Houston Zoo African Forest Phase III

BossMayhem250

BossMayhem250

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
What are they adding in Phase III Are hippos coming and is it gonna be like the San Antonio Zoo's Africa Live! or the St. Louis Zoo's River's Edge. If not then i wonder how the zoo will go about it and where are they gonna fit it in cause if its by the gorillas(Phase II opens on May 22nd) If so that's a lengthy walk to see hippos and crocodiles. If any knows about Phase III reply

~BossMayhem250:D
 
I am heading down there on Memorial Day Weekend So I'm pretty excited, I'll post some pics top
 
It is hippos and crocs, but that's all we know. The one concept image shown did include a glass viewing wall for hippos.

Once gorillas open, hippos and penguins are the only major animal attractions Houston will be missing. Should be a big deal.

Economy is better so money should be easier to gather than it was was for gorillas, but this will be a more expensive habitat due to the water filtration. I expect this is 4 years out (phase 2 from 1 took 4.5 years)
 
No image. Was a picture on the back page of the large book given to members when phase 1 opened. Bongos were supposed to be part of phase 2 (gorillas) where it would be gorillas on the left and bongos on the right. Finances kept the bongo paddock from being built, I assume. Zoo has a large bongo supply and may be built sooner or later but it wouldn't be a phase 3. More like 2.5 IF it is ever built. Remember, the rhino paddock was supposed to have Impala with the kudu and rhino. Never happened.

Zoo needs to do something about the giraffe yard. No grass remains. All mud, been stomped down from so many animals in a smaller yard than what existed previously
 
Trowaman said:
No image. Was a picture on the back page of the large book given to members when phase 1 opened. Bongos were supposed to be part of phase 2 (gorillas) where it would be gorillas on the left and bongos on the right. Finances kept the bongo paddock from being built, I assume. Zoo has a large bongo supply and may be built sooner or later but it wouldn't be a phase 3. More like 2.5 IF it is ever built. Remember, the rhino paddock was supposed to have Impala with the kudu and rhino. Never happened.

Zoo needs to do something about the giraffe yard. No grass remains. All mud, been stomped down from so many animals in a smaller yard than what existed previously
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Not impala, but Thomson's Gazelle, at least according to the opening weekend signs. I talked to the keepers briefly, and they were as shocked as anyone at the mention of the gazelles being included. The sign was news to them.

I think the bongo exhibit was always meant to be a later phase.
 
The weird thing is the gorilla walk through 3-D render video has the bongo signs up along with gorillas and red river hog as though all 3 were going to be delivered as one package.

Makes sense to delay from a layout perspective as I'm not sure how one could get to the chimp house with the gorilla yard and bongo yard both blocking the pathway.
 
Trowaman said:
The weird thing is the gorilla walk through 3-D render video has the bongo signs up along with gorillas and red river hog as though all 3 were going to be delivered as one package.

Makes sense to delay from a layout perspective as I'm not sure how one could get to the chimp house with the gorilla yard and bongo yard both blocking the pathway.
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Bongos were initially included in this phase (see the plan view early on the fly-through video labelled "The Bai"), but were cut from the project for cost purposes. They will be part of Phase 3, in whatever form that takes, but which will not have much resemblance to the overall plan shown on the Phase 1 diagrams. Not sure how you think the gorilla or planned bongo exhibits block the path to the chimp viewing area, which has remained open throughout the construction of gorilla? The area slated for bongos has served as a construction staging area, and does not block the pathway between the hoofed animal row and African Forest.
 
I figured new bongo exhibit would go where the current pathway lies today. Like on top of the drums and native camp and gardens and stuff.

So, what else is planned? Or what is the roadmap to date?
 
Trowaman said:
I figured new bongo exhibit would go where the current pathway lies today. Like on top of the drums and native camp and gardens and stuff.

So, what else is planned? Or what is the roadmap to date?
Click to expand...

From early ideas I've seen, bongos will essentially be directly behind the open end of the gorilla exhibit, with cross views from one to the other. Then the entire perimeter of the Zoo from the elephant exhibits to the gorilla/chimp area will be "African Forest Phase 3" with hippos, crocs, okapis, bongos, duikers, small primates and an aviary, plus various public buildings for shade, comfort and special events. Oddly, one plan shows a new wild dog exhibit included as well (I guess they are just as much "African Forest" as are the rhinos, kudus and giraffes from Phase 1!). If developed to the same level of quality as the gorilla/RR hog exhibit, it should be spectacular.
 
I'm very good with a new Wild Dog and Cheetah exhibit. Current habitats for both feel amazingly temporary.
 
If you look at the designs

it is still possible the designs say future bongo exhibit so they may be waiting on it.
 
This is a bit off topic but does anyone know if American zoos keep both subspecies of bongo? The Online Zoo has both species listed… I was always under the assumption that isaaci was the only subspecies in large quantity in European and American zoos.
 
There are currently no plans to go through with phase three of the African Forest. The zoo will be focusing on its new master plan which will be finished by 2022 for the zoo's centennial. The first phase of this master plan, the Katherine McGovern Texas Wetlands exhibit will open May 24th 2019.
 
I found this. Of course it could change or whatever. I just looked up "Houston Zoo mater plan" than went to google image. I know its blurry lol
Houston_Zoo_Studio_RED_2-292-525-400-80-c.jpg
 
Than on another map on the Houston Zoo website it had a "Asian Island" area. Also had "Madagascar" near the front of zoo but just to the left of the entrance.
 
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