My favorite animals that I've seen from zoos I've been to:
#1 - Cheetah, I only saw it from a distance, not in an exhibit exactly but on some kind of hill. It was just chillin' there in between two zookeepers, and I honestly did not know at the time that even wild cheetahs are basically zero threat to humans. They are just big house cats.
#2 - Poison Dart Frogs, I did not know that they're only poisonous based on what they eat (I think it was fire ants?) The ones I saw were not poisonous. And they were so blue!
#3 - Meerkats, they're adorable and I didn't know they were that small in real life.
I still would love to see some toucans and orangutans somewhere, some day!
I haven't been to the zoo in a very long time. But I'd say, wolves (if they have them?), foxes, parrots, penguins, rainforest frogs, turtles, zebras, etc.
Red Pandas - when they're active and running around they're just so adorable. Cute faces, little hands, FLUFFY bodies and tails, and sometimes they stand up on their back legs. When they play with each other it's really cute to watch, and the way they're able to maneuver around tree branches/logs is really cool.
Speaking of fluffy things in trees, I must have seen one once at the San Diego Zoo but I don't remember them which is why it's not my first choice, but I think there was a zoo recently where the clouded leopard got out of its enclosure. I was on a clouded leopard youtube video bonanza for a good month after that! Their big paws are just so adorable!
Not a zoo always, but at an aquarium, I love otters. Probably again because they have cute little hands and are social animals and very playful.
But maybe one day if I finally make it to an aquarium with a WHALE SHARK, then maybe that will take the cake!
This is a weird one, but my favorite animal at my local zoo is genuinely this guy:
The red river hog! We have two of them, a young female hog and an old male hog. I will sit and watch them for 15-30 minutes just digging with their snouts, waddling along, making little snorfling sounds, hoovering up vegetable chunks, snuggling in a pile. I love their pointy noses and their dramatic ear tufts. Not a lot of competition for prime hog viewing among other zoo-goers, so I'm never in the way if I park by the hogs for a while.
i used to work at the zoo (at the summer camp) and my favorites were the cats. i know they're not a "zoo" animal but the zoo had cats so i'm saying cats. i was the resident cat lady of the staff. if i had to pick a zoo animal, i suppose the elephants. they're cool overall i infinitely prefer aquariums.
My favourite animals are Tigers or Lions they are sooooooo pretty..... Big kitties I want to pat and cuddle them haha I just stay forever watching them walk around and play.
