If you keep in mind that pygmy hippos tend to stay on land much more than the river hippo and that there's no outdoor exhibit, it's not that nice at all...
Pygmy Hippos like indoor exhibits better anyways and plus they only use their land for eating and resting. Im my opinion its a great exhibit and Sun Wukong you seem like a very negative person when it comes to zoos.
Pygmy Hippos like indoor exhibits better anyways and plus they only use their land for eating and resting. Im my opinion its a great exhibit and Sun Wukong you seem like a very negative person when it comes to zoos.
@BlackRhino: Why do you think that pygmy hippos prefer indoor exhibits-did you ask each of them personally? Seriously: most species in zoos, including tropical ones, seem to enjoy being outdoors at adequate temperatures-and it's even good for their health. Think for example of the photochemical creation of Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) due to UVB radiation-a serious subject in most animals, particularily reptiles. All-year long indoor husbandry in tiny enclosures is in my opinion not the optimal way of keeping animals-see former Alaska Zoo's "Maggie".
Compare San Diego's Pygmy Hippo (outdoor) exhibit to that of say, Brookfield Zoo or this exhibit in question; I'd feel very sorry for a pygmy hippo that would have to move from SD to "Tropical World"...
Pygmy hippos use the land part of their exhibits also for territory marking and other intraspecific interactions, giving birth, "beauty care"(scrubbing) etc. And as eating & sleeping are among the most important things in a pygmy hippo's life, the importance of an adequate land space is therefore more than obvious...
About "negativity": nope, that's called realism. And trust me: you'll get there.
@Triffle: Well observed. Due to various reasons, which I, as you seem to have noticed, also mentioned several times, I do think that Henry Doorly's Zoo is a highly overrated zoo, where several shortcomings in regard to modern animal husbandry are camouflaged with visitor-friendly "window-dressing".
@Dan: Well, thank you; my less formal version would have involved growling, angry yelling and explicit swearing; yet I think this version is a bit more civil, isn't it?
