Isaac Hicks
New Member
Probably i am exited to see what animals go in these new areas. I would love to see a white rhino.
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo News 2024
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I doubt the zoo would phase out black rhinos in favor of whites since the black rhino has been a huge part of their history
Idk if that's how I read that map. It's difficult to make out. To me, it seems like a re-design of the current Rhino Reserve with views similar to the current Africa yards, not in them. I could be wrong.
Interestingly, the description of the new giraffe area at the old elephant house leaves the possibility for a few more species to be included.
This is absolute speculative spitballing, but I feel like the hoofed stock yard in Africa is on the chopping block. The species in it have declined in number significantly. If the zoo want to redevelop Rhino Reserve as a NA complex, then those species could be dispersed around the current giraffe yard, the current hoofed stock yard, and the elephant house. It would be a real shame if they fail to do the okapis justice with a good exhibit.
I personally don't love bringing polar bears back. They are poor captives and seem to be in short supply in US zoos at the moment. It's very expensive and difficult to give them a quality exhibit. I feel similarly unexcited about sea lions. It's an expensive exhibit and not overly interesting. I'd rather see a commitment to a new hippo exhibit for the 4 animals currently at the zoo if you're going to spend money on constructing something with a major filtration need.
That's definitely an entirely new location replacing the current giraffe exhibit and surrounding area, not the current rhino reserve. You can see the existing lion and hoofstock exhibits to the right of the proposed exhibits. I do worry the zoo is biting off more than they can chew with this idea. Placing four megafauna species in a space that was deemed too small for the one already there is an interesting call, but the design will likely be altered as it becomes closer to reality.
This is definitely a tall order. I get Cincinnati seems set on having as many ABCs as possible, but polar bears are in short supply right now and pinnipeds are also a massive investment. In my opinion the new black bear and sea otter exhibits should fill these niches well enough. I also agree that this space would be perfect for an African wetlands exhibit with a world-class hippo complex as the focus. That is also a significant investment, but hippos are arguably the zoo's star attraction and are in need of a larger accommodation, not to mention their prominent status would probably make it easier to fundraise for.
Where did all of this stuff about polar bears and pinnipeds come from anyway? Until the last page of this thread I hadn't heard a thing about it.
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
The map shows the space where the current giraffe habitat is as the education center is to the left, elephant house above it, Africa to the right, and Cheetah show at the bottom. I also hope the zoo does not bring polar bears back but rather fixup and build new enclosures for its current residents. The zoo really needs a new reptile house with the current one being way too small and a pain in the butt for keepers to work in. Night Hunters’ is behind the times and Cincinnati should really consider building outdoor habitats for their small carnivore collection. The children's zoo feels empty with much of it being older such as the playground that is falling apart (Might not concern zoochaters too much XD but sure felt bad for my niece when half of it was broken) and many of its former species being gone. I am fine with the zoo downsizing their collection as long as welfare is improving but sadly that has non been the case. It seems like Cincinnati is more focused on having as many megafauna species as possible on their campus. Take the hippos, wanting to bring back polar bears, and etc. Even the new Elephant Trek has an aviary for southeast asian birds like shrike and pheasants which is far too small for its inhabitants and quite an embarrassment to a quality addition to the zoo. I applaud the zoo for their education and conservation efforts which I think they are quite good at but for a zoo that considers it the Best Zoo in the Nation on all of their social media platforms I have to say that they are light years behind the likes of America’s best zoo (at least in my opinion) Bronx or the other greats such as San Diego, Omaha, Saint Louis, and more.
The zoo brining polar bears back has been talked about quite a lot in the member community and I asked multiple keepers and docents about it on my latest visit who said the same thing. I couldn't agree more with the rest of your post and a hippo wetland maybe similar to one of the excellent European habitats such as Beauval's aviary would surely be a sight to see.
Honestly, I'm not sure if this is how the zoo'd go about it, but this may make the most sense spitballwise:
- Expand Schottzie and Mai Thai's old yard for the giraffes as planned, move the zebras in with the giraffes.
- Expand Sabu's old yard for the okapi/bongo, similar to the old Vanishing Giants setup for giraffe and okapi.
- Dedicate the entirety of Giraffe Ridge to the black rhinos, or move the painted dogs over and make a "panorama" setup where the painted dogs and black rhinos look like they're in the same setup (you could even have an overhead passageway and allow the next-door lions to rotate exhibits with the painted dogs!)
- The hippo exhibit could then be expanded into the current Painted Dog Valley, providing more space for all four hippos.
- All of Rhino Reserve could then be utilized for polar bears/sea lions (if the zoo's potential plans are correct), with said polar bear/sea lion complex linking up to the old Wolf Woods area, Bear Ridge/Sea Otter Coast and the new Mexican wolf exhibit where the white lions used to be. Throw in a couple other interesting critters - the cougars could get a new space in the old Mexican wolf exhibit (and in turn the current cougar exhibit near Night Hunters/Cat Canyon becomes a new space for clouded leopards) maybe American marten, fisher or wolverines could have an exhibit nearby, bringing back Arctic foxes, bringing in snowy owls, the world's Cincinnati's oyster.
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Frankie_number_1_fan
Well-Known Member
Has the zoo said anything about a proposed/potential hippo expansion? It feels odd that so far I've seen no word on giving a larger habitat to what is arguably Cinci's most popular animals. Especially since regionally the breeding program for hippos has suffered due to severe lack of space. I'd think they'd leap to set a precedent for hippo exhibits
Thanks for the clarification. My eyes are getting worse with age.
Before he left, Ed Maruska had wanted build an African wetland exhibit with hippos, nile crocs and other miscellaneous species. I think that would be an outstanding way to revamp the Rhino Reserve area.
