"Mommy is the lion dead?!" They seriously asked!
It was time for me to go see for myself. My review you ask? It's both! The entrance is very cute and you immediately walk into a lovely walkway lined with monkeys and birds. I'll tell you this, the place does not lack in monkeys or birds! Hell, you could say the same thing about turtles, snakes, and crocodiles.
But it is also depressing. While there are cute trees and well kept benches all over the place, the larger animals have a pathetic box of a habitat. It's just cruel. Personally, I'd be suicidal if I were one of them. Not to mention that they currently have a lot of empty habitats. Why they don't just knock down a wall and give a tiger some room, I have no clue. My kids were quite disappointed with all the empty "animal spots".
However, all and all I do think it's worth a visit. For starters, it's practically free to get in. R$6 for an adult and R$3 for a child over 3 or 4 or something like that. That is during the week though. The prices do go up a bit on weekends. They really should take note from the San Diego zoo and hike up the prices! That and get sponsors, there's a reason why it's world famous (the money to make it that way).
Anyway, the zoo is relatively close to zona sul, a great place to walk around with the kids, and close to an awesome park. I say check it out, unless you are from San Diego. If that is the case, stay away.
Here's the Rio Zoo site where you can find more information: http://www0.rio.rj.gov.br/riozoo/
Since I was a child I have considered zoos & circuses depressive places (and I do not like clowns either - scary !). The zoo in Amsterdam (Artis) is very pretty and the animals have plenty of space. Still... I think NONE of them should be there just for our amusement. Human beings are odd creatures.
ReplyDeleteLast time we visited the Rio zoo the elephant was chained by his (her?) foot to the ground and s/he was beating her head against the wall. But I hear things have improved.
ReplyDeleteI think the Rio zoo has a lot of animals, but agree that the enclosures are depressing. Our zoo in BH is literally in the middle of a park and the enclosures are large. Now Quinta da Boa Vista, where the zoo is located is a great park in and of itself - great for a picnic and it is all acessible by metro.
ReplyDeleteHumn, the elephant's behavior described by Jim sounds like the end of a date I went on last week. I was the elephant.
ReplyDeleteI hope things improve for both Rio elephant and myself.
Hey Rachel, I went to the Zoo the other day with my half-girlfreind (maybe I'll post about our strange relationship later) and lemme tell you, there is nothing like walking through the zoo on a 98 degree day and smelling nice essence of elephant and tiger shit baking on the hot concrete below them waft through the air.
ReplyDeleteThe cool thing about Philadelphia Zoo is that it's located in a neighborhood that had over 300 murders in 2010. They dont publish anything about that in the papers, but I have connections that affirm me of this. The neighborhood itself is more of a zoo than the actual zoo.
Beijos!
I went to the D.C. ZOO once and it was soooo depressing ... 2 pandas were sleeping in a tiny box.... :(
ReplyDeleteI actually love the Rio zoo. It is great to let the boys run amok and see all the animals. By the end of the day, they are tuckered out and the wife and I get a quality night together. A win-win situation.
ReplyDeleteMy boys are so damn exhausted!! Score!
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