Desert Houses in Zoos
- Thread starter Batto
- Start date
Tropical rainforests in Europe?
Some desert animals (in particular larger mammals) can cope with cold (dry) weather for a while, even though slip hazard and frostbite of the acra can cause health issues. Cold wet weather is a different matter, though.
That's even more true for small desert endotherms and ectotherms in general, which no one in his right mind would recommend to keep outdoors, except in warm summers.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Yes, absolutely - I would agree.Tropical rainforests in Europe?
Some desert animals (in particular larger mammals) can cope with cold (dry) weather for a while, even though slip hazard and frostbite of the acra can cause health issues. Cold wet weather is a different matter, though.
That's even more true for small desert endotherms and ectotherms in general, which no one in his right mind would recommend to keep outdoors, except in warm summers.
It is easier to provide warm conditions for rainforest spp, than it is warn and DRY conditions for desert spp, or indeed cold and dry for high altitude spp.
Is it feasible to build the outdoor red desert exhibits for megafauna like Bush Elephant, Black Rhino in non-desert environment? If it is feasible, any real-life examples?
Last edited:
I have a hard time understanding you. What are "the outdoor red desert exhibits"? As far as I know, Michelangelo Antonioni's 1964 film Il deserto rosso (The Red Desert) did not feature any [zoo] exhibits...
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
He might be talking about how elephants look red in the Tsavo due to the dust there and probably the same for the rhinos.
Red soil isn't limited to Tsavo, or Africa, or deserts, in general.
An updated list, based on your suggestions so far:
Europe:
- ARTIS Amsterdam
- Birdland Park and Gardens
- Burger's Zoo
- Egapark Erfurt
- Helsinki Zoo ("Africasia" is actually more savanna - themed, but let's add it here)
- Landau Reptile Zoo
- Marwell Zoo
- Tierpark Nuremberg
- Paignton Zoo
- (Pairi Daizi in the future)
- Parken Zoo
- Zoo Plzen
- Zoo Prague (Gobi house)
- Desert House Vienna (as an external part of Zoo Vienna)
- Zoo Wrocław
North America:
- Brookfield Zoo
- Chattanooga Zoo
- Henry Doorly Zoo
- Indianapolis Zoo
- (LA Zoo)
- North Carolina Zoo
- Tulsa Zoo
- ZooAmerica
Like the outdoor version of Omaha's Namib Desert exhibit, the land is made of red soil (or sand) with sparse trees and bushes, but built in outdoor instead of indoor
South Lakes had / have a red soil savannah exhibit, it always stood out to me but now looks rather bare imo
Despite previous discussions about the clear definition of deserts in this thread, I would recommend not to throw in any savannah exhibits into the discussion, but keep things neatly separated from one another. While "African savannah" is a very, very popular theme in many zoos, true deserts are not.
As for @StellarChaser : sure, you could try to dump tons of red soil onto your African bush or Black rhino savannah(sic!) exhibit. As it has been done many a times in various "Australia" budgie / wallaby walkthrough exhibits. Depending on the local precipitation rate, wind and general erosion rate as well as the interest of the charismatic megafauna representatives to use that soil to their likening, the desired landscape effect, however, might only be of temporary nature.
As for @StellarChaser : sure, you could try to dump tons of red soil onto your African bush or Black rhino savannah(sic!) exhibit. As it has been done many a times in various "Australia" budgie / wallaby walkthrough exhibits. Depending on the local precipitation rate, wind and general erosion rate as well as the interest of the charismatic megafauna representatives to use that soil to their likening, the desired landscape effect, however, might only be of temporary nature.
I finally had the time to look at the ZooAmerica desert complex recommended by @Neil chace and @Antimony96 via YT videos. And while the species collection is nice, I fail to see the Wow! - factor that makes both of you praise it. Maybe the videos do not succeed to do it justice, but its design, structure and practical implementation of a desert landscape / natural immersion effect do not convince, and the nocturnal exhibits simply look out-dated and not fulfilling the needs of its inhabitants.
Somehow, some zoos seem to get worse than better at creating naturalistic exhibit designs, and judging from what I have seen recently, American zoos more so than certain European ones. Is it the lack of money / patience, competent stakeholders with an artist's "eye" for details, is it cultural differences and changing zeitgeist, or am I just getting more hypercritical with age? The new Gobi desert complex at Zoo Prague, for example, is nicely designed in regard to fake rocks, immersion effects and visitor information, but not so much in regard to the demands of its animal inhabitants, if you look a bit closer and more critically...
Somehow, some zoos seem to get worse than better at creating naturalistic exhibit designs, and judging from what I have seen recently, American zoos more so than certain European ones. Is it the lack of money / patience, competent stakeholders with an artist's "eye" for details, is it cultural differences and changing zeitgeist, or am I just getting more hypercritical with age? The new Gobi desert complex at Zoo Prague, for example, is nicely designed in regard to fake rocks, immersion effects and visitor information, but not so much in regard to the demands of its animal inhabitants, if you look a bit closer and more critically...
cerperal
Well-Known Member
I'm not entirely sure how you'd draw that conclusion, as the area just consists of a very nice exhibit for Pallas' cat and an even nicer one for Przewalski's horse. Both are spacious and offer a naturalistic environment. The herps and invertebrates have generic vivariums but they're larger than most in zoos.
Overcriticality is important though, I think so long as it doesn't become overly negative (which your comment certainly isn't). I also think that with certain exhibits, it's hard to do them justice on camera
Maybe it’s bigger in person but the hedgehog and rodent enclosures feel a bit small. I can tolerate it but it could end up as fodder for animal rights activists.
Size is one aspect; structuring another. There are no or too few retreats in said vivaria (or rather, terraria), which is in particular obvious in the sunwatcher tank. And anyone who has ever kept sandboas knows that if given the opportunity to dig deep into the sand, sand boas most certainly will do so, becoming pretty much invisible. So both sand boas in said exhibit being visible all the time strongly indicates that they have no possibility to dig and hide - except for the narrow area right in front of the glass. Which is great for the visitors, but not so great for sand boas. Furthermore, the small mammal enclosures aren't truly large, especially when it comes to very active hedgehogs.
As for ZooAmerica: feel free to watch yourself (starting at 4:00)
cerperal
Well-Known Member
I completely forgot they were housed on account of not seeing them - my mistake. I'll take both your words for it regarding that. I think ultimately the smaller creatures held are just to flesh out what is really just a quality horse exhibit, but I will admit I found the terrariums to be a slight disappointment especially compared to the rest of the zoo.
I have no argument here with you, it's just not very good compared to similar exhibits.
Don't get me wrong: the furnishing for at least some of the terraria isn't bad; I wish I could afford that fine fake rock background (which doesn't come in cheap in that quality) for WdG. But if you look closer and keep the needs of the animals in mind, this desert house leaves you with mixed feelings.
True. The difference is that deserts are very cold at night, so desert animals are a lot hardier than tropical animals.
Even botanic gardens have difficulty presenting deserts. This is the Red Sand Garden at the Cranbourne Botanic Gardens Explore Living Collections at Cranbourne Gardens near here. It looks even better in real life, but it is basically a concrete bowl.
