GibbonGuy95
Well-Known Member
The zoo's police K-9 Kirby has passed away
Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2024
- Thread starter MeiLover
- Start date
Tigers will get a new habitat in the Central Asian Steppes exhibit. Page 31 of the executive summary document includes additional maps that label the exhibits being built west of salt creek.
The zoo will be maintaining black rhinos. While concept art suggests otherwise, the rhinos and elephants will have enclosures separate from the main savanna habitats. They will likely not be mixed with hoofstock.
No, I'd assume the dynamic between them would be similar to that of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi.
Dolphins have a decent space. I don't know if they desperately need a new one. That's a stretch and a bit exaggerated.
Affirmative, for the moment this SAFE program as in European zoos is to support in situ work with both Andean flamingo species.
Thanks for sharing.
BlobfishBoy
Well-Known Member
The renovations are nice but we all know cetacean holders have been under a lot of scrutiny in recent years. This new habitat serves to give them even more space and enrichment. The more naturalistic setting serves as a better look to visitors than traditional tanks and I don't believe such a setting for dolphin exhibits is being done in the US (outside of straight up sea pens like at the Dolphin Research Center). Perhaps if done well, this future dolphin exhibit will serve as an example for current and possibly future dolphin holders.
I'm a little surprised - what makes Great Bear Wilderness seem so dated? I'm not to argue it's a flawless complex by any means, but none of the flaws on my mind are addressed by this plan, and I'm surprised by the thought it is the worst part of the zoo to anyone, especially when Tropic World is right there. The biggest flaw/argument for me is that it's pretty strictly based on megafauna, but this won't fix that at all.
I'm a little surprised by this sentiment in advance of construction or concept. It's definitely possible the final result may validate this or be underwhelming but the Amazon rainforest is a critical habitat and I imagine there are ways to approach it that without exceeding the Shedd may still be interesting. More aquatic/arboreal mixes for example. Species count definitely isn't everything.
This is a great question. Even though the Living Coast will eventually be replaced by Amazon Waters, there may be a gap of some years between that and Coasts of the Americas, so it'd be interesting to know what might happen in the interim. Maybe a different penguin or bird species could take up temporary residence?
A completely reasonable argument. I keep falling back erroneously on viewing this as a refresh/extension of Habitat Africa that happens to overlap with the Pachyderm House when maybe I should be viewing it the other way around. I do tend to forget that Pachyderm House's current state of infrastructure is a factor in the renovation plan and not simply that it is an existing building that happens to be in the middle of the designated region slated for development.
If Gateway to Africa were ready in five years, I would find that a dream and feel much more confident towards the rest of the plan. I fear delays or funding issues a lot during this sensitive stage. Tropical Forests is on schedule, thankfully, but I worry what may happen in the interim.
This is similar to my earlier complaint, so I get it. I've been thinking it over and perhaps they won't simply be putting animals in the old grottos but possibly reworking them, similar to Saint Louis, in which case the process of altering the rock work and concrete will probably still take a hefty budget. I think this would have been worth communicating a little more in the plan but recognize it probably wasn't done because it's a 'far off' project.
I definitely want to see more space for Asia and I hope by the time phase 3 rolls around the zoo can put some more thought towards that. The placement of the Himalayas exhibit feels really unfortunate in the grand scheme of things since it would basically preclude any future Asian expansion unless the zoo were able to move even further to the west. I'd love to see the Clouded Leopard Rainforest species moved to new quarters especially.
Re: your last point, I think one of the smarter ideas of this expansion is having the North American exhibits framing a huge portion of the lake. Bison and grizzlies to the west, polar bears and caribou to the east, wolves a little bit south ties perfectly into the lake being a part of the North America region itself.
I want to say something in the document alluded to the floodway?
I'd like to see the Clouded Leopard Rainforest animals moved to new outdoor enclosures someday, even if they aren't in the former cat grottos. Maybe Desert's Edge can expand into the space once those animals are moved. It is a bit of a shame the historic cat grottos will have to go though. Maybe some of the rockwork can be kept?
The skepticism is understandable. I've tried to think about the space available.
