These are the ten greatest zoos throughout the United States

Photo courtesy of kali9 // Getty Images

North America is house to lots of of zoological parks, together with greater than 200 services accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Besides touring world wide to see animals of their pure habitats, nothing beats a go to to the zoo to encourage an appreciation for the range of animals we’ve got on our planet. A panel of specialists partnered with 10Best editors to select the preliminary nominees, and the highest 10 winners have been decided by standard vote.

Scroll to see the winners.

Photo courtesy of Saint Louis Zoo

No. 10: Saint Louis Zoo – St. Louis, Missouri

Situated inside one of many nation’s largest city parks, the free-to-the-public Saint Louis Zoo includes a beautiful range of animals – greater than 600 species in complete. The zoo is split into six zones, together with Lakeside Crossing the place the award-winning Sea Lion Sound combines a stellar exhibit expertise with instructional shows and exhibits. 

Photo courtesy of Stephanie Adams/Houston Zoo

No. 9: Houston Zoo – Houston, Texas

The Houston Zoo is devoted to bringing new and thrilling experiences to its animal-loving guests, experiences just like the World of Primates the place apes, monkeys and lemurs from world wide might be noticed from shut vary. The African Forest leads guests on a trek from a small buying and selling outpost right into a forest and thru to a clearing that hosts chimpanzees, gorillas, rhinos and giraffes. The zoo’s 3-acre Asian Elephant Habitat offers a house for a household of mild giants, who take pleasure in spacious grounds, a big pool and a dust-bathing space.

Photo courtesy of Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

No. 8: Columbus Zoo and Aquarium – Powell, Ohio

Wildlife from seven areas world wide, together with Australia, the Congo, Asia and North America, name the Columbus Zoo house. The zoo is certainly one of solely two services outdoors of Florida to take care of manatees, seen within the Manatee Coast space alongside different rescued animals comparable to a sea turtle and pelicans.

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Zoo

No. 7: Philadelphia Zoo – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Located on 42 acres of lovely gardens on the Schuylkill River, the Philadelphia Zoo welcomes greater than one million guests yearly and is house to Zoo360, the first-in-the-world animal journey path system. This “first true zoo” within the United States opened in 1874 and right now is house to just about 1,700 animals, together with many uncommon and endangered species. 

Visit ChildZooU for hands-on studying experiences, see African lions in Big Cat Falls, gorillas within the PECO Primate Reserve and far more on this animal oasis.

Photo courtesy of Audubon Zoo

No. 6: Audubon Zoo – New Orleans, Louisiana

The Audubon Zoo, located in historic uptown New Orleans, is ranked as one of many metropolis’s high issues to do and affords guests private encounters with wildlife, together with extremely endangered whooping cranes, Amur leopards and orangutans.

Be positive to take a look at the award-winning Louisiana Swamp re-creation, an exhibit linking the area’s distinct Cajun tradition with the vegetation and animals of the encompassing habitats. You’ll have the prospect to look at black bears, alligators, purple foxes, blue crabs, water snakes and a number of different animals with a view into the every day lives of those that depend on the swamp for a residing. 

Photo courtesy of Memphis Zoo

No. 5: Memphis Zoo – Memphis, Tennessee

Created in 1906, this zoo is situated in midtown Memphis and is house to greater than 4,500 animals and over 500 totally different species. Explore Teton Trek, impressed by the extraordinary ecosystem of Yellowstone National Park, or view polar bears and sea lions in a naturalistic surroundings within the Northwest Passage exhibit. See giraffes, rhinos and elephants within the African Veldt, or expertise a multi-level open-air viewing of Cat Country’s “big cats.”

Some of essentially the most highly effective and delightful creatures on Earth might be seen within the Zambezi River exhibit, and don’t neglect to cease by the China exhibit to see the enormous pandas or the penguins at Penguin Rock.

Photo courtesy of Brevard Zoo

No. 4: Brevard Zoo – Melbourne, Florida

Home to greater than 900 animals, the AZA-accredited Brevard Zoo takes the zoo-going expertise to adventurous new ranges. Guests can zip line via the jungles of South America or kayak via the African savanna or a restored Florida wetland. 

Photo courtesy of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

No. 3: Cheyenne Mountain Zoo – Colorado Springs, Colorado

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs connects guests with greater than 750 animals representing 170 species from all corners of the globe. The African Rift Valley exhibit is house to the biggest zoo giraffe herd on this planet, in addition to purple river hogs, meerkats, African lions and colobus monkeys. Rocky Mountain Wild hosts regional species, like moose, grizzly bears, mountain lions, river otters, porcupine, Mexican grey wolves, bald eagles and lynx. A ski carry affords stellar views over Colorado Springs.

Photo courtesy of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

No. 2: Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium – Omaha, Nebraska

Continued investments have allowed Henry Doorly Zoo to proceed to supply one-of-a-kind reveals to visitors, together with the world’s largest indoor desert the place arid vegetation and animals – meerkats, peccaries, quail, gila monsters, loss of life adders, rattlesnakes and inland taipans, the world’s most venomous snake – are seen inside a geodesic dome year-round within the coronary heart of the Midwest. The $73 million African Grasslands exhibit options 28 acres of habitats and exhibit areas for giraffes, elephants, lions, cheetahs and sable antelopes.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Curley

No. 1: Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – Cincinnati, Ohio

The Cincinnati Zoo (one of many oldest zoos within the nation) brings guests nose-to-nose with a variety of thrilling animals. Guests can view hippos underwater (together with world-famous hippo Fiona), pop up in a bubble amid meerkats or watch cheetahs racing at high speeds. The multi-sensory Night Hunters exhibit hosts cats and different nocturnal predators, whereas Manatee Springs seeks the long-term conservation of the Florida manatee by encouraging visitors to look at these mild giants.