West African Manatee Exhibit

It is interesting that this place has some impressive exhibits and parts with high quality rockwork, but then also such horrific exhibits as the wolves and bears....

@lintworm Chimelong Ocean Kingdom was definitely a polarizing place. The Manatee exhibit might be the best on the planet, the ASC-Otter exhibit is fantastic, and the Deep Sea Odyssey Whale Shark tank will leave you speechless! The pinnipeds, birds, reptiles and smaller marine creatures all have good amounts of space however many of the exhibits were overpopulated. Then there’s the cetaceans, bears, wolves and foxes.... Cetaceans shouldn’t be captive in the first place, so I’ll leave that there. But the polar mammal complex was a living hell! Easily some of the worst exhibits in the world for those species.

@animalman0341 @lintworm The indoor polarium has become a distressing fixture at most Chinese aquariums. Chimelong's is actually better than most.....
It is deeply frustrating, because Ocean Kingdom is a place that would be, by quite some distance, the best Chinese zoo without these exhibits. The Chimelong parks in general avoid so many of the welfare issues that can be found in Chinese zoos. How they built this complex I don't understand.

@FunkyGibbon I am in total agreement. With the amount of money they make, it’s a shame they haven’t taken time to update the existing polar complex or the Dolphin/beluga tanks. All of the investment is being put towards the new Marine Science Park which will feature, amongst others, Orcas (wild-caught in Russia) and Dugong.

Do they plan on having Dugongs? I know about the orcas but not the dugongs.

@aardvark250 This is the first we've heard of it (I think) but it's not unrealistic.

@animalman0341 I don't really know what they could do with the polar complex. It's totally irredeemable for bears or wolves. I suppose they could put caprines on the outside slopes and then small alpine animals in the indoor spaces?

The dolphin tanks I thought were ok, but Chimelong should really be reaching for excellence. The beluga exhibit is impossible to gauge size wise due to the viewpoints; presumably it's not any bigger than they make it look.

When I visited last year construction of the Marine Science Park wasn't apparent, but I've seen pictures on other forums that seem to show it almost completed already. And it really is huge. When did you visit?

@aardvark250 @FunkyGibbon I visited Ocean Kingdom in early-mid August and I was amazed at the size and scale of the Marine Science Park. They’re looking at a February 2021 opening! In many of the Chinese articles I’ve read that discuss the facility, Orcas and Dugong are the names that come up the most often. I can’t confirm they will 100% be included, but considering Ocean Kingdom exhibits West African Manatees, I wouldn’t put it past Chimelong to exhibit more rare species. The Chimelong Animal Kingdom (which is in the design phase) plans to house either West Indian or Amazonian Manatees, so you’ll be able to see 3 species of Sirenians at Chimelong parks in the future.

@animalman0341 Chimelong Animal Kingdom? Care expanding on that, I can't find anything on google.

@Nix take a look at these articles

I know they’re from a while ago, but as recently as 2019 they were really investing in, and planning for their African Elephant complex. If this park ever came to fruition it’d be absolutely incredible.

https://www.themeparx.com/chimelong-wild-kingdom/

Construction Begins on First of Four New Chimelong Parks Adjoining Ocean Kingdom