A nice little zoo to visit once. Parking is free. Pretty easy to walk around. I had been really looking forward to visiting for months to see Timothy and Gunter and Gates. Unfortunately...

The Facebook page had my expectations up for what I was going to see and it didn't happen. Many of the creatures featured on FB are not actually on habitat anywhere. They did have a tamandua talk but I missed that because there were no schedules handed out and no posting of daily events that I saw at the entry. Plus, they need to post a disclaimer on the FB videos shot overhead showing Timothy's antics because...you can't go there. No overhead vantage point accessible to us regular members at all. Only viewing is through the marred and scuffed glass in murky water. I got a decent face shot of him but nothing compared to the hundreds I've gotten of Fiona and Fritz and Bibi and Tucker. I only found Gunter because another photographer saw my camera and told me the one spot you could stand to see him and Sula. Also, you gotta be lucky to see Rosie, the yellow-backed duiker, because her habitat has the same small viewing spot. I was just fortunate enough to walk past the warthogs and spot her. There is a section of walkway blocked off for some reason (and it's been blocked off for some time) that is the only viewing opportunity for 4 different habitats, two of which are the yellow-backed duiker, one is the babirusa. Don't know what the fourth is. I did get to see Gates running around in the morning during his outdoor time.

There are a TON of birds here so you better like birds. Many are 'visitors'. Some have decent habitats but most are small concrete enclosures or cages with poor lighting (they need a second bird building). Also, the place was overrun by black vultures. Guess it's that time of year. Ironically, the only habitats they weren't invading were the carnivores which I would think would be the only place they might find a tasty morsel. Literally at least 2 dozen in the anteater and capybara enclosure alone.

Additionally, there are a lot of habitats/attractions that are an additional charge. I mean, most zoos with giraffe have the opportunity to pay to feed them but to have to pay extra to see the butterflies or walk with the kangaroos or...a little much. As far as I could find there or on line, there is no option for an 'all-inclusive' zoo pass to cover all these extras without the $4 here and $4 there.

And my pet peeve...I collect lapel pins and there's not a single one here. Literally over a dozen different zoo key chains and magnets but not one SA Zoo pin. Not one. I mean, how many key rings can someone possibly use and just how many magnets fit on a refrigerator? Whereas, I have 10 cases displaying pins from my travels.

The great points: Finding Gunter...to the tune of about 200+ pictures..., seeing Gates play, painted dogs when they knew the person near you, lemurs overhead, jaguar crossing, black bears finding their enrichment, watching the Aldabra tortoise when their dude starts brushing them and the cool crocodilians.

Overall, not cool enough to maintain my membership.