The best zoo in the world?
Written: Oct 06 '02 (Updated Jan 22 '03)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: A huge variety of animals.
Cons: Some cramped enclosures
The Bottom Line: Maybe this zoo should forgo some of it's exhibits in favour of making more room available to the rest of the animals.
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| hollynz's Full Review: San Diego Zoo |
I had always wanted to visit the San Diego Zoo as I have heard about it all my life. San Diego Zoo has been held up as an example of how zoo's are doing a great job preserving wildlife and with a huge captive breeding programme, is contributing to the continued survival of a lot of the worlds threatened species.
When we were planning our trip to San Diego, it was a choice of either visiting the Wild Animal Park or the Zoo. Being an animal freak, the zoo was the obvious choice because of the huge selection of wildlife exhibited.
I now wish we had chosen to go to the Wild Animal Park instead but there you go, you can never please some people.
The zoo had lots of good points but the overall feeling was one of disappointment. Not at the selection of animals seen, the problem was that it was just too cramped. I think they could lose quite a few exhibits and concentrate on having a few really good ones.
The good exhibits are excellent ~
~ lots of effort has gone into the presentation of some of the habitats for some of the animals. for example ~ If the animal is native to desert country they have tried to assimilate the surroundings as best they can and it was good to see different groupings of animals in the one enclosure.
~ the polar bear exhibit was fantastic and obviously the polar bears were having a great time playing with each other.The three polar bears looked contented and the underwater viewing tanks are fantastic.
~ The tropical scene where the tiger is kept was well planned as well. The tiger was easy to see when we were there as he was fast asleep right by the glass. I had heard complaints from people saying that the tiger was hard to see amongst the undergrowth.
This is probably why zoo's have traditionally had animals in small cages, the money paying punters wanted to actually see the animals for goodness sake.It's good to see that gradually the animals welfare is starting to take priority over the publics, now it seems it is enough to know that the tiger is in there, somewhere.
~ The Panda Bears were special , if somewhat rushed. The day we visited was a special viewing day for the new baby Panda cub and we stood in line for about 20 minutes. When we finally got to the exhibit we didn't have the luxury of standing around for 1/2 an hour watching the baby and it's mum playing as there were hundreds of people behind us joining the queue for a glimpse of the baby. We were lucky to catch the baby when it was awake and it was playing / annoying it's mum, rolling around and being extremely cute.
As we were constantly shuffled along it was hard to get a good look before you were obscured by a tree or overhanging frond.
~ The Gorilla's have got a pretty good exhibit as well though I did feel very sorry for one young gorilla which had been shunned by the group. Every time it tried to get close to the group the big old Silverback chased it away. It ended up sitting on a rock all on it's own examining it's fingers and I felt sorry for it ~ jeez, poor guy.
On the other hand, some of the exhibits are over due a make over. I realise that they can't do everything at once and that they only have so much land at their disposal but it was still distressing to see lots of animals in cramped quarters. Some of the big cats are kept in small cramped cages and the huge brown bears looked stir crazy in their concrete pen, one of the bears was constantly pacing for at least 20 minutes, non stop, backward and forward , backward and forward ....
The zoo was fairly crowded the day we visited so alot of the preferred viewing areas were packed with people, all jostling for the best position. It would probably pay to visit on a week day if you have the option, preferably during school hours. The viewing areas give you the opportunity to view these animals up close with just glass between you. We got right up to the Polar Bears as they were play fighting against the glass, I was looking right into their gaping mouths.
Zoo's are a bit of a catch 22, humans have an insatiable appetite to see these animals up close and personal but then we get a bit depressed about having to keep wild animals restrained behind wire fences and metal cages.
Maybe this zoo should forgo some of it's exhibits in favour of making more room available to the rest of the animals.
Visitor Information
OPENING HOURS ... 9am - 5pm
ADMISSION FEES ...
General admission ~ Adult $19.50 ~ Child $11.75
Deluxe admission ~ Adult $32 ~ Child $19.75
Deluxe admission includes a Guided Bus Tour and a Skyfari Aerial Tram ride.
2 Park Ticket ~ Adult $46.80 ~ Child $31.40
2 Park ticket gives you Deluxe entry to the Zoo plus entry to the Wild Animal Park within 4 days of purchase.
DISCOUNT COUPONS ... Always check the visitors guides you might pick up here and there for discount coupons, you can get up to $5 off on the admission price for some coupons. Check at your hotel to see if you are eligible for hotel discounts .
RESTAURANTS & SHOPS... There are plenty of overpriced souvenirs for sale throughout the park. Each shop has a slightly different theme so check out your zoo map if you have something specific in mind.
WEBSITE ... sandiegozoo.org
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Recommended:
Yes
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hollynz
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Member: Christine
Location: New Zealand
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