Design a Zoo

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This is Part 1 (of 3 parts) of my more detailed Thylacine Reserve exhibit.
You enter the zoo. You start to walk down the concrete trail and then you see a large, dirt trail with a wooden archway with the words Thylacine Reserve on it. On both sides of the name you see black-and-white photos of a strange wolf-like creature with tiger stripes on it that you assume is the Thylacine. The first part of the exhibit is a winding dirt trail through dry shrubs, some green grass, rocks, and some small trees. A gust of wind blows up some dust and you realize just how dry the area is. While you are pondering which part of the world you’re supposed to be in, you see a barb wire fence (obviously the barb wire is plastic). You look inside the fence and see, standing in some grass next to a large log, what you think is a grey Ostrich. You decide you’re in an African exhibit but then notice the plague and see that the bird is actually an Emu (Dromaius Novaehollandiae) and that it’s native to Australia. You don’t know much about Australian wildlife except for Dingos and kangaroos so you are very interested. You continue and the next exhibit is for a series of bird habitats. The labels tell you that you’re seeing Galahs (Eolophus Roseicapilla), Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos (Cacatua Galerita Galerita), Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger Aterrimus), Australian King Parrots (Alisterus Scapularis), and Budgerigars (Melopsittacus Undulatus). These exhibits have lots of branches for the birds to perch and there’s food and water dishes hanging from the larger branches. The exhibits are all attached to a large, tan colored building. Across from these exhibits, on the left side of the trail, you see another bird exhibit with Australian Bustards (Ardeotis Australis). The exhibit has longer grass in and bushes in it and has mesh net walls and ceiling to allow the two birds to fly around. There’s a medium sized tree in the center of the exhibit. The trail turns right around the bird exhibit building. As you round it, you see more, much larger bird exhibits that are longer, wider, and higher than the ones for the parrots on the left side of the trail (the opposite side as the building). You see that much larger birds are in these exhibits. All the exhibits have larger branch perches and some more foliage for the birds to hide. The first bird you don’t see at first but then, a large brown bird lands on the dirt floor of the exhibit and you read that it is a Wedge-Tailed Eagle (Aquila Audax). The next animal you also have trouble finding but then see a Tasmanian Masked Owl (Tyto Novaehollandiae Castanops) hiding behind the leaves of a tree. The next two exhibits are combined and is a mixed exhibit with two Australian Brush-Turkeys (Alectura Lathami) and three Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo Novaeguineae). Their habitat is more lush then the other two but still has lots of room for flying. You begin to walk away and get startled by the kookaburra’s call. A little farther down the trail, you find an exhibit very similar to the eagles with its dirt floor, log on the ground and a couple of braches suspended from the exhibit walls. The exhibit has a little bit of dry grass in it and in it, beside the log; you find a Perentie (Varanus Giganteus) lizard. You are amazed by its size. You turn to continue down the trail and see trees up ahead. There are only three exhibits between you and the shade you now desire. The area begins to look very lush and is starting to show much greenery. The first exhibit has a large rock pile in the middle of it and you notice rock tunnels and a few cervices. Moving and bounding within this exhibit are a group of what look like very small kangaroos but are listed as five Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies (Petrogale Xanthopus). Now you are at the final two exhibits in this part of Thylacine Reserve (you are wondering where the Thylacines are). The exhibits are across the trail from each other. You don’t need to think much to know what’s going to be in the exhibits. The enclosure on the right is home to four Western Grey Kangaroos (Macropus Fuliginosus) lying around a large, red rock. One stands up and bounces across the exhibit to get a drink from a big, black bucket and sits back down under the shade of a tree next to another kangaroo. The next exhibit has a lot of grass, bushes, and two small trees. You count six Dingoes (Canis Lupus Dingo). They are running around, playing, one is sleeping next to a small puddle, and two others are play fighting over a bone with some scraps of meat on it. You turn and enter the shade of the trees. You close your eyes as your body begins to cool. Then, you notice you are now standing on a wooden bridge over water with two exhibits on both sides of you. You see a cabin up ahead before a left turn. Interested you turn to the first exhibit on your left side...