The southern side of Pachyderm House currently has enough space for a large pygmy hippopotamus enclosure, empty rhinoceros enclosures, and the former elephant habitat. The building itself is 260 feet in length and someone estimated previously the overall Pachyderm House plot is 165,000 square feet. I wish I had better statistics for this.
So I'm looking at it that if there's 300 feet or so around (the outdoor exhibits extend past the entrance and exit to the 260ft building, probably further than that) the hippos could have around 150 feet of room if we assume they and the crocodiles are divided equally, which may very well end up favoring the hippos instead of the crocodiles. Cincinnati's exhibit has around 65ft of glass viewing and Milwaukee has 85ft of glass viewing... so if the underwater viewing window is similar to the size of those examples, then there would still be 65-85ft of land area left, which would still probably be ahead of Saint Louis or Milwaukee's smaller beaches, and the former has four hippos living in the exhibit, so Brookfield could possibly exceed that population.
I think it's possible they could pull off a great hippopotamus exhibit based on those numbers. It's possible they could give the hippos greater space than the crocodiles or end up using more water area than guests can view or use even longer windows, all of that's definitely possible and some of it could result in a worse exhibit, but they have the opportunity to do more than that.
I do agree that Tropic World has seemed understocked for some years, although the capuchins acquired recently may go a long way to help Tropic World South America. Interesting to know there will always be orangutans indoors - so Tropic World Asia will probably remain pretty much the same inside, as will Tropic World Africa besides the gorilla exhibit changing, although I do hope they bring back one of the lost species there eventually. The big question would then be Tropic World South America in this situation... the sloths and tamarins will definitely remain inside and the anteater probably for a while.
The capital investment point is a good one. I think they've had to replace pipes more than once, for example. It probably is costing a ton of money to maintain as it is on a daily basis and keep it a livable space. The off-show area point is also a good one - there's just a corridor between the stalls and outdoor enclosures.
Interesting point about the map skipping the Africa houses. Definitely emphasizes how much what's on that map is largely about routes, even if the map brings a lot of focus to diagrams of the new exhibits as well.I wouldn't read too much into that. The other African houses aren't included on that map either, probably because they are slightly out of the way compared to the main trail. It wouldn't make much sense to have a publicly viewable elephant barn if you didn't allow people in during the winter.While the building itself is smaller, the space allocated to elephants will be much greater and there will be two separate barns. I also imagine the final design for the area will include a larger barn in some capacity.
I'm hopeful for the hippo-crocodiles having indoor space and viewing. The elephant barn will definitely be fun and I hope they are creative with the interior. I'm definitely glad they'll be on display in the winter.
I'm hopeful the zoo is being more thoughtful than this, but the sun bears especially gave me pause.... that said, all three species are possible to acquire if the zoo wants to pursue it, I would say, and this is the facility that did jump some big hoops to import African white-bellied tree pangolin. It's less pie in the sky than douc langur, at least.
I was wondering if this may be indicating a desire to build the exhibits in such a way they appear more unified than they are, using hidden moats and such to make it appear they share paddocks they do not.
I've fully agreed. This has the potential to challenge cetacean exhibitry standards and place them in a much more natural environment than guests are typically used to. It's the most innovative idea Brookfield's included in their plans.
Craig Billington
Well-Known Member
@ pachyderm pro and JVM I want to thank both of you for your thoughtful and detailed responses.
My biggest hope is most of the current collection can at least stay.
I can see them finding ways to keep the Klipspringer and Painting Dogs somewhere in the new African expansion. Then that leaves some like the Bactrian camels having an unclear future. Then there’s other older animals that may never be back (warthogs, aardvarks, etc).
But seeing so many old species brought back along with new ones is always a treat. A naturalistic dolphin exhibit that simulates their habitat was something I never thought was possible until now.
I can see them finding ways to keep the Klipspringer and Painting Dogs somewhere in the new African expansion. Then that leaves some like the Bactrian camels having an unclear future. Then there’s other older animals that may never be back (warthogs, aardvarks, etc).
But seeing so many old species brought back along with new ones is always a treat. A naturalistic dolphin exhibit that simulates their habitat was something I never thought was possible until now.
I agree. There will be nothing like it. It will be the gold standard for cetacean exhibitry.
I cannot express my excitement I had upon seeing this posted a few days ago!
