Top Zoos and Aquariums in Canada

Canada is home to a diverse array of top zoos and aquariums in Canada that play a crucial role in wildlife conservation and education. These institutions house a wide variety of animals and contribute significantly to raising awareness about wildlife preservation and fostering a deeper appreciation for the natural world.

Here’s a detailed look at some of Canada’s best zoos and aquariums:

Top Zoos in Canada

The Toronto Zoo

The Toronto Zoo, located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is one of the largest zoos in the world, encompassing 710 acres (287 hectares). The zoo is owned by the City of Toronto and opened in 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo, later renamed Toronto Zoo in 1998.

Key Features:

• Size and Scope: The Toronto Zoo is one of the largest zoos globally. It covers 710 acres (287 hectares) and features over 10 km (six miles) of walking trails.
• Animal Collection: The zoo houses over 5,000 animals representing over 450 species. The collection is taxonomically diverse, including invertebrates and fish.
• Zoogeographic Regions: The zoo is divided into seven zoogeographic regions, each showcasing animals and plants from different parts of the world. These regions include Indo-Malaya, Africa, the Americas, Australasia, Eurasia, Canadian Domain, and the Tundra Trek. Animals are displayed both indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in naturalistic environments.

Exhibits and Layout:

• • Zoogeographic Arrangement: Exhibits are arranged so that animals native to a particular continent are grouped together. Each area includes a pavilion for smaller specimens and animals that cannot tolerate the Canadian climate. Plants indigenous to the represented areas are used to create natural settings.

• Specific Exhibits:

• • Tundra Trek: A 10-acre area featuring a 5-acre polar bear habitat with an underwater viewing area.
  • Gorilla Rainforest: Home to a troop of Western Lowland Gorillas.
  • Great Barrier Reef: Located in the Australasia pavilion, this exhibit features over 100 species of fish, including moon jellies and seahorses.
  • African Savanna: Features white rhinos, hippos, giraffes, and white lions.
  • Indo-Malaya: Home to Sumatran tigers, orangutans, and clouded leopards.
  • Canadian Animal Domain: A large exhibit covering 410 acres where visitors can observe large mammals.
• Discovery Zone: Features the Kids Zoo, Splash Island (a water play area), and the Waterside Theatre.

Additional Features:

• Rides: The zoo offers several rides, including the Zoomobile, Conservation Carousel, Tundra Air ride, and Wild Rouge Zipline & Canopy Tour.
• Keeper Talks and Feedings: Daily animal keeper talks and feedings provide informative and interactive experiences.

The Toronto Zoo aims to inspire people to love, respect, and protect wildlife and wild spaces by connecting people, animals, and conservation science to fight extinction.

Calgary Zoo

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, located in Bridgeland, Calgary, Alberta, is a popular destination known for its diverse animal collection and commitment to wildlife conservation. Founded in 1929, it is Canada’s most visited zoo. The zoo is situated on 125 acres (48 hectares) on St. George’s Island in the Bow River, just east of downtown Calgary.

Key Features:

• Size and Scope: The zoo covers 120 acres and is organized into distinct zones.
• Animal Collection: It is home to over 1,000 animals, representing more than 120 species from five continents. The zoo houses over 4,000 animals across more than 100 species.
• Conservation: The zoo is recognized internationally as one of the top zoos in the world for conservation research.

Zones and Exhibits:

• Destination Africa: Opened in 2003, this area includes the TransAlta Rainforest, featuring African rainforest flora and fauna, and the African Savannah, home to hippos, Masai giraffes, and red river hogs. The TransAlta Rainforest occupies 2,900 square metres and houses primates like western lowland gorillas, eastern black-and-white colobus, and mandrills, as well as reptiles and birds.
• Canadian Wilds: Built in the 1990s, this area houses North American birds and mammals in outdoor enclosures representing the Aspen Woodlands, Northern Forest, and Rocky Mountains. Animals include grizzly bears, polar bears, wolves, and whooping cranes. The Rocky Mountain Bird Aviary includes species such as the barred owl, golden eagle, and bald eagle.
• Penguin Plunge: Opened in 2012, this exhibit houses king penguins, Humboldt penguins, gentoo penguins, and rockhopper penguins in indoor and outdoor habitats. Humboldt penguins stay in the outdoor exhibit during the summer and are moved inside during the winter.
• Dorothy Harvie Botanical Gardens and ENMAX Conservatory: The outdoor gardens are popular, supporting marginally hardy plant species. The conservatory includes themed areas like the tropical garden, rainforest, arid garden, and butterfly garden, housing various animals, including birds and invertebrates. Renovated in 2009, the ENMAX Conservatory emphasizes the importance of plants and energy efficiency and achieved LEED Gold in energy conservation.
• Eurasia: Features endangered red pandas and Amur tigers.
• Prehistoric Park: Features animatronic dinosaurs.
• Exploration Asia: Includes Komodo dragons, white-handed gibbons, and a Malayan tapir.

The Calgary Zoo is operated by the Calgary Zoological Society, an independent not-for-profit organization and Alberta’s oldest registered charity. It is accredited by AZA, WAZA, and CAZA. Every visit to the zoo helps protect endangered animals.

Edmonton Valley Zoo

The Edmonton Valley Zoo, also known simply as the Valley Zoo, is located in the river valley of Edmonton, Alberta. Owned and operated by the City of Edmonton, the zoo is open 364 days a year, only closing on Christmas. It is currently accredited by Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums, making it one of three accredited zoos in Alberta.

Key Features:

• Location: The zoo is nestled in Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park, in the heart of Edmonton’s vast river valley.
• Animal Collection: The zoo is home to over 350 exotic and native animals, representing over 100 different species.
• Conservation Focus: The Edmonton Valley Zoo emphasizes animal conservation.

Exhibits:

• • Inner Zoo: The oldest part of the zoo, constructed in 1959, is home to animals such as emus and snowy owls during the summer.
  • Makira Outpost: Opened in 2007, this exhibit houses the zoo’s lemurs. The lemurs have access to a large outdoor island with elm trees, outdoor enclosures with zoomesh, and large indoor enclosures with natural light. Animals housed here include ring-tailed lemurs, African spurred tortoises, and black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

• Nature’s Wild Backyard:

• • Phase One: Opened in 2019, it includes an immersive exhibit for red pandas and the year-round Urban Farm, home to domestic species. The Urban Farm also features a restaurant, washrooms, and an ice cream stand.
  • Urban Farm: Houses farm animals such as Juliana pigs, chickens, ponies, goats, baby doll sheep, and rabbits.
• Carnivore Alley: Features the majority of the zoo’s carnivores, such as red foxes, snow leopards, Amur tigers, Arctic wolves, Canada lynx, and servals.
• Elephant House and Exhibit: This is the home of Lucy, a female Asian elephant who arrived at the zoo in 1977. The elephant house is currently closed due to Lucy’s retirement from public life.
• Saito Centre: Named after the zoo’s former veterinarian, this building houses fragile animals. It is the winter home for the zoo’s primate species and also houses the reptile and nocturnal wing, a froggery with over ten species of amphibians, and many of the zoo’s smaller animals. In 2017, an indoor exhibit was created to house temporary animal exhibits.
• African Veldt: Home to endangered Grévy’s zebras.
• Polar Extremes: Arctic Shores: Replicates an Arctic coast and allows visitors to view harbor seals and northern fur seals swimming underwater.
• Back Paddocks: Home to the zoo’s larger hoof stock, including Bactrian camels, reindeer, and Sichuan takins.
• Birds of Prey: Features non-releasable raptors, some of which are in outreach programs. Species include Eurasian eagle owls and peregrine falcons.
• New Wolf Exhibit: As of 2024, the zoo is constructing a new 4,700 m² (1.15-acre) arctic wolf exhibit, which will feature a pond, large holding building, and two yards, with a tentative opening date of January 2025.

The Edmonton Valley Zoo aims to inspire love and learning of animals and nature. It is a place where people can connect with animals, learn about conservation, and create lasting memories.

