AZA 2008 Exhibit Award submittals

And, as long as we're on the topic:


Exhibit Award Recipients

2007

* Philadelphia Zoo
Big Cat Falls
* Houston Zoo
Natural Encounters

2006

* Denver Zoo
Entrance and Predator Ridge
* Lincoln Park Zoo
Regenstein Center for African Apes
* San Antonio Zoo
Kronkosky's Tiny Tot Nature Spot

2005

* Jacksonville Zoo
Range of the Jaguar
* Monterey Bay Aquarium
Sharks: Myth and Mystery
* Lincoln Park Zoo
Regenstein African Journey
* Oregon Zoo
Eagle Canyon
* Woodland Park Zoo
Jaguar Cove

2004

* Bronx Zoo / Wildlife Conservation Society
Tiger Mountain
* John G. Shedd Aquarium
Wild Reef
* Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
African Rift Valley

2003

* Louisville Zoo
Gorilla Forest
* Detroit Zoo
Arctic Ring of Life
* Monterey Bay Aquarium
Jellies: Living Art

2002

* Brookfield Zoo
Hamill Family Play Zoo
* Detroit Zoological Institute
Amphibiville

2001

* Minnesota Zoo
Wells Fargo Family Farm
* John G. Shedd Aquarium
Amazon Rising: Seasons of the River

2000

* Monterey Bay Aquarium
Mysteries of the Deep
* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Congo Gorilla Forest

1999

* Toledo Zoo
Historic Aviary Renovation
* John G. Shedd Aquarium
Seahorse Symphony

1998

* New England Aquarium
Aquarium Medical Center
* Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
Javelina Exhibit
* Louisville Zoological Gardens
Islands Exhibit

1997

* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Butterfly Zone
* Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Outer Bay

1996

* National Zoological Park
Think Tank
* Sea World of Florida
Wild Arctic

1995

* Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
Northern Trail

1994

* Cincinnati Zoo
Jungle Trails, The Asian and African Rainforest Exhibit
* Sea World of Florida
Manatees: The Last Generation

1993

* Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
Tropical Rain Forest

1992

* John G. Shedd Aquarium
Oceanarium

1991

* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Baboon Reserve & African Market

1990

* Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
Elephant Forest

1989

* San Diego Zoo
Tiger River

1988

* National Zoological Park
Invertebrate Exhibit

1987

* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Himalayan Highlands
* San Diego Zoo
East African Rock Kopje

1986

* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
JungleWorld

1985

* Audubon Park & Zoological Garden
Louisiana Swamp Exhibit

1984

* Sea World of California
The Penguin Encounter

1983

* Oregon Zoo
Cascades; Stream & Pond Building

1982

* Bronx Zoo/Wildlife Conservation Society
Children's Zoo
* Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Polar Bear Complex

1981

* Woodland Park Zoological Gardens
The African Savanna

1980

* Hanna Barbera Marineland
Baja Reef

1979

* Cincinnati Zoo
World of the Insect

1978

* The Seattle Aquarium
Puget Sound Exhibit

1977

* St. Louis Zoological Park
Aquatic House Renovation

1976

* St. Louis Zoological Park
Big Cat Country

1975

* Chicago Zoological Park
Saharan Predator Exhibit

1974

* Topeka Zoological Park
Tropical Rain Forest
 
Do they change judges every year or how does that happen?

There is something weird in the list of judges, the fact that there is 3 aquariums which could have helped the National Aquarium in Baltimore win the award. Also, in the list for exhibit awards, 14 aquariums have won the award. Maybe the aquariums get together to try to beat out the zoos.:D

BTW, great lists Zooplantman!
 
The lists can be found at Association of Zoos and Aquariums

Most of the Committees do have some sort of rotation, so members serve for a couple of years and are replaced.

All I can say is that I'm not on the Committee, wouldn't be permitted, and I would be open to discussing accepting a bribe
 
Zooplantman said:
Well, I feel better about the accusation if you have info behind it. Many of us have access to info we cannot ethically post here.
Still, that was some time ago and a different group voting, so perhaps you can grant that the present decision - which neither of us agree with - was made by people of honor...unless you know differently. Accusing or even implicating these zoo directors of such a scandal is unfair without proof.
Click to expand...

I simply CANNOT reveal how I know this, but back in 1993, there was an Omaha-hater on the Awards Committee who single-handedly sunk the Lied Jungle from winning. He was the "French judge" that year.

That being said, you're absolutely correct -- that 15-years-ago discretion does NOT taint the honor of the current Committee. I'm sure they're all honorable people.

And yes, I totally agree that it should be required to go see the exhibits (or at least a thorough video of them) before judging them.

But this award is going to remain a joke until zoos like Omaha (and others) feel assured that the voting will be fair, and that there is no chance for another French judge incident. Until then, such zoos will not waste their time submitting for these awards. Honestly, I was at the Columbus Zoo yesterday and I can name 4 exhibits there (Asia Quest, African Rain Forest, Australia & the Islands, Manatee Coast) that are more deserving of this award than 2/3 of the exhibits that were listed as winners on this thread. Why hasn't Columbus won any awards? Omaha, Columbus, and now Oklahoma City are just 3 examples of why I consider this award a joke.
 
