Detroit Zoo

Overview

“Daddy, do we really get to swim with the polar bears?”

“Well, son, we don´t actually swim with them, but we´ll walk through a long glass tunnel where we can see the bears swimming in icy water over our heads.”

“That sounds cool! Don´t they get cold living in the Arctic?”

“Not really. God equipped polar bears with a special coat that protects them from the cold.”

Perhaps no other place provides a richer array of teaching moments than the zoo. Seeing animals in their own unique habitats gives families the chance to discover fresh insights about their awesome Creator. God designed creatures to live in every extreme environment, from the Arctic tundra to the equator.

With its minimal fences and cages, the Detroit Zoo is a great place to observe animals up close as they interact in their open environments. For its variety of animals and wonderful experiences, this zoo is unbeatable.

One of Detroit Zoo´s most popular habitats is the Arctic Ring of Life, the world´s largest polar bear exhibit. You´ll find numerous opportunities to observe the ways God equipped polar bears, Arctic foxes, seals, and other creatures to thrive in such a harsh environment.

Consider the bear´s thick coat, which blends in with its wintery environment, or its black skin underneath, which helps hold in the sun´s heat. The bear´s padded, furry paws act like snowshoes, helping it move swiftly on the surface; and small bumps on the paws, known as papillae, help the bear to grip the ice without slipping. (For more information about polar bears, see “Sea Bear of the Frozen North,” Answers, Jan.-March 2007, pp. 66-68.)

From the African Grassland to the Australian Outback, every environment replicated at the Detroit Zoo vividly displays the wisdom and care of the life-giving Creator, who designed living creatures with the tools they need to fill the earth with life.

Recommended by Dr. Todd C. Wood, director of the Center for Origins Research.

Points of Interest

Good Time Down Under

What child wouldn’t want to hop with kangaroos? Believe it or not, the Australian Outback Adventure allows guests to enter the pen with kangaroos. Their powerful hind legs allow them to travel great distances when food and water are scarce.

Long-Necked Friends

Get eye to eye with the tallest animals in the world, as you feed them treats from your hand at the Giraffe Encounter. Having such a long neck would be a big problem for any other animal, but the giraffe has several unique designs that allow just the right amount of blood to reach its brain. For one thing, its heart, which weighs over 20 pounds (10 kg), is probably the most powerful on earth.

Swim With the Polar Bears

The 70-foot Polar Passage is part of the world’s largest polar bear exhibit. You can watch close up the polar bear’s webbed front paws, which serve as ideal paddles. Its long claws help the bear move on the ice and dig snow caves. Kids can get even closer to the polar bears in the glass bubble area.

More Destinations

• San Diego Zoo is the world´s largest zoo.
• Chicago´s Brookfield Zoo features over 2,000 animals, including an awesome dolphin presentation.
• St. Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri, offers free admission and features 5,000 animals from 700 species.

Helpful Tips

• Check the zoo´s website for the scheduled times to feed the giraffes (a minimal charge for food).
• Kids will enjoy the Wilderness Adventure 3D show where they get to fly, jump, glide, run, and hop as they experience different environments through the eyes of various animals.
• The Tauber Family Railroad is a favorite of many zoo visitors.
• The Butterfly and Hummingbird Garden provides year-round learning and enjoyment. Here you can observe hundreds of butterflies from Central and South America and numerous hummingbirds.
• Check out Amphibiville, where you can see some unusual species of frogs in realistic-looking habitats.