Your zoo visits
- Thread starter KönigDerKaffeebohnen
- Start date
A pleasant afternoon
I went to Biljdorp in the Netherlands last week whilst visiting my friend. We saw the lionesses chasing pigeons. Trip score 15/10.
Last weekend I visited Auckland Zoo twice. We were initially supposed to go only once on Saturday, and go to the Butterfly Creek (a smaller zoo with saltwater crocodiles) or the Kelly Tarlton's Aquarium (which is awesome) on Sunday, but unfortunately we didn't have enough time to do the latter and the former had a notice on their website saying they were hosting a corporate event and would be super busy. So we went to the zoo again, not that I regret it.
I don't have pictures handy. I'm currently away from home again training for my new job, but I'll try and figure out a way to get some pics on here soon. Anyway, the highlight of Auckland Zoo was undoubtedly their new Southeast Asia Jungle Track. They've rebuilt their orangutan and siamang habitats from scratch and holy they are cool now. They've included a massive high wire that goes around the whole section. On the first day we saw the siamangs up there, and on the second the female orangutan and her baby were clambering around. There's also the river dome, which contains tropical fish and false gharials. It was incredible.
Unfortunately, the usual highlight, Te Wao Nui, the Native New Zealand section, was a bit of a let down on both days. The aviaries weren't nearly as lively as they used to be and they only have one fur seal currently (they take in rescues, so it's basically one permanent resident and vagrants in recovery). They also only had two little blue penguins (again, rescues, the two there currently are both missing one flipper).
We also got to see Burma the elephant, likely for the last time. She'll be shipped off to Australia to join a herd in the next couple of years, which is sad for long-time fans of hers in New Zealand but good for her. Unfortunately it's doubtful NZ will ever get elephants again; Auckland Zoo is the only one with the budget and space for them, but the government didn't want to play ball with expanding the zoo's land into Western Springs Park. I suspect the elephant enclosure (which is sort-of part of the Africa Track, despite Burma being a Sri Lankan elephant) will be turned over to an antelope species. Probably addax since Orana Park's breeding programme is going so well.
Auckland Zoo also has NZ's only flamingos, which is a real treat, and we got great views of all the tamarin species - golden lion, cotton-top, and emperor.
It really made me think that the absolute best possible superpower would be the ability to teleport. I'd love to go there more often, but it's an expensive trip - all up (including food, accommodation, two zoo visits, Ubers, and a trip up the Sky Tower and to the museum) we spent about 1500NZD. Not an easy sum to save in this economy.
I don't have pictures handy. I'm currently away from home again training for my new job, but I'll try and figure out a way to get some pics on here soon. Anyway, the highlight of Auckland Zoo was undoubtedly their new Southeast Asia Jungle Track. They've rebuilt their orangutan and siamang habitats from scratch and holy they are cool now. They've included a massive high wire that goes around the whole section. On the first day we saw the siamangs up there, and on the second the female orangutan and her baby were clambering around. There's also the river dome, which contains tropical fish and false gharials. It was incredible.
Unfortunately, the usual highlight, Te Wao Nui, the Native New Zealand section, was a bit of a let down on both days. The aviaries weren't nearly as lively as they used to be and they only have one fur seal currently (they take in rescues, so it's basically one permanent resident and vagrants in recovery). They also only had two little blue penguins (again, rescues, the two there currently are both missing one flipper).
We also got to see Burma the elephant, likely for the last time. She'll be shipped off to Australia to join a herd in the next couple of years, which is sad for long-time fans of hers in New Zealand but good for her. Unfortunately it's doubtful NZ will ever get elephants again; Auckland Zoo is the only one with the budget and space for them, but the government didn't want to play ball with expanding the zoo's land into Western Springs Park. I suspect the elephant enclosure (which is sort-of part of the Africa Track, despite Burma being a Sri Lankan elephant) will be turned over to an antelope species. Probably addax since Orana Park's breeding programme is going so well.
Auckland Zoo also has NZ's only flamingos, which is a real treat, and we got great views of all the tamarin species - golden lion, cotton-top, and emperor.
It really made me think that the absolute best possible superpower would be the ability to teleport. I'd love to go there more often, but it's an expensive trip - all up (including food, accommodation, two zoo visits, Ubers, and a trip up the Sky Tower and to the museum) we spent about 1500NZD. Not an easy sum to save in this economy.
I can definitely understand the sombre feeling of seeing New Zealand's last elephant go, but over here on the other side of the ditch I'm pretty keen to see Burma myself! If all the funding goes to plan she'll be one of the founding elephants in Monarto Safari Park's new herd alongside Perth Zoo's two remaining elephants, which will be the first time a zoo near me has had elephants in my lifetime (last elephant in South Australia passed away back in 1994, and the nearest are an 8 hour drive from here). She should have a good home here.
Also, Auckland has tomistoma now?? Not a species I ever anticipated being imported into the region, wish we had them here.
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I visited Rotterdam zoo (Blijdorp) for the first time last week. With my Antwerp Zoo membership, I can actually go there for free twice each year (which is super cool) but I had never done it yet.
Well, I was not disappointed. I recommend this zoo to everyone. Very green and lush, beautiful enclosures (especially the okapi) and the oceanium is just the best aquarium I've ever seen in a zoo.
I also saw a lot of species I had never seen before such as geladas, bantengs, pallas cat, puffins, cuban hutia and lesser antillean iguana ! I also saw baby spotted hyenas for the first time. They were adorable.
