Bronx Zoo Future of the Bronx Zoo

Like I was saying, really embracing their history would be a cool feature to educate people on the history of the WCS and their pioneering conservation work

Also, only having feedings for penguins and sea lions is pretty dumb when the collection is so impressive. I'd have feedings for...
Rhinos (Call them into Zoo center)
Giraffes
Gorillas (convert the forest edge area into a feeding area similar to Tiger mountain)
Komodo dragons
Lemurs
Tigers (They don't appear on the schedule which is weird)
Lions (This one's optional but they could just throw bits of meat over the moat)
Camels (showcase their care, tacking, etc.)
There could also be people walking with ambassador animals as a way to tease programs
 
We did do a bit of history interpretation during the Centennial (1999) but that was also the year of Congo so focus was elsewhere. WCS has long preferred to look to the future rather than the past.
 
Zooplantman said:
We did do a bit of history interpretation during the Centennial (1999) but that was also the year of Congo so focus was elsewhere. WCS has long preferred to look to the future rather than the past.
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Understandable, of course, though I have to agree it'd be nice to have a it more of the zoo's history showcased. Their records, species they've saved from extinction, etc. Signage regarding the Astor Court buildings and Rockefeller Fountain would be a great addition imo.

~Thylo
 
They have to be careful because if their tooting their historical horn becomes too prominent they'll face serious questions about the ugliest incident in their history, when they put an African pygmy on display in the monkey house.
 
Gomphothere said:
They have to be careful because if their tooting their historical horn becomes too prominent they'll face serious questions about the ugliest incident in their history, when they put an African pygmy on display in the monkey house.
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They were not on their own there - such displays were hugely popular in Europe.
A reflection of the attitudes of their time, rather than any specific reflection of Zoos per say.
 
Gomphothere said:
They have to be careful because if their tooting their historical horn becomes too prominent they'll face serious questions about the ugliest incident in their history, when they put an African pygmy on display in the monkey house.
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Andrew Swales said:
They were not on their own there - such displays were hugely popular in Europe.
A reflection of the attitudes of their time, rather than any specific reflection of Zoos per say.
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Relatively common within the US as well at the time. Ota Benga came to the zoo from a human exhibition in Missouri. Obviously it's a very ugly aspect of both the zoo's and the humanity's history, and I know of at least a couple people who refuse to visit Bronx because of this. I'd imagine any display of the zoo's history would leave out mention of Ota, but that doesn't mean they still can't express at least some of their 121 year history on the zoo grounds.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
I know of at least a couple people who refuse to visit Bronx because of this.
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Really - I find it fascinating part of 'social' history. Freak-shows were important in many cultures, and in some instances were the driver behind innovation and invention. An immediate example is the hugely popular public displays of premature babies in incubators on Coney Island. A freak-show which took poultry egg incubation technology and advanced the science of neonatal care in the hospitals that followed. Many humans (including my own youngest son) owe their lives to the resulting progress.
Fake doctor's Coney Island incubator 'side show' that saved thousands of preemie babies | Daily Mail Online
 
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Gomphothere said:
They have to be careful because if their tooting their historical horn becomes too prominent they'll face serious questions about the ugliest incident in their history, when they put an African pygmy on display in the monkey house.
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All historically significant zoos have despicable skeletons in their closet. So do many people. We move on. We use the past to educate about the future
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Relatively common within the US as well at the time. Ota Benga came to the zoo from a human exhibition in Missouri. Obviously it's a very ugly aspect of both the zoo's and the humanity's history, and I know of at least a couple people who refuse to visit Bronx because of this. I'd imagine any display of the zoo's history would leave out mention of Ota, but that doesn't mean they still can't express at least some of their 121 year history on the zoo grounds.

~Thylo
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Having an exhibit about the zoo’s history but not including Ota would be absolutely disgusting and it would put me off visiting ever again.

It is, without a doubt, an extremely dark chapter in the history of Bronx Zoo but they should at least be frank about it. Being honest about and addressing these shameful acts of history is an important educational tool and should not be hidden away from, in my view anyway.
 
Cat-Man said:
Having an exhibit about the zoo’s history but not including Ota would be absolutely disgusting and it would put me off visiting ever again.

It is, without a doubt, an extremely dark chapter in the history of Bronx Zoo but they should at least be frank about it. Being honest about and addressing these shameful acts of history is an important educational tool and should not be hidden away from, in my view anyway.
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Zoo Berlin had a fascinating exhibit about the zoo’s involvement in activities during the Nazi period and WWII, including the zoo’s management. I found it a brave and honest exposition of a deeply troubling historical era.
 
Cat-Man said:
Having an exhibit about the zoo’s history but not including Ota would be absolutely disgusting and it would put me off visiting ever again.

It is, without a doubt, an extremely dark chapter in the history of Bronx Zoo but they should at least be frank about it. Being honest about and addressing these shameful acts of history is an important educational tool and should not be hidden away from, in my view anyway.
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reduakari said:
Zoo Berlin had a fascinating exhibit about the zoo’s involvement in activities during the Nazi period and WWII, including the zoo’s management. I found it a brave and honest exposition of a deeply troubling historical era.
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Personally I'd like to see it included in any historical examination on the zoo and don't think it should be hidden, but you must remember that we live in the era of "cancel culture" where zoos have been petitioned to close over much less controversial things. I don't think the zoo wants anybody else overreacting--there are already people refusing to visit the zoo due to Ota's captivity without it being a well-known event--and any more controversies slapped on their doorsteps, not after the whole Happy fiasco which will likely continue until the day she dies. I don't think any exclusion of his existence (which the zoo has never done might I add) in any theoretical historic exhibition would be about the zoo wanting to hide their past, but rather protecting themselves from the modern America where the masses are much less likely to think as we do and much more likely to label the entire institution racist for "celebrating" what their predecessors did.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Personally I'd like to see it included in any historical examination on the zoo and don't think it should be hidden, but you must remember that we live in the era of "cancel culture" where zoos have been petitioned to close over much less controversial things. I don't think the zoo wants anybody else overreacting--there are already people refusing to visit the zoo due to Ota's captivity without it being a well-known event--and any more controversies slapped on their doorsteps, not after the whole Happy fiasco which will likely continue until the day she dies. I don't think any exclusion of his existence (which the zoo has never done might I add) in any theoretical historic exhibition would be about the zoo wanting to hide their past, but rather protecting themselves from the modern America where the masses are much less likely to think as we do and much more likely to label the entire institution racist for "celebrating" what their predecessors did.

~Thylo
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I concur that it should be included. Hiding their past and protecting themselves are mutually inclusive here, and sounds to me like whatever you’re describing is hiding the past and pretending it didn’t happen because it’s more convenient to ignore it than to address what happened, admit it was wrong and explain why the racist institutions and attitudes of the past allowed it to.

Far better to be honest and frank about it that to hide and for it to be dug up anyway, which it will if it hasn’t been already. I think if it’s done in a respectful way it will be beneficial rather than a hindrance.
 
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Cat-Man said:
Hiding their past and protecting themselves are mutually inclusive here, and sounds to me like whatever you’re describing is hiding the past and pretending it didn’t happen because it’s more convenient to ignore it than to address what happened, admit it was wrong and explain why the racist institutions and attitudes of the past allowed it to.
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They are absolutely not the same thing and that is not what I described.

And I feel as though you immediately jumping to the decision to never visit the zoo again if they do not make some sort of random public acknowledgement of this rather proves my point...

~Thylo
 
It's already kind of well known already. While it's a miserable part of the zoo's history, I think it's crucial that it be dealt with. The AMNH has already started putting addendums on more problematic displays so IMO, it can be done if approached with tact. It'd also help to use their Mbuti contacts to get things right.
 
It may well be that the cultural differences separating the USA, and the UK too to a degree; from our colleagues on mainland Europe, will affect the way the stories are told, and how interested and tolerant the public is.

It might also be easier for the history to be explained in another zoo rather than the ones directly involved. An example (on quite a different level!) is the Brooke Bond TV chimp story which practically funded the development of Twycross Zoo. I have not seen Twycross refer to the TC chimps,despite their being part of many peoples childhoods.

At Hamerton, we have a zoo history museum planned. Because it needs to appeal to the public, the bulk of the exhibition will be a collection of toy zoos and model animals, which dating back over 100 years were closely modelled on the zoos and collections of their era, and in their own right tell a fascinating story. In parallel with this we plan to also have displays about local zoos within our catchment which have closed, and thirdly exhibitions telling the story of 'yesterdays' exhibits, be they human zoos, Brook Bond chimps, elephant rides, or chimp and bear tea-parties; plus the historical importance of zoos and individual zoo animals in popular media culture.

This project is now delayed,for obvious reasons, but is something for which we will be searching for funding, over the next year or so.
 
I'm a big fan of zoo history museums, i.e. OKC, St. Louis, etc. I'm in total agreement that all aspects should be remembered. Like Andrew said, quite a few institutes were built on these practices and are part of people's childhoods. In my experience, the people that will complain will basically complain about anything. Whether you agree with some of these practices (personally dont have a problem with most of them) or not it's part of the history of said institutions and shouldn't be shuttered away.
 
If they could move all the offices out of the old Heads and Horns building, that'd make a pretty baller Bronx Zoo museum
 
tigris115 said:
Like I was saying, really embracing their history would be a cool feature to educate people on the history of the WCS and their pioneering conservation work

Also, only having feedings for penguins and sea lions is pretty dumb when the collection is so impressive. I'd have feedings for...
Rhinos (Call them into Zoo center)
Giraffes
Gorillas (convert the forest edge area into a feeding area similar to Tiger mountain)
Komodo dragons
Lemurs
Tigers (They don't appear on the schedule which is weird)
Lions (This one's optional but they could just throw bits of meat over the moat)
Camels (showcase their care, tacking, etc.)
There could also be people walking with ambassador animals as a way to tease programs
Click to expand...
A lion feeding (and possibly also tiger feeding) would not exactly work well. Most lions in zoos are very food aggressive, so have to be separated in order to be fed. Throwing meat over the moat would lead to excessive aggression between the lions.
 
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