Chimps(SD) Pygmy Hippos(SD) Mandrills(SD) Polar Bears(SD) Pandas(DC) Sloth Bears(DC) Cheetahs(DC) Cheetahs(KC) Elephants(KC) Lions(KC) Kangaroos(KC) Chimps(KC) Rhinos/Zebra/Ostrich(MD) African Leopards(MD) Polar Bears(MD) Sitatunga(MD) Mexican Wolves(Columbus) Giraffe/Zebra/etc(Phoenix) Gorillas(Lincoln Park) Aardvarks(Omaha) Manatees(Columbus) Gibbons(Miami) Small Mammals: Various monkey exhibits in Monkey Trails and Sun Bear Forest(SD) Monkey/Otter exhibit in Ituri Forest(SD) Red Panda(DC) Clouded Leopard(DC) Fishing Cat(DC) Asian small-clawed otter(DC) Bats(Lied Jungle and Kingdoms of the Night in Omaha) Beavers(Omaha) Free ranging Golden Lion Tamirins(Lied Jungle) River Otters(MD) Red Fox(MD) Prairie Dogs(MD) Klipspringer/Mongoose/Rock Hydrax(SD) Red Pandas(Lincoln Park) Flying Bats(Columbus) Reptiles: Anaconda(Shedd) Stream habitat(EO, SD) Large mixed lizard exhibits(SD) Turtles(Tiger River, SD) Crocodiles(Monkey Trails, SD) Komodo Dragon(SD)
Birds Wings of Asia-Miami Metro As for single species, maybe my memory is fuzzy, but I remember thinking the Stellar's Sea Eagle exhibit in Cincinnati was well, stellar. (Sorry for the horrible pun) Fish Kelp Forest at Monterey Bay Aquarium Mammals, Aquatic Manatee rehab-Seaworld Orlando Mammals, Large Gorilla exhibit in Congo Gorilla Forest, Bronx Zoo Main Jaguar exhibit, Range of the Jaguar, Jacksonville Mammals, Small Red River Hog, Mandrill, DeBrazza Monkey, Bronx Zoo Reptiles and Amphibians Single species or do Herp houses as a whole count? Herp House-Lost Temple, Jacksonville Species-Alligator Swamp, St.Augustine
They both have some very good exhibits/sections, however they're both limited in terms of collection, and KC has a few pretty bad exhibits. Neither are great zoos, but both are good and have compelling reasons to visit in my opinion.
FSBlue, I didn't count the Lost Temple in Range of the Jaguar as a single exhibit, but I agree it is a great set of exhibits!
I agree with you on the Tiger exhibits being GREAT in DAK and Busch. Also, the reason you probably ran out of time at the Bronx Zoo is because of their biggest weakness -- such short open hours!!
Jon and I have talked about creating a Top Exhibits similar to this category. It would be either "Best Single-Species Exhibits" or "Best Single-Enclosure Exhibits". But what I don't like about the direction of this thread (so far) is listing all the the SUB-exhibits, such as the separate sections of Congo Gorilla Forest or the Lied Jungle. To us, the reason for this list is because it's simply not fair for try and compare a huge multi-species, multi-complex exhibit like CGF, Lied, or even KC Africa to a simple, but beautiful exhibit like San Diego WAP's Lion Camp. We compared this to what Major League Baseball (here in the USA, sorry Europeans!) did in creating the Cy Young Award for pitchers. Because most pitchers only play every 4 or 5 games, they are usually not even considered for the Most Valuable Player award. So MLB created a separate award just for the best pitchers. We wanted to do the same for the smaller excellent awards. Here are some of the Single-Species or Single-Enclosure Exhibits we have been considering for this new List: Lion Camp, SDWAP Black Bear Falls, Knoxville Dolphin Adventure, Indianapolis Giant Panda Research Station, San Diego Koalas, San Diego Grizzly Gulch, San Francisco Campo Gorilla Reserve, LA Chimpanzees of Mahale Mtns, LA Hummingbird Aviary, ASDM Penguin Cove, Sedgwick County Manatee Coast, Columbus Walruses, Indianapolis Chimpanzee Connection, Tulsa Alligator Cove, Nashville Meerkats, Nashville Dragon's Lair, Memphis Red Panda Village, Knoxville Kitera Forest Chimpanzee Reserve, North Carolina Pandas, Atlanta Orangutans of Ketambe, Atlanta Tiger Temple, Miami Tiger Mountain, Bronx Of course some of the above might not exactly "fit" this category, as I've defined it. What do all of you think?
But Allen, sometimes pitchers get Both the Cy Young award and the MVP! And how on earth could Grizzly Gulch make this list??!!?
It's pretty rare that pitchers will win the MVP, and the fact that they have the Cy Young award is often a reason cited to not consider them for MVP. As for Grizzly Gulch, I think it's a pretty exhibit, especially as the plants are starting to grow. But I only listed it as one of the exhibits "under consideration" -- I didn't say it would actually make the list!
C'mon, BlackRhino, don't let us down! We need you to insert your regular opinion that you don't like the Mayan temple in Jacksonville's jaguar exhibit!
ANyhuis, I see the validity of your questioning the fairness of comparing an individual exhibit that is part of a themed exhibit complex versus individual exhibits that stand on their own. Perhaps your new category would be called Top Individual Stand-alone Exhibits. Since I judge individual exhibits based on their theming and graphics and architectural or naturalistic elements including visitor viewing areas, I can be influenced in an exhibit complex by what I have already experienced nearby. For example, once I reach the Mountain Goat Exhibit in Woodland Park's Northern Trail, I have already experienced the entry signage, themed sculptures, Tundra Center, and exhibits for arctic fox and snowy owl and grizzly bears and river otters, which have all set an impressive tone for the exhibit I am now viewing. The previous experiences have conditioned my mind to more readily accept what I am now viewing, their messages have already meshed together through standardized signage and benches and rockwork and walkways and railings. When trying to recall my favorite individual exhibits, I probably was subconsciously influenced by similar situations at other themed exhibit complexes. My lists certainly contain many exhibits that are part of larger exhibit complexes!
