The San Diego Zoo is arguably among the very best zoos in the world. With more than 4,000 animals and 800-plus species, it’s a national treasure.

My visits are fondly remembered, and starting today you can visit some of the best of the zoo from the comfort of your iPhone.

The free SanDiegoZoo app is chock full of pictures, maps, visitor info and live cams showing pandas and polar bears, among other features.

There are hundreds of still images of zoo residents, and all are sharable and can be saved locally. There are also guides to the many restaurants at the zoo, but no menus. There is also a detailed zoom-able map, but I’d prefer GPS integration so that people who are actually at the zoo could see where they are and easily find their way around the huge facility.

This official, zoo-sponsored app has a lot to offer for animal lovers and fans of the San Diego Zoo. The app could use a bit more detailed information in certain areas.

The app is an 18 MB download and is for iPhone and iPod touch only, although armchair travelers would probably appreciate an iPad version of the app. SanDiegoZoo is a good app, and with a few changes could be great. Even if you never get to visit the zoo, this app is a great introduction and offers some good information and striking images.

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