DAY 12: Friday, July 13th, 2012 Road Trip Review # 9: Greater Cleveland Aquarium Greater Cleveland Aquarium’s website: Greater Cleveland Aquarium Greater Cleveland Aquarium is located in Cleveland, Ohio, but it is not yet an AZA-accredited facility because an establishment must be open for a full year before it can apply for accreditation. The aquarium just opened in January of 2012 and so it is only 6 months of age, and thus everything is shiny and new from the exhibits to the restrooms. There are a million gallons of water, but I would bet that at least 95% of the water is contained within the massive Shark Tank where visitors end their tour. Ohio has long been a hotbed of zoological wonders, and I’ve visited the 5 largest zoos in the state and I’d rank them in this order: Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Toledo and Akron. The first 4 all receive over one million visitors each annually, and there are high hopes for the Greater Cleveland Aquarium as perhaps the populace will respond and pack the building during its first year of operation. Everything inside GCA is very well done, clean, organized, fairly generic and unspectacular except for the awesome underwater tunnel that has become ubiquitous at many American aquariums. The bad news is that if you have ever visited a Sea Life facility then you will know what to expect from GCA. I know ZooChatters that mock the Sea Life establishments as those aquariums are all similar in size and scope and can be seen in perhaps 30 minutes by an individual without children. GCA is very similar, from the larger than life cartoon map to the 8 major zones of the facility to the price tag. It cost my family $63 ($22 per adult and my two year-old daughter was $16 – plus $3 for parking) which is an outrageous price considering that we were only inside for 45 minutes. Many folks will go once and never again due to the cost, unless one was to live in Cleveland and perhaps some families will be enticed to purchase a yearly membership. The aquarium is definitely family-friendly, and there were even 3 workers dressed in character who chatted with us throughout our visit. REVIEW (in sequence of a typical tour): It is quite a sight to behold the Greater Cleveland Aquarium as it is situated inside a former power station, and so there is much the same initial impression as is gained from first laying eyes on the fabulous Monterey Bay Aquarium as that incredible facility is located within an old sardine cannery. GCA’s exterior belies a modern, crisp, mall-like interior and the aquarium entrance is down a flight of steps and below a café and other businesses. Ohio Lakes & Rivers – This area is spacious with a large, low tank in the center of the room with brook trout and spotted gar. The exhibit is long and only about 4 feet high so staff has to watch to ensure that visitors don’t poke around in the water with their hands. Channel catfish, emerald shiner, golden shiner, spot-tail shiner, largemouth bass and walleye are found in this area, along with longear sunfish, blacknose dace, pumpkinseed sunfish, brindled madtom and orange spotted sunfish. Another low-set habitat has turtles (red-eared slider and painted) and being only about 3 feet in height means that it would only take a second for someone to scoop up one of the creatures. There are several species of darter in a long tank, and a few of the tanks have wooden bases and then the 3-4 foot circular tank seems to rest on top of its stand. Exotic Freshwater – This zone has two very large exhibits that dominate the room, and then another 5 of the 4 foot-high circular tanks. A long, open-topped stingray/red-bellied piranha pool stretches for perhaps 30 feet, and like almost every single tank thus far it has a fake tree trunk or two jutting out of the water. Young American alligators (a trio) have the marquee exhibit alongside the far wall, and that is obviously a highlight for many visitors. Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika tanks complete this area. Discovery Zone – This area has only 2 tanks: one with zero animals but piles of garbage in a pollution exhibit; and about a dozen spiny lobsters over the heads of visitors and somewhat ingeniously placed in an old chimney stack. This is a clever section but one that can be seen in a few minutes. Florida Keys – This is a tiny section with 3 large circular tanks that are perhaps 7 feet in height. The first has lionfish; the second has reef scorpionfish and spotted scorpionfish; and the third has purplehead moray eel, spotted eel and gold spotted snake eel. This area can be seen in 5-10 minutes and while the tanks are impressive there is simply too few of them. Weird & Wonderful – This zone is yet another section with not much to see as again there are only 3 tanks. All three are in a long, red-brick hallway, are perhaps 9 feet tall and are set into the side of the wall. The first tank has bluehead wrasse and blue hamlet; the second has striped burrfish and Cuban hogfish; and the third has clown anemonefish (“nemo fish”). Coastal – An overhead mini-tunnel welcomes visitors to a large room and within the tank are sergeant major