Granby Zoo:

The Granby Zoo, located in Granby, Quebec, is a major tourist attraction known for its diverse offerings. Founded in 1953 by Pierre-Horace Boivin, the mayor of Granby at the time, the zoo has grown to house more than 1,800 animals representing over 200 species. With approximately 516,000 visitors annually, it stands as the largest zoo in Quebec.

Key Features:

• Animal Collection: The zoo showcases nearly 1,500 animals from 193 species. Other sources state that there are close to 1,800 animals representing 225 exotic species and 90 underwater species.
• Additional Attractions: Besides the animal exhibits, Granby Zoo features an amusement park called “Parc Johnny Test Collection” and the Amazoo water park. The admission price includes access to the on-site water park.
• Year-Round Activities: The Zoo is an activity available all-year round.

Exhibits and Animals:

• Diverse Geographic Regions: The zoo contains animals from Africa, Asia, South America, and Oceania.
• Asia Section: This area includes animals such as the Red panda, Siberian tiger, Yak, Przewalski’s horse, Bactrian camel, and Japanese macaque. It also features a geodesic dome designed by the same architect as Montreal’s Biosphere.
• Oceania Section: The Oceania section features an aquarium where visitors can touch stingrays and an “Australian Safari” where kangaroos may cross your path, and you can feed the Lorikeets. Animals here include the Eastern Kangaroo, Cownose ray, Blacktip Reef Shark, Emu, Green Sea Turtle, Bennett’s Wallaby, Barn Owl, Black Swan, Moon Jellyfish, and Rainbow Lorikeet.
• South America Section: Animals in this section include Andean condors, Jaguars, Boas, and Alligators.

Additional Amenities and Services:

• Amazoo Water Park: The Amazoo Yoplait Water Park includes a wave pool, a lazy river for tubing, and a water game basin.
• Amusement Park: The amusement park includes free activities such as a jungle ball training camp, bumper cars, a Ferris wheel, and a small train. Rest areas are set up like small train station platforms.
• Mini-Farm: The zoo has a mini-farm.
• Dining: Visitors can enjoy a picnic area and snack bar.
• Other Services: The zoo provides free parking, parking for buses, a boutique, and wireless internet.

The Granby Zoo also offers a “Zoo by Night” experience, where visitors can discover the zoo at dusk with a naturalist-interpreter and stay overnight in eco-friendly chalets.

Assiniboine Park Zoo

The Assiniboine Park Zoo, located in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, has been a popular destination for over a century. Established in 1904, the zoo is situated at the west end of Assiniboine Park. The Assiniboine Park Conservancy manages the zoo, which is accredited by both the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA) and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Key Features:

• Size and Scope: The zoo covers 80 acres (32 hectares).
• Animal Collection: The zoo is home to close to 150 to 200 animal species from around the world.
• Year-Round Operation: The zoo is open year-round, featuring both indoor and outdoor exhibits.

Exhibits and Attractions:

• Journey to Churchill: This award-winning exhibit is a highlight, featuring polar bears, muskoxen, Arctic foxes, wolves, and other northern species. It is considered the most comprehensive northern species exhibit globally. Visitors can explore naturalistic landscapes and viewing areas, with interpretive signage and interactive displays focused on biodiversity, climate change, and conservation.
• Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre: Opened in 2012, this center is a key part of the Journey to Churchill exhibit. It serves as a hub for environmental and wildlife education, research, and conservation.
• McFeetors Heavy Horse Centre: Located in the north area of the Zoo, this 4.7-acre center houses Percheron horses year-round, featuring a barn, pastures, paddocks, and a carriage shed.
• Other Animals: The zoo also houses bison, camels, woodland caribou, red pandas, cougars, and Przewalski’s horses.

Conservation and Education:

• The zoo is actively involved in rescue, conservation, and breeding programs, working with other accredited zoos in Species Survival Plans (SSP) to aid in breeding efforts for animals like snow leopards, red pandas, and white-handed gibbons.
• The zoo is involved in efforts to protect and breed the Poweshiek skipperling, a butterfly at risk of extinction in Manitoba, which is vital to tall prairie grass habitats.

