Birmingham Zoo (Alabama) Anyone been to see the Trails of Africa?

T

tschandler71

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
I've been 6-7 times in a year but I would like an outside opinion. I can look at it until I am blue in the face but I want a different viewpoint. I think it is better than Atlanta straight up and is a better overall exhibit than Nashville.

For an update they are now integrating Hippos, Rhinos, Elephants, and Giraffe in the main paddock together in different situations. Apparently though we lost our Kudu Dr. Foster said they were working on a surprise large. hoofstock species that are cast offs from another zoo (a few Roan Antelope would be cool)
 
I visited the Birmingham Zoo last June and I was quite impressed with the new exhibit. There was only one elephant out when I was there, but the size of the exhibit was definitely bigger than any other elephant exhibit I have seen recently. I visit Zoo Atlanta quite often and I would definitely say that Birmingham's elephant exhibit is better than Atlanta's. I have also visited the zoo in Nashville, but it has been several years, so I'm not sure how the two exhibits compare. Are they exhibiting other animals with the elephants, or are they rotating the different species out?

I grew up in Birmingham and remember going to the zoo there several times as a child. A lot of what I remember is no longer there, including the bear grottos and the monkey island, but some of it is still as I remember. There is definitely a lot of room for improvement, but hopefully the Trails of Africa exhibit is a step in the right direction. I visit family in Birmingham several times a year, so hopefully I will be able to visit the zoo again soon.

With regard to the new antelope species, it is possible that they are referring to Atlanta's waterbucks. Zoo Atlanta has three waterbucks (including one that was born about a year and a half ago) that are sporadically exhibited in the mixed species savannah exhibit. The male, however, is almost never exhibited, apparently because he does not get along well with either the giraffes or zebras. I have read on the website that once the young waterbuck is older, the Zoo will send the waterbucks to another zoo and bring in a more agreeable antelope species.
 
Trails is a better Elephant exhibit than Atlanta and it is a better overall exhibit than Nashville if that makes sense.

The three elephants (Bulwalgi, Callee, and Ajani) have integrated well together.

They have also had success putting Tadpole the Hippo on the main exhibit (though he was scared at first).

They are now comfortable putting the two female White Rhino's in the Trails (especially since they are redoing their barn) and they even put them on there with Callee and Ajani (the younger elephants)

Right now they are 75 percent done with "Phase 2". This will allow for a corral like fence that can be ran across the visitor path allowing the Giraffes and other hoofstock (Ostrich, Zebra, Grant's Gazelle, Red River Hog, the Kudu if they do return and the new species to rotate onto the main habitat.) Waterbuck is interesting, because the main exhibit does resemble a waterhole type area that they would frequent.

That definitely is the most ambitious idea seen in awhile, especially from a Zoo that lost AZA a decade ago (and got it back of course).

The next thing that needs upgrades is the Primate building.
 
That could also be a Kudu for Waterbuck exchange. But what is weird is Matata (male kudu) is still listed by ISIS as being at Bham, though the female and one yr old baby are not.

You need to hurry to the zoo and see the five lion cubs before they are gone as well.
 
We visited the Birmingham Zoo today and we must say Trails of Africa is the real deal.It blows recent african elephant exhibits in Cleveland and Toledo of the water and certainly gives Dallas and Nashville a run for its money.Only North Carolina stands on its own in our opinion.The only portion of the complex that is lacking is the hippo exhibit its horrible.The rhino section is ok.The giraffes are displayed in a scrub forest setting.We spoke with a senior keeper for quite awhile about and number of things.He informed us that integrating of mulptiple species is going well but its still going to be a slow process.

Team Tapir
 
team tapir said:
We visited the Birmingham Zoo today and we must say Trails of Africa is the real deal.It blows recent african elephant exhibits in Cleveland and Toledo of the water and certainly gives Dallas and Nashville a run for its money.Only North Carolina stands on its own in our opinion.The only portion of the complex that is lacking is the hippo exhibit its horrible.The rhino section is ok.The giraffes are displayed in a scrub forest setting.We spoke with a senior keeper for quite awhile about and number of things.He informed us that integrating of mulptiple species is going well but its still going to be a slow process.

Team Tapir
Click to expand...

The Rhino's have the old Rhino and Asian Elephant exhibits. Nothing has really been done to Tadpole's exhibit other than things guests can't see (barn renovations).
 
I have been waiting for someone to post photos of this exhibit for a long time on this forum, but I always forget to nag someone. Seems to be a resurging interest in it now. Would it be possible for someone to upload some photos soon? I have been all over America, but I have never been down south really to check out Birmingham and some of the other zoos in the humid sub-tropical zone. Hope to be able to see this one day, but some pictures would suffice for now.
 
team tapir said:
We visited the Birmingham Zoo today and we must say Trails of Africa is the real deal.It blows recent african elephant exhibits in Cleveland and Toledo of the water and certainly gives Dallas and Nashville a run for its money.Only North Carolina stands on its own in our opinion.The only portion of the complex that is lacking is the hippo exhibit its horrible.The rhino section is ok.The giraffes are displayed in a scrub forest setting.We spoke with a senior keeper for quite awhile about and number of things.He informed us that integrating of mulptiple species is going well but its still going to be a slow process.

