The rustic New York State Zoo in Watertown, New York reflects a clear brand and mission, and translates those into a cohesive guest experience. Not without its flaws—mainly due to outdated habitats, the zoo feels larger than its 30 acres due to an overwhelming sense of being lost in an authentic landscape complete with historic interpretation.
The Wild Animal Park: The Cabela’s of Zoos
Relatively new and growing, The Wild Animal Park, in rural central New York still has its brand new shine. Efficiently well-planned, aesthetically pleasing, and a wide variety of animals and interaction possibilities makes this a great short stop for road-trippers. However, a few details detract from its potential, including lack of naturalistic vegetation & topography and the compact nature of the site.
Caldwell Zoo: A Timeless Ballad
The Caldwell Zoo in Tyler, Texas is a large ‘small’ zoo located in a small town. Drawing 250,000 in annual attendance from a drive time of about 1.5 hours, the family zoo is a great example of the best of small zoos—lovingly and thoughtfully designed using a blend of modern, innovative zoo design techniques with clean, timeless designs and light touches of theming set in a lush landscape with water features. A timeless, beautiful zoo borne from love—and a desire to be a community asset.
Austin Zoo: Keeping it Weird-ly Underperforming
The 20-acre private zoo tucked into the hillside on the outskirts of growing Austin, Texas metro has plenty of challenges to tackle, but the beauty of the site and its proximity to Austin (and being the only zoo within an easy drive of the city) means the Zoo has almost unlimited untapped potential to become very successful—and a “weird” little gemstone to the community.
Opening: Russia's Grizzly Coast
Congratulations to Minnesota Zoo and Portico Group on the opening of their newest exhibit, Russia's Grizzly Coast. Opened on June 7 to the public, the exhibit looks amazing, incorporating geysers, steam vents, mud pots, and lava tubes to recreate the desolate Russia habitat. Not many zoos have tackled Russia, due to political sensitivities, but I'm glad to see someone has broken through the invisible wall.
Stats on the exhibit:
Total Exhibit Size: 3.5 acres
Otter Exhibit: 1,368 sq. ft.
Pool: 34,000 gallons
Bear Exhibit: 13,603 sq. ft.
Stream: 1,800 gallons
Pool: 16,500 gallons
Trout Pond: 2,600 gallons
Boar Exhibit: 1,932 sq. ft.
Leopard Exhibit: 2,785 sq. ft.
Cost: $23.6 million