I don't know if this is
newsworthy, but it's moreso an interesting look at Brookfield Zoo's history (from Curtis Wright Maps, there's some genuine artistry here!). Here are some highlights, although this may just be me discovering stuff about the zoo's history for myself, hopefully I'm not preaching to the choir.
- This map is *packed* with commentary, alongside some tidbits here and there either about the zoo's collection in general or fun facts about the animals that Brookfield had at the time.
- Side tidbit for Tropic World - I love how one person says "gorillas are shy" even though you could absolutely walk all the way around the gorilla exhibit in Tropic World.
- The map also shows the layout of the old Primate House (before its conversion into the Swamp) as well as the old Reptile House, and even showcases Baboon Island seemingly in its prime.
- Did they have Hamadryas baboons at some point? I know the last three baboons the zoo had were guinea baboons - past that, the enclosure at this point in history was a mixed species exhibit (as confirmed by other accounts) for meerkats *as pointed out by one of the guests* alongside what looks like rock hyrax?
- This map confirms accounts of the Predator Ecology exhibit (now Desert's Edge/Clouded Leopard Rainforest) being a one-way path rather than two separate loops, even allowing guests to look inside the Lion House after you exited Predator Ecology! (I also love how both Lincoln Park and Brookfield had gift shops *inside* their respective Lion Houses.
- Jaguars were where the sloth bears are now, and based on footage from the 1990s, the jaguars actually were displayed in an open-fronted habitat! Seems like a legitimate rarity to display jaguars in that manner, as valuable as mesh and glass is - well you know my stance on moats in zoos.
- This shows a pretty solid layout of the old Seven Seas area for Olga the walrus, the zoo's dolphins and the old California sea lion exhibit.
- Penguins were originally on display in the old Aquatic Bird House (now Feathers and Scales) and that exhibit even had underwater viewing! Which does seem a bit strange that The Living Coast doesn't for the main penguin exhibit, although apparently geriatric penguins are housed in the Open Ocean tank).
- They actually had wisent in the old hoofstock yards! Alongside eland (giant eland?), beisa oryx, ostrich, Pere David's deer, American bison, yaks and Przewalski's horses alongside the other remaining animals within the hoofstock yards.
- Hamill Family Play Zoo was originally the zoo's Small Mammal House, and there's a little otter exhibit to the side of that building.
- When did Brookfield Zoo have so many polar bears and okapi? I'm wondering if the groups of polar bears were in separate grottoes or if they were all interconnected at some point, the okapi I get given the zoo's a breeding powerhouse for okapi.
- Speaking of bears - what looks like American black bears in the zoo's old giant panda enclosure.
If there's anything I missed, feel free to let me know!
I've stumbled upon this map once before some years ago - and dismissed it as an artist interpretation, but with later research, it's shocking to realize just how closely it follows the actual layouts of the buildings as I remember and as reported. Would make a great basis for a digital recreation.
- As far as my research, no confirmation the zoo has ever held Hamadryas baboon, though it is certainly possible. Multiple references suggest the zoo first held Guinea baboon at the exhibit in 1936 so if they ever did, they co-existed. The meerkat were introduced from 1978 until the Fragile Desert opened. I believe the hyrax identification is correct but unsure when they left; possibly the same time. The drawings sure look like Hamadryas though!
- Total news to me Predator Ecology was a separate exhibit inside Lion House as a greater building - fascinating.
- Yes! Brookfield actually won awards for their work with wisent, beisa oryx, and less certain on the eland and deer in the eighties. Such a shame none of these programs persisted.
- Those definitely look to be black bears; by my childhood, Andean bears were held in the former panda grotto, although I had no clue of that grotto's history until well after it was torn down.
It's almost overwhelming to try to connect some of my childhood memories to these layouts. I really wonder if there is an even higher-quality version of this out there... what a valuable historical resource.
Also, very notably, there used to be bison in between the river and Swan Lake? Is there even space for that there? This may be relevant to the speculation thread, as there seemed to be some hints that some new enclosures would be in this area. I'm still confused as to where there actually is space for a bison enclosure next to the salt creek.
According to anecdote, the bison were actually only visible from the Brookfield Zoo train, which was dismantled and discontinued shortly after this map was published to make room for the new Seven Seas exhibit. I don't believe they had an enclosure viewable from any path - this might be why it appears there was no such space for them at the time. I've also heard legend there is an enclosure for white stork over there? I've actually only ventured through the Salt Creek Wilderness once or twice.
By my childhood, the bison were part of the 31st Street Hoofstock Yards.
For a measly $200 U.S. ($269 Canadian for me!) one can buy the Brookfield Zoo 'poster map' being discussed here. I was surprised to find out that it wasn't published until 1984:
The Brookfield Zoo | Curtis Wright Maps
There are some really neat zoo maps on that site, which includes Brookfield, Bronx and San Diego.
Shop 2 | Curtis Wright Maps
Local advantage here obviously, but for me guessing the date based on the co-existence of Tropic World and the old Seven Seas - the former exhibit was fully open by 1984 and the new Seven Seas opened in 1987.
Someone else can correct me on this, but I believe it was initially two connected polar bear exhibits. At the end, two were connected and one was solo.
From what I remember, before Habitat Africa: The Forest, there were okapi in the very last hoofstock yard in the northwest corner of the zoo. I believe it stretched beyond publicly accessible service road so it may have been strictly for breeding. But there definitely is so much more space than we think!
The polar bear arrangement sounds correct to me. I remember on my first visit as a kid to the bear grottos being surprised to see polar bears active in two habitats and signed in a third. It's an odd contrast that the old bear grottos used to seem extremely active and often with breeding cubs, but I usually reach Great Bear Wilderness by the time the animals are sleeping and there's been no breeding to date.
I do remember okapi being kept in the last hoofstock yard in childhood as well after the Forest opened, as well as a Congo buffalo at one point, so this arrangement persisted for a while.
Is that island enclosure in the children’s zoo meant to suggest that they kept beavers, skunks, raccoons, opossums, and whatever that fifth one’s supposed to be together? That’s quite the crowd, I wonder how it worked out.
I distinctly remember that island enclosure from childhood, watching a skunk and a raccoon interacting there and finding it absolutely delightful. I didn't fully embrace the Children's Zoo at the time so I spent a lot of time by the island exhibit when I did visit. It was a lot of fun. Beavers were definitely gone by then.
