Review of the Scovill Zoo Home - Scovill Zoo The Scovill Zoo, in Decatur, Illinois, is situated on 15 acres of Scovill Park. It opened in 1967 as “Scovill Farm,” originally home to various farm animals. However, after the acquisition of two Malayan sun bears in 1974, the facility began to transition to more exotic species. The Zoo presently holds about 400 specimens making up around 96 different species. As with some other smaller facilities I’ve visited, there certainly is a decent community charm to Scovill. Not only is it located close to the town’s Children Museum of Illinois and a couple surrounding neighborhoods, but there are also tons of signs and exhibits around the Zoo with either dedications, special thanks, or sponsorships. Outside of that, I thought the rest of the Zoo was all right. The animal collection is smaller with mainly familiar species, and the exhibitry is pretty basic overall. That being said, there are still a few nice treats scattered around the Zoo grounds. With the exception of a couple areas, this review will be divided into different animal types, as the layout has no consistent exhibit complex. Animal Exhibit Complexes Large Mammal Exhibits – The second exhibit that visitors come across when entering the Zoo is a massive, naturalistic habitat for gray wolves (aside from briefly seeing a keeper feeding them, I never saw any wolves). The habitat is excellent and the barriers seem to disappear into the foliage, opening up to Lake Decatur in the background, creating an effective touch of immersion; however, the visitor viewing could use improvement, as apart from a small glass window in one section, it is entirely through chain-link or from small overlooks. In the back of the Zoo reside the facility’s largest residents. Going towards a boardwalk, a hoofstock paddock can be found on each side of the visitor path: on the left is a mid-sized habitat with protected trees home to plains zebras, and on the right, two Bactrian camels can be found in a narrow, grassy paddock. Finally, at the end of the boardwalk, arguably the Zoo’s most iconic residents can be found: a pair of cheetahs. The big cats are looked down upon in a habitat that is long, lush, and even has a couple trees and small hills within. I would consider the cheetah habitat to be Scovill’s second best habitat overall. Small Mammal Exhibits – Most of these animals are found either in the center of the grounds or on a small loop trail. To begin with, in the central section, a pair of red pandas has an enclosed habitat that is so-so in both size and quality. Tufted deer (along with a turtle species that isn’t signed), meerkats, and prairie dogs are found in a row of enclosures amongst alligators and cranes (more on those two later). The two little burrowing mammals have nice spacious habitats that allow for plenty of digging, while the deer pen is on the smaller side. On the loop trail, there is a trio of primate cages that are not the most naturalistic, but nonetheless are grassy, average in size, and offer some climbing opportunities both on the fencing and branches. These are home to ring-tailed lemur, spider monkey, and howler monkey. Then, in the center of the loop, a nice two-toed sloth habitat with many branches and height can be seen, along with a surprisingly large pen for many guinea pigs. The little rodents have an environment with woodchips and hilly terrain. The final pair of exhibits house red-necked wallabies (including two joeys) and a single emu, however they are quite barren and small. Bird Exhibits – A pair of bald eagles serves as the very first exhibit to be seen. The enclosure is massive, lush, and open-topped, but could use more perching opportunities. In the center of the Zoo the following can be seen: two African crowned cranes in a tiny exhibit that has up-close viewing; screech owls in a tall, average aviary next to the red pandas; a small, minimally detailed cage for Lady Ross’s turacos on the other side of the pandas; a single red-tailed hawk and turkey vulture share an incredibly lush open-topped enclosure next to the zebras; and a Humboldt penguin habitat, which opened in 2013. The penguin habitat is easily this Zoo’s best exhibit in my opinion because of its cool rocky design, touch of detail (like the transport crates in the viewing area, and shells embedded in some of the pathway), and impressive viewing opportunities. Visitors can view the aquatic birds via underwater viewing, a glass window at the top of a hill, and even a pop-up bubble. There are also several birds (most warm climate species) on the loop trail. Up first is a kookaburra aviary that offers some decent height