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There are three Zoos near me, and I try to get to each one about once a year now.  There's the Akron Zoo, the Cleveland Zoo, and the Columbus Zoo.  I love going to them.  I like taking my sketch pad to draw, my camera's to take pictures and video and sometimes jut needing to be out doors for a while and away from a computer screen.

Akron is the smallest of the three (at least it feels like it).  Its go what could be called a convenient layout.  Almost like the zoo is on a path and is meant to be walked in order.  Many of the enclosures can be found almost hidden away as you walk along paths.  The Akron Zoo also seems to have a low variety of animals. Some ones you'd expect to find in a zoo, like lions, tigers, leopards, grizzly bears and such.  No real large animals like elephants or rhinos. It does however have a building with a Komodo dragon, and some an newer aquarium exhibit-so its improved somewhat.  It does have a great view of the city skyline at the top, and does have some animals Cleveland doesn't.   The enclosures are often the kind with glass, so seeing some of the animals up close isn't out of the question.  And seeing how Akron is the only city, other then Cleveland, I lived in for an extended period of time.  I like to go down to it, just to see the city as much as the animals.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo is the one closest to me, so I'm at it every few weeks or so.  I think at one point, I heard it had the greatest variety of bears on display of any zoo in the nation.  It has more wide open animal enclosures.  My favorite building there is our Rain forest exhibit.  It has a wide variety of of reptiles, amphibians, a walk through aviary, and a large dome where the orangutans are kept.  We recently redid the tiger exhibit that allows for closer viewing and a more open habitat for the cats.  

As for layout, this is where it may lose some points.  You could basically divide the zoo into three or four sections.  And there can be a bit of a walk between them.  Especially, the Primate, Big Cats and Aquarium (one building) is at the top of a hill that you can either walk to  or take a zoo tram too.  

My only real complaint is that we no longer have a true Aviary like we used to.  The building was torn down years ago,and now a playground is where its located.  Fine for familys and such, but I do miss having a greater variety of birds.  

Now the Columbus Zoo is amazing.  A large layout, with both open habitats and some that allow closer viewing. It is BIG. A very large diverse number of animals.  Many I had never seen until I went there for the first time about three years ago.  One highlight is the manatee enclosure, as the Columbus is involved with a lot of animal preservation programs.  Also there's a large portion devoted to African animals, that has a great open field to see giraffes, wildebeests, zebra, and such walk around.  It looks like you could fit half a golf course inside it.

The Zoo even has a waterpark attached to it.   You could easily spend the entire day there.

South Africa has several zoos, including one in Pretoria.

http://www.nzg.ac.za/ (http://www.nzg.ac.za/)

This is where I refer confused tourists to when they ask me if there are really lions, cheetahs etc running around in Pretoria.  :teddyr: :wink:

The zoo has lost its appeal to me over the years.. as kids when we went we'd watch the animals poop and laugh, much to the annoyance of our parents.

These days I prefer this one instead:
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8glQR_2Yp8#)
Or maybe even this one:
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xKLBne1CoI#)

WS, you'd LOVE the sedgwick county zoo here in wichita. you can walk it alone or with a guide, and there's a mini train that travels through the whole place with a guide, for people who  can't walk so much, it's a BIG place. if you ever come here to see it, you let me know, i'll cook for you!

 :teddyr: :teddyr:

The last time I was at the zoo in Pretoria, three guys were making fun of the monkeys and one of the monkeys peed on them.  :buggedout: :bouncegiggle:

I lived in the Bronx in 1979-early 1980 and I lived at the Bronx Zoo. It was the only place, besides Poe Park, that got me away from the crazy. I only went to see the animals once. At that time most of the cages were empty. Bad time for the Bronx. I just went there to sit on the bench and read comic books. I went to Poe Park to drink with my freind from Brazil. I went to the Zoo to be alone.

Now I go to the Zoo to buy glasses- or to a mall on Christmas. Kalamazoo.  :wink: Thats what we call it- Zoo. It's the closest big city around here.

Now when it comes to aquariums, The Greater Cleveland Aquarium is the one I travel to most.  Actually, according to Wikipedia its the only free standing aquarium currently in the state of Ohio.  All others are part of a zoo or other attraction.  Its in what called The Powerhouse, an old factory from Cleveland's industrial days that's been converted into other facilitates.  Its not a bad sized one.  Plenty of specimens.   And it has one of those shark tunnels that you can walk through.  Actually, if you have a SCUBA diving certificate, you can schedule a dive in the shark tank.  I'm gonna learn scuba just so I can try it one day.

Some video I took of the shark tank
! No longer available (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SW9_rUjqyRM#)


Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, is an incredible one as well.  Its pretty big and has a lot of exhibits.  I went there during a family vacation and it was my favorite part of Gatlinnburg Tn..  It too has a shark tunnel, a stingray touch tank.  It also had a play area for children, and did come across as more of a family destination. 


But my favorite aquarium I think I've been too is the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.   Saw it during G-Fest one year and it was a real highlight of that particular trip.  A bit pricey, but if you love going to these types of places like I do then its worth the cost.  Huge amount of displays and exhibits.  An interesting location as its right on the lake side with a great city view. 

It has dolphins.  I have not been to an aquarium that has had any type of cetacean since the Aurora Oh branch of SeaWorld closed down years ago.    Definitely planning on going back some time.