I must've read, skimmed, or even relooked at certain parts so many times - it's one of the first master plans I was looking extremely forward to in a while. While I've always enjoyed Brookfield, I did feel and agree that it seemed to lose a little more with each passing year. Thankfully, not only does this plan address that, but it ended up going above and beyond what I was anticipating!Phase 1 is still a work-in-progress and is primarily a refresh and giving new life to some empty and other areas that need a little TLC, which again, seems very welcome indeed. The fact that it's all going to be complete by mid-next year is unreal - good timing too as I actually already thought about going next year to check it all out
.Phase 2 is when things will start rock-and-rolling. I've only been in The Living Coast once in my four Brookfield visits so I don't remember it too well, and other than the underwater viewing, I found Pinniped Point (now "Sea Lion Cove") to be one of the less successful areas, so to hear that a whole new complex dedicated to these animals sounds amazing. With the South American coast theme this section is going for, I wouldn't be surprised if the recent Houston development was one of the sources for inspiration. It even serves as one of the Zoo's first impressions when entering the gate like that Texas zoo!
"Gateway to Africa" sounds phenomenal; just the return of elephants and Nile hippos alone was enough to make this the highlight of the Master Plan for me. I've always enjoyed Habitat Africa! The Forest, especially with how it puts okapi (my favorite) in the spotlight, and The Savannah counterpart I feel is decent, with some unfulfilled potential. However, most of the plans here awesome. Rotating savanna species sounds cool, taking exhibiting hoofstock to the next level if it works out in the long run; integrating the current Pachyderm House will give it a nice historical touch; a new habitat for lions and bringing in cheetahs and Nile crocodile are all great; and the elephants and rhinos rotating sounds reminiscent of Denver's Toyota Elephant Passage. On a side note, the elephant/rhino plan is actually what I've always wanted Milwaukee to build, but of course that didn't happen.
The bongo, Congo buffalo, and outdoor pangolin caught me by surprise and will give a solid boost to The Forest section, along with new and improved pygmy hippo habitats.There's only a few questions I have though: first, what's going to happen to the current Forest building? I see it still standing, but it'd be a shame to lose out on the smaller creatures and immersive details. Second, how will indoor viewing work? It looks like a couple barns can be entered (specifically one of the elephant/rhino barns, and seemingly the buffalo one), and it would make sense if the Nile hippo and croc were seen via the Pachyderm House based on the layout, but I'm curious about the pygmy hippos, elephant/rhino (if you can only see one or the other) and okapis. Speaking of them, lastly, what will become of the African wild dog and okapi? I saw both the wild dog viewing shelter and the non-labeled exhibits behind The Forest building on maps, but the lack of labeling does slightly worry me. The canines can be seen at Lincoln Park, but after Brookfield, it's a long way before the next okapi can be seen; that and the Zoo has had a great history with the species, so I'd hate to see them lose that. I get that the master plan was mostly showcasing the new stuff and not everything is set in stone, but these were all curiosities that arose.
The Australia House is my favorite part of the Zoo, and I'm glad that it is getting a major upgrade with both an expansion and overhaul. It's just too bad we don't know a whole lot else beyond what's been written.
Finally, speaking of which, we don't know much about Phase 3 other than what the projects will be, but the fact that another North American complex, redeveloping the southwest area for South America, and even an upgrade to Great Bear Wilderness sounds awesome. The only parts we got more details on are the Asian area (that's a cool design by the way), redeveloping the Bear Grottos (didn't see sun bears coming!), and of course, the new dolphin environmental dome. The latter was the other big surprise and highlight of the Master Plan, and I'd be super curious to see how the execution plays out, and where it could take cetacean exhibitry and care in the future.
Overall, I'm super impressed by what's been presented to us. A lot of this Master Plan not only delivers and/or brings back what's been missing for a while, but it's bold in its creativity and taking a chance on some concepts that have been rarely or never done before. Yes, these are all just ideas, plans, and concepts, but the ambition is certainly admirable and hopefully even part of that comes to life. With the hot-topic animals, I'm fairly optimistic about the elephants and hippos coming back, especially seeing how the former's population is doing in recent times; in terms of the others like Congo buffalo and sun bear, a part of me does wonder if something is going on behind-the-scenes with reviving these programs. I had a similar hunch with the rescued polar bear breeding rule being lifted recently, and it turned out to be true. It'll be disappointing though understandable if plans for these animals fall through, but I got my fingers crossed! If Brookfield can pull even half of this off, especially the return of some former animal favorites, then I got a feeling we'll be looking at a zoo that might be competing with Omaha, Bronx, or the San Diegos, if not the very next level down.
