There is actually a sign that says "Bear Pits" at the zoo, and the series of grotto-like pits in Buffalo are aesthetically horrendous. There are grand plans to demolish them and convert the area into an Arctic-themed zone but why the pits are still standing is beyond comprehension.
@ Arizonadocent, no that's pretty much all of the pit. A little bit of the right is cut off; in the back there's a couple stairs for the Kodiak Bear to go into his holding area. I agree this is one of the areas that has to go, but with the delay of the new entrance, and that coming before the Arctic project, who knows when it will happen. I was shocked when they were the zoo picked to house the Grizzly cubs. But I'll be interested to see how active they are when I visit in the fall.
This exhibit prompts a question that may sound goofy, but is not meant to be.
If all of the truly inadequate zoo exhibits in AZA-accredited zoos were shut down simultaneously, then how much of the AZA-accredited zoo world would be closed?
This exhibit prompts a question that may sound goofy, but is not meant to be.
If all of the truly inadequate zoo exhibits in AZA-accredited zoos were shut down simultaneously, then how much of the AZA-accredited zoo world would be closed?
Yes, snowleopard, I accept that Sacramento's chimp and gibbon exhibits may have to shut down too.
I personally question whether Buffalo Zoo should even be accredited, and I was quite scathing in my summer 2010 review. The multiple bear pits are an overwhelming embarrassment, there are 2 elephants in an old paddock that has a barn that is around 100 years old, and the rest of the zoo ranges from mediocre to atrocious. The gorilla exhibit is tiny and entirely indoors, which is shocking compared to the huge grassy jungles that major American zoos have been building for apes in the past few decades. However, the new rainforest building is quite nice and the sea lion/otter complex is also impressive.
The main issue is that AZA is so darn lenient with the recommendations that really should be firm requirements. Why not tell zoos that all of the great apes must have access to an outdoor area? Then zoos like Buffalo, Franklin Park, Fort Wayne, Pittsburgh, etc, can either build new exhibits for their gorillas and orangutans or facing losing accredition. Zoos with elephants should be given 4-5 years to built exhibits with a minimum space of 2 acres and with a minimum of 3 elephants or lose their accreditation. Bears should have access to natural substrate and the minimum space requirements currently in place are downright laughable. As someone who does not work in the zoo industry I love visiting zoos to see the great exhibits and I can speak my mind about what I see, but I'm also appalled at the inadequate enclosures that are still in every single zoo in the world.
Okay, just to stir up a bit of controversy:
Snowleopard's admittedly scathing opinion of this zoo and these exhibits is certainly justifiable; yet the same reviewer calls the Henry Doorly Zoo one of the top 3 zoos in the country. Omaha has 5 bear exhibits that are arguably identical to this pit, and they were built 40 years later! The vaunted San Diego Zoo has made modest improvements to its series of bear grottoes, but they too are essentially the same thing.
Buffalo is one of the most cash-poor communities in the US, but in recent years the zoo has managed to build a series of good-to-very good exhibits (rainforest, otter, sea lion).
I'm not defending this, but it is simply unrealistic to expect this zoo to instantly convert itself into a Woodland Park zoo when the richest, most acclaimed zoos in the US are still housing animals in enclosures that are really no better than this pit.
San Diego's grottoes feature a tremendous amount of natural substrate in comparison to this concrete hell-hole while by contrast the photo of this grizzly bear pit shows 85% of the enclosure. Omaha's bear pits have been bashed by me on many an occasion, but other sections of the zoo swing for the fences and are borderline outstanding. Buffalo has North America's worst great ape exhibit (gorillas) and future funding is hit-and-miss at best.
I think that the location of Buffalo is its biggest asset as it is only a few minutes from one of the world's truly amazing natural wonders. The zoo would never survive if it was out in the sticks and not next to Niagara Falls, although I'm sure that the savvy founders were well aware of geographical positioning.
San Diego's grottoes feature a tremendous amount of natural substrate in comparison to this concrete hell-hole while by contrast the photo of this grizzly bear pit shows 85% of the enclosure. Omaha's bear pits have been bashed by me on many an occasion, but other sections of the zoo swing for the fences and are borderline outstanding. Buffalo has North America's worst great ape exhibit (gorillas) and future funding is hit-and-miss at best.
I think that the location of Buffalo is its biggest asset as it is only a few minutes from one of the world's truly amazing natural wonders. The zoo would never survive if it was out in the sticks and not next to Niagara Falls, although I'm sure that the savvy founders were well aware of geographical positioning.
Well, when the Buffalo Zoo was being built the city was a thriving industrial powerhouse. It has since declined precipitously and has lost a large percentage of its former population. It suffers brutal winters and hot humid summers, and despite its proximity to Niagara Falls I would guess very few tourists venture into the city; and even fewer to the historic but outmoded zoo.
Despite that, Buffalo has rallied around the zoo and its passionate and talented director, and remarkable improvements have resulted.
I wouldn't be surprised if this bear pit is replaced by a humane, modern exhibit well before the "Bear Canyons" of San Diego and Omaha disappear.
Whats really appaling is that even this hell hole of a pit could be improved with natural substrates, a climbing structure and a bunch of toys. That is certainly not a matter of money. It would still be extremely bad but at least a bit better than now. The true shame for the staff and management at Buffalo is, that seemingly nothing is done !
(Yes I noticed the tire - I have a big problem with tires in bear enclosures, as they are too often the enrichment excuse for a lazy keeper: "see, I give them enrichment, they have a tire" and nothing else is ever done. The tire becomes boring for the bears very quickly, and after initial play, they mostly ignore it.)
