Zootography

The Saint Louis Zoo is located approximately ten miles west of downtown Saint Louis directly off Interstate 64, making it easily accessible from any direction of travel and can be reached from the Saint Louis airport in approximately 20 minutes. It has north and south entrance gates and admission to the zoo is free but there are several special attractions such as the Children’s Zoo, Carousel, and Zooline Railrod that range in price from $3 to $5. It offers a full range of amenities for families and all exhibits are wheelchair accessible. There are ten different indoor and outdoor dining areas and nine gift shops. It is American Zoo Association (AZA) accredited and is a member of the World Association of Zoos & Acquariums (WAZA). The zoo has reciprical membership agreements with hundreds of zoos throughout the United States and offers discounts and other special privileges with proof of membership.

History

From the zoo's website:
The Saint Louis Zoo has educated, entertained and earned a place in the hearts of St. Louisans for generations. With the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904, there began a long and slow process to establish a zoological park. Sure enough, local pride in the giant elliptical bird cage led to formation of a St. Louis Zoological Society in 1910. The City of St. Louis set aside 77 acres in Forest Park for a zoo and named a Zoological Board of Control in 1913. State legislation provided that "the zoo shall be forever free," which has kept the Zoo accessible to millions of visitors ever since.

Unique Features

• Fragile Forest. This area features impressively xeroscaped enclosures that offer great vistas for photos of gorillas, chimps, and orangutangs. This is an excellent area to capture environmental portraits of the apes within their communities.

• Penguin & Puffin Coast. Indoor and outdoor exhibits highlight this area where penguins and puffins strut their stuff. The birds have great color and character and are natural posers. The lighting inside can be a challenge, making it a good place to practice your low light photography.

• River’s Edge. A walking safari along a meandering footpath takes you through wet jungles and dry plains. Along the way you’ll see rhinos, hippos (including an underwater viewing area), cheetahs, elephants, and much more. Bring your zoom lens because these animals have a lot of room to roam and you’ll need the extra reach to get close to them.

• Bird House. An exotic collection of beautiful birds is housed within enclosures bounded by thin vertical steel wires. Many pens feature skylights that let in additional natural light to emphasize the color and plumage of the larger birds. This is a great place to practice shooting through wire fencing.

• 1904 Flight Cage. This outdoor area is a small scale cypress swamp enclosed in a giant domed steel cage with a footpath sized boardwalk wandering through it. The birds have free roam and are well adjusted to human presence allowing you to get great close-ups of herons, egrets, spoonbills, and more in a very natural outdoor setting.

• Herpetarium. You’ll find everything from colorful poisonous frogs to huge lumbering komodo dragons in this reptile and amphibian house. Lighting and glass can be a challenge in some areas but luckily most of these animals move slowly so it’s a breeze to capture great close-ups.

• Zooline Railroad. While the train rides on the Zooline Railroad may be for kiddies, the miniature trains themselves are a feast for photographers. Each of the zoo’s trains are wonderfully painted in bright metallic sheens and covered in shiny chrome.

• Behind the Scenes Tours. Prices range from $35 to $60 per person for backstage tours that let you go "behind the scenes" to get a portrait or close-up of your favorite animal under more controlled conditions.