Surrounded by the green of Balboa Park, the zoological garden is a really city’s celebrity. Or, better to say, a showcase of over 4000 celebrities representing some 800 endangered species.
The exotic celebrities have their own ‘catwalks’ and the zoo is divided into the sections of various environments. The zoo is also the accredited botanical garden, and the animals are presented with the real plants from their habitat.
panda Yun Zi, © Ken Bohn, San Diego Zoo.
So there is Gorilla Forest with apes, African Plains showing giraffes mixing with zebras, Elephant Valley and White Rhino.
The birds have their own Flamingo Lagoon, dedicated aviaries and many of these species one can see around a replica of Nairobi Village in Mombasa Lagoon. Condor Ridge features the largest birds of the Americas.
The transparent plastics allow to peek at polar bears, but the real celebrities are three panda’s breed in Giant Panda Research Station, one of four places in US, where these big bears are kept.
Although the animals have plenty of space to move, in many cases you can watch them from the close distance.
Ituri Forest, which simulates Africa rainforest has the large pool with hippos to be seen through underwater glass exposure.
The Monkey trail leads through treetops allowing close look at these animals and exotic birds. In Children’s Zoo you can pet some of cute furry creatures, also see some shows, like the popular one that include sea otters.
There are several ways to move around San Diego Zoo. Besides of walking, you can get aboard on Express Bus that stops in five main points of the park, or join Guided Bus Tour with explanations given in various languages, which may be a good start of a visit. An aerial tram Skyfari goes above most of key attractions of the zoo.