Whew, that was a lot!
Joseph G
Well-Known Member
The outdoor exhibit space on the south side of the Pachyderm House as it's currently set up from the actual building to the edge of the walkway is around 71,000 square feet. On the new map, they show these exhibits taking up less of that space.
Comparing the new map to the current setup (not a perfect overlay by any means), Nile crocodile would get the former elephant exhibit, while the hippos would get the remaining two enclosures to the left. Knowing that, the 71,000 square feet is divided up with 40,000 square feet to hippos and 31,000 square feet to Nile crocodile. Now if I measure according to the new map and the new exhibit boundaries, it's around 21,5000 square feet for hippos and 14,500 square feet for Nile crocodile.
I was hopeful that the remaining strip of the West Mall might be included in this space, but it appears from the new map, along with with the Tropical Forest and hippo/Nile crocodile renderings that this is not the case.
My most generous estimate has Cincinnati's hippo exhibit is at 9,000 square feet of outdoor space. Not going to account for their indoor space because I can't account for Brookfield's indoor plans. I'd certainly hope there'd be something other than the current indoor stalls.
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This may seem unlikely, but I really hope they don't tear down the Olga statue in the new Sea Lion Cove. It still has some historic value, even if we won't get walruses again.
Craig Billington
Well-Known Member
The Prairie Aviary is now open!
Craig Billington
Well-Known Member
As a member of Brookfield Zoo Chicago, you're hearing the big news first: our North American Prairie Aviary is now open!
This new 3,000-square-foot habitat is home to sandhill cranes and greater prairie-chickens (a large bird in the grouse family). Located on the north side of Hamill Family Nature Plaza, the habitat’s natural landscape features a pool to entice the 4-foot-tall regal-looking cranes to demonstrate their beak-probing behavior, and the lush vegetation serves as a haven for foraging and nesting for the prairie chickens.
The aviary is free with Zoo membership or admission. We hope to see you there! Thank you for your continued support of Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
This new 3,000-square-foot habitat is home to sandhill cranes and greater prairie-chickens (a large bird in the grouse family). Located on the north side of Hamill Family Nature Plaza, the habitat’s natural landscape features a pool to entice the 4-foot-tall regal-looking cranes to demonstrate their beak-probing behavior, and the lush vegetation serves as a haven for foraging and nesting for the prairie chickens.
The aviary is free with Zoo membership or admission. We hope to see you there! Thank you for your continued support of Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
I'm very happy to see they added Greater Prairie-Chicken. This is a fascinating native species that is very rare both in the wild and in zoos, and a species in need of conservation attention.
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Brookfield Zoo Chicago Visit Report 07/20/2024
Wasn't planning on visiting the zoo this morning, but after suddenly getting some free time and hearing that another new exhibit opened up, I had no choice! Topping off what has already been an action packed week of announcements from the zoo — the master plan, an echidna birth, and the acquisition of a rare primate — the prairie aviary opened this week as well. I left some thoughts below, but first a handful of updates.
Updates and Notes
Another okapi now inhabits what was formerly a secondary yellow-backed duiker yard – the one adjacent to the red river hogs.
Several rosy-billed pochard ducklings hatched recently and are on-exhibit in The Swamp.
Only one toucan was on-exhibit today. Unsure what happened to the other individual.
There is at least one adult emu still at the zoo alongside the recently arrived juveniles. They are still being kept in separation pens adjacent to the kangaroos.
Tropical Forests Construction Progress: Not a whole lot notable other than the fact that the support poles have gone up in both the orangutan and monkey exhibits and several more fake trees are being put together in the surrounding area. Here is a photo showing progress of the monkey habitat, with the central pole being disguised as a large faux tree.
