If you haven’t been to a zoo in a while, the word may conjure up visions of rusty cages, forlorn elephants shuffling around on beds of straw, and a couple of listless lions yawning and fantasizing about the Serengeti as they mope around a dirt enclosure. This was certainly how I imagined zoos for most of my adult life, since I hadn’t been to one in at least two decades. But when I tagged along with my friend and her three-year-old on a recent trip to the San Diego Zoo, I could never have imagined just how off-base my mental images had been all those years.
As I strolled down a misty, verdant path, I could make out tigers prowling through the vegetation. I could have sworn I was trekking deep into a rainforest—until a quick detour landed me smack in the middle of the Arctic tundra, where polar bears romped in frigid pools. Every landscape I encountered was so convincing that I left feeling as if I’d explored the entire globe in a mere four hours. With scenes like these, who needs safaris?
Since that day, I’ve been combing the Internet for information about other great zoos, and while I can’t just jet off to South Africa or Singapore on a moment’s notice to see their zoos’ spectacular offerings in person, a girl can dream, right? Join me on a journey through seven of the world’s most memorable man-made animal habitats.
1. Bronx Zoo (Bronx, New York)
Opened in 1899, the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States covers 265 acres and houses more than four thousand animals. The zoo packs an impressive array of habitats into its relatively small area, including a replica of an African savanna (where gazelles, giraffes, and wild dogs roam), the 6.5-acre Congo Gorilla Forest, and Tiger Mountain, a re-creation of a Russian woodland complete with a pack of Siberian tigers. In the capable hands of the Wildlife Conservation Society, the Bronx Zoo is also noteworthy for its environmentally friendly practices and its commitment to “greening its own backyard”; the zoo’s Web site states: “Through energy-efficient exhibits and office buildings, recycling programs, and other eco-friendly technologies, we strive to set an example for other organizations and individuals in New York City to lighten our output.”
2. Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Orlando, Florida)
More than 1,700 animals representing 250 different species reside at this theme park inside Walt Disney World. Divided into seven areas, including Africa, Asia, and Dinoland, U.S.A., this wild kingdom features animals both real and extinct, in addition to more than twenty attractions. Standouts include the Maharajah Jungle Trek, which treats visitors to views of tigers, bats, exotic birds, and a Komodo dragon among “ancient” Southeast Asian ruins; the Kali River Rapids, where guests raft down the Chakranadi River past jungles, geysers, and waterfalls; and the Dinosaur, a thrill ride that involves chasing one sixty-five-million-year-old dinosaur while escaping the jaws of another.
