Let's say this first: The Baltimore Zoo is one of the finest in the country. But every zoo is different, and sometimes it's fun to check out the animals and exhibits lurking in other cities.
Summertime, the season of vacationing and visiting, is an ideal time to look in on some of these treasures.
The big-city zoos within a five-hour drive of Baltimore offer more than lions, tigers and bears, although those creatures can be found in abundance. There are also plenty of funky monkeys, slippery swimmers and fantastic fliers. You can see tiny marmosets at the Virginia Zoo and giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington.
Most of these zoos seem to be enjoying a baby boom, so check out the baby elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo or the new twin tamarin monkeys at the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, Del.
Without further ado, here is a brief tour of nearby zoos. It goes without saying that we're always happy to come home to the wonderful zoo in the heart of Baltimore.
The National Zoo
By far, the most popular animals at the National Zoo are the giant pandas, spokeswoman Dorothy Black said. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived from China in December 2000, continuing a tradition of giant pandas at the zoo that dates to 1972, when then-President Richard Nixon received Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing as a gift from the People's Republic of China.
Ling-Ling died in 1992, and Hsing-Hsing died in 1999.
The zoo has more than 5,800 animals and new ones are being added all the time. Animals born in 2001 include a giraffe, tiger cub, gorilla and Asian elephant. Of course, one of the big pluses of the National Zoo is that there is no admission charge. The 163-acre zoo, founded in 1889, is a Smithsonian museum.
Fun facts: The diet of a wild giant panda is 99 percent bamboo, with the remaining 1 percent including other grasses and the occasional rodent. In zoos, the giant panda diet is supplemented with such treats as carrots, apples, sugar cane and rice gruel.
Hours: From May 1 to Sept. 15, the grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; from Sept. 16 to April 30, the grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The zoo is open every day except Dec. 25.
Address and directions: The National Zoo is at 3001 Connecticut Ave. in northwest Washington. Pedestrians and vehicles can enter on the east side of the zoo. Parking is $5 for three hours, plus $2 for each additional hour, for a maximum of $11 per day. For more information, call 202-673-4800 or visit the Web site at natzoo.si.edu.
The Brandywine Zoo
Wilmington's Brandywine Zoo, the only zoo in Delaware, has about 150 animals, said Barbara Woodford, public relations marketing manager.
The 12-acre zoo opened in 1905. In 1998, it added an Andean Condor exhibit with a 110,000-cubic-foot flight cage.
Among the more popular animals are the zoo's two Siberian tigers and the North American river otters. Both the tigers and the otters love to splash around in their respective pools, Woodford said.
The zoo also has baby tamarin monkeys, which were born in April. The babies are twins, which is very common with this kind of monkey.
Fun fact: Tamarin monkeys grow to be about the size of gray squirrels. They live in family groups of two to 11 individuals and learn about caring for the young by helping to raise their siblings.
Hours and admission: The Brandywine Zoo is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 per adult, and $2 for senior citizens and children 3 to 11.
Address and directions: The zoo is at 1001 N. Park Drive, in Wilmington. It is just off Route 202 South. For more information, call 302-571-7788, Ext. 200. The Web site is http://www.fieldtrip.com/de/25717747.htm, and was designed by fifth-graders at the Warner Elementary School, which is close to the zoo.
The Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in the nation when it opened on July 1, 1874. It has about 1,800 animals.
The zoo still boasts Victorian architecture in many of its buildings, but now has such modern exhibits as the Animal Health Center, which opened in 1997 and treats ailing animals from hummingbirds to polar bears.
Currently on display in the Reptile House is Naga, the largest Komodo dragon in the Western Hemisphere, on loan from the Cincinnati Zoo until July 31. This creature, which has a forked tongue and serrated teeth, weighs 250 pounds and is nearly 10 feet long.
Also popular are the zoo's two female white lions, which arrived in 1993 and were the first white lions to be exhibited in a U.S. zoo.
Fun facts: The Komodo was given to then-President George Bush in 1990 by the president of Indonesia. There are only about 3,000 wild Komodo dragons left, and they live only on the Indonesian islands north of Australia.
