Here is the third review from my road trip posted on Zoophoria, this time of the fantastic Saint Louis Zoo. Hope you enjoy! Animals Always: My Visit to the Saint Louis Zoo Growing from a flight cage built for the 1904 World’s Fair, the Saint Louis Zoo has long been beloved by its community. Not only does it have free admission, gorgeous architecture, and a beautiful location in Forest Park but the zoo is high quality across the board. Almost everything at the zoo is well done and many of the habitats are among the best of their kind, including ones for penguins, sea lions, Asian elephants, black rhinos, sun and Andean bears, hippos, orangutans, chimpanzees and a variety of birds and reptiles. The zoo shows great respect its history, shown with the existence of several statues of key figures in its history, renovated Spanish style buildings such as the Herpetarium, the 1904 Flight Cage and the Bird House and antelope yards in Red Rocks. However, it balances this with being one of the most modern and progressive zoos in the world shown with a relentless amount of new habitats built in the last two decades. These all have been designed for top-notch animal welfare, enrichment and care. I was fortunate to visit the zoo for the first time on May 23, 2017 as part of my graduation road trip and it immediately rose towards the top of my list of favorite zoos. Even though it was a Tuesday on a school/work day, the zoo was absolutely packed. My day began with meeting up with the zoo’s community relations coordinator Christy Childs, who graciously spoke to me and toured me around the zoo’s Polar Bear Point, which opened in 2015. It was a great first impression since Christy was incredibly welcoming and enthusiastic about her zoo. As we talked about careers and the zoo, she told me some really fascinating insight into the zoo and its history. We even ran into the zoo’s curator of mammals! Construction was wrapping up for Grizzly Ridge, which has transformed a row of historic grottoes into a naturalistic wilderness perfect for grizzly bears. Two cubs orphaned in the wild will be taking residence of the habitat when it opens this fall. From what I saw while passing by it should be a very worthwhile addition to the zoo! Christy took me over to Polar Bear Point first since the morning is an ideal time to watch the polar bears be active. On the way, we passed the Humboldt penguin habitat, which converted a historic bear grotto into a recreation of the rocky coasts of Peru. The birds were heavily enjoying swimming in their home. When we got to Polar Bear Point, Kali the polar bear was exploring his habitat and coming towards the underwater viewing window where we were standing. He then decided to play with a plastic barrel, the first of several enrichments I saw animals using during my visit. It was such a treat to see Kali be so active! Of the several bears I’ve seen in zoos, he was definitely one of the most energetic, playful and happy. Polar Bear Point was designed for the wellbeing of its residents in mind. It recreates the frigid waters, rocky shores and grassy tundra of the Arctic with a deep pool, a splash pool, a mixture of dark mock rock and natural soil/grass and a nice den. This space provides plenty of opportunities for Kali to swim, dive, scavenge, play, rest and move. Several interpretive graphics including a video screen help visitors learn about polar bears, their behavior, their relationship to the native people of the Arctic Circle and how conservation is needed to protect them from the global warming crisis. While the space for the habitat was limited given it took the footprint of two former bear grottoes and isn’t as large as ones I’ve seen in Detroit, Columbus or North Carolina, Polar Bear Point in quite a nice home for Kali. Christy had to go back to her office but it was a pleasure meeting her and getting such a great visitor experience with the polar bear. Next I decided to check out Penguin and Puffin Coast, a world-class penguin habitat and one of the only ones in the world where visitors can walk through. Before heading into the building, I talked with a zoo educator in front of the outdoor Humboldt penguin habitat about the zoo’s efforts to save them. The Saint Louis Zoo Wildcare Institute runs thirteen centers around the world dedicated to saving endangered species and one of the centers is in Peru focusing on the conservation of these birds. As I went inside temperatures dropped to the forties and the lights became much dimmer. Soon enough, three species of Antarctic penguins were on both sides of me. The birds, only separated by a short glass window, are so close to the visitors a guard stands in the pathway to make sure no one touches them. This is clearly the best penguin habitat I’ve ever seen! When I came back to Penguin and Puffin Coast later in the day, the penguins were enjoying bubbles, which clearly captured their interest. This is another example of how the zoo uses enrichment to keep the lives of its animals exciting, changing and interesting. The climate-controlled building is clearly designed and maintained to match the conditions of the South Pool. Even the lighting in inside is timed to mirror the schedule of Antarctica’s sun! It was so special seeing the penguins swim, nest and interact in cold waters and rocky coasts so much like their natural habitat. Puffins