ARIZONA ZOOS

We just got back from a trip to Arizona where we were able to visit the Phoenix Zoo this time. Very different from the zoos in Illinois, it's all (or mostly) outdoors. Most of what we saw--unfortunately not all because of time constraints--was off paths through extremely tall palm trees, bamboo groves, cactus plantings, and other tropical-ish growth; very beautiful. We also enjoyed the turtles--hundreds of them--in the river at the entrance to the zoo. Some of the animals were like the ones we had seen another year at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson (where peacocks roam free)--giant tortoises, capybaras, and anteaters--and others weren't--orangutans and and farm animals. The zoo is arranged in numerous "Trails", including Tropics, Africa, Arizona, and Children's. They have also combined several types of animals in some environments--the savannah has ostriches, gazelles, and cattle, among others. If walking is too hard, they also have--besides a safari train--pedal boats (on the lagoon) and low-slung bikes for rent.

A visit to Phoenix (or Tucson) would be enriched by a visit to the zoo.