If you ever find yourself in the northern area of the west coast I highly recommend Oregon Zoo, they got one of the biggest and well cared for Elephant enclosures in the world, a neat train ride, good educational talk shows, and are consistently getting better with new animals and projects.

Since other people are recommending zoos, if you're ever in the Midwest I highly recommend Saint Louis and Omaha. Saint Louis has a huge collection and has undergone a lot of recent upgrades, in particular the primate house with an outdoor canopy for monkeys and lemurs. The Children's area is actually undergoing a huge renovation that will have animals like coatis and Tasmanian devils. Like San Diego, there's also a safari park opening up in a few years that will have animals like white rhinos. I haven't been in over a decade since I moved but River's Edge is the best part of the zoo in my opinion since it has the most naturalistic and immersive theming. There's also a lot of awesome animals including Asian elephants, hippos, black rhinos, spotted hyenas, cheetahs, sun bears, Andean bears, giant anteaters and capybaras. I've only been to Omaha twice but it's only gotten better since I was last there. The Desert Dome and the rainforest house are two must-see sections for how huge and immersive they are, the nocturnal house is also a one of a kind since nocturnal houses are becoming rarer in zoos. Since I was last there, they've added the Asian Highlands exhibit (which I want to see really bad at some point, it has some really cool Tibetan theming with prayer flags and animals like the takin, sloth bear, Siberian tiger and the Indian rhino) and expanded the African section to include a herd of elephants. The skylift is another must-see section since it takes you over the zoo. I was lucky enough to be given a backstage tour both times and it gave me a huge insight into the care provided for these animals and how zoos function in general.

I went to RW Zoo last week for the first time since I was a kid. Could've sworn they used to have polar bears so thanks for confirming.

Roger Williams making the top ten makes me happy, it’s probably my childhood Zoo and I still visit it to this day (I was actually there on the last day they had the polar bears before they sadly died.) I’m especially excited for the return of the penguins and the eventual introduction of Tigers.

I love this idea! Maybe I'll do a ranking of all the major German zoo I'm seeing on my Germany trip this year...

Omaha Zoo man, just ranked #1!!! It’s my local zoo and it’s only gotten better. They just did a huge overhaul of a bunch of the exhibits within the last few years.

I was going to go to Animal Adventures because my younger brother had them visit his school but I showed them this and now we won’t go

Cetaceans shouldn’t be in captivity at all imo. There’s no possible way to provide them with what they need

I followed you after you added the Massachusetts flag to your entrance. Then you rate Buttonwood Zoo, which is in my little New Bedford ❤ You have a new fan. Love watching you rate the zoos I personally go to

If you ever happen to come to the UK, there's a few Zoos and Aquariums up by me, but my favourite zoo, like, ever, is Chester Zoo. They have a massive collection, in 112 or so acres of land, including your Tree Kangaroos. Definitely worth a week in the UK, to visit it, and other local zoo.

Leaf if you are ever in Tennessee, I recommend both the Memphis Zoo and the Nashville Zoo. Memphis Zoo especially because they have some really good themed areas and I often use it for inspiration when I need to make themed areas. They just sent their Giant Pandas back to China for a program there but they do have seals, bears, bonobos, a walkthrough kangaroo exhibit, a nocturnal house, a ray/ shark touch pond, lions, hippos, crocodiles, and soooooo much more! Nashville Zoo has only one thing over it in my opinion and that is the Spectacled Bear. I got to see it last year when I needed reference for some short-faced bear concept art I was working on.

If you ever get the chance you should come visit the Toledo Zoo! They take really great care of their animals and also have an aviary, aquarium, and a natural history museum. There’s also lots of historic WPA architecture from FDR’s new deal programs, it’s genuinely just my favorite zoo!

ive gotta be honest, ive been to the miami, north carolina, norfolk, richmond, national, jax, and atlanta zoos, and north carolina is right at miami. I would say do not just drive to do that, but also carowinds and such down there. It is a massive property, the largest institutional zoo in the western hemisphere. The exhibits are maaaaasssssssive and the animals are actually very happy due to this. I would recommend going once they have the asia area done in 2025. By 2030, the zoo will basically be double the size it is now. The North carolina zoo in asheboro is just slept on

Fun fact! Bronx Zoo had a 5-6 season behind-the-scenes series on Animal Planet for a few years! It also has phenomenal animal encounter sessions. They care so much for their animals, I’d actually make it the best zoo ive visited in the USA!

If you ever come down to Texas, you have to check out the Dallas Zoo

The Bronx zoo has always been my favorite , I used to go here all the time as a kid

Nice job as always leaf! Id love to see your take on the zoos/ aquariums in the VA, NC, TN, GA area. Theres a frickin elephant sanctuary in TN and Whalesharks in GA... need I say more?