North American Prairie Aviary - Thoughts and Impressions
Something I realized recently is that the aviary is the zoo’s first completely new enclosure built from the ground up in close to a decade. At 3,000 square feet it is a nice size and very well designed. It’s thoughtfully landscaped to appear like an actual prairie environment with various tall grasses, evergreens and large shrubs dotted throughout the exhibit. There are some small hills around the back of the habitat and also a pond for the cranes positioned right by the visitor area surrounded by some large rocks. The interior of the space is highly attractive overall, but there is one real flaw with the design, albeit one that isn't entirely the zoo’s fault. In the background, Tropic World towers over the aviary which was unavoidable given constraints of the space. Crossviews are more of a problem however, with visitor paths running along both sides of the aviary. There are a row of evergreens lining the back of the exhibit so hopefully this will improve over time as the trees grow in. Also want to add that signage is of a high quality with multiple signs discussing prairie fauna and conservation, as well as attention grabbing identification signs.
I was looking forward to seeing an active space with a large number of birds, but alas that was not meant to be: I saw a total of one crane and one prairie-chicken. I spoke with a keeper who was setting out food for them and she clarified why there were so few birds. The zoo had two cranes, but one of them passed away some time recently and they are awaiting a new one to arrive. She also said they’ll be gradually introducing the prairie-chickens over the next few weeks. I see sandhills on a semi-daily basis in the neighborhood so while they aren't super exciting to me personally, cranes are immensely charismatic birds and getting up-close with such striking animals will be very special for many guests. Obviously zoo nerds will be far more interested in the flock of greater prairie-chickens. Even though I only saw a single female, she was still a very cool bird and was fun to watch hanging around the back of the aviary. Prairie-chickens were an excellent choice for a supporting species: they are an attractive, often overlooked native bird that is both scarce in Illinois and also a genuine rarity in captivity. According to zootierliste, Brookfield is only the second public holder of this subspecies worldwide and one of the few exhibitors of prairie-chickens anywhere. Very pleased to see the zoo bringing attention to this wonderful bird, I can envision them becoming surprise favorites for many guests. One other thing I want to add is that the keeper I spoke with mentioned that there are already discussions about adding more species in the future. I recall kestrels being talked about early on and they would really add some activity to the higher part of the aviary that is currently lacking; that and the holes in the mesh are too big to accommodate anything smaller.
Although the number of birds is lacking at the moment, there was a clear intention with this exhibit and I’d say it succeeded perfectly: filling a vacant plot of land in an often ignored part of the zoo with a simple, but well done enclosure with interesting inhabitants for both the general public and zoo nerds. Everything from the species selected to the design of the exhibit itself feels very inspired and fits in with the rest of the area perfectly. In hindsight, I’m glad they pushed the exhibit back a year and went back to the drawing board, as the original design left a lot to be desired by comparison. Between the prairie aviary and the native turtle exhibits, the Hamill Family Nature Plaza as a whole has been transformed into a genuinely interesting showcase of the zoo's local conservation efforts in conjunction with the "Conservation Campus" portion of the master plan. Considering the less-than enthusiastic response to the development initially when it was completed five years ago, it’s impressive how they managed to turn things around with just a few small additions. Signs have been added around the area pointing guests in the direction of the new habitats.
I’ve uploaded additional photos of both the exhibit and its inhabitants to the gallery.
Animal Highlights
Besides the squirrel monkeys, everything was out today in Tropic World South America — including both capuchin species. They were really fun to watch and crested capuchins are a genuine rarity outside of South America. Even Tropic World Asia was lively with the orangutans, gibbons and otters all extremely active. It shows that even without the number of species it held in the past, this building still has the opportunity to impress when the inhabitants are on the move.
Not sure what it was, but the cape porcupine was jonesing for something. He came right by the mesh with his nose up smelling the air. He then began sprinting around the enclosure with his quills out for several minutes, before disappearing into a burrow leading to the off-show area. Never saw him this active before and it was awesome.
