Hi everyone.Hope your all having a great summer.I just wanted to post a review about National Zoo.I visited in March 2007 and was blown away at its sheer beauty and detail.I'd beeen visiting its website for years anad when Tai Shan was born (fingers crossed for a second birth) i visited the site everyday to check updates.I became a Tai Shan fan bigtime.Back to subject im going to do a throrough review. Asia Trail:This was the first exhibit of the day.It is in my young mind the best northern asian exhibit i've ever seen.The rockwork and planting is spectacular and there is so much graphic it was unreal!It was extremely immersive,cultural and habitat wise.The sloth bears have beatifal rocky habitats with tall glass panels and boardwalk overlooks for spectacular viewing.We saw Balawat and Hana in the first yard slurping up stuff from termite mounds as we sat and watched at a very well blended ampitheater.There was a very comprehensive education station that talking about all sorts of stuff and it was again state of the art!The second sloth bear habitat was just as great.Merlin was pacing but it was because there old habitat was terrible and he's just adjusting.It was still very large and could be seen from a board walk and from a glass panel at the education station.Following along was a very naturalistic clouded leopard that was sadly,covered in mesh but it was actually ok because they used a harp-wire netting that was basically invisble from the viewing.The two cats were busy dashing around,eating and playing pounce.They then tired out and went to sleep on a heated branch extremely close for a great encounter.It was bamboo galor in there and they seemed to love it.The viewing had a balance branch for children and like every habitat,tons of signage!The next habitats were a set of rocky harpwire habitats for a pair of fishing cats.Again,it was very autentic and they were extremely active.I guess they decided to fill up the little pools (it was a very hot day even for March) and they were fishing goldfish out.They even had underwater fiewing panels so we saw they dive in!It went up at the back with alot of rockwork and plants.There is also a secong one that is basically the same except for no underwater viewing.There is a thing that takes a motion snapshot of you and it talks about the ones they use in Asia and other countrys.Basically right next door is a fantastic small clawed otter exhibit.The first part is the Otter Training Staion with is a vbig rockwork wall with underwater viewing into the pool complete with a small water fall and a trickling creek that runs through the habitat.You can also view the six boistrous brothers from a nice overlook into there flooded forest habitat with lots of logs,grass and rocks.Also along the trail at every habitat is a big sign of the animal your look ing at called an Adaption sign.It has pull out things all over it talking about the adaption of the species.Continuing,you come across a very rocky,autchentic red poanda habitat.It has lots of foliages,trees,rocks,a trickling stream and tons of rocky ledges which make it extremly great.The can be viewed from several windows and overlooks and peeks.The highlight of the trail is right next door,The Fujifilm Giant Panda Habiat which consists of 4 outdoor yards and 5 indoor rooms.The yards new yards are extremely rocky,lots of logs,tons of trees,little pools and are very close to a chinese forest.They can be seen from huge walkway lookouts and large glass panels underneath.There are also large cool and misty caves which are great.The older exhibits are long,narowish yards with many trees,rocks and pools.There is also a nice but hard to see giant salmander habitat near by.The indoor rooms have beatifal murals on the walls and ech has a rocky little mountain for exercise and depth.The indoor area has a vast amount of stuff including signs,wallgraphics,murals,conservation items and even touch,see and smell stations.There are also computer monitor stations where you can play games such as make a conservation site,desicion station,Panda SSP and more.There is alot more stuff I did'nt mention but you'll just have to go to the zoo,won't you!Oh ya,there