Hope you guys think this is much, much better then the first one I posted. I will get working on the next two parts for Thylacine Reserve soon and will then do Arctic Circle and then continue doing new exhibits. Santiago's Zoological Park and Aquarium will be the greatest zoo evaa!!:D
 
This is Part 1 (of 3 parts) of my more detailed Thylacine Reserve exhibit.
You enter the zoo. You start to walk down the concrete trail and then you see a large, dirt trail with a wooden archway with the words Thylacine Reserve on it. On both sides of the name you see black-and-white photos of a strange wolf-like creature with tiger stripes on it that you assume is the Thylacine. The first part of the exhibit is a winding dirt trail through dry shrubs, some green grass, rocks, and some small trees. A gust of wind blows up some dust and you realize just how dry the area is. While you are pondering which part of the world you’re supposed to be in, you see a barb wire fence (obviously the barb wire is plastic). You look inside the fence and see, standing in some grass next to a large log, what you think is a grey Ostrich. You decide you’re in an African exhibit but then notice the plague and see that the bird is actually an Emu (Dromaius Novaehollandiae) and that it’s native to Australia. You don’t know much about Australian wildlife except for Dingos and kangaroos so you are very interested. You continue and the next exhibit is for a series of bird habitats. The labels tell you that you’re seeing Galahs (Eolophus Roseicapilla), Sulphur-Crested Cockatoos (Cacatua Galerita Galerita), Palm Cockatoos (Probosciger Aterrimus), Australian King Parrots (Alisterus Scapularis), and Budgerigars (Melopsittacus Undulatus). These exhibits have lots of branches for the birds to perch and there’s food and water dishes hanging from the larger branches. The exhibits are all attached to a large, tan colored building. Across from these exhibits, on the left side of the trail, you see another bird exhibit with Australian Bustards (Ardeotis Australis). The exhibit has longer grass in and bushes in it and has mesh net walls and ceiling to allow the two birds to fly around. There’s a medium sized tree in the center of the exhibit. The trail turns right around the bird exhibit building. As you round it, you see more, much larger bird exhibits that are longer, wider, and higher than the ones for the parrots on the left side of the trail (the opposite side as the building). You see that much larger birds are in these exhibits. All the exhibits have larger branch perches and some more foliage for the birds to hide. The first bird you don’t see at first but then, a large brown bird lands on the dirt floor of the exhibit and you read that it is a Wedge-Tailed Eagle (Aquila Audax). The next animal you also have trouble finding but then see a Tasmanian Masked Owl (Tyto Novaehollandiae Castanops) hiding behind the leaves of a tree. The next two exhibits are combined and is a mixed exhibit with two Australian Brush-Turkeys (Alectura Lathami) and three Laughing Kookaburras (Dacelo Novaeguineae). Their habitat is more lush then the other two but still has lots of room for flying. You begin to walk away and get startled by the kookaburra’s call. A little farther down the trail, you find an exhibit very similar to the eagles with its dirt floor, log on the ground and a couple of braches suspended from the exhibit walls. The exhibit has a little bit of dry grass in it and in it, beside the log; you find a Perentie (Varanus Giganteus) lizard. You are amazed by its size. You turn to continue down the trail and see trees up ahead. There are only three exhibits between you and the shade you now desire. The area begins to look very lush and is starting to show much greenery. The first exhibit has a large rock pile in the middle of it and you notice rock tunnels and a few cervices. Moving and bounding within this exhibit are a group of what look like very small kangaroos but are listed as five Yellow-Footed Rock Wallabies (Petrogale Xanthopus). Now you are at the final two exhibits in this part of Thylacine Reserve (you are wondering where the Thylacines are). The exhibits are across the trail from each other. You don’t need to think much to know what’s going to be in the exhibits. The enclosure on the right is home to four Western Grey Kangaroos (Macropus Fuliginosus) lying around a large, red rock. One stands up and bounces across the exhibit to get a drink from a big, black bucket and sits back down under the shade of a tree next to another kangaroo. The next exhibit has a lot of grass, bushes, and two small trees. You count six Dingoes (Canis Lupus Dingo). They are running around, playing, one is sleeping next to a small puddle, and two others are play fighting over a bone with some scraps of meat on it. You turn and enter the shade of the trees. You close your eyes as your body begins to cool. Then, you notice you are now standing on a wooden bridge over water with two exhibits on both sides of you. You see a cabin up ahead before a left turn. Interested you turn to the first exhibit on your left side...

Hope you guys think this is much, much better then the first one I posted. I will get working on the next two parts for Thylacine Reserve soon and will then do Arctic Circle and then continue doing new exhibits. Santiago's Zoological Park and Aquarium will be the greatest zoo evaa!!:D

Great exhibit idea. I really like that you are spending so much time focusing on Australian species. I've always thought zoos overlooked them in favor of the African animals. Are these parrot exhibits walk-through aviaries?
 
