Changes You Would Make to Your Zoo

[Andrew_NZP]

National Zoo


1. Open Migration exhibit.

2. Drastically renovate Amazonia, adding a whole extra room recreating a tropical rainforest. Add a lot more monkeys. Expand area outside by creating new exhibits for jaguars, Andean bears, guanacos, rheas, giant anteaters, capybaras, Baird’s tapirs, maned wolves, giant otters and spider monkeys.

3. Add tigers, Indian rhinos, Bactrian camels and Preswalzki’s wild horses to Asia Trail.

4. Redevelop Cheetah Conservation Center, parking lot and wild horse yard/Small Mammal House/Great Apes into Africa Trail, featuring lions, cheetahs, giraffes, zebras, lesser kudu, oryx, meerkats, red river hogs, colobus monkeys and Vervet monkeys.

5. Turn current Great Cats area into Rare Apes featuring state-of-the-art immersive habitats for orangutans and gorillas. Have a strong conservation message to the exhibit.

6. Remodel Think Tank.

1. I'm sure they will once they... you know... fully start and finish construction.

2. Not much room around Amazonia to expand. Could make the bear exhibit better by filling in the moat and connecting the two exhibits.

3. I would say there's enough room to make an exhibit for the tigers or rhinos. Possibly enough to create exhibits for the camels and horses.

4. I read that once they build the parking garage some of the lots around the CCS (It's station not center) could be used to expand the area. The Small Mammals and Great Ape houses are a ways apart from the CCS. Unless they drastically reconfigure the road this would take up a good chunk of the zoo. Also I believe the Small Mammal house is considered an historic building so they can't demo it.

5. I guess they could.

6. Think Tank is also an historic building. Not much they can do.

 

[jayjds2]

@jayjds2 : where did you get 12 acres for San Antonio? The two numbers I see online are 35 and 56/57, neither of which is even close to that.

That's what the bird curator told me, and I've been on the land myself. It didn't feel like more than around ten.

However, there are also around ten acres that have hoof stock paddocks (San Antonio used to be a quarantine facility for hoofstock imports). Perhaps GraysonDP was referencing both of these areas.

 

[Coelacanth18]

That's what the bird curator told me, and I've been on the land myself. It didn't feel like more than around ten.

However, there are also around ten acres that have hoof stock paddocks (San Antonio used to be a quarantine facility for hoofstock imports). Perhaps GraysonDP was referencing both of these areas.

I just used one of those Google Earth area mappers, and you appear to be right; it looks like more than 12, but not by much (maybe around 20 without those hoofstock paddocks), so 35 would have to be the maximum entire area of the zoo, public and non-public. 57 acres appears to be a mythical number from who knows where, but it is widely quoted online nevertheless.

 

[BossMayhem250]

San Antonio Zoo


1. On undeveloped land open Tembo Valley, an immersive exhibit for African elephants. Also include white rhinos, lions, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, zebras and antelope.

2. Expand giraffe exhibit into former Asian elephant and white rhinoceros habitats.

3. Tear down Bear Corner and Cat Grottoes and build habitats for African penguins and sea lions.

4. Build a new state-of-the-art aviary.

5. Add Amazon Edge, an immersive exhibit following the Amazon River. Featured animals will include jaguars, giant anteaters, capybaras, giant otters, caimans, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, tamarins and birds.

6. Open new exhibits for tigers, orangutans, babirusas, siamangs, clouded leopards, tapirs and gibbons in a complex called East Expedition.

1. I love the idea, but there are a lot of problems with it, a. Lucky just keeps on living, and now with friends, I hope she lives for at least 3-4 more years. b. We only have one White Rhino and he is getting up there in age. c. The zoo is currently renovating the lion exhibit at the moment, and I think all 3 hyenas either passed away or left the zoo.
2. Great idea, only minor issue is there is a bridge that goes over the wall that separates the giraffe yard from the rhino yard and there is a huge barn that holds the elephants, and the elephant exhibit is at ground level, so I will , I don't think the giraffes are tall enough to reach the bridge, but the feeding deck and viewing deck seem to be the same height. Also renovations on the dreadful concrete rhino yards will take a while.
3. This is an ok idea, as penguins and sea lions would be great, but there is a Komodo Dragon exhibit, the Gibbon exhibit, the aging aquarium, the butterfly house, and the 1930's monkey cages all in between the Bear exhibits and the Cat Grottoes, and the Cat grottoes aren't that bad.
4. Where in the zoo would this aviary go? and I like aviaries, but most regular zoo visitors don't, like the aviary in Africa Live, everyone looks at the monkeys, then zooms through the rest to avoid the birds. So it would truly have to be amazing for people to actually go in it, the best aviary I have seen that I remember is the Wings of Asia aviary at Zoo Miami.
5. There are a lot of exhibits like the former Hippo exhibit/Current Tapir & Capybara exhibit, and the crocodilian exhibits that run along the San Antonio River, so you can't just get rid of them, unless you want a Amazonian exhibit with a river running through it that is quite murky and full fish.
6. This zoo isn't huge, so there isn't a lot of room for a African, South American, and Asian exhibit. But I would personally love to see a great ape at the zoo, and I think either Orangutans or Chimpanzees/Bonobos would be the best choice, though I would love to see Gorillas.

