Summer is a time when many families trek out to zoos for the summer to see the exotic animals. All too often, the work that goes on behind the scenes, from feeding the animals to treating any ailments that may come up, goes unrecognized by the public. That’s why every July a week is set aside by zoos around the country to highlight the hard work of zoo keepers.
Nestled within the boundaries of papago park, the world renowned Phoenix Zoo is no exception. They are encouraging guests to write notes of thanks for the staff and even have a spot on their website where guests can write their well wishes. It’s hard work and, if everything goes right, is most likely hard to spot besides the occasional feeding or cleanup crew. But the results speak for themselves in Phoenix, Arizona.
Opened over 55 years ago, the Zoo is home to over 1400 animals. Guests can travel between four unique environments. The first, called the Arizona Trail, sticks close to home. Both the flora and fauna represent the wildlife found in the great Southwest, from the saguaro cactus to coyotes and the Mexican wolf. There is also an African Trail which mimics the great plains of the Savanna. Here guests can see giraffes and cheetahs, lions and zebras. It is truly spectacular and the zoo works hard at its efforts to provide both an engaging experience for its visitors and a comfortable habitat for the African animals.
Next there is the Tropics Trail, which is where the Asian elephants can be found, along with many apes and monkeys in “Monkey Village.” Finally, there is the Children’s Trail for the younger guests, which provides a petting zoo as well as the famous Wallaby Walkabout. All told the trails combine for over 2.5 miles of wildlife interaction.
Even better is the fact that the zoo is in the middle of some of Phoenix’s greatest trails in Papagos park. And after exploring the area, guests can head out to explore the wildlife of Arizona for themselves. Whether it’s on an ATV tour, an exciting helicopter view of the desert or a guided hike with an expert into the wild, there are plenty of entertaining things to do in the Scottsdale and Phoenix area. Plus the zoo is having a contest to name it’s new baby giraffe so it’s certainly an attraction you don’t want to miss!
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