April 2014. This exhibit complex opened in 1986 and several exhibits have been added or expanded since then. This exhibit is a renovation and expansion of an aviary that was original to the complex.
April 2014. This exhibit complex opened in 1986 and several exhibits have been added or expanded since then. This exhibit is a renovation and expansion of an aviary that was original to the complex.
I last visited San Diego Zoo in 2011, just after this exhibit opened to the public, and at the time there was concern amongst zoo nerds that the habitat was slightly too small for an Amur leopard. Placing a caracal inside makes sense in terms of the African kopje theme and it is a terrific exhibit for a small cat.
I last visited San Diego Zoo in 2011, just after this exhibit opened to the public, and at the time there was concern amongst zoo nerds that the habitat was slightly too small for an Amur leopard. Placing a caracal inside makes sense in terms of the African kopje theme and it is a terrific exhibit for a small cat.
I wondered that myself after I made my comment but caracals are fairly widespread throughout Africa and San Diego is notorious for not following a geographical formula so in that sense it is more accurate. For a smaller cat this new exhibit (2011) is fantastic.
I wondered that myself after I made my comment but caracals are fairly widespread throughout Africa and San Diego is notorious for not following a geographical formula so in that sense it is more accurate. For a smaller cat this new exhibit (2011) is fantastic.
It just amused me that they had replaced a big cat of an African-native species but not an African-native subspecies with a small cat... of an African-native species but not an African-native subspecies.
It was the north chinese leopard that went into this exhibit I thought. Then when he was euthanised earlier this year, the caracals replaced him. This was, as I've said before, a very nice aviary and a shame that it was changed. However, I think it does make a good exhibit for a smaller cat.
