World’s Best Parks And Zoos

November 21st, 2009 | jones | General

Orlando’s Animal Kingdom is not just the fifth Walt Disney World theme park; it’s also one of the best animal parks in the world. Visitors can view elephants, giraffes, lions and monkeys as though they are actually out on safari, with no bars separating them from these wild beasts. Of course, the animals are kept in their designated areas through a complex array of invisible barricades, masked by foliage, trenches and walls. In addition to the animal exhibit attractions, Walt Disney World also has a number of rides, shows, restaurants and gift shops to entertain guests, so it’s no surprise this park dominates most lists of the “World’s Best Zoos.”

It should come as no surprise that America houses many of the world’s best animal habitats. In New York City, the 265-acre Bronx Zoo is home to over 6,000 animals, many of which are on the endangered species list. The Bronx has been operating its animal center since 1889 as the largest of the metropolitan animal parks and was the first place to house (and breed) rare snow leopards. Additionally, it’s the first park to house a predator-prey animal exhibit, where lions and gazelles are separated merely by dry moats, and it was also the first zoological center to host an educational program. Visitors love the Wild Asia tramway monorail, the indoor JungleWorld display and the 6.5-acre Congo Monkey Forest, which is the largest man-made rainforest in the world. Guests will also see a number of babies at this bustling breeding facility, including dwarf mongoose, lemur, okapi, sea lion, rhino, lion and pit viper species.

Another one of the best animal parks in the world is right in our nation’s capital. Each year, 2 million visitors come to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington DC, home to 2,000 animals and 400 diverse species. The first Komodo dragon hatched outside of Indonesia at the National Zoo and many people come to the 163-acre park to see endangered animals like giant pandas, oryx, Mexican wolves and Grevy’s zebras. Animal exhibit areas include the 15,000 square foot Amazonia rain forest, Beaver Valley, Cheetah Conservation Station, Fuji Film Giant Panda Habitat, Great Ape House, Invertebrate Exhibit, Lemur Island, Small Mammal House, Asia Trail, Bird House, Elephant House, Gibbon Ridge, Great Cats, Kids’ Farm, Reptile Discovery Center and the monkey Think Tank.

There are also a number of European animal parks that have achieved world fame for their impressive exhibits. For instance, the Berlin Zoological Garden in Germany boasts the largest animal collection in the world with more than 14,000 animals from 1,440 species. They have had enormous success breeding white rhinos, black rhinos, gaurs, pandas and polar bears, as well as rare deer and pig species. The Chester Zoo in the UK ushers in 1.2 million visitors a year, who come to see their sizable collection of endangered species, including the Congo buffalo, jaguars, blue-eyed cockatoos, Madagascar tree boas, gemsboks (all ESB species), black rhinoceros, Ecuadorian Amazon parrots, Mindanao writhe-billed hornbill and Rodrigues fruit bats, all of which are bred at the park. They’re also noted for having the largest ape enclosure in all of Europe.

Beth Kaminski is the co-author of Curing Your Anxiety And Panic Attacks which detailed anxiety or panic attacks as well as tips on the various anxiety disorder medication available at anxietydisordercure.com.