I'm visiting my family in Many, Louisiana for thanksgiving, putting me about an hour away from this AZA facility which I knew little of. So what else was there to do but check it out and give you all my impression? I arrived just as the zoo was opening at 9 AM. I got in for free with my Dallas zoo membership which was really nice . The first enclosure you come across are two spider monkey islands, which are more than adequate for the active animals (I'm assuming of the white handed variety). There are generic (lushly planted) islands with macaws on them as well. overall this entry area gives a promising entry to this small town America zoo. However, this promise soon deteriorates. 1/3 of the zoo is closed as they construct 'Land of the Jaguar.' Which has dispersed their South American collection across the zoo. It appears they have only completed the holding buildings. Another construction project is a spectacled bear enclosure. From what I could see there was a mock rock back drop, and a sizable pool. South America the outskirts of the 'Land of the Jaguar' complex which are not being remodeled are pretty basic, below average aviaries. The first is an adequately sized enclosure for a single cotton top tamarin. The second is a mixed species habitat for blue and gold macaw, orinocco goose, and agouti. The third is a rather spacious one for Andean condor. The fourth housed king vulture. Next to the king vulture was an empty enclosure for Tayra, which I was really looking forward to seeing. Across from both the King vulture and Tayra was an out of place, atrocious Angola colobus monkey enclosure. Which would have been better suited for several tamarin. The troop encompassing about five adults and a infant were living in cramped quarters. Australian Walk about The black swan habitat is outrageously spacious, considering the conditions of some of the other habitats. But I supposed that the swans have more than enough room . On a board walk you are in between both the black swan habitat and a average red kangaroo and emu enclosure. The rope mesh which serves as the fencing made me apprehensive. As it was at the ideal pecking level of the emu, who could easily reach through and assault visitors. A shady double wattled cassowary enclosure was actually one of the best I have seen. And two aviaries in the area house laughing Kookaburra and Eclectus parrot. The parrot unfortunately wasn't visually appealing as it had plucked the majority of its feathers. Animal Care Center Some of the jems of this zoo are found in this area. Such as the two species of duiker; blue and red flanked which share their enclosure with a kirk's dik dik, crowned crane, and abdim's stork. There is then a rather spacious and shady lowland anoa enclosure, which was split to accommodate the Brazilian tapir displaced by the LOTJ construction. Suprisingly both species still have more than enough space, with a seemingly new pool in the tapir area. A proportionately sized enclosure also houses a family group (1.1.1) golden lion tamarin. African experience (phase I) Constructed in 2003 this area of the zoo is one of the most modern areas. You enter on a bridge which crosses a pool home to African dwarf crocodile. A mixed species enclosure with Aldabra giant tortoise and spur winged goose is more than large enough for the inhabitants. A building with indoor viewing for the tortoise in the colder months is accompanied by 'the venom center. Which houses a massive Gaboon viper. There is an off exhibit viewing area for the lions which are the stars of the complex. As you exit the indoor lion area you pass a pair of African crested porcupine which unfortunately inhabit a entirely mock rock enclosure complete with a log... The lion enclosure is truly impressive, as after seeing the rest of the zoo I was not expecting an enclosure of that caliber. 1.1 African lion are housed in a spacious enclosure, with a seventeen foot water fall which hides the doors to the holding areas to some extent. Two kopjes of artificial rock offer basking and climbing opportunities. Being a zoo nerd I couldn't help but notice the excellent sight lines (excluding the fencing). The guests from one viewing area couldn't see the ones from another and vice versa. I appreciated that. The individual lions themselves were rather interesting. The male was sickly looking, with exposed ribs, and pelvis definition. While the female was noticeably obese... I'm unsure as to what was going on there exactly. Asian Area You enter the area to the sight of a sub-par white handed gibbon enclosure. Across from that is an exhibit holding at least ten Reeve's muntjac and Demoiselle crane. Another theme disruptive aviary holding yellow collared macaw and green cheeked amazon is next on the trail. Across from them is an less understandable occupant as it is not being displaced by construction.... A serval... Next to the serval are two adequately sized aviaries for clouded leopard which I did not get to see; and apparently the only white tailed sea eagles in the United states. A pair of large enclosures sit across from these, housing a single male Malayan tiger, and two over weight white bengal tigers which were incessantly pacing clearly displayed phenotypic repercussions to their inbred lineage. The enclosures themselves were not abominable. I do feel as if the enclosure for white tigers should be used to house a female Malayan tiger, or hold excess animals actually involved in the SSP rather than housing animals of no educational or conservation value. The last exhibit in the area holds sun conure and golden handed tamarin (again displaced by LOTJ construction). Louisiana habitat Completed in 1998 this exhibit is one of the nicer areas of the zoo. The first pair of enclosures are large and serve their purpose in housing Cougar and Red wolf. You