The painted dogs were up and about as well, prancing along the edge of the moat and jumping up the large kopje rocks. Knowing that they may be leaving in a few years when Gateway to Africa gets underway makes me appreciate them more while they're still here. Speaking of…
Reflecting on the Past & Looking Towards the Future
Now that I’ve finally seen and had time to process this master plan that has been in the works for close to three years, I can actually appreciate the zoo in its current form even more. I won’t miss the barren row of mostly empty hoofstock yards or the outdated cat grottos, but areas like the pachyderm house in its current form are especially nostalgic. I’m a little bummed the interior will likely never reopen before renovations get underway, because it truly is an amazing old-school zoo building that fills me with memories from my childhood. I am grateful that it will be maintained at all and the plans for the building look brilliant, but it will absolutely be missed in the same vein as baboon island and the aardvark house. I’m not sure what the plan is for the existing African forest house, but I sincerely hope they do not alter the building significantly. It is probably my favorite exhibit in the zoo currently and is full of interesting species. Going through the famous entry tunnel for the last time will also be a bit melancholy as well. Even seeing stuff like the Living Coast going away, even though it is similarly past its prime, will be bittersweet. It’s truly the end of an era in many ways.
But with every ending comes a new beginning. This new era may see the zoo reach a new prime and as I've said before it's already being felt. The last year has been prosperous, adding multiple new exhibits, bringing in dozens of fascinating and rare mammal and bird species, and fixing dilapidated infrastructure across the grounds. I walked by the old bear grottos today and although I question if the sizes of the future exhibit spaces will be appropriate, I can’t wait for the day I walk down this path and see animals utilizing this area again. Even when going through Habitat Africa I was envisioning the future savanna habitats and what incredible that development could be. With all of the new exhibits slated for this year now complete, I set my sights on Tropical Forests which might be the greatest exhibit the zoo has ever built up this point. After seeing the levels of detail in something like a simple aviary, I am am confident that future developments will impress. We are so back.
Wasn't planning on visiting the zoo this morning, but after suddenly getting some free time and hearing that another new exhibit opened up, I had no choice! Topping off what has already been an action packed week of announcements from the zoo — the master plan, an echidna birth, and the acquisition of a rare primate — the prairie aviary opened this week as well. I left some thoughts below, but first a handful of updates.
Updates and Notes
Another okapi now inhabits what was formerly a secondary yellow-backed duiker yard – the one adjacent to the red river hogs.
Several rosy-billed pochard ducklings hatched recently and are on-exhibit in The Swamp.
Only one toucan was on-exhibit today. Unsure what happened to the other individual.
There is at least one adult emu still at the zoo alongside the recently arrived juveniles. They are still being kept in separation pens adjacent to the kangaroos.
Tropical Forests Construction Progress: Not a whole lot notable other than the fact that the support poles have gone up in both the orangutan and monkey exhibits and several more fake trees are being put together in the surrounding area. Here is a photo showing progress of the monkey habitat, with the central pole being disguised as a large faux tree.
North American Prairie Aviary - Thoughts and Impressions
Something I realized recently is that the aviary is the zoo’s first completely new enclosure built from the ground up in close to a decade. At 3,000 square feet it is a nice size and very well designed. It’s thoughtfully landscaped to appear like an actual prairie environment with various tall grasses, evergreens and large shrubs dotted throughout the exhibit. There are some small hills around the back of the habitat and also a pond for the cranes positioned right by the visitor area surrounded by some large rocks. The interior of the space is highly attractive overall, but there is one real flaw with the design, albeit one that isn't entirely the zoo’s fault. In the background, Tropic World towers over the aviary which was unavoidable given constraints of the space. Crossviews are more of a problem however, with visitor paths running along both sides of the aviary. There are a row of evergreens lining the back of the exhibit so hopefully this will improve over time as the trees grow in. Also want to add that signage is of a high quality with multiple signs discussing prairie fauna and conservation, as well as attention grabbing identification signs.
I was looking forward to seeing an active space with a large number of birds, but alas that was not meant to be: I saw a total of one crane and one prairie-chicken. I spoke with a keeper who was setting out food for them and she clarified why there were so few birds. The zoo had two cranes, but one of them passed away some time recently and they are awaiting a new one to arrive. She also said they’ll be gradually introducing the prairie-chickens over the next few weeks. I see sandhills on a semi-daily basis in the neighborhood so while they aren't super exciting to me personally, cranes are immensely charismatic birds and getting up-close with such striking animals will be very special for many guests. Obviously zoo nerds will be far more interested in the flock of greater prairie-chickens. Even though I only saw a single female, she was still a very cool bird and was fun to watch hanging around the back of the aviary. Prairie-chickens were an excellent choice for a supporting species: they are an attractive, often overlooked native bird that is both scarce in Illinois and also a genuine rarity in captivity. According to zootierliste, Brookfield is only the second public holder of this subspecies worldwide and one of the few exhibitors of prairie-chickens anywhere. Very pleased to see the zoo bringing attention to this wonderful bird, I can envision them becoming surprise favorites for many guests. One other thing I want to add is that the keeper I spoke with mentioned that there are already discussions about adding more species in the future. I recall kestrels being talked about early on and they would really add some activity to the higher part of the aviary that is currently lacking; that and the holes in the mesh are too big to accommodate anything smaller.
