@Ituri, snowleopard, whoever else wants to join in:
I see from the master plan graphic that snowleopard posted (thanks snow) (http://www.hoglezoo.org/images/Renew/master-plan_01-20-2010.jpg) that the Hogle Zoo is undergoing a large scale renovation. I knew that they had built a new elephant complex, but did not know about the rest of their plans.
If anybody has information I have a few questions:
1. What are the general plans for the African savanna area? It looks like they are building a phased exhibit complex. Have they announced what the major elements of this complex will be? Mixed species savanna with giraffes, zebras, antelope, rhinos, etc.? Lions? Hippos (underwater viewing maybe?)?
2. There looks like there is a stream with a riparian forest around it in the left-middle part of the zoo. Is this a natural stream and forest that is going to be preserved?
3. What kind of penguins will be in the new penguin exhibit? Black-footed? Humboldt? Antarctic species?
@Ituri, snowleopard, whoever else wants to join in:
I see from the master plan graphic that snowleopard posted (thanks snow) (http://www.hoglezoo.org/images/Renew/master-plan_01-20-2010.jpg) that the Hogle Zoo is undergoing a large scale renovation. I knew that they had built a new elephant complex, but did not know about the rest of their plans.
If anybody has information I have a few questions:
1. What are the general plans for the African savanna area? It looks like they are building a phased exhibit complex. Have they announced what the major elements of this complex will be? Mixed species savanna with giraffes, zebras, antelope, rhinos, etc.? Lions? Hippos (underwater viewing maybe?)?
2. There looks like there is a stream with a riparian forest around it in the left-middle part of the zoo. Is this a natural stream and forest that is going to be preserved?
3. What kind of penguins will be in the new penguin exhibit? Black-footed? Humboldt? Antarctic species?
David,
I'll try to answer your questions as best as I can.
1) The African Savanna has not had a lot of details announced. As you can see from the map this will be in three phases with the first two phases currently being in the design phase. Some assumptions are that the giraffes will be moving to this area. The white rhinos will presumably be going as well, freeing up their space to be used full time by elephants (they currently rotate occasionally). Another assumption is this exhibit will mark the return of lions to the collecton, which have been absent since Asian Highlands was built over the old cat house. The zoo formerly had hippos, in a house where the carousel is now, but I would not go so far as to assume that they will be included in the African Savanna. Another factor is the area that the African Savanna is built on is currently their children's zoo, "Discovery Land". This area is still quite popular and includes a CP Huntington train ride. I have inquired about the future of this train ride given the plans of replacing Discoveryland with an African Savanna and they responded saying that the train ride has a place in the future of the zoo. This COULD possibly mean the train will be part of Africa, but not necessarily.
2) The creek running through the center of the zoo is a natural feature. This creek runs through a rather steep canyon on which the zoo is built. Along the banks of the creek are naturally occuring cottonwoods and Gambel oaks. It makes for a pleasant wild area in the center of the zoo.
3) Absolutely no details about a future penguin exhibit have been released, since this exhibit is not in the planning phase yet and is not part of the bond money being used for Rocky Shores and African Savanna. The penguins which left the zoo were African penguins, but any future penguins have yet to be determined.