and lookdown fish. A massive touch tank dominates the Coastal zone but it is impossible for visitors to simply reach over and touch the animals without the aid of a wet-suited worker inside the pool. The touch tank is close to 4.5 feet in height and there were two swimmers inside who picked up slipper lobsters, crabs, anemones, etc, and then held them out to visitors via white buckets. An interesting idea but one that does not allow for more than 1-2 people on each side to have the opportunity to touch aquatic creatures at one time, and does that not defeat the purpose of a touch tank? Small tanks along the side of the room have wunderpus, dwarf cuttlefish, lined seahorse, chain pipefish, yellowhead jawfish and upside-down jellyfish. A fairly nice (yet somewhat empty) cave-themed 30-foot long tank is against one side of the wall and it contains these 5 species: black grouper, sergeant major, green moray eel, red grouper and pufferfish. Another very long tank (Coral Reef) has these 6 species: scrawled cowfish, Atlantic blue tang, banded butterfly fish, four-eye butterfly fish, French angelfish and purple chromis. There is no attention to detail in these tanks and everything is cookie-cutter style (like the fake coral) that is replicated many times over throughout the aquarium. Tropical Reef – This is another long hallway almost identical to the Weird & Wonderful zone, and thus only 3 tanks set into the brick wall. The first showcases reef squirrelfish and porkfish; the second has cushin starfish, horseshoe crab and sea urchin; and the third has yellowtail damselfish, three-spot damselfish and sharknose goby. Shark Tank – This is by far and away the highlight of the aquarium, as it features an enormous tank that is seen from the side and then through a 149 foot tunnel that curves past a sunken ship and seems to last forever. There are around 15 sharks in the exhibit and seeing the big sand tiger sharks swimming overhead is a really cool experience that generates buzz in the tunnel. Species list for Shark Tank (15 species): sand tiger shark, sandbar shark, nurse shark, blacknose shark, black grouper, red grouper, Atlantic bumper, French angelfish, red hind, threadfin herring, look down fish, rooster hogfish, cownose ray, chain moray eel and green moray eel. OVERALL: Greater Cleveland Aquarium is a one-time visit for me, and after so many free establishments it was difficult paying a large sum of money for only 45 minutes of entertainment. There are many nice animal habitats within this brand-new facility but simply not enough of them to justify the price. I predict that this aquarium will be like many others (Florida, Adventure, Newport, etc.) that all had big first years in terms of attendance but as time went on they faltered and had to revive themselves to stave off creditors. Perhaps GCA will add penguins, seals or otters in the future but I have no idea if an expansion is a possibility so soon after opening. To anyone who has seen the major aquariums within America then GCA is disappointing since it was a highly anticipated addition to the world of public aquaria. There are 8 sections to the facility and half of them (Tropical Reef, Weird & Wonderful, Florida Keys and Discovery Zone) have a grand total of only 11 tanks combined. The first couple of areas are very nicely done, the entire property is well-designed for what it is, but other than the fantastic SeaTube Shark Tank tunnel there is absolutely nothing here that I have not already seen a hundred times before. I suppose that the city of Cleveland might never get an above-average aquarium and will have to settle for a Sea Life on steroids.
@kiang: I always appreciate your positive comments, and you are right that there are not many "major" zoos that I'll be touring on this long road trip. Omaha is huge, and Denver and Busch Gardens are two more really large zoos that I'll see in the second half of the trip. There are two reasons for seeing loads of 2-3 hour zoos. First, I've already seen all the big ones and I want to visit zoos that I've never been to before. Secondly, my kids are very small and a tiny zoo that can be seen in 2-3 hours is perfect as they are often physically done at that point. Trudging around mega zoos in 100 degrees is tough on anyone, but especially on my son and daughter who are 1 and 2 (almost 3) years of age. @dublinlion: thanks for adding even more positivity! I'm glad that you think that the reviews are fair and well-written, and they certainly take me a long time to compose. I've visited enough zoos and aquariums at this point in my life and I realize that the visitor perspective is often what keeps attendance numbers ticking as many zoos have to constantly be thinking about their financial position every day of the year. @blospz: Erie Zoo today (I type this about 10 minutes away) and then Rosamond Gifford Zoo tomorrow (which I'm quite looking forward to). I know that you are personally very intrigued in those two reviews and so you can predict what I'll say. Perhaps I'll be extremely disappointed (Buffalo springs to mind) or shocked at the quality on display (The Living Desert was a nice surprise).
