Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri, United States

The Saint Louis Zoological Park, commonly known as the Saint Louis Zoo, is a zoo in Forest Park in St.Louis, Missouri, United StatesIt is recognized as a leading zoo in animal management, research, conservation, and educationThe zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA)

Located on 90 acres in StLouis, Missouri’s Forest Park, the Saint Louis Zoo is home to about 600* species of animals, many of them rare and endangeredIt is one of the few free zoos in the nation and has been named #1 zoo by Zagat Survey’s U.SFamily Travel Guide in association with Parenting magazineThe Zoo annually attracts 3,000,000 visitors, who can see nearly 15,000* wild animals—including the many invertebrate species at the ZooSince its 1910 founding, the Zoo has been renowned for its beautiful naturalistic exhibits, its diverse collection of animals and its innovative approaches to animal management, wildlife conservation, research and education

Admission is free based on a public subsidy from a cultural tax district, the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District (ZMD); fees are charged for some special attractionsA special feature is the 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge Emerson Zooline Railroad with passenger trains pulled by Chance Rides C.PHuntington locomotives that encircle the zoo, stopping at the more popular attractions.

The city purchased its first exhibit, the Flight Cage, from the Smithsonian Institution following the 1904 StLouis World’s FairAfter the zoo was established, new exhibits, areas and buildings were added through the decades to improve care of the animals, the range of animals and habitats shown, as well as education and interpretation.

Lakeside Crossing:
Open during the warmer months, Caribbean Cove is a shallow touch-pool underneath a large pavilion that features cownose rays, southern stingrays, bonnethead sharks, and bamboo sharksIt is one of the only parts of the zoo requiring an admission price, but is free during the first hour the zoo is open.

River’s Edge:
A variety of animals are represented from four continents in River’s EdgeThe South America exhibit features scarlet macaws and Andean bearsThe African Savanna displays black rhinoceros, African wild dogs, sacred ibises, bat-eared foxes, red river hogs, and a colony of southern carmine bee-eatersThe African Nile features hippopotamus, cheetahs, spotted hyenas, and a colony of dwarf mongooseThe Asia exhibit features adult Asian elephants and sun bearsThe North American exhibit displays fish and wildlife from the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers containing minnows, crayfish, American bullfrog, and channel catfishThe South American exhibit displays spectacled bears, bush dogs, capybaras, and giant anteater.

Discovery Corner:
The StLouis Children’s Zoo has many educational features, such as the see-through slide through the otter pool and many birds, snakes, frogs, and other animals that volunteers and staff bring out for the kids to see up close.This is one of the only exhibits at the Zoo that requires an admittance fee; however admission is free for the first hour the zoo is open during the summer.As of March 2016, the zoo has Tasmanian devils in this section.

The Wild:
The Wild is home to Polar Bear Point, Conservation Carousel, Fragile Forest, Jungle of the Apes, and Penguin and Puffin CoastPolar Bear Point features a polar bear called KaliTwo grizzly bears will arrive for the opening of Grizzly Ridge in 2017The Fragile Forest and Jungle of the Apes features gorillas, chimpanzees, and orangutans in a naturalized outdoor settingPenguin and Puffin Coast displays a variety of water birds including Humboldt penguins, Emperor penguins, King penguins, rockhopper, gentoo penguins, horned puffins and tufted puffinsIndividual habitats for red pandas and black-tailed prairie dogs are also in The Wild.

Historic Hill:
Historic Hill contains Bird House, Bird Garden, Sea Lion Sound, Herpetarium, Chain of Lakes, Flight Cage and Cypress Swamp, and Primate HouseThe Bird House features birds as varied as bald eagle, rhinoceros hornbill, hyacinth macaw, burrowing owl, toco toucan, Cape thick-knee, golden pheasant, kookaburra, Mariana fruit-dove, king vulture, horned guan, superb starling, tawny frogmouth, and the Guam kingfisher, which is extinct in the wildThe Bird Garden contains outdoor bird enclosuresSea Lion Sound provides an underwater viewing tunnel of California sea lions and three harbor seals