Here is an article and video of the Metrozoo's newest exhibit:
Amazon exhibit brings rain forest to Miami Metrozoo - South Florida - MiamiHerald.com
Amazon exhibit brings rain forest to Miami Metrozoo - South Florida - MiamiHerald.com
Zoo Miami Amazon and Beyond
- Thread starter okapikpr
- Start date
At $50 million and 100 species this better be an outstanding exhibit...and I'll be there with my wife on opening day next Saturday!!!! I'm sure that the crowds will be insane, but it was the only available time slot for us.
Some facts and figures from the zoo's website:
AMAZON AND BEYOND FUN FACTS
DID YOU KNOW?
Construction Facts
o It took about 200 workers to build Amazon and Beyond.
o Out of those 200 workers, it took 250,208 man hours. That’s over 28 years for one person!
o 3,500 cubic yards of concrete were poured for Amazon and Beyond’s walkways and buildings.
o More than 40 companies helped construct and design the new 27-acre Amazon and Beyond exhibit at Miami Metrozoo.
Landscape Facts
o It took 10,000 bags of mulch to landscape Amazon and Beyond. Each bag covers two cubic yards. Do the math and that’s enough to cover three football fields!
o There’s 16,000 cubic yards of dirt in the new Amazon and Beyond exhibit. Each cubic yard of dirt weighs more than 2,000 pounds. The total weight, 32,400,000 pounds, is the combined weight of over 2,000 male African elephants.
o Exactly 21,573 new plants, trees, and shrubs were planted at Amazon and Beyond. Plants have the capacity to produce 5mL of oxygen an hour. With these new plants alone, over 107,000mL of oxygen is created an hour—enough to sustain 216 people for one hour!
o There is also 453 tons of new rock. That’s equivalent to one million pounds or 3,224 female Bengaltigers.
Exhibit Facts
o The Flooded Forest tank holds 50,000 gallons of water. Asian elephants drink on average 30 gallons of water a day. If 1,667 Asian elephants drank from the Flooded Forest, the tank would be empty in only one day.
o There are over 100 different species that will be exhibited in Amazon and Beyond. Marquee animal exhibits include: an indoor reptile house, jaguars, giant river otters, the Flooded Forrest, anacondas, and harpy eagles. Male giant river otters can grow to 6 feet in length and their tails can account for over two feet of their overall length.
o Families will be able to enjoy an outdoor 1,000 gallon freshwater stingray touch tank.
o There is an interactive fountain for children to enjoy, which will feature 4,500 gallons of water. A grid of jets will shoot out water to different heights when activated. There is also a lily pad water play area by the Orinoco River.
AMAZON AND BEYOND FUN FACTS
DID YOU KNOW?
Construction Facts
o It took about 200 workers to build Amazon and Beyond.
o Out of those 200 workers, it took 250,208 man hours. That’s over 28 years for one person!
o 3,500 cubic yards of concrete were poured for Amazon and Beyond’s walkways and buildings.
o More than 40 companies helped construct and design the new 27-acre Amazon and Beyond exhibit at Miami Metrozoo.
Landscape Facts
o It took 10,000 bags of mulch to landscape Amazon and Beyond. Each bag covers two cubic yards. Do the math and that’s enough to cover three football fields!
o There’s 16,000 cubic yards of dirt in the new Amazon and Beyond exhibit. Each cubic yard of dirt weighs more than 2,000 pounds. The total weight, 32,400,000 pounds, is the combined weight of over 2,000 male African elephants.
o Exactly 21,573 new plants, trees, and shrubs were planted at Amazon and Beyond. Plants have the capacity to produce 5mL of oxygen an hour. With these new plants alone, over 107,000mL of oxygen is created an hour—enough to sustain 216 people for one hour!
o There is also 453 tons of new rock. That’s equivalent to one million pounds or 3,224 female Bengaltigers.
Exhibit Facts
o The Flooded Forest tank holds 50,000 gallons of water. Asian elephants drink on average 30 gallons of water a day. If 1,667 Asian elephants drank from the Flooded Forest, the tank would be empty in only one day.
o There are over 100 different species that will be exhibited in Amazon and Beyond. Marquee animal exhibits include: an indoor reptile house, jaguars, giant river otters, the Flooded Forrest, anacondas, and harpy eagles. Male giant river otters can grow to 6 feet in length and their tails can account for over two feet of their overall length.
o Families will be able to enjoy an outdoor 1,000 gallon freshwater stingray touch tank.
o There is an interactive fountain for children to enjoy, which will feature 4,500 gallons of water. A grid of jets will shoot out water to different heights when activated. There is also a lily pad water play area by the Orinoco River.
