Bridges Over Animal Exhibits

[MonkeyBat]

A random thread idea just popped into my mind. Does anyone know of any really interesting exhibits where a bridge goes over them? I'm just curious as I find that an interesting design concept.

 

[Echobeast]

Cheyenne Mountain's hippo exhibit has a rope bridge going over one of the grazing yards.

 

[Zooplantman]

Antwerp Zoo's lion exhibit
El Paso Zoo's Chihuahuan Desert exhibit

Then there are exhibits with boardwalks that extend well into (and over) the exhibit such as Jacksonville's savanna and Minnesota Zoo's tiger exhibit

 

[Tim May]

Thrigby Hall has a bridge over its tiger exhibit.

 

[Nix]

Pretoria Zoo's Heart of Africa section is just a walkway over all of the exhibit in the section. The Exhibits contain Sichuan Takin, Okapi, Addax, Sable, Steenbok, Nyala and Bongo. Some of these exhibits can also be viewed from the side.

 

[Arizona Docent]

If you use a loose interpretation of bridges to include dead-end boardwalks that end in a viewing platform, then there are several. A few I have seen in person include:

Minnesota Zoo - Siberian tiger
Greensboro Science Center - maned wolf and giant anteater
Fort Worth Zoo - cheetah
Phoenix Zoo - American alligator
Jacksonville Zoo - American alligator
Edinburgh Zoo - mixed species savannah
Fresno Chaffee Zoo - giraffe (one side), mixed species savannah (other side)

 

[Arizona Docent]

I should add that I am NOT a fan of these, as the angle of view looking down is horrendous.

 

[Aardwolf]

I should add that I am NOT a fan of these, as the angle of view looking down is horrendous.

I agree. They also pose a major problem for visitor food items and other debris to drop down to where the animals can get them.

 

[Arizona Docent]

There have also been studies that show zoo animals have less behavioral issues if they can have an elevated view of their surroundings.

And there is the issue of people stomping on the boardwalk, which prompted Greensboro Science Center to place this sign on their maned wolf and giant anteater walkway:

maned wolf sign - ZooChat

 

[Nix]

I should add that I am NOT a fan of these, as the angle of view looking down is horrendous.

The exhibits at Pretoria are built on a slight hill so it is possible to get a eye to eye view with the species, It's just a matter of were the animal is standing (Often directly under the bridge )

 

[Dhole dude]

Minnesota Zoo also has a bridge over the Bactrian Camal/Przewalski’s Horse exhibits, and is planning to transform the old monorail tracks into one long overhead walkway.

 

[FBBird]

I heard about a zoo in the Middle East, with a bridge over the elephant enclosure. This had to be closed because the bull elephant tried to grab people off the bridge and nearly succeeded.

 

[Zooplantman]

And there is the issue of people stomping on the boardwalk, which prompted Greensboro Science Center to place this sign on their maned wolf and giant anteater walkway:

And the issue of visitors dropping or even throwing things into the exhibit

 

[E Maximus]

The Smithsonian National Zoo has a bridge that crosses over on of their elephant yards to their bird house. Although a lot of people don't like it, I feel it gives a really good view of the exhibit and its inhabitants. Especially when you can watch them walk out of their Elephant Community Center and all the way down to the yard it crosses over.

 

[Haliaeetus]

In Beauval Zoo (France) a few bridges exist over enclosures allow to see some animals from above : Kangaroos, Bush Pigs, Giant Tortoises, Dromedaries, Cheetahs...
They are quite recent, but don't count among the most scenic enclosures (they are rather accessories of other exhibits like the Australian Zone, the Hippo Reserve, the Tropical Dome...), except for the Cheetahs.
There are also bridges that separate 2 different enclosures from each side (Bongos / Bird Amphitheatre, Indian Rhinos / Malayan Tapirs...).

 

[birdsandbats]

Columbus has a bridge that goes over two exhibits: one for Red-crowned Cranes and Tufted Deer, and one for musk-deer and some turtle species. They have lots of problems with people throwing coins into the pool.

 

[iluvwhales]

The aquariums in Newport, KY and Camden, NJ each have a rope bridge over their respective shark exhibits.

 

[ZooElephantMan]

Some of these exhibits just sound like an accident waiting to happen. Imagine a guest falling off a rope bridge into a hippo habitat.

 

[Dhole dude]

Detroit Zoo has a rope bridge over their Red Panda habitat

 

[Westcoastperson]

I actually think Disneys Animal Kingdom handles bridges pretty well. They have an interesting bridge over their Nile crocs but it’s only accessible via special programs you have to pay for. So the bridge is regulated and they make sure you have nothing with you. It’s a pretty interesting experience for guests passing by and using the bridge.
An example of a poor bridge is the sky bridge from SeaWorld San Diego that gave an overview of all the orca pools from above. However the bridge is enclosed by wooden slats so when you look out the windows it looks like the orcas are in cages. This became a social media nightmare and the park decided to close it entirely instead of redo. The bridge is still standing and supposedly some tours take you in with zero photography permitted.