9,000 is on the smallish side for such large animals, but not unreasonable (it's just shy of 1/4 acre). I checked some designs I found on a quick google search, and it doesn't seem to be anything stellar in its design, just run of the mill. Nothing wrong with that. What might be interesting though is the proximity to the wild dog exhibit. I know that San Antonio's hippo exhibit is designed where the hippos have access to the wild dog exhibit at night for grazing. If Cincy does this, then it might double the size of the exhibit and be perfectly acceptable for everyone.
Sounds like an idea but it's not possible for this exhibit. The zoo wouldn't construct something that was just built, even if it is just another large door. The hippos will also be placed not as close to the wild dogs as it may seem. If you've seen the exhibit, you would understand
Having toured the holding and exhibit, as well as having seen both hippos in the exhibit together, I can say that everything about the exhibit is absolutely and entirely too small. It's woefully disappointing, unfortunately.... And the keepers and curators know it.. Let's just say that there are definitely new vs. old and keeper vs. management issues coming to a head across the park.
Having toured the holding and exhibit, as well as having seen both hippos in the exhibit together, I can say that everything about the exhibit is absolutely and entirely too small. It's woefully disappointing, unfortunately.... And the keepers and curators know it.. Let's just say that there are definitely new vs. old and keeper vs. management issues coming to a head across the park.
Not surprised. It is Skimpcinnatti, after all. Before Moe' got all uptight over this and seeing the space allotted, knowing what it takes to care for them from LSS to Holding, wasn't much space left. Considering the service road needed to supply the "Amazing Views" of the Savanna. Snicker. Being <3000sf needed to comply so they could squish in the playscape. If they were smart, which obviously, they aren't, they shouldn't have constructed the dog or large, meerkat exhibit. At a clip of what? 40m+ over x amount of years, this complex is a waste of money and does no justice for the animals. Only the visitors. But, hey, america's greenest zoo, right?
Hm.. good point, I must've missed something. Is there an article that states this? I've been losing interest lately about the updates to this exhibit and don't bother reading them. I got my measurement from using Google Earth. I'll admit the exhibit was still under early construction when the image was available, however, looking back on it, the exhibit line was placed. I just went to re-measure it again what makes sense it that I accidentally measured the viewing area along with it. What doesn't make sense is that I got 5,500 Sq ft this time from a newer, but not yet complete, image. It could possibly be due to the fact that the walls are really thick and take up a lot of the space. The filtration building however, measured out to be only 3,000 Sq ft.
in the video posted earlier by Gulo gulo, the reporter says the filtration building is 3000 square feet and is larger than the actual enclosure. This could be interpreted as a reporter error, but in one of the earlier videos posted by Cincinnati Zoo on Youtube, "vice president of facilities" Mark Fisher says exactly the same thing (that the filtration building is larger than the enclosure itself), and he should probably know.
