It was actually inspired by the okapi aviary at Zoo de Doué la Fontaine, which also houses them with various birds, Hamlyn's monkeys and if I recall correctly, red duikers. I don't know about any other zoos but it's not the premier time something like this has been done.
It was actually inspired by the okapi aviary at Zoo de Doué la Fontaine, which also houses them with various birds, Hamlyn's monkeys and if I recall correctly, red duikers. I don't know about any other zoos but it's not the premier time something like this has been done.
The Doue exhibit is both huge and spectacular, carved out of an old quarry excavation with lots of mature vegetation and featuring some very impressive birds, hornbills and turacos among them. Is the Rotterdam exhibit a re-use of the existing aviary adjacent to the crocodile/kopje greenhouse?
@reduakari, it is indeed a re-use of the existing aviary, which was probably the single-best enclosure in the zoo.... The good thing is however that they now have incorporated the greenhouse that is the former butterfly greenhouse into the exhibit, creating also spacious indoor housing for both okapi and the birds.
This is the best enclosure at the Rotterdam Zoo?!??!!!
I had a different understanding of the zoo.
As to the okapi: the exhibit will never lok better than it does today.... before those tree munching animals are put in!
Lintworm is correct, especially the greenhouse has improved a lot. It includes spacious stables and a large separable indoor paddock. I also have some pictures of the indoor housing, if anyone is interested in seeing those I'll upload them later on.
@Zooplantman, there are already three okapis in the exhbit and a fourth one will arrive in the future. Most trees are either tall enough to be safe from permanent damage or some are protected by electric wires, so I think it will remain fairly lush.
And ''the best enclosure'' is of course a matter of opinion.
@Zooplantman, the aviary how it was before it was redeveloped as an okapi enclosure was imo the best enclosure of the zoo. As it very clearly made clear the route of migratory bird species that breed in the Dutch countryside, by featuring a Dutch meadow on the one side and a mediteranean aviary on the other side, separated by a mesh.
Now it is a nice enclosure, but nothing too special.
@Zooplantman, the aviary how it was before it was redeveloped as an okapi enclosure was imo the best enclosure of the zoo. As it very clearly made clear the route of migratory bird species that breed in the Dutch countryside, by featuring a Dutch meadow on the one side and a mediteranean aviary on the other side, separated by a mesh.
Now it is a nice enclosure, but nothing too special.
Well, for many of us okapis are much sexier than any collection of native birds, but in fairness the previous aviary was beautifully planted and laid out, and was a definite highlight in a zoo that has many excellent exhibits.
The countryside aviary offered very decent photography and viewing opportunities on the native birds and was of course also very beautifully decorated. Yet I wouldn't be able to miss the okapis, an iconic species for the zoo, for much longer. In my opinion the zoo did quite a good job by creating this habitat including both birds and okapis.
