25 Top Picks for Wildlife Lovers

Catching a glimpse of your favorite animals up close can be a thrilling experience. And while zoos may be controversial, many of them provide a good opportunity for people to learn about the global environment and the work being done to preserve critical species for generations to come.

When planning a visit, make sure your chosen zoo is as ethical as possible. The best zoos offer educational programs, invest in research projects to help endangered animals, or have release programs to help get animals back into the wild. A good place to start is the list of institutions accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which mainly covers the United States and Canada but also a smattering of international destinations.

From Hawaii to South Africa, these top zoos work hard to make the world a better place for both people and animals.

San Diego Zoo in California 

The San Diego Zoo has long been considered one of the best zoos in the U.S., and, in fact, the world. Founded in 1916, it stretches across 100 acres and, according to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance’s website, is “home to more than 12,000 rare and endangered animals representing over 680 species and subspecies.” A portion of each ticket price goes toward various conservation programs, and guests can participate in upgraded educational experiences—think private panda viewings and behind-the-scenes tours. Its sibling property, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, about a 35-minute drive north in Escondido, is also worth a visit.

Melbourne Zoo in Australia

About a 15-minute drive north of downtown Melbourne in leafy Parkville, Melbourne Zoo is another spectacular place to see all your favorite animals and get up close and personal with a few species. For an additional fee, its animal experiences program allows guests to do a meet-and-greet with koalas, kangaroos, orangutans, and tigers, among other creatures. You can also enjoy overnight camping trips, score before- or after-hours access to the zoo, and get a behind-the-scenes look at its many impressive habitats.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in Nebraska

Get to know the animals that live on land, at sea, and in the air through the impressive exhibits at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Here, you can check out everything from reptiles and sea lions to a gorilla family and colorful tropical fish, all in one place. Not only that, guests can walk away knowing their visit has contributed to the zoo’s robust conservation efforts, including reforestation projects in Madagascar and important research into molecular genetics, plant micropropagation, and reproductive physiology. 

Basel Zoo in Switzerland

Encompassing more than 27 acres, Basel Zoo is home to around 11,000 animals, although it can be hard to keep track of that figure thanks to its comprehensive breeding project, known as the EAZA Ex-situ programme. According to the zoo’s website, among the animals it helps save from extinction are the squirrel monkey, Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hippopotamus, and honeycreeper. A portion of every entry ticket supports these efforts. 

Alaska Zoo in Anchorage

Set on 30 acres in Anchorage, the Alaska Zoo is one of the smaller facilities to make this global list but for a good reason. Local wildlife—including brown and black bears, polar bears, bald eagles, moose, hawks, and harbor seals, among other creatures—is its specialty. As the zoo’s website states, it’s a registered “501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to promoting the conservation of Arctic, sub-Arctic and like climate species through education, research, and community enrichment.” And it has done exactly that since opening in 1969.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

With more than 163 acres and free entry, Smithsonian’s National Zoo is more than just a space to view animals. Sure, you can see and learn about all creatures great and small, from the lowly naked mole rat to mighty lions, tigers, and bears, but this zoological park in Washington, D.C., is also a global leader in conservation efforts. Part of the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest museum and research complex, it has the resources to truly help the animal kingdom. The recent return of its giant pandas is another compelling reason to visit.

Chester Zoo in the United Kingdom

One of the most visited attractions in the United Kingdom, the 130-acre Chester Zoo is yet another expansive space with rich preservation projects. Located about a 30-minute drive from Liverpool, the zoological park is home to more than 30,000 animals and works to educate every guest about their conservation programs as well as how individuals can take action to support wildlife rehabilitation efforts themselves. 

Schönbrunn Zoo in Vienna

In Vienna, the Schönbrunn Zoo (also called the Vienna Zoo or the Tiergarten Schönbrunn) has the distinct honor of being the world’s oldest zoo—it first opened to the public in 1778 after being founded by Emperor Franz I in 1752. It also happens to be one of the best thanks to its rare animal exhibits and extensive conservation work. Most notably, its captive breeding program is helping to save dozens of at-risk species, while its species protection projects assist animals such as giant pandas and polar bears in the wild.

