The Kindness Ranch Animal Sanctuary is not a zoo. It only keeps domestic species. Teton Raptor Center is a zoo in my opinion. If you choose not to count it that's up to you, but if you don't, there are no zoos in that state.
Franklin is the largest new England Zoo yet I would call it the worst experiences of the 4. Although birds world and the lion exhibit are nice, I find the rainforest a mixed bag and the rest of the zoo less than superior. Buttonwood and Capron both are fine small zoos and would be worth the visit if in the area.
There are more than four zoos in Massachusetts. There's also Southwick's, Lupa, Forest Park, and Magic Wings at least. Out of those four the only one I've not visited is Forest Park but from what I can tell Franklin Park is far superior than all of those. I personally think Stone is a better set-up zoo than FPZ but it's still a good zoo and well worth a visit. ~Thylo
I have been to Southwicks but often forget about it because it has been a long time and is worse than any of the others in quality. Lupa I went to once when I was 6 or 7 and my mother talks about how bad it was- about dirty pathways, low quality exhibits, etc. As a young child, I enjoyed it but like most young children I enjoyed getting to feed animals. Have not heard of either other one.
Pittsburgh is not a large zoo but definitely worth the visit. The National Aviary is also nice, but is really small, and is 99% birds. Pittsburgh Zoo has some old areas but also some unique exhibits. When I am in the area I try to get an early start and visit both establishments on the same day.
Sorry I meant I wasn’t sure the sanctuary counted as a zoo . Whenever I am able to get up to Wyoming I will add the raptor center to my places to visit ,
So I posted a list of states. The zoos I haven’t visited I am putting partheneses around . Let me know which ones I miss . Some of these are just based on google searches. So it’s just a guess as to how worthwhile it is , Alabama (Birmingham Zoo) Alaska. ( Alaska Zoo) Arizona : (Phoenix Zoo) Arkansas (Little Rock Zoo) California. (San Diego zoo) (San Diego Zoo Safari Park) Colorado : (Denver Zoo) Connecticut: (Beardsley Zoo) Delaware : (Brandywine Zoo) Florida : (Zoo Miami ) Georgia : (Atlanta Zoo) Hawaii : (Honolulu Zoo) Idaho : (Zoo Boise ) Illinois (Lincoln Park Zoo) Brookfield zoo Indiana Indianapolis Zoo (Fort Wayne children’s Zoo) Iowa : (Blank Park Zoo) Kansas : (Sedgwick County Zoo) Kentucky : Louisville Zoo Louisiana ; (Audubon Zoo) Maine : (Maine wildlife park ? ) Maryland ; ( Maryland Zoo ) Massachusetts : (Franklin Park zoo) (Southwick Zoo) Michigan Detroit Zoo Minnesota : (Minnesota Zoo) Mississippi : (Jackson Zoo) Missouri : Kansas City Zoo , St. Louis Zoo Montana : (Zoo Montana) Nebraska : Henry Doorly Zoo Nevada : ( Sierra Safari Zoo) New Hampshire Charmingdale farm ) New Jersey : (Turtle Back Zoo) New Mexico ; (Albuquerque Zoo) (Rio Grande Zoo) New York : (Bronx Zoo) North Carolina (North Carolina Zoo) North Dakota (Red River Zoo) Ohio : Cincinnati zoo , Columbus Zoo , (Cleveland Metroparks Zoo) , Toledo Zoo Oklahoma : (Oklahoma City Zoo) Oregon ; (Oregon Zoo) Pennsylvania : (Pittsburgh Zoo) (Philadelphia Zoo) Rhode Island : (Roger Williams Park Zoo) South Carolina : (Riverbanks Zoo) (Greenville Zoo) South Dakota : Great Plains Zoo Tennessee (Chattanooga Zoo) (Knoxville Zoo) Memphis Zoo Nashville Zoo Texas : (Dallas Zoo ) (Houston Zoo) Utah : (Hoggle Zoo) Vermont (Echo Leahy center ) the closest thing I could find to a zoo Virginia (Virgina Zoological Park) (Metro Richmond Zoo) Washington (point defiance zoo ) (northwest trek wildlife center ) (woodland park zoo) West Virginia: (Hovatters Wildlife Zoo) Wisconsin : (Milwaukee County Zoo) (New Zoo) Wyoming : (Teton Raptor Center) D.C ( National Zoo)
Connecticut: Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy Massachusetts: Stone Zoo Florida: Lowry Park Zoo, Disney's Animal Kingdom, St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park, Jacksonville Zoo, Brevard Zoo, Central Florida Zoo ~Thylo
Really, it is up to whatever your biggest area of interest is. Some zoos have phenomenal bird collections, while some large zoos have really poor bird collections. This also applies to other groups of animals, so the best thing to do is look at the zoo websites to try to get a species list and see what fits your interests.
Bright's Zoo (Limestone) and Tennessee Safari Park (Alamo) are both going to have hoofstHoo you won't find in most AZA zoos.
It depends who you talk to (on this forum) as to what is worth visiting. Some members (cough @snowleopard cough) would visit ANY place with exotic animals, just to say they have been there. Others of us (speaking for myself) would avoid second rate facilities and support those that have good animal care and especially have a commitment to conservation.