is also a bamboo storage room and they use bamboo extensively at the zoo!!!Rating:5 out Cheetah Conservation Station:The Cheetah Area is pretty good size and aethistically wise.There five yards circling a large holding building plus two other yards.The first is a grassy knoll with a few trees an rocks for three maned wolves.There is no glass viewing in this complex which kind of sucks but there is little mesh.The next area is another paddock with a few rock;s and a tree for scimitar horned oryx.There are two and apparently lthere is now a dama gazelle with them now?Two yards are th highlights and its namesake...The cheetahs.There are a few trees in each one,logs,rocks and termite mounds that also serve as caves.There is also a chasing lure in the larger yard for them.The current cheetahs are Draco,Granger,Zabini and Amani but when i was there it was Zazi,Tumai who are now at the off site breeding facility and Ume who died of health complications because he was struck by lighting at 18 months.They were pretty active and Ume was trying wanting in.The last circle habitat is a home for bachelor zebra.The male was getting very boistrous and well,um..."turned on" per say.He inhabited aa nice grassy,rocky yard with an overlook.The other two grassy yards inhabited emu,tammar wallaby and spekes gazelle.Rating 3 of 5. Elephant House:The Elephant House is one of the oldest building on zoo grounds.It may be old but inside it is still very beatifal with handpainted murals and floer plus beautifal tile walkways.The problem is that the animals have inaqequate yards.Some are extremely small while others are ok.The capybaras and pygmy hippos have the smallest and worst though with graveloutdoor yards that are extrely tiny and horrendously small indoor quarters.The murals are good,its just the tiny pools and cramped spaces that are bothersome which is why there leaving like everythingin here but the elephants.The next worst is the hippos who have an ok sized pool but terribly sized indoor land areas.There are two little sides leading to the pool and then a nice outdoor meadow type yard.There is a nice pool but he will be leaving soon.I know this may sound strange to many but the elphants have the best area here.I know its still not very good but atleast they have three dirt yards,three pools, and they must walk a bit to get beetween yards.The indoor rooms ar the worst as they are tiny and concrete but they basically always have access outdoors except for during heavy heavy snow orr a shower or anything like that.They can beviewing from many overlooks and we saw the training session with Shanti and Ambika (who is 60 this year,you'd think that an elephant that age would live in some 7 acre field but she live in about 2000 sq ft area with good joints and one health scare earlier in January.There is also a sub-adult named Kandula who was born to Shanti in November 2001.There also used to be giraffes in a nice grasst field and an indoor room with a great mural.The zoo is currently building a great new habitat due for 2011.Rating:2 of 5 Bird House:The Bird House is another historical and beatifal building here.It has great harpwire habitats for its inhabitants which are stunning and spectacular.There is also a nightroom for kiwis and a large indoor free-flight room with a ground and canopy level.This jungle room also has many great species and is very nice.After all the indoor areas you come to the outdoor areas for many species including flamingos,cranes,cassowaries and rheas.The highlight is a massive,90 foot tall net aviray covering about 5000 sq ft.There are crreks,foliage,logs,trres and loots of other stuff here.The birds are amazing to watch as they take flight and are actually quite tame with hammerkops that wil run up to you.The building and surrounding yards are some of the best ive seen.Rating:5 of 5 i'll do every exhibit after it tommorrow
Hemispheres! Who needs them, they just confuse everything and everyone! That is a great review, and you've decribed all the exhibits well but, especially in the bird house paragraph, you've not said many of the species that are kept! Could you write own a few more of the types of birds for me?