Toronto Zoo in Canada

Spanning a whopping 710 acres, the Toronto Zoo provides its resident animals with massive, naturalized environments. And that’s a good thing, considering it’s inhabited by over 3,000 creatures. The zoo also has several species recovery programs, including, among many others, the captive breeding of the Vancouver Island marmot, a native bat conservation project, and the reintroduction of Blanding’s turtles to Rouge National Urban Park. 

National Zoological Garden in Pretoria, South Africa

The renowned National Zoological Garden, also called the Pretoria Zoo, is the largest in South Africa. The 210-acre zoo is home to roughly 9,000 animals—including several critically endangered species such as the Northern Bald Ibis and Western Lowland Gorilla. Its mission is to “champion the exploration, conservation, sustainable use, appreciation and enjoyment of South Africa’s exceptionally rich biodiversity for all South Africans.”

Taronga Zoo in Sydney

Taronga Zoo comprises 69 acres of land, set across from the heart of downtown Sydney. So not only can you come to visit the more than 5,000 animals representing over 350 species, you can also take in spectacular views of Sydney Harbour and its famous opera house. The zoo works with various conservation and breeding programs, including the local Big City Birds project, which invites members of the public to report their sightings of certain native Australian birds via its app or website.

Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago

Founded in 1868, Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in North America. It’s also one of the few on our list that offers complimentary admission (the other two are in Washington, D.C., and St. Louis). Roughly 200 species include everything from African lions to snow leopards. During your visit, take some time to learn about the zoo’s impressive global conservation work, which includes supporting healthy wildlife populations while preserving those under threat. 

Bronx Zoo in New York City

Bursting onto the scene in 1899, the Bronx Zoo is now a 265-acre zoological park inhabited by more than 11,000 animals representing over 600 species. Over the years, its team has worked tirelessly to save endangered animals through its research, breeding programs, and reintroduction projects—one notable undertaking is helping restore American bison populations to the western plains.

Jersey Zoo in the Channel Islands

Since opening its doors in 1959, the folks at Jersey Zoo—on the largest of the Channel Islands between England and France—have been working to help conserve endangered species and their environments by focusing on the restoration of wild spaces. On a local level, visitors can come to see the park’s diverse wildlife, which includes lemurs, Chilean flamingos, and giant tortoises. 

Wellington Zoo in New Zealand

Located in the suburbs south of the city center, Wellington Zoo was New Zealand’s first when it opened in 1906. It also boasts the area’s oldest conservation program. See everything from capybaras and chimpanzees to kangaroos and giraffes. You can sometimes even view native kiwi birds, depending on the zoo’s rescue efforts. Visitors can also take part in various learning programs and, for an additional fee, have close encounters with sun bears, red pandas, and snow leopards, among other animals. 

Singapore Zoo in Singapore

With more than 4,200 creatures to see throughout its lush rain forest landscape, Singapore Zoo is a prime destination for animal lovers. Wildlife ranges from Aldabra giant tortoises to two-toed sloths, and the educational programs make a trip here even better, especially for families visiting with young children. Chat with zookeepers, ready to answer all your burning questions, attend feeding sessions, and see the animals in action during educational presentations. Behind-the-scenes experiences are also available, as is the opportunity to have breakfast at the zoo with a rotating cast of wildlife ambassadors. Come back for the Night Safari to explore the zoo after dark.

Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland

The 82-acre Edinburgh Zoo is home to more than 2,500 animals, including pygmy hippos, a huddle of penguins, and two-toed sloths. It also offers rich educational activities for visitors of all ages, including school programs and opportunities to spend time with its conservation team. For example, several packages allow guests ages eight and up to be junior or adult zookeepers for a day or half-day.

Berlin Zoological Garden in Germany

Open since 1844, Berlin Zoological Garden boasts the largest variety of animals of any zoo in the world. It’s inhabited by around 20,000 animals representing 1,200 species, including Germany’s only giant pandas. Exclusive behind-the-scenes tours and animal encounters with sloths, giraffes, and aardvarks, among other creatures, are available for an extra fee. The zoo’s species conservation work helps save rare and endangered animals worldwide, from okapi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to rhinos in India.

Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ohio 

The second-oldest zoo in the U.S., the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden began as the Zoological Society of Cincinnati in 1873 before officially opening to the public in 1875. Today, it remains a beloved destination with more than 400 animal species, ranging from smaller critters like blue death feigning beetles to larger ones like black rhinos. Behind-the-scenes experiences with elephants, kangaroos, hippos, lions, manatees, and other animals can be purchased, too.

Houston Zoo in Texas

Home to roughly 6,000 animals across 600 species, the Houston Zoo is one of America’s most popular zoos. It welcomes more than two million visitors a year, which helps to support its global conservation work and the many local projects that aim to protect native animals, such as the Houston toad, from extinction. In-depth animal encounters (for an extra fee) include the opportunity to help bathe elephants, feed the animals at the Children’s Zoo Farm, and get up close to sea lions, gorillas, penguins, and anteaters, all while learning about their daily care.

Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Australia

If you have fond memories of watching the late Steve Irwin rescue crocs with his bare hands in The Crocodile Hunter, plan a pilgrimage to the passionate conservationist’s beloved Australia Zoo. Located in Beerwah, about an hour’s drive north of Brisbane in Queensland, the property began as a modest two-acre wildlife park in 1970 and now spans over 700 acres, including the zoo, a wildlife hospital, and The Crocodile Hunter Lodge. Spend some time hand-feeding the kangaroos, see what happens behind the scenes at the on-site animal rescue center, and catch the world-famous saltwater crocodile presentation in the “Crocoseum.” Keep an eye out for Terri, Bindi, Robert, and other members of the Irwin family, who still live and work on-site.

Honolulu Zoo in Hawaii

Situated near the southern end of Waikiki Beach, Honolulu Zoo shelters over 900 animals, ranging from Komodo dragons to African penguins. It’s a fun place to spend the day if you need a break from the beach, while its guided morning safari and evening twilight tours let visitors explore the zoo outside of regular hours. Several endangered species reside here, including Sumatran tigers, Asian elephants, black rhinos, and Galápagos tortoises, among other animals, as part of the zoo’s conservation efforts. Fun fact: Kapiolani Regional Park, where the zoo is today, was originally set aside for the benefit of the people via a royal land grant by King David Kalākaua, the second-to-last Hawaiian monarch, in 1876.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park in Tampa, Florida

ZooTampa at Lowry Park is home to more than 1,000 animals and the David A. Straz, Jr. Manatee Care Center, which treats and rescues orphaned, injured, and sick manatees. Open since the 1930s, the zoo also works to preserve critically endangered creatures like Florida panthers, among other native Florida wildlife, such as river otters and indigo snakes. On a global scale, it’s involved in conservation efforts to help save macaws, African elephants, okapi, Bornean orangutans, and African penguins. Take advantage of the buy-one-ticket-go-all-year deal to visit multiple times, including during themed Halloween and Christmas events.

Saint Louis Zoo in Missouri

Enjoy free admission to Saint Louis Zoo, which was established in 1910 and today houses more than 12,000 animals. Set in 1,300-acre Forest Park, the zoo covers all manner of animals including mammals, amphibians, reptiles, fish, birds, and invertebrates. There’s an on-site Endangered Species Research Center & Veterinary Hospital, an Animal Food and Nutrition Center, and a Reproductive Management Center to guarantee every creature receives the best possible care. Behind-the-scenes tours and wildlife feeding experiences are also available for an extra fee.

Audubon Zoo in New Orleans

Located in the Uptown/Carrollton neighborhood of New Orleans, the Audubon Zoo is a favorite spot among locals and visitors alike. Expect special environments showcasing native Louisiana wildlife such as alligators, pine snakes, and black bears alongside areas highlighting everything from Western Lowland Gorillas to Malayan tigers. The on-site cafe serves up tasty Cajun and Creole bites like crawfish étouffée and hand-battered catfish strips. You can make a day of it and save a few bucks by purchasing a three-in-one ticket to the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium, and Insectarium.