The general public's view of a zoo

Now I'll admit I have done each of them at least once. But it does do some good as I associated "Nemo" and "Dory" and the other fish in finding nemo. I then looked the actual species up and know them as Clowfish and Regal Tang. As well as others. Point is these movies can help educate young kids....sometimes
Now comparethemeerkat.com I do THAT just for fun! But I don't harp on about it constantly.
See? Simples.
 
Mr Saxon please leave the zoo! ;-)

I have a question about Emmen, did they make a conscious decision that great apes are too advanced to be kept in captivity? Is that what it means?
 
Shirokuma said:
And these days everyone in the UK wants to see a meerkat thanks to a tv commercial.
Click to expand...

Its interesting to think about why they were chosen as the subject of the T.V Commercial. Probably because Meerkats were already in the public psyche, as they were already established and popular zoo exhibits.

The great british public were first exposed to them via a couple of wildlife ducumentary films back in the 1980's. I don't think any UK zoos had them before that but they quickly picked up on their potential popularity, particularly with children, and Meerkat exhibits mushroomed everywhere in our zoos.

So wildlife films spawned popular Meerkat zoo exhibits which spawned popular Meerkat T.V. adverts which in turn gave rise to a further round of renewed interest/popularity for meerkats.
 
There was also a beer commercial with footage of real meerkats dubbed with human speech as well as 'Meerkat Manor'.

It's fascinating that they were once unheard of in British zoos.

Shops are now full of meerkat soft toys I have noticed recently.
 
Shirokuma said:
There was also a beer commercial with footage of real meerkats dubbed with human speech as well as 'Meerkat Manor'.
Click to expand...

The film that started it was called 'Meerkats United' and followed the fortunes of a Meerkat clan going about their daily business. Everybody who saw it loved the way they stood up on their hindlegs and even had lookouts which balanced upright on thorn trees.

'Meerkat Manor' was a much more recent series that simply cashed in on the existing popularity they already have. My guess is it was based on some field researchers' observations but it didn't really warrant a whole series IMO.

I think Meerkat Mania is now reaching a new generation through these ads.
 
leave the zoo.....? What....what?? What!!! I shall not.
I don't do it often and it's usually into myself. Not like I go around blaring it through a megaphone. Silly billy. ;)
 
Based on the original scoring guide;

Cincinnati: 170 (160 without sea lions)
Rhinos - (Black, Indian, Sumatran)
Bears- (Black, Polar, Spectacled)
Elephants- (Asian)
Giraffes- (Masai)
Zebras- (Grevy's)
Apes- (Gorilla, Bonobo, Orangutan)
Lions- (White)
Tigers- (Malayan, White Bengal)
Hippos- None (Though there are plans for Hippos in the future)
Extra:
Meerkats- +10
California Sea Lions +10

Columbus: 130
Rhinos- (Black)
Elephants (Asian)
Lions (African)
Tigers (Amur)
Bears ( Black, Kodiak, Grizzly, Polar, Bornean Sun)
Apes- (Gorilla, Orangutan, Bonobo)
Giraffes- (None) [African Savannah]
Zebras- (None) [African Savannah]
Hippos- (None) [African Savannah]
Extra:
Koalas +10

Cleveland: 180 (160 without seals and sea lions)
Rhinos- (Black)
Elephants- (African) *Even though they are in Columbus at the moment, They'll be returning soon so I included them*
Lions- (African)
Tigers- (Amur)
Bears- (Grizzly, Polar, Black, Spectacled, Sloth) *It says they have Sun Bears too but I thought that they sent them to Honolulu*
Apes- (Gorilla, Orangutan, Chimpanzee)
Giraffes- (Masai)
Zebras- (Grant's)
Hippos- (None on display)
Extra:
Meerkats +10
Koalas +10
California Sea Lions, Harbor Seals +20

Louisville: 140 (110 without seals and sea lions)
Rhinos- (Southern White)
Elephants- (African, Asian)
Lions- (African)
Tigers- (Amur)
Bears- (Polar)
Apes- (Gorilla)
Giraffes-(Masai)
Zebras- (Hartmann's Mountain)
Hippos- (Pygmy)
Extras:
Meerkats +10
California Sea Lions, Grey Seals, Harbor Seals +30

Memphis: 170 ( 160 without Sea Lions)
Rhinos- (Southern White)
Elephants- (African)
Lions- (African)
Tigers- (Sumatran, Bengal)
Bears- (Polar, Black, Grizzly)
Apes- (Gorilla, Bonobo, Orangutan)
Giraffes- (Reticulated)
Zebras- (Grant's)
Hippos- (Nile)
Extras:
Giant Pandas +10
Meerkats +10
California Sea Lions +10

I added Seals and Sea Lions to the list as I have found that they are also always very popular animals.

It's also quite interesting to see that the Columbus Zoo, which I know by many would be considered the best zoo on the list, ranks the lowest, and Cleveland, which many would consider one of the worst on the list, ranks the highest. Of course once the African Savannah is built in Columbus, with the additions of zebras, hippos, giraffes, African Elephants, and the addition of Indian Rhinos to the Asia Quest region, the score will increase to around 180.
 
