Hi Danielle, We are sorry to hear that you had such a disappointing visit! We have had some very busy weekends recently, and, like many other businesses, we are unfortunately short staffed at this time, so lines can be a bit longer than usual at some of the food stands and rides. We would be happy to mail you passes so your family can return for a more enjoyable visit. Please reach out to our Guest Services at guestservices@southwickszoo.com and they will assist.

Thank you for taking the time to write a review of our zoo, however we would like to address a few of your points to avoid the spread of misinformation. We think you may have confused our serval habitat with the cheetah habitat as they are very close to one another. The serval habitat may appear small compared to other habitats in the zoo, however these medium sized cats require more vertical space as they are avid climbers and jumpers. The cheetahs are located behind the servals, and their habitat is in fact quite large. There is a smaller section of the cheetah enclosure, however it is temporarily housing two young females who have not yet been introduced to the two older females in the main habitat. While some keeper talks focus primarily on the ecology and care of the animal, many of our other talks and presentations contain information about conservation efforts. Visitors are also always welcome to ask questions during talks if there is a topic they wish to learn more about. Visitors can learn about the conservation and educational programs that Southwick’s Zoo and EARTH Limited, the 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based at our zoo, contribute to or offer from our education team in the EARTH Discovery Center. The Discovery Center is located across from the servals and cheetahs, so we are a bit disappointed to hear that you did not take the time to learn more about the education, research, and conservation arm of the zoo during your visit. Those interested in learning more about our conservation and education programming at Southwick’s Zoo can visit www.earthltd.org. Our zoo and EARTH Ltd donate annually to a number of conservation organizations to support the amazing people working in the field. For example, over the past few years, we have donated over $100,000 directly to rhinoceros conservation in South Africa. We are also partners with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ Trumpeter Swan Restoration Project, and we have contributed to efforts to return this species to their native wild habitats. Southwick’s Zoo is accredited by the ZAA. This organization’s exhibit size requirements are the same as the AZA, and we meet, and in many cases exceed, these requirements. The African Plains habitat is approximately 6 acres, our Deer Forest is 35 acres, and the chimp habitat is 2 acres in size. Our largest habitat, which features North American Elk as well as native wildlife, is over 50 acres and is larger than the land area for the average zoo in the United States. Southwick’s Zoo is a family-owned business, and we can assure you that the admissions proceeds from our 6-month season go directly towards veterinary care, diets, enrichment, heating, exhibit design/upkeep, and all the maintenance that comes with housing and caring for the 850+ animals that live here year round. We have a staff of over 200 during our 6-month season and a staff of over 40 year-round employees. The cost to maintain the zoo is over $400,000 per month, and, because we are family owned, we do not receive any state issued funding. If you have any concerns or questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at betsey@southwickszoo.com.