Caldwell Zoo, Tyler Texas, USA

Caldwell Zoo in Tyler Texas is a true hidden gem. I paid a visit to Tyler last year to visit some friends, it was my first visit to America and I loved every minute of it. I did however miss my walks, for some reason the Americans seem the need to drive everywhere but maybe that's because Texas is so big that they have no choice. Still I would prefer them to build more sidewalks over there and give me that choice to walk if I did want to venture out without my 4 x 4.

I was asked by a friend if I wanted to visit the Zoo, I thought why not, it will be fun and It will give me an excuse to walk around for a few hours. I guess being in Texas I didn't expect it to be anything special and I didn't really have high expectations if I were to be honest. So the next day we visited Caldwell Zoo at 2203 Martin Luther King Blvd and I was so shocked to hear the noises coming from the inside of the zoo when I was outside lining up, It was not until I was there did I realise just how big and magnificent the zoo's in Texas were, even better it only cost me $8.50 to get in.

When we entered we were instantly greeted by Parrots and Squirrel Monkeys that were free to roam around. They had every kind of animal that you could imagine, and they had the Zoo split into different sections making it easy for the visitors. They had an "African Savanna" section which held African Lions, Cheetahs and Giraffes. They had a "North American" section with American Alligators, American Bison, Bald Eagles and Mountain Lions. A "South American" section with Giant Anteaters, Capybara's which are literately giant Guinea pigs and are the largest living rodents on earth.

The zoo even has an "African Aquarium" with its own colony of black footed Penguins and a "North American Herpetarium" full of Snakes and Lizards. The zoo also has a "Wild Bird Walkabout" that houses over 600 birds including Parakeets and Parrots. The zoo has many other animals too, and my favourite have to be the White Tigers that they have from Asia. The Zoo has been there from around 1953 and is the best zoo that I have ever been to by far. Half way around the zoo you can take a rest at the Chakula cafe and eat your lunch whilst watching over the Giraffe's. I walked around for about 4 hours in the end and I still didn't have time to see everything. The zoo is gigantic and the animals are treated so good by the staff, the animals all seem to be very happy with their homes and I can't wait to go back there again on my next trip to Tyler Texas USA.