Most in Indian cities have never seen a Lion or Tiger in their lives, even in the zoos as most zoos have very few animals and birds, and are poorly maintained.
If you live somewhere in India, then probably what you have seen as a zoo is nothing compared to some of the best zoos (and aquariums) that exist around the world.
The U.S. has many world-class zoos and aquariums, with thousands of animals from around the globe, spread across a vast area of land. Outside the US, Spain’s Loro Parque, Portugal’s Oceanario de Lisboa, Greece’s Aquaworld Aquarium, and the Singapore Zoo are quite popular among tourists.
As per TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards, the following are the best zoos & aquariums around the world.
World’s top 10 zoos according to TripAdvisor
1. Henry Doorly Zoo (Omaha, Nebraska)
2. San Diego Zoo (San Diego)
3. Loro Parque (Puerto de la Cruz, Spain)
4. St. Louis Zoo (St. Louis)
5. Singapore Zoo (Singapore)
6. Chester Zoo (Chester, UK)
7. Prague Zoo (Prague)
8. Tiergarten Schoenbrunn—Zoo Vienna (Vienna)
9. Bioparc Valencia (Valencia, Spain)
10. Gramado Zoo (Gramado, Brazil)
World’s top 10 aquariums according to TripAdvisor
1. Monterey Bay Aquarium (Monterey, California)
2. Oceanario de Lisboa (Lisbon, Portugal)
3. Georgia Aquarium (Atlanta)
4. Tennessee Aquarium (Chattanooga, Tennessee)
5. Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies (Gatlinburg, Tennessee)
6. Aquaworld Aquarium (Hersonissos, Greece)
7. Dallas World Aquarium (Dallas)
8. Vancouver Aquarium (Vancouver, British Columbia)
9. Mundomar (Benidorm, Spain)
10. Two Oceans Aquarium (Cape Town, South Africa)
The complete list of TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards for zoos is online at TripAdvisor.com. The complete list of aquariums is also at TripAdvisor.com.
I know there are many who don’t like the concept of zoos, where animals are locked up in captivity in a fake habitat. But at least these zoos spend a lot of money on the maintenance of the zoo, the animals are taken good care of, and the enclosures are huge, and also helps in preserving certain species.
Besides, most good ones are moving towards enclosures that are barrier free. some of these zoos are moving towards the African model, where the animals will be exhibited in a large open air savannah. These zoos also take important steps to prevent species from extinction, and also help children learn a lot. So definitely not all zoos are the same.