Sorry if this list is a little incomplete and out of date.There were tons of species and the collection fluctuates reguarly.here are a few i remember but if you want a better list.Just go to the zoos website and go to the Bird page.They have a list of all the birds and exhibits here Indoor habitats burrowwing owl kiwi macaws bird of paradies toco toucan keel-billed toucan guam rail microneasian king-fisher&indian hornbill many many more!! Indoor Flight Room (both flight areas were especially difficult to remember because alot of species were hiding or i could'nt tell what they were) check the site,i just remember seeing lots of birds,oh wait...i remember a few hammerkop that were running along the path Outdoor Area kori bustard lots of assorted cranes macaw flamingo rhea cassowary ducks and tons more Outdoor Flight Aviary(my most favorite aviary ever) hammerkop golden phesant cardinal peacock bul bul ring-necked phesant and again probably alot more That was what i can remember off the top of my head.I do remember seeing many other birds,i just can't match the name with the individual at the moment.Im going to atleast try to finish the review today but if not i will another day
National Zoo developing a new elephant trail I just thought you'd like to know that the National Zoo is building some wonderful upgrades for its elephants. New construction started last year, with completion slated for 2011. A note from the zoo director: "In their new home, a herd of Asian elephants will socialize in a large indoor community center and explore lush outdoor habitats. A walking path will run through the outdoor habitat that provides our elephants with abundant exercise and foraging opportunities. Elephants will breed to contribute to the survival of their species, while enjoying excellent care in their state-of-the-art National Zoo home." I saw the new area (under construction) this weekend, and it's going to be a tremendous improvement for these marvelous animals. I'm really proud of our nation's zoo for undertaking the challenge.
National Zoo Review Part 2 Beaver Valley:The Beaver Valley Trail is very nice stroll through a wooded valley area.The first exhibit is a grassy/rocky habitat which has a family of four beavers.There is a nice over look of a pool with a beaver lodge with a cam and then you can see them allong the perimiter of the top area.They can be viewed next to a similar but larger habitat for a pair of river otters.There enclosure also has a nice pool with underwater views plus a nice window looking into there den.they were extremly active and were diving into the pool alot for fish (the keeper was feeding them).Up more was Bald Eagle Refuge which i sadly missed but i did see the mexican gray wolves across from them and right next to the river otters.They have a habitat going up a hill with many rocks and a moat upfront.They were also quite active as they were chasing around a bird of some sort.The last habitats on the trail are a pair of rocky aquatic habitats for grey seals and california sea lions.They are pretty much the dame in degn exept the gray seals don't have underwater viewing or an ampitheater plus there area is smaller.The sea lions have a nice large pool and they were extremely young and active.They were very friendly to as they were chasing me around in the underwater viewing area and they were coming up to the above area and were trying to get my attention.The training demonstration was very good to.During the summer,the zoos Golden Lion Tamarins have free range in Beaver Valley.Rating:4 of 5 Small Mammal House:Best of its kind in Noth America.The exhibits are amazing and so is the diverse collection.There are tons of murals and even a tunnel system for many species (the golden lion tamarin family has 6 different habitats with a maze of tunnels beetween them as do the meerkats like alot of the others.Alot of the species i remember are mongoose,meerkat,fennec fox,tamirin,sloth,coendu,saki monkey,marmoset,leopard cat,asian small clawed otter,howler monkey,shrew and so many others.There was also a bunch around the outside including peccary,otter,giant anteater and alot more.Rating:5 of 5. Great Ape House:Ok but very sterile feel inside.It was basically a bunch of dayrooms that had rocks and suck an dclimbing structure but were very weird and sterile looking (something you'd find at the old Central Park Zoo).They seemed happy though and i've heard the oranguatans and gorillas have had many babies.The outdoor yard for the gorillas is actually quite nice although there is no upclose glass.they again seemed happy and very active though.The orangutan habitat had its ups and downs.The downs is that the outdoor yard at the Great Ape House is basically just grass and some ha-has but the up is the O-Line system with is very good as we saw many of the orangs using it.I think they have food up there as well.This travels to ThinkTank which i will talk about later.Rating:2 1/2 of 5 Reptile Discovery