As my username might suggest. I'm hoping for a smal himalaya ecodisplay. They could leave the vultures ...1) snowleopard enclosure and 2)a mixed exhibit with eg. Thars, Takin, Markhor, Bluesheep, Yak, Argali (offcourse max 2 species) maybe a langur species...
and 3) red panda
Given the amount of trees and lack of elevation differences, a Himalayan area would be harder to pull off. I would think such an area would make more sense long term where the elephants and lemurs are now.
Agreed, I was just giving some examples. In all honesty, I can't even start to imagine what their plan for this region is. It's a bit difficult to "get in the head" of Burgers' Zoo in comparison to other zoos. As you mentioned, they have a knack for surprising us. Between an amazing mudflat enclosure with crabs as the stars of the show in the Mangrove, and extreme rarities like Screaming Pihas, American goldfinches and Montezuma quails in the Bush and Desert, we never really know what they're planning.
I would think they go for something forested and then a (temperate) deciduous or tropical dry forest forest would fit the environment best and are not yet represented. But you will need a region with species that could become the stars (likely and unlikely; "primary concern"). Species like montezuma quail and screaming piha are in essence filler species to complete the ecosystem, so of "secondary concern". These fillers are with some creativity available for a lot of ecosystems, especially as Burgers' is willing to go the extra mile for fitting species. So a few options could be:
- Chinese decidious forest (fun without giant pandas): you have several options like red panda, Chinese pangolin (imports are planned to Europe from Taiwan), golden takin, goral, Chinese giant salamander, yellow-throated marten, Swinhoe' striped squirrels, plenty of pheasants, laughing-thrushes and other passerines. With a bit of a stretch Mangshan pit vipers and Francois langurs could be added in the mix.
- Himalayan broadleaf forest: red panda, Mishmi takin, goral, dhole, sacred langurs, clouded leopards, Swinhoe's striped squirrel plenty of pheasants and laughingthrushes.
- Amur region: Amur leopards (would signal other plans for current leopard complex, but that falls within the realm of possibilities given the need for a new zoo kitchen/quarantine complex anyway), yellow-throated marten, Siberian weasels, raccoon dog, sika deer/moose, Siberian red squirrel, nutcrackers, capercaillie, bohemian waxwing, cranes, etc. With a bit of a stretch Dalmatian pelicans (I don't think wing-clipped pelicans in Safari have a long term future).
- Australian forest/Tasmania: Tasmanian devil, wombat, echidna, kangaroos, koala (though unlikely to be added a year after Ouwehands), range of parrots, doves and colourful finches.
- Madagascar's dry forests: ring-tailed lemur, black lemur, sifaka, fossa & a range of reptiles, amphibians and birds
- A Belizean extension after all to complement the Mangrove: a laguna with Caribbean flamingos, ibises, ducks & spoonbills. A forest area with Baird's tapir, tayra, white-nosed coati, (jaguar), macaws, toucans, Geoffrey's spider monkeys, yucatan jays and other birds too big/destructive for the Mangrove.
Each of those options would have a/multiple star species that add something Burgers' doesn't already have and has enough fillers to build a rounded ecosystem. Those are options I would consider, but I am not part of the planning room, so it could very likely be something else entirely
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