I like that one: completely irrelevant statistic
on the subject of features in this exhibit, does anyone else dislike stingray touch tanks? How do the stingrays feel about being touched all day long? But more importantly, I'm assuming the stings are removed from the animals for the visitors' safety and in that case -- from a moral standpoint -- how is that different from the reprehensible practice of removing claws and teeth from tigers (for example) so they are safe for visitors to get photographed with?
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
I like that one: completely irrelevant statistic
on the subject of features in this exhibit, does anyone else dislike stingray touch tanks? How do the stingrays feel about being touched all day long? But more importantly, I'm assuming the stings are removed from the animals for the visitors' safety and in that case -- from a moral standpoint -- how is that different from the reprehensible practice of removing claws and teeth from tigers (for example) so they are safe for visitors to get photographed with?
A more pressing moral issue may be how vulnerable the rays are to tampering. Several North American zoos this summer lost dozens of animals and the likely cause is visitor contamination of water.
Now that is what all zoos should have on their websites! It is of particular interest for those ZooChatters who wish to know the exact list of species in the various exhibits. Cheers okapikpr!
Gone unnoticed i think, a harpy eagle has been hatched at the zoo.
Miami Metrozoo's Photos - Endangered Harpy Eagle Hatches at Miami Metrozoo! | Facebook
Miami Metrozoo's Photos - Endangered Harpy Eagle Hatches at Miami Metrozoo! | Facebook
@snowleopard: Did the exhibit turn out to be outstanding? I don't recall reading your Miami MetroZoo review...can you direct me to which road trip thread it is in?
KCZooFan
Well-Known Member
@DavidBrown: geomorph extenivly reviewed this exhibit, as well as the rest of the zoo. http://www.zoochat.com/22/review-miami-metrozoo-120419/
Here is my review, and I visited the zoo on opening day of "Amazon & Beyond". How cool is that? My review is not as lenghty or informative as my later write-ups, as it comes from December 2008:
Miami Metrozoo Review - 6.5 hours (4th and final collection on this short road trip)
I was quite pleased with the Miami Metrozoo, and shocked that there was barely anyone there first thing in the morning. The $50 million set of habitats "Amazon & Beyond" opened the very same day of our visit, and this is an excellent addition to an already impressive zoo. The zoo only opened in 1981 but it covers a huge amount of ground and has an extensive collection of animals. It's not like other large zoos such as Detroit, Bronx and Toronto where the animals are often locked up in their night-quarters or inside pavilions in the wintertime...Miami is like San Diego and therefore the sunshine is there almost every day of the year.
The enclosures all blend in together after a while as it is almost exclusively made up of dry moated exhibits, but that means that there are no bars, no cages, no traditional pits or grottoes, and it must be one of the most photogenic zoos I've ever visited. Animals are separated from visitors by moats, there is a lot of walking between enclosures, and there is almost always an uninterrupted view of both the habitat and its occupants. There is a vast collection of animals from Asia, Africa and South America, and even though the Australian section isn't very large it is still bigger than most other collections in North America. The one major piece missing is a Florida/North America section, but that is supposedly being cooked up in the long-range master plan.
THE BEST:
Asian Loop - elephants in a huge paddock, and other animal species such as Indian rhino, Malayan tapir, sun bear, sloth bear, an elderly Asiatic black bear, anoa, banteng, gaur, orangutan, two species of gibbon, Bactrian and dromedary camel, onager, clouded leopard, komodo dragon, Asian small-clawed otter, Bengal tiger (including a white one), and a variety of deer and antelope species. All of these animals have spacious, naturalistic paddocks that allow for space and hiding opportunities from the public.
Wings of Asia - arguably one of the best walk-through aviaries in North America, with over 300 birds of 70 different species. There are 5 different waterfalls, and the long and winding trail is surrounded by lush plants and flowers. Sarus cranes are in with the visitors, and this aviary combined with the Asian loop makes Miami one of the best zoos around for Asian wildlife. The "Field Research Centre" (just outside of the massive aviary) comparing dinosaurs to birds is brilliant for all ages.
Amazon & Beyond - there are some glitches with this set of habitats, but $50 million for the most part has been well spent. It will be interesting to go back to Miami one day to see if some of the lushness that is all around the zoo is more apparent in this section, as it could use some more foliage to disguise some of the animal holding buildings. I have a few photos of the behind the scenes areas simply because they are at times in obvious view of the general public. Also, it appears due to signage around the grounds that in the future they will have iguanas, golden lion tamarins and cotton-top tamarins roaming freely on the grounds, and one of the keepers said that for the grand opening those animals were kept in their smaller cages but the hope is that in the future they will be allowed loose. A beautiful little lake curves all through this section of the zoo.
