Certainly better than the old pool but still not very impressive. I get the feeling that San Fransico is not one of the leading big city zoos in The USA?
Unfortunately I have to say, he isn't. I had the same Destiny like the Frankfurt zoo, the City was not very interested in the zoo, so a many years nothing happens in both zoos, so the exhibits became older and older.... One of the most beautyful city in the World ( San francisco, not Frankfurt ) has one of the worst zoos in the world...But the Good News are, the zoo got money, so the first thing they build was the lemur exhibit, then the Africa Savannah.
This hippo pool is by no means "new." It opened in 1968. It is being enlarged and otherwise improved, although at last report the contractor was over 1 year late in completing the work, and one of the two hippos formerly housed here had died of stress from being moved from this "paradise."
It is outrageous and sad that SF does not have a great zoo. the new California Academy of Sciences (including an aquarium and tropical rain forest) has opened nearby at a cost of $500 million, and pretty much blows away any chances of the city investing in the much-reviled zoo.
500 000 Million Dollars ? What they have used for the Building, Gold ?
Altough it is not the best hippo enclosures, it looks younger than it is, and in germany, there are so much worse hippo exhibits,which are younger or the same age like that one(see Gallery Wilhelma", the hippo pool of that zoo is from the same year )
When I visited the zoo in May of 2006 the hippo pool looked as it does in this photo, meaning that it was an absolute disgrace. Does anyone know if things have improved over the past 3 years?
When I visited the zoo in May of 2006 the hippo pool looked as it does in this photo, meaning that it was an absolute disgrace. Does anyone know if things have improved over the past 3 years?
According to the zoo's map, they are planning of having a new hippo enclosure by the south gate, but other than that the zoo doesn't give anymore info.
The new Hippo Pool adjacent to the new Black Rhino enclosure opened Summer 2009. Unfortunately the elderly Hippo couple who lived there prior, passed during the renovations. It is rumored a new Hippo has been acquired and may be on view by the end of the year.
The old hippo pool at the pachyderm building hasnt housed a hippo for years. The hippo pool built over at the old african elephant exhibit was recently renovated and has had a hippo in it for about 6 months. The island located in the pool was removed and the pool was enlarged also a land space was added as well.