Great exhibit idea. I really like that you are spending so much time focusing on Australian species. I've always thought zoos overlooked them in favor of the African animals. Are these parrot exhibits walk-through aviaries?

Like I said, this is only Part 1 of the more detailed version of my first exhibit. Part two is more forest and river animals. It's not fair to exclude one place in favor of another. Both Africa and Australia have an extremely diverse and amazing group of wildlife. No the parrot exhibit is not walk-through (althought that's a great idea I didn't think of). I think the different size and species might conflict with eachother (usually zoos have smaller more calm species in walk-through aviaries, these are more larger, sometimes aggressive birds).

I'll try to post the second and third parts tomorrow. I don't know about you, but where I live everyone's preparing for the big "Frankenstorm" (hurricane).
 
Like I said, this is only Part 1 of the more detailed version of my first exhibit. Part two is more forest and river animals. It's not fair to exclude one place in favor of another. Both Africa and Australia have an extremely diverse and amazing group of wildlife. No the parrot exhibit is not walk-through (althought that's a great idea I didn't think of). I think the different size and species might conflict with eachother (usually zoos have smaller more calm species in walk-through aviaries, these are more larger, sometimes aggressive birds).

I'll try to post the second and third parts tomorrow. I don't know about you, but where I live everyone's preparing for the big "Frankenstorm" (hurricane).

I've always liked walk-through aviaries. I've always thought that was a good touch in a zoo. I can't wait to see the rest of what you have to say. I live in Wyoming so no hurricanes but we do have snow.
 
I live in Wyoming so no hurricanes but we do have snow.
Someone I know is really good friends with a top notch meteorologist for a big company (he tells the weather to the company and makes decisions based on the weather on what the co. should do) and he said that, if this was mid-december, some areas would be recieving 9ft. of snow!!:eek:

Any animal requests for my zoo (for now only Asia, Australia, and North American requests).
 
Someone I know is really good friends with a top notch meteorologist for a big company (he tells the weather to the company and makes decisions based on the weather on what the co. should do) and he said that, if this was mid-december, some areas would be recieving 9ft. of snow!!:eek:

Any animal requests for my zoo (for now only Asia, Australia, and North American requests).

That kind of snow depth is in the mountains. The most I've seen on the plains is three feet. March seems to be the worst month for snow around here.

As far as animal requests go I think you have some good ideas for Australian animals, I can't think of what else to add other than maybe eclectus parrots. As far as others go:

North America:
Elk
Moose
Bison
Mule Deer
Pronghorn
Mountain Goat
Bighorn Sheep
Dall Sheep
Brown Bear
Black Bear
Coues Deer (mini white-tailed deer from southwest)
Mountain Lion
Bobcat
River Otter
Wolverine
Prairie Dog
Waterfowl and Galliform aviary

For Asia I guess it would depend on what part of the continent you're talking about to make requests.
 
That's more like it, ThylacineAlive.

Nice job. I especially like your heavy emphasis on Australian birds instead of smothering guests with the large marsupials right off the start.

:)
 
That kind of snow depth is in the mountains. The most I've seen on the plains is three feet. March seems to be the worst month for snow around here.

As far as animal requests go I think you have some good ideas for Australian animals, I can't think of what else to add other than maybe eclectus parrots. As far as others go:

North America:
Elk
Moose
Bison
Mule Deer
Pronghorn
Mountain Goat
Bighorn Sheep
Dall Sheep
Brown Bear
Black Bear
Coues Deer (mini white-tailed deer from southwest)
Mountain Lion
Bobcat
River Otter
Wolverine
Prairie Dog
Waterfowl and Galliform aviary

For Asia I guess it would depend on what part of the continent you're talking about to make requests.

Again, this isn't the whole Australian exhibit there's still more animals to add. Before I asked the question about what animals you want me to add, I already wrote a rough cut of the North American and Asian exhibits and all of these animals except Mountain Goats will be included (I already have Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep and Dall Sheep so I don't want to over use the mountain goats/sheep) along with many other animals. For Asia I have a Himalayan exhibit, South Asia exhibit (called Indian Temple), and an exhibit called Asia Far-East which will include pretty much most of the Eastern Asia animals (Japan, China, Korea, and Russia). I have also pretty much designed South America as well. It is loosly inspired by Beardsley Zoo's South American Adventure under-construction expansion. It will be in three parts- Amazon Rainforest, Andes Adventure, and Pampas Plains. I have also started working on a desert exhibit (Land of Sand). I haven't done much with Africa, the Aquarium, or Antartica (all animals from here will be in the aquarium) yet. Any ideas for cheesey (or creative) names for the aquarium (ex. Water World or Aqua Adventure).