Hours and admission: The zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from February through November. In December and January, it is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The zoo is not open Jan. 1, June 13, Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 24-25 and 31. General admission is $12.95 from February through November, and $5.95 in December and January. For children 2 to 11, general admission is $9.95 from February to November, and $5.95 in December and January. Parking is $6 per vehicle.
Address and directions: The Philadelphia Zoo is at 3400 W. Girard Ave. It is on the corner of 34th Street and Girard Avenue in Philadelphia. From Interstate 76, take Exit 342, which is Girard Avenue. If you are coming from the east, turn left at Girard Avenue for parking. If you are coming from the west, turn right. For more information, call 215-243-1100 or visit the Web site at phillyzoo.org.
The Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo, the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, opened in 1899 with 843 animals. It now has more than 6,000.
The latest addition to the ever-evolving zoo is the Congo Gorilla Forest, which was completed in 2001. "It really puts you in the thick of the rain forest," said Linda Corcoran, a zoo spokeswoman.
The 6.5-acre exhibit has more than 400 animals, including 23 lowland gorillas. Visitors can observe the family dynamics of this group through plate glass, Corcoran said.
Other animals in the exhibit include okapi, which resemble giraffes with shorter necks, and DeBrazza's monkeys, which have owllike faces.
Fun fact: The zoo's 25-foot, 4-inch-long reticulated python, known as Samantha, is the largest of her species in any zoo.
Hours and admission: The Bronx Zoo is open year-round. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Admission prices range from $6 to $11, with children under 2 admitted for free. A $3 fee for the Congo Gorilla Exhibit is donated to an African conservation project of the visitor's choice.
Address and directions: The Bronx Zoo is at Fordham Road and the Bronx River Parkway in the Bronx, N.Y. It is easy to reach from Exit 6 off the Bronx River Parkway. For more information, call 718-367-1010 or visit the Web site at bronxzoo.com.
The Virginia Zoo
The Virginia Zoo, in Norfolk, recently completed the largest expansion in its history with the creation of an Africa-themed exhibit, the Okovanggo Delta. The 8-acre site is the first of five continent-themed displays that are scheduled for development.
Animals in the Africa exhibit include African elephants, an ostrich, baboons, cranes, a rock python, rhinos and a zebra. There are also displays that teach visitors about the culture and environment of Africa.
The zoo has been around since 1900, when it opened with 123 mammals, 65 birds and 33 reptiles. It now has more than 340 animals representing 115 species.
Fun facts: Marmosets, which can be seen at the Virginia Zoo, are among the world's smallest primates, often weighing less than a pound. Pygmy marmosets are the smallest of the species, weighing in at a minuscule 3 ounces.
Hours and admission: The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is $3.50 for adults; $1.75 for children aged 2 to 11, and $3 for senior citizens.
Address and directions: The zoo is at 3500 Granby St., Norfolk, Va. Granby Street can be reached from Interstate 64. For more information, call 757-624-9937 or visit the zoo's Web site at www.virginiazoo.org.
The Pittsburgh Zoo
Exhibits at the Pittsburgh Zoo, one of only six zoo-aquarium combos in the country, include an Asian forest, an African savanna, a tropical forest complex, a cheetah valley and the aquarium, which opened in June 2000. Niches of the World, a look at various habitats, features a rare Komodo dragon.
The aquarium has more than 4,000 water creatures, ranging from penguins to piranhas. Exhibits include a crawl-through stingray tunnel, a two-story open ocean tank made to resemble a real ecosystem and an Amazon rain forest exhibit.
One of the most popular exhibits is the African savanna, which is now home to two baby elephants, said Rachel Capp, manager of public relations. A little girl was born in September 1999, and a boy was born in September 2000.
Fun facts: Elephants live to be 60 or 70 years old. They are considered adolescents until they are 10 to 14, the age at which the male will typically leave the herd.
Hours and admission: The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium are open every day except Dec. 25. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission prices range from $5 to $8.
Address and directions: The zoo is at One Wild Place in Pittsburgh, near the Highland Park Bridge off 28 North. For more information, call 412-665-3640 or 800-474-4966, or visit the Web site at www.zoo.pgh.pa.us/.
Summertime, the season of vacationing and visiting, is an ideal time to look in on some of these treasures.
