CINCINNATI AKRON TOLEDO CLEVELAND COLUMBUS

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Ohio is a zoo state Led by Columbus, five Ohio zoos have earned national recognition, and three attract more than 1 million visitors a year. It's a distinction that only California comes close to.

Sunday,  May 20, 2007 3:41 AM

By Story by Matt Tullis

 

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

 

http://www.dispatch.com/dispatch/content/local_news/stories/2007/05/20/ZOOTOPIA.ART_ART_05-20-07_A1_RT6OTT6.html

 

A deep-blue glow emanated from the glass walls of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium's Discovery Reef. Brothers Liam, 5, and Ewan, 3, stood with their faces plastered to the glass, watching the fish dart and slide by noiselessly.

 

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Zoos' claims to fame

■ Columbus: Western lowland gorillas

 

■ Akron: Close proximity to animals (African lion pictured)

 

■ Cincinnati: Sumatran rhinos

 

■ Cleveland: Rain forest (Bornean orangutan pictured.)

 

■ Toledo: Polar bear cubs

well that's preachin to the choir on this site!

 

agree the wilds should definately be included, too.

 

you know the best thing about ohio's zoos is not only their excellence, but also their variety. each zoo is such a completely different style of zoo experience from the others.

 

you know the best thing about ohio's zoos is not only their excellence, but also their variety. each zoo is such a completely different style of zoo experience from the others.

 

 

I couldn't agree more, it's definitely something we can all be proud of.

I hate the Columbus Zoo with all of my baboon heart.

I hate the Columbus Zoo with all of my baboon heart.

 

 

 

Why?

He's from Detroit.  Their zoo isn't in their city ;).

So I guess we're as progressive as California then!!!  :wink:

He's from Detroit.  Their zoo isn't in their city ;).

 

And the Columbus Zoo is nestled in the heart of King-Lincoln.

 

My problem with the Columbus Zoo: phenomenally poor land use, and all the evils therein.

 

The nerve of a place preaching conservation and sustainable habitat when they've paved the surrounding countryside to accommodate plans for a golf course.

 

The traffic patterns about the place suck inside and out. To park, you're sent in a mile loop around the lot. Once in the lot (five bucks unless you're a member), you find that the parking lanes were clearly planned and striped by a madman.

 

Inside the park, exhibits are far apart, and the paths don't circulate; you walk all the way to the end of the park, and then you have to double back all the way. At the Detroit Zoo, you walk all the way to the back of the park and realize you're too tired to come back by foot, you catch a train that delivers you efficiently back to the gate. At the Columbus Zoo, their train is a puny four minute circuit around dubiously populated habitat. And what that exhibit lacks in visible wolverines, it more than makes up for with impossibly witty U of M commentary by your fellow Buckeye passengers.

 

Also: no hippos, lions or giraffes.

 

By the way, someone better set Wiki straight: they have the zoo listed in Powell.

 

That's incorrect: it's actually in Dublin.

Jack Hannah came to UC a few weeks ago. My friend was walking down Main street and there Jack Hannah was dressed like a crocodile hunter, and asked my friend how to get to the rec center. I think one of the animals he brought out was a Bearcat (most UC students think they're made up creatures).

And the Columbus Zoo is nestled in the heart of King-Lincoln. 

 

It was actually nearby years ago ;).

 

The traffic patterns about the place suck inside and out. To park, you're sent in a mile loop around the lot.

 

Uh...I just parked when I got to the dirt lot.  It was really easy.

 

Inside the park, exhibits are far apart, and the paths don't circulate; you walk all the way to the end of the park, and then you have to double back all the way. At the Detroit Zoo, you walk all the way to the back of the park and realize you're too tired to come back by foot, you catch a train that delivers you efficiently back to the gate. At the Columbus Zoo, their train is a puny four minute circuit around dubiously populated habitat.

 

Sir, the Detroit Zoo isn't exactly an ideal composition of Riverside, Illinois either.  I'm not saying Columbus' layout is superior (it's not, though it certainly isn't worse).

 

http://www.detroitzoo.org/Visitors/Detroit_Zoo/Detroit_Zoo_Map/

 

And when I went to the Detroit Zoo, their train didn't even work.  Hrmph.

And the Columbus Zoo is nestled in the heart of King-Lincoln. 

 

It was actually nearby years ago ;).

 

As soon as I get my time machine back up and running I'll be in the pink.

 

 

The traffic patterns about the place suck inside and out. To park, you're sent in a mile loop around the lot.

 

Uh...I just parked when I got to the dirt lot.  It was really easy.

 

You haven't been there this year, have you.

 

Inside the park, exhibits are far apart, and the paths don't circulate; you walk all the way to the end of the park, and then you have to double back all the way. At the Detroit Zoo, you walk all the way to the back of the park and realize you're too tired to come back by foot, you catch a train that delivers you efficiently back to the gate. At the Columbus Zoo, their train is a puny four minute circuit around dubiously populated habitat.

 

Sir, the Detroit Zoo isn't exactly an ideal composition of Riverside, Illinois either.  I'm not saying Columbus' layout is superior (it's not, though it certainly isn't worse).

 

http://www.detroitzoo.org/Visitors/Detroit_Zoo/Detroit_Zoo_Map/

 

Looks pretty good to me.

 

And when I went to the Detroit Zoo, their train didn't even work.  Hrmph.

 

Bummer

You haven't been there this year, have you.

 

Thank God not.  What have they done?  Added Ms. Cheeks-Kilpatrick to the manatee exhibit?

 

Looks pretty good to me.

 

Ditto:

http://www.colszoo.org/visitorinfo/quicktour/index.html

 

The only real difference is the road running between the two sides of the zoo and Columbus' focusing its circulation with distinctive animal groups while Detroit strangely putting penguins next door to butterflies.

 

Bummer

 

Indeed.

talking zoo smack