I visited the Houston Zoo on October 17, 2003, and since every review here dates from 2000, I figured I'd better update everyone.

Newsflash!

First and most importantly, admission has skyrocketed in recent years. Several reviewers reported that in 2000, it was a mere $2.50 for adults, but it is now $7.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 3-12. Children under 3 are still free, thank goodness for small favors.

Second, the McGovern Children’s Zoo has been closed at the back end of the park, and a completely new version built on the north side. The area at the back is planned to become a new African Forest exhibit sometime in the indefinite future. I didn’t visit the children’s zoo due to the large crowds of children the day that I was there.

I visited the zoo on a fall Friday, hoping for cooler weather and fewer people. Alas, neither was to be. The weather was still hot enough that most of the animals were sleeping in the shade, and I hadn’t counted on the number of school field trips. Children outnumbered adults at least 5 to 1 on this particular day, and made a screaming chaos of most of the zoo. I missed some of the exhibits in my haste to escape.

Landscaping: A

The zoo’s best feature is still its landscaping. It was always okay, but it has been greatly improved in the last three years (I guess prices went up for a reason). New beds and gardens have been constructed, existing beds have been expanded, and more shade has been added. The ponds also appear to be cleaner—last time I was there, the ornamental pond behind the sea lion exhibit was full of muck and looked like it hadn’t been cleaned in years. Now it is clean and boasts koi, ducks, and working fountains. This is no longer a zoo that doesn’t care about its appearance. Even if you don’t look at a single animal exhibit, it makes a great place for a stroll on a pleasant day, and there are plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the surroundings. (But if strolling in pleasant surroundings is all you want, there’s no need to pay $7-- you can do it for free at the Japanese Friendship Garden outside the zoo in Hermann Park.)

Amenities: C-

I was disappointed by the food service. We paid an outrageous $3 for a bag of pre-made cotton candy that was pre-compacted into a cotton puck, and $1.75 for a carton of popcorn that turned out to be cold and tough. I made them throw out the popcorn and asked for a cherry snow cone instead, for which I had to shell out another 75 cents ($2.50). The “snow cone” turned out to be a pre-packaged Blue Bunny creation, which had the consistency of a glacier and a very slight taste of sour cherry. At least it was cold and refreshing. Burgers and hot dogs come pre-smashed into foil bags and sit under heat lamps, waiting for you to serve yourself. To be absolutely fair, I did see the kitchen frying up some delicious looking and smelling french fries to order. You can also get pizzas, nachos, salads, and of course a variety of ice creams and other cold snacks.

The bathrooms and food plazas are old and somewhat the worse for wear. Unlike the rest of the zoo, they haven’t gotten a facelift, and they sorely need one. Bathrooms had been cleaned but were poorly stocked, and on this particular day, the women’s bathrooms were jammed with mothers trying to get their babies and toddlers… processed. I saw two mothers waiting in line to use the single changing table in a tiny bathroom that barely had space for one mom and baby, let alone the other people that were trying get their business done. Not the best logistical situation. A place that is so obviously going to see lots and lots of kids should be a little more parent-friendly.

There is a gift shop, but I didn't browse it today. From what I recall, it's mostly the usual cheap trinkets, t-shirts, and stuffed animals.

Animal Exhibits: C+

One of the most innovative new exhibits is the free ranging Golden Lion Tamarins. From May to October, these tiny monkeys are allowed to roam the park with radio collars on, and a large copse of oak trees has been strung with ropes to serve as their home base and playground. This is the first year this program has been tried, and according to the keepers, the tamarins stayed close to their feeding stations and nesting boxes. They expect them to be more adventurous next summer, and “Tamarin Xing” signs have been scattered around that side of the park. I wonder how they’ll get along with the squirrels?

As I wandered the exhibits, I noted two main problems: too many clearly empty exhibits, with no explanation of why (and I don’t just mean hiding animals, I mean empty), and too many signs of understimulated animals, including obsessive-compulsive behavior such as pacing, particularly among the small cats and bears. When you look at some of the exhibits, it’s not hard to see why—while some of them are well designed, too many are too small and inadequately furnished. With many of the animals, there is no indication that trainers are providing any additional activities.

The sea lions are the notable exception, and a favorite attraction for kids of all ages. Twice daily, the trainers put on a “demonstration,” that is, they feed the sea lions by putting them through a routine of exercises and tricks, and provide their lunch as a reward for a job well done. Animals, trainers, and audiences all have fun in the process. According to the trainers, they recently redesigned the sea lion exhibit, including a change from chlorinated fresh water to salt water, and the water change has drastically improved the sea lions’ health. It’s also improved the smell.

What I can’t figure out is why they haven’t realized sea lions aren’t the only animals who need this kind of physical and mental stimulation. I feel horribly sorry for the poor lone ocelot who’s been neurotically pacing back and forth along the same five-foot length of fence for at least the last five years, and I think, this is what’s wrong with zoos.