lived in an equally brilliant habitat in the second half of the building. Next I checked out the zoo’s Insectarium and Children’s Zoo. The Insectarium is the best I’ve ever seen along with Cincinnati’s and does an amazing joy at conveying how vital these tiny six-legged creatures are to our world. The Children’s Zoo has one of the nation’s only Tasmanian devils who look nothing like the Looney Tunes character but are known for their tempers. On my visit, however, they were peacefully resting in their den. Next up came my favorite part of the zoo, River’s Edge. This complex, one of the best and most naturalistic sets of habitats I’ve ever seen, takes visitors on a journey around the world the homes of animals who live in ecosystems adjacent to water. Crashing waterfalls welcomes you into a forested path, immediately dragging you to another place. The first part of the trail features animals from South America. Andean bears (also known as spectacled bears) live in a densely planted spacious habitat with a tree and logs for climbing, a stream for splashing and a den for lounging. It is designed to recreate the foothills of the Andes and the best I have seen for these bears anywhere. Up next bush dogs, who are quite small and rare, live in a green streamside habitat with a den inside a tree trunk. Only invisible barriers separate them from the giant anteaters and capybaras, the world’s largest rodents who love water. As with everywhere else in River’s Edge, manmade barriers and structures are well hidden and the immersion is flawless. As Africa begins, I encountered the zoo’s exceptional black rhinoceros habitat, the best I have ever seen. The incredibly lush landscape features a waterfall and stream with plenty of opportunities for them to roam, forage and wallow. The zoo recently had welcomed the birth of a rhino calf but he was not on exhibit yet. I was blown away by how naturalistic and well-design the habitat was and spent several minutes watching a black rhino walk around the terrain and roll around in the muddy wallows. It was incredible watching the highly endangered and shy animal act as they pleased. Next door, a pack of African wild dogs were scavenging their habitat filled with termite mounds, tall grass and objects for enrichment. Several interpretive graphics educated guests about how endangered these carnivores are and the need to protect them through conservation. Nearby there is a large muddy habitat for red river hogs and bat-eared foxes, who I have never seen together anywhere else. The soil in it is very natural and on my visit the red river hogs were patrolling the space. Africa continues with Hippo Harbor, one of the highlights of the region and one of the most popular areas of the zoo. Massive underwater viewing panels let guests look into the underwater realm of the hippos and get nose to nose with them. Their large river deeming with crystal clear water and colorful fish is perfect for them to lumber around while a smaller muddy shore lets them get out of the water. On my visit three female hippopotami were lounging right up at the window and several kids were marveled at how large they were. This is one of the better hippo habitats I’ve ever seen and interpretive graphics educate visitors about how hippos are adapted to water and the important role they play in their ecosystem, only part of the wonderful theming and interpretive features found throughout River’s Edge. Biofacts such as a hippo skull, a cobra statue and an impala carcass fully immerse guests into the environments these animals come form. Up next are spotted hyenas, who live in a green environment complete with a den and plenty of hiding spots. Across from them are the cheetah, a species the Saint Louis Zoo has a storied history with. The zoo has long been in a leader in cheetah breeding and research having welcomed over 35 cubs. Additionally one of the zoo’s WildCare Institutes is the Center for Conservation of African Carnivores in Tanzania. There the zoo is working to educate the public on cheetahs, conduct scientific research on them and protect them from threats (www.stlzoo.org.) Unfortunately I could not see them on my visit but habitat was stellar complete with termite mounds and a few trees. It is perhaps the lushest cheetah habitat I have ever seen. Only invisible barriers separate them from banded mongoose, who live in a state-of-the-art habitat featuring a large termite mound. Nearby a research camp serves as an educational area with graphics, maps and a blackboard containing a wealth of information about field conservation. A sign signaled my entrance into Asia and soon discovered a watering hole where two baby Asian elephants were swimming. Containing the best habitats I’ve ever seen for Asian elephants, the zoo has had great success breeding the endangered species. With 10 of them living here, this is the largest herd of their species at any zoo in America. They have four parts of their habitat including a large area called Elephant Woods only seen by the train. In this first part two youngsters were swimming often completely submerged in their deep pool while two adult females were meandering on the riverbed. This ranks as one of the best elephant viewing experiences I’ve ever had. I spent a solid fifteen minutes observing the elephants since it was so special seeing the young