 

[dinosaur50]

these are the changes I would make to the San Diego Zoo:

I would Demolish Elephant odyssey and Polar bear plunge and rebuild Horn and Hoof Mesa

I would Demolish the African Kopje so I could extend Goat and Sheep Canyon

I would Demolish Sun Bear Forest so I could extend Bear Canyon

I would Demolish Panda trek so I could rebuild the historic seal and sea lion pools

I would Demolish Monkey Trails, Absolutely apes, and Gorilla tropics so I could rebuild Bird and Primate Mesa

I would Demolish the Childrens Zoo so i could extend Reptile Mesa

I would change Urban Jungle back to Elephant Mesa

I would open the off exhibit Hoofstock yards (viewable from Skyfari), so I could bring back species like Moose, Red goral, Marsh deer, Cretan wild goat, Philippine brown deer, European roe deer, Vaal rhebok and many many others !!!

I would Demolish Tiger River and Ituri Forest so I could bring back Cascade Canyon and whatever else was in that spot prior to those exhibits

Now for the San Diego Wild Animal park:

I would bring back the Wgasa Bushline Monorail to travel around the Field Exhibits

I would add more species to the Asian Plains exhibit like Saiga, Javan rusa and Altai wapiti

I would add more species to the East African field exhibit

I Would change African Forest back to Asian Waterhole and add more species like Indian muntjac and European bison

I would Reopen Mountain Habitat and bring back species like Himalayan tahr and European mouflon and maybe add Spanish ibex

I would add more Animals to the South African and North African Field exhibits like Jacksons hartebeest and maybe Cape mountain zebra if I can get some

I would add a North American Field Exhibit and a South American Field Exhibit add species like Wood bison and Guanaco

I would add more hillide exhibits along the monorail route and add species to them like Central Chinese Goral and Japanese serow

I would take out the zipline and Rebuild the Australian Forest and add species like Southern cassowary and Grizzled tree kangaroo

I would Bring Bonobos to the Island exhibit, and build an Island for Mandrills and an Island for orangutans

I would Add more Aviaries and Small Ungulate Paddocks, Primate Cages, Animal Grottos to Nairobi Village

I would Demolish the Childrens Zoo and bring more Aviaries in and same with I would Demolish Sun Bear Forest to more Aviaries and more Reptiles

 

[dinosaur50]

So what would you suggest for the Bronx Zoo changes? I 100% agree with you that the Monkey House and other historic buildings need to remain. Australia and Amazon have been done almost everywhere; so what would be maybe an original idea for those empty buildings?
I think regarding the elephants- the only really large area that could be developed is the Rare Animal Range- I don't think any land alongside the Bronx River could be used for any further large developments due to fear of further polluting the river.

Bronx Zoo more birds

 

[dinosaur50]

El Paso Zoo


1. Add African wild dogs, klipspringers, dik diks, hyraxes, Patas monkeys and gereunks to Africa.

2. Add great cougar and jaguar exhibits to the new Chihuahuan Desert section.

3. Tear down leopard exhibit replacing it with a new clouded leopard exhibit.

4. Give minor renovations to orangutan exhibit.

5. Improve Andean bear exhibit, especially by giving visitors better viewing.

6. Open new ocelot exhibit.

7. Add a new Humboldt penguin exhibit with underwater viewing.

8. Open flamingo, anteater, squirrel monkey, peccary and giant otter exhibits.

9. Renovate sea lion exhibit.

10. Phase out elephants and open a nice Indian rhinoceros exhibit.

11. Phase out sun bears to open another yard to expand tiger area.

12. Add gaurs and blackbucks to the area.


Abilene Zoo


1. Open a new lemur exhibit.

2. Phase out camels and use their yard to expand and improve the black rhinoceros exhibit.

3. Build a new tiger exhibit where the zebra one is now. Also include gibbons, babirusas and hornbills in the expansion.

4. Drastically renovate lion exhibit.

5. Completely overhaul the bear/squirrel monkey/jaguar/bobcat row creating one cohesive naturalistic habitat for jaguars.

6. Add giant anteaters to South America.


Cameron Park Zoo


1. Create African Legends exhibit drastically expanding the Africa region. Build new modern African elephant exhibit on current meadows and a new exhibits for lions, cheetahs, zebras, meerkats, warthogs and baboons leading up to current region. Combine giraffe, rhino, elephant and lion yards to create a giant African savanna for giraffes, white rhinos, Thomson’s gazelles, impalas, wildebeests, ostriches and kudus. Also build an African lodge.

2. Turn undeveloped land on