@Snowleopard thanks for the GCA review which we feel was pretty much consistant with our initial thoughts on the aquarium.Its great that the water is now clear which surely makes a difference in the tunnel shark tank.Water quality was a major factor forus not purchasing a membership back in january.What are your thoughts on the alligator exhibit which we feel is a very small and not very creative enclosure you were fairly vague on it in your review.Other than that we thought you were right on and wanted to thank you for the review and enjoy the rest of your trip.Looking forward to Erie and RGZ as well as these are two zoos we recently visited as well. Team Tapir
Loving the thread and all your reviews snowleopard! I've only managed to visit a handful of American zoos and doubt I will ever see as many as I would like too! Your reviews help me decide which are the 'must sees'! Keep them coming and have a safe trip!
Snowleopard, I think you'll like Rosamond Gifford over Erie Zoo. The outside trail exhibits are mostly all nice (minus some cages for the smaller animals towards the end). I also think they have a very nice penguin exhibit. I think you'll find Primate Park average and the main building probably won't be your cup of tea.
What they do to keep the vultures in is they have their wings slightly clipped. I have seen them fly for more than ten feet like this though so it has completely stopped them
DAY 13: Saturday, July 14th, 2012 Road Trip Review # 10: Erie Zoo Erie Zoo’s website: https://www.eriezoo.org/default.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 Zoo Map: https://www.eriezoo.org/PDFS/_ZooGardenWeb/SupportFiles/GardenMap1.pdf Erie Zoo is an AZA-accredited facility within the state of Pennsylvania, and it was founded in 1927. Even though the zoo is not quite open year-round it still attracts over 400,000 visitors each year and has 400 animals of 100 different species. It is a small zoo on 15 acres of land in Glenwood Park and officially opened to the public in 1930. We spent 2.5 hours at the zoo and had a wonderful time, but in truth the zoo is not a great one in terms of exhibitry and the Children’s Zoo takes up about 50% of the space and if one did not have kids then an individual could tour the zoo in much less time. I have now visited 3 zoos in Pennsylvania and while probably none of them would make my top 35 American zoo list I’d rank them in this order: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Erie. Philadelphia might scrape into the #35-40 category based on its terrific animal collection. THE BEST: Children’s Adventure – This is one of the better children’s zoos in the nation and it is separate from the rest of the facility as it is accessed via two bridges over Mill Creek. The kiddie zone ticks off all of the necessary boxes: toddler play area, ages 3-9 play area, penguins, alligators, a budgie feeding aviary, a couple of scenic mini-gardens, goat petting corral, donkeys, miniature zebu, a concession stand, a carousel, a train, a walk-through kangaroo enclosure, a theater for shows and animal presentations and an Adventure Center with toys and terrariums featuring small animals. The entire area has lots of things to choose from but none of it is truly spectacular like I’ve seen at children’s zoo in Oakland, San Antonio, Houston or the mega Jungle Gym in Nashville. Erie has a very good children’s section and it is a smart move to have it away from the other 50% of the zoo to lessen the noise for the exotic animals. Some of the detriments is that the toddler play area is puny, the ages 3-9 play zone is essentially what one can find in any local McDonald’s, the Mystery Mountain is a waste of time and overall traffic flow is an issue on a busy weekend. Species list for the Adventure Center: Standing’s day gecko, fire-bellied toad, reticulated python, giant cockroach, Panamanian golden frog, common iguana, skunk gecko, green tree python and Geoffrey’s tamarin. THE AVERAGE: Main Zoo Building – This structure was erected in 1930 and while it has a bizarre collection of animals from around the world it really should focus on smaller creatures and with an overhaul it could be a tremendous Reptile House. I saw meerkats, a Grivet guenon, naked mole rats, various poison arrow frogs, a sand cat and rock hyrax in all-indoor exhibits. Next to a fish tank was a sacred ibis/hottentot teal open-topped bird area set against a small waterfall in a Kopje environment. A black-and-white ruffed lemur and a red ruffed lemur had access to the great outdoors, and a Pallas’ cat could only be seen in its heavily furnished outdoor enclosure. A jaguar could be seen outside, and a pair of Amur leopards rotated in their indoor/outdoor setup while a couple of capybaras looked totally out of place in what I think used to be an outdoor gorilla exhibit. Some of the exhibits worked out okay (meerkats, Pallas’ cat, jaguar and Amur leopard in smallish enclosures) but the most interesting of all was a single female gorilla that is 48 years old, arthritic and struggling to maintain her health. She was human-raised and never once got along with her fellow gorillas, and since her companion (whom she begrudgingly accepted but did not interact with) died a number of years ago she has been alone with a rabbit! This naturally drew quite a crowd, with most visitors failing to read the sign and wondering when the savage beast would launch itself onto the helpless bunny. Kiboka Outpost – This area opened in 1999 and it has a decent yet smallish white rhino exhibit that provided some entertainment as the rhinos mock-challenged each other on