Albuquerque Bio Park (Rio Grande Zoo)

As I have previously noted, the Albuquerque BioPark that contains four separate facilities: Two of them  (Aquarium and Botanical Garden)are co-located and can be viewed together.  A third, the Rio Grande Zoo is about 2 miles away but is accessible by narrow gage train.  The train ride between facilities is free with a combo ticket making it a tempting choice.  Lori and I recommend against this since you will have to rush to do all three facilities in one day.  The forth facility that is considered part of the Bio Park is Tingley Beach.  This is mostly a large park with two fishing ponds.  This post will only cover the zoo.

The Rio Grande Zoo is a zoo, with 2.5 miles  of paths and more than 250 species of exotic and native animals. Elephants, giraffes, camels, lions, tigers, snow leopards, polar bears, hippos, gorillas, chimpanzees, zebras, and seals can be found here, along with more unusual animals such as koalas, hyenas, white rhinos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and African wild dogs. There is a variety of birds, from storks and eagles to roadrunners. Make sure you grab a map because the park is set up in loops and it would be easy to bypass a large portion of the displays.

This 64-acrefacility was founded in 1927, as the Rio Grande Zoo. With the creation of the Bio Park the zoo is now called ABQ BioPark Zoo. Some of the most popular of the over 200 species are seals and sea lions, chimpanzees, gorillas, orangutans, elephants, polar bears, giraffes, hippos, camels, tamarins, koalas, Mexican wolves, cougars, monkeys, jaguars, zebras, and rhinos. Sections of the zoo include an Africa exhibit area, an Australia exhibit area, the "Cat Walk" and herpetology area. An endangered species carousel was added in 2016. A narrow-gauge railroad connects the zoo to the other facilities of the Albuquerque Biological Park. Walking distance through the zoo is 2.27 miles . The Albuquerque Biological Park is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
The Rio Grande Zoo exhibit displays animals that pertain to various geographical areas in the same loop. The zoo is divided into continents. The continents displayed are; Africa, Australia/Oceania, Asia, Arctic, North America, and South and Central America
Specific exhibits include:  

Flamingo Crossing - An island located at the beginning of the zoo that holds the zoo's flock of Caribbean flamingos.

The Reptile House - Remodeled in 2012 to include taipans, death adders, Chinese alligator, and alligator snapping turtle. With the renovations the building houses mostly reptiles. The exhibit also houses many species of cobras, rattle snakes, and lizards. There are two large areas where the zoo's Komodo dragons are held. In a building located near the Reptile House the zoo's temporary home for a large adult salt water crocodile and for Slender-snouted crocodile. On the outside of the Reptile House is the new Gator Swamp Exhibit, which is a large outdoor heated pool housing several adult American alligators. The reptile house received more renovations in 2017 to improve digital interpretive signage and interactive displays and houses many varieties of snakes and turtles.
Phoenix Plaza – This is a Snackbar and is seasonal.  There is a nearby curve array of exhibits mostly housing birds.
Raptors – This display has several large exhibits that hold the zoo's bald eagles, golden eagles, ferruginous hawk, Caracaras and Andean condors as well as other birds.
Mexican Wolf Exhibit - This exhibit holds the zoo's pack of Mexican wolves, the most endangered species of wolf in the United States.

Inukshuk Bay – This display offers many views of the polar bear. One can see them through underwater viewing windows or walk to the top of the exhibit and watch the bears lounge, feed, and slide down the waterfall.

The Cat Walk – This exhibit consists of grottos that hold African lions, cougars, snow leopards, jaguars, a Malayan tiger, ocelots, and red kangaroos. Smaller exhibits hold great horned owls, Fossa, African crested porcupine, bobcat, serval and meerkats. The Jaguars received a second large yard with pool and natural foliage in 2017. The zoo's two Jaguars will rotate between the two yards.
Amphibians: Life on a Limb - With the renovation of the Reptile House in 2012, the zoo opened up Amphibians: Life on a Limb, replacing the original Gator Swamp, where the zoo used to hold its juvenile alligators. The building houses poison dart frogs, hellbenders, and caecilians as well as other amphibians. The zoo also houses the only captive population of locust coquis, critically endangered frogs from Puerto Rico.

Asia – As you would expect, this exhibit contains several elephant yards and two barns for the zoo's Asian elephants. The exhibit now holds six Asian elephants in its herd, two males and four females. Rozana, also called Rozie, was born in the Bio Park Zoo on November 8, 1992. On Sept. 2, 2009, Rozie gave birth to female elephant Daizy. Rozie gave birth to her second calf, Jazmine, on October 2, 2013. The virus, elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus claimed Daizy's life on May 9, 2015. Rosie is expecting her third offspring in 2018. There is also an exhibit housing Bactrian camels nearby.

Seals and Sea Lions Exhibit – This is a large exhibit with underwater viewing tank that houses sea lions, gray seals, and harbor seals.

Australia/Koala Creek – This area holds koalas, Matschie's tree kangaroos, and a walk-through budgerigars aviary. Exhibits for tawny frogmouth and Sulphur-crested cockatoo are found nearby. This area also is home to the zoo's Tasmanian devils. There are only a few zoos in the US that house these animals. The zoo also has on exhibit the only Tasmanian wombats in the United States. A seasonal Lorikeet feeding station is found inside the Lorikeet exhibit that houses Rainbow Lorikeets, Red Lory, and Chattering Lory. A new emu yard was added in the location of the old Ankole yard.

Africa – This exhibit contains six acres of land holding 17 separate exhibits and 23 species of mammals and birds. Mammals include chimpanzees, warthogs, red river hogs, cheetahs, Hartmann's mountain zebras, white rhinoceroses, hippopotami, klipspringer, De Brazza's monkey, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. Birds include including marabou storks, Cape griffon vultures, lappet-faced vultures, wattled cranes, common ravens, hammerkops and saddle-billed storks.

Apes - Holds the zoo's gorillas, orangutans, and siamangs. A Gorilla Bacholors Pad is found near the Nightwatch as well. The siamangs welcomed a new addition on April 5, 2017 - a new baby named Eerie.
Fowl Play – Is an aviary exhibit which includes hyacinth macaw, sun conures, burrowing owl, and roadrunners.

As you can see from the many animals and exhibits this is a stop worthy of its own stop.  Make sure when you are here to constantly refer to the map to ensure you see it all.