Best Asian Exhibit in the U.S.

Best Asian Exhibit in the U.S.

  • Total voters
    41
Actually she was never in the current white rhino exhibit. That used to hold the zoos Asian elephants, she was held in the current babirusa exhibit. Which was actually not to large in size.
 
Does anyone know how to edit a poll? I don't know why I put a time limit on it. If there is no way, then write a response with your answer!
 
WhiteTiger said:
I know the poll is a short list of recent Asian exhibits but I've been to over 120 zoos/aquariums around the world including pretty much every major one in the US, and I can think of at least a dozen or so more additional good Asian exhibits in the country.
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Could you list off a few zoos? I only went off prior knowledge. There was some zoos I didn't put down because although they had a good Asian collection, there was a specific area for all of them.
 
Also for consideration in this list should be Zoo Miami. It features many of the larger mammal species as well as some of the smaller mammal species. It also has a good collection of Asian birds. On the downside, its reptile and amphibian representatives from Asia are limited. Most of the Asian exhibits are grouped near each other, although there are some non-Asian exhibits that interrupt the geographic flow of the area. Most of the exhibits are not tied together beyond being labeled 'Asian Exhibits', but two smaller complexes within it are further branded: the excellent 'Wings of Asia' aviary, and 'Asian River Life' for some of the smaller exhibits grouped together. Most of the exhibits are above-average and roomy, although few are truly outstanding in their naturalism and detailing; the collection itself is the reason to include it in this poll. The zoo's website has a map that appears to need updating, so I will list the exhibits for species I saw when I visited in 2009:

Bengal Tiger
Clouded Leopard
Malayan Sun Bear
Sloth Bear (rotated with Asiatic Black Bear)
Asiatic Black Bear (rotated with Sloth Bear)
Asian Small-clawed Otter
Asian Elephant (2 exhibits)
Malayan Tapir
Indian Rhinoceros (2 exhibits)
Bactrian Camel
Dromedary Camel
Onager
Indian Gaur
Banteng
Anoa
Arabian Oryx
Nilgai (2 exhibits)(the front exhibit may now be Goitered Gazelle if the website map is correct)
Muntjac
Visayan Warty Pig (this exhibit may now be a non-Asian species if the website map is correct)
Orangutan
Siamang
White-handed Gibbon
Wings of Asia (about 70 species of birds in a huge walk-through aviary but I did not note the species)
Komodo Dragon
Malayan Water Monitor
Ratsnakes (2 species in 1 exhibit, I did not note)(this exhibit may now be Blood Python if the website map is correct)
 
@ geomorph, thank you for that information. I planned to check out that zoo's website, but I must have forgot. If I had more spots, I would definitely add it or maybe replace Memphis Zoo, since that zoo just has a China section.
 
uszoo said:
Actually she was never in the current white rhino exhibit. That used to hold the zoos Asian elephants, she was held in the current babirusa exhibit. Which was actually not to large in size.
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Are you sure? I know the current White Rhino exhibit held elephants but I thought it hadn't for years before Rapunzel came to the zoo. I can't imagine a rhino fitting in the babirusa exhibit, it's too small. Besides, I've never seen the Indian Rhino in that outside yard which was perfectly designed for an Asian rhinoceros with a mud wallow and areas of shade and thick vegetation.

Pleistohorse said:
The Bronx Zoo
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I think you can still vote on the poll so just cast your vote there.

~Thylo:cool:
 
blospz said:
Could you list off a few zoos? I only went off prior knowledge. There was some zoos I didn't put down because although they had a good Asian collection, there was a specific area for all of them.
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Oh I did; Disney Animal Kingdom, Fort Worth, Miami, Pittsburgh, Erie, Atlanta, Kansas City, Louisville, Baton Rouge, and Audubon Zoo. Also thought of Point Defiance. Not all of them are big or great but they're Asian themed. I don't have total species lists for all of them, so some I'll just take from their websites and/or do my best recollection.

Disney Animal Kingdom: Maharajah Jungle Trek (another one of my favorites)
Tigers (Bengal? I can't remember)
Komodo Dragon
Gibbons
Elds Deer
Blackbuck
Lion-tailed macaque
Rodrigues Fruit Bat
Blood Python
Malayan Tapir
Over 50 species of birds

Forth Worth Zoo: Asian Falls
White Bengal Tiger
Malayan Tiger
Asian elephant
Indian rhino
Sloth bears

Zoo Miami: Asia Exhibits with impressive species list already posted.