Per the original scoring you are a bit off (it's my scoring I can make it how I want :))

Cincinnati - 90
Cleveland - 80
Columbus - 80
Louisville - 90
Memphis - 110
 
This formula explains why Fort Worth is often considered one of the best zoos in North America. I've even heard it referred to as the 3rd best in North America!
Personally I would think instead of 2 ape species it would be 1 ape, 1 monkey. Average visitors seem to want to see monkeys rather than apes even if what they're thinking of may be an ape...
 
Kansas City Zoo
100
Elephant
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Tiger
Bear (Polar)
Rhino (Black)
Hippo
Great Apes (Chimpanzee, Gorilla, and Orangutan)

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo
90
Elephant
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Tiger
Bear (Black, Polar, Spectacled, and Sun)
Rhino (White)
Great Apes (Gorilla, Orangutan)
No Hippos

Saint Louis Zoo
100
Elephant
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Tiger
Bear (Black, Browm, and Spectacled)
Rhino (Black)
Hippo
Great Apes (Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Orangutan)
 
Pertinax said:
Its interesting to think about why they were chosen as the subject of the T.V Commercial. Probably because Meerkats were already in the public psyche, as they were already established and popular zoo exhibits.

The great british public were first exposed to them via a couple of wildlife ducumentary films back in the 1980's. I don't think any UK zoos had them before that but they quickly picked up on their potential popularity, particularly with children, and Meerkat exhibits mushroomed everywhere in our zoos.

So wildlife films spawned popular Meerkat zoo exhibits which spawned popular Meerkat T.V. adverts which in turn gave rise to a further round of renewed interest/popularity for meerkats.
Click to expand...

Im pretty sure a lot of the wildlife footage back in the 1980s was shot in a zoo
 
Pertinax said:
The original film 'Meerkats United' was filmed in South Africa, entirely in the wild.
Click to expand...

Im pretty certain the underground footage at least was filmed in a UK zoo. I will try and found out for certain before quoting as fact. It was a while ago!
 
This just goes to show how difficult it is to get the balance right and the need for education for the general public about the modern zoo generally. Getting the balance right is not easy in respect of animals that will attract the public, animals that will attract enthusiasts like those here, animals in need of breeding programmes and educationally significant animals.

Also educating people in respect of enclosure design and size ("Why is the bongo enclosure 6 times the size of the tiger enclosure?!) and animal behaviour ("Why is the koala always sleeping?")

As I often say, there is no such thing as the perfect zoo and where the general public will see one problem with a zoo, enthusiasts will see 10 and zoo staff will see 50!

The best zoos admit imperfections and can display how they are constantly trying to develop, change and eveolve for the good of animals, staff and public! Zoos like all animal species, including humans, are continually evolving.
 
Sealife357 said:
Its actualy around 120 points give or take.
Click to expand...

Toronto is actually 150, if you want to get technical we have 2 species of lions, the white lions and South African lions, which then would be 160.

Elephant
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Tiger (Sumatran, Amur)
Bear (Polar, Grizzly)
Rhino (White, Indian)
Hippo (River, Pygmy)
Great Apes (Gorilla, Orangutan)
 
Quartz92 said:
Toronto is actually 150, if you want to get technical we have 2 species of lions, the white lions and South African lions, which then would be 160.

Elephant
Giraffe
Zebra
Lion
Tiger (Sumatran, Amur)
Bear (Polar, Grizzly)
Rhino (White, Indian)
Hippo (River, Pygmy)
Great Apes (Gorilla, Orangutan)
Click to expand...

I don't think the 2 tigers or 2 lions would count, because thay are still one species.
 
Sumatran and Amur tigers are two different species, however I can understand the lion thing, hence why I said if we were going to get technical.
 
Sumatran and Amur Tigers are different subspecies of Panthera tigris.

By the original scoring Toronto gets a 100. The only way you get more than 100 is with Pandas and Koalas. Multiple species don't count for extra points. Remember this is the public's general view and not a ZooChatter saying my zoo get higher points than your zoo does. To an average zoo visitor only one bear species or one rhino species is sufficient.
 
I accidentally did a little experiment on this topic.
Went to Binder Park Zoo (My current happy thought) and filmed
for the first time using my new fancy digital camera.

Got 30 minutes of film, cut out all the junk and got it down to about 15 minutes of film.
(I have some nice film editing software and such)
Showed it a few times and got ok response, but I watched the faces of my viewers
and went back to the editing room.

New version, this time cut it down to only the active moments, about 8 minutes.
Tried it out again and now it really wows em.

Actually, one popular part was film of a hawk flying through a field. Something you can see in Michigan often. Of course I could zoom in a little closer so that was cool.

Point is, people like to see animals that are active, and it almost doesn't matter what animal it is. Of course people also like to see predators, but I suspect if you watched a person observing a lion asleep and then watched that same person observing two prairie dogs playing together, you would see the action bring the smiles every time.

I will say that the most memorable moment I have had at any zoo was watching a full grown tiger play with a man sized rubber ball. WOW!

Chuck King
Big Cat Information and Pictures of Panthers, Lions, Tigers, and many others
 
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