The plaza that welcomes guests to the new set of exhibits is large and comes with playground equipment, rubberized floor in places, food services, a water fountain, and an idea of stepping into a South American zone. It's not nearly as impressive as Jacksonville Zoo's "Range of the Jaguar", but still a nice entrance to the Amazon.
The area is divided into 3 sections: "Cloud Forest" has a winding boardwalk with misters creating a foggy atmosphere, and the howler monkey/squirrel monkey cage and walk-through aviary is of average quality. The reptiles and amphibians in tanks are well represented, but there isn't the thrill of the "Lost Temple" building at Jacksonville Zoo. However, many of the snakes and lizards have larger than normal glass tanks and I was surprised at the space given to these cold-blooded animals. The two jaguar enclosures are well planted, but the viewing windows aren't large enough and the habitats themselves again pale in comparison to Jacksonville Zoo's superb "Range of the Jaguar".
The "Amazon" section has a nice Orinoco crocodile pool, a smallish anaconda tank, another bunch of reptile and amphibian tanks, and a large mesh aviary with two harpy eagles. The eagles can fly above the heads of visitors, and just around the corner is another mesh exhibit with agoutis and curassows.
"Atlantic Forest" has a very large, quite splendid giant river otter exhibit that I was thoroughly impressed with. There is a long stream that winds through the habitat, a deep pool, lots of land, and the otters here are much smaller than the pair at the Jacksonville Zoo. It's hard to judge how large the giant anteater enclosure is, but it also appears to be nicely designed on a slope. After seeing a giant anteater practically fully submerged at the San Diego Zoo last summer I think that the amount of water in the Miami anteater's exhibit is lacking, but the habitat is hilly and adequate. There is a walk-through animal section that is tiny, but it contains a sloth and 3 species of marmosets/tamarins that jump around directly in front of visitors. I think it is only the second walk-through primate enclosure in North America, but it's far too small and nowhere near as wonderful as the squirrel monkey exhibit at the Phoenix Zoo. There are also a number of reptiles and amphibians in numerous tanks in this section, along with a nicely designed bat exhibit where the bats have two tunnels where they can fly over the heads of visitors.
The main building in "Amazon & Beyond" features yet more tanks of reptiles and amphibians, including a pitifully small cotton-top tamarin exhibit. There is a wealth of life in a large, glass-fronted habitat with iguanas, saki monkeys, titi monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupines, etc...and on the opposite wall there is a massive aquarium tank with pacu and other species of fish. Overall this makes the Miami Metrozoo one of the best zoos in North America for South American wildlife.
African Loop - another great section of the zoo, and with these species: gorilla, chimpanzee, elephant, hyena, lion, African wild dog, colobus monkey, giraffe, zebra, okapi, black rhino, pygmy hippo, ostrich, Thompson's gazelle, vulture, kudu, nyala, waterbuck, gerenuk, giant eland, African crested porcupine, bat-eared fox, etc. This is one of the best zoos for African wildlife, and the aviary with small birds adds variety to the giant paddocks that are on both sides of the walking trail.
THE AVERAGE:
Australian trail – this area contains koalas, red kangaroos, tree kangaroos, monitor lizards and New Guinea singing dogs. It's a short pathway but contains more Aussie animals than many other North American zoos.
Children's Zoo - petting zoo, food, rides, meerkats, small tanks of reptiles and amphibians in a chaotic area.
Dr. Wilde's World - a building that hosts rotating displays, and they currently have an impressive reptile collection inside.
There are many other exhibits scattered throughout the zoo on mini-loops near the entrance: a pair of truly impressive gibbon islands that are enormous in comparison to most other zoos; a lemur island with 3 different species; red river hogs and warthogs in separate paddocks; Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises together in a large field; lagoons for both pelicans and flamingos; and Cuban crocodiles in a decent-sized pool.
THE WORST:
The absence of any North American animals (or even a Florida loop) is puzzling, as that would basically complete the zoo's already healthy collection. Also, I'd like to see some of the animals shuffled around a little better in order to fit in with the geographic theme that is at the zoo, as for example there are African lions and African wild dogs in the Asian loop and guanacos and rheas at the end of the African loop!
