ST. LOUIS — There's always a certain amount of pride and satisfaction to be gleaned from appearing on a list featuring one's hometown, favorite places or shared interests. You know the kind — like the Best Cities to Live in America, Best Colleges to Send Your Kid, Books to Read Before You Die, 24 Things You Don't Know About Matt Gaetz.
But St. Louis has cracked the top nine of a list that other cities are crawling over each other to be on.
The Saint Louis Zoo made the list of "9 of the Best Zoos in the U.S." by Travel + Leisure. And this was even before our zoo revealed it would be bringing back "Dinoroarus" after more than a decade.
What makes this recognition special for the city, though, is we're not on this list for having the best Bavarian pretzels, Dole Whip or funnel cakes.
As the Travel + Leisure article points out, "These popular U.S. zoos are about more than exotic animals — they're doing their part to fund and initiate animal conservation efforts."
The Saint Louis Zoo, the article goes on to say, "is recognized worldwide for its innovative approach to animal care and wildlife conservation." The zoo has established two pillars of those approaches: the WildCare Institute and the Institute for Conservation Medicine.
The 500 animal species, entertainment like the Stingrays at Caribbean Cove, and all the food and treats go a long way toward making it a popular destination for visitors and area residents.
Zoo unveils return of Dinoroarus
But the conservation and animal care initiatives help the Saint Louis Zoo become recognized as one of the best nine zoos in the U.S. — in a select group that includes the Smithsonian National Zoo, San Diego Zoo, Omaha, Columbus and Disney's Animal Kingdom.
The Saint Louis Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. through May 13. After that, the hours of operation change to accommodate summer and holiday crowds.
Admission is free but attendance is limited, so you need to make reservations (a week ahead of time). Once you're at the zoo at your reserved time slot, though, you can stay as long as you want. Visit stlzoo.org for more information.