San Diego Zoo A walk through Africa Rocks

timmychompchomp

timmychompchomp

Well-Known Member
Hello,

09/07/2017 Zoo Trip - Africa Rocks Kopje

Part 1

I will start with photos coming from the Outback.

Path to Kopje In Order:
Walk Way To Kopje Entrance

Walk Way To Kopje Entrance

Walk Way To Kopje 1st Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 1st Turn

Walk Way To Kopje Before 2nd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje Before 2nd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 2nd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 2nd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 3rd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 3rd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje After 3rd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje After 3rd Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 4th Turn

Walk Way To Kopje 4th Turn


Construction views on left while in between turn 3 and turn 4:
Construction 1

Construction 1

Construction 2

Construction 2

Construction 3

Construction 3

Construction 4

Construction 4


Eagle Aviary:
Eagle 1

Eagle 1

Eagle 2 From Kopje

Eagle 2 From Kopje

Eagle 3

Eagle 3

 
Part 2

Views up to Bus Path:
Foliage Along 4th Turn

Foliage Along 4th Turn

Foliage View Toward Bus Road 2

Foliage View Toward Bus Road 2

Foliage View Torward Bus Road

Foliage View Torward Bus Road


Path around Kopje past the School:
Walk Way Around Kopje - Kopje On Left

Walk Way Around Kopje - Kopje On Left

Path Around Kopje - Kopje On Left

Path Around Kopje - Kopje On Left

Path To Kopje Aviary And Meerkats

Path To Kopje Aviary And Meerkats

Kopje Viewing Facing School (2)

Kopje Viewing Facing School (2)

Kopje Viewing Facing School

Kopje Viewing Facing School

Kopje External Aviary

Kopje External Aviary

Path To EO

Path To EO

 
Part 3

Meerkat and Hyrax:
Meerkats Torward Kopje

Meerkats Torward Kopje

Hyrax

Hyrax


Into the Kopje coming from Meerkats:
Kopje Sign Before Serval Coming From Meerkats

Kopje Sign Before Serval Coming From Meerkats

Kopje 3

Kopje 3


Serval:
Serval 2

Serval 2

Serval 1

Serval 1


Internal path of Kopje path and Internal Aviary:
Koje Internal Aviary

Koje Internal Aviary

Kopje 1

Kopje 1

Kopje 2

Kopje 2

 
Part 4

Some Other Views:
Walk Way To Kopje Up Toward 4th Turn

Walk Way To Kopje Up Toward 4th Turn

Possible Keeper Access To Eagle

Possible Keeper Access To Eagle

On Path Around Kopje Looking Back At 4th Turn

On Path Around Kopje Looking Back At 4th Turn

Bus Path Corner - Kopje To Back Right

Bus Path Corner - Kopje To Back Right


Signage:
Serval Sign

Serval Sign

K Sign 2

K Sign 2

K SIgn 1

K SIgn 1

K Sign In Aviary

K Sign In Aviary

K SIgn 2 Ex Aviary

K SIgn 2 Ex Aviary

K Sign 3 Ex Aviary

K Sign 3 Ex Aviary

K Sign 1 Ex Aviary

K Sign 1 Ex Aviary


No Changes to the Actual exhibits, but as you see, path ways have been redone. No more walking with the Buses. Rails on paths near Bus road. Will probably have to cross the Bus road to enter path way from the Outback.

Next up: Madagascar. Thanks.
 
Part 1

Africa Rocks Madagascar:

Entrance:
Entrance To Madagascar

Entrance To Madagascar


Fossa to left as you enter:
Fossa 3

Fossa 3

Fossa 2

Fossa 2

Fossa 1

Fossa 1


Sign:
Fossa Info

Fossa Info

Fossa Sign

Fossa Sign


Lemur Signs:
Lemur Signs

Lemur Signs

Lemur Info

Lemur Info


There are 2 Lemur Exhibits which form a horse shoe around the winding path:
Lemur 1

Lemur 1

Lemur 1 From Ratel

Lemur 1 From Ratel

Lemur 1 From Lemur 2 Path

Lemur 1 From Lemur 2 Path

Lemur 2

Lemur 2

Lemur 2 And 1

Lemur 2 And 1

Lemur 2 Shelter

Lemur 2 Shelter

 
Part 2

Ratel Sign:
Ratel Sign

Ratel Sign


Ratel Exhibit, notice the height:
Rattel 1

Rattel 1

Ratel Shelter

Ratel Shelter

Ratel 2

Ratel 2


Behind Lemur 2 Exhibit as you progress up hill:
Path Behind Lemur 2

Path Behind Lemur 2

Lemur 2 Backside 2

Lemur 2 Backside 2

Lemur 2 Backside 4

Lemur 2 Backside 4


Construction further up hill:
Construction 2

Construction 2

Construction 3

Construction 3

Construction

Construction

 
Part 3

West Africa Path going downhill:
West Africa 2

West Africa 2


Gate to Theater:
Entrance To Theatre

Entrance To Theatre


Mini Stage by Gate:
Mini Stage

Mini Stage


Africa Rocks snack shack "Rocks Box":
Rocks Box 2

Rocks Box 2

Seats

Seats


Ugly Wall on way down hill to Penguins:
Ugly Wall

Ugly Wall


Panda Bar:
Bamboo Bar

Bamboo Bar


Elevator and Scary Stairs:
Elevator

Elevator

Elevator 2

Elevator 2

Stair

Stair


There are more Photos in the Gallery.

