BenFoxster
Well-Known Member
With so many zoos modernizing and creating brand new exhibits, plus the trend to distribute species throughout the zoo via the categorical theming of continents, it makes sense for some zoos to start combining separate continents or regions to create broader exhibits, such as combining Asia and Australia to make an "Australasian" themed exhibit.
I would like to know Zoo Chat's thoughts on such a theme, as well as have some advice on how such a theme could be well executed. I would also like to know which zoos already have such a theme. I know Columbus has more of an "islands" or "Indonesian" themed exhibit with koalas, tassie devils, kangaroos, orangutans, Asian Otters, siamangs, Komodos, etc. I also know that in the most recent iteration of Elk Grove Zoo's master plan, they recently combined their previously proposed separate Asian and Australian themed exhibits to make one large "Australasian" exhibit.
How would you make a good Australasian themed exhibit, and which species would you include? Would you limit it to species found near the border between Asia and Australia, or also include species from up in Northern Asia, or down under in Southern Australia? Assuming you want the best of both worlds, I assume you would have to include a good variety.
I am currently trying to make a medium sized spec zoo that is more economical/realistic, so I am trying to make one large Australasian exhibit as opposed to two smaller Asian and Australian ones (I am also trying to make a single "Americas" exhibit as opposed to separate North and South America exhibits, which I will post a second question on). For my exhibit, I was considering including:
- Asian Elephant
- Indian Rhino
- Malayan Tiger
- Malayan Tapir
- Clouded Leopard
- Orangutan
- Siamang
- Cassowary
- Wallaby
- Tree Kangaroo
- Little Blue Penguin
- Australasian Aviary
The only other issue I foresee is that as far as making the exhibits, visitor pathway, and surrounding areas as immersive as possible, it would be far more difficult to blend the two continents together as both Asia and Australia's landscapes and architecture vary so greatly (at least based on what I've seen in movies, pictures, documentaries, etc.) that it would be difficult to create an entire exhibit that blends as one area. You could, for example, decorate the Australian exhibits differently (different foliage, Australian wooden architecture, etc.) but at that point then why not separate Australia into its own exhibit?
Considering that many zoos may not be able to afford having separate continents to
I would like to know Zoo Chat's thoughts on such a theme, as well as have some advice on how such a theme could be well executed. I would also like to know which zoos already have such a theme. I know Columbus has more of an "islands" or "Indonesian" themed exhibit with koalas, tassie devils, kangaroos, orangutans, Asian Otters, siamangs, Komodos, etc. I also know that in the most recent iteration of Elk Grove Zoo's master plan, they recently combined their previously proposed separate Asian and Australian themed exhibits to make one large "Australasian" exhibit.
How would you make a good Australasian themed exhibit, and which species would you include? Would you limit it to species found near the border between Asia and Australia, or also include species from up in Northern Asia, or down under in Southern Australia? Assuming you want the best of both worlds, I assume you would have to include a good variety.
I am currently trying to make a medium sized spec zoo that is more economical/realistic, so I am trying to make one large Australasian exhibit as opposed to two smaller Asian and Australian ones (I am also trying to make a single "Americas" exhibit as opposed to separate North and South America exhibits, which I will post a second question on). For my exhibit, I was considering including:
- Asian Elephant
- Indian Rhino
- Malayan Tiger
- Malayan Tapir
- Clouded Leopard
- Orangutan
- Siamang
- Cassowary
- Wallaby
- Tree Kangaroo
- Little Blue Penguin
- Australasian Aviary
The only other issue I foresee is that as far as making the exhibits, visitor pathway, and surrounding areas as immersive as possible, it would be far more difficult to blend the two continents together as both Asia and Australia's landscapes and architecture vary so greatly (at least based on what I've seen in movies, pictures, documentaries, etc.) that it would be difficult to create an entire exhibit that blends as one area. You could, for example, decorate the Australian exhibits differently (different foliage, Australian wooden architecture, etc.) but at that point then why not separate Australia into its own exhibit?
Considering that many zoos may not be able to afford having separate continents to