elephants in a familial setting and enjoying splashing, playing and cooling down in the water. The next part of the elephant habitat was the lushest with several trees and lush vegetation. Here is where I found Saint Louis legend Raja, the zoo’s bull elephant and the first one born at the Saint Louis Zoo. The majestic pachyderm was standing tall towards the muddy backdrops of his home, one of the most naturalistic I have seen. The last of the three sections of the elephant complex is the best with a crashing waterfall, plenty of space, a nice springs for them to swim, a large dead tree for them to forage and a lush backdrop for them to find privacy. Just when I thought the first experience with the elephants couldn’t be topped, five of them congregated by the edge of the springs. The familial interactions between the herd were so wonderful to observe as they ate together. This is easily one of the best zoos in the nation for elephants as they have a complex social structure, an enriching environment and an excellent elephant care staff (www.stlzoo.org.) The only other habitat in the Asian section of River’s Edge is for sun bears, the smallest species of bear in the world. On my visit the sun bear was lounging up in the trees of his forested habitat and several interactive features educated guests about this endangered species. This is easily the best sun bear habitat I’ve ever seen. My journey through River’s Edge concluded with the Missouri section where an aquarium features fish native to the Mississippi River. Next I decided to check out Fragile Forest, home to the zoo’s great apes. I got an excellent first impression of the region as I encountered the most naturalistic and lush habitat for orangutans I’ve ever seen. Filled with trees, vines, ropes, hammocks, enrichments and vegetation, it is the perfect home for these red apes to climb, frolic, explore and stay curious. It featured the most active orangutans I have ever seen at a zoo. Not only was the baby very energetic and playful but the adults were constantly swinging around the vines and moving around their environment. The baby orangutan even played with a box for a while, one of several examples of an animal making the most of its enrichment during my visit to the zoo. The space gives the orangutans so many choices as to what they want to be doing and didn’t seem to fail to entice their curiosity. Next came the zoo’s troop of chimpanzees, who live in a more open habitat with a dense undergrowth and several fake trees for climbing. The rocky backdrop in the back features several drilled in holes containing treats encouraging the chimps to forage as they would in the wild. On my visit, the apes were incredibly charismatic and two of them even moved through the habitat with one holding the other’s waist. Other chimps were grooming each other near glass windows looking into their home. I always love watching chimpanzees since they are so intelligent and social. This is one of the best habitats for our closest relatives I’ve ever seen and several interpretive graphics and signs did an excellent job at conveying their complexity as apes and plight in the wild. The final and largest habitat in Fragile Forest is the gorilla habitat, home to the first bachelor group found at any zoo in America. In a lush home complete with a crashing waterfall, fallen over logs, boulders and opportunities for them to nest, the largest of apes were free to act as they pleased. The silverback gorillas were exploring their space and staying clear of each other. This bachelor herd makeup lets them interact and develop as they would in the wild. Several signs talked about the conservation work the zoo is doing for gorillas in the wild. As with River’s Edge I highly enjoyed by time in Fragile Forest and the visitors seemed to be having a great time as well while learning a lot about great apes. Few parts of any zoo are as exciting or popular as Sea Lion Sound, the best habitat I have ever seen for seals and sea lions. Brilliantly recreating the rocky shores of the Pacific Northwest and featuring climate-controlled saltwater, it provides the perfect environment for pinnipeds to thrive and behave naturally (www.zoolex.org.) It is unique for being the only zoo in the nation to have a sea lion tunnel where the marine mammals swim above and around visitors. At first just a harbor seal went above the tunnel but soon several California sea lions followed zooming through the water with their flippers. It really felt as if I was diving down with them. My timing turned out to be very lucky as I happened to be there when the sea lion feeding/training demonstration was going on. Animal care professionals encouraged the pinnipeds to exhibit natural behaviors that stimulate them mentally and physically. The sea lions were incredibly enthusiastic about the fish they were receiving with one zooming across the pool at lightning speed to gobble up its treat. The training sessions are not just beneficial to the animals but also the visitors, who learn more about how these charismatic animals are cared for. Sea Lion Sound is also quite educational as several interactive features let guests attempt to balance a ball, see how long they can hold their breath, walk like a sea lion versus a seal and solve the puzzle of sea lion social relationships (www.zoolex.org.) It definitely is among