then come across a pair of great horned owl. The black bear enclosure around the corner has an enrichment item too many in my opinion. With toys hanging from every available tree branch. I initially thought it was a primate exhibit before reading the sign. White tailed deer and turkey vulture share an exhibit replicating the way wildlife in Louisiana must co-exist with oil drilling. You pass a rehabilitated bald eagle before coming across three large alligator snapping turtle. Then a ridiculously large pool with underwater viewing for red eared slider. A massive American alligator (at least ten feet) resides in a large pool with several viewing windows. River otters enjoy an exhibit with two separate land areas, with a pool of varying depth. The underwater viewing window is in a well simulated mud bank and is one of the only immersive effects in the entire zoo. The bobcat enclosure, although unsightly is unique in the sense that the cats can actually sit above visitors heads. A hidden American crocodile exhibit can be easily missed, and is pretty small for the animal. You then pass a aviary for shore birds (scarlet ibis, American white ibis, and white faced ibis). Three species of heron ( Black crowned night heron, green heron, and yellow crowned night heron) fly free flight over the area with cattle egret and wood stork. The river estuary building is filled primarily by a exhibit with various turtle and fish native to Louisiana. and as with the two reptile houses (more like huts) a large number of enclosures were vacant/under construction. A replicated shrimp trawler offers viewing windows to sand hill crane. Misc Yellow back duiker, Red river hog, and maned wolf all have spacious enclosures shaded by mature trees. The red river hog have a large pool and mud wallow. While the maned wolf have plenty of foliage to hide in as they are rather elusive. The viewing windows for their habitat are nice as well. They were right at the glass until I approached and then they demonstrated the utility of the plants in their enclosure. Nile crocodile and green anaconda each have enclosures between Australia and Africa. The anaconda enclosure is rather small, while the nile crocodile exhibit is what I would consider above average. With water features and two glass viewing windows. There were several enclosures through out the zoo dedicated specifically to water fowl. This zoo had one of the most expansive duck collections I have ever seen. Lastly a pair of squirrel monkey shared a cramped enclosure, which was view-able only from the gift shop. All and all, this zoo is in need of improvement. FORTUNATELY, whoever is in charge intends to do just that. With the completion of Land of the Jaguar in 2013, the zoo will then embark on Phase II of 'African experience' which will include habitats for duiker, pygmy hippo, leopard and many more. This zoo appears to be fully aware of its weaknesses and is doing everything in its ability to improve and expand. I'm excited to see the progression of this facility over the course of the next few years.
Thanks for the review! With the excellent trio of Audubon facilities in the state of Louisiana (zoo, aquarium, insectarium), as well as Baton Rouge Zoo, it is not surprising that Alexandria gets overlooked.
I visited the above zoo a month ago and was much more impressed with it than S.L.[proving that great minds dont necessarily think alike]-in fact its the only SMALL zoo in the states that ive visited[and im well into three figures] that has really impressed me[and my fellow traveller,also a zoo aficionado of some experience].If you are going to be a slave to immersion or zoogeography then you can pick holes in the place but i thought it excellent in many aspects[yes S.L.- porcupines on concrete are not acceptable]and the collection more interesting than many[three duiker species,a good selection of crocodilians,Angolan Colobus,unusual native herps etc].The Louisiana area is better than Audubons[and theirs is good].All in all a lovely little zoo.
Hmm-just had a thought,i really like the zoo out at Queens [NY] and of course Central Park is pretty good too-but Alexandria has a much more comprehensive collection than either of those.
@Tim: ZooChat member "loxodontaafrica" posted the review of Alexandria Zoo, and I have never visited but based on your replies you seem to think that it was me who wrote the initial overview. Anyway, this thread makes me wonder what defines a "small zoo", as I suspect that it could be partly based on animal collection, size of establishment, or time spent touring the grounds. Central Park Zoo is fairly tiny and yet definitely worthwhile, and El Paso Zoo is one that I really enjoyed in 2010 and it only took about 3 hours. El Paso has lions, tigers, bears, elephants, giraffes, orangutans and a reptile house amongst its joys so does that make it a small or large zoo? Florida has a trio of decent smallish zoos (Brevard, Palm Beach, Naples) amongst many other mid-sized animal facilities, and sometimes the specifically-themed establishments (Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum or Northwest Trek) are small in scope but still excellent.
Oops! sorry, i must admit i THOUGHT you hadnt been there[it answers a lot as well altho the report is a little ounce-like]..Profuse apologies-me and computers eh? As for "small",well its a bit nebulous but i think its area really.Went to the TINY Panama City Zoo in Florida recently- no argument there as to "small"[and it isnt TOO bad actually].El Paso i would call medium personally and maybe also even the zoos in Florida you mention.Best restrict it to area[say12 acres max]...then again i always considered Jersey to be the best small zoo in the world and its bigger than that....whilst Bristol i consider to be a major and its exactly 12 acres.Blimey!