Center:The Reptile Discovery Centre is yet another great house.There are several snakes including anacondas,mambas and cobras and many other reptils like manyy tortoise,turtle,gavial and lots of other.The signage is some of the best in the zoo.There is also an outdoor/indoor area for aldabra tortoise which i was invited to pet by a keeper who was cleaning the outdoor area.The area around back holds chinese and dwarf alligators plus komodo dragons in a indoor green house area plus a grassy outdoor yard.Rating:5 of 5 Invertabrates:This building was again another very interesting area.It housed many 3rd world type including sea walnuts,moon jellies,octopus,orb web spider,cuttle fish plus alot more wacky stuff in again very 3 world looking habitats.There is also a Pollinarium which houses butterflys and costa rican hummingbirds together in a walkthrough room.Rating:5 out of 5 Gibbon Ridge:The Gibbon Ridge area is pretty good.It is basically two huge net expanses that inhabit siamangs and white cheeked gibbons.There are tons of clibing areas in there and they can be viewed from a boardwalk deck area from several areas.Overall,there pretty happy looking.Rating 4 of 5 Lemur Island:Basically a large island with a huge mountain and a a grassy area contained by ha-has.There are ring tailed lemur and red-fronted lemur on here.Rating:4 of 5 ThinkTank:ThinkTank is a building which talks about the minds of animals and humans.There are many educational areas plus habitats for sulawesi macaques,orangutan,hermit crab,caracal lynx and leaf cutter ants.It also has a room called the Orangutan Testing Room where an Orangutan can take tests like letter matching,shapes and lots more on a computer.Its really cool.The O-Line provides access to and from the Great Ape House.Rating:4 of 5 (the habitats are too small) Great Cats:the zoos lions and tigers are housed here.There are 3 grassy terrapaced yards with the lions and tigers rotate through.There are several trees,logs,rocks and other things that keep the cats stimulated.The habitats all have a nice moat upfront and and can viewed from overlooks.Again, the signage is excellent here and when we went the lions were sleeping,the male tiger was roaring at a boomer ball and the female and he trio of cubs were pouncing and playing in the moat.There is also a trail for children called Tiger Tracks which has many displays.Rating:4 of 5 kk,theres an electrical storm so i'll finish the rest tomorrow.
National Zoo Review Part 3 I finally have decided to fianih the review.This installment will be the last and smallest
Kids Farm:This was actually a better area then i had expected.I thought it would be a little red barn crammed with animals stuck in tiny stalls!It was so far from that.The first thing you see is a huge barn with two cows roaming a very nice field.They were extremely aloff of people and they kept there distance.The area where the ducks and chickens were was extremly large and nice complete with a large pond.They sadly were not on exhibit as there was the bird flu scare and they did'nt wan't to take a chance.There were also nice areas for pigs,alpacas,goats,donkeys and a few other animals.There was also a rabbit that a keeper was showcasing that i was able to hold.Did i mention this day was extremely uncrowded.We probably saw about 50 other visitors.The rabbit was very cool as it had really cute floppy ears and they kept covering his eyes.The alpacas kept pooping which was somewhat funny.There was also a big huge pizza playground which talks about how pizza is made.Rating:5 of 5 Amazonia:This was my next favourite to Asia Trail.It was the zoo 2nd immersion exhibit after The bird house.The fist area is the riverine/ground level.There are several huge amazon river tanks which house pacu,goodeid,pirahna,a huge arapaima and several other plus there was a tank which housed stingrays which i guess they were alloing touch so i was petting a few.It was a very nice setup down here but the real highlight was the forest walk where there were thousand of plants and trees that were real plus a man-made but very realistic kapok tree that had its "roots" creeping on the the path.There was also tons of signage in amazonia.There were tons of birds (sorry no definite species that i could tell even by looking at signs) plus a sloth and titi monkey and a goeldi monkey who were skittering through the area.You could also look down the river tanks.The basement was also great with many reptiles and amphibian plus a few invertabrates.It also had tons of interactive things like microscopes and scientist diarys.Leaving the building you see two grottoes for spectacled bears that were fine.Could be bigger but with one bear in each its fine.Nikki was 15 while Bandit was 31.Its funny,the older bears always live in grottoes or substanded exhibits.This was the last exhibit and i hope you enjoyed them
I'm curious as to when Amazonia first opened, does anyone have confirmation of when the gallery first opened?
