Orlando’s Animal Kingdom is not just the fifth Walt Disney World theme park; it’s also one of the best animal parks in the world. Visitors can view elephants, giraffes, lions and monkeys as though they are actually out on safari, with no bars separating them from these wild beasts. Of course, the animals are kept in their designated areas through a complex array of invisible barricades, masked by foliage, trenches and walls. In addition to the animal exhibit attractions, Walt Disney World also has a number of rides, shows, restaurants and gift shops to entertain guests, so it’s no surprise this park dominates most lists of the “World’s Best Zoos.”

It should come as no surprise that America houses many of the world’s best animal habitats. In New York City, the 265-acre Bronx Zoo is home to over 6,000 animals, many of which are on the endangered species list. The Bronx has been operating its animal center since 1889 as the largest of the metropolitan animal parks and was the first place to house (and breed) rare snow leopards. Additionally, it’s the first park to house a predator-prey animal exhibit, where lions and gazelles are separated merely by dry moats, and it was also the first zoological center to host an educational program. Visitors love the Wild Asia tramway monorail, the indoor JungleWorld display and the 6.5-acre Congo Monkey Forest, which is the largest man-made rainforest in the world. Guests will also see a number of babies at this bustling breeding facility, including dwarf mongoose, lemur, okapi, sea lion, rhino, lion and pit viper species.

Another one of the best animal parks in the world is right in our nation’s capital. Each year, 2 million visitors come to the Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Washington DC, home to 2,000 animals and 400 diverse species. The first Komodo dragon hatched outside of Indonesia at the National Zoo and many people come to the 163-acre park to see endangered animals like giant pandas, oryx, Mexican wolves and Grevy’s zebras. Animal exhibit areas include the 15,000 square foot Amazonia rain forest, Beaver Valley, Cheetah Conservation Station, Fuji Film Giant Panda Habitat, Great Ape House, Invertebrate Exhibit, Lemur Island, Small Mammal House, Asia Trail, Bird House, Elephant House, Gibbon Ridge, Great Cats, Kids’ Farm, Reptile Discovery Center and the monkey Think Tank.

There are also a number of European animal parks that make the list of the world’s best foreign zoos. The Basel Zoo in Switzerland hosts more than 6,000 animals and 600 species, including the dwarf hippopotami, scarab beetles and Nile crocodiles, as well as a number of baby animals born at their breeding program, such as cheetahs, Indian rhinoceros, pygmy hippos and Somali wild asses. Beauval Zoo in France began in 1980 as an aviary with 2,000 birds but later introduced over 4,000 exotic animals like red kangaroos, West Indian manatees, tarsiers, toucans, white lions, white leopards and gorillas.

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Autumn is a great time to visit a children’s zoo, given the number of special programs geared toward kids. For instance, the Henry Vilas Zoo has trick-or-treating, a fun house and music. Fort Wayne Zoo has a mystery maze, meet-Broomhilda-the-Witch, a petting zoo, pumpkin bowling, carnival games and a haunted train ride. The National Zoo in Washington DC has haunted trails, trick-or-treating, animal encounters and festive decor. Your family can get fall discounts at the National Aquarium in Baltimore ($8 instead of $29.95) and kids are free at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park for the entire month of October (down from $26/$18). The Indianapolis Zoo also reduces their prices during the month of November. Additionally, “Crowds are down and animals are more active due to cooler temperatures,” says Allen Nyhuis, co-author of “America’s Best Zoos,” a guide book for families.

The top children’s zoo, according to Child Magazine, is the 56-acre Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, Florida, where your child can see 1,614 exotic animals. The Australian-themed petting zoo lets the kids feed pet kangaroos and wallabies, mimic sheep herding and visit a water-play area with animal fountains and statues. Your kids will love the Safari Africa exhibit, featuring giraffes, elephants, zebras, warthogs, bongos and African ground hornbill birds. The “Spirit of the Skies” show features high-flying hawks, bald eagles, vultures and owls. Kids can hold lorikeets and feed them nectar, pet koi fish, ride on a camel, feed sting rays and act at a summer camp. With 35 educational programs designed to leave lasting impressions on youngsters, you can be sure your kids will never forget this trip to the zoo. For more information, visit www.lowryparkzoo.com.

Child Magazine’s second-favorite children’s zoo is the San Diego Zoo in California. According to their survey, 95% of San Diego’s zoo keeper staff holds degrees in zoology, so you know any question your little one has will be answered. A special 30-day exhibit lets you peek at nurseries containing sick or weak baby animals and learn about veterinary care at the zoo. A petting area lets kids touch goats, sheep and miniature horses. Shows include a “Dr. Zoolittle” zany science show and “Bugtown,” which showcases diving beetles, water bugs, katydids and other insects. Here, you will behold one of the nation’s most diverse collection of animals, while getting special glimpses of captive-bred pandas, okapis, gazelles, Indian gharial crocodiles, Visayan warty pigs, swimming polar bears and tigers. The best part is half the proceeds of your tickets will go toward animal conservation! For more information, visit www.sandiegozoo.org.

New York City’s Bronx Zoo is another top zoo for kids, with 4,427 animals on 265-acres. The best thing about this zoo is its education programs that include summer camps, animal-themed plays, scavenger hunts, day camps, craft making and classes about animal studying technology. “Our zoo is a living classroom,” says Richard Lattis, general director. “Children are constant fountains of knowledge who are going to keep adults headed toward saving wildlife.” For more information, visit www.bronxzoo.com. Other great zoos for kids to check out include the Toledo Zoo, Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo and the Columbus Zoo.

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“Animals in zoos are confined in unnatural conditions. A cheetah, the fastest land animal, cannot reach her top speed of 60 mph when confined in a cage. An elephant, which may walk 17 miles a day in the wild, cannot do so in her tiny barren enclosure,” writes a spokesperson for the Captive Animals’ Protection Society. “The zoo industry may argue that such animals do not need to hunt or forage for food, or migrate with the seasons, but this simply reveals how unnatural a captive life is for wild animals. These animals are designed for a life in the wild, not for a life in a zoo for the amusement of humans. It is now down to the public to express their concern by avoiding zoos.” They are not alone in their opinion, either. Many animal rights activists also protest against holding animals in captivity.

Organizations like Animal Liberation Victoria rigorously debate zoos as positive forces of change. They argue that only 120 out of 5,926 endangered species are in breeding programs in zoos, not to mention animals like elephants and pandas are difficult to breed in captivity. Small populations may resort to inbreeding, which produces weaker offspring. The lack of survival instincts, poaching and habitat destruction threatens the survival of re-introduced wild animals anyway. Therefore, the argument that these animal exhibits promote conservation of exotic animals is a myth, ALV of Australia argues.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), is another wild animals protection organization opposed to zoological facilities, enclosed pens and wildlife spectacles. “Animals are often prevented from doing most of the things that are natural and important to them, like running, roaming, flying, climbing, foraging, choosing a partner, and being with others of their own kind,” their website says. “Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to interfere with animals and keep them locked up in captivity, where they are bored, cramped, lonely, deprived of all control over their lives, and far from their natural homes.”

“Freedom is the last, best hope of the Earth,” said Abraham Lincoln. The concept of freedom is a universal and enduring one. The idea that this freedom shouldn’t apply to wild animals because they are “subservient” to man is wrong. This devaluing of exotic animals’ lives has undeniably contributed to countless animal deaths and habitat destruction. Each year, so much public money is poured into zoos, many of which can’t possibly sustain themselves, given rising costs and debts. Organizations like ALV and PETA argue that this money is much better spent on preserves, anti-poaching efforts, habitat conservation and lobbying efforts.

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