a couple of occasions and the victor proceeded to use its horn to knock some large boulders down from the wall of the paddock. The sloping exhibit makes it possible for one of the rhinos to gain the upper hand at all times, and it was odd to see the tense moments as white rhinos are usually fairly serene. African wild dogs have a grassy yard that once held cheetahs, and there is a Grant’s zebra paddock with terrible viewing as it is in a dead-end pathway and visitors see the zebras through chain-link fencing. Ugh. Warthogs have a nice enclosure as it allows for a lot of digging, there is an African spurred tortoise exhibit in front of the zebras, and there are some terrariums with these species inside the main building: lesser black plated lizard, Dumeril’s ground boa, Madagascan tree boa and Madagascan hissing cockroaches. A stinky aviary has these 7 species: East African black mud turtle, lilac-breasted roller, African black crake, wattled starling, speckled mousebird, white-vented bulbul and spur-winged lapwing. Wild Asia – This area opened in 2002 and it is beautifully themed in the ruined temple fashion that is fairly prevalent at many American zoos. A trio of large terrariums greets visitors near the massive entrance, and the Asian water dragons, prehensile-tailed skink and green tree python are the inhabitants. A decent red panda exhibit is up next, followed by a small netted habitat for a family of 3 siamangs. Those apes definitely need more space, as do the orangutans just around the corner. The Indian muntjac enclosure is fine, there is a tentacle snake tank that is an average size, but the orang exhibit is one that I can see cause controversy amongst zoo enthusiasts. The indoor area for the red apes is almost entirely cement, with incredibly detailed fake ruins that Disney would be proud to call their own. The attention to detail is astonishing, from the buttress-like roots to the Greek-like columns in the backdrop of this Asian-themed zone. There are zero ropes or sway poles and I watched as the orangs lumbered over their concrete “ruins” and made for their outdoor exhibit. Things brighten up there as grass is available to them and while there are only a few ropes at least it is better than the bleak indoor section. Odds n’ Sods – A very poor exhibit contains a male and female reticulated giraffe on a small gravelly outdoor exhibit that is viewed through chain-link fencing; a coendou enclosure is terrific; a spider monkey island is a bit on the small side; goats have a paddock next to the pacing black bears; a river otter exhibit is average; a golden-lion tamarin/Brazilian agouti/two-toed sloth/yellow-footed tortoise exhibit is lush and well planted. THE WORST: Grottoes – I was appalled by what I saw today, and after visiting over 100 zoos just in the past 4 years I thought that I’d seen it all. There are 4 grottoes and only one has been renovated (in 2008) to meet modern standards. The Amur tiger that I saw paced endlessly back and forth in its small habitat, but at least it had a pool, grass and some rocky cliffs to utilize. The lions are looked down upon in a grotto with a large tree in the middle, but in reality something like coatis or raccoons should be in there instead of the so-called “King of the Jungle”. The remaining two pits are despicable in that they contain a polar bear and two black bears (actually each the brown/cinnamon colour) with tiny pools in all-concrete dumps. I’m not sure why zoos like Kansas City, Louisville and Utah’s Hogle have struggled to obtain a single polar bear for their brand-new exhibits when there is one languishing in Erie Zoo in a cement hellhole. The two black bears paced incessantly back and forth on a tiny ledge that was maybe 20 feet long for the entire 2.5 hours I was at the zoo as I checked back and saw them on 4 occasions and unless a miracle happened they barely stopped moving. One was especially showing stereotypy by flicking its head back in an arch just before it hit the wall. It was pitiful to watch, and I chatted with a man videotaping the bears as on my third return trip to the grotto I noticed that the same guy was there with his video camera. We chatted for a good 5 minutes and he said that there is movement afoot to force Erie Zoo to get rid of the bears or face a devastating withdrawal of AZA-accreditation. He told me that he loves zoos and we joked about who had seen the most, and he had driven specifically from far away to spend the morning videotaping these pacing bears. This mystery man (who requested anonymity on this forum) even had a lunch cooler packed at his feet and I’m sure that his evidence will be damning as what I saw was atrocious. He certainly knew a lot about the goings-on at specific zoos and he was obviously not an animal-rights nut as he raved about North Carolina (his favourite American zoo). OVERALL: Erie Zoo is great to visit if one has children, although that section of the zoo was not quite as fantastic as I had anticipated. Wild Asia, Kiboka Outpost and the Main Building I placed in my “average” category, but there are many problems in those zones and they are all far from flawless. In fact, after the kiddie area the next best exhibits are perhaps for white rhinos and prehensile-tailed porcupines and neither of those are anything that would ever be considered for zoological awards. The zoo is yet another small one that I’ve now ticked off on my lifetime list, and I had fun with the whole family exploring something new and exciting. However, it is an establishment that I would not visit again unless there is a mega new exhibit complex.
