Busch Gardens is a theme park like Disneyland. They have some animals but are very oriented to roller coasters, water rides, etc.
I wondered if that was the reason. Is there a separate charge if not including the rides (I'm assuming not)? Also do you have to pay for the rides as well once inside, or is it all-inclusive? I don't think I'd be paying an entry fee that high no matter what was housed inside.
I reckon a Baikal seal would make you reconsider. I'd probably pay through the nose to see Disney's Animal Kingdom if I were in the area but not Busch Gardens.
Zoo 3 actually an Aquarium. Parking $10 Entrance $40 The highly anticipated and in my opion severely overrated ! Georgia aquarium. First the great Ocean Voyager tank and watching the Whale sharks swim around is very impressive and like many I sat there for over an hour, and sorry to say the rest is down hill... While many of the smaller aquarium tanks are good the only standout thing about them is that they are large. The Sea Otter and Asian Otter exhibits are astonishingly small and totally in doors. Beluga whale exhibit again small and sadly the high death rate is in my opinion unacceptable. Dolphin, a senior trainer was recently caught on video abusing the dolphins and has since tragically commited suicide. Also the ocean voyager exhibit, the map given to the public is not even close to scale. The map shows the tank to be significantly bigger than it actually is. Anyone can work this out by pacing around the exhibit and using the main viewing window as a scale.
Zoo 5 Birmingham zoo $15 Ent A very impressive bull elephant exhibit. Interestingly I did not read any signage stating that it was a bull elephant exhibit, however any person I spoke who worked for the zoo pointed out that "they" were studying the elephants. When I asked each what was being studied I was told each time that "they" were studying bull elephants.
Interestingly although the exhibit has been open several years an outside contract gardening maintance company was placing a red coloured mulch around the edges of the exhibit and one of the elephants was having a field day eating it as fast as they could lay it!
Zoo 6 Memphis $15 Ent. OMG will post more later but had no idea about this zoo. I have never been to a zoo (and as many of you are aware I have been to many) that spends so much $$$$ on the visitor space of a animal exhibit, like at least 2-5 million in some cases! This picture shows the enormous internal space of a what I was told is a life size replica of a mountain lodge! Two full time zoo employees were rostered on today a wet raining Friday and they were only wandering around making sure the place was not damaged.... I spent all day at the zoo and did not want to leave, some very good exhibits and spaces for the public. Also have to say the friendliest keepers who were all up for a chat. Spent 1 hour in the aquarium with the head keeper and fish are soo not my thing but it was fascinating and he had worked in the aquarium for 16 years and was fascinating to listen to.
Thanks for keeping us updated on your progress, even though I'd love many more details about the zoos. I'm glad that you took my advice and visited both Montgomery and Birmingham in Alabama as those two zoos were not far out of your way and they are relatively close together. Are there still pygmy hippos in the sprawling African Savanna section at Montgomery? Also, you are correct about Memphis Zoo catering to visitors as the massive lodge in the Teton Trek section is popular; the temples in CHINA dominate the landscape, and the zoo is well-themed and has a fairly complete collection of animals.
Hi SL, Writing has never been a skill of mine! The picture I attached of Montgomery Zoo shows the very good African Plains exhibit and if you look closely you will see the pigmy hippos sharing the giraffe exhibit! A first for me I got the impression that the pigmy hippos accessed all the African Plains exhibit via the water that sepetared the ungulates. I am suprised that the ungulates did not access the giraffes but maybe they just preferred not to?
Zoo 7 Nashville $5 parking $15 Entry The zoo covers a huge area however a fairly small collection. The indoor exhibit of "Unseen New World" I visited 3 times as it is definatley the highlight of the zoo ATM. There is extensive construction of new exhibits and a new entrance, new exhibits currently under construction for Tigers and Andrea Bears will boost the zoo.
Hi V, Memphis Zoo Tropical bird house. Pic below for you, the rarest bird I have found on the trip. I am sure you will know it, I forgot to take a picture of the signage. The displays of birds and free flight aviary were one of many highlights at this great zoo.
Memphis zoo This was one of four new tanks. Young cuttlefish when angry or scared or ?? Excrete a black substance fascinating to watch! Also the have a tongue that is about half the length of their body that the express out when eating!
the bird is a Guam Kingfisher. The black substance secreted by cuttlefish (and octopus and squid) is called ink. It was in the past used as ink for writing (but not by the cuttlefish). The object which shoots out to secure their prey is not a tongue, but rather a pair of long tentacles which are otherwise hidden coiled up inside the arms. Cuttlefish are cool animals.
Thx C, Re cuttlefish yes just fascinating the aquarist had no prior experience with them but had been given all brand new equipment to manage them and 3 other new tanks, one with octopus and the other two jellyfish.
Zoo 8 Knoxville, $20 Ent but free with he assistance of a fellow Zoochatter Highlights are the red pandas a outdoor but undercover reptile house display that has a unusual method display see pic. There are at least 4 rows of these exhibits. There is talk of a new herpetological display coming but nothing set. The Chimpanzee and Gorilla exhibits were huge with two pregnant gorillas ) A really interesting conversation about a potential research subject. Is an animal best suited to display, reproduction or public demonstration and if this could be decided at a young age? Of course primary importance would usually be genetic diversity.
Another really interesting conversation from. Georgia Aquarium. The sea otter is really small and houses two around 2 years of age and I think 3 older animals. Speaking with the attendant he described how they provide social enrichment to them by rotating them on and off exhibit in different groups. I had never heard the term social enrichment and it definitely would not work with. All animals but a very interesting concept I thought. The below picture shows most of the exhibit with a small land area above and to the tight. The off exhibit area is just as small floor space if not smaller...
I think that you are mistaken with the name of the zoo as you already toured Nashville. Is this mini-review about Knoxville Zoo?