Also, the large moated paddocks don't work so well for the orangutans, chimpanzees and gorillas. I felt as if more was needed in those primate areas, as the zoo exhibits do tend to blend together with the spacious, moated enclosures that dominate the grounds. In reality my complaints are quite minor and I really feel that even with the few flaws that are at this zoo it is easily one of the 10 best in North America.
OVERALL:
Check out this list of pachyderms and hoofstock in Miami: African elephant, Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir, pygmy hippo, black rhino, Indian rhino, Thompson's gazelle, okapi, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, greater kudu, Defassa waterbuck, bongo, nyala, giant eland, gerenuk, guanaco, anoa, banteng, gaur, Bactrian camel, dromedary camel, onager, Arabian oryx, Grant's gazelle, gemsbok, Indian muntjac, addax, red river hog, warthog, nilgai, sable antelope, yellow-backed duiker, black duiker, dama gazelle. Rather impressive?
I think that the Miami Metrozoo is one of North America's best zoos for Asian, African and South American animals, and it also has a decent representation of Australian animals. Toss in the Baird's tapir, guanacos, rheas, spider monkeys and Andean condors with "Amazon & Beyond" and it might just be the #1 zoo for South American wildlife. The hoofstock and pachyderm collection is fantastic, and between all the reptile and amphibian tanks in the children's zoo, Dr. Wilde building and "Amazon & Beyond" the cold-blooded section of the zoo is mightily impressive as well. The "Wings of Asia" is without a doubt one of the best aviaries on the continent, and the large paddocks allow lots of space for the animals and an unobscured viewing area for visitors. Well worth a visit!
Miami Metrozoo Review - 6.5 hours (4th and final collection on this short road trip)
I was quite pleased with the Miami Metrozoo, and shocked that there was barely anyone there first thing in the morning. The $50 million set of habitats "Amazon & Beyond" opened the very same day of our visit, and this is an excellent addition to an already impressive zoo. The zoo only opened in 1981 but it covers a huge amount of ground and has an extensive collection of animals. It's not like other large zoos such as Detroit, Bronx and Toronto where the animals are often locked up in their night-quarters or inside pavilions in the wintertime...Miami is like San Diego and therefore the sunshine is there almost every day of the year.
The enclosures all blend in together after a while as it is almost exclusively made up of dry moated exhibits, but that means that there are no bars, no cages, no traditional pits or grottoes, and it must be one of the most photogenic zoos I've ever visited. Animals are separated from visitors by moats, there is a lot of walking between enclosures, and there is almost always an uninterrupted view of both the habitat and its occupants. There is a vast collection of animals from Asia, Africa and South America, and even though the Australian section isn't very large it is still bigger than most other collections in North America. The one major piece missing is a Florida/North America section, but that is supposedly being cooked up in the long-range master plan.
THE BEST:
Asian Loop - elephants in a huge paddock, and other animal species such as Indian rhino, Malayan tapir, sun bear, sloth bear, an elderly Asiatic black bear, anoa, banteng, gaur, orangutan, two species of gibbon, Bactrian and dromedary camel, onager, clouded leopard, komodo dragon, Asian small-clawed otter, Bengal tiger (including a white one), and a variety of deer and antelope species. All of these animals have spacious, naturalistic paddocks that allow for space and hiding opportunities from the public.
Wings of Asia - arguably one of the best walk-through aviaries in North America, with over 300 birds of 70 different species. There are 5 different waterfalls, and the long and winding trail is surrounded by lush plants and flowers. Sarus cranes are in with the visitors, and this aviary combined with the Asian loop makes Miami one of the best zoos around for Asian wildlife. The "Field Research Centre" (just outside of the massive aviary) comparing dinosaurs to birds is brilliant for all ages.
Amazon & Beyond - there are some glitches with this set of habitats, but $50 million for the most part has been well spent. It will be interesting to go back to Miami one day to see if some of the lushness that is all around the zoo is more apparent in this section, as it could use some more foliage to disguise some of the animal holding buildings. I have a few photos of the behind the scenes areas simply because they are at times in obvious view of the general public. Also, it appears due to signage around the grounds that in the future they will have iguanas, golden lion tamarins and cotton-top tamarins roaming freely on the grounds, and one of the keepers said that for the grand opening those animals were kept in their smaller cages but the hope is that in the future they will be allowed loose. A beautiful little lake curves all through this section of the zoo.
The plaza that welcomes guests to the new set of exhibits is large and comes with playground equipment, rubberized floor in places, food services, a water fountain, and an idea of stepping into a South American zone. It's not nearly as impressive as Jacksonville Zoo's "Range of the Jaguar", but still a nice entrance to the Amazon.