My predictions were pretty much on spot, with some surprises that you liked certain areas more than I thought you would! I didn't think you would call any part of Wild Asia "beautiful" as I thought you may see it's the fake ruined Asian look that too many zoos use now a days. Despite the orangutan exhibit, can I ask you about the them? Was the male or small female interacting with guest at the windows? As I've always said, I know their exhibit could be a whole lot better, but I think they enjoy the intimacy/interaction with guests. Your review on the children's section didn't surprise me either. I know you've been to many zoos so to say this may be one of the tops was not something I expected. But my hope, which came through, is that you found it enjoyable. I agree about Mystery Mountain -- it's a mystery why it's there! I am so glad you got to see the grottoes. I know Buffalo's a bad, but whenever I hear someone say, "Buffalo has the worst grottoes!" I always want to say, Erie is worst. I hope that video surfaces to the right people soon because as I've said numerous times, if they think about moving the Buffalo Zoo polar bears there temporarily I am going to be so upset. My fear is you saw the male Amur tiger. That would be Pavel from the Buffalo Zoo and I'd hate to think he's not adjusting well to his new home. I am surprise they passed their last inspection, but the next one isn't until 2015. Thanks for posting the review tonight.
Thanks for all the reviews snowleopard! I won't be here for about a week so I'll miss a chunk of your road trip as well as your visit to Beardsley and other institutions that I sometimes visit. I'm interested to hear your review of Beardsley, and I've kind of got an understanding of what you're going to like and dislike. I wish you and your family the best!
All very interesting S.L.especially as i have not been to most of the zoos you have recently reviewed.Couldnt help but comment on the metal cage debate and that quite nonsensical comment from the Melbourne Zoo Director that they are disrespectful to mammals...not birds[they can take an insult or two] and of course wooden cages are presumably alright.Its a large subject and with David Hancocks in his pulpit again in International Zoo News[only part one thus far] a pertinent one.Iwill say that there are many roads to Damascus and a totally immersive approach is not the right one either-i can think of many primate islands for instance that are utterly useless in practical terms and where the animals would be much better off in cages where they can climb or brachiate.Keep your eyes on the road S.L.-and if it really is hotter than last summer then the very best of luck!
@blospz: thanks for the many comments on my reviews...keep them coming and I'll answer your questions. I saw the big male orangutan interacting with the baby (almost 3 years old) in the grass while a female was huddled in the "fake ruins" indoor zone. My favourite children's zoo might be San Antonio, as that toddler zone is designed specifically for kiddies 5 years and younger. That is ironic as I bashed San Antonio for its many crude exhibits. It was the male Amur tiger who was pacing nonstop at Erie Zoo, but certainly not as poorly as the black bears. @BeardsleyZooFan: it is a pity that I'll miss you next week, but have fun while you are away! @TimBrown: I'm ticking off all of the smaller zoos that I have not seen before, and in the next few weeks there are at least 11 east-coast aquariums that I'll be visiting as well. I've done the west coast a couple of times and so it is time to switch sides of the nation. I'm off to Rosamond Gifford Zoo today to see the new Asian Elephant Preserve (4 acres and 7 elephants) and then a 5-hour drive to Boston to take in Franklin Park Zoo and the very popular New England Aquarium.
@snowleopard are you going to have a road trip next year? And if you are having another road trip what zoos or parts of the U.S. are you thinking of visiting?
@ snowleopard: I had a thought last night. I know you find exhibits to be closed during the peak season to be unacceptable. Now is it just normal exhibits that should have animals and they just aren't out? Or are you upset if the zoo is doing a couple major projects and sections of the zoo are closed off? With areas closed off for construction I usually accept this as it will improve it in the future. But I agree it's aggrevating to go to a zoo far away wanting to see a certain animal and they are no where to be seen. But I always try to factor in the animal's health and consider some may need air conditioning. However pools and icy treats could help keep them visible.