Pittsburgh Zoo: Asian Forest
Amur leopard
Amur tiger
Reeve's/Chinese muntjac
Komodo dragon
Snow leopard

Erie Zoo: Wild Asia
Orangutan
Siamang
White-cheeked gibbon
Reeve's muntjac
Red panda (when I visited they just had some adorable cubs born out exploring their exhibit for the first time)
Green tree python, prehensile-tailed skink, and Asian water dragon

Zoo Atlanta: Asian Forest
Orangutan
Malayan Sun bear
Sumatran tiger
Clouded leopard
Red panda
Giant panda
Reeve's muntjac
Komodo dragon
Asian small-clawed otter
While not exactly in Asian Forest, the zoo also has raccoon dogs nearby

Kansas City Zoo: Tiger Trail
Sumatran tiger
Orangutan
Red panda
Binturong
Fallow deer
Francois langur
A variety of birds

Louisville Zoo: Islands
Malayan tapir
Babirusa
Sumatran tiger
Orangutan
Siamang

BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo: Realm of the Tiger
Malayan tiger
Sumatran tiger
Siamang
Various birds

Audubon Zoo: Asian Domain
White Bengal tiger
Asian elephant
Amur leopard
Rhinoceros hornbill
Indian crested porcupine
Sun bear
Babirusa
Asian small-clawed otter
Asian species of tortoise, goose, and stork
African lion (it was formerly Asian lions in the old days, now the exhibit talks about Asians and makes a note it displays Africans)

Point Defiance Zoo: Asian Forest Sanctuary
Asian elephants
Asian small clawed otters (they had some adorable newborn pups when I visited)
Clouded leopards
Indian crested porcupines
Lowland anoa
Malayan tapir
Malayan tiger (this is faded out now on the zoo's website)
Siamangs
Sumatran tigers
White-cheeked gibbons
 
@WhiteTiger- 1) You do realize that all Bengal Tigers in the US are generic right? 2) Disney has all generic Tigers (although I suppose you could call them Bengals if you wanted as they're just as pure).

~Thylo:cool:
 
ThylacineAlive said:
@WhiteTiger- 1) You do realize that all Bengal Tigers in the US are generic right? 2) Disney has all generic Tigers (although I suppose you could call them Bengals if you wanted as they're just as pure).

~Thylo:cool:
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I couldn't remember at Disney. As for Bengals as a whole in the US that's not entirely true, I know of a few private facilities that have pure Bengals (not too many, but a few). Of course they're private, and with AZA facilities no longer interested in Bengals they don't work with each other anymore on them.

Also, I remember seeing Rapunzel in the now babirusa yard. It was quite small for her but I think part of the reason for keeping her there might have been because it was well shaded, which is important because of Sumatran rhinos sensitivity to sunlight (I say as she's sunning herself in that pic, haha).

@blospz- No problem, my pleasure.
 
Since both National and Bronx seem to be the most popular, I thought I'd list what species are found in both their Asian-themed sections:

Smithsonian National Zoo's Asia Trail
Giant Panda
Sri Lankan Elephant
Indian Elephant
Japanese Giant Salamander
Fishing Cat
Clouded Leopard
Indian Sloth Bear
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
Red Panda

Bronx Zoo's Asian Monorail, JungleWorld, Camel Rides
Bactrian Camel
Dromedary Camel
Indian Elephant
Indian Gaur
Indian Rhinoceros
Amur Tiger/Malayan Tiger
Przewalski's Wild Horse
North Sulawesi Babirusa
Himalayan Tahr
Western Red Panda
Formosan Sika Deer
Hog Deer
Nilgai
Axis Deer
Malayan Tapir
Matschie's Tree Kangaroo
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
Leopard
Javan Langur
Silvered Leaf Monkey
Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon
Malayan Blood Python (I believe it has been moved to World of Reptiles, though)
Rodrigues Flying Fox
Indian Flying Fox
Greater Mouse-Deer
Bali Mynah
Green Peafowl
Painted Stork
Prevost's Squirrel
Red Slender Loris
Green Spotted Puffer
Northern Bald Ibis
There may be more species in Jungle World (I know there's invertebrates) but I can't remember them

National also has Sumatran Tiger, Bornean Orangutans, Komodo Dragons, and various smaller Asian species (mostly birds and reptiles) in other parts of the zoo. Bronx also has Pere David's Deer and various smaller species (again, mostly birds and reptiles) in other parts of the zoo.

