Page 110 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

SAN DIEGO ZOO
& SAFARI PARK
It’s wild!
VISITORS GATHER FOR A LOOK at the koalas in the Australian Outback
exhibit, above; a ring-tailed lemur at the new Lemur Walk, below.
B Y M A R I B E T H M E L L I N
THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING NEW
to explore at the San Diego Zoo, an interna-
tionally acclaimed model of zoological and
botanical excellence. The three-acre Aus-
tralian Outback Exhibit, which opened in
2013, offers habitats for the zoo’s Queensland
koalas, wallabies, wombats and 23 species of
Australian birds including laughing kook-
aburras. The 21 koalas get special attention at
the Queenslander house, where mothers and
babies (called joeys) have special enclosures
and all the marsupials doze up to 22 hours per
day on eucalyptus branches. Like the babies
in the zoo’s giant panda and California
condor programs, the joeys are carefully nur-
tured to encourage the healthy continuation
of the species.
In partnership with Australia’s Save the Tas-
manian Devil Program, the San Diego Zoo is
now home to four endangered Tasmanian
devils on loan from the Tasmanian govern-
ment. The aptly named devils are especially
active at night, when their fierce snarls and
high-pitched screams signal a hunt in
progress (within their enclosure, of course).
Beyond all that, the zoo is a joy to
explore, with its trails winding through
canyons past state-of-the art enclosures
for gorillas, elephants and giraffes.
Safari Park
The zoo’s efforts extend 30 miles beyond its
gorgeous Balboa Park setting to the San
Diego Zoo Safari Park. The park’s ring-tailed
lemurs have a new home along the Lemur
Walk, where these primates native to Mada-
gascar socialize, groom and purr as they
roam about freely in the exhibit. The lemurs
occasionally approach guests, who must
resist the urge to feed or touch the animals.
Cheetahs roam about the park as well,
leading their trainers on leashes. The
Cheetah Run Safari gives guests a chance to
experience the cats’ amazing untethered
speed as the cheetahs dash by on a 300-
foot-long track while chasing a mechanical
lure.
Close-up (but not too close) encounters
with herds of giraffes, crashes of rhinos and
flocks of exotic birds are common during
the popular Africa Tram Safari, while guests
soar above the wild beasts on the exhila-
rating Flightline Safari. The daring Jungle
Ropes Safari challenges adventurers with
rope bridges, aerial tightropes and zip lines
35 feet off the ground. A Behind-the-Scenes
Safari lets you venture deeper into the park
to areas not accessible to the general public.
The zoo and park ramp up the fun sea-
sonally with special exhibits and activities,
ensuring new experiences to thrill even vis-
itors who purchase annual passes and
frequently visit their favorite creatures.
KEN BOHN/THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF SAN DIEGO
108 2014 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A