Moebelle

Sep. 2015 - Lords of the Arctic - Polar Bear Exhibit Under Renovation

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Does anyone know what renovations the zoo is doing to the Polar Bear exhibit? The enclosure is a badly outdated cement grotto and it would be nice to see a bulldozer arrive and drastically alter the landscape...but somehow I don't see that happening. :)
 
Does anyone know what renovations the zoo is doing to the Polar Bear exhibit? The enclosure is a badly outdated cement grotto and it would be nice to see a bulldozer arrive and drastically alter the landscape...but somehow I don't see that happening. :)

I have absolutely no idea and I don't see what they'll be able to do.
 
the concrete decking around the pool looks "refreshed" or new. can only guess the scaffolding is to freshen up the back wall.
 
the concrete decking around the pool looks "refreshed" or new. can only guess the scaffolding is to freshen up the back wall.

Well there has been a blue covered stain caused from the waterfall there for years.
 
Does anyone know what renovations the zoo is doing to the Polar Bear exhibit? The enclosure is a badly outdated cement grotto and it would be nice to see a bulldozer arrive and drastically alter the landscape...but somehow I don't see that happening. :)

Outdated yes, but it is original Hagenbeck and in that way precious.
 
As I suspected, only the back part of the exhibit was refurbished and the stains were removed.
 
Outdated yes, but it is original Hagenbeck and in that way precious.

It is interesting that 20 years ago (directly before the city held the summer Olympic Games) Zoo Atlanta bulldozed its bear grottoes. Buffalo's old bear pits/grottoes are also history, thanks to the recent Arctic Edge development. Memphis Zoo demolished its long-dormant 1930's-era bear grottoes just last year, to make way for the $22 million Zambezi River Hippo Camp. The idea of Cincinnati maintaining polar bears and other large species in its outdated grottoes seems silly by comparison. What would really be cool is if the zoo revamped the bear grottoes for smaller species and the cost would likely not be overwhelming as the basic foundations are already in place for a decent set of enclosures. A south-east Asian theme with clouded leopards, binturongs and other species would be much better than seeing polar bears on 90 year-old cement. Filling in the moats and adding netting and glass viewing windows would allow for closer interaction with the inhabitants.
 
It is interesting that 20 years ago (directly before the city held the summer Olympic Games) Zoo Atlanta bulldozed its bear grottoes. Buffalo's old bear pits/grottoes are also history, thanks to the recent Arctic Edge development. Memphis Zoo demolished its long-dormant 1930's-era bear grottoes just last year, to make way for the $22 million Zambezi River Hippo Camp. The idea of Cincinnati maintaining polar bears and other large species in its outdated grottoes seems silly by comparison. What would really be cool is if the zoo revamped the bear grottoes for smaller species and the cost would likely not be overwhelming as the basic foundations are already in place for a decent set of enclosures. A south-east Asian theme with clouded leopards, binturongs and other species would be much better than seeing polar bears on 90 year-old cement. Filling in the moats and adding netting and glass viewing windows would allow for closer interaction with the inhabitants.

The Andean and black bears will be moved to the white lion exhibits when the females die. It would've been done sooner, but when the zoo tried to give them back to Siegfried and Roy, they denied the offer.
 
It still saddens me to think Anana, the female polar bear from the Buffalo Zoo escaped grottoes to be returned to one. Does this have any grass areas in it now?
 

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Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden
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