What is the best Texas zoo?

I have never been to any Texas zoos, so I'm wondering what the best one is! I'm thinking Ft. Worth Zoo...

 

It all depends on what you are looking for. Fort Worth probably has the best balance of collection (although lacking somewhat in the birds). Houston has the greatest diversity of species. Gladys Porter has tons of rare species seen in few other zoos. Exhibitry wise none stand a candle to Dallas which also has the odd position of having a very focused collection as opposed to the other zoos.

 

San Antonino Zoo? I look for antelope and elephants in a zoo. What would be the best for those kinds of animals? (Particularly Bongo, Duiker, and Okapi)

 

Dallas. By far. More antelope species than any of the others. Biggest/best elephant exhibit. And world renowned for okapi.

 

I know Ft. Worth Zoo has a nice bongo exhibit, but does Dallas

 

Yes indeed, and a quite long history of keeping Bongo.

 

Bongo is now the most common antelope in AZA zoos.

 

Really? I would think Kudu or a simple gazelle. That's awesome!

 

@JBZbongo - Texas is a zoo lovers delight. I have made several trips there over the last two years as part of a book project I am potentially working on (Zoos of the Southwest). The number of high quality zoos is outstanding. Keep in mind that Texas is the largest state in the contiguous 48 United States, so do not plan on seeing them all in one trip.

Here is my ranking, which of course is entirely subjective, but I will give a brief description of the highlights. There are two number fours because I call these a tie - both way above the quality one would expect from small towns like Waco and Tyler.

1. Dallas Zoo (best elephant exhibit in USA, great monorail tour, great gorilla complex, and opening only koala exhibit in the state)
2. Houston Zoo (most well rounded collection, good cat collection - my favorites, nicely themed village in new rhino and giraffe area with best zoo restaurant in Texas)
3. Fort Worth Zoo (very nicely themed native Texas area - even if predator exhibits are too small, unique tiger layout - natural falls separate white yard from malayan yard, world class reptile exhibit MOLA)
4a. Cameron Park Zoo (excellent native Texas area including some cool aquariums, biggest variety of South American animals in a single exhibit, decent elephant and rhino and giraffe/antelope exhibits)
4b. Caldwell Zoo (innovative lion exhibit overlooking savanna - appears to be one exhibit, huge deer and bison range fronted by a large stream, warthogs included in savanna with other hoofstock)
5. Fossil Rim (as a drive thru , totally different than the others, but far above many other drive thru parks in the country - which is why they are AZA accredited and most others are not)
6. El Paso Zoo (surprisingly consistent quality for a city so low on the economic scale, very nice new lion exhibit, but travel wise it is more a part of New Mexico than Texas)
7. San Antonio Zoo (world class bird collection, fairly well rounded collection - including topi antelope, fantastic underwater hippo exhibit, but most of facilities are outdated)
8. Gladys Porter Zoo (world class hoofstock collection, including last jentinks duiker in any zoo, unique viewing layout - boardwalk over a stream, but many exhibits are badly worn and outdated)

 

I can't remember where the bongos are at Dallas. After chimp exhibit opened, where did they move the bongos?

 

After the chimpanzee enclosure opened the bongos were moved to a basic hoof stock enclosure on the now closed hill area of Zoo North. They were then moved to one of the spacious enclosure on the monorail.

 

Thanks! Dallas diffidently sounds the best! Does your Book project include southern California zoos?

 

One more worth a look

If your a reptile fan check out Crocodile Encounter south of Houston. It's primarily a reptile facility and the spacious enclosures and design make it c great place to observe crocs of several species including Niles and saltwaters.

 

Thanks for the croc info - never heard of that place. Here is their website:

Crocodile Encounter Houston area reptile shows

 

Hi AZ just asked you for this list in another thread,

 

OK, I will ignore the other one.

 

if you visit Dallas Zoo, you shouldn't miss Dallas World Aquarium. Unless you hate fish and birds (obviously no antelope or elephants).

 

I would live to go to the Dallas World Aquarium! I love birds and fish! Do they have turacos?

 

On my last visit to DWA I think they had Fischer´s, white-crested and great blue. Their main bird collection is South/Central American: The largest collection of toucans in the world (including some very rare like plate-billed mountain toucan, saffron toucanet and several species of green toucanets), many tanager species, several manakins, several cotingas (capuchinbird, purple-breasted cotinga, both cock-of-the-rock, etc), jabiru stork, quetzals (golden-headed, don't know if their resplendent are on show now), several cracid species, several hummingbirds (including giant), eagle (harpy, black hawk eagle, black-and-white hawk eagle, ornate hawk eagle, crested eagle), etc. IMO their best birds that aren't South or Central American are shoebill and blue penguin. They have quite few, mostly small mammal species and that alone excludes them from being 'best Texas zoo', but they do have a reasonable number of South American primates, most noteworthy red-backed bearded saki.

 

Hi Condor,

Thank-you very much for this tip, l have looked into the DWQ and will now definatley make a visit, it looks great.

This is exactly why l have posted my trip itinary as l dont want to miss these oppotunities. So again thank-you.