The big-city zoos within a five-hour drive of Baltimore offer more than lions, tigers and bears, although those creatures can be found in abundance. There are also plenty of funky monkeys, slippery swimmers and fantastic fliers. You can see tiny marmosets at the Virginia Zoo and giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington.
Most of these zoos seem to be enjoying a baby boom, so check out the baby elephants at the Pittsburgh Zoo or the new twin tamarin monkeys at the Brandywine Zoo in Wilmington, Del.
Without further ado, here is a brief tour of nearby zoos. It goes without saying that we're always happy to come home to the wonderful zoo in the heart of Baltimore.
The National Zoo
By far, the most popular animals at the National Zoo are the giant pandas, spokeswoman Dorothy Black said. Mei Xiang and Tian Tian arrived from China in December 2000, continuing a tradition of giant pandas at the zoo that dates to 1972, when then-President Richard Nixon received Ling-Ling and Hsing-Hsing as a gift from the People's Republic of China.
Ling-Ling died in 1992, and Hsing-Hsing died in 1999.
The zoo has more than 5,800 animals and new ones are being added all the time. Animals born in 2001 include a giraffe, tiger cub, gorilla and Asian elephant. Of course, one of the big pluses of the National Zoo is that there is no admission charge. The 163-acre zoo, founded in 1889, is a Smithsonian museum.
Fun facts: The diet of a wild giant panda is 99 percent bamboo, with the remaining 1 percent including other grasses and the occasional rodent. In zoos, the giant panda diet is supplemented with such treats as carrots, apples, sugar cane and rice gruel.
Hours: From May 1 to Sept. 15, the grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. and the buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; from Sept. 16 to April 30, the grounds are open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the buildings are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The zoo is open every day except Dec. 25.
Address and directions: The National Zoo is at 3001 Connecticut Ave. in northwest Washington. Pedestrians and vehicles can enter on the east side of the zoo. Parking is $5 for three hours, plus $2 for each additional hour, for a maximum of $11 per day. For more information, call 202-673-4800 or visit the Web site at natzoo.si.edu.
The Brandywine Zoo
Wilmington's Brandywine Zoo, the only zoo in Delaware, has about 150 animals, said Barbara Woodford, public relations marketing manager.
The 12-acre zoo opened in 1905. In 1998, it added an Andean Condor exhibit with a 110,000-cubic-foot flight cage.
Among the more popular animals are the zoo's two Siberian tigers and the North American river otters. Both the tigers and the otters love to splash around in their respective pools, Woodford said.
The zoo also has baby tamarin monkeys, which were born in April. The babies are twins, which is very common with this kind of monkey.
Fun fact: Tamarin monkeys grow to be about the size of gray squirrels. They live in family groups of two to 11 individuals and learn about caring for the young by helping to raise their siblings.
Hours and admission: The Brandywine Zoo is open year-round from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $4 per adult, and $2 for senior citizens and children 3 to 11.
Address and directions: The zoo is at 1001 N. Park Drive, in Wilmington. It is just off Route 202 South. For more information, call 302-571-7788, Ext. 200. The Web site is http://www.fieldtrip.com/de/25717747.htm, and was designed by fifth-graders at the Warner Elementary School, which is close to the zoo.
The Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo was the first zoo in the nation when it opened on July 1, 1874. It has about 1,800 animals.
The zoo still boasts Victorian architecture in many of its buildings, but now has such modern exhibits as the Animal Health Center, which opened in 1997 and treats ailing animals from hummingbirds to polar bears.
Currently on display in the Reptile House is Naga, the largest Komodo dragon in the Western Hemisphere, on loan from the Cincinnati Zoo until July 31. This creature, which has a forked tongue and serrated teeth, weighs 250 pounds and is nearly 10 feet long.
Also popular are the zoo's two female white lions, which arrived in 1993 and were the first white lions to be exhibited in a U.S. zoo.
Fun facts: The Komodo was given to then-President George Bush in 1990 by the president of Indonesia. There are only about 3,000 wild Komodo dragons left, and they live only on the Indonesian islands north of Australia.
