While growing up between several cities in the world like LA, Madrid and Edinburgh I remember eagerly visiting the zoo at least a couple times a year. Zoos are an enchanting, nearly magical place of seemingly endless wonder and joy; a place where young imaginations rarely want to leave. Or at least, I never wanted to!
No matter what city you visit a Zoo in, the charm is all the same and the Houston Zoo is no exception. If you have yet to visit it, you should! I suspect that the nearly two million people who visit the Houston Zoo every year would agree with me.
I recently visited the Houston Zoo with two parents, Laura and Jeff, who brought their two-year-old daughter, Halle, to the Zoo for the first time.
Young parents, Laura and Jeff, with their daughter Halle
With over 6,000 exotic animals representing more than 800 species in the 55-acre Zoo there’s a lot to see! Every half-hour there’s an event and “Keeper Talk” where you can watch animals being taken care of, listen to the keeper tell visitors a little about the animal and answer questions from the visitors. These events are listed on the map that’s given to visitors at the ticket booths.
We began our Zoo adventure by going to watch the 10am elephant baths at the McNair Elephant Habitat – a massively interesting event for young Halle and other visitor’s children! The sheer size of the Asian Elephants and the short distance one can see them from is staggering.
Four adult elephants, one male and three female, live at the Houston Zoo and in 2010 two elephants were born: a 348-pound boy named Baylor and a 273-pound girl named Tupelo. Asian Elephants can be found in parts of south Asia in countries like India, Thailand and in Vietnam where the 1993 Walt Disney film Operation: Dumbo Drop was set and featured an Asian Elephant. Sadly this particular elephant species is endangered with fewer than 50,000 in the wild. To put that figure into perspective consider this: there are only three elephant species in the world and two of those are African Elephants, classified as vulnerable with a population of 600,000. Those figures make babies Baylor and Tupelo all the more special.
Asian Elephant baby girl Tupelo with her Mom
By 11am I would have expected to be roasting in this summer’s exceptional heat, but the majority of the Zoo is covered in tropical tree foliage lending most of the walkways excellent shade. The Zoo has also worked with TXU Energy to place misting fans throughout and air-conditioned rooms are clearly labeled throughout for those that need a “Chill Out.”
The tropical atmosphere of the Zoo, which is by far more extensive within the cages, lends the carnivores (lions, tigers, jaguars, etc.) an ideal backdrop to blend into. “LOOK over there Mommy, I see him, I see him!” exclaims a little boy as he jumps up and down pointing to a Clouded Leopard that’s tucked away in the side of what’s built to look like the face of a small rock mountain. Finding these cats is definitely a big part of the fun as they lazily lie about in their elaborate, natural looking cages.
Aurora enjoying some time outside with one of her care givers. She got her teething ring. Aurora can be seen at noon on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Wortham World of Primates with one of her care givers during one of the Zoo’s Meet the Keeper Talks.
At 11:30am every day the Zoo Keepers feeds one of the carnivores in front of an audience of visitors. We saw the Malayan Tiger receive lunch, a portion of its daily 8-pounds of meat diet. “Do they eat carrots? Is that why it’s orange?” asks a child on the far side of the audience.
Smiling but apparently familiar with all sorts of questions the Keeper responds, “No they don’t really like carrots,” then went on to answer several more questions that were hollered out at once by fascinated children. The Keepers, volunteers and employees at the Houston Zoo are extremely helpful, who seem to be very happy to go out of their own way to answer people’s questions or to help visitors find exhibits throughout the Zoo.
A major addition to the Zoo, which opened in December 2010, is the African Forest – 6.5 acres of wild adventure set in the heart of America’s fourth largest city. This section simply cannot be compared to any other part of the Zoo because it’s a totally immersive experience.
Rhinos enjoying a mud bath in The African Forest
Once you enter the African Forest your short adventure begins and you walk in the footsteps of Gorilla Tommy who used to be an exploitive explorer seeking fame and immeasurable wealth. But one day his cargo plane crash lands deep in the African Forest and is left with nothing but his wits and a newfound wisdom from his near-death experience.
Through the expedition in the African Forest visitors can see Chimpanzees, White Rhinos, Kudu, Ostriches, and can even feed the Giraffes lettuce. But whether those who journey through the African Forest are able to find the ever-elusive Koolookamba is an entirely different matter altogether. It’s part of a legend older than Big Foot, but it’s possible to see up to 32 hidden faces of the Koolookamba through the journey…
Toby, an utterly adorable Red Panda. And no, you can’t take him home… We already asked!
The Houston Zoo is almost too large to visit everything in a single day, or to properly describe in a single article. It’s simply a fantastic experience that can’t be missed!
If you plan to visit with kids you might be interested in buying the “Combo Package” tickets which include a ride on the Wildlife Carousel and a film in the 4-D Experience – an immersive film experience where you can watch Dora & Diego’s 4-D Adventure, and Planet Earth: From Pole to Pole. There’s also a petting zoo, plenty of refreshment stands, a large café – set next to a large pond with ducks from around the world – that serves pizzas, burgers and ice cream.
You can plan your visit by following this link.
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