Go: The World Famous San Diego Zoo!
The San Diego Zoo is one of the 10 largest zoos in the world - #6 actually. Do you know where the #1 largest zoo in the world is located? Get ready to be surprised - It’s in Nebraska! Who knew - not me! It’s the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, home to 17,000 animals, 962 species, and encompasses 130 acres.
The world famous San Diego Zoo has 400 animals, 800 species, and 100 open air acres, and I love this - it’s a place known for conservation and preservation, as well as providing a beautiful place to breed animals in captivity for release into their native habitats.
I am such a lucky gal to have had an unlimited annual zoo pass for the last 35+ years. Twice a week I would walk with a friend early in the morning for a couple of hours at the zoo getting both our steps in, and best of all, our visits with our animal buddy besties!
The author began researching the San Diego Zoo’s history in 1999 while writing history for the Zoo’s Centennial. She found newspaper articles about these two giraffes who survived an ocean voyage from Africa to New York City and the Great Hurricane of 1938, then spent 12 days traveling in a NY tricked out pickup truck on Interstates, including the Lee Highway, to the San Diego Zoo. And West With Giraffes was born from her initial research!
Word has it that Dr. Harry M. Wegeforth, founder of the SD Zoological Society, heard the roar of a lion while driving one day. Exotic animals had been abandoned after the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. He safely captured the lion. And so began the incredible journey bringing several million global visitors each year to one of the best zoos in the world.
There have been so many notable firsts at the zoo, like the world’s only albino koala born in a zoological facility, as well as notable escapees through the years, like the Bornean Orangutan who came to be known as the “hairy Houdini”, for his many escapes.
You will find that the exhibits at the zoo are designed around a particular habitat, like an African Rainforest, and the Arctic Taiga. There are monkey and forest trails,and flight free Aviaries with colorful birds from Asia, Papa Guinea, Africa, South America, Australia, and North America. There is a Panda Canyon, an Urban Jungle, and the Polar Bear Plunge. There is a Tiger trail, Koalafornia, the Gorilla Tropics,and a Sun Bear forest. My favorite is the Elephant Odyssey which includes a 2 ½ acre elephant habitat. The marvelous list goes on and on.
The zoo’s location itself is spectacular - it is part of the stunning 1200 acre Balboa Park built in the Spanish Colonial-revival style, which also includes world class museums, a magnificent Rose Garden, The Reuben H. Fleet Science Center and IMAX theater, the exquisite Japanese Garden, wonderful restaurants, walking and running trails, International Cottages, and the Old Globe Theater. Plan your trip today - you must visit this world treasure in your lifetime!
READ: West With Giraffes