The Assiniboine Park Zoo aims to connect people with nature and inspire conservation efforts. It provides educational programs, events, and venues, making it a key attraction in Winnipeg.

Oaklawn Farm Zoo

The Oaklawn Farm Zoo was located in Millville, Nova Scotia, just south of Aylesford, in the Annapolis Valley. Founded in 1984, it was the largest zoo in Nova Scotia and was family-owned and operated by Ron and Gail Rogerson. However, the zoo announced it would not be reopening in 2024 after 40 seasons.

Key Aspects and Features:

• Animal Collection: Oaklawn Farm Zoo featured a mix of exotic, endangered, and rescued animals, as well as domestic breeds. It housed the largest display of big cats and primates in Eastern Canada.
• Exhibits and Animals: The zoo included a variety of mammals, birds, and reptiles.
• Interactive Experiences: Children could feed corn to some of the hoofstock. The feeding of the big cats and bears was a popular attraction, with owner Gail Rogerson hand-feeding them meat collected from local farms.
• Setting: The 50-acre (20 ha) zoo was set in a rural area. It offered a traditional family farm-like setting.
• Amenities: The zoo had a restaurant and gift shop.
• Zena the Zonkey: One of the more interesting animals at the zoo was Zena, a cross between a zebra and a donkey4.

History:

• Early Years: Ron and Gail Rogerson started a farm in the 1970s with conventional and some exotic animals. By 1975, schools visited the farm for field trips. In 1980, they initiated a “Learning to Live” program, allowing children to gain experience caring for animals. The farm officially opened as a zoo in 1984.
• Notable Animals: An African lion named Rutledge, born at the zoo in 1991, set a world record as the heaviest lion in captivity at 807 pounds (366 kg). He was euthanized in February 2009 and buried at the zoo.

Closure:

• The Oaklawn Farm Zoo closed its gates and will not be opening in 2024. Arrangements have been made for the animals to find new homes at responsible facilities.

Magnetic Hill Zoo

The Magnetic Hill Zoo, located within Magnetic Hill Park in Moncton, New Brunswick, is a 16-hectare (40-acre) zoo, holding the distinction of being the largest zoo in Atlantic Canada. The zoo is home to over 400 animals, representing more than 65 native and exotic species.

History and Accreditation:

The zoo started as the Magnetic Hill Game Farm in 1953, initially caring for orphaned and injured indigenous species. The city of Moncton took over the park in 1979 and began acquiring more exotic species, leading to its renaming as the Magnetic Hill Zoo. 

Since 1993, the zoo has been an accredited member of Canada’s Accredited Zoos and Aquariums (CAZA). In 2008, it was rated fourth on a list of Canada’s top ten zoos.

Exhibits and Animals:

The Magnetic Hill Zoo houses its animals in four sections: the Americas, Africa, Asia, and the Discovery Centre. Some of the species housed at the zoo include lemurs from Madagascar, Siberian tigers, and Burmese pythons. 

Endangered animals like Amur tigers, Andean condors, and white-handed gibbons can also be found. Other animals include African lions, arctic wolves, jaguars, bearded dragons, box turtles, a boa constrictor, red-bellied piranhas, ostriches, blue and gold macaws, and East African crowned cranes.

Special Features and Programs:

• Animal Feeding: The zoo offers opportunities to watch animal feedings for lions, primates, and otters.
• Frog Watch Program: The zoo participates in the Frog Watch program, collecting data on Canadian frog and toad species.
• Seasonal Events: The zoo hosts several seasonal events, including “Boo at the Zoo” in October and “Wild Lights” in December. The “Wild Lights” event features hundreds of thousands of holiday lights and focuses on conservation efforts for specific species each year.
• Educational Programs: The Magnetic Hill Zoo offers educational programs and field trips for schools, focusing on animal conservation and habitats.
• Behind the Scenes: One can learn about tigers and witness the care provided to them by zookeepers.

Visitor Information:

The Magnetic Hill Zoo is located about a 15-minute drive from downtown Moncton. On-site parking is free, and the zoo is accessible by transit bus during the summer. Nearby attractions include Wharf Village and Magic Mountain Waterpark. The zoo is committed to safeguarding animal species and raising public awareness of endangered and threatened species.

