This Alabama zoo comparison looks at two AZA zoos about an hour apart in the state of Alabama: the Birmingham Zoo and the Montgomery Zoo. These zoos are each kid-friendly, and fun in their own way. Each zoo ranks in the 20s in our list of zoos. If you’re planning a vacation to Florida and are passing through, one of these zoos would be a nice pit stop! So take a look at our Alabama zoo comparison to see which one you think you’d rather visit.
Size:
The Birmingham Zoo is is the larger of the two, covering 122 acres and hosting over 950 animals. By comparison, the Montgomery Zoo covers 42 acres and hosts over 500 animals. However, we visited these zoos in the same day, and our family’s takeaway was that the Montgomery Zoo was bigger. Birmingham’s sections are more spread out from each other, causing longer walks between exhibits. Montgomery’s exhibits are all close in proximity, giving the illusion that you’re see many more animals. This is a tough one – so I’m going to have to go off of length of visit. We spent 1.5 hours at Birmingham, and 3 hours at Montgomery Zoo. Advantage: Montgomery Zoo
Indoor Exhibits:
The Birmingham Zoo had a few combo indoor/outdoor exhibits. These include South America and Africa. In these areas you could find many different monkeys, along with other animals. It also appears they are doing construction on an Asia exhibit – and that appears to be some sort of indoor exhibit as well. The reptile building at the Birmingham Zoo is currently closed. The Montgomery Zoo, has a reptile house, which includes caiman, snakes, skinks, and others. Advantage: Birmingham Zoo
Animal Interactions:
Both zoos have lessened the amount of available animal encounters due to covid. At the Birmingham zoo, you can partake in giraffe feedings and parakeet feedings on the weekends. The petting zoo in Alabama Wilds is open to walk through. Camel rides and flamingo feedings are currently not being offered because of the pandemic. At the Montgomery Zoo, the parakeet and South American Aviaries are open to walk through. Giraffe feedings and koi pod feedings are also available. However, stingray bay is currently closed. Advantage: Birmingham Zoo
Habitats:
The Birmingham Zoo has exhibits that are themed nicely with signage. However, the habitats often come up short. While the Trails of Africa is a great exhibit for elephants, it’s hard to come up with others that seem adequate for the animals. The rest of Africa is disappointing, as is the bayou. Alabama Wilds has great signage and theming, but the exhibits aren’t spectacular. some amazing habitats. The Montgomery Zoo relies on savannas to showcase collections of animals in their Africa, Asia, and North America regions. In each case, you can see multiple species mingling together. The African section has elephants nearby with a waterfall in their habitat. Advantage: Montgomery Zoo
Wow Factor:
Neither zoo has an impressive exhibit upon entering. At hte Birmingham Zoo, my main takeaway upon entrance was hte signage. There’s a small fountain in front, and a beautiful grassy area. It really is an attractive entrance. Exhibits are tucked away to your right or left, so while the animals are not there to greet you, the wow factor comes from the cleanliness of the zoo and the signage. At the Montgomery Zoo, there is much less crisp feeling upon entering. However, you do have macaws and an aviary over to your right within view. They’re not the most exciting exhibits ever, but you are able to roadmap where you’re going based on seeing animals upon entry. Advantage: Birmingham Zoo
Rare Animals:
The Birmingham Zoo has a nice collection of animals. Among them, the rarest ones to find in zoos are probably the bongo, and perhaps the black bear. Nothing really strikes me as extremely unique here. At the Montgomery Zoo, the black jaguar immediately comes to mind. We’ve only seen these at three different zoos! They also have more pygmy hippos than we’ve ever seen at a zoo before, as well as a dwarf caiman in the reptile house (which we did not visit). Advantage: Montgomery Zoo
Price:
An Alabama zoo comparison wouldn’t be complete without looking at price. The Birmingham Zoo is $17.95 for adults and $12.95 for kids. There is no charge for parking. Montgomery Zoo is $17 for adults and $13 for kids. Parking is also free. These prices are extremely close. It’s worth noting that with a membership to an AZA zoo, Birmingham is 50% off, but Montgomery Zoo is free. Advantage: Montgomery Zoo
Overall:
This is a close matchup, and the numbers give Montgomery Zoo a 4-3 victory. Montgomery Zoo comes in at 22nd in our rankings, with the Birmingham Zoo not far behind at 28th.
Thank you for reading our Alabama zoo comparison. Still looking for more information on these zoos? Check out an assessment of Alabama zoos by Vacations Alabama here.
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