I know one exhibit that I was shocked to not hear as even a submittal,Asai Trail.This exhibit is so fabulous and I really do think it stands a chance
 
Zoogoer2000 said:
I know one exhibit that I was shocked to not hear as even a submittal,Asai Trail.This exhibit is so fabulous and I really do think it stands a chance
Click to expand...

Which zoo? The National Zoo, Washington, D.C. submitted Asia Trail last year and lost to Philadelphia (proving the insanity of this process)
 
It lost to Big Cat Falls (whats the point of that name even?)!From pictures and the map,the cats have extremely small habitats
 
Also i read in a book that Gorilla Rainforest at Toronto Zoo won this awrd a few years ago.I don't knwo how its possible though becuase its Canada
 
The list of winners takes a long time to dissect, and I have often perused it at length. It's interesting to see how many times both Woodland Park and the Bronx zoos have won, but then again the dearth of wins for both San Diego and Columbus certainly raises questions. I raved about the National Zoo's Asia Trail exhibits and the Oklahoma City Zoo's Oklahoma Trails and while some people rank those habitats extremely high it's peculiar that they have never garnered awards. Even though it appears that there has been many contentious decisions over the years, I do have to say that I have personally visited the majority of the winners and find that looking at the list there are numerous outstanding exhibits that are worthy of attention. It's just that many of those exhibits were perhaps not the very best of their particular year...

Is it true that Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo never bothered to submit either the Desert Dome or Kingdoms of the Night exhibits? Those two are both stunning.
 
Zoogoer2000 said:
Also i read in a book that Gorilla Rainforest at Toronto Zoo won this awrd a few years ago.I don't knwo how its possible though becuase its Canada
Click to expand...

I believe Toronto's Gorilla Rainforest won a CAZA award. And some Canadian zoos are members of the AZA and well qualified to compete. Granby submitted their Hippo exhibit for last year's award.
 
1990 Exhibit Award Entries

Los Angels Zoo.........Adventure Island
Louisville Zoo...........HerpAquarium
Oregon Zoo..............Africa
New York Aquarium...Discovery Cove
Bronx Zoo...............Zoo Center (the Elephant House)
Henry Doorly Zoo......Bear Canyon
Pt Defiance Zoo........Discovery Reef
Reid Park Zoo...........Polar Bear Exhibit Renovation
Riverbanks Zoo.........Aquarium Reptile Complex
San Diego Zoo..........Sun Bear Forest
Woodland Park Zoo....Elephant Forest Winner!
Zoo Atlanta.............Masai Mara
 
1991 AZA Exhibit Award Entries

Audubon Zoo - Tropical Bird House

Brookfield Zoo - The Fragile Kingdom

Dallas Zoo - Wilds of Africa

Indianapolis Zoo - Living Deserts of the World

Miami Metrozoo - Asian River Life

Bronx Zoo - Baboon Reserve and African Market Winner!

Henry Doorly Zoo - Dairy World

St Augustine Alligator Farm - GOMEK

Vancouver Aquarium - Arctic Canada

Zoo Atlanta - Monkeys of Makokou
 
Losers

Interesting to see the losers of the award. As it has been suggested, members of the committee rarely see the exhibit in person and base their decision on the zoo's presentation. I have been to a number of exhibits that impressed me by seeing video and pictures, but upon viewing in person, I had a different opinion. Taking this into account while adding that every zoo doesn't apply, it certainly cheapens the award. It is also fascinating to see how these exhibits have aged. Some still look good after 20 years, while other are really showing signs of aging.
 
It's also interesting to see how the overall quality of entries has deteriorated. I look at the lists okapikpr posted and there are some great exhibits competing with each other. In the past few years, frankly, none of the exhibits were great. Some were obviously better than others (they didn't win :rolleyes: ) but none compare to these lists from the early 90's
 
okapikpr said:
Why does the National Aquarium's Australia exhibit not deserve the award?
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Sorry for any confusion: I have no opinion on that exhibit. Never saw it (altho I did have some involvement with it). My own "the wrong guy won" attitude is more about last year and some earlier years.

Perhaps others have seen them all and judge NAIB poorly
 
okapikpr said:
Why does the National Aquarium's Australia exhibit not deserve the award?
Click to expand...

I actually saw the exhibit from the outside, as I didn't have time to actually visit it, and it looked alright but it wasn't as good as Oklahoma Trails. Oklahoma trails is more naturalistic, and the theme is fantastic.
 
Thanks for the links okapikpr! I spent a considerable amount of time reading through the Minnesota Zoo's entry, and there was a complete transformation of a 30 year-old set of habitats. The numerous photos in the document prove what an amazing job the zoo did, and even though the National Aquarium in Baltimore won the top prize at least the Minnesota Zoo was recognized for the redevelopment. There is also a fantastic opportunity for the zoo to also be rewarded in the future with its Russia's Grizzly Coast exhibits.
 
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