~Thylo:cool:
 
WhiteTiger said:
I couldn't remember at Disney. As for Bengals as a whole in the US that's not entirely true, I know of a few private facilities that have pure Bengals (not too many, but a few). Of course they're private, and with AZA facilities no longer interested in Bengals they don't work with each other anymore on them.

Also, I remember seeing Rapunzel in the now babirusa yard. It was quite small for her but I think part of the reason for keeping her there might have been because it was well shaded, which is important because of Sumatran rhinos sensitivity to sunlight (I say as she's sunning herself in that pic, haha).

@blospz- No problem, my pleasure.
Click to expand...

What places have pure Bengals (either way, the zoos you listed as having Bengals don't really have Bengals)?

I'm still possitive on Rapunzel being in that larger yard as that picture I posted shows people behind the exhibit and they could not be in that place if she were the current babirusa exhibit. Also, the exhibit pictured looks very similar to the one I remember seeing before it was remodeled for the White Rhinos. It was perfect for an Asian rhino and had a good amount of shade. Although, being that I never actually saw the animal and you have, I suppose your word is more valid than mine although I find it strange that the zoo would destroy the grassy exhibit it would have been and replaced it with the large, muddy dirt pile it is today.

~Thylo:cool:
 
If I remember she was in the northwest yard of the old elephant house. Viewing her, my back was too the Children's Zoo.
 
Pleistohorse said:
If I remember she was in the northwest yard of the old elephant house. Viewing her, my back was too the Children's Zoo.
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Well looks like I was wrong. But that must of been tiny! Also, why'd they get ride of the vegetation and where was the pool!
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Well looks like I was wrong. But that must of been tiny! Also, why'd they get ride of the vegetation and where was the pool!
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When I saw her in summer 2005 she was in a good-sized yard with vegetation and a pool - it wasn't tiny. I'm not familiar enough with the building to tell you what yard it was, and quite possibly the yards have been renovated since she was there.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Since both National and Bronx seem to be the most popular, I thought I'd list what species are found in both their Asian-themed sections:

Smithsonian National Zoo's Asia Trail
Giant Panda
Sri Lankan Elephant
Indian Elephant
Japanese Giant Salamander
Fishing Cat
Clouded Leopard
Indian Sloth Bear
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
Red Panda

Bronx Zoo's Asian Monorail, JungleWorld, Camel Rides
Bactrian Camel
Dromedary Camel
Indian Elephant
Indian Gaur
Indian Rhinoceros
Amur Tiger/Malayan Tiger
Przewalski's Wild Horse
North Sulawesi Babirusa
Himalayan Tahr
Western Red Panda
Formosan Sika Deer
Hog Deer
Nilgai
Axis Deer
Malayan Tapir
Matschie's Tree Kangaroo
Asian Small-Clawed Otter
Leopard
Javan Langur
Silvered Leaf Monkey
Northern White-Cheeked Gibbon
Malayan Blood Python (I believe it has been moved to World of Reptiles, though)
Rodrigues Flying Fox
Indian Flying Fox
Greater Mouse-Deer
Bali Mynah
Green Peafowl
Painted Stork
Prevost's Squirrel
Red Slender Loris
Green Spotted Puffer
Northern Bald Ibis
There may be more species in Jungle World (I know there's invertebrates) but I can't remember them

National also has Sumatran Tiger, Bornean Orangutans, Komodo Dragons, and various smaller Asian species (mostly birds and reptiles) in other parts of the zoo. Bronx also has Pere David's Deer and various smaller species (again, mostly birds and reptiles) in other parts of the zoo.

~Thylo:cool:
Click to expand...

Looks like I forgot to mention the species living in the large pond with underwater viewing- Giant Gourami, Tinfoil Barb, Iridenscent Shark, Fly River Turtle, and (I think this is the species) Red-Bellied Short-Necked Turtle.

DavidBrown said:
When I saw her in summer 2005 she was in a good-sized yard with vegetation and a pool - it wasn't tiny. I'm not familiar enough with the building to tell you what yard it was, and quite possibly the yards have been renovated since she was there.
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Was there an indoor area? Also, most importantly, was there another small yard for tapirs directly across from the viewing area? If no for the later, it was the yard I'm talking about. I don't think it was ever renovated between Rapunzel's death and when the White Rhinos arrived and it was certainly well vegetated and had a nice pool.

~Thylo:cool:
 
The exhibit had indoor viewing in zoo center behind the current amphibian display. It was simalarly sized to the current rhino indoor. After the rhino died the indoor display remained open to the public for about a year with babirusa and tapir rotating.
 
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