Changes You Would Make to Your Zoo

Columbus Zoo

*After the African Lions are moved from Asia Quest to African Savannah, put Dholes into the former lion exhibit.

*After the Black Rhinos are moved to African Savannah, put an Indian Rhino into their old exhibit.

*Bulldoze one of the walls between the large animal exhibits in Asia Quest that used to hold African Elephants, making one large exhibit, suitable for a small herd of gaur.

*There are two Okapi yards. The larger one holds okapis and several black duikers, and there is still more room. Put Zebra Duikers and 2 Bongos into the large yard. Release a African Forest Buffalo into the other.

*Expand and renovate the Wolverine enclosure.
 
San Francisco Zoo

Raze it to the ground, rebuild. Well, except for the entrance area. That I like.

If I had my druthers it would focus on the Subcontinent and the surrounding environs.


Oakland Zoo

This is more difficult as Oakland is generally doing things right. Even the failed attempt at acquiring pandas works in the zoos favor -- all the bamboo across the park gives it better atmosphere. Especially around the tiger habitat.

I'd definitely like to see a.) a larger variety of primates & birds and b.) the giraffe need a larger enclosure. There's, what, eight (?) in an acre-sized enclosure.
 
The closest zoo to me is the Rio Grande Zoo; a zoo that I believe has so much potential but has some eye-soars. The changes I would make would be:

Australia Exhibit: Destroy the old Echidna exhibit and the exhibit behind it which held Lemurs in the past and has been generally empty as of late and make an up to date Echidna and Platypus exhibit and if done correctly with the amount of size of the area, create an exhibit for wallabies. Next I would demolish the so called creek which is just dead trees in a pile and turn this area into a nice out door exhibit for the zoos Salt Water Crocs (their indoor exhibit offers a poor view of the animals as well as just being water and sand in an indoor enclosure. This place can be used to hold the Crocs in the cold winter months). Last for this section of the zoo I would place an indoor viewing section for Tasmanian devils (which I have heard the zoo has but does not have them on display) and build them exhibit that is on the outside where there is just a large pit and sign that has said future Australia for the past twelve years. Then with the remainder of this area I would move the Red Kangaroos and Emus to this area, which has plenty of space for a yard biggest for both species (the animals have large yards already but are out placed in the catwalk).

The Cat Walk: Now with the Kangaroos and Emus in their new exhibit I would tear down the wall between them and create a larger exhibit for the zoos pair of African lions to be moved too. I would then remodel the lion exhibit to hold the zoos Jaguars giving them more much needed space. In the old Jaguar exhibit, a stream can be added with small fish to hold fishing cats or Jaguarondi. In the Field where there are just the names of sponsors of the zoo (these items can be moved to near and around the zoos road runners exhibit to add something more to this under visited zoo area) the zoo can build a large more naturalistic Tiger exhibit (the current exhibit is a more cement grotto). The tiger exhibit can be remodeled and possibly extended so the cheetahs can be moved back here (the cheetahs have one of the better exhibits in the zoos Africa section but this super lush exhibit can hold other African animals).

Inuksuk Bay: This is where the Polar Bears are kept, and is by far one of the best Polar Bear exhibits I have seen. The Improvement here would be on the glass window that has the picture of the artic fox and used to say future home of artic foxes, I would put Artic Foxes in the lot actually.

Night Animals: Add a species of blind fish, and a species of bat, and the night animals exhibit becomes ten times better !

Seals and Sea Lions: I wouldn't change the exhibit itself, I would add on to it. I would put a North American River Otter exhibit/walkway on the exhibit, the zoo needs otters and with the removal of the camel rides there is plenty of space, so much in fact that I would also put the penguin exhibit here (the zoo plans on building a penguin exhibit but I do not know where they plan to place it).

Africa: In the former cheetah exhibit I would add Okapi and secretary birds. On the Empty side of the warthog exhibit I would place a Pygmy Hippo exhibit. I would also have Guinie Hens running through the rhino yard.

Apes: The zoo is in the process of building a third Gorilla yard. I would place Mandrills in that yard instead. The Gorilla Exhibits have these large circle observing areas; I would remove these so the path could go through there, and extend the two Gorilla grottos.

Your Wild Back Yard: The zoo opened it two years in a row with veggies and bugs. Now there is nothing there. Let’s put a bug building their!

Future Southwest: Should have two large exhibits, one for Black Bears (the states state mammal) and the other for coyotes. There should also be four smaller exhibits for Coatis, Raccoons, Foxes, and either an owl or some sort of bird.

Future Asia: Animals I would like to see in this area are Malayan Sun Bears, Malayan Tapirs, Small Clawed Otters, Flying Foxes, and Gibbons.
 
