The Philadelphia Zoo
Labeled America's First Zoo, although it was chartered in 1859 because of the London Zoo being made public in 1847 and wanting to keep up, it didn't really open in until 1874. Some kind of civil war was interfering at the time. It started out huge with 1,000 animals, was even a holding spot for the Smithsonian's animals until the National Zoo was built.Now a premiere center for animal conservation and breeding to keep species viable, it's a deceptively large space you traverse.
The Zoo
Since there isn't really a train stop, but only a tram stop, which isn't anywhere near convenient to downtown, I took an Uber. It's up the Schyukill river and in part of what is now Centennial Park.Now, the photos will be listed by the animals in a counter-clockwise walk through the zoo, starting from the Victorian Gate entrance. It's quite spread out and somewhat hard to do a straight linear progression without backtracking.
Food and Shops
As a zoo that you spend hours in, of course they have food available. Which can be a little much in the cost category. I mean $5 for a water is not the most approachable pricing.Plus there are the shops which every Zoo has to supplement their income stream (it does cost a lot to feed all these animals).
Other Things
Various things to break up the day around the Zoo. Excitement levels can be off the charts and things to drive that down are helpful.
And we start!
A special area for just rare animals (breeding too)
Smaller cages to showcase the endangered being saved
A large building for the reptile collection
Snakes and Lizards
The larger reptiles (like Galapagos Tortoise)
An American farmstead with livestock barn
Looks bored off his ass, but I suppose, no internet
Kitty!
Running over a quarter of the zoo, this allows animals to get to other locations
America! In a cage
Everyone loves otters, and they seem to tolerate people
Red Pandas are the pet I wish I could have
This penguin didn't want to play with the others
The birds area, all along, and near the end
This is just a firm nope
A few food truck type places
I zero in on my nosh for the day
I had the Nashville hot chicken. It was plenty tasty and wasn't that spicy
A shop out in the wilds
The main shop, which maybe you're sick of your kids by now and it's just time to go home and skip
All the Philly related, and general zoo related things
I've been told I have too many of these and cannot buy more
Every zoo has a carousel!
Ahh, the Train, honestly I found this setup pretty... lame compared to a rail run one
On various days, entertainment, just not today I guess
John Penns mansion when this land was his
The mission and impact of the Zoo video in the big cat building