Well, lacking the orca, there are many possibilities.
They could erect an aviary cover and make a very interesting exhibit for diving sea birds.
Seals and puffins
Any animal from the New York Aquarium's Sea Cliffs exhibits
Transfer a polar bear from the Bronx and re-imagine that exhibit
Or flood it and add orcas
Gus was a big draw. Hard to imagine what to do for this small Zoo. WCS has plenty of Sea Lions to go around. I'd prefer the Japanese Macaques, even with the freshwater pool at 90,000 gallons, neat to see them underwater. I know it doesn't fit zoo geographics, but Jaguars would be a welcomed addition, as well. Make holes in the mock rock for plantings and drainage, add some deadfall and net the exhibit. It could work and it is a decent size.
- If netted, with more foliage added this would be an awesome Jaguar exhibit. The problem is it sits between the temperate zone and the polar zone. If the pool was drained this would also be a good cougar exhibit.
Cougars would fit well. I do wonder if in such a small zoo the themed zoning should be reconsidered. Netted over it might even be interesting for something like mandrills but I'm not sure if the off show housing would be suitable.
Cougars would fit well. I do wonder if in such a small zoo the themed zoning should be reconsidered. Netted over it might even be interesting for something like mandrills but I'm not sure if the off show housing would be suitable.
Of course it is a very vertical space with barriers suited to a large non-climbing animal. A wolverine, for example, would get lost in it (or escape if a top were not added).
Still, the pool could be refitted as a planter.... except that would be to abandon a very expensive Life Support System
I think many of you forget that, if the pool was drained, they'd also have to add climbing for any future animals to get in and out of here, which would be much more expensive then simply draining the pool.
I, personally, like the idea of either making this a sea bird aviary or a Cougar enclosure. If they went with the Cougar, they would, as I said, have to add in climbing so the animal could get out of the deepest parts. If the went with the aviary, they could move the sea ducks in here and put something else in the old seal pool. I think the large pool would be kind of wasted without something to effectively swim in it, though, as most of the birds would just stay on the surface. I suppose you could add a cormorant species and/or move Bronx's Magellanic Penguins over here and then feed them live fish every once in a while and really utilize that underwater viewing for an excellent underwater hunting show! If they went with this method, what do you guys think they should do with the old seal pool? Bring in another seal or add something new?
Also, didn't the zoo since announce that they're trying to get another bear?
