KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
Great link! I've never been a huge fan of the aquarium (or any aquarium) but this looks promising. I'll try to make it up in the spring and get some photos.
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo A new look for the Henry Doorly zoo
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Great link! I've never been a huge fan of the aquarium (or any aquarium) but this looks promising. I'll try to make it up in the spring and get some photos.
mweb08
Well-Known Member
Regarding the master-plan, it is exciting and looks promising; however, while the African exhibits are large, some of the other sections seem to have some smaller than ideal exhibits.
It's just a master plan: very little of what eventually gets built will resemble what's shown here, except for general locations.
mweb08
Well-Known Member
Sure, but it's a rather specific master plan with exhibit sizes, etc.
I know it won't turn out quite like it shows, but would it not be a better sign if the master plan had bigger exhibits?
Yes, even the elephant exhibit as shown is relatively small compared with many of the newer exhibits in the US. Also somewhat surprising is the lack of public viewing of most of the indoor holding spaces, as depicted. Omaha is cold for several months of he year.
If you look at the MP where will the Indian rhinos end up they have just acquired (in with the gaur
)?
)?
If you look at the MP where will the Indian rhinos end up they have just acquired (in with the gaur
When I first heard about the Indian rhinos arriving, and then thought about the master plan, I was thinking the very same thing. With rhinos being one of my favorite animals, I really hope they stay; come to think of it, it would be kind of a waste to bring in a major animal species like these rhinos for only a couple of years when their exhibit would get replaced by something else anyway.
And two more points:
1. I say the Indian rhinos should replace the takin in the master plan.
2. In the Asian Highlands, I noticed that while sun bears are a planned species, there's no exhibit for them on the map! What up with that?
That master plan does look spectacular, however, and as soon as every part of it is complete, nothing will stop me from taking a trip to Omaha.
When I first heard about the Indian rhinos arriving, and then thought about the master plan, I was thinking the very same thing. With rhinos being one of my favorite animals, I really hope they stay; come to think of it, it would be kind of a waste to bring in a major animal species like these rhinos for only a couple of years when their exhibit would get replaced by something else anyway.
And two more points:
1. I say the Indian rhinos should replace the takin in the master plan.
2. In the Asian Highlands, I noticed that while sun bears are a planned species, there's no exhibit for them on the map! What up with that?
That master plan does look spectacular, however, and as soon as every part of it is complete, nothing will stop me from taking a trip to Omaha.
I hope you are not going to wait until "every part" of the plan is complete to visit Omaha, as that would be a very, very long time from now. Master plans are by their very nature pretty "loose" and subject to change. The fact that this particular plan looks more detailed (square footages and rough cost estimates create that impression) should be taken with a grain of salt. What it does is provide a good general framework for re-organizing the zoo, suggesting a more coherent system of circulation within the zoo, and laying out a "menu" of potential options for the future. Like any other master plan, it will never be completed in exactly the way it is now shown; in 10 or 20 years, new ideas and changed circumstances will result in another big round of planning and a "new" master plan will be produced. That's just how it works.
Consider that in the nearly two years since the plan was developed, the relatively well-funded HD Zoo has not yet opened even one section of the master plan projects. It is in the midst of raising $33 million to deal with the entry area, which it clearly identified as a priority, but it will be many, many years before it is able to tackle all of the big areas now shown on the plan. Which is why bringing in Indian rhinos to fill an empty exhibit at the far end of the zoo makes perfect sense--it's pretty likely they will not live long enough to in any way impede development of the lion exhibit now slated to replace Pachyderm Hill, nor will these particular animals be likely to be around when the zoo considers building an entirely new Asian zone.
Unfortunately, the way the plan appears to be sequenced, the infamous Cat House will probably be around for a very long time.
@reduakari: I guess you're right. I just got a little excited and jumped ahead of myself. 
mweb08
Well-Known Member
3.43 acres is comparable to most of the newer exhibits.