The area is divided into 3 sections: "Cloud Forest" has a winding boardwalk with misters creating a foggy atmosphere, and the howler monkey/squirrel monkey cage and walk-through aviary is of average quality. The reptiles and amphibians in tanks are well represented, but there isn't the thrill of the "Lost Temple" building at Jacksonville Zoo. However, many of the snakes and lizards have larger than normal glass tanks and I was surprised at the space given to these cold-blooded animals. The two jaguar enclosures are well planted, but the viewing windows aren't large enough and the habitats themselves again pale in comparison to Jacksonville Zoo's superb "Range of the Jaguar".
The "Amazon" section has a nice Orinoco crocodile pool, a smallish anaconda tank, another bunch of reptile and amphibian tanks, and a large mesh aviary with two harpy eagles. The eagles can fly above the heads of visitors, and just around the corner is another mesh exhibit with agoutis and curassows.
"Atlantic Forest" has a very large, quite splendid giant river otter exhibit that I was thoroughly impressed with. There is a long stream that winds through the habitat, a deep pool, lots of land, and the otters here are much smaller than the pair at the Jacksonville Zoo. It's hard to judge how large the giant anteater enclosure is, but it also appears to be nicely designed on a slope. After seeing a giant anteater practically fully submerged at the San Diego Zoo last summer I think that the amount of water in the Miami anteater's exhibit is lacking, but the habitat is hilly and adequate. There is a walk-through animal section that is tiny, but it contains a sloth and 3 species of marmosets/tamarins that jump around directly in front of visitors. I think it is only the second walk-through primate enclosure in North America, but it's far too small and nowhere near as wonderful as the squirrel monkey exhibit at the Phoenix Zoo. There are also a number of reptiles and amphibians in numerous tanks in this section, along with a nicely designed bat exhibit where the bats have two tunnels where they can fly over the heads of visitors.
The main building in "Amazon & Beyond" features yet more tanks of reptiles and amphibians, including a pitifully small cotton-top tamarin exhibit. There is a wealth of life in a large, glass-fronted habitat with iguanas, saki monkeys, titi monkeys, prehensile-tailed porcupines, etc...and on the opposite wall there is a massive aquarium tank with pacu and other species of fish. Overall this makes the Miami Metrozoo one of the best zoos in North America for South American wildlife.
African Loop - another great section of the zoo, and with these species: gorilla, chimpanzee, elephant, hyena, lion, African wild dog, colobus monkey, giraffe, zebra, okapi, black rhino, pygmy hippo, ostrich, Thompson's gazelle, vulture, kudu, nyala, waterbuck, gerenuk, giant eland, African crested porcupine, bat-eared fox, etc. This is one of the best zoos for African wildlife, and the aviary with small birds adds variety to the giant paddocks that are on both sides of the walking trail.
THE AVERAGE:
Australian trail – this area contains koalas, red kangaroos, tree kangaroos, monitor lizards and New Guinea singing dogs. It's a short pathway but contains more Aussie animals than many other North American zoos.
Children's Zoo - petting zoo, food, rides, meerkats, small tanks of reptiles and amphibians in a chaotic area.
Dr. Wilde's World - a building that hosts rotating displays, and they currently have an impressive reptile collection inside.
There are many other exhibits scattered throughout the zoo on mini-loops near the entrance: a pair of truly impressive gibbon islands that are enormous in comparison to most other zoos; a lemur island with 3 different species; red river hogs and warthogs in separate paddocks; Galapagos and Aldabra tortoises together in a large field; lagoons for both pelicans and flamingos; and Cuban crocodiles in a decent-sized pool.
THE WORST:
The absence of any North American animals (or even a Florida loop) is puzzling, as that would basically complete the zoo's already healthy collection. Also, I'd like to see some of the animals shuffled around a little better in order to fit in with the geographic theme that is at the zoo, as for example there are African lions and African wild dogs in the Asian loop and guanacos and rheas at the end of the African loop!
Also, the large moated paddocks don't work so well for the orangutans, chimpanzees and gorillas. I felt as if more was needed in those primate areas, as the zoo exhibits do tend to blend together with the spacious, moated enclosures that dominate the grounds. In reality my complaints are quite minor and I really feel that even with the few flaws that are at this zoo it is easily one of the 10 best in North America.