and perching, while next door is a roomy, decent toco toucan habitat that used to be a walkthrough exhibit (according to a couple guests I overheard), but now has mesh separating visitor and bird. An enclosure for blue and gold macaw is situated by the sloth and guinea pigs, and also offers some good perching and height. Finally, Chilean flamingos and American white pelicans share a huge grassy habitat with two smaller pools. Reptile Exhibits – With one exception, the reptile collection can be found in the loop trail area, including the soon-to-be-mentioned Herpaquarium. The loop trail’s reptile exhibits are overall pretty good, starting with a grassy tortoise paddock that is adjacent to the reptile house, complete with a few large rocks (leopard was the only signed species, but there was one or two other species on display too). Down the path is a good-sized Galapagos tortoise habitat with grass, a mud hole, and slightly hilly terrain. Lastly, in the middle of the area, two American alligators live in a habitat with grass, a shade structure, and a shallow pool. Herpaquarium - This small wooden structure can be seen in a full circle, with most of the terrariums situated in the outer parts, along with a few enclosures on the inside. I was pleasantly surprised with this exhibit building, as most of the terrariums are fairly naturalistic and decently sized, and would even consider this one of the highlights of Scovill. A good portion of the species list (asterisks are firsts for me): naked mole rat, rhinoceros iguana, Argus monitor, blue tree monitor*, leopard gecko, blood python*, Burmese python, African house snake*, painted turtle, black rat snake, Madagascar hissing cockroach, red-eyed crocodile skink*, European glass lizard, green tree boa, Pueblan milksnake, Honduran milksnake, red-eared slider, axolotl (not on display at the time of my visit), giant marine toad, Chilean rose tarantula, Asian forest scorpion, and a few unsigned fish species. Scovill Farm – A series of red buildings surround a contact area in this domestic animal complex. Nothing out of the ordinary, but it’s a nice area for children. Species list includes: African pygmy goats (these guys have a rocky climbing area in the middle of the yard), guinea hog (in a separate pen), Call duck, chickens (which have their own cage), and zebu (separate pen). Visitor Experiences The layout of this Zoo is a bit different than normal. The entrance plaza (complete with a small fountain and gift shop) is situated far away from the main zoo area, and visitors have to walk behind the building to reach the Zoo grounds. On the plus side, one does pass a nice playground, a carousel, and the bald eagle and wolf habitats on the way to the main section. The rest of the Zoo seems to be generally built around the main plaza, with most of the exhibits being on the outer edges of the plaza. The only animal habitats that deviate from this are the ones on the loop trail that can be accessed via a small hill. Apart from the previously mentioned gift shop, the Zoo’s only guest amenities can be found in the “Gateway Building,” which has concessions, restrooms, a small picnic area, and a large sign of the Zoo. In addition to the carousel and playground, the other guest attraction is a train that goes around a portion of the zoo grounds, primarily the loop trail exhibits, and past the cheetahs and camels. HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY: A young howler monkey was climbing around for the entire time I was at the exhibit. It would clamber along the branches and fencing, and even go bother its dad for a bit. A couple times the father monkey would move to the other side of the exhibit, only for the youngster to follow right behind! Just as in this case, it’s usually a delight to watch young primates. OVERALL: The Scovill Zoo joins Peoria and Miller Park as part of a trio of tiny Illinois zoos that are tucked away, but have enough unique qualities that make them worth a look if in the area. In Scovill’s case, it is held back by a somewhat awkward layout and exhibit quality that is overall hit-or-miss. What swings it back into favor though is the community support and service, a handful of surprises, and a few good quality animal habitats (particularly the penguins, cheetahs, and Herpaquarium). Zoo enthusiasts may not find much new with this establishment, but it is a cute little facility that perfectly serves the citizens of Decatur. The next major projects Scovill is looking at taking on are a river otter exhibit, which will be situated by the penguins, and expanding the train tracks towards the nearby Children’s Museum of Illinois.
