"Golden Ages" of Certain Zoos

[MonkeyBat]

Hello everyone. So this is sort of a weird thread, but does anyone think there were certain time periods that were golden ages for a certain zoo? This could be when they had the most rarities, the most innovative exhibits that have been torn down, or perhaps the zoo's quality and collection has been going down in the past few years or decades. I know it's a bit confusing, but I'd be interested to hear people's opinions.

 

[Yi Qi]

For Toronto Zoo, i'd say 2000's decade, though that may be nostalgia.

 

[Yoshistar888]

For Melbourne Zoo Id say any time before Growing Wild and the new carnivore section.

 

[Pleistohorse]

The Bronx Zoo in the 1980’s.

Catskill Game Farm in the 1970’s.

 

[Sarus Crane]

Jacksonville Zoo in the 2000's.

 

[ZooBinh]

Cincinnati has definitely had one, though I can't quite pinpoint years....I'll just say in the time Ed Maruska was director. Though even that wasn't perfect...

 

[CGSwans]

For Melbourne Zoo Id say any time before Growing Wild and the new carnivore section.

I think the decline started a bit earlier than that. Maybe the late 1960s to late 1990s.

 

[Moebelle]

Cincinnati has definitely had one, though I can't quite pinpoint years....I'll just say in the time Ed Maruska was director. Though even that wasn't perfect...

Based on its rare collection at the time I'm going with the 90's.

 

[ZooBinh]

Based on its rare collection at the time I'm going with the 90's.

Was gonna assume that as well, but then IIRC there were pretty major developments in the 70s-80s as well? I know Gorilla World was in the 70s, though not enough to declare a Golden Age...

 

[Moebelle]

Was gonna assume that as well, but then IIRC there were pretty major developments in the 70s-80s as well? I know Gorilla World was in the 70s, though not enough to declare a Golden Age...

It could definitely be argued and there probably isn't a definitive answer. Notable exhibits by decade:
70's: World of the Insect (Several exhibit and breeding awards), Gorilla World
80's: Wildlife Canyon, Cat House (several first time zoo births occurred), Walrus, White Lions
90's: Jungle Trails (Tarsiers, aye-aye, shoebill, and Douc langur exhibited close or within the same time), Manatee Springs, Komodo Dragon (big deal at the time)

 

[ZooBinh]

It could definitely be argued and there probably isn't a definitive answer. Notable exhibits by decade:
70's: World of the Insect (Several exhibit and breeding awards), Gorilla World
80's: Wildlife Canyon, Cat House (several first time zoo births occurred), Walrus, White Lions
90's: Jungle Trails (Tarsiers, aye-aye, shoebill, and Douc langur exhibited close or within the same time), Manatee Springs, Komodo Dragon (big deal at the time)

A 30-year golden age then?

 

[Dhole dude]

80s for the Minnesota zoo

 

[reduakari]

80s for the Minnesota zoo

80s: momorail opened,
90s: dolphins replaced by coral reef; takin exhibit; Weesner amphitheater, Discovery Bay, IMAX
2000s: Tiger Lair, Minnesota Trail renovated (wolves, eagle and coyotes added), Madagascar, Tamanduas and tamarins, Faces of the African Forest, Wells Fargo Family Farm, Russia’s Grizzly Coast, Woodland Adventure, butterfly garden, temporary Africa, dholes, Penguins of the African Coast, New entry, indoor bird show theater (replacing abandoned whale tank), carousel, black bear exhibit, South American aviary, monk seals, Treetops nature play area

 

[Dhole dude]

80s: momorail opened,
90s: dolphins replaced by coral reef; takin exhibit; Weesner amphitheater, Discovery Bay, IMAX
2000s: Tiger Lair, Minnesota Trail renovated (wolves, eagle and coyotes added), Madagascar, Tamanduas and tamarins, Faces of the African Forest, Wells Fargo Family Farm, Russia’s Grizzly Coast, Woodland Adventure, butterfly garden, temporary Africa, dholes, Penguins of the African Coast, New entry, indoor bird show theater (replacing abandoned whale tank), carousel, black bear exhibit, South American aviary, monk seals, Treetops nature play area

Yeh the zoo did have a renaissance n the 2000, but that stop right when the dolphins left also the by the way the bison, goitered gazelle(now pronghorn), caribou, Mexican gray wolf(now dhole), and prairie dog exhibits opened in the 80s

 

[Gondwana]

Yeh the zoo did have a renaissance n the 2000, but that stop right when the dolphins left also the by the way the bison, goitered gazelle(now pronghorn), caribou, Mexican gray wolf(now dhole), and prairie dog exhibits opened in the 80s

I think I have to go with @reduakari on the Minnesota Zoo's golden age here. While the build out of the Northern Trail was finished in the 80's, the zoo also lost their original star attraction (belugas) and failed to get funding for a tropics trail expansion that would have brought in species like orangutan and rhino. From about 2004-2011 a new multi-species exhibit came on line pretty much every year, anchored by Russia's Grizzly Coast. I agree with you though that the zoo has been treading water since the dolphins left in 2012. The replacement seals are nice but don't make a compelling exhibit, and the only other significant addition since then has been black bears.

 

[Batto]

Tierpark Berlin: 1960s - 1970s, maybe partly 1980s. Legend has it that at busy days, zoo keepers had a hard time making their rounds due to too many zoo visitors blocking the wide roads.
Zoo Berlin: for species collection fans, 1930s/40s (the Heck Era)
Zoo Frankfurt: 1950s-70s (the main Grzimek Era)
Zoo Duisburg: 1960s - 70s / early 80s (the Gewalt Era)
Vogelpark Walsrode: late 1970s - early 1990s
Loro Parque Tenerife: late 1990s - early 2000s

 

[Dhole dude]

80s: momorail opened,
90s: dolphins replaced by coral reef; takin exhibit; Weesner amphitheater, Discovery Bay, IMAX
2000s: Tiger Lair, Minnesota Trail renovated (wolves, eagle and coyotes added), Madagascar, Tamanduas and tamarins, Faces of the African Forest, Wells Fargo Family Farm, Russia’s Grizzly Coast, Woodland Adventure, butterfly garden, temporary Africa, dholes, Penguins of the African Coast, New entry, indoor bird show theater (replacing abandoned whale tank), carousel, black bear exhibit, South American aviary, monk seals, Treetops nature play area

I think I have to go with @reduakari on the Minnesota Zoo's golden age here. While the build out of the Northern Trail was finished in the 80's, the zoo also lost their original star attraction (belugas) and failed to get funding for a tropics trail expansion that would have brought in species like orangutan and rhino. From about 2004-2011 a new multi-species exhibit came on line pretty much every year, anchored by Russia's Grizzly Coast. I agree with you though that the zoo has been treading water since the dolphins left in 2012. The replacement seals are nice but don't make a compelling exhibit, and the only other significant addition since then has been black bears.

Wait the zoo planed a tropics trail expansion as early as the 80s? Does anyone have photos of the planed expansion, and the zoo planed has on getting Sumatran rhinos!?

 

[Scottish Wildcat]

Edinburgh: Mid-2000s. Basically right before the pandas came. Aye-ayes, aardwolves, bush dogs, the carnivore row, the addax, the baboons...

HWP: 2010-Present

Any other zoos where the ‘Golden Age’ is now?

 

[Jurek7]

Wrocław has golden age now.

 

[Jana]

Wrocław has golden age now.

Will be interesting to observe how they will deal with Afrikarium getting older. Needing technical overhauls as well as exhibits getting morally old.