Zoo Review: Phoenix Zoo, Part I

Phoenix, Arizona is one of the largest cities in the United States… which makes it all the more surprising that it didn’t have a zoo until the 1960’s.   While there had been several tentative discussions to open a zoo, one did not come into being until 1962 at the direction of Robert Maytag.  The Maytag Zoo, shortly after renamed “Phoenix Zoo,” opened in Papago Park, on the site of a 1930’s era fish hatchery, the remnants of which can still be seen at the entrance.

Few zoos have their origin and story so closely tied to the fate of an endangered species.  Not long after its opening, the zoo was selected as the site for “Operation Oryx,” a last ditch effort to save one of the world’s rarest antelope.  Every known Arabian oryx, captive and wild, was rounded up and sent to the Phoenix Zoo to form what became known as the World Herd, which, at nine strong, may not have seemed the most promising of enterprises.  The World Herd was originally set to be based out of Kenya, but disease concerns forced conservationists to consider alternate sites, with Phoenix eventually being chosen due to its climate.  Thankfully, the herd flourished (the first birth actually taking place as result of a conception that occurred while the animals were en route to Phoenix); by 2002, over 200 oryxes had been born at Phoenix, eventually resulting in the reintroduction of this species to the wild.

The animals and exhibits of the Phoenix Zoo can be seen along four looping trails, roughly positioned around a central lagoon.  For many visitors, the first exhibit area that will be explored is Arizona Trail¸ which displays the impressive wildlife of the state.  Visitors begin their experience in a walk-through desert aviary, where quails, waterfowl, and other birds fly overhead or dart about their feet.  Exhibits of tortoises and lizards, such as chuckwallas, are stationed around the aviary.  A gallery building on either side of the aviary features an impressive collection of reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates from Arizona.  The rattlesnake collection is especially impressive, but visitors can also observe a variety of non-venomous snakes, as well as tarantulas, toads, and lizards, including Gila monsters.  I especially enjoyed the horned lizards; I saw more varieties of these armored little lizards on this one day than I had in my entire life up until that point.  For some of the species, the enclosures feature underground burrows stationed up against the glass, allowing visitors to see the animals in their burrows.

More birds can be seen outside of the aviary, including burrowing owls, bald and golden eagles, and perhaps the most charismatic of desert birds, greater roadrunners, as well as a small town of black-tailed prairie dogs.  You can also see many of Arizona’s larger mammals.  Collared peccaries and pronghorn occupy open, dusty yards, while pumas and bobcats have meshed-in habitats.  The latter two might have been some of the less-impressive habitats on the trail, perhaps too dependent on gunite and fake rockwork than in natural exhibit features.  Far more impressive to me was the habitat for endangered Mexican gray wolves, which bore pups shortly after my visit.   I also liked the white-nosed coati habitat, though I wasn’t able to see the animals themselves.  Tucked along the trail are two large aviaries for two of the rarest birds in the southwest: thick-billed parrots, now sadly extinct in Arizona, and California condors, which have been reintroduced to the Grand Canyon, just a few hours away.

The Phoenix Zoo’s commitment to the conservation of native species extends far beyond exhibition.  Elsewhere on zoo grounds is the Arizona Center for Nature Conservation.  Largely off-view to the public, though a few windows provide a peak into some of the rooms, the center is a multi-building compound devoted to the breeding of some of Arizona’s most endangered species.  Perhaps most famous of these to the public is the black-footed ferret, but the center does not limit itself to the cute and fuzzy.  It also maintains research and breeding programs for snakes, frogs, and even aquatic mollusks.

One final exhibit of Arizonan wildlife, and perhaps the zoo’s flagship exhibit, it located on a cactus-lined side trail that loops off of Arizona Trail.  It can take a bit of a hike to get to the Desert Lives trail, but visitors who do make it will be rewarded with an impressive view.  A herd of desert bighorn sheep clambers atop the massive mountain that looms over the trail, or may come down to feed at its foot.  Nearby is a habitat for Arabian oryxes.

The animals of the dry plains of East Africa are just as much at home in Phoenix as are many of the natives.  Africa Trail begins at the sweeping Savanna Yard, where giraffes and antelope share their plains with ostriches, storks, and vultures.  Giraffes can be seen eye-to-eye in a wooden tower at the front of the habitat.

Following the trail, visitors will pass a habitat of fennec foxes (maybe the best I’d ever seen for this species) before coming face-to-face with considerably larger carnivores – lions and spotted hyenas in moated yards.  Down the trail, two more yards, more spacious and grassy than those for the lions and hyenas, house two additional African predators, cheetahs and African wild dogs.  Gerenuk, white rhinoceros, warthog, and Grevy’s zebras each occupy separate yards along the trail.  Among the most popular of the exhibits for visitors is the baboon area – visitors can observe mandrills and hamadryas baboons for a small courtyard, with viewing windows into each habitat on either side of the path.

 To complete the African experience, visitors may have the chance to ride a dromedary camel.  This is an experience that many zoos used to offer, but relatively few do these days.  Part of it, I suspect, is worrying about the message that the image of riding an animal conveys (most zoo visitors don’t recognize that dromedaries are domestic animals), and part might be welfare concerns.  I do know that I rode a few camels as a kid and found the experience to be highly memorable.  If done properly, as it seemed to be done at Phoenix, with plenty of breaks, water, and limits on the workload (and above all, plenty of supervision), I see no problem with allowing camel rides.

The completion of the Africa Trail takes us about halfway through the Phoenix Zoo.  We’ll take a break for now and resume the trip tomorrow.

Phoenix Zoo and Arizona Center for Nature Conservation