When most people mention the zoo, there’s always an elephant in the room—an underlying assumption that zoos are not the best places where animals can be happy and healthy. A few zoos in the US, however, are out to change that. These animal sanctuaries are full of conservation-minded members who are busy as bees proving that zoos can, in fact, be a positive place for animals.
The San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo has been consistently voted #1 in the world, and for good reason. Just one visit and you’ll quickly see the staff’s deep passion for making what they call the Human-Animal Connection. The San Diego Zoo knows that conservation starts with education, so they faithfully educate every guest in an engaging way that is fun for both us and the wild ones. On top of that, the zoo and connected safari park are protected havens that provide both safety and good health for endangered species who—if left in the wild—might have already become extinct.
On January 12, The San Diego Zoo matched all money raised from admissions at its zoo and safari park and donated it to wildlife relief efforts in Australia.
The Smithsonian National Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoo is arguably one of the brightest gems in our busy nation’s capital. All Smithsonian facilities have two things in common: free admission and top-tier conservation research. With over 2,700 animals across 390 species, you can learn about the vast conservation biology projects that the institute conducts by attending the dozens of events and programs they hold year-round. They even offer free guided tours where a trained member can answer any questions you may have about the work and research they are conducting to save species.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo provides world-class VIP tours that provide guests with not only an extensive overview of the park via golf cart but also a variety of behind-the-scenes experiences that you can choose from to personalize your trip. You can feel good knowing your contributions are being used to save the animals that you are there to learn about. Another neat feature about the CMZ, visitors can pick and choose specific conservation projects that they want a portion of their admission fee to support thanks to the zoo’s Quarters for Conservation program.
Right now you can adopt a gorilla for Valentine’s Day here!
