I'm bound to say that replacing functional with attractive is by definition a luxury unless there is money to spare.
With the money it would take to replace this functional exhibit with something more glamorous I suspect a number of addax might be given enhanced protection in the wild.
With the money it would take to replace this functional exhibit with something more glamorous I suspect a number of addax might be given enhanced protection in the wild.
Unlikely that the City of Sacramento, or any wealthy community-minded donor (the type who would be likely to fund a zoo exhibit upgrade) would have the slightest interest or intent--or legal authority--to send money to Morocco, Tunisia or Libya to do anything about wild addax. Just being realistic--it's not the same money, and never will be.
DavidBrown;502020There was a grand master plan for the Sacramento Zoo crafted in 1988 by the then-director Steve Taylor (now director of the Cleveland Zoo). The plan called for converting the moat to a water barrier. The plan was called Zoo 2002 and called for many plans that never came to pass said:
What did the Master Plan at the Sacramento Zoo look like? Is it still able to be seen or did the plan just die out alltogether?
There was a grand master plan for the Sacramento Zoo crafted in 1988 by the then-director Steve Taylor (now director of the Cleveland Zoo). The plan called for converting the moat to a water barrier. The plan was called Zoo 2002 and called for many plans that never came to pass, in large part because the military bases that were a large part of the region's economy closed in the early 1990s and cratered the region's economy. Among other plans were an immersion grizzly bear exhibit, African elephant exhibit, and hippo exhibit with underwater viewing. In some ways it is good that it never came to pass because given the size of the zoo, these exhibits would already be outdated.
@the wild one: Parts of the master plan did get built: the education amphitheater and education animal facility, the jaguar and small cat exhibits, the renovation of one of the bear exhibits into a snow leopard exhibit, the veterinary hospital with public viewing, and the construction of the large lake for the flamingoes and waterfowl.
The theme of Zoo 2002 was "Rivers of the World". There would have been a primate complex centered around the existing chimp and orang exhibits (which were still sparkling new in 1988) with new gibbon, lemur, and mangabey exhibits. There would have been an African savanna complex with giraffes and elephants (both exhibits within the footprint of the current giraffe exhibit), and a leopard exhibit. There would have been a Nile River complex with hippos, Nile crocodiles, sitatunga, a large aviary, and an interpretive building with reptiles, fish, and small mammals like spot-necked otters. There was going to be a Sacramento River exhibit with an immersion grizzly bear exhibit, beavers, river otters, salmon run, and aviary of Pacific Flyway birds. The reptile house was envisioned to stay as it is more or less with some different species. The bear exhibits were going to be renovated pretty much as they have been, but for mountain lions, clouded leopard, and snow leopard (as actually happened). The zoo had mountain lions and clouded leopard when the plan came out.
The master plan was redone a few years ago. I have not read it, but have only seen the map that came out in the newspaper article about it. The new masterplan called for an Asian area with new tiger, gibbon, and orang exhibits and sun bear exhibit. There is an African forest zone proposed for the area around the current ape exhibits with the chimp exhibit expanded into the current orang space and okapi and pygmy hippos. There is an aquatic animal complex proposed with penguins and otter exhibits. The African savanna area has giraffes (completed), new lion exhibit, African wild dogs, kudu (or other hoofstock), and Grevy's zebra. I think the current red panda complex, reptile house, and flamingo pond are retained.
There is also perpetual talk of building a new zoo in a larger site. The current zoo is in the main city park. It is a beautiful facility with lush green spaces, but it is locked in at 15 acres and there is no way to build the large animal exhibits that the community has clearly said that they want (e.g., elephants, Nile hippos, gorillas - all formerly at the zoo). I don't know where this thinking is, but here is a recent report on the topic: http://sacramento.granicus.com/MetaV...iew=&showpdf=1
Thanks much gerenuk. Some of this plan has been realized, albeit somewhat differently than mapped out in this plan. The giraffe exhibit has been renovated with a new barn and a major area expansion that now encompasses the area mapped out for lions. The sifaka exhibit now exists, albeit not near the pond. The river otter exhibit has been modernized into a sparkly new exhibit. The existing hoofstock exhibits now have red-river hogs and duikers (and bongos).
New lion, tiger, and ape (gibbons, orangs, chimps) exhibits are very much needed.
The zoo did have a temporary Humboldt penguin exhibit, perhaps to test for the popularity. The zoo had Humboldt penguins in the 1970s and I think their permanent presence would be very welcome.
I asked someone there about okapis and was told that it would require a $250,000 renovation of the existing barn and getting on a decade long waiting list. Translation: probably not going to happen anytime soon.
Sun bears and pygmy hippos would be nice, but only after new big cat and ape exhibits are built.
The thrust of the report that I posted seems to be that the desired course of action is to build a new zoo and incrementally improve the existing facility until that happens.