Vancouver Aquarium:

The Vancouver Aquarium, located in Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, is Canada’s largest aquarium and a major tourist attraction. It was established in 1956 and is administered by the Vancouver Aquarium Association. The aquarium is a center for marine research, ocean literacy education, climate activism, conservation, and marine animal rehabilitation.

Key Features:

• Size and Scope: The aquarium covers approximately 9,000 square metres (97,000 sq ft) and holds 9,500,000 litres (2,100,000 imp gal; 2,500,000 US gal) of water in 166 aquatic displays. It features 120 world-class indoor and outdoor exhibits.
• Animal Collection: The Vancouver Aquarium houses over 65,000 animals. The collection includes nearly 300 species of fish, almost 30,000 invertebrates, and 56 species of amphibians and reptiles, as well as around 60 mammals and birds.
• Exhibits and Galleries: The aquarium is known for its exhibits of marine fish species native to the eastern part of the North Pacific.

Exhibits and Programs:

• Pacific Canada Pavilion: This central indoor exhibit features a 260,000 litres (57,000 imp gal; 69,000 US gal) tank with fish and invertebrates from the Strait of Georgia.
• Steller’s Bay/Canada’s Arctic: Originally home to beluga whales, this gallery now features Steller sea lions as part of an active research station in collaboration with the University of British Columbia. The Canada’s Arctic portion of the gallery remains, displaying arctic species.
• Amazon Rainforest: This gallery displays freshwater fish, snakes, caimans, sloths, birds, and other creatures from the Amazon.
• Frogs Forever? Gallery: This exhibit focuses on the world’s frog population and how to protect amphibians, containing 26 species of amphibians from around the world.
• Canaccord Exploration Gallery: This gallery houses jellies, fish, and other animals and includes the 4D Theatre and a children’s play area called “Clownfish Cove”. It also has classrooms for school groups, including a wet lab.
• Animal Programs: The aquarium’s interpreters deliver animal programs to over 2000 guests every day, 365 days a year. These programs include talks about sea lions, seals, sea otters, jellyfish, and other fish species.

The Vancouver Aquarium is internationally recognized for its animal care practices, educational displays, and interpretation. It was also one of the first facilities to incorporate professional naturalists into the galleries to interpret animal behaviors.

Montreal Biodome

The Montreal Biodome, or Biodôme de Montréal, is a unique natural science museum located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. 

Part of the Space for Life museum complex, which also includes the Montreal Insectarium, Montreal Botanical Garden, and Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, the Biodome is not just a zoo or botanical garden, but a combination of both. 

It offers an immersive experience through replicas of various ecosystems, allowing visitors to observe animals and plants in environments that closely mimic their natural habitats.

Key Features:

• Ecosystem Replicas: The Biodome recreates five distinct ecosystems of the Americas.
• Animal and Plant Life: It houses 2,500 animals from approximately 150 species and over 800 plant species.
• Interactive Experience: The Biodome provides a multisensory experience with interactive activities for all ages.

Exhibits and Ecosystems:

• Tropical Forest: A replica of the South American rainforest, featuring a warm, humid environment with monkeys, macaws and other rainforest inhabitants.
• Laurentian Forest: This area replicates the North American wilderness, changing with the seasons and housing animals such as the lynx.
• Gulf of St. Lawrence: A marine ecosystem modeled after the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, showcasing marine life and a salt sea air.
• Sub-Antarctic Islands: This habitat is divided into Arctic and Antarctic sections with penguins. A tunnel and wall of ice lead visitors into a cool polar world.

History and Background:

• Original Velodrome: The Biodome is housed in the former Velodrome, which was built for the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic Games. The building was designed by French architect Roger Taillibert.
• Conversion: In 1992, the building was transformed into the Montreal Biodome.
• Renovation: The Biodome relaunched in 2020 with a revitalized, multisensory experience after a two-year redesign.

The Montreal Biodome aims to raise public awareness about environmental issues by showcasing ecosystems and the interrelationships between animals, plants, and their habitats.