The Detroit Zoo
The Detroit Zoo is situated on over 125 acres of land in Royal Oak, Michigan. We should be proud that our zoo was the first in the country to place animals in a natural habitat rather than behind bars. The Detroit Zoo continued its commitment to the welfare of animals in 2005 when it decided that it would no longer keep elephants at the zoo for ethical reasons.
A few of the main attractions at the zoo are the Arctic Ring of Life, the Australian Outback Adventure, and the Penguinarium.
This past weekend my husband and I went on a photo walk at the Detroit Zoo. I haven’t been to this zoo since I was a teenager and this was my husband’s first visit. Since this was a visit with the main intention of taking pictures, the lack of cages was even more noticeable.
Looking through my telephoto lens at all the different animals it was easy to forget that I was at a zoo and within safe distance from the animals. It felt more like I was on a mini-safari.
Step inside the Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden for an enchanting visit with hundreds of butterflies from Central and South America and four hummingbirds. My husband still insists on calling these insects’ “flutterbys.”
The Arctic Ring of Life, which opened in 2001, is a delight. Standing in the Polar Passage, a 70-foot long clear tunnel, we watched a polar bear swim and frolic and put on a show. He even stood on the tunnel and from underneath I could swear he was dancing.
The Penguinarium is a three-sided habitat that is surrounded by a continuous pool. I loved watching the penguins swim fast and sometimes jump out of the water or “swim through the air.” However, photographing this phenomenon was nearly impossible. At least it was for me.
We didn’t get to see the Giraffe Encounter or the Australian Outback Adventure on this visit but I did stop and watch a tree kangaroo climb around for a bit. And yes, we saw lions and tigers and bears. (Oh my!)
Don’t forget to take a ride on the Tauber Family Railroad! It’s open from May through September and on weekends in October. I thought my husband, who is really a 6 year old at heart, was going to cry that he couldn’t go on the choo-choo train.
Due to the photowalk we had a time constraint of just over 2 hours, which isn’t enough time to see everything. We’ll definitely be back for another visit soon.
I want to point out how economical a membership to the Detroit Zoo is. My husband and I paid full price ($11 each) plus a $5 parking charge. It wasn’t until we returned home that I realized for $55 we could have purchased the individual plus membership.
I did call to see if our receipt from the previous day could be applied towards a membership but you must do it on the same day. Live and learn. We’ll be back soon to see the giraffes and kangaroos and the lush gardens that spring and summer will bring.
Which animals at the Detroit Zoo are your favorite?