my favorite habitats of any animal at any zoo. Next I checked out the historic buildings at the zoo. Built in the 1920s with Spanish-style architecture, they have since been renovated to live up to modern standards. The best was the Herpetarium, which features an impressive array of reptiles in nice habitats. Some highlights of the building for me were the anacondas and gharials. The building does a great job at staying true to the integrity of the original design while also featuring high quality homes fro its residents. One sign detailed the immense work the zoo is doing to save the Armenian viper, a rare species of snake. Next door the Primate House was less impressive although it had many interesting monkeys and a variety of enrichments. The third of the trio of historic buildings (located in an area of the zoo called Historic Hill) was the beautiful Bird House, which features birds from a variety of different biomes. I especially enjoyed the Bird Gardens right outside as they created an incredibly peaceful environment and the aviaries are all very well done. This section of the zoo is a mecca for bird lovers as the 1904 Flight Cage is located nearby. This flight cage has been around for the entire existence of the zoo and now has been converted into a cypress swamp. The Saint Louis Wildcare Institute runs a number of programs helping a variety of birds throughout the world such including the Center for Avian Conservation in the Pacific Islands and the Center for Avian Helath in the Galapagos. On my way to see the zoo’s cats and hoofstock, I encountered one of my all-time favorite pieces of zoo artwork: a statue of two fierce Cape buffalo. Big Cat Country was revolutionary when it opened in 1976 as it was one of the first sets of habitats at any zoo to let its felines roam free of bars. While the style of the habitats is a bit dated and lacks the immersion of more modern ones, they feature plenty of space for the lions, tigers and jaguars that live there. While looking down from the pathway, it would sometimes take me a minute to spot the cats in their open green habitats. The jaguar one in particular is notable for being the only open-topped jaguar habitat I have seen. Snow leopards, cougars and Amur leopards live in smaller netted habitats next to the main trio. The final area of the zoo I visited was Red Rocks, a series of yards devoted to a variety of hoofstock. In addition to the usual giraffe, zebra and camel, there were rarities such as okapi, takin, babirusa, Somali wild ass, Speke’s gazelle, banteng, urial and goral. The zoo has been vital for breeding many of these species, especially the critically endangered addax and Somali wild ass (one of only three places in America to breed the species.) The zoo even successfully released addax born at the zoo into the wild in North Africa in order to help rebuild the population. The Wildcare Institute does a variety of programs to help rare hoofstock around the world including supporting the Grevy’s Zebra Trust in the Horn of Africa and running the Sahara Wildlife Recovery Center. Even if hoofed animals are not the most exciting or charismatic animals to watch, I incredibly enjoyed this section of the zoo as I have a special fondness for these gentle-natured herbivores and so few zoos have such a variety of them. To put it simple the Saint Louis Zoo is awesome and a must visit for anyone who loves animals. I would even go as far as to say the day I visited the zoo was one of the best days in my life and while I do not rank zoos Saint Louis is as good as any I have ever visited. There are so many reasons why this zoo is so popular and it was such a treat to see them firsthand. However, my favorite thing about the zoo is how it inspires people to love animals and gives them the best care possible. It’s about the animals, always.
Just a quick question, @GraysonDP... was it banded mongoose or dwarf mongoose in River's Edge? It's always been dwarf mongoose when I've visited in the past, so if they've switched species that would be interesting.
I find it funny that to you fifteen minutes is a long time to watch elephants. At some zoos I have been to, I have watched elephants for more than an hour, and these zoos didn't even have calves like how the Saint Louis zoo does.
Well I spent much longer watching them when combining all the different parts of the habitat I was at. I especially spent a lot of time at the third part.
Thanks for the great review! After this summer I'll have visited 375 different zoos/aquariums (mainly all in North America) and I would rank Saint Louis as the 3rd best zoo I've ever seen...after San Diego and Omaha. In terms of the quality of the exhibits, the comprehensive nature of the animal collection, the historic elements intermingled with modern developments, etc., the zoo is simply fantastic. I visited Saint Louis in 2010 and 2014 and I can't wait to go back again later on in life.
I know this is an old review but as a St. Louis resident it makes me so happy to see you enjoyed our zoo so much. Reading stuff like this really makes me proud to call the St. Louis Zoo my home zoo. I'll also add that there's a new primate exhibit called Canopy Trails and its awesome! Its apparently a first of its kind exhibit and its a huge step up from the Primate House. I really ended up connecting with the mongoose lemur there.