WLV30SAS said:
The closest zoo to me is the Rio Grande Zoo; a zoo that I believe has so much potential but has some eye-soars. The changes I would make would be:

Australia Exhibit: Destroy the old Echidna exhibit and the exhibit behind it which held Lemurs in the past and has been generally empty as of late and make an up to date Echidna and Platypus exhibit and if done correctly with the amount of size of the area, create an exhibit for wallabies. Next I would demolish the so called creek which is just dead trees in a pile and turn this area into a nice out door exhibit for the zoos Salt Water Crocs (their indoor exhibit offers a poor view of the animals as well as just being water and sand in an indoor enclosure. This place can be used to hold the Crocs in the cold winter months). Last for this section of the zoo I would place an indoor viewing section for Tasmanian devils (which I have heard the zoo has but does not have them on display) and build them exhibit that is on the outside where there is just a large pit and sign that has said future Australia for the past twelve years. Then with the remainder of this area I would move the Red Kangaroos and Emus to this area, which has plenty of space for a yard biggest for both species (the animals have large yards already but are out placed in the catwalk).

The Cat Walk: Now with the Kangaroos and Emus in their new exhibit I would tear down the wall between them and create a larger exhibit for the zoos pair of African lions to be moved too. I would then remodel the lion exhibit to hold the zoos Jaguars giving them more much needed space. In the old Jaguar exhibit, a stream can be added with small fish to hold fishing cats or Jaguarondi. In the Field where there are just the names of sponsors of the zoo (these items can be moved to near and around the zoos road runners exhibit to add something more to this under visited zoo area) the zoo can build a large more naturalistic Tiger exhibit (the current exhibit is a more cement grotto). The tiger exhibit can be remodeled and possibly extended so the cheetahs can be moved back here (the cheetahs have one of the better exhibits in the zoos Africa section but this super lush exhibit can hold other African animals).

Inuksuk Bay: This is where the Polar Bears are kept, and is by far one of the best Polar Bear exhibits I have seen. The Improvement here would be on the glass window that has the picture of the artic fox and used to say future home of artic foxes, I would put Artic Foxes in the lot actually.

Night Animals: Add a species of blind fish, and a species of bat, and the night animals exhibit becomes ten times better !

Seals and Sea Lions: I wouldn't change the exhibit itself, I would add on to it. I would put a North American River Otter exhibit/walkway on the exhibit, the zoo needs otters and with the removal of the camel rides there is plenty of space, so much in fact that I would also put the penguin exhibit here (the zoo plans on building a penguin exhibit but I do not know where they plan to place it).

Africa: In the former cheetah exhibit I would add Okapi and secretary birds. On the Empty side of the warthog exhibit I would place a Pygmy Hippo exhibit. I would also have Guinie Hens running through the rhino yard.

Apes: The zoo is in the process of building a third Gorilla yard. I would place Mandrills in that yard instead. The Gorilla Exhibits have these large circle observing areas; I would remove these so the path could go through there, and extend the two Gorilla grottos.

Your Wild Back Yard: The zoo opened it two years in a row with veggies and bugs. Now there is nothing there. Let’s put a bug building their!

Future Southwest: Should have two large exhibits, one for Black Bears (the states state mammal) and the other for coyotes. There should also be four smaller exhibits for Coatis, Raccoons, Foxes, and either an owl or some sort of bird.

Future Asia: Animals I would like to see in this area are Malayan Sun Bears, Malayan Tapirs, Small Clawed Otters, Flying Foxes, and Gibbons.
Click to expand...

Yeah, BeardsleyZooFan's right. You'll never see any platypuses in zoos outside Australia, unless you visit Australia, where you can visit the Sydney Aquarium and Healesville Sanctuary.
 
When I say former, I mean that that the animals are still in the enclosure at the time, but soon will be moved to better exhibits at the Top of the World section of the zoo.

Pittsburgh Zoo

Expand the former Snow Leopard enclosure, and renovate it to have a pool. Then add Fishing Cats.

Create a mesh enclosure inside the rainforest section of the PPG Aquarium, and house the zoo's Cotton Top Tamarins and Two Toed Sloth there. New viewing areas for this are not needed. Since the Poison Dart Frogs were moved to Tropical Forest, the coves off the main path that used to display the frog tank will do just fine.

Turn the former Orangutan exhibit into a new indoor viewing room for the gorillas.

Add a Sloth Bear to the former Andean Spectacled Bear exhibit.
 
deanmo19 said:
Yeah, BeardsleyZooFan's right. You'll never see any platypuses in zoos outside Australia, unless you visit Australia, where you can visit the Sydney Aquarium and Healesville Sanctuary.
Click to expand...

Aren't they at Melbourne, Taronga, and perhaps a couple others too?
 
BeardsleyZooFan said:
Uhh... you know there are no Platypus outside of Australia right?;)
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I do know this, but this is a "What If" kind of thread, If I was a Billionair with the money and the power the zoo would be the first in the nation to own Platypus, but sadly I hold no power nor money so my dreams shall never be a reality.
 
WLV30SAS said:
I do know this, but this is a "What If" kind of thread, If I was a Billionair with the money and the power the zoo would be the first in the nation to own Platypus, but sadly I hold no power nor money so my dreams shall never be a reality.
Click to expand...