I can't decide weither to do Africa in 3or4 parts (Savanna, Congo, Mountains, and mabye Madagascar). Should I have Madagascar (and nearby islands) done in a seperate part?
 
Anyone have ideas for South American grassland animals or African mountain animals (Not including Congonese moutains).
 
For South American Grassland animals, Rheas, anteaters, maned wolves, and tinamous are the usual. You could also do Pampas deer, Pampas foxes, and giant armadillos, I suppose.

It depends what kind of mountains you're talking about. The grassy Ethiopian highlands are home to geladas, ethiopian jackals, ibex, and more. Normal rocky "hills" dotting eastern to southern Africa are inhabited by klipsringers, hyraxes, ground squirrels, and various mongoose species.
 
Thank you I did not think of tinamous, pampas deer, or giant armadillos. I'm going to use Screaming Hairy Armadillos though.

I didn't think about klipspringers either. Do you have any other animals I could use (the exhibit is both Ethiopian Mountains and Eastern to Southern African mountains). Do you think I could use bushpigs (or any other type of wild pig)?

The rest of Thylacine Reserve should be out either tonight or sometime tomorrow.
 
This might work more in a Sahara Desert-themed area, but Barbary sheep would be good for a mountain/rocky enclosure.
 
This might work more in a Sahara Desert-themed area, but Barbary sheep would be good for a mountain/rocky enclosure.

I did originally have Barbary Sheep in Land of Sand but I think I'm gonna move both them and Barbary Macaques to Mountains of Africa. Again, can I get away with Bushpigs and Bat-Eared Fox in this exhibit. And anyone have any more ideas.
 
There is a site, I believe it's globalspecies.org that lists every animal found in basically any habitat anywhere. It's good for zoo species lists as well (or at least the ones that keep their listings up to date with ISIS). You may want to look around on that site for a while.
 
There is a site, I believe it's globalspecies.org that lists every animal found in basically any habitat anywhere. It's good for zoo species lists as well (or at least the ones that keep their listings up to date with ISIS). You may want to look around on that site for a while.

Thank you.
 
