One of my favourite types of exhibit is that of the Nocturne exhibit. I recall on my two visits to Bristol Zoo in 2017 and 2018, the Twilight World of that zoo was always my favourite in the zoo merely for the sheer number of unusual animals in that exhibit. After its closure, I have yet to see a nocturne exhibit that has quite caught the spirit of that one.
Though in the more recent times, I have also had a sort of hobby of thinking about how I would design animal exhibits myself in fantasy zoo settings. And so I had the thought of portraying some of my ideas of what such a nocturnal exhibit would look like. I decided that the exhibit would not merely be a nocturne exhibit for the sake of being a nocturne exhibit, the 'cookie jar' of a zoo, if you may, but it would serve a purpose within the zoo as a setting. It would display various concepts in regards to adaptation and evolution. And so here are my plans for what I have titled: A Walk Under Twilight.
The area runs off six major concepts - 'Burrowing Terrestrial Animals', 'Nocturnal Arboreal Mammals', 'Blind Animals', 'Nocturnal Birds And Bats', 'Desert and Arid Animals', and 'Nocturnal Animals Close To Home'.
ON ENTRANCE
Upon entering the nocturnal house, the first enclosure noticed is a sizable outdoor quarters for Aardvark. The aardvark has three outdoor enclosures - one which is visible for the public, another that is largely hidden away by rockery, and a smaller pen mainly for medical purposes. To implement good use of musculature into the enclosure, most of the aardvark's food is to be accessed via mock-termite mounds. At certain times of day, feeder insects are let into the aardvark's enclosure, providing food enrichment. The loose dirt which covers the aardvark's enclosure can be dug rather deep, a sufficient depth for a warren. There is a low fence separating aardvarks from visitors, and the aardvarks will also be found inside.
BURROWING TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS
A fairly sizable indoor quarters is provided for the aardvark inside, where it is heated. Much of it is a similar dirt box, but here there also is a larger termite mound for access of food. Nearby are various other animal enclosures - one which has Large Hairy Armadillo, which also has an outdoor enclosure which is off-display. There are four adjoining armadillo enclosures - 2 outside and 2 indoors - the armadillos sometimes rotate between the two. The armadillos are often fed through scatter feeding - to encourage their foraging nature. The window of the armadillo enclosure is not very high - but there is fencing to prevent naughty guests from peering inside. And nearby is another animal which itself has similar habits to the aardvark, but is very much taxonomically distant - the Short-beaked Echidna. The echidna has an outdoor enclosure; but it can only be seen through small openings. The glass is short enough to look over, but not so short that a guest can touch the animal. Sometimes the echidna is taken out for public demonstration, in a display of how it uses its sense of smell to find prey items.
Some nearby signs show what aardvarks, armadillos and echidnas have in common - but what they all have that is different. This is a recurring theme at this nocturne area. Also displayed are a colony of Coruro, whose enclosure is fenced off by glass; with the rockery in enclosure arranged in a terraced manner to simulate their mountainous habitat. They sometimes rotate this with a Long-tailed Chinchilla, with either animal sometimes taking spot in a similar, off-show enclosure.
Though in the more recent times, I have also had a sort of hobby of thinking about how I would design animal exhibits myself in fantasy zoo settings. And so I had the thought of portraying some of my ideas of what such a nocturnal exhibit would look like. I decided that the exhibit would not merely be a nocturne exhibit for the sake of being a nocturne exhibit, the 'cookie jar' of a zoo, if you may, but it would serve a purpose within the zoo as a setting. It would display various concepts in regards to adaptation and evolution. And so here are my plans for what I have titled: A Walk Under Twilight.
The area runs off six major concepts - 'Burrowing Terrestrial Animals', 'Nocturnal Arboreal Mammals', 'Blind Animals', 'Nocturnal Birds And Bats', 'Desert and Arid Animals', and 'Nocturnal Animals Close To Home'.
ON ENTRANCE
Upon entering the nocturnal house, the first enclosure noticed is a sizable outdoor quarters for Aardvark. The aardvark has three outdoor enclosures - one which is visible for the public, another that is largely hidden away by rockery, and a smaller pen mainly for medical purposes. To implement good use of musculature into the enclosure, most of the aardvark's food is to be accessed via mock-termite mounds. At certain times of day, feeder insects are let into the aardvark's enclosure, providing food enrichment. The loose dirt which covers the aardvark's enclosure can be dug rather deep, a sufficient depth for a warren. There is a low fence separating aardvarks from visitors, and the aardvarks will also be found inside.
BURROWING TERRESTRIAL ANIMALS
A fairly sizable indoor quarters is provided for the aardvark inside, where it is heated. Much of it is a similar dirt box, but here there also is a larger termite mound for access of food. Nearby are various other animal enclosures - one which has Large Hairy Armadillo, which also has an outdoor enclosure which is off-display. There are four adjoining armadillo enclosures - 2 outside and 2 indoors - the armadillos sometimes rotate between the two. The armadillos are often fed through scatter feeding - to encourage their foraging nature. The window of the armadillo enclosure is not very high - but there is fencing to prevent naughty guests from peering inside. And nearby is another animal which itself has similar habits to the aardvark, but is very much taxonomically distant - the Short-beaked Echidna. The echidna has an outdoor enclosure; but it can only be seen through small openings. The glass is short enough to look over, but not so short that a guest can touch the animal. Sometimes the echidna is taken out for public demonstration, in a display of how it uses its sense of smell to find prey items.
Some nearby signs show what aardvarks, armadillos and echidnas have in common - but what they all have that is different. This is a recurring theme at this nocturne area. Also displayed are a colony of Coruro, whose enclosure is fenced off by glass; with the rockery in enclosure arranged in a terraced manner to simulate their mountainous habitat. They sometimes rotate this with a Long-tailed Chinchilla, with either animal sometimes taking spot in a similar, off-show enclosure.