OVERALL:
Check out this list of pachyderms and hoofstock in Miami: African elephant, Asian elephant, Malayan tapir, Baird's tapir, pygmy hippo, black rhino, Indian rhino, Thompson's gazelle, okapi, reticulated giraffe, Grevy's zebra, greater kudu, Defassa waterbuck, bongo, nyala, giant eland, gerenuk, guanaco, anoa, banteng, gaur, Bactrian camel, dromedary camel, onager, Arabian oryx, Grant's gazelle, gemsbok, Indian muntjac, addax, red river hog, warthog, nilgai, sable antelope, yellow-backed duiker, black duiker, dama gazelle. Rather impressive?
I think that the Miami Metrozoo is one of North America's best zoos for Asian, African and South American animals, and it also has a decent representation of Australian animals. Toss in the Baird's tapir, guanacos, rheas, spider monkeys and Andean condors with "Amazon & Beyond" and it might just be the #1 zoo for South American wildlife. The hoofstock and pachyderm collection is fantastic, and between all the reptile and amphibian tanks in the children's zoo, Dr. Wilde building and "Amazon & Beyond" the cold-blooded section of the zoo is mightily impressive as well. The "Wings of Asia" is without a doubt one of the best aviaries on the continent, and the large paddocks allow lots of space for the animals and an unobscured viewing area for visitors. Well worth a visit!
Still not sure how you rate this zoo so high, i have been to a number of zoos since my visit, and Id much prefer Bronx or Dallas or even Disney's Animal Kingdom after my recent visit. For such a large metropolis the attendance at this zoo is quite low, a lot of it seems run down, and it still baffles me that lions are kept in the same type of enclosure as gorillas as our zebras and elephants. All the exhibits look the same. Amazon & Beyond is hardly a top 25 exhibit as well. There are no wow exhibits and the place is just very bland. The plus is the animals all have huge amounts of space. Another aspect of the zoo I dislike that has nothing to do with the zoo itself, but anyone who has been to Miami knows that it is always extremely hot and humid. Even in November-March you can always count on it here to be in the 80's and humid. There is the occasional florida cold front, but for some reason they do not seem to affect Miami nearly as much as Orlando, Tampa, or Jacksonville. With such hot and humid conditions, it can be difficult to walk miles around such a large establishment where everything literally looks the same! My brother lives in Miami so I am quite familiar with it, at the beginning of April temps were already consistently in the 90s and it was of course very humid. I find it hard to enjoy a day at the zoo when its this humid, hot is one thing like out west, but humidity is a whole other factor to consider when visiting a zoo. I use to rave about this place, but I have reevaluated my standings on zoos, and have even reconsidered how good my home Cleveland Zoo is.
And by reconsider I mean it is not so great as I thought. But snowleopard, I do totally respect why you appreciate it as you value consistency in zoos. This is something this zoo certainly doesn't fail at. Everyday of the year at this zoo is the same, same exhibits on pretty much all 300 acres, same hot-humid weather, with no change in weather the animals don't react differently at different times of the year. I'm just not a fan anymore of this place.
Hmmh, with all respect: But aren't many animals in Metrozoo exactly from regions, where weather conditions are more or less the same (hot and humid) like in Miami?
So it is much more realistic and natural than in many other zoos (North American and European).
I have visited Metrozoo five times (between 1989 and 2001). I am agree so far, that many exhibits do look like the same (so boring for normal visitors, true). But on the other hand, most of them are big in size and look - because of climatic conditions - very natural (there are exceptions of course, like the tiger palace and the exhibits for desert antelopes, which I doubt are in that lush green in their natural environment).
Also, the big aviary for Asian Birds is the best I have ever seen (which includes DAK and the ones in San Diego Zoo). By "furnishing" it could be done more, but all in all, I think it is a good place for their inhabitants and one of the better big zoos in USA.
The reason for the low attendance (when you compare it with zoos in other metropolitan cities) is besides the temperatures imo: The lack of a good marketing - also in overseas (most Europeans even know that Miami has a zoo, they just go to the beach) and that a big part of the citizens in Miami are hispanics, where zoos did not have (and sometimes still not have) the importance as it has for caucasians/whites/people with northern european background (sorry, hope one of this terms was political correct).
So it is much more realistic and natural than in many other zoos (North American and European).
I have visited Metrozoo five times (between 1989 and 2001). I am agree so far, that many exhibits do look like the same (so boring for normal visitors, true). But on the other hand, most of them are big in size and look - because of climatic conditions - very natural (there are exceptions of course, like the tiger palace and the exhibits for desert antelopes, which I doubt are in that lush green in their natural environment).
Also, the big aviary for Asian Birds is the best I have ever seen (which includes DAK and the ones in San Diego Zoo). By "furnishing" it could be done more, but all in all, I think it is a good place for their inhabitants and one of the better big zoos in USA.
