Forge
Well-Known Member
55. African Grasslands
Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, NE
Opened: 2016
Size: 28 Acres (11 Hectares)
Inhabitants: African Elephant, Reticulated Giraffe, Southern White Rhino, Plains Zebra, various antelope, African Lion, Cheetah, Rock Hyrax, Ostrich, Blue Crane, and several other birds and reptiles.
When director Dennis Pate took the reins at Omaha, he took on the monumental task of redeveloping the entirety of the zoo's outdoor exhibits. The first step in this plan was rebuilding the entire south side of the property, which resulted in the creation of one the most holistic African savanna exhibits in America. The first half of the complex is composed of various multi-acre savanna enclosures for huge breeding herds of elephants, giraffes and other ungulates. The pathway descends down through a valley that glimpses at the main savanna from every angle, even providing an opportunity to look up at the animals. The elephant and giraffe barns are industrial in appearance, but are obscured by carefully placed vegetation and are both among the largest and absolute best of their kind in America. Also included here is a kopje area with meerkats, klipspringers, an aviary for various birds and hyrax, and an outdoor white-throated monitor enclosure. The second half of the complex takes you across the zoo's central lagoon and back uphill to a plaza meant to resemble a ranger station. Carnivores are the key focus here with a spacious cheetah yard and a brilliant lion exhibit with an enormous kopje mountain, giving this the unique distinction of tallest lion habitat in the US. This section also features large, scenic paddocks for more uncommon hoofstock like eastern bongo and sable. With a budget of over $70 million one would think the zoo could have done whatever they wanted, but even so plans for a wetlands area with hippos, guenons and crocodiles were scrapped. Even without those additions, this exhibit breaks several records and is a triumph in every aspect.
@pachyderm pro
@pachyderm pro
@pachyderm pro
@pachyderm pro
@pachyderm pro
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@Moebelle
@Moebelle
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1. Primary Savanna Exhibit
2. Primary Savanna Exhibit
3. African Elephant Exhibit #1
4. African Elephant Exhibit #2
5. Eastern Bongo and Blue Crane Exhibit
6. Lion Exhibit
7. Cheetah Exhibit
8. Kopje Aviary
9. Elephant House
10. Giraffe House
Similar Exhibits: There are many savannas that could be described here, but I'd specifically like to highlight Fresno Chaffee Zoo's African Adventure which is done at a similarly large scale and covers most major African megafauna. At the center of the complex are multiple large savannas that appear as one cohesive environment through hidden moats and barriers that are really well done. There are also numerous other enclosures for lions, cheetahs, warthogs and meerkats that are fantastic and blend in with the landscape perfectly. Additionally, the monumental lodge structure provides a wonderful overlook of the central savannas and is regarded as one of the better zoo restaurants in the US.
@snowleopard
@Coelacanth18
@snowleopard
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this might be my favorite zoo exhibit ever. Glad to see it here.
They initially weren't out at opening, it was keepers cleaning, hiding enrichment, etc. but I easily spotted them without having to walk up on my way out.
- but while many other zoos have followed Fort Worth in creating elaborate reptile houses, this exhibit has yet to be topped. The Museum of Living Art or 'MOLA' kickstarted the trend of modern herpetariums in America and is truly a monumental achievement in every aspect. As the name implies, the idea is to exhibit ecosystems as well the species that live in them as living pieces of art. The interior is a sleek, lengthy hallway filled to the brim with over 100 vivaria of all shapes and sizes and the amount of species on show is astronomical. A good number of the terrariums are smaller displays which are stacked above or beneath one another to maximize the amount of species on-show, although they are all very well done. The floor-to-ceiling paludariums are filled with dozens of the species are among some of the most impressive displays in the building. Just outside of the house, Aldabra tortoises can be found in a beautiful grassy pasture while Indian gharial and saltwater crocodiles are treated to spacious outdoor beaches that can also be viewed from an adjacent cafe. The indoor and outdoor Komodo dragon complex is also an easy highlight. The only real flaw of the house is the addition of ring-tailed lemurs and sacred ibises which were haphazardly thrown in for no apparent reason in rather poor enclosures, which detracts from both the quality and consistency of the complex. Those species aside, this is one of the single greatest showcases of cold blooded critters anywhere in the zoo world and undoubtedly the magnum opus of reptile houses in North America.
