The Memphis Zoo is our choice for the best zoo in Tennessee. It is by far the state’s largest zoo, and also is one of three zoos in the US to have giant pandas. But this zoo also has some well-themed exhibits. The animals (generally) have plenty of room. The zoo has really good flow to it. Now, being so large, it does take a good day’s walk to see it all, so make sure you have a good plan of how to traverse the zoo. The zoo is pretty much divided into two halves. The right half of the zoo has more animals than the left, so we chose that half for the morning of our visit, and finished with the right half in the afternoon, which also included more houses (so we enjoyed the AC in the heat of the day). Check out below for our highlights.
Highlights:
- China exhibit – This was very well themed. The giant pandas are the stars here. There is an outdoor exhibit, as well as indoor homes for Lei-Lei and Yaya. Viewing is great in these areas, and there is plenty of shade for visitors on a hot day.
- Teton Trek – This exhibit features bears, wolves, and elk. It is very well themed. The bear exhibit is the highlight, with a waterfall in the middle.
- Northwest Passage – Similar to Teton Trek, this exhibit has a great overall theme and signage. Animals featured here are polar bears, sea lions, and eagles.
- Stingray Cove – Most sting ray touch tanks are enjoyable, and this one is no different. The walls are at a good height, so each of our kids was able to reach in and touch the rays. The staff in this area were extremely friendly, and did a great job of facilitating the touch experience.
Lows:
- Indoor Exhibits – The Tropical Bird House and Aquarium both left something to be desired. I would say they were on the low end of what you would see in zoos, in terms of volume and creativity of exhibit space.
- Elephant exhibit – The elephants here don’t have much room. The zoo features five female elephants. On the day of our visit, they were separated due to some bullying from one of them. But regardless, they didn’t have much room to roam.
- Cat Country – First off, let me say that I personally enjoyed Cat Country. You weave through a shaded area with different big cats on either side of you. There is a nice collection of big cats to enjoy. However, from a photographer’s perspective, the use of chain fencing instead of glass make these beautiful cats difficult to capture. While a few of the enclosures have a mote, and thus don’t need a chain fence, a majority of them were difficult to photograph due to the fencing.
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