Although the number of birds is lacking at the moment, there was a clear intention with this exhibit and I’d say it succeeded perfectly: filling a vacant plot of land in an often ignored part of the zoo with a simple, but well done enclosure with interesting inhabitants for both the general public and zoo nerds. Everything from the species selected to the design of the exhibit itself feels very inspired and fits in with the rest of the area perfectly. In hindsight, I’m glad they pushed the exhibit back a year and went back to the drawing board, as the original design left a lot to be desired by comparison. Between the prairie aviary and the native turtle exhibits, the Hamill Family Nature Plaza as a whole has been transformed into a genuinely interesting showcase of the zoo's local conservation efforts in conjunction with the "Conservation Campus" portion of the master plan. Considering the less-than enthusiastic response to the development initially when it was completed five years ago, it’s impressive how they managed to turn things around with just a few small additions. Signs have been added around the area pointing guests in the direction of the new habitats.
I’ve uploaded additional photos of both the exhibit and its inhabitants to the gallery.
Animal Highlights
Besides the squirrel monkeys, everything was out today in Tropic World South America — including both capuchin species. They were really fun to watch and crested capuchins are a genuine rarity outside of South America. Even Tropic World Asia was lively with the orangutans, gibbons and otters all extremely active. It shows that even without the number of species it held in the past, this building still has the opportunity to impress when the inhabitants are on the move.
Not sure what it was, but the cape porcupine was jonesing for something. He came right by the mesh with his nose up smelling the air. He then began sprinting around the enclosure with his quills out for several minutes, before disappearing into a burrow leading to the off-show area. Never saw him this active before and it was awesome.
The painted dogs were up and about as well, prancing along the edge of the moat and jumping up the large kopje rocks. Knowing that they may be leaving in a few years when Gateway to Africa gets underway makes me appreciate them more while they're still here. Speaking of…
Reflecting on the Past & Looking Towards the Future
Now that I’ve finally seen and had time to process this master plan that has been in the works for close to three years, I can actually appreciate the zoo in its current form even more. I won’t miss the barren row of mostly empty hoofstock yards or the outdated cat grottos, but areas like the pachyderm house in its current form are especially nostalgic. I’m a little bummed the interior will likely never reopen before renovations get underway, because it truly is an amazing old-school zoo building that fills me with memories from my childhood. I am grateful that it will be maintained at all and the plans for the building look brilliant, but it will absolutely be missed in the same vein as baboon island and the aardvark house. I’m not sure what the plan is for the existing African forest house, but I sincerely hope they do not alter the building significantly. It is probably my favorite exhibit in the zoo currently and is full of interesting species. Going through the famous entry tunnel for the last time will also be a bit melancholy as well. Even seeing stuff like the Living Coast going away, even though it is similarly past its prime, will be bittersweet. It’s truly the end of an era in many ways.
But with every ending comes a new beginning. This new era may see the zoo reach a new prime and as I've said before it's already being felt. The last year has been prosperous, adding multiple new exhibits, bringing in dozens of fascinating and rare mammal and bird species, and fixing dilapidated infrastructure across the grounds. I walked by the old bear grottos today and although I question if the sizes of the future exhibit spaces will be appropriate, I can’t wait for the day I walk down this path and see animals utilizing this area again. Even when going through Habitat Africa I was envisioning the future savanna habitats and what incredible that development could be. With all of the new exhibits slated for this year now complete, I set my sights on Tropical Forests which might be the greatest exhibit the zoo has ever built up this point. After seeing the levels of detail in something like a simple aviary, I am am confident that future developments will impress. We are so back.