I've also wanted a new Reptile House for quite some time. The zoo seems more content to spread the reptile collection throughout the zoo.
Another area that I'd really like to see updated is the lemur island/Dragons area. It's kind of an outdated wasteland. It would be ideal to re-design it for some other Asian species and link it to Elephant Trek. Again, as a recurring theme, clouded leopards come to mind if you could completely renovate the island to create a closed habitat. Might even go well with the Dragons next door.
It's incredibly odd that a zoo that's scratched and clawed to develop every inch of space in it's small footprint (for the entirety of the 5 decades I've been alive) seems bent on self-sabotage by courting so many megafauna.
ZooNerd
Well-Known Member
I went to the zoo this afternoon and here are some things I noticed:
- Construction on Bear Hill, the Jungle Trails exhibit, and siamang point seem to be going smoothly
- While it was probably already mentioned earlier next to the Elephant Barn in elephant trek there is a small aviary being built for Vietnam Pheasants and Azure-Winged Magpie
- All of the bedding and hides have been taken out of the grey fox enclosure in Wolf Woods
-The South American Aviary in Wings of the World is closed
-The Asian building in Jungle Trails is closed
- The Thick Billed Parrots are back on habitat
On another note do we know yet what other animals, if any, are going to be in siamang point other than Siamangs, Babirusa, Rhinoceros Hornbills, and Asian Small Clawed Otters?
- Construction on Bear Hill, the Jungle Trails exhibit, and siamang point seem to be going smoothly
- While it was probably already mentioned earlier next to the Elephant Barn in elephant trek there is a small aviary being built for Vietnam Pheasants and Azure-Winged Magpie
- All of the bedding and hides have been taken out of the grey fox enclosure in Wolf Woods
-The South American Aviary in Wings of the World is closed
-The Asian building in Jungle Trails is closed
- The Thick Billed Parrots are back on habitat
On another note do we know yet what other animals, if any, are going to be in siamang point other than Siamangs, Babirusa, Rhinoceros Hornbills, and Asian Small Clawed Otters?
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
Most likely siamang point will just have those 4 but I heard somewhere else that there’s an aviary too.
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
The gray fox passed away earlier this fall unsure what will be taking her place. Jungle Trails Asia is closed as the slow loris are getting adjusted to being back on habitat. Interesting that South America Aviary is closed. No other species will be added to Siamang point besides the ones you mentioned. Funnily enough there is some signage around Elephant Trek that has Fishing Cats on it but sadly does not look the zoo's current female will be getting a new outdoor habitat in the trek.
Forgot to mention earlier as well but Mai Thai and Schottzie were moved down to Elephant Trek last week and will be slowly introduced to the current herd over the coming months. After 118 years the Elephant House no longer houses the world's largest land mammal. Truly a bittersweet moment for many who over the last century visited the building. Glad the elephants have a better indoor space but I do hope the zoo acknowledges the history of the house the upcoming giraffe habitat and not redo another sumatran rhinoceros situation.
Now that you mention it, Ed Maruska did mention in his Zoophoria interview he wanted to do a West Africa exhibit rather than an East African exhibit just to mix things up - alongside a proper reptile house, though he could never get the right people excited for a development like that. Was the West Africa exhibit in that interview the African wetland you're referring to?
I think they were separate potential projects. I know that Maruska wanted a West African savanna to highlight his beloved giant eland alongside roan antelope, Ugandan kob, and red-fronted gazelles, if I remember correctly.
I honestly have to say, looking at these plans now, especially given the possibility of Cincinnati's own "tree of life", this could be a really inventive exhibit for giraffes! I'm curious how they'll adapt this plan when the time comes (and, more importantly, what smaller critters they throw in alongside the giraffes like in Elephant Trek).
PercideRolo
Well-Known Member
reely cool!
I honestly have to say, looking at these plans now, especially given the possibility of Cincinnati's own "tree of life", this could be a really inventive exhibit for giraffes! I'm curious how they'll adapt this plan when the time comes (and, more importantly, what smaller critters they throw in alongside the giraffes like in Elephant Trek).
Well, Treetops, one of the private event spaces, is being removed to make way for the megafauna species and the flamingos, contrary to what the document states, might actually be by the giraffes, according to the plan shared by @StoppableSan. Even then, though, I agree that there doesn't seem like enough space.
The idea of a mixed-species enclosure with zebras and black rhinoceroses seems like a recipe for disaster with how aggressive both taxons can be. There should also really be two rhinoceros yards, so maybe the zebras and bongo will be exhibited with the kudu or giraffes or one with kudu and one with giraffes. I don't see how there will be sufficient space for all four. I'm very interested to see how it is pulled off and whether it will be done and meet modern standards.
While yes, Night Hunters is definitely outdated, outdoor enclosures are not necessary to improve the small carnivores' quality of life (except for the aardvarks, if you are considering them small carnivores). There are plenty of exhibits for small carnivores that are entirely indoors but still offer great "welfare" for their inhabitants.
I completely agree with these assessments. I could see the current reptile house being converted to a museum explaining the history of the zoo.
Do you have any pictures of the aviary?
The African wild dog enclosure that exists is fantastic and should absolutely be kept in place. Perhaps an expansion of the hippopotamus exhibit could be constructed behind Birds of the World and/or Jungle World. The meerkat exhibit isn't that special so I wouldn't mind seeing it removed.
I've seen this suggested a lot since the hippo exhibit opened, but speaking realistically an expansion towards Jungle Trails or Wings of the World would intercept the direct trash and food suppliers route to Base Camp Cafe.
USZOOfan42
Well-Known Member
Is it known when the blue penguins and okapi go indoors for the winter, last year when I visited I saw every animals except for them, kangaroos and various other species (reptiles and birds)
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