I share your sentiment. It does suck to miss out on certain animals, but I'm not going to make a big deal out of it unless it's something major, like if I went to the Bronx and CGF was closed without warning on their website. And yeah, if it's really hot or cold, I'm going to expect certain animals to be off-exhibit. Like if it's over 100 degrees and humid like it apparently was in Omaha on SL's visit.
Hi SL, Great reviews Back in OZ and bad jet lag, appreciate your detailed blog/reviews they put me into a happy place, like l am still on holidays.
As always this is a very enjoyable thread. A few days ago it suddenly got all post-modern, commenting on itself, and I'd like to add my thoughts to what was written previously. Yes, SL has a particular way of viewing zoos, and it is a way that I do not share. Likewise, I do not share his taste in zoos either. But knowing this makes reading his thoughts no less interesting or valuable; I approach those reviews aware of the point-of-view from which he comes, and thus this awareness tempers the reaction I have to those reviews. As a music nerd, there are certain reviewers whose thoughts interest me even though I am aware that what they like is unlikely to be what I will like, so I read their reviews not to get a gospel version of The Truth, but rather to see what others might think. To be fair to SL, I think there was a time, several years ago, when he was very quick to criticise that with which he didn't wholly agree, and of which he was sometimes in ignorance. He has managed to curb this tendency, and is far less likely to opine on, say, Berlin Tierpark than was once the case. While I'm not sure he has much empathy for or understanding of the zoos of Europe, and while his perspective is certainly that of a visitor rather than a keeper (true of many of us on this site of course) there can be no doubt that he has earned his spurs as a zoo visitor. So, thank you for the reports, and keep them coming! They are genuinely interesting and illuminating.
DAY 14: Sunday, July 15th, 2012 Road Trip Review # 11: Rosamond Gifford Zoo Rosamond Gifford Zoo’s website: Rosamond Gifford Zoo Zoo Map: Rosamond Gifford Zoo Rosamond Gifford Zoo is an AZA-accredited facility located in Syracuse, New York, and it was founded in 1914. There are over 700 animals on 43 acres, and the annual attendance is just over 350,000. Every road trip tosses out at least a couple of underrated gems, and for instance in 2010 Cameron Park Zoo in the state of Texas was a delight to visit; in 2011 The Living Desert in California was surprisingly superb; and thus in 2012 Rosamond Gifford Zoo shocked me with the high quality of exhibits that abound throughout the zoo. There is scarcely a poor exhibit anywhere to be found, and it was an absolute joy to find myself wandering around a top-notch zoo that I had expected to be simply another institution ticked off of my lifetime list. It really does work out to schedule in some smaller zoos on vacations as one never knows what will truly be on offer. How the state of New York has managed to keep this impressive zoo under the radar is interesting, but it is located in the center of the state and therefore far inland from the hustle and bustle of the coast. It has a half-mile outdoor loop that takes visitors past around 20 habitats that feature almost entirely cold-weather creatures, and the massive indoor section has 4 different sections and quite a lot of diversity. I also met yet another ZooChatter (“Otter Lord”) who is currently studying in Syracuse and far from home. We met that individual for a 45 minute lunch and we had a great chat after our 2 hour and 15 minute tour of the zoo. The only downside to the facility is that there is not more of it, as the outdoor area is outstanding and the indoor section is for the most part above average. THE BEST: Wildlife Trails – This is the half-mile outdoor loop that focuses almost exclusively on cold-weather animals, and this means that the zoo can be visited year-round regardless of the climate. This trail is reminiscent of what can be found at Minnesota Zoo, as there are large enclosures that are naturalistic and well-designed. I’ll proceed with the review in the exact order of the trail. First up is a large pool and grassy meadow for tundra swans and various waterfowl; and reindeer along with helmeted guineafowl (don’t ask!) have a massive paddock. Penguin Coast is across the path from the hoofstock and around 30 Humboldt penguins have a spacious, modern habitat that opened in 2005 and has huge viewing windows. At least 5 guanacos inhabit a steeply sloping hillside that might well be an acre in size; bighorn sheep have a rocky, extremely steep mountainous area to roam; and markhor have an almost identical exhibit right next door. A pathway winds past tall conifer trees and there is an abundance of space for the zoo to expand in this area. Amur tigers have a very steep habitat that has plenty of mature trees, boulders near the enormous viewing windows, and the exhibit slopes away from the public area so at one point I was looking down upon 5 tigers in the forest. The mother and trio of 14 month-old cubs had at least an acre or more to themselves, while the father had a separate enclosure adjacent to the main