Team Tapir
Click to expand...

The zoo rotates the elephants, rhinos, hippo into the new large enclosure.
 
I just posted 3 shots to the gallery that I took of African Trails when I visited back in August.
 
Birmingham's five 18 month Lion Cubs have new homes. After Labor day, the two males will move to the Montgomery Zoo and the three females will move to Afri Cam Safari in Mexico.
 
BeardsleyZooFan said:
Aren't lions part of the Carnivore Building area?
Click to expand...

Well all the African Animas are considered part of "Trails".

Elephants, Rhino's, Hippo, Giraffe, Zebra, Ostrich, Kudu, Gazelle, Red River Hog, Lion, Painted Dog, and Various Birds (guinea bustard startlings) all have signage with "Trails of Africa" logos
 
Also apparently we have warthogs and our old cheetah we keep off exhibit and use for promotional events. I wonder if they will have exhibits in the future.

The hoofstock exhibits are supposed to be "expanded" as part of the next phase. If they put the giraffe on the new encounter most of the time, they should consider a new large hoofstock species that would be compatible with the 2 grants gazelle and 3 ostrich that now have the old giraffe exhibit basically to themselves.
 
I went to the Zoo to celebrate my birthday today. Anyway I was able to have an in-conversation with the Hoofstock keeper today. She has been put in charge of planning the next phase of Trails. We discussed Hoofstock consolidation in zoos. Also the challenges they are facing finding a male white rhino. Laptop the older female her father was Mac, one of the more over represented males in the SSP. And Abaju is Laptop's daughter.

The next phase is simply to take the significant progress that has been made and build on it. We are currently fundraising for a new hoofstock barn. The only thing birmingham is lacking to expand our hoofstock collection is off exhibit housing. While Birmingham has a warm climate it is still seasonal. With a new barn they will be able to add a wide variety of hoofstock to the zoo.

The SSP's are running out of space for certain hoofstock species so she said reaction to her plans has been met with praise by the AZA. The new species that were brought up specifically Sitatunga, Scimitar Oryx, Waterbuck, and Impala. These may be pipe dreams but she also said she wanted Okapi and Bongo for the Giraffe Encounter (see the pictures). Birmingham already provides two unique things in an all bull herd and giraffes exhibited under a canopy of trees. Her pipe dream is to have an "Okapi/Bongo Encounter".

The ultimate goal is "Kansas City with an all Bull herd" according to a senior keeper today.

All the exhibits but the predators and the bird aviaries will ultimately be linked allowing you to see animals in different "unplanned" places.

Their goal species list for Trails of Africa (pending approval of funds and the required SSP's) follows

* Currently on exhibit

Free roaming
Helmeted Guineafowl*
Peafowl*

Pachyderm Complex
White Rhino*
Hippo*

Elephant Complex
African Bush Elephant (4 Bulls)*

Predator Area
African Lion*
Painted Dog*
Secretary Bird (In the Birds section to be moved to near lions)

Giraffe Encounter
Rothic Hybrid Giraffe*
Cinerous Vulture*
West African Crowned Crane*
Emerald Starling*
Violet Back Starling*
White Headed Buffalo Weaver*
Taveta Weaver*
Superb Starling*
Silverly Cheeked Hornbill*
Buff Crested Bustard*
Kori Bustard*
Erkel's Francolin*

Possibilities (remote)
Okapi
Bongo

Savannah Hoofstock Yards

Main yard (old giraffe yard)
Ostrich*
Grant's Gazelle*

Possibilities
Scimitar Oryx

Smaller Yards
Zebra*
Red River Hog*
Saddlebilled Stork*
African Pgymy Goose*
Aldabra Tortoise*
Radiated Tortoise*
Slender Tailed Meerkat (currently in a fishbowl in the predator building to be moved outside)*

Possibilities
Sitatunga

Flex Exhibit (Large main exhibit shared by everything but small birds tortoises and predators)

Right now its only occupied by the elephant but they are going to put permanent residents on their to coexist

Impala (fast enough to avoid elephant on space)
Waterbuck (can use in place water/cover to avoid elephant)

Currently there are encounters in place with Lion, Giraffe, Elephant, and Rhino. The Boma Yard (small fenced in yard) can be used to do an encounter with theoretically any animal they can get to it.
 
They are completely striping and redoing the Barn for the Rhino and Hippo now. What are ways you would improve that specific exhibit. Tadpole would also be given time in the Boma Yard (for contact shows) and on the Flex Exhibit.
 
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