Hours and admission: The zoo is open from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from February through November. In December and January, it is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The zoo is not open Jan. 1, June 13, Thanksgiving Day, Dec. 24-25 and 31. General admission is $12.95 from February through November, and $5.95 in December and January. For children 2 to 11, general admission is $9.95 from February to November, and $5.95 in December and January. Parking is $6 per vehicle.
Address and directions: The Philadelphia Zoo is at 3400 W. Girard Ave. It is on the corner of 34th Street and Girard Avenue in Philadelphia. From Interstate 76, take Exit 342, which is Girard Avenue. If you are coming from the east, turn left at Girard Avenue for parking. If you are coming from the west, turn right. For more information, call 215-243-1100 or visit the Web site at phillyzoo.org.
The Bronx Zoo
The Bronx Zoo, the largest metropolitan zoo in the United States, opened in 1899 with 843 animals. It now has more than 6,000.
The latest addition to the ever-evolving zoo is the Congo Gorilla Forest, which was completed in 2001. "It really puts you in the thick of the rain forest," said Linda Corcoran, a zoo spokeswoman.
The 6.5-acre exhibit has more than 400 animals, including 23 lowland gorillas. Visitors can observe the family dynamics of this group through plate glass, Corcoran said.
Other animals in the exhibit include okapi, which resemble giraffes with shorter necks, and DeBrazza's monkeys, which have owllike faces.
Fun fact: The zoo's 25-foot, 4-inch-long reticulated python, known as Samantha, is the largest of her species in any zoo.
Hours and admission: The Bronx Zoo is open year-round. Summer hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays, and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on weekends and holidays. Admission prices range from $6 to $11, with children under 2 admitted for free. A $3 fee for the Congo Gorilla Exhibit is donated to an African conservation project of the visitor's choice.
Address and directions: The Bronx Zoo is at Fordham Road and the Bronx River Parkway in the Bronx, N.Y. It is easy to reach from Exit 6 off the Bronx River Parkway. For more information, call 718-367-1010 or visit the Web site at bronxzoo.com.
The Virginia Zoo
The Virginia Zoo, in Norfolk, recently completed the largest expansion in its history with the creation of an Africa-themed exhibit, the Okovanggo Delta. The 8-acre site is the first of five continent-themed displays that are scheduled for development.
Animals in the Africa exhibit include African elephants, an ostrich, baboons, cranes, a rock python, rhinos and a zebra. There are also displays that teach visitors about the culture and environment of Africa.
The zoo has been around since 1900, when it opened with 123 mammals, 65 birds and 33 reptiles. It now has more than 340 animals representing 115 species.
Fun facts: Marmosets, which can be seen at the Virginia Zoo, are among the world's smallest primates, often weighing less than a pound. Pygmy marmosets are the smallest of the species, weighing in at a minuscule 3 ounces.
Hours and admission: The zoo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is $3.50 for adults; $1.75 for children aged 2 to 11, and $3 for senior citizens.
Address and directions: The zoo is at 3500 Granby St., Norfolk, Va. Granby Street can be reached from Interstate 64. For more information, call 757-624-9937 or visit the zoo's Web site at www.virginiazoo.org.
The Pittsburgh Zoo
Exhibits at the Pittsburgh Zoo, one of only six zoo-aquarium combos in the country, include an Asian forest, an African savanna, a tropical forest complex, a cheetah valley and the aquarium, which opened in June 2000. Niches of the World, a look at various habitats, features a rare Komodo dragon.
The aquarium has more than 4,000 water creatures, ranging from penguins to piranhas. Exhibits include a crawl-through stingray tunnel, a two-story open ocean tank made to resemble a real ecosystem and an Amazon rain forest exhibit.
One of the most popular exhibits is the African savanna, which is now home to two baby elephants, said Rachel Capp, manager of public relations. A little girl was born in September 1999, and a boy was born in September 2000.
Fun facts: Elephants live to be 60 or 70 years old. They are considered adolescents until they are 10 to 14, the age at which the male will typically leave the herd.
Hours and admission: The Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium are open every day except Dec. 25. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Winter hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission prices range from $5 to $8.
Address and directions: The zoo is at One Wild Place in Pittsburgh, near the Highland Park Bridge off 28 North. For more information, call 412-665-3640 or 800-474-4966, or visit the Web site at www.zoo.pgh.pa.us/.