I recommend you go to the biggest zoo in the USA (The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium) I’ve been going there my whole life and I love the zoo, I hope you can visit.

Going to the zoo while it is rainy is a genius trick. Thanks for letting us know.

Omg we got a leaf reveal! I couldn’t agree more with this list. Animal adventures looks horrible 😢

29:15 Wow! I bet that particular facility has a VERY funny and VERY handsome redhead as a tour guide and puppeteer in residence!

I loved the birch aquarium. It’s on the small side, but it was one of my favorite aquariums I’ve ever been to.

It’s a smaller one but if you’re around the New York/New Jersey Area, please visit the Van Saun Zoo. I have so many memories with that place, and the animal selection is fantastic!

Super fascinating video! Loved the recap and definitely have a couple of these on my list!

Leaf. You sure had great experience within these zoos and found some perfect animals that are still missing in the game.

michigan has some incredible facilities! there's not a bad one (at least from that i've visited) but the standouts are binder park zoo in battle creek and john ball zoo in grand rapids.

gotta recommend the cheyenne mountainzoo and the denver zoo in colorado! Both zoos are incredible in completely different ways. They are both usually highly rated among the San Diego Zoo, Bronx Zoo, etc... in a lot ofbest zoo lists. Highly recommend a trip to the west for them! DO NOT go to the aquarium in Denver. It's got very similar vibes to the bottom five on the list.

I love the Bronx zoo

Now, I'm torn on cetaceans in captivity. I'm not a keeper with those animals and people tend to get overly emotional with intelligent animals despite not having a grasp on how zoos really work. That being said, orcas and belugas arent threatened yet. From a practical standpoint, those resources could and should go to a more fragile species.

Take me with you!!!! I'm a wildlife photographer trying to photograph every species of everything on the planet

I really wanna see you talk more about animal adventures now

If you’re ever in NC you should go to the NC Zoo!

Here's how I would rank all of the animal places that I went to in 2023. Wildwood (Herne Bay) ZSL London zoo Sealife (Huntstanton) Hertfordshire zoo Eagle Heights Hemsley Conservation Centre The Big Cat Sanctuary Leeds castle Wingham Wildlife park Port Lympe Horniman museum Snettsham deer park Norfolk lavender farm animal park

go to the georgia aquarium

Good video Leaf you are the best

one of the biggest aquariums in the world and it's known for their whale sharks

The matime aquarium is a 20 minute drive

been to bronx, buttonwood, Roger Williams, mystic but its been too long. Boston aquarium is pretty good too I don't think you had that one

Iguanaland is great! they come to my work and put on shows!

It's time to travel to asia and visittt Singaore's Zoo and Night Safari :D

Breweries and Zoos? We could be friends Leaf

Have you ever been to Loro Parque? It is in Spain, in the Canary Islands and considered the best zoo in the world, I know it is a little far away for you but I think you will really like visiting it. By the way, good video

If you ever come to the UK go to Blair Drummond safari park it's such a good zoo/safari park they have a boat ride to the chimp island

How do you see.the full species.list.on zootierliste? All I know is to see what animals are kept where.

I love zoos I have been to san diego zoo san diego safari park and bronx zoo and many more

I think it so odd the US allows no AZA zoos. Here in the UK every zoo has to be a member of EAZA or BIAZA

Can't wait to visit San Diego Zoo and Safari park have you visited Disney Animal Kingdom because i would like to visit someday

Have you ever been to the Philly Zoo?

I used to build enclosures at animal adventures if y’all have any questions about how terrible it was

Many of these places look really crappy to be honest. That's why they're down the list, but still, disappointing to see the depressing spaces some zoos think are adequate for large animals.

People have different opinions about the zoos

0:54 no animal deserves to have such poor living conditions 😢

go to the peoria zoo in peoria illinois

Have you ever been to the Toronto Zoo?

Hi leaf I’m requesting because I would like to have the zoo tycoon 2 orca mod but the planet zoo version please😊😊😊

~47th

Yes My Hometown San Diego represented sooooo good. I used to work at SeaWorld when I was 17 lol

first also love your content leaf[pls pin]

What was that? Please go to Animal Adventures? Sure thing!

first

Why did you even go to Sea World if you don't support cetacean captivity?

Pls don't say you are kinda okay with Belugas and Dolphins...there is no profits for them being held in captivity 😅

Love planet zoo, hate real zoos. They are prisons. Planet zoo gives me the freedom to enjoy zoos without the real life implications