one. Across from the group of tigers was a series of smaller wooden enclosures with these 5 species: red-tailed hawk, red fox, Eurasian lynx, bald eagle and fisher. The space for the lynx is too small but seeing fishers (two of them) was a highlight as I’ve now seen them at Rosamond Gifford, Charles Paddock, Minnesota and Northwest Trek in the past few years and they are extremely rare in American zoos. A huge red wolf enclosure is looked down upon from a wooden boardwalk that stretches up an incline. The wolves were nowhere to be seen as their exhibit must be close to an acre in size and heavily wooded. It is absolutely superb for the wolves but the foliage must make it consistently difficult to locate them. Another gargantuan field has white-lipped deer and they are also rare to see in American zoos. Next is the zoo’s pride and joy: Asian Elephant Preserve. This new habitat opened in 2011 and is home to 6 elephants (plus a separated bull) on approximately 4 acres of relatively lush, rolling landscape. There is no attempt to hide the big metal green fence that cuts a swath through the horizon, but the habitat is grassy and gives the massive beasts plenty of space to roam. A smaller, sandy yard is on either side of the modern, 10,000 sq. ft. Pachyderm Pavilion and there is lots of space for crowds to congregate along the boardwalk. A Chinese muntjac and red panda pair of exhibits are very nicely done; a snow leopard has a rocky enclosure that is a bit on the small side; an Andean condor has a tall aviary; and a pair of spectacled bears have a round, rock-strewn landscape that is actually better than it first appears as there are many opportunities for the bears to spend time in a trickling stream or sniff around in the dirt. The entire Wildlife Trails zone is first-class, and many of the enclosures (Amur tiger, guanaco, red wolf, Asian elephant, white-lipped deer) are simply enormous in comparison to what is found in other zoos. I enjoyed it so much that if it were not for my wife and two kids being along for the tour I would have gone around a second time! THE AVERAGE: Primate Park – This enclosure opened in 2010 and it is basically a large metal cage that is utilized by the siamangs, patas monkeys and lemurs as a rotational exhibit in the summer. The primates normally have zero access to the outdoors and so this fairly new habitat allows them to get some sunshine at different times of the year. It is much better than what is found in many other smaller zoos but I wish that each species regularly had the opportunity to choose whether it wanted to go outside or not. Indoor Exhibits: USS Antiquities, Diversity of Birds, Adaptation of Animals and Social Building. Those names are for the 4 animal areas that are all viewed while the visitor is indoors, and rather than split them up into different sections I thought that it would be prudent to review them as one encounters them and similar to what I accomplished with the Wildlife Trails loop. Rosamond Gifford is perhaps a unique zoo, as there is a massive main building right at the entrance that houses the usual assortment of banquet rooms, classrooms, toilets, a restaurant, a gift shop, etc., but it also leads into 4 themed animal environments. The entire area takes about an hour to tour, and once completed the rest of the zoo is all outdoors and mainly concentrated in the Wildlife Trails zone. USS Antiquities – The earliest forms of life are analyzed via colourful murals of simple life forms, replicas of fossils, and two tanks of fish and one with juvenile yellow-spotted Amazon river turtles. This short hallway is something designed out of science fiction and it resembles the interior of a boat/space ship. Visitors are then plunged into a cave-like environment, with mock-rock landscaped walls and a darkened set of lighting. In a vague sense there is the continuum of progressing through the lower, smaller life forms and how they have changed over time. Thus the fish tanks are followed by invertebrates, then reptiles and amphibians until eventually a couple of squirrels are seen and the cave ends. A large desert-themed exhibit has these 4 species: granite spiny lizard, collared lizard, desert iguana and chuckwalla. Other species include: various poison dart frogs, hissing cockroaches, archerfish, blood python, reticulated python, spotted turtle, Haitian giant anole, axolotl, tiger salamander, hellbender, Prevost’s squirrel, dwarf caiman, Hispaniolan rhino iguana, giant river turtle and yellow-spotted Amazon turtle. Diversity of Birds – This is definitely the weakest of the 4 themed indoor sections, as it is a walk-through, free-flight aviary with only a smattering of avian creatures. The walls have lots of peeling paint in places, there is extremely poor signage that borders on non-existent, for some species there are only one of each bird, and the jungle theme is tenuous at best. Adaptation of Animals – This is essentially a mini nocturnal house as it is a dimly lit corridor focusing on species that have developed many adaptations to survive. A jam-packed naked mole rat exhibit seems to be enormously popular as it was crowded on both occasions that I visited it; there were 6 two-toed sloths in a high exhibit that could have used some more tree branches