The next installment of the Inland California Zoo. Enjoy!
African Trek
The visitor is now entering the most extensive complex in the zoo. The African Trek. This exhibit is arranged both geographically and taxonomically. Like the California Countryside area, this exhibit has a large common area. In this case, it resembles a waterhole that might be found in southern and eastern Africa on the savannas. Helmeted and vulturine guineafowl roam this area and the wetland areas are inhabited by saddle billed storks, lesser flamingos, and black crowned cranes. As this area is a common exhibit, it is connected to five other exhibits on the left hand side. Animals pass through under the areas the visitors walk. This exhibit and the others contains rolling hills and features such as simulated termite mounds and simulated acacia and baobab trees.
The first exhibit to the left of the common waterhole area is dedicated to wildlife from southern Africa. This exhibit resembles two distinct areas; the drier areas of the Namib desert and the more lush areas of the Okavango delta. In the dry exhibit area, a waterhole separates two paddocks. One contains mountain zebras and the other contains gemsbok, springbok, and steenbok. Great white pelicans swim in the waterhole separating them. Two colonies of meerkats are also present in these paddocks. They are separated via unseen moats. The animals in these paddocks do not have access to the common waterhole. A transition between the dry and more lush areas is present and is inhabited by cheetahs. These cats do have access to the waterhole. The waterhole contains a series of ponds and for obvious reasons, the cheetahs have their own. The lush grassland exhibit houses sable antelope, greater kudu, impala, and white rhinoceros. These animals have access to the waterhole most of the time, although their night holding areas are here. This exhibit has a pond with Egyptian geese. A painted dog exhibit is present here as well and has the same design as the cheetahs. The Egyptian geese are not able to enter the dog area. The dogs have access to the waterhole. The visitor then sees a kiosk explaining a great deal of information on the next inhabitants; a herd of female African elephants. These ladies are a mix between older retired breeders (and maybe some rescues from circuses) and young breeding age females with their young. These elephants have access to the common waterhole. Their night holding areas are here but they normally have access to the waterhole. In their exhibit is a pond holding pink-backed pelicans.
The last exhibit in this complex connecting to the waterhole features animals native to East Africa. A mixed savanna exhibit house Maasai griaffes, Thompson’s gazelles, eland, waterbuck, and ostriches. Their exhibit is much the same as the southern Africa area, except fewer trees. A separate exhibit featuring lions is found here as well. All of these species have access to the waterhole. This waterhole exhibit is the only place in North America where elephants coexist with giraffes, rhinos, and antelope.
After viewing the hoofstock and carnivores in African Trek, the visitor is now headed toward the final two exhibits in this area. The first one is a very tall aviary. This is dedicated to vultures of Africa. This aviary is a walk-through exhibit. This has numerous trees and termite mounds, similar to the other African exhibits. The vultures contained in this aviary are white-backed, Ruppell’s griffons, hooded, Cape, and lappet-faced. As enrichment activities, zookeepers often place meat in containers resembling animals native to the plains. The importance of scavengers is highlighted in this exhibit as well as threats they face.
The final area of this exhibit is dedicated to primates of the equatorial regions of Africa. This exhibit is designed to surround the visitor along the path. On the left hand side of the path is a forested area with numerous clearing. This is a rotation exhibit housing western lowland gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, and mandrills. The primates are rotated on a daily basis and not fence separates them from each other. They are separated by water features. On the right hand side of the exhibit are outdoor exhibits housing Wolf’s guenon, mantled guereza, DeBrazza’s monkeys, and Diana monkeys. These animals are also rotated. Overhead trails enable them to enter the ape exhibits. Although they are in the same enclosures with the apes and/or mandrills, they are safely separated by the water features. On rare cooler days, visitors can see these animals in their indoor quarters.
There are additional views of the waterhole as the visitor leaves to go into the Asian themed area which will be up next.
African Trek
The visitor is now entering the most extensive complex in the zoo. The African Trek. This exhibit is arranged both geographically and taxonomically. Like the California Countryside area, this exhibit has a large common area. In this case, it resembles a waterhole that might be found in southern and eastern Africa on the savannas. Helmeted and vulturine guineafowl roam this area and the wetland areas are inhabited by saddle billed storks, lesser flamingos, and black crowned cranes. As this area is a common exhibit, it is connected to five other exhibits on the left hand side. Animals pass through under the areas the visitors walk. This exhibit and the others contains rolling hills and features such as simulated termite mounds and simulated acacia and baobab trees.
The first exhibit to the left of the common waterhole area is dedicated to wildlife from southern Africa. This exhibit resembles two distinct areas; the drier areas of the Namib desert and the more lush areas of the Okavango delta. In the dry exhibit area, a waterhole separates two paddocks. One contains mountain zebras and the other contains gemsbok, springbok, and steenbok. Great white pelicans swim in the waterhole separating them. Two colonies of meerkats are also present in these paddocks. They are separated via unseen moats. The animals in these paddocks do not have access to the common waterhole. A transition between the dry and more lush areas is present and is inhabited by cheetahs. These cats do have access to the waterhole. The waterhole contains a series of ponds and for obvious reasons, the cheetahs have their own. The lush grassland exhibit houses sable antelope, greater kudu, impala, and white rhinoceros. These animals have access to the waterhole most of the time, although their night holding areas are here. This exhibit has a pond with Egyptian geese. A painted dog exhibit is present here as well and has the same design as the cheetahs. The Egyptian geese are not able to enter the dog area. The dogs have access to the waterhole. The visitor then sees a kiosk explaining a great deal of information on the next inhabitants; a herd of female African elephants. These ladies are a mix between older retired breeders (and maybe some rescues from circuses) and young breeding age females with their young. These elephants have access to the common waterhole. Their night holding areas are here but they normally have access to the waterhole. In their exhibit is a pond holding pink-backed pelicans.
The last exhibit in this complex connecting to the waterhole features animals native to East Africa. A mixed savanna exhibit house Maasai griaffes, Thompson’s gazelles, eland, waterbuck, and ostriches. Their exhibit is much the same as the southern Africa area, except fewer trees. A separate exhibit featuring lions is found here as well. All of these species have access to the waterhole. This waterhole exhibit is the only place in North America where elephants coexist with giraffes, rhinos, and antelope.
After viewing the hoofstock and carnivores in African Trek, the visitor is now headed toward the final two exhibits in this area. The first one is a very tall aviary. This is dedicated to vultures of Africa. This aviary is a walk-through exhibit. This has numerous trees and termite mounds, similar to the other African exhibits. The vultures contained in this aviary are white-backed, Ruppell’s griffons, hooded, Cape, and lappet-faced. As enrichment activities, zookeepers often place meat in containers resembling animals native to the plains. The importance of scavengers is highlighted in this exhibit as well as threats they face.
The final area of this exhibit is dedicated to primates of the equatorial regions of Africa. This exhibit is designed to surround the visitor along the path. On the left hand side of the path is a forested area with numerous clearing. This is a rotation exhibit housing western lowland gorillas, bonobos, chimpanzees, and mandrills. The primates are rotated on a daily basis and not fence separates them from each other. They are separated by water features. On the right hand side of the exhibit are outdoor exhibits housing Wolf’s guenon, mantled guereza, DeBrazza’s monkeys, and Diana monkeys. These animals are also rotated. Overhead trails enable them to enter the ape exhibits. Although they are in the same enclosures with the apes and/or mandrills, they are safely separated by the water features. On rare cooler days, visitors can see these animals in their indoor quarters.
There are additional views of the waterhole as the visitor leaves to go into the Asian themed area which will be up next.
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