Animals on Display that I could see: 1 Fossa, 5-6 Ringtail Lemurs, 1 Ratel.

The Fossa and Ratel Exhibits are quite large. I would say 30-40ft.l, 12ft.w, 30-35ft.h.
Lemur Exhibits are large. I would guess Lemur 1 to be 35ft.l, 12ft.w, 25ft.h.
Lemur 2 would be maybe 40-45ft.l, 15ft.w, 25ft.h.

I feel that this section will look much better when the foliage grows in. There is a ravine that runs down the center of the space and the walkways bridge over it. The ravine ends in Lemur 1 which is behind the West African Exhibit. I don't believe it will have any water in it, but it does have drains surrounded by rocks.

Enjoy. Thanks.
 
Thank you @timmychompchomp for the great photos and detailed walk around of the new area, much appreciated.

Africa Rocks seems like a solid addition to the zoo from what I've seen so far. I understand that some people on here will be quite harsh on the Madagascar exhibit because of all the mesh viewing and netted enclosures; but surely you have to agree that Africa Rocks is miles ahead of Elephant Odyssey in terms of overall exhibit quality.

So congratulations to San Diego Zoo on this new development, I'm very impressed and would love to check it out in person one day. Excited for opening of the remaining habitats!
 
I am impressed by the height of the cages. I wonder if there are structural reasons why most zoos build much lower cages, generally just 3-5 m tall? Or, actually, most zoos would build an open-topped fence instead.
 
Thank you so much for the pictures, @timmychompchomp. Very interesting.

Judging from the pics only, It seems that there is a lot of space/land wasted (but probably can be used in future?). Also, some iron and concrete construction could have been hide better, but will hopefully be overgrown by plants.
All in all not bad and at least much better (natural looking) then EO.
 
As everyone else I'm sure that it will look better when it grows in. I for one really like how they minimized the overall number of supports of the mesh by suspending the exhibit mesh from the "big top". It really gives a nice seamless view of the actual exhibits which look pretty good to me!

Thank you for the thorough photo tour!!
 
I am not too thrilled with the new Madagascar section. The exhibits seem dark and difficult to view into and there are obvious stainless steel doors in every the exhibit. I am unconvinced by the rockwork and it feels like Omaha's Desert Dome with very fake rock. Does anyone what kind of rocks they were trying to imitate? Can anyone find some kind of reference for this? It looks nothing like rock and spray painted brown and gray.
 
I quickly googled "Madagascar rock formations"and came up with some images.
Madagascar-Wildlife-Tours-Itinerary-1_Isalo-Rock-formations-1600x1067.jpg
IMG_6798%20ship%20rock%20isalo.jpg



iisalo-day1hike_0089a.jpg


I'm guessing these were the inspirations. I think with some weather and age they will look a similar to these.
 
Otter Lord said:
I am not too thrilled with the new Madagascar section. The exhibits seem dark and difficult to view into and there are obvious stainless steel doors in every the exhibit. I am unconvinced by the rockwork and it feels like Omaha's Desert Dome with very fake rock. Does anyone what kind of rocks they were trying to imitate? Can anyone find some kind of reference for this? It looks nothing like rock and spray painted brown and gray.
Click to expand...

I agree on the rockwork. I griped earlier about Rady Falls having a similar appearance, with the gray and brown rock, it honestly looks more rusted than anything. Furthermore I feel like the immersive feeling of the concept art for Madagascar is completely gone in the actual exhibit.
 
Shellheart said:
I agree on the rockwork. I griped earlier about Rady Falls having a similar appearance, with the gray and brown rock, it honestly looks more rusted than anything. Furthermore I feel like the immersive feeling of the concept art for Madagascar is completely gone in the actual exhibit.
Click to expand...
Agreed, every single piece of metal in this exhibit is polished. How can say immersion is being attempted when there is glaring bright metal railing, holding doors, and support poles? The mesh tent was supposed to help with the immersion by reducing the number of poles but that concept was not carried all the way to the finer details.
 
Otter Lord said:
Agreed, every single piece of metal in this exhibit is polished. How can say immersion is being attempted when there is glaring bright metal railing, holding doors, and support poles? The mesh tent was supposed to help with the immersion by reducing the number of poles but that concept was not carried all the way to the finer details.
Click to expand...

The worst thing is we absolutely know the zoo (I say that including the zoo and Safari Park) is capable of immersive exhibits. Tiger Trail at the Safari Park is more or less the golden standard, and it's an immersion standard they set for themselves. Every time I visit I'm reminded almost of Disney's Animal Kingdom, so to see them going from something that might have actually had its own team of Imagineers to this is disheartening. I like the exhibit for the species list, but other than that it's just on the very high end of average. I'm surprised, frankly, at how many members are okay with this. There's been a lot of debate of holding the zoo up to its world famous name, and those same members don't seem to be applying the same standard here.
 
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