One of the better designed exhibits is the relatively new Wortham World of Primates. The old days of rows of cages are long gone, and this outdoor exhibit is shrouded in dense greenery. Designed as a comprehensive tour of primates around the world, the exhibit guides you through the continents and features many kid-friendly signs explaining primate behavior. Individual exhibits focus on enrichment activities for the animals, and some feature mixed species to provide a more natural living environment. A long-time favorite are the gibbons, whose raucous howls can be heard throughout the zoo. By reading the materials in this exhibit and on their website, it’s obvious that they’re well aware of the importance of having a stimulating environment and interaction with other animals and trainers, so why are so many of the other animals not getting the same treatment??

The tropical bird house is also a good exhibit, and a great place to escape from the heat. Although it includes some traditional glassed in cubicle exhibits, its main feature is a large skylit atrium filled with tropical plants, flowing water, and free-flying birds. Visitors pass through on an elevated walkway from which they can see easily into the “treetops” as well as looking down at the “forest floor.” Although it’s nothing compared to the Rainforest Pyramid at Moody Gardens, it’s still fun. Next to the tropical birdhouse is an outdoor bird garden, which is also nicely done.

Other air-conditioned viewing opportunities include the aquarium, small mammal house, reptile house, and gorilla exhibit. After visiting the aquarium at Moody Gardens, I just can’t be impressed by this piddly collection of sad fish tanks. I can get a better show for free by visiting the Aquarium World fish store on 290. I didn’t visit the small mammal house this time around, but according to the zoo’s website, it is closed for renovation and will re-open as the Natural Wonders exhibit in fall 2004.

The koala exhibit, while it gets a lot of attention, is highly overrated. It consists of three small rooms, each containing one koala. Koalas are inherently boring. All they do is sit there, and occasionally blink. I’d rather spend an hour looking for a glimpse of a tiger than spend ten minutes staring straight at a koala. The good news is, at least the koalas are easily visible.

The fundamental problem with viewing animals in a zoo is probably the same at all zoos, including this one—the zoo doesn’t keep the same hours as the animals. The vast majority of the animals here are either nocturnal, or active at dawn and dusk, but the zoo isn’t open at any of those times. The problem is made worse by the Houston heat. Every animal is boring when it’s lying flat on its back in the shade trying to get some relief from the heat. It’s even more boring when all you see is an empty exhibit because the animals are in the back shed staying out of the sun. I recommend visiting in the winter and going as soon as the gates open, as the cooler weather sometimes makes the animals more frisky, and the trainers feed most of the animals right around opening time. We once saw the snow leopards engaging in the most amazing game of gravity-defying tag on a chilly 40-degree day, but we’ve never seen that again.

I was also pleased to see that elevated viewing platforms have now been built at a lot of the exhibits, including most notably the lion and tiger exhibits. For safety reasons, these exhibits are edged by a masonry wall, followed by a wide hedge, followed by a barrier pond, and it was nearly impossible for children (or short adults like me) to see into the exhibit at all. Now you can easily look down into the exhibits from a platform about two feet off the sidewalk. Of course, you still can’t actually see the tigers or lions…

Surprisingly, one of the most fun exhibits was the okapi, a large African antelope with striped flanks. Unlike most of the animals, the okapi like having visitors, and apparently they don’t have a reputation for biting, because you can easily reach over or under the fence from the elevated platform and touch their heads and stubby, velvet-covered horns. They like to press their noses right up against the fence and stick their long, gray tongues through and lick visitors. Naturally, the kids love this.

Conservation/Education: B-

The zoo houses a wide variety of endangered species, and participates in international conservation efforts, primarily through captive breeding programs. They also claim to operate rehabilitation programs jointly with Texas wildlife refuges, but I find it hard to believe they make much impact in this area since they house so few native Texas species. This is one of my major gripes with the zoo, both in terms of their education program and their actual animal holdings-- the lack of emphasis on the biodiversity of North America and the importance of conservation close to home. A child touring this zoo will only learn that habitat destruction and vanishing species are problems in other parts of the world. Every time I visit the zoo, I wish they had a section dedicated to North American wildlife and conservation. How many American children have never seen a beaver or a mountain lion? (Their website claims they have a cougar, but I’ve never seen it.)

The zoo trainers and volunteers tend to be helpful, and if you catch them at the right time, they love to talk about their animals, which really enhances the zoo experience.

The Bottom Line

The Houston Zoo is a pale shadow of the few other zoos I’ve been to, but it’s been long enough since I’ve visited the National Zoo in DC and the LA Zoo that I can’t comment on specifics—all I can say is I definitely remember them being better designed and better stocked. If you’re a wildlife junkie like me, there’s not enough of it. It has some good exhibits, but too many are in serious need of upgrades. At most times during operating hours, most of the animals are either not visible or sleeping, with the birds being the major exception. Fortunately, it’s still nice to walk around, and you can always enjoy the duck pond.

I give it two-and-a-half stars, so am rounding up to three to be generous.




Recommended: Yes