The theming seems generally half-hearted at best. The rondavel structure attempted here makes no sense other than "this is an African area" and just seems slapped together as a whole, like it knows it's a facade, and doesn't attempt to hide it. If the zoo really wanted to go with theming, a subtle fishing village or something like Werribee's hippo exhibit complete with a sunken boat, that would make more sense. They could have used the old elephant exhibit, the old red river hog exhibit, the old hippo exhibit and the old African Forest/Impala Country exhibits to make an amazing new space, something to rival even Cheyenne Mountain in terms of hippo husbandry, but as is, the only bells and whistles that were added that genuinely seem to work are the underwater viewing, a couple of interpretive graphics and some decent rockwork. As is, Milwaukee's new elephant, bonobo and hippo exhibits all seem half-hearted in terms of immersion/theming, with the hippo exhibit at least trying in certain areas. The new Otter Passage exhibit is somewhat unique in terms of portraying a ski lodge, but isn't necessarily trailblazing in terms of foliage/portraying an estuarine/river environment.
