The Dillotest0 Centre of Education and Conservation

[dillotest0]

Located in the quiet countryside, this modest site is run by a charity dedicated to the conservation of lesser known species. The site is largely split into 4 main sections.

First we have Section A, the area that guests first encounter when visiting the centre. This centre is largely based off South-East Asia.
The first animals guests will see on a visit is a pair of Malayan Tapir, which have been sourced from France. Their enclosure fits well with a natural forest, and a small pool has been built for them. Visitors will also notice fairly simple housing, as to not detract from the main animals. In the same exhibit are three Lowland Anoa. There are two adjacent exhibits - these being for Banteng and Babirusa. Nearby is a trail of carnivores - these being fairly simple set-ups for Fishing Cat, Leopard Cat, Clouded Leopard, and on the opposite side two bear enclosures - including that for Sun Bear. The last exhibit of the trail is for Asiatic Black Bear, and holds a single female. When the bear dies, it is likely that it will merge into the existing Sun Bear enclosure. Beside is an exhibit of a colony of Asiatic Short-Clawed Otters. Although these are some of the most popular animals in the park, the otter house is perhaps not to be missed for herp enthusiasts - it contains various species of pond turtle, as well as a pair of Chinese Giant Salamander.
Leaving Section A, visitors enter Section B, which focuses on Central Asia. This opens with a sizable semi-forested exhibit for Takin, and nearby adjoining paddocks of Przewalski's Horse and Onager. Also in this section are Snow Leopards, which have, here, bred several times. Onwards, visitors find Red Panda, Marco Polo Argali, and adjoining aviaries with Lammergeier, Sarus Crane, and Manchurian Crane. Onwards from that, a small display on Mongolian Nomadic life. Here, visitors will find familiar Domestic Yak, Mongol Horse, and Bactrian Camel.

 

[dillotest0]

Going into Section C, we have an exhibit on Madagascar. Visitors are greeted with a pavillion of Lemurs - Red-ruffed Lemurs, Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs, Coquerel's Sifaka and Ring-tailed Lemurs. Elsewhere, in seperate exhibits, are Red-Bellied Lemurs, Broad-nosed Gentle Lemurs, Collared Lemurs, and Mongoose Lemur. This leads into a mini-display of Malagasy Carnivores - containing Fossa and Spotted Fanaloka. Also present is a geriatric Ring-tailed Vontsira.
Nearby, there is the sound of somewhat anachronistic twittering - namely of threatened birds of.. South-East Asia. In the aviaries are Java Sparrow, Bali Starling, Palawan Peacock-Pheasant and Javan Green Magpie.

 

[dillotest0]

Section D starts with a part based off mock-Mayan ruins, and this exhibit features a breeding pair of Jaguar to open with. In a separate exhibit live Baird's Tapir, as does Margay. Perhaps anachronistic is the inclusion of the Golden-Headed Quetzal in this exhibit - this species is here for no other reason than the Resplendent species is near impossible to obtain. Nearby is an exhibit for White-nosed Coati, a group entirely of males. Afterwards, visitors find a reconstructed Maya temple with information about the Mayan, as well as animal exhibits for Gutemalan Spiny-Tailed Iguana and Rhinoceros Iguana. Following are separate pavilions for tamarins/marmosets and macaws. Namely, on one side Cottontop Tamarins, Golden Lion Tamarins, Golden-headed Lion Tamarins, Black Lion Tamarins, Pied Tamarins, and Pygmy Marmoset, and on the other exhibits for Blue-throated Macaw, Blue-headed Macaw, Buffon's Macaw, Hyacinth Macaw, Lear's Macaw and Military Macaw.
Guests may, afterwards, visit a yard with no particular theming, which is home to Arabian Oryx, Puma, One-wattled Cassowary, and Southern Pudu, or the house of Rodents, containing Kellen's African Dormouse, Garden Dormouse, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Iranian Mouse-like Hamster, Bavarian Pine-vole, European Hamster, Golden Hamster, Balkan Snow Vole, Plains Viscacha Rat, and Panay bushy-tailed Cloud Rat.

 

[dillotest0]

As of recent -
The last Puma, an old animal, has died of old age. As a non-threatened species, the centre will no longer house puma, and the enclosure for the species will be redeveloped.
The last Black Bear has also since died off.
The future of the Mongolian nomadic section remains uncertain..

 

[amur leopard]

Going into Section C, we have an exhibit on Madagascar. Visitors are greeted with a pavillion of Lemurs - Red-ruffed Lemurs, Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs, Coquerel's Sifaka and Ring-tailed Lemurs. Elsewhere, in seperate exhibits, are Red-Bellied Lemurs, Broad-nosed Gentle Lemurs, Collared Lemurs, and Mongoose Lemur. This leads into a mini-display of Malagasy Carnivores - containing Fossa and Spotted Fanaloka. Also present is a geriatric Ring-tailed Vontsira.
Nearby, there is the sound of somewhat anachronistic twittering - namely of threatened birds of.. South-East Asia. In the aviaries are Java Sparrow, Bali Starling, Palawan Peacock-Pheasant and Javan Green Magpie.

Section D starts with a part based off mock-Mayan ruins, and this exhibit features a breeding pair of Jaguar to open with. In a separate exhibit live Baird's Tapir, as does Margay. Perhaps anachronistic is the inclusion of the Golden-Headed Quetzal in this exhibit - this species is here for no other reason than the Resplendent species is near impossible to obtain. Nearby is an exhibit for White-nosed Coati, a group entirely of males. Afterwards, visitors find a reconstructed Maya temple with information about the Mayan, as well as animal exhibits for Gutemalan Spiny-Tailed Iguana and Rhinoceros Iguana. Following are separate pavilions for tamarins/marmosets and macaws. Namely, on one side Cottontop Tamarins, Golden Lion Tamarins, Golden-headed Lion Tamarins, Black Lion Tamarins, Pied Tamarins, and Pygmy Marmoset, and on the other exhibits for Blue-throated Macaw, Blue-headed Macaw, Buffon's Macaw, Hyacinth Macaw, Lear's Macaw and Military Macaw.
Guests may, afterwards, visit a yard with no particular theming, which is home to Arabian Oryx, Puma, One-wattled Cassowary, and Southern Pudu, or the house of Rodents, containing Kellen's African Dormouse, Garden Dormouse, Grizzled Giant Squirrel, Iranian Mouse-like Hamster, Bavarian Pine-vole, European Hamster, Golden Hamster, Balkan Snow Vole, Plains Viscacha Rat, and Panay bushy-tailed Cloud Rat.

While this thread started off with just about enough description, the second and third posts really don't have enough description in my opinion. The Spec. Zoo forum was set up in part to avoid people just making species and it appears that the above are essentially just that but in sentence form. It would be great if you could actually describe the exhibits in some way.

Also just a note and more a personal preference than anything else but I find it a bit odd when someone tries to make their fantasy zoo seem 'real' by talking about births, deaths etc. yet house species that would be highly unlikely to make it to your zoo. It just strikes me as slightly jarring, that's all. Lastly, whereabouts in your zoo? Might be missing something but all we know is that it's in the countryside somewhere?

 

[dillotest0]

The lemur pavillion in Section C is a sizable aviary-type exhibit with mesh good for viewing through. Inside the pavillion are many climbing and foliage opportunities for the inhabitants, and in the summer months visitors can walk in with the lemurs. The separate exhibits are smaller than this, but still provide opportunity. The aviaries nearby are not particularly impressive [simple branches, house etc] and so most visitors miss them.
The Jaguar exhibit lacks in planting, but still provides ample climbing opportunities and a nice pool for the cats. Some visitors find the 'ruins' in the exhibit jarring, though the jaguars don't seem to mind all too much. The Baird's Tapir yard is fairly simple, though the 'ruins' here are even more conspicuous. [And the planting does not exactly compensate.] The tapirs have a nice pool, however. The Mayan theme is particularly evident in the Margay exhibit, and has fairly little planting...
The iguana exhibits in the Mayan Temple are fairly small. In recent times, the quetzal were moved in here. The exhibit is rather temple-themed as one could expect, though it is not absent of plants.
All the tamarin exhibits in that boulevard look fairly similar to each other, and they in themselves look fairly similar to the macaw exhibits - almost no plants, but a fair amount of branchiation.
The exhibits in the yard are fairly basic - the oryx yard is rather barren, and so only a small group of oryx is here. The [former] Puma exhibit is a bit small, and almost no plants. The cassowary exhibit was constructed more recently, and so there is a fair bit more planting. Same with the Pudu.
Most of the rodents in the house live in fair-sized dioramas for public view, though the ground indeed has woodchip, and for the squirrels and climbing rodents there are climbing opportunities.
The viscacha rats were sent to the centre as Chalchalero Viscacha Rats as part of a scientific expedition, though their identity is disputed.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

I find it a bit odd when someone tries to make their fantasy zoo seem 'real' by talking about births, deaths etc.

In fact, this verges on storytelling and original fiction - which is explicitly banned.

Some of the content produced in the reply to your post crosses this line even more:

The viscacha rats were sent to the centre as Chalchalero Viscacha Rats as part of a scientific expedition, though their identity is disputed.

In the centre's earlier years, there was also a small-scale foodstuff area which sold yak cheese which was manufactured from the milk of the zoo's naks..! This would close around 2009 from local criticism.
In more recent times, debate has arisen as to whether this part is a fair bit of 'cultural appropriation'.. and so the future of it remains uncertain, combined with the fact that the animals themselves are not greatly endangered.

In earlier years, the animals would also be led around the zoo by a keeper from time to time.

It may be best for this thread to be deleted before too much work goes into it, and for @dillotest0 to start afresh once they have worked out how to approach their speculative zoo in a fashion which meets forum rules.

 

[dillotest0]

I was not aware...
I'll try not to get too out of control