With the announcement to the end of Hogle's elephant program back in May, I couldn’t help but feel optimistic towards a new era of the beloved Utah zoo. New exhibits and animals are on the horizon, and even more exciting is a new master plan, the first since 2014. While we patiently wait for the master plan, I thought it would be worthwhile to take a trip down memory lane. Pictured above is the first comprehensive master plan of Hogle Zoo which was released to the public in 1977.
By the 1970’s, the plight of many species was becoming apparent, and zoos adopted a new role as centers for wildlife conservation and education. With this new ethical obligation and moral framework, zoos across America started renovating, creating spaces that would reflect our changing thoughts on animal welfare and the environment. At first glance, the themed exhibits in this master plan feel modern and forward thinking. I can’t help but think we missed out on bioclimatic exhibits like Prairie Panorama, Highland Trek, Jungle Excursion, and Australian Walkabout. Especially considering what species were available in collections at this time, I would have loved to see this plan come to life.
Needless to say, this plan never became more than, well, a plan. One of the major setbacks was that the Utah Zoological Society was seeking state funding for the first time - $3 million for the first phase of the plan. Personally, I believe this was not a big ask. By 1976, 30.5% of zoo visitors were from counties outside of Salt Lake, and an additional 26.5% were visitors from other states. This shows that Hogle Zoo had established itself as a destination in the Intermountain West and worthy of funding for expansion and development. It will be interesting to compare this project’s $10-$13 million price tag to the upcoming master plan’s cost. Hopefully Utah legislature will be kinder to us this time!
Only one exhibit from this master plan was realized which was the Animal Giants Complex. The exhibit was the first new home for the elephants since 1931. The main building of this complex was retained as the indoor holding for the pachyderms when Elephant Encounter was completed in 2005. With Christie and Zuri now gone, a new era of Hogle Zoo begins. I am hopeful for an innovative and exciting master plan as this one was almost 50 years ago.
@MonkeyBat Great questions! The Up and Down House was the already existing Giraffe House which opened in 1969. The name references the building's unique two-story design where you could view the giraffe from "up and down."
Think of the Action Zoo as a children's zoo. This never got developed but would have included an auditorium, nursery, barn with milking parlor, contact yards, playground, and education center.
Another name that may be unfamiliar is Climacade, which was the already existing Small Animal Building completed in 1971. "Climacade" references the buildings different habitat zones including the Desert Zone, Tropics Zone, Temperate Zone, and Rainforest Atrium. Unfortunately, many of the animals in these zones today don't necessarily match their actual native habitats in the wild.
Ive only ever seen the names Up and Down House and Climacade used in this plan. Giraffe House and Small Animal Building have typically always been what these exhibits are called.
Unfortunately I have no concrete answers to your questions. This was the zoo's first master plan, yet not much was written about it. In my own research, I have only found two newspaper articles from 1977 in a university library. I really only know information about the exhibit's that actually got built.