The problem isn't with money, it's with the Australian government. If I'm correct, I don't think they let any places outside of Australia keep them. The Bronx Zoo did keep them in the early 1900's though.
 
bgeezle513 said:
My zoo is Cincinnati. Here are some more ideas: When the lions move use there old space for Manatee Springs expansion and bring back a onsite aquarium with sharks and rays. I agree with you on bulldozing bear line it needs it. But i cant see there being enough space on that hill for gorillas. I would move them to the back parking lot. There is alot of space for a good exhibit for them maybe add mandrill and pygmy hippo. What do you think of my ideas?
Click to expand...

As in parking lot, do you mean Africa?
 
I remember them saying they are eliminating parking on zoo grounds. Thats all the space they have left.
 
Smithsonian National Zoo:

1. Add Amur Leopards, Dholes, Babirusa, Tufted Deer, David's Deer and Takin to Asian Trail.
2. Add a Habitat for Little Blue Penguins to the Birds Area.
3. Bring back Chevortains, Chinchillas, Pygmy Marmosets, and Fennec Fox to the Small Mammal House. As well as bringing Bush Dogs.
4. Add either Bontebok or Grants Gazelle to the Grevys Zebra Habitat.

Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay:

1. Add the Following Animals to the Aquarium- Gila Monsters, Poison Dart Frogs, Red Eyed Tree Frogs, Elephant Nose Fish, Electric Eel, Green Moray Eel, Cuttlefish and Chamared Nautilus.
2. Add either a Cuban Crocodile or a Siamese Crocodile to accompany the Golden Crocodile.
3. Add Another Komodo Dragon.
4. Add Bamboo Sharks and Port Jackson Sharks to the Touch Pool.

Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat:

Add the Following Animals to Secret Garden- Jaguar, Cheetah, Snow Leopard, Clouded Leopard, Pallas Cat, Ocelot, Caracal, Serval, Fishing Cat, Striped Hyena, Maned Wolf, Red Wolf, Dhole, Bush Dog, Red Panda, Yellow Throated Marten, Przewalski Horse, Somali Wild Ass, Malayan Tapir, Bactrian Camel, Llama, Pere David's Deer, Barasingha, Pudu, Dama Gazelle, Blackbuck, Lowland Anoa, Babirusa, Crested Porcupine, Capybara, Cassowary, Red Crowned Crane, White Naped Crane, Demsoille Crane, Parrots, Ibis, Spoonbill, King Vulture, Sunbittern, Dwarf Caiman, Burmese Python and Green Iguana.

Queens Zoo:

Add Wolves and Caribou.
 
Maryland Zoo:

Remove all abandoned exhibits and expand the whole zoo to include an Asian wing, including the following animals native to Asia: Himalayan black bear, Siberian tiger, Pallas cat, snow leopard, Asian small-clawed otter, Bactrian camel, Eld's deer, blackbuck, nilgai, Indian rhinoceros, Malayan tapir, Visayan warty pig, Bornean orangutan, siamang, Malayan flying fox, lowland anoa, Reeve's muntjac, binturong, demoiselle crane, great Indian hornbill, purple swamp hen, wreathed hornbills, green peafowl, painted stork, Komodo dragon, Asian brown tortoise, gharial, Chinese alligator, reticulated python, king cobra, Chinese giant salamander.

Bring Nile hippos and gorillas to the African wing.
 
MrOkapi said:
Add a Sloth Bear to the former Andean Spectacled Bear exhibit.
Click to expand...

I would disagree with this one. Since this bear species is one of the top ones to show stereotypical behavior, they would be my last pick to put in outdated grottoes. If they somehow modernized the grottoes, then maybe.

However, I like all your other suggestions.
 
Hm...I didn't consider that.

I should have thought that one over more. :)

I wish they would modernize the grottoes though. Even though they're functional, they don't look nice at all, and the bears would be better off with something else anyhow.
 
I see their polar bear exhibit as a modernized grotto, which is more appealing to the eye. Both descending on a hill, made of rock work. Although, I do enjoy the walk through underwater tunnel.
 
Buldeo said:
Oakland Zoo

This is more difficult as Oakland is generally doing things right. Even the failed attempt at acquiring pandas works in the zoos favor -- all the bamboo across the park gives it better atmosphere. Especially around the tiger habitat.
Click to expand...

They need more than two lions. That habitat needs another two or three females to make it feel properly utilized.

I would expand upon their big cat collection and bring in cheetahs. And just any cheetahs, king cheetahs.
 
Very true, Blospz.

Smithsonian National Zoo

-Make the caracal exhibit by the Great Cats area more visible. Last time I visited, there were a lot of bushes and shrubbery right in front of the exhibit, impairing your viewing of the cats.

-Bring nile hippos back or add Pygmy Hippos.

-Add Addax to the Conservation Area.

-Perhaps bring Bush Dogs to an exhibit near the Spectacled Bears. They fit with the South American theme of that area, and they are rarely exhibited animals.
 
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