Cheapflights.ca Finds Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

TORONTO--(Marketwire - May 30, 2012) - While the Victoria Day long weekend has already launched the unofficial start of summer, it's only a few more weeks until the official school holidays kick off. For the moms and dads looking for kid-friendly things to do this summer, the team at Cheapflights.ca, the online leader in finding and publishing travel deals, has put together a list of Top 10 Zoos Worldwide. Zoos offer the perfect family summer day outing combining fun, entertainment and education for both kids and parents alike.

Children can see their favourite animals at these top zoos found in North America that made Cheapflights.ca's list of Top 10 Zoos Worldwide. For those travelling to Toronto, this may be your last summer to see the trio of African elephants Toka, Thika and Iringa before their potential move to a new home in California.

• San Diego Zoo - San Diego, USA - Visitors to the San Diego Zoo are typically surprised -- and then immediately impressed -- by the attraction's cage-free setup. The SoCal zoo was one of the first in the world to build moats instead of bars, encouraging a more organic environment for the animals -- and for spectators. Get a feel for the massive park on a five-mile-long monorail, then visit the adorable monkeys in the Lost Forest exhibit. Some of the rarest and most endangered primates dangle from tree canopies as visitors meet nearby flamingos, hippos, tigers and more.
  
  
• The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center - Belize City, Belize - "The Best Little Zoo in the World" was founded nearly 30 years ago to provide sanctuary for wild animals used in a documentary about tropical forests. Today the zoo, located 29 miles west of Belize City, exhibits more than 150 animals native to Belize. A major draw is the represented five wildcat species found in the Central American country: jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay and jacuarundi. The Problem Jaguar Rehabilitation Program is just one of the zoo's initiatives that help to promote conservation and awareness, and to protect Belize's natural resources.
  
  
• Bronx Zoo - New York City, USA - There's nothing like escaping the big city to explore orphaned creatures and animals from around the globe. The eco-friendly escape was the first in the world to establish both a zoo education program and a predator-prey exhibition. Take a tour of Africa in the middle of New York: the African Plains exhibition is a second-best environment for giraffes, zebras and, of course, lions.
  
  
• Toronto Zoo - Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Canada's largest zoo is divided into seven geographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, the Americas, Australasia, Eurasia, Canadian Domain and the Tundra Trek. In other words, the more than 5,000 animals -- covering more than 500 species -- is a strong representation of the planet's creatures. Bring your camera for the 5-acre polar bear habitat or the Gorilla Rainforest, the globe's largest indoor habitat for lowland gorillas.
  
  
• Smithsonian National Zoological Park - Washington, DC, USA - America's most famous free zoo is an absolute delight to visit, as the park's set up trainings, feeding demonstrations and expert discussions daily to educate visitors. Famous for its outdoor giant panda habitat, the National Zoo -- as its better known -- also features the Great Ape House, Invertebrate Exhibit, Reptile Discovery Center and more must-visit attractions. On the top of our list are the elephants, who are waiting for their new home -- Elephant Trails -- which will open in 2013.
  
  

For those taking a family holiday overseas this summer, here are five zoos worth checking out: Singapore Zoo - Singapore; Edinburgh Zoo - Edinburgh, Scotland; Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo - Dubai, United Arab Emirates; Wuppertal Zoo - Wuppertal, Germany; and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary - Brisbane, Australia. To read more details about these zoos and the complete list of Cheapflights.ca's Top 10 Zoos Worldwide, visit http://www.cheapflights.ca/promos/top-10-zoos-worldwide.

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Cheapflights Media is an international media network helping over 11 million visitors a month find top travel deals. Our Cheapflights brand was launched in 1996 and pioneered the online comparison of flight deals for users. Today, users compare a wide range of deals from hundreds of partners including online travel agents, consolidators and airlines to find the very best flight deals. With a mission to be the starting point for travel, Cheapflights works to deliver the industry's best airfare bargains, expert tips and inspiration. There are currently Cheapflights sites in the U.K., U.S., Canada, Germany, Australia & New Zealand, France, Italy and Spain. For more information, visit www.cheapflights.ca. Our newest brand, Momondo, is a leading travel search engine for finding comprehensive worldwide pricing and availability on airfares. Winner of several awards, the site is ideal for users on specific travel schedules. For more information, visit www.momondo.com.