(Moderator note - this thread was split off from the existing thread "How Many Zoos Have You Visited?) 138 Carolina Town and Country A small feed and pet store with a little barnyard area and a Blue-and gold macaw. Located between Asheboro and Raleigh. Definitely not worth going. 139 Aloha Safari Zoo A medium sized rescue zoo in the suburbs of Fayetteville. Highlights include Tayra, Syrian brown bear, Common genet, White-fronted spider monkey and more. 140 J. Bayard Clark Park and Nature Center. A great little place in Fayetteville. The main highlights, for me, is the Orca skull and the dioramas. The live animal collection is mainly reptiles, fish, and amphibians. 141 Reptile Lagoon Just three quarters of a mile into South Carolina, inside a tourist trap called South of the Border, is possibly, one of the best reptile collections in America. Highlights include Inland taipan, Great Lakes bush viper, New Guinea crocodile, Cuban and Nile hybrid, Siamese and Saltwater hybrid, and more. 142 NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores Located near Jacksonville, NC and Morehead City is the best aquarium in North Carolina and one of the best in the United States. I saw White ibis, Osprey chicks, Great egret, Snowy egret, Little blue heron, and Fiddler crabs on their nature trail. Inside one can find an albino Loggerhead, many interesting amphibians, stingrays, otters, sharks and more. Lynnwood Park Zoo revisit A medium sized zoo located in Jacksonville, NC, there is little good about this zoo. It's map is very old and the zoo itself is dull. The main highlight is the Dall sheep. Possumwood Acres Wildlife Sanctuary revisit A ramshackle rehabilitation center twenty minutes east of Jacksonville, in Hubert, NC, Possumwood Acres has a lake with domestic ducks, an ICU, and exhibits for their non-releasable animals. Inside the ICU, are a few permanent animals such as their Mississippi kite. Other highlights are a Common loon and a Red-headed woodpecker. Something new every time. Virginia Zoo revisit A great zoo in Norfolk, VA with great exhibits and animals such as Wiliam's electric gecko, black-naped oriole, Jamaican iguana and more. World of Reptiles is fantastic, though some animals like the Gray's monitor are not yet on display. Do they still have yellow-backed duiker? 143 Bronx Zoo My favorite zoo of all time, ahead of Columbus and kicking Cincinnati, Brookfield, and St. Louis Zoos into a garbage truck. The highlights here are way too many count. The monorail is the best part. Does JungleWorld have much. It was closed when I visited. 144 Central Park Zoo A lovely little zoo. Tropic Zone and Penguins and Seabirds are amazing, and the zoo would be awful without them. 145 Queens Zoo A great zoo for one visit. Highlights include Pronghorn, Roosevelt's elk, and Southern pudu. The Aviary is immensely disappointing. 146 Staten Island Zoo The most accessible of New York City's collections, this zoo is a must. Best parts are the Reptile and Tropical wings. Highlights include Samar cobra, Hawk-headed parrot, Green oropendola, Feather-tailed glider, and more. 147 New York Aquarium This place is probably the worst collection in NYC. Ocean Wonders is disappointing. The main highlight are the sea otters. Jenkinson's Aquarium revisit A small, but great place, though not worth the price. Highlights include African common toad, Cortez round ray, Leopard shark, and I think Spix's moustached tamarin. Located on a boardwalk by the ocean, in Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, an hour south of NYC. Popcorn Park Zoo revisit I hadn't gone here for five years and I don't intend to do so again. The lechwe and squirrel monkey are gone. What I think was the elephant exhibit back in the 1990's has a cow in it. The main highlight is a Southern pig-tailed macaque. They have a Rueppell's fox, but It wasn't out when I visited. Worst part is the Fallow deer sign on an exhibit for White-tailed deer. Located near the Atlantic in Lacey Township, NJ. 148 Woodford Cedar Run Wildlife Refuge A small nature center with outdoor exhibits for non-releasable animals. Highlights are Merlin, Albino cardinal, and Leucistic Red-tailed hawk. Located 30 miles east of Philadelphia 149 Plumpton Park Zoo A disgusting collection that is just a tad better than Popcorn Park Zoo. The main highlight are the European brown bears. Thirty miles west of Delaware, between Baltimore and Philadelphia. 150 DuPont Nature Center A small collection in Slaughter Beach, DE. The place itself is nothing special but the birds outside are amazing. I spotted blackbirds, cormorants, gulls, dowitchers, turnstones, knots, and crabs. Unfortunately, I also spotted splinters and bruises from their observation platform's wooden fence. Salisbury Zoo revisit A nice little zoo that has gotten better in a few short weeks. The main highlight are the roadrunners. The Guanaco is definitely dead. Worst exhibit and only bad one is the Spectacled bear exhibit. Delmarva Discovery Center revisit Nothing to add except I forgot to mention snapping turtles in my review.
