What would you do if you ran an australian zoo?

[animal kid]

What would you do?
I started this because there seems to be alot of people with fantastic ideas and i would really like to here them!

 

[Ara]

What would I do? Probably go insane. Australia is the most restrictive country in the world in which to establish and operate a zoo. The amount of nit-picking regulation and restriction in this supposedly free country is unbelievable and wouldn't be tolerated in somewhere like the U.S.

On the other hand, if you asked me what I believe existing zoo administrations in Aust. should do, I would say attempt to agree on which animal species to keep co-operatively (which they do) and perservere with them (which they don't!)

If zoos adopt a species for conservation purposes (for example the red panda) then they should go all out to hold, say, 6 or 8 pairs each; not just one or two. The same goes for Sumatran tigers, snow leopards etc. If they winge about having to do so, they are more interested in Showbiz than conservation. The necessary enclosures should be simpler and more economical to construct. I would be happy with, essentially, a row of something like tennis courts with mesh roofs. The animals don't need these lavish, multi-million dollar immersion exhibits.

 

[Hix]

I'd concentrate on natives. And then New Guinea and Pacific Island species.

Conservation would be the priority. Not talking about it, but actively involved in it.



Hix

 

[jay]

I'd concentrate on natives. And then New Guinea and Pacific Island species.

Conservation would be the priority. Not talking about it, but actively involved in it.



Hix

While I agree that conservation should be a gret priority I also think that zoos should be about allowing people the chance to see and experience wildlife that they would normally not be able to. So this means that as well as lesser known natives this means exotics. Not everyone can or even for that matter, should, jet off to Africa etc to see giraffe etc.

I agree with Aras comment that if a zoo zoo is serious then they should be holding more than one pair of something. Also that they continue what they start and don't suddenly decide that ie species is no longer worthwhile.

Multi million dollar exhibits are not nessecary either. I feel that a lot of money is wasted by govt. run zoos in creating extravagent exhibits with a lot of bling that is not needed.

Also more thought about the welfare of animals. Elephants shouldn't have been in city zoos but rather they should have been at Werribee/dubbo.
I would also consider shutting Dubbo down and moving it closer to a populous region where it would get more visitors.
And then for exhibit design I would hire Phoenix.

 

[MARK]

I am sure he would donate his time for free

 

[Jarkari]

While I agree that conservation should be a gret priority I also think that zoos should be about allowing people the chance to see and experience wildlife that they would normally not be able to. So this means that as well as lesser known natives this means exotics. Not everyone can or even for that matter, should, jet off to Africa etc to see giraffe etc.

I agree with Aras comment that if a zoo zoo is serious then they should be holding more than one pair of something. Also that they continue what they start and don't suddenly decide that ie species is no longer worthwhile.

Multi million dollar exhibits are not nessecary either. I feel that a lot of money is wasted by govt. run zoos in creating extravagent exhibits with a lot of bling that is not needed.

Also more thought about the welfare of animals. Elephants shouldn't have been in city zoos but rather they should have been at Werribee/dubbo.
I would also consider shutting Dubbo down and moving it closer to a populous region where it would get more visitors.
And then for exhibit design I would hire Phoenix.

Although making it more profitable it would do a lot of damage to the economy of western NSW. Dubbo sees three times the tourist numbers of other Central West Centres that are much closer to Sydney. meaning people are willing to travel. Taking away the zoo would shutdown dozens of businesses in the city.

But I do believe more money needs to be spent at Dubbo. Wild Asian Wetlands is great but for dubbo is quite extravagant in comparison to other exhibits. I would put more money into interps get more species people want to see, don't shoot me but I would get bears, Jaguars, Leopards and Puma, It would attract more people. Also offer more enimal encounters (which the zoo has started to do with Giraffe in Focus, Big Cat Encounters, Meerkat Encounters and Wild Africa Tours) But the education centre animals are under used.

I would also have a major reshuffle of elephants but I mentioned this in the Australian Elephant Thread.

I would also get in touch with Virgin who a few years ago expressed interest in flying Jets from Sydney to Dubbo but this didn't progress due to lack of council funds for runway and airport extensions - Direct 45 minute flights from Sydney for $50 would seriously boost numbers for the zoo even if they only flew once a day.

 

[ZYBen]

I would also get in touch with Virgin who a few years ago expressed interest in flying Jets from Sydney to Dubbo but this didn't progress due to lack of council funds for runway and airport extensions - Direct 45 minute flights from Sydney for $50 would seriously boost numbers for the zoo even if they only flew once a day.

Yep tie it in with a shuttle bus, and a captive money spending audience!

 

[CGSwans]

I would add bears, jaguars and chimpanzees to Dubbo. Maybe orangs too.

 

[boof]

I don't usually post in these types of threads but I will give it a go tonight.
I would mix the bison and elk at Western Plains zoo and create a Yellowstone National Park style precint. I would add some moose and dall sheep to this large area. I would also add some smaller exhibits with black bears, another with wolves and then some small exhibits for cougars and maybe beavers.

 

[Jarkari]

I don't usually post in these types of threads but I will give it a go tonight.
I would mix the bison and elk at Western Plains zoo and create a Yellowstone National Park style precint. I would add some moose and dall sheep to this large area. I would also add some smaller exhibits with black bears, another with wolves and then some small exhibits for cougars and maybe beavers.

I like this. . . There is plenty of land to use. Mixing Bison and Elk and adding other North American Animals would make a great exhibit area and would cost next to nothing compared to other exhibits in the zoo world.

Although some people do appreciate the hoofstock for what they are there are alot of people that just drive by and say, oh it's another antelope (it's actually a wapiti, nothing like an antelope) but mixing the animals makes people read the signs and spen time at an exhibit trying to spot everything.

 

[jay]

Although making it more profitable it would do a lot of damage to the economy of western NSW. Dubbo sees three times the tourist numbers of other Central West Centres that are much closer to Sydney. meaning people are willing to travel. Taking away the zoo would shutdown dozens of businesses in the city.

But .

That is something to take seriously and is why I only said it would be something to consider. I think it would do a lot of damage to the local economy. The Virgin flight idea is good.