The reason for the low attendance (when you compare it with zoos in other metropolitan cities) is besides the temperatures imo: The lack of a good marketing - also in overseas (most Europeans even know that Miami has a zoo, they just go to the beach) and that a big part of the citizens in Miami are hispanics, where zoos did not have (and sometimes still not have) the importance as it has for caucasians/whites/people with northern european background (sorry, hope one of this terms was political correct
).If you go to Africa it is not always that hot and humid, especially in South Africa. It can get down into the 40s at night quite frequently and elephants and rhinos can live in colder conditions. For the temperature to go below 60 at night is extremely rare for Miami, 40 degree mornings are nearly unheard of and occur maybe two days a year. It is a common misconception that it is always hot and humid on African savannas. To some extent I guess the climate is a good thing for a lot for a lot of the tropical wildlife, but being in captivity different weather conditions provide great enrichment. The black rhinos at the Cleveland Zoo love to play out in the snow on the coldest winter days, I have seen the out and playing when its been about 25 degrees not to mention the windchill. Its a very cool experience.
Also, nearly all the people that go to the Miami Metrozoo are hispanic actually, and yes you are very right in saying that most people will go to the beach. I have been to the Miami Metrozoo roughly 5-6 times maybe more. I really don't plan on going back unless they open something big, every visit is exactly the same. The lack of varied weather conditions pretty much guarantees all the animals are going to show little activity. Combine that with every exhibit looking the same, and yeah not a great zoo experience. Wings of Asia is nice, but I am biased in the sense that I am not a bird fan at all.
Also, nearly all the people that go to the Miami Metrozoo are hispanic actually, and yes you are very right in saying that most people will go to the beach. I have been to the Miami Metrozoo roughly 5-6 times maybe more. I really don't plan on going back unless they open something big, every visit is exactly the same. The lack of varied weather conditions pretty much guarantees all the animals are going to show little activity. Combine that with every exhibit looking the same, and yeah not a great zoo experience. Wings of Asia is nice, but I am biased in the sense that I am not a bird fan at all.
But who wants to go to the zoo when its snowing outside?
Really its all about personal preference and how people have adapted to their surroundings. Over the last century, people have become acclimated to comfortable temperatures, dry/indoor environments, and quick access to whatever they need. Whenever they find themselves outside this comfort zone, people become agitated and seek the nearest available habitat that fits their wants and needs.
With this in mind, people often judge their experiences (i.e. visiting a zoo) based on how comfortable they were in the environment. There is no patience or adaptability anymore.
Black Rhino is simply judging his opinion of the Miami zoo on the fact that he was uncomfortable with the heat, doesn't like to walk a lot (particularly in an uncomfortable environment), and doesn't really have the patience to observe the animals at the zoo (but would rather have a quick show of cool behaviors from the animal). And its not his fault to feel this way. Many people could easily say similar things about zoos in more Northern latitudes. Its just the way his body has adapted to the living environment in today's world.
Should a zoo cater to this aspect? Definitely! Zoos are built and managed for the recreational purposes of visitors to view animals. Should people judge how good a zoo is based on how they cater to guest? Only to an extant. Here is something to think about - visitors are on zoos grounds for what 8-10 hours? How long are the animals at the zoo? What should zoo design be primarily focused on? The guest or the animals that live there. And just because an animal isn't active all time, doesn't mean that its unhappy - are all of you active all the time?
Really its all about personal preference and how people have adapted to their surroundings. Over the last century, people have become acclimated to comfortable temperatures, dry/indoor environments, and quick access to whatever they need. Whenever they find themselves outside this comfort zone, people become agitated and seek the nearest available habitat that fits their wants and needs.
With this in mind, people often judge their experiences (i.e. visiting a zoo) based on how comfortable they were in the environment. There is no patience or adaptability anymore.
Black Rhino is simply judging his opinion of the Miami zoo on the fact that he was uncomfortable with the heat, doesn't like to walk a lot (particularly in an uncomfortable environment), and doesn't really have the patience to observe the animals at the zoo (but would rather have a quick show of cool behaviors from the animal). And its not his fault to feel this way. Many people could easily say similar things about zoos in more Northern latitudes. Its just the way his body has adapted to the living environment in today's world.
