he World Famous San Diego Zoo offers unforgettable views of wildlife from around the world. The Zoo is well-known for its endangered species preservation and re-population efforts.

Ituri Forest transports guests to an African rain forest where they get a full sensory perception of daily life amidst the okapis, hippos, forest buffalos, otters, colorful birds and mischievous monkeys. The lush landscaping in this four acre enclave includes many authentic African plants.

No trip to the San Diego Zoo is complete without a visit to the Giant Panda Research Station. Beyond all odds, Hua Mei was born at the San Diego Zoo in 1996. Giant panda research took a huge stride when scientists were able to study the breeding pair of pandas and watch in awe as baby Hua Mei grew. You'll be just as fascinated when you observe the zoo's pride and joy at the Panda Exhibit. Click to see the Panda Cam.

As you walk through the Rain Forest Aviary, you'll have the opportunity to have an up-close look at more than 60 species of birds. Begin your trek at treetop level and wander down the 1,000 path through the canopy. This is one of the world's largest walk- through avian encounters and shouldn't be missed.

Take 130,000 gallons of water chilled to a perfect 55 degrees, add Arctic tundra with Siberian reindeer, arctic foxes, birds and native plants and you have the Polar Bear Plunge. From the underwater viewing room, you'll marvel at the dexterity and playfulness of these beautiful giants.

You'll have to work hard at finding all the animals at Tiger River because the habitat is so much like an Asian rain forest, the tigers aren't the only ones who find it easy to make themselves at home. With pools, rocks, waterfalls, logs for climbing and over 5,000 exotic plants, the 10 animal enclosures make a perfect home to more than 100 animals, including tapirs, pythons and crocodiles.

You'll want to find time to visit the Bonobos monkeys, Sun Bear Forest and Scripps Aviary. Find out more at the San Diego Zoo web site.

The 2.5 acres that houses the Gorilla Tropics allows the gorillas to live in a realistic environment reminiscent of the African jungle. Native plants and cascading waterfalls along with audio of actual rain forest sounds will transport you deep into the jungle.

For decades the orangutans and siamangs at the San Diego Zoo have delighted visitors with their colorful personalities and intriguing vocalizations. Now, the two families of apes, indigenous to the same Asian rain forest ecosystem, share a habitat at the Zoo. Absolutely Apes provides a lush, naturalistic environment where arboreal orangutans and siamangs can climb, swing, and live in the same terrain as they would in the wild.

Don't let the name fool you–their Children's Zoo is for everyone to enjoy! But there are more than 30 special animal exhibits and activities designed with their younger visitors in mind. The popular Petting Paddock allows kids a chance to feel the wooly coat of a sheep or comb a gentle goat’s hair. The zoo's animal nursery has large viewing windows to let you watch animal babies being bottle-fed or cuddled by their caring keepers. The Children’s Zoo has animals not found anywhere else on Zoo grounds, such as wombats, spider monkeys, and their ever-fascinating naked mole rats. Best of all, about 45 of the 200 critters living here are trained as animal ambassadors, so you might get to feel how sharp a hedgehog’s quills are, or hear how quietly a horned owl can flap its wings.

Surrounded by the fantastic sights, sounds, and scents of the Asian tropical rain forest, you may forget the hectic jungle of the city for a moment. Welcome to Sun Bear Forest! Lose yourself in this forest in the city, where naturalistic enclosures and thousands of exotic plants combine to help animals and Zoo visitors alike experience life in an Asian forest.

You'll be instantly drawn to their Caribbean flamingo flock as you enter the Zoo. With their flamboyant color and amusing behaviors, flamingos make the perfect welcoming committee! The Flamingo Lagoon features two separate viewing areas, affording a choice of vantage points. One area features an elevated walkway where you can look down into the exhibit instead of across it at eye level. From this perspective virtually every corner of the enclosure can be seen.

The Reptile House at the San Diego Zoo has delighted and awed visitors for generations. A stroll around its perimeter allows you to safely view an amazing collection of pythons, cobras, boas, tortoises, rattlesnakes, and gila monsters up close. Because you're on the outside looking in, you're not bothered by the heat and humidity required to maintain some of their reptiles.

All zoo images are courtesy of and copyrighted by © 2005 Zoological Society of San Diego.