Since Thylacine Reserve has become so big, I've decided to write it in 4 parts instead of three (the exhibit is not in four parts, I'm just writting it a little at a time).
You are now standing right inside the tree line separating the two parts of Thylacine Reserve. On both sides of you are pools of water and up ahead is a large building before a left turn. You decide to go to the smaller pool first. You look inside and think that there’s nothing special about this exhibit. All that’s in there are some turtles on a log; you see turtles in the pond behind your house every day. You read the plague and it reads Murray River Turtle (Emydura Macquarii). You cross to the exhibit on the right. You look inside to find a much larger exhibit with a floating log and a little bit of land in the back. You count three adult Freshwater Crocodiles (Crocodylus Johnsoni) swimming around and basking in the sunlight. You notice there is a gap in the trees to allow sunlight to fall over these two exhibits to warm the reptiles on colder days. You continue down the wooden walkway toward the building but see an exhibit you almost missed. You look inside and see what you think is an oversized, brown hedgehog with little white spikes on its back and a long mouth. The label corrects you. It’s a Tasmanian Short-Beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus Aculeatus Setosus). You’re watching it eat out of a small termite mound when a second one crawls out of a log. You walk up to the building and see an exhibit roughly between the sizes of the parrot exhibits and the bigger bird exhibits attached to the front of the building near the door. It has some board planks for climbing and a small, but strong looking tree in the middle. You’re thinking monkey,
(“Are there monkeys in Australia?”)
but you are, once again, dead wrong. The animal occupying this exhibit is not a mammal at all, but a ten foot long, slithering Scrub Python (Morelia Amethistina). You are impressed by the size but are shocked when you read that these snakes have been reported to get up to twenty-eight feet. You now enter the building but you are still wondering where the Thylacines are. You go to the first exhibit on the right (the exhibits go in a right side, left side pattern) and think you finally have seen the Thylacine. The exhibit is long and deep and filled with small shrubs for the animals to hide in. The “Thylacine” is now eating out of a food dish filled with grubs. Your heart sinks (but you're still happy to see the species) when you read that it’s actually a Numbat (Myrmecobius Fasciatus Fasciatus). You cross to the next exhibit and it’s a large, water-filled tank with two species in it. The first is a turtle with a strange, pig-like nose. You see that it’s a Fly River Turtle (Carettochelys Insculpta) and its other name is the Pig-Nosed Turtle. The other animal is a large (you’ve seen larger) fish called a Gulf Saratoga (Scleropages Jardinii). There are two turtles and one fish in the exhibit. In the next exhibit you find a sandy exhibit with a hollow log in the back and a branch half buried in the sand pointing towards the top of the exhibit to allow for climbing. On the log and on top of the branch you find two Central Bearded Dragons (Pogona Vitticeps). The next exhibit is another tank filled with water. This exhibit is slightly darker than the other one and is built to resemble the inside of an underwater cave. The fish (“fish?”) inside the tank scares you with its menacing features. Inside, there is a single New Zealand Longfin Eel (Anguilla Dieffenbachii). Next is another tank but this one is half filled with some land in the back. You look inside and recognize the animal immediately, it is a Platypus (named Perry:D) (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus). At first you only see one, but then, a second crawls off the bit of land and dives into the water. You duck down and see it zoom off around the tank. Amused, you walk to the next enclosure and see it is has a fake rock back with water streaming down it. The floor is pretty muddy and there is a small pond. Towards the back, there’s a small log and on it sit two Southern Banjo Frogs (Limnodynastes Dumerilii Insularis). Next is an exhibit that looks identical to that of the Bearded Dragons. Inside you find a King Brown Snake (Pseudechis Australis). You unconsciously take a step back when you read that the snake is extremely venomous. Up next is, one again, a tank. You walk up and notice the letters C.E. and S.S.P. by the animal’s name. You have seen this and similar abbreviations on other animal exhibits. You decide to look it up on your iPhone. You discover that C.E. means Critically Endangered and S.S.P. means Species Survival Plan. Now knowing this you examine the animal in the tank. It’s a Murray Cod (Maccullochella Peelii). Across the hall is another tank. This exhibit has both Western Swamp Turtles (Pseudemydura Umbrina) (C.E., S.S.P.) and Eastern Snake-Necked Turtles (Chelodina Longicollis). The two species are swimming between underwater plants, making them slightly difficult to find. Now you are standing in front of lush exhibit with lots of very small (probably fake) trees with green leaves all over. At first you can’t find the animal inside but then you notice an orange lizard in the upper right corner of the viewing glass. You know it’s a gecko and the plague reads New Caledonian Crested Gecko (Rhacodactylus Ciliatus). The final exhibit in this room is the largest one you’ve seen so far (except maybe for the Platypus exhibit). You see the now familiar S.S.P. by the animal’s name. The exhibit has two small trees inside with a total of three Helmeted Honeyeaters (Lichenostomus Melanops Cassidix). You turn to leave and find yourself staring at glass double-doors leading into a dark room. The door says Nocturnal Exhibits in white letters. You enter and see three exhibits. The larger exhibit is on the right and two smaller ones are on the left. You cross to the first one on the left. It is tall and wide (but not as wide as the exhibit on the left which occupies the length of the room) and inside you see a cave-like design and hanging from the ceiling are at least ten Ghost Bats (Macroderma Gigas). All of the signs in this room are lit so the guests can read them without straining their eyes. The exhibit next to this is smaller and has lots of braches around it. In the center is a large log standing up from the floor to the ceiling with a large hole in the middle. Staring at you, halfway out of the hole, is a Mahogany Glider (Petaurus Gracilis). A second lands on the log next to the first driving both your attentions away from each other. You now cross to the main exhibit. You look inside and see the strangest animal yet. It’s small, brown, and looks like a bird but has no visible wings and a beak that looks similar to that of the echidna. The sign tells you it’s a North Island Brown Kiwi (Apteryx Mantelli) from New Zealand. The exhibit is well forested and there are four kiwis in all. You now turn and leave the building. The bright sunlight breaking through the trees burns your eyes slightly as they adjust to the light. They quickly do and you see there’s still a bit of Thylacine Reserve left to see. The next enclosure is at your right and you move towards it. You are bent on seeing the Thylacines...
 
Next is another tank but this one is half filled with some land in the back. You look inside and recognize the animal immediately, it is a Platypus (named Perry:D) (Ornithorhynchus Anatinus). At first you only see one, but then, a second crawls off the bit of land and dives into the water.
If only...
You duck down and see it zoom off around the tank. All of the signs in this room are lit so the guests can read them without straining their eyes.

What, you think visitors actually read the signs?!:D
But anyways, nice job! I really like how you're focusing on some of the smaller gems of Australia rather than smothering people with kangaroos, emus, and budgies. That's practically the model of most Australian exhibits here in America.
 
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