The 10 Best Zoos in the World h اجمل عشرة حدائق حيوان في العالم

The 10 Best Zoos in the World


posted in: World | posted by: Jennifer Gregory on July 25, 2008 | 35 Comments



As a child, I loved visiting the zoo. The world’s most
incredible species all gathered into one location for our viewing
pleasure. As I grew up, the novelty wore off as I began viewing animals
as innocent victims that had been plucked from their natural habitats,
but that opinion soon changed as well.
Today’s zoos have evolved and are much more sophisticated than the
ones I visited more than 20 years ago. They’re developed to resemble the
natural habitats of each animal, allowing them to roam, mate, and feed
as they would have anywhere else in the world. The world is full of
zoos, and we’ve searched each continent for the best (for both you and
the animals)!
10. Animal Kingdom, Orlando




Animal Kingdom
is part of the Disney Theme Park collection in Orlando, Florida. While
it’s obviously a commercial zoo, the zookeepers do their best to make
sure each animal feels as though he is in a realistic habitat, with
plenty of space and as little human distraction as possible. The goal is
to make sure that the park promotes conservation as much as possible.
Animal Kingdom is home to over 1,500 exotic animals, plus hundreds of
fish and bird species!
9. Basel Zoo, Switzerland




Basel Zoo in Switzerland was opened in 1874, allowing it to rank as
one of the oldest zoos in operation today. The zoo is, in fact, the
second most visited attraction in all of Switzerland. There are more
than 6,000 animals in this popular Swiss destination, including Somolian
wild donkeys and dwarf hippopotami!
8. Beauval Zoo, France




The Beauval Zoo in France originally opened in 1980 as an aviary,
housing over 2,000 species of birds alone. It wasn’t until over 10 years
later when other animals were introduced to the habitat and the zoo has
since grown to over 4,000 animals. Favorites include the zoo’s two
white tigers, known as Gorby and Raisa; and the pair of twin manatees,
known as Quito and Luna. Make sure you stop by and say hello when you
visit!
7. Bronx Zoo, New York




The Bronx Zoo
in New York is the largest zoo you’ll find in a metropolitan location
in the United States. The park itself takes up over 250 acres of land
and includes a number of endangered and rare species in its collection
of over 4,000 animals. Stop by Tiger Mountain to meet the Siberian
tigers, visit the stunning 6.5 acre Congo Gorilla Forest for an African
safari adventure, or visit Madagascar to meet the lemurs and hissing
cockroaches!
6. National Zoological Gardens of South Africa




Located in Pretoria, the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
leaves nothing to the imagination. As the largest zoo in South Africa,
it houses over 2,500 species of animals. Incredibly, most of the animals
at the zoo today were bred and born there. The zoo also features a
reptile park, the largest aquarium in the entire country, and an
extensive collection of exotic trees!
5. Berlin Zoological Garden, Germany




The Berlin Zoological Garden in Germany originally opened in 1844. It
is considered a historical landmark because it survived World War II
and was then rebuilt to a better state of existence. Even architects
will enjoy the incredible structures contained within the zoos walls!
The Berlin Zoo is acknowledged around the world because of the rare
species it contains and because it successfully breeds animals on a
regular basis.
4. Schonbrunner Zoo, Austria




The Schonbrunner Zoo in Vienna, Austria was founded in 1792, making
it the oldest zoo in the world. Be sure to visit the Rainforest house
and Artic Polarium while you’re there. The most entertaining exhibit at
the zoo right now is the home of the polar bears. The mother bear had
two beautiful cubs in late November of 2007. She brought them outdoors
for the first time in March of 2008. If you’re lucky, she’ll bring them
outside while you’re there!
3. Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, DC




The Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington DC has
rightfully earned the title of the country’s National Zoo. The zoo can
be found in Rock Creek Park and houses over 400 species totaling at
least 2,000 animals. The coolest thing about the zoo is that regular
admission is free. One of the most exciting features is the Snore and
Roar tour – it involves a night-time tour of the zoo and a camp-out – if
you dare!
2. Toronto Zoo




The Toronto Zoo also ranks amongst the largest in the world, spanning
over 700 acres and housing over 5,000 animals! Did you know that 2008
is the year of the frog? Zoos around the world are participating in an
effort to increase awareness about the dangers threatening amphibians.
The Toronto Zoo has dozens of activities planned throughout the entire
year in honor of the frog and his friends!
1. Singapore Zoo




The Singapore Zoo
is famous for their incredible landscape design, with habitats
simulating life in the wild for each of their animal species. The zoo
features dozens of fun and unique attractions, including the famous
Jungle Breakfast! Enjoy your breakfast with the animals in the distance.
You may get to feed the elephants, but more often than not you’ll find
yourself entertained by the orangutans as they mingle throughout the
crowd!
Any of these zoos is sure to promise you an educational and exciting
experience. Pack your bags and hit the road – you’ll want to explore as
many of these zoos as you can!
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