Are the patas monkey in with the other species 'cos that would be cool to see. At werribee their vervet cage makes it seem as if they are in with the zebra, ostrich and waterbuck but it's all an illusion...Also Werribee is based on Woodland Park Zoo.
The Werribee exhibit is very similar to the 1980 Woodland Park Savanna--in fact may very well have been modeled after it. Visitors walk around the entire exhibit, but the raised central landform prevents any crossviews of people in the background, and smaller animal exhibits are "layered" in front of the big central area for hoofstock. The Seattle Patas monkey space is viewed over a dry moat, and a second hidden dry moat behind it creates the illusion of no barrier and a connection to the bigger grazing area, Werribee is similar, though the vervet monkeys are seen at closer range through glass. Similar scenarios are created with hippos and waterfowl in foreground exhibits. These are two of the absolute best savanna exhibits anywhere.
What is amazing is that the African Savanna area at the Woodland Park Zoo is 30 years old next year, and other than the addition of African wild dogs and the "Village" it is relatively untouched since its inception. Great immersion exhibit that also has a panoramic design, and there are many zoos that should really copy the Seattle approach.
@okapikpr: there have been rumors of a revamped hippo pool, among other things, for at least a decade now. I'm happy to hear such news, but I'm not exactly holding my breath waiting for it to transpire.
Everything cannot be accomplished in a masterplan in just 10 years. Be patient, from a marketing viewpoint,if new exhibits are built and introduced at a decent and manageable pace (every 2-3 years) then visitor attendance and financial income will steadily climb rather than climax for a few years and drop back to previous levels.
These plans arent rumored....they are all documented and detailed in the zoo's 2001 long range plan found on the zoos website. Sure not all of it will happen, but this is the direction the zoo wants to go in.