So yeah, this was an incredible visit and I'm sure I will go back there someday.
Well, I was not disappointed. I recommend this zoo to everyone. Very green and lush, beautiful enclosures (especially the okapi) and the oceanium is just the best aquarium I've ever seen in a zoo.
I also saw a lot of species I had never seen before such as geladas, bantengs, pallas cat, puffins, cuban hutia and lesser antillean iguana ! I also saw baby spotted hyenas for the first time. They were adorable.
So yeah, this was an incredible visit and I'm sure I will go back there someday.
I need to get over to Aus. I've always wanted to visit Taronga Zoo, and Adelaide Zoo, ever since my old man visited both when I was little (he went with the school he was teaching at) and brought back maps and guide books (I used to collect zoo maps). It's funny, I've been around western Europe, to San Diego, and to Singapore, but I've never visited Australia.
And yeah, the false gharials are fairly new. One of three crocodilian species in NZ (Auckland has them all - saltwater crocs at Butterfly Creek, and American alligators and now false gharials at the zoo). The tropical dome was really something else, though considerably smaller than perhaps similar exhibits in other zoos. Really it was built specifically for the gharials and the tropical fish (the fish aren't super impressive; due to NZ's strict importation laws they are really just fish anyone can buy from a pet store, but it was neat seeing them in these huge tanks in actual schools, and I've never seen arowana that big before).
Somehow I forgot to cover the last zoo lol. I’ll do that now.
The Australian Reptile Park was the zoo I was the last zoo I visited on the trip, and the one I was most excited for. It had a range of reptiles I was really keen to see, chief among them the tuatara, freshly imported from Chester Zoo last year. Tuatara are probably the animal kept in captivity in Australia I want to see the most, but unfortunately it wasn’t going to be my day. Turns out they still hadn’t been put on display, bummer!*
*Not to worry, I may potentially visit New Zealand for the first time either next year or the year after so I could just end up seeing them in their homeland instead
Nonetheless, seeing New Caledonian giant gecko, Solomon Islands skink and especially the sheltopusik still made my time there more than worthwhile. The sheltopusik is my most wanted European animal for PZ despite it being an exhibit species and it was very lucky I turned up in time for the reptile show because I wouldn’t have gotten to see one otherwise!
The reptile show as a whole was really enjoyable, my favourite part aside from the sheltopusik was when they brought out a baby alligator and balanced a twig on its nose while discussing tool use in crocodilians (both mugger crocodiles and American alligators have been observed deliberately placing twigs and sticks on their heads to lure in birds that are collecting nesting material).
Seeing a perentie again was great as always, even if this one was only a youngin. Gimme gimme Frontier.
Outside of reptiles, the park also houses numerous species of Australian mammals, and probably the ones that caught my attention the most were the dingoes. I’ve never seen black and tan dingoes IRL before, either in the wild or in zoos, so they were really cool to see.
As a final note, I think the park’s entrance is also worth bringing up, given I consider it to be one of the most iconic and recognisable entrances of any zoo in Australia. Can't beat being greeted by a giant frillie.
EDIT: Just learned that the tuatara exhibit opened about a week after I visited. Just my luck lol
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Just a weekend（North China leopard，Siberian tiger，South China tiger，Sika deer，Blue-and-Yellow Macaw，Malabar pied hornbill，Great Hornbill）
Here are some Planet Zoo Animals in real life
Went for a visit to Colchester Zoo this morning and had an excellent view of the binturong, right at the very top of the tree in its enclosure:
Here's a closer picture I also managed to get of it:
Here's a closer picture I also managed to get of it:
wow - this one is really up high in the tree
Had a trip to the Central Florida Zoo recently!! Made a YouTube video with my review of the zoo and tons of footage from my last visit!
I got treated very well yesterday! 
Went to Zoo Duisburg and saw so many animals for the first time of my life outside of online images and videos:
Went to Zoo Duisburg and saw so many animals for the first time of my life outside of online images and videos:- Binturong (they were just never visible in the zoos I visited)
- Fossa
- Manatee
- Fishing Cat
- Clouded Leopard
- Echidna
- Tasmanian Devil
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Just went to the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbus, SC again. Had a few interesting animal encounters. First, a Empire Penguin. He shares an habitat with a bunch of smaller penguins, but he was in the water swimming back and forth along the glass, until my grandson walked up. The bird stopped and immediately was interacting with my grandson. tapping the glass, looking in eye to eye, following him back and forth. It was so amazing that I totally didn't even think to video it as I was enjoying it live. Just a strange interaction that was never expected from a penguin.
Second. A grizzly was digging a huge hole in the habitat. like really deep. almost was giving the impression that he was trying to escape, but more likely trying to cool off in the heat. it was just amazing how the strength of that animal could be seen as it dug. It again was a behavior I never saw from a bear in a zoo, and I would expect the keepers were not happy as they would have to fill it in and fix the terrain. I do have pics and video of this and will post later once I get it downloaded.
Second. A grizzly was digging a huge hole in the habitat. like really deep. almost was giving the impression that he was trying to escape, but more likely trying to cool off in the heat. it was just amazing how the strength of that animal could be seen as it dug. It again was a behavior I never saw from a bear in a zoo, and I would expect the keepers were not happy as they would have to fill it in and fix the terrain. I do have pics and video of this and will post later once I get it downloaded.
Oh yea that zoo is very scenic loved that place