Before the beet harvest started, we were able to take a side trip into Fargo, ND. We visited the Red River Zoo! While there, we signed up for their zoo membership. Mom did her homework and knew that this was a good zoo to join. Not only is it a cheaper membership – only $80/year – but it gets us into many AZA zoos completely free!
This has been the first zoo we visited since leaving Washington, and we were pretty excited to see something different.
The Red River Zoo is dedicated to animals that thrive in the climate of North Dakota including:
Grey Wolves
Ravens
White-tailed Dear
Bactrian Camels, Pallas’ Cats, Sechuan Takins, Black-tailed prairie dogs, and more!
The zoo also had a farm exhibit with goats, sheep, alpacas, and a Gypsy Vanner horse. They also had a learning section with a nice play area, and information about some of the crops the area produces and what they are used in.
Parting thoughts
The Red River Zoo is a smaller zoo, but the focus on animals that thrive in their climate was really nice to see. All too often, zoos try to have everything. This makes it harder for the keepers (trying to meet so many different needs), less fun for visitors (animals are always hiding or off exhibit because the weather isn’t ideal for them), and a lower quality of life for the animals. Overall, this was a beautiful day trip to a lovely new-to-us zoo. We hope you get a chance to enjoy it too!
