San Francisco Zoo, You've Gotta See this Thing!!!
Written: Feb 08 '00 (Updated Feb 09 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great, updated exhibits
Cons: The weather.
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| tarthurs's Full Review: San Francisco Zoo |
I have travelled all over the world, and the SF Zoo is one of the best zoos that I've seen. Largely built as a WPA project during the depression, some of the exhibits are a little dated, but the zoo is aggressively updating them. For example, the feline conservation center is so much better than the old small cat cages where the cats did nothing but pace all day long. In the conservation center, the cats have some privacy in their night quarters, or they can come outside to the yards to watch the crazy two leg's antics. The rare and endangered snow leopards are a must see.
The black rhinos are another must see. During the annual member's zoo nights, we have made it a policy to feed them (during regular visits, you cannot feed any of the animals) just to feel the prehensile lips roving over our hands. Ellie, the female, who has out lived quite a few mates has produced over 18 calves -- she is almost repopulating the world rhino herd single hornedly.
The big cat facility is OK, but it is one of the outdated exhibits. It is interesting to see the lions and tigers being fed at 1:00 pm every day except Monday (they fast on Mondays and are appropriately grumpy on that day.) The outside exhibits are somewhat crowded and need to be replanted, but out of all the original exhibits in the zoo, this was probably the best one. An interesting note on the lions -- the original pride is very old, and dying off. In the last few years, the zoo acquired 3 new cubs from South Africa. They are now close to full grown, but when they first arrived, they were very young. We observed the cubs interacting with the zoo keepers -- they would creep up on a unsuspecting keeper and *spring* on them.
The Australian Walkabout is a new area. Here you can get close and personal with Kangaroos and Wallabies, including the rare albino Kangaroo (the albino is kept inside when the sun is out, so try to get to this part of the zoo later in the afternoon.
The zoo is open 10 to 5 every day. There are food areas inside, but they are quite expensive, so you may want to bring a picnic. There are several picnic areas, as well as an antique merry-go-round and a children's zoo (including insect zoo and barnyard petting zoo -- open from 11 to 4). General admission is $9.00 for adults, $6.00 12 -17 and seniors, $3.00 for children. For SF residents, the rate is $7.00/3.50/1.50. The general admission includes admission to the children's zoo area.) The Carousel is $2.00 per seat. The Safari Tram is $2.50/1.50/1.50. The little puffer miniature steam train is $2.50 per seat.
When you come to San Francisco, please make some time to see our zoo.
As always in San Francisco, dress warmly in layers -- even in the summer, fog will spring up unexpectedly, and cold breezes off the ocean are pretty constant. September and October are the best months for outdoor activity in the city.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tarthurs
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Member: Tom Arthurs
Location: Newark, CA USA
Reviews written: 29
Trusted by: 26 members
About Me:
Computers, Books, Cats, Travel, and California. And, of course, Epinions.
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