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What makes your favourite zoo your favourite zoo?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Hyak_II, 19 Aug 2018.

  1. Hyak_II

    Hyak_II Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    What the title says. The discussion of what zoo is "the best" or "top x zoos" has been beat to death on here. So why not make something that can stand (hopefully) without drawing any intense back and forths?

    For myself, I have visited over 40 facilities, and bar none, my favourite has been the Oregon Zoo!

    There are many reasons for this, whoever much of it simply has to do with a gut feeling, so to speak. Between the lovely pacific northwestern atmosphere, that lovely kind of cool calm of the forest that surrounds the zoo, to the architecture of the zoo it's self, I find a sense of calm and happiness coming over me when I visit Portland (the zoo, couldn't care much one way or the other about the city ;)). Like I said, I also very much enjoy the presentation of virtually all the exhibits at the zoo. They all mesh in perfectly with the theme of the zoo. The majority of them range on the mid to larger size for their inhabitants, from the sprawling new elephant lands to rather appealing slender snouted crocodile exhibit. Another pro would be their collection. While I don't think portland has any screamingly unique rarities, nor any particularly notable collection of some group of animals or another, but they have a very well rounded collection, with crowd pleasers such as elephants, lions, penguins and sea otters, to more unique surprises such as grey gulls, California condors, and allens swamp monkeys. Overall there is something to please everyone, and all are in will thought out, visually pleasing exhibits.

    Another reason I enjoy Oregon so is because of their conservation programs and partnerships. Between breeding condors and western pond turtles for release, and supporting Bornean elephants and orangutans in in-situ situations, they help give back both locally, and on a more international scale!
     
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  2. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    My favorite zoo I have visited is the Saint Louis Zoo. About 95% of the exhibits are world-class, and the stuff that isn't is average or better. It has a huge collection and not one bad exhibit. It participates in lots of conservation work. Oh, and it has free admission.
     
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  3. Kakapo

    Kakapo Well-Known Member

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    I think I remember vaguely a thread for the same purpose than this one, however I can't find it.
    From my side (sorry for being not very original, as this would apply also to many zoochatters), a zoo is my favourite when it have as many as possible species that I considere interesting. Vaguely it could be more or less the same that as more species are in public display, more favourite is the zoo for me, however this is not completely true: I prefair very much a zoo with 5 species of rarely kept cetaceans over a zoo with 100 species of rarely kept cichlids :p The possibility of get good photos of rare wished species is what makes a zoo "the best zoo" for me. I don't mind about how the exhibits are, unless they are really extremely ugly and unappropiate.

    I can only judge the zoos in which I have been, and they are not many. Would be difficult to choose the best one according to my criteria. San Diego, Plzen, both Berlins, Prague and Köln are more or less tied...
     
  4. TheGerenuk

    TheGerenuk Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    For me, it's a similar dilemma. Out of all the zoos I've visited, I'm not sure which is my favourite. The shortlist is bound to be Bronx, Antwerp, Koln and Artis for their spectacular collections, Apenheul and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary for their devotion to certain animals (primates and Australian animals respectively), and Toronto for being my home zoo.
     
  5. Daphne

    Daphne Well-Known Member

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    The St. Louis zoo is nice . I wouldn’t say it’s my favorite but it is in my top 5 .
     
  6. SpinyLiving

    SpinyLiving Well-Known Member

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    I would say Brookfield because the place is so historic compared to Lincoln Park
    Whenever I go there I get a historic vibe and I feel like I'm now a part of the zoos history by just entering the zoo
    I also like how there are several species of herps and rare animals my two things that I look forward to when visiting any zoo
     
  7. Tim May

    Tim May Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    I also like zoos that have a historic "atmosphere".

    It is many years since I was last in Chicago so I am sure that there have been lots of changes to both Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo since I visited them.

    However, given that Lincoln Park Zoo opened in the 1860s and Brookfield Zoo opened in the 1930s, in what way do you feel that Brookfield is more historic than Lincoln Park?
     
  8. Batto

    Batto Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    What makes your favourite zoo your favourite zoo?

    The aspect that it is mine. ^^
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Canihelpyou?

    Canihelpyou? Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    For me, hands down burgers zoo.

    The first time i visited it was in 2003, and ive been hooked since. I like the classic old look to the enclosures (mostly the old ones have this, the new ones dont :/ ) and the nice collection of species. I must say the zoo is slowly driving away from everything i just said, but its still the best zoo for me out there.
     
  10. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Commenting now so that I can comment properly at a later date, but mine is Bronx for so many reasons including exhibit quality, collection, conservation, and history. I plan to go into detail eventually when I have my computer again.

    ~Thylo
     
  11. Pleistohorse

    Pleistohorse Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Bronx Zoo. Because love needs no reason...
     
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  12. BeakerUK

    BeakerUK Well-Known Member

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    I enjoy lots of zoos, but my personal favourite has to be Hamerton: The range of species is right up my alley; it is always fascinating to visit; they have some unusual species it is hard or impossible to see elsewhere; it feels spacious - even on my last visit when it was very busy, the crowds were dispersed and nowhere felt too busy; the staff always seem friendly; visiting doesn't break the bank; developments are always worth following - the new Outback Aviary being an excellent example...

    I could go on, but most importantly - for all the above reasons and more - it makes me happy being there. If anything were ever to get me to move to Cambridgeshire, it would be Hamerton. (If they ever need a new education person there, I would have to seriously think about my life directions and be tempted to go for it!)
     
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  13. Mr. Zootycoon

    Mr. Zootycoon Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    If "classic old look" does it for you, I have a hard time seeing why you liked Burgers' over say, Artis or Antwerp in the first place. For the last decade, the few enclosures that could be described that way were but relics (with the possible exception of the apes and maybe the bird house) from a bygone time, and currently very little is left. For Artis on the other hand, the modernised old city zoo (with the "classic old look") is the direction they are heading, and they combine it with a nice assortment of animals.

    By the way, I don't agree that Burgers' is slowly driving away from a nice collection of species, eventhough I would be the first to say that the current modernisation made quite some "victims."
     
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  14. meadowvale

    meadowvale Active Member 5+ year member

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    For me my favourite zoo is the toronto zoo due to the ease of going there. It is a 30 min walk or a 5-10 min bus/bike ride, it's accessible, close to where I live and economically feasible to go there once a week or so some months.

    I also like how the zoo blends into the environment and adds a conservation value just by being there and providing animals with an environment to live in.
     
  15. Alex Bensky

    Alex Bensky Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I'll exclude the Detroit Zoo; I live about half a mile away and go all the time. I'm also excluding San Diego, which is sort of sui generis. Last time I was there I opened the place up at nine a.m. and they had to throw me out at five p.m.

    I can't say I have one particular favorite. I lived in St. Louis some time ago and loved that zoo; high quality zoo and free. At the time it was open every day and I'd go over New Year's morning. It was like having my own private zoo.

    I lived in Chicago for a while and loved both zoos. Lincoln Park was free and right in town.

    Santa Barbara and Providence are not comprehensive zoos and make no such claim, but they are really connoisseur's pieces.