Our First Time: Henry Vilas Zoo
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Sometimes we may act like know-it-alls, but even The A.V. Club has holes in its Madison knowledge. So periodically we’ll grab our fanny pack and camera to check out some of the city’s more famous attractions and events, and then report back on what you may or may not be missing.
One of the few accredited zoos in the nation that is completely free, from parking on up, the Henry Vilas Zoo attracts visitors by the hundreds of thousands. Yet for every frugal parent looking to placate the whole family, there’s an iPod-deafened jogger wondering why there are so many strollers clogging up the surrounding Vilas Park.
What to expect: Having attended the very non-free Milwaukee County Zoo countless times, The A.V. Club walked through the gates of Henry Vilas ready to scoff and say, “This is free? What a gyp.” But Dane County’s zoo makes impressive and economical use of its 28 acres. The various indoor and outdoor exhibits contain a solid sampling of the world’s fauna, with elephants being one of the few staple zoo animals absent. A few major differences from the Milwaukee zoo: Alcohol is prohibited (a downright offensive idea in Brew City), there aren’t any free-roaming peacocks, and Vilas has a greater conservation-and-granola feel to it. The Conservation Carousel replaces horsies with the cuddliest of threatened species (like this baby hippo); the “Solar Sunflower” and adjoining prairie, while great examples of preservation and clean energy, are exactly as exciting and popular as you’d think.
Unfair comparisons aside, Vilas has the usual zoo crowds of couples and families playing Where’s Waldo? with the stickbugs and badgers. Be ready for stares if you’re a single male with a camera near the children’s zoo.
What to watch for: Feeding time. Watching anything carnivorous eat can be riveting, no matter how small the predator or prey. Even a catfish (located in the tropical aviary, for some reason) manages to look menacing when handlers dump a bucket of minnows into the tank.
Impress your friends: Vilas Zoo has been around since 1911, and was founded in memory of William Vilas’ young son, who died of diabetes. Oh, and Vilas is one of the few accredited zoos to birth a Bornean orangutan. So there’s that.
Highlight: As fun as feeding time can be, everyone knows who’s king of the jungle, so to speak. While not unique to Vilas, the pacing tiger exudes a clear sense of just how weak the fence between him and your pathetic monkey bones are.
When to go: While the zoo is open every day from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., all of the indoor exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., so those looking to knock off work an hour early to see the kookaburras will be disappointed. Getting there around 10 a.m. will help you avoid the crowds and give you a chance to listen to the gibbons yell for about 45 minutes.