Zoo #168 Riverbanks Zoo A An amazing, but somewhat outdated zoo in the otherwise mostly boring city of Columbia, S.C. In my opinion, the best exhibit there is the Aviary. Main attractions (for me) are Komodo dragons, Madagascan green pigeons, Malayan tapir, and more. Tomorrow I plan to review Reed Creek Interpretive Center and Feathered Friends Forever, both in Georgia.
The nature center was closed. Zoo #169 Feathered Friends Forever, a half hour drive west of Augusta, Georgia, is a free parrot sanctuary with many species and a tortoise. The parrot exhibits are 96 percent outdoor with a decent amount of room. Many wild animals can be seen here. I saw a Ruby-throated hummingbird, Eastern fence lizard, Five-lined skink, and many locusts. Main attractions are: Orange-fronted conure, Meyer's parrot, White-bellied caique, and more. I plan to review Birmingham Zoo, and Harmony Safari soon.
Major Mitchell's cockatoo, Salmon-crested cockatoo, Sulphur-crested cockatoo, Cockatiel, Ring-necked parakeet, Red-shouldered macaw, Military macaw, Blue-and-gold macaw, Scarlet macaw, African grey parrot, Green-cheeked conure, Meyer's parrot, Orange-fronted conure, Red-lored amazon, Yellow-headed amazon, Blue-fronted amazon, Patagonian conure, Domestic chicken, Domestic pigeon, Goffin's cockatoo, African spurred tortoise, Nanday conure, and Sun conure. That is what I remember.
Those two collections didn't work out plan to review in thirteen days Knoxville zoo, Little Ponderosa Zoo, Chestatee Zoo, North Georgia Zoo, Wild Animal Safari, Chattahoochee Nature Center, Team Ecco Aquarium, Cherokee Bear Zoo, Western NC Nature Center, Serpentarium Magic, Kaleideum North, Greensboro Science Center, and Sylvan Heights Bird Park. Little Ponderosa Zoo and most of the Ga Zoos unlikely right now due to the weather.
Little Ponderosa Zoo wasn't feasible. Zoo #170 Zoo Knoxville A+ An astounding collection with top-notch exhibits like Red Panda Village, and the rest of Asian Trek. The zoo is home to such attractions as Komodos, Elephants, Rhinos, African pygmy falcon, and more. Tomorrow, I plan to review Chestatee Zoo and North Georgia Zoo.
Chestatee also did not work out. Zoo #171 North Georgia Zoo B+ A collection in Cleveland, GA divided into four parts: Reptile encounter (11:30), the Petting zoo with mostly domestic animals, wagon ride (I did not go on), and the Wildlife Walk (guided tours of the exotic animal exhibits at 12:00 and I think 2:00). Most of the exhibits are average, the best being for the wolves. There is an absolutely horrendous exhibit for a wolf in the petting farm area. Main animal attractions are the albino and regular Swamp wallaby and a pair of Lowland pacas. They mention Crab-eating raccoons on their website, though I did not see any.
Zoo # 172 Wild Animal Safari Zoo B+ Safari A+ A five hundred acre Safari and a small zoo with many animals, including a zebra born on the 26th of this month. Highlights include New Guinea dingo, Gaur, Giraffes and more.
Zoo# 173 Rainforest Adventures Discovery Zoo A+ One of 7 collections in the Smoky Mountains and probably the best. It is 95 percent indoor and has many amazing animals such as zorilla and red-fronted lemur. Zoo#174 Parrot Mountain A A few minutes drive from Dollywood, this is a large collection of birds, many rare and some that could be touched or fed. Highlights include Glossy black cockatoo, Slender-billed conure, and others.
Zoo# 175 WNC Nature Center A A zoo in Asheville with many animals. Main attraction is a Least weasel. Zoo# 176 Catawba Science Center A- A museum an hour and a half east of Asheville, in Hickory. It has two animal exhibits, an insect-amphibian-reptile-taxidermy room and an aquarium. Main attractions are the sharks, rays, and an Electric eel.
Virginia Zoo still does have yellow backed duiker. There on in a side exhibit, kind of tucked in along the boardwalk across from the bongo. They are very shy and I have only seen one once during my multiple visits in the past few years.
Zoo #177 Science Museum of Western Virginia. Located in downtown Roanoke, Virginia, this museum holds insects, fish, butterflies, reptiles, and amphibians. HIGHLIGHTS: collection of poison frogs and mantellas. Zoo#178 Kaleideum North A small museum in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Inside the building, there are many animals on display and outside there are domestic animals, raccoons, white-tailed deer, and an otter.] HIGHLIGHTS: large collection of Northern bobwhite quails.
Zoo# 179 Rockwood Nature Center 10 miles south of Richmond, Virginia, Rockwood Nature Center is home to approx. 20 species of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. HIGHLIGHTS: Wolf spider.
Zoo# 180 Science Museum of Virginia Located in Downtown Richmond, Virginia, the Science Museum of Virginia is home to approx. 20 species of reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. HIGHLIGHTS: Blind cave fish.
Zoo# 181 A+ Brookgreen Gardens is a popular tourist attraction 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach. The small AZA zoo there has fantastic exhibits. Highlights include wild animals like Southern fox squirrels and captive ones like the ones in the duck and heron/egret/ibis aviaries.
Zoo #182 Halyburton Park A park with a small nature center in Wilmington, North Carolina. When I visited, most of the nature center was closed, with the exception of the Stinkpot turtles and the bathrooms.
Zoo #183 Walney Visitor Center B Located in Ellanor C. Lawrence Park in Chantilly, Virginia, this small building holds several live and stuffed animals. Reptiles, amphibians, and Yellow bullhead catfish. Highlights: Common snapping turtle. Zoo #184 Hidden Oaks Nature Center B+ Located in Annandale, Virginia, Hidden Oaks holds several species of reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Highlights: Dekay's brown snake Zoo#185 Jerome "Buddie" Ford Nature Center A+ Right next to William Ramsey Elementary School of Alexandria, Virginia, this superb collection has insects, reptiles, amphibians, mice, and a Sun conure. Highlights: Dekay's brown snake, Mediterranean house gecko, Gray ratsnake, and others. Zoo#186 Long Branch Nature Center A- Located in Arlington, Virginia, Long Branch exhibits Koi, an American robin, a tremendous variety of common reptiles and amphibians that are uncommonly exhibited. Highlights: Spring peeper, Fence swift, and others. Zoo#187 Gulf Branch Nature Center B+ Located on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, Gulf Branch exhibits reptile and amphibians inside and a Barred owl outside. Highlights: Dekays brown snake. Zoo#188 Rock Creek Nature Center C- Located in Washington D.C., Rock Creek Nature Center is the smallest of them all and only exhibits several snakes and turtles, plus a fish tank and honeybees. Highlights: Wild birds such as Red-headed woodpecker.
Zoo#189 Clearwater Nature Center A- Clinton, Maryland Highlights: Harris hawk Zoo#190 Watkins Nature Center A Upper Marlboro, Maryland Highlights: Harris hawk, Kenyan sand boa, and wild animals Zoo#191 Brookside Nature Center D Silver Spring, Maryland Highlights: None Zoo#192 Croydon Creek Nature Center B+ Rockville, Maryland Highlights: Wild birds Zoo#193 Meadowside Nature Center C+ Rockville, Maryland Highlights: None Zoo#194 Potomac Overlook Regional Park and Nature Center A Arlington, Virginia Highlights: Native reptiles and amphibians and Red-shouldered hawk.