but I have never seen so many together in one spot and so that made for some interesting viewing. A prehensile-tailed skink exhibit was very nice as it was perhaps 4 feet wide and 4 feet deep, but also at least 9 feet high and it was impossible to locate any skinks. Fennec fox, sand cat, ocelot and Egyptian fruit bat were the final 4 species, and while their exhibits could have been bigger (especially for the foxes and the two sand cats) they weren’t totally reprehensible either. Social Building – Here there is a focus on how living things relate to each other and to their environment, and first up were river otters. These little critters are found at practically every single American zoo and this time around their exhibit was a little on the small side but they are consistent crowd-pleasers regardless of their surroundings. A 6-foot long fish tank seemed simple enough at first glance but it was positioned so that one could gaze at the fish and also see a river otter swim past in the background. Bravo! The 4 fish species were: bluegill, golden shiner, yellow bullhead and white sucker. Walking down into a bright corridor it was a surprise to come across 3 lions in an exhibit adjacent to the walkway. Visitors are entirely indoors while the lions are entirely outside and the long viewing windows allow for large crowds to congregate. Indian peafowl and ruddy shelduck have a water-filled aviary on the opposite side of the lions. The Social Building stretches out to include many primates, and here is a total species list for the rest of the animals on display: siamang, patas monkey, ring-tailed lemur, black-and-white ruffed lemur, squirrel monkey, golden lion tamarin, fossa (two exhibits), meerkat, Brazilian agouti, white-winged vampire bat and green tree python. Often I have been critical of all-indoor surroundings that are almost entirely cement and thus mainly useless to the inhabitants. I was pleased to see a thick layer of sand in place for the mob of meerkats, many ropes and climbing opportunities for the primates, the two fossa enclosures were relatively large in comparison to many other zoos, and a layer of hay was commonly found in some of the primate exhibits. Also, the siamangs, patas monkeys and lemurs are rotated outside in the summer months (see Primate Park section). Odds n’ Sods – There is a scenic flamingo pool next to an outdoor courtyard; the obligatory farmyard/barn area and a series of small aviaries on both pathways as one heads towards the Wildlife Trails loop. Species list: African pied crow, kookaburra (two exhibits), barn owl, Himalayan monal and turkey vulture. THE WORST: Asian Elephant Bull Yard – Now that the zoo has 6 of its elephants (including one young male) in its multi-acre “Preserve” something really should be done with their 41 year-old male Indy. He has a tiny enclosure that should be radically overhauled, and I’m sure that the zoo must have considered constructing a bull yard adjacent to the current 4-acre habitat for the rest of the elephants. OVERALL: Rosamond Gifford Zoo is approximately 5 hours from either New York or Boston and unless one is travelling along the Interstate-90 highway then it seems as if the zoo is a long way from anywhere and that explains the low attendance numbers. I was genuinely surprised at the quality on display at this facility, as the tendency is for the smaller AZA-accredited zoos to be in a perpetual financial struggle to come up with brand-new exhibits. Other than the bull elephant yard and a few nitpicking details here and there I firmly believe that the establishment is probably one of the better small zoos in the United States. I’ve been obsessed with zoos all my life and I’m steadily making my way through most of them in America and I will emphatically state that Rosamond Gifford is most definitely worth driving out of the way to visit.
Wow I'm so stunned! I knew you'd like sections, but to really enjoy it shocked me. Your review was so positive it makes me feel like maybe I didn't enjoy it enough the first time around and need to go again! I pretty much agree with all your comments. I also like to add that although the sloth exhibit may be crammed, you're right; it's amazing to see so many in one spot. They were incredibly active when I saw them. I head to Virginia Zoo tomorrow and I'll try to post a review before you go. You may see more animals than I anticipate on seeing. I just saw on their facebook page they are cleaning the tiger pool today and they won't be on exhibit until "sometime" tomorrow. I'm hoping that means by noon!
Thanks for the review SL. I may go up to Ottawa to visit a cousin some time in the next year or two and this makes me more enthused about make a stop at this zoo, which would be directly on the way assuming I drive.
Glad to see you enjoyed the zoo snowleopard! I forget that there are other parts of the zoo sometimes, as the part that I work in didn't receive such a favorable review, but the wildlife trails section of the zoo is above average. Also, the guineafowl are in with the reindeer because they help prevent ticks. It makes more sense in the South, where zoos can have them with actual African animals and cattle egrets are popular as well. OKCZ has free-ranging guineafowl for the same purpose.
