The 4° giant panda zoo?

Panda_Fan

Panda_Fan

Well-Known Member
If Atlanta zoo doesn't renew their contract with China, what zoo could accommodate pandas?
We have already been confirmed that both SFZ and SNZ will get their pandas in the future and SDZ has already their diplomats.
Note: this is based on the idea that there will be four zoos in the nation with pandas and if Atlanta doesn't renew their contract.
 
Xavier GM said:
If Atlanta zoo doesn't renew their contract with China, what zoo could accommodate pandas?
We have already been confirmed that both SFZ and SNZ will get their pandas in the future and SDZ has already their diplomats.
Note: this is based on the idea that there will be four zoos in the nation with pandas and if Atlanta doesn't renew their contract.
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I’d hope to see a zoo in the midwest or Atlanta again. I really hope SFZ doesn’t get them, the zoo itself struggles with its regular exhibits.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
I’d hope to see a zoo in the midwest or Atlanta again. I really hope SFZ doesn’t get them, the zoo itself struggles with its regular exhibits.
Click to expand...
While I agree with your reasoning with SFZ, but the pandas are going to that facility, whether we like it or not, so I would like that this thread doesn't transform in "Pandas shouldn't be on SFZ". Don't want to be mean, but that story is over.:)
 
If another zoo ends up getting giant pandas, it'll be a "dark horse" zoo with the capital and space to house giant pandas. Something like Zoo Atlanta or Memphis Zoo, where they already have a well-rounded collection, but pandas would seal the deal.

For example, Columbus Zoo planned for giant pandas while constructing their Asia Quest precinct but ended up using that space for sun bears (and now sloth bears). Similarly, Oakland Zoo built an exhibit for giant pandas before that fell through, with that space utilized (quite wisely) by their ever-growing troop of Hamadryas baboons. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo almost got pandas (with the site eventually being utilized for the new giraffe herd rooms in African Grasslands) before that deal fell through at the last minute.

We can also rule out any WCS zoo getting giant pandas, given their expense; as Jim Breheny stated in an article a long while ago, "Building and maintenance of a panda exhibit would be an on-going effort that would require tens of millions of dollars up front and annual support monies for pandas for however long they would be in NY… Any agreement to exhibit pandas would have to come with a guarantee of provision for the necessary funds."

The secondary issue with building a giant panda exhibit is you're really building two exhibits for the price of one (or even three in National's case), with a yard for the male, a yard for the female, and two indoor spaces for each. Adelaide's a good example as far as a distillation of that concept, as shown here:

stringio.jpg


https://www.researchgate.net/public...-plan-of-the-Giant-Panda-exhibit-redesign.png

Theoretically, Disney's Animal Kingdom *could* get pandas, seeing as they have the capital and the parent company has ties with the Chinese government - the issue is where they'd be placed. Columbus is another option as far as having the space within Asia Quest (you could honestly replace the current set of tiger cages across from the main Amur tiger exhibit with giant pandas or construct a giant panda exhibit across from the red pandas, though realistically, that may just become even more space for their Asian elephant herd.

Like I said, I'd see a dark horse zoo getting giant pandas more than anything after San Diego and National.
 
StoppableSan said:
Theoretically, Disney's Animal Kingdom *could* get pandas, seeing as they have the capital and the parent company has ties with the Chinese government - the issue is where they'd be placed. Columbus is another option as far as having the space within Asia Quest (you could honestly replace the current set of tiger cages across from the main Amur tiger exhibit with giant pandas or construct a giant panda exhibit across from the red pandas, though realistically, that may just become even more space for their Asian elephant herd
Click to expand...
Is it known how many sloth bears Columbus has?
 
StoppableSan said:
If another zoo ends up getting giant pandas, it'll be a "dark horse" zoo with the capital and space to house giant pandas. Something like Zoo Atlanta or Memphis Zoo, where they already have a well-rounded collection, but pandas would seal the deal.

For example, Columbus Zoo planned for giant pandas while constructing their Asia Quest precinct but ended up using that space for sun bears (and now sloth bears). Similarly, Oakland Zoo built an exhibit for giant pandas before that fell through, with that space utilized (quite wisely) by their ever-growing troop of Hamadryas baboons. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo almost got pandas (with the site eventually being utilized for the new giraffe herd rooms in African Grasslands) before that deal fell through at the last minute.

We can also rule out any WCS zoo getting giant pandas, given their expense; as Jim Breheny stated in an article a long while ago, "Building and maintenance of a panda exhibit would be an on-going effort that would require tens of millions of dollars up front and annual support monies for pandas for however long they would be in NY… Any agreement to exhibit pandas would have to come with a guarantee of provision for the necessary funds."

The secondary issue with building a giant panda exhibit is you're really building two exhibits for the price of one (or even three in National's case), with a yard for the male, a yard for the female, and two indoor spaces for each. Adelaide's a good example as far as a distillation of that concept, as shown here:

stringio.jpg


https://www.researchgate.net/public...-plan-of-the-Giant-Panda-exhibit-redesign.png

Theoretically, Disney's Animal Kingdom *could* get pandas, seeing as they have the capital and the parent company has ties with the Chinese government - the issue is where they'd be placed. Columbus is another option as far as having the space within Asia Quest (you could honestly replace the current set of tiger cages across from the main Amur tiger exhibit with giant pandas or construct a giant panda exhibit across from the red pandas, though realistically, that may just become even more space for their Asian elephant herd.

Like I said, I'd see a dark horse zoo getting giant pandas more than anything after San Diego and National.
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I agree with you on the idea of the "dark horse zoo", hence why I suggested Cinccinati (do Cincy doesn't have the money or the space). I can't see Atlanta and Memphis getting pandas again. They would need extensive renovations. Both SDZ and National needed to do renovations and they had the better exhibits. I would love to see a zoo in Ohio with pandas (Columbus, Cincy or even Toledo!). Illinois could be another option.
 
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Backpacking on the idea of Omaha and Columbus being the top two options. St. Louis also seems possible though less likely. If Disney wanted to I know they could make the space for them if they wanted to, but I think they're too busy prioritizing their Encanto and Indian Jones attractions to want anymore real animals at their park. :'(
 
Is there a set number of American zoos that can have pandas? it appears so, but where does that come from?
 
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