Should a zoo cater to this aspect? Definitely! Zoos are built and managed for the recreational purposes of visitors to view animals. Should people judge how good a zoo is based on how they cater to guest? Only to an extant. Here is something to think about - visitors are on zoos grounds for what 8-10 hours? How long are the animals at the zoo? What should zoo design be primarily focused on? The guest or the animals that live there. And just because an animal isn't active all time, doesn't mean that its unhappy - are all of you active all the time?
@BlackrRhino: Because I was in the priviliged situation to visit some national parks in the savannah region of Kenya, Tansania and South Africa, I can underline what you wrote about cold conditions. BUT(!!!): I did not wrote that "many animals" mean "savannah animals from Africa"! (Please read my post again). In fact, more or less all animals from Amazon and beyond as well as Gorillas, Pygmy Hippos, Okapis, most Duikers, and most of the asian animmals in Metrozoo have their origin in humid and hot regions. So I guess the term "many" could really be used here.
About Black Rhinos and Snow: Well, in my hometown zoo in Zurich, Switzerland, I have also seen Black Rhinos "playing" in the snow. But only for a short time a day. After about an hour or so, they prefer to go inside. According to a keeper, they can quickly freeze ears or tails off. So I have my doubts if the advantage of playing in the snow weights up the risk of freezing off extremities (which not mean that rhinos in northern zoos should always stay inhouse during winter).
Still, when we JUST look at the kind of creating innovative exhibits, I am absolutely agree that Miami is not in the top 10 But imo this alone is no evidence for a bad (or good) way in keeping animals.
@Gerenuk: Good points.
About Black Rhinos and Snow: Well, in my hometown zoo in Zurich, Switzerland, I have also seen Black Rhinos "playing" in the snow. But only for a short time a day. After about an hour or so, they prefer to go inside. According to a keeper, they can quickly freeze ears or tails off. So I have my doubts if the advantage of playing in the snow weights up the risk of freezing off extremities (which not mean that rhinos in northern zoos should always stay inhouse during winter).
Still, when we JUST look at the kind of creating innovative exhibits, I am absolutely agree that Miami is not in the top 10
But imo this alone is no evidence for a bad (or good) way in keeping animals.@Gerenuk: Good points.
@zoomaniac: You bring up some very good points. I too am going to study in South Africa this summer, well their winter so I will let you know about that. Also, hopefully going to Kenya and Tanzania in Spring 2013 to study abroad so also we will see.
I know from at the Cleveland Zoo, our two youngest rhinos will go out and play in the snow, run around and what not for about 20 minutes, come inside to warm up for about 10 then go back out they would do this is in the mornings and late afternoons, napping from 11-2pm in the barn like they would anyway in the summer time, so no they are never really outside for more than 20 minutes since the door is left open for them to choose.
I personally prefer visiting zoos in the spring and fall when the weather is more tolerable and the animals are most active. Summer, zoos are too crowded, and the animals are usually sleeping due to the hot conditions. Winter can be a great time to visit the zoo if you love snow leopards or polar bears as they are likely out and active. Its also pretty cool to see elephants and rhinos outside, more active than usual playing in the snow.
Anyways, this has gotten way off topic, but imo if Miami is a top 10 zoo then America is seriously lacking in great zoos. I've yet to visit Jacksonville, but I am hopefully going this Saturday, but other than that I know all the florida zoos extremely well and my order of the ones I have been to is 1) DAK 2) Busch Gardens 3) Miami Metrozoo 4) Lowry Park Zoo
Anyways just my opinion, and I respect snowleopards point of view and why he loves the Miami Metrozoo.
I know from at the Cleveland Zoo, our two youngest rhinos will go out and play in the snow, run around and what not for about 20 minutes, come inside to warm up for about 10 then go back out they would do this is in the mornings and late afternoons, napping from 11-2pm in the barn like they would anyway in the summer time, so no they are never really outside for more than 20 minutes since the door is left open for them to choose.
I personally prefer visiting zoos in the spring and fall when the weather is more tolerable and the animals are most active. Summer, zoos are too crowded, and the animals are usually sleeping due to the hot conditions. Winter can be a great time to visit the zoo if you love snow leopards or polar bears as they are likely out and active. Its also pretty cool to see elephants and rhinos outside, more active than usual playing in the snow.
Anyways, this has gotten way off topic, but imo if Miami is a top 10 zoo then America is seriously lacking in great zoos. I've yet to visit Jacksonville, but I am hopefully going this Saturday, but other than that I know all the florida zoos extremely well and my order of the ones I have been to is 1) DAK 2) Busch Gardens 3) Miami Metrozoo 4) Lowry Park Zoo
Anyways just my opinion, and I respect snowleopards point of view and why he loves the Miami Metrozoo.