No need to name any, as I'll be doing that myself.
There are in fact a few exhibits from non-AZA collections (Columbus exempt) included in this thread and I think you'll be pleasely surprised once you actually see them.America's 100 Must See Exhibits
- Thread starter pachyderm pro
- Start date
There are in fact a few exhibits from non-AZA collections (Columbus exempt) included in this thread and I think you'll be pleasely surprised once you actually see them.Look forward to it, as my experience at non-AZA zoos is that while many of them provide outstanding animal care and guest experience, what I would define as good exhibitry is generally lacking. Honestly can’t think of any I would include. Wildlife World zoo is chockablock with interesting animals, but its exhibits run the gamut from “industrial strength” to tacky.No need to name any, as I'll be doing that myself.
Persephone
Well-Known Member
No need to name any, as I'll be doing that myself.
Pittsburgh?
Will this thread include aquariums? I know the dolphinarium made it, but Indy is primarily a zoo.
As I stated in my previous post, non-AZA zoos are extremely variable in just about every aspect you could think of. Just because you are familiar with a few does not mean every non-AZA is like that. Far from it, in fact.
Being based in the United Kingdom, never having visited North America, and not being familiar with the list of which collections are (or are not) members of AZA beyond the obvious candidates - or indeed familiar with the exhibits located within the vast majority of North American zoological collections full stop - I am wholly unqualified to make such predictions and it would be foolish of me to try. You may as well ask me to compare any given pair of sports teams!
But even so, I reckon I am on pretty firm ground in noting that a blanket statement that being outside AZA is an automatic disqualifier for the purposes of this thread, and renders a collection a mere "roadside zoo" to boot, is entirely unfair. I would hope that - given the wealth of experience I know you have in the zoo world - you would at least not stoop to defending the latter argument
especially when (as I pointed out upthread) a similar argument translated to EAZA would mean dismissing an organisation as significant as the WWT as a bunch of roadside zoos!
I'm not saying Pittsburgh isn't on the list, but think a little deeper.
Aquarium exhibits are included on this list, but it will be a little while until we cover one.
While I agree with the overall point that there are good non-AZA zoos, I think you have chosen a truly awful example here
Wildlife World Zoo is insanely mixed in the quality of its exhibitry, but at best its habitats are fine, and at worse its habitats are horrible.The TAG mid-year updates for individual ungulate SSPs will include animals not kept by AZA zoos if said non-AZA holders are still participants in the SSP. For most animals, this is probably unusual, but for hoofstock this is somewhat common.
~Thylo
While I agree with the overall point that there are good non-AZA zoos, I think you have chosen a truly awful example here
The TAG mid-year updates for individual ungulate SSPs will include animals not kept by AZA zoos if said non-AZA holders are still participants in the SSP. For most animals, this is probably unusual, but for hoofstock this is somewhat common.
~Thylo
I'd imagine that non-AZA zoos that lose accreditation probably continue to maintain animals in the SSP.
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As far as HOA goes, I've never seen it in-person but from photos it does look quite nice even if it features some of Columbus' infamous theming. I will say, though, it also doesn't strike me as being all that unique of an African exhibit. DAK, Dallas, Omaha, SDZSP, and even Bronx I can justify for a more "worthy" appearance on this list in the African savanna category. Of course, I do expect that at least four of those will appear on this list in due time.
The justification given for why this exhibit deserves a spot imo applies just as much to Omaha's exhibit, which also includes a very large elephant-zebra mixed exhibit.
@pachyderm pro for what it's worth, I want to make it clear that you shouldn't take these remarks are criticism of the hard work you've put into this thread per se. These kinds of discussions are really what threads like this should be invoking! I think my main piece of advice to you would be to spread out the entries a little. Say, maybe once a week? I think a little more breathing time between posts will help usher more discussion about each exhibit and exhibit type, as well as allow for more in-depth discussion. I feel some of the conversations here barely scratched the surface of what there is to say before we moved onto the next entry!
Great job overall, though! And I'm happy my Bronx pics helped out with the first post
~Thylo
The justification given for why this exhibit deserves a spot imo applies just as much to Omaha's exhibit, which also includes a very large elephant-zebra mixed exhibit.
@pachyderm pro for what it's worth, I want to make it clear that you shouldn't take these remarks are criticism of the hard work you've put into this thread per se. These kinds of discussions are really what threads like this should be invoking! I think my main piece of advice to you would be to spread out the entries a little. Say, maybe once a week? I think a little more breathing time between posts will help usher more discussion about each exhibit and exhibit type, as well as allow for more in-depth discussion. I feel some of the conversations here barely scratched the surface of what there is to say before we moved onto the next entry!
Great job overall, though! And I'm happy my Bronx pics helped out with the first post
~Thylo
He'd take nearly two years to get the thread done
but the point is a good one - I suggest a post every four days, which would take him into the second week of 2024 and allow plenty of time for discussion. A post every three days would see him into mid-October 2023 if my rough mental arithmetic holds out.
Pleistocene891
Well-Known Member
Pittsburgh's PPG Aquarium
Which exhibit in Pittsburgh is a candidate? The former freshwater dolphin exhibit in the aquarium is nice, but sans dolphin is not better than half a dozen or so similar “rivers edge” exhibits in other zoos/aquaria.
Oh yes, I completely agree. Even if there has some pushback to certain exhibits I've been really happy with how much discussion there has been thus far (even if things have gone off the rails a bit over the last two pages
). Friendly debate is a key element of projects like these and if someone disagrees with one of my picks I encourage them to tell me why.You make a good point and that's something I'm willing to do. The last thing I'd want is to rush things along and stifle discussion. With that said, when @lintworm's thread was ongoing I remember how fun it was to wake up and read about a new exhibit every day, so while I think some additional cool down would be beneficial, I don't want the gap between profiles to be too long.
So for now, I'll do this. I'll post an exhibit profile every other day and will adjust accordingly based on the level of discussion regarding the exhibit in question. I'm still going to post exhibit #5 tonight because I think we need a soft reset from how cluttered this thread has gotten, but afterwards I will go by this schedule.
I think it's the aquarium as a whole - while it's had a net reduction of species over the years, the exhibits themselves are quite nice and the concept of the "Diversity of Water" is beyond unique. Having the Water's Edge complex adjoining the aquarium is also a nice bonus, even if the polar bear exhibit is *well*, polarizing. I'll see myself out.
Being based in the United Kingdom, never having visited North America, and not being familiar with the list of which collections are (or are not) members of AZA beyond the obvious candidates - or indeed familiar with the exhibits located within the vast majority of North American zoological collections full stop - I am wholly unqualified to make such predictions and it would be foolish of me to try. You may as well ask me to compare any given pair of sports teams!
But even so, I reckon I am on pretty firm ground in noting that a blanket statement that being outside AZA is an automatic disqualifier for the purposes of this thread, and renders a collection a mere "roadside zoo" to boot, is entirely unfair. I would hope that - given the wealth of experience I know you have in the zoo world - you would at least not stoop to defending the latter argument
There is no non-AZA zoo in the US that is the equivalent of WWT. While I do not think all non-AZA facilities are “roadside zoos” or that they should be disqualified in any way from consideration, I am genuinely curious to know where one can find a “must see” exhibit in one (particularly one that has not recently “left” the AZA for political reasons, ala Pittsburgh and Columbus.)
Ditto; one reason why the discussions and debates to come within this thread will hopefully be very interesting
even if I don't know as much as I would like about North American collections, reading such discussions is pretty much the ideal way to increase my knowledge barring an eventual trip across the big puddle myself.
I think a lot of the clutter is due to multiple exhibits still being discussed at once along with an apparent want for more information and justification on some of these choices than is initially being provided. A slightly slower posting schedule and more information in the initial post would likely keep arguments more on topic.
Regarding the inclusion of Heart of Africa, it's one I would have included right away. The simple, not over-the-top theming fells nice, strangely - the crashed plane is a very cool viewing area that the lions love and the Vervet enclosure genuinely looks like a raided camp. The waterhole habitat is super cool and it was very fun to see different species in the enclosure every time I passed it. The Cheetah run held there is one of my favorite zoo experiences ever. Frankly, I always thought Cheetahs were boring exhibit animals since they basically just lounge about in the shade, but actually getting to see them run at top speed felt magical and gave me a much deeper appreciation for the species.
But the savanna habitat is definitely the highlight of this complex, ignoring the Cheetah run for a second. It's genuinely hard to tell where the exhibit ends and the savanna feels alive, packed with animals and yet having few enough that the grass somehow stays tall. The view is especially good from the themed restaurant. Eating there, looking out the window at a herd of Wildebeest and spotting a Slender-horned Gazelle hidden among the grass is the closest I've ever felt to being in Africa. Not The Wilds, not DAK, right here in this out of the way corner of the Columbus Zoo.
But the savanna habitat is definitely the highlight of this complex, ignoring the Cheetah run for a second. It's genuinely hard to tell where the exhibit ends and the savanna feels alive, packed with animals and yet having few enough that the grass somehow stays tall. The view is especially good from the themed restaurant. Eating there, looking out the window at a herd of Wildebeest and spotting a Slender-horned Gazelle hidden among the grass is the closest I've ever felt to being in Africa. Not The Wilds, not DAK, right here in this out of the way corner of the Columbus Zoo.
Given Cheetah runs are found at several zoos it's not the most unique feature.
Definitely fair enough, I felt similarly eating lunch while looking over the fields at SDZSP. Not quite as naturalistic perhaps, but still quite enjoyable.