If you haven't been to The Detroit Zoo since your second grade field trip because, back then, it was referred to as "The Smelly Zoo", you're doing yourself a great injustice.
Things have changed in the last couple decades, big time!
The chimpanzees and gorillas now have a huge free-roaming exhibit of their very own. No more cages with bars and one tire on a rope to share. You can circle the entire exhibit offering several vantage points of your choosing. In increment weather all simians can be found inside the ape house, which is much larger building than the one from our youth.
The polar bears are no longer housed in those small pitted habitats where you may remember having tossed marshmellows to them thirty years ago. They have their very own "Arctic Ring of Life" these days. A wonderful exhibit featuring arctic foxes, seals and polar bears. The highlight of the Ring exhibit certainly being the Polar Bear tunnel. I'll warn you, you have to have awfully good timing to catch a polar bear swimming. There's no set time or weather conditions that prompts them into the water. We've seen them in the Summer, Winter, afternoon, feeding times, non-feeding times. It's all just a matter of luck! But, if you are able to catch one, I promise it will be one of the most majestic scenes you and your child will ever see! The tunnel is worth a visit any day, though, because the seals are always swimming full time. (But, no more feeding marshmellows to the animals. The zoo has all beasts on strict diets these days!)
The lions have the newest of the improved exhibits. There's no longer a pit dividing you and these predators. You can actually stand this close to the Kings of the Savannah:
In the past, a visit to the lions would usually only offer one of the following options: 1.) Watching the lions sleep. Zzzzzzz... or 2.) Watching a lion pace back and forth, looking bored and wearing a tread in his cement trail.
Not anymore! The new opportunity of grass and space has made the lions awfully frisky!
And heated rocks near the glass lure them closer than ever during nap times.
There's a brand new carousel located between the fountain and the main restaurant.
Dinosauria rolls into town most summers, bringing you nose to nose with your favorite extinct creatures.
And there's still a few of the classic exhibits left that will conjure up nostalgia from your younger days. Giraffes in Egypt anyone?
Peacocks still run wild.
And, who remembers this guy?
I should also stress once again that the zoo is no longer smelly! It hasn't been for decades! It's clean and beautifully landscaped now, so stop killing its rep.
It's open year-round and always worth a visit any season. In the summer the sprinklers and misting stations are running to keep you comfortable:
And, the winters here are great fun too!
In fact, the Winter time is the best time to see some of the animals who thrive in the colder weather. If you're a red panda fan, like myself, the winter is usually the one time you will see them romping around on the ground. In the warmer months they hide up in the tree tops or are off exhibit all together.
Any of the other Asian animals are also very active during this time, such as the snow monkeys and Siberian tigers. There are plenty of indoor exhibits as well, offering plenty to see including this additional unique feature to your wintertime visits, the giraffe house:
Close enough to marvel over her eyelashes! The rhinos and lemurs also have indoor exhibits you can visit this time of year. And, don't forget the reptile, amphibian and butterfly houses. The beautiful Ford Education Center is always worth a peek. Step inside to warm up and use the newer restroom facilities. (The Ford Center also has one of the few working drinking fountains during the winter time.) The building also houses a 4-D movie theater, the Wild Adventure ride and art and photography exhibits year round.
If you live within a reasonable drive to Royal Oak, I would also suggest you consider purchasing a zoo membership. It's not only a great way to support the zoo program, it's also a great investment for family fun! Annual prices start at $38 for an individual membership. If you visit three times or more a year, any membership package pays for itself!
So what's left to stop you from visiting now? Come on by! You'll probably see me there, because you know I'm a member. And, don't forget to take a picture by the polar bear fountain before you leave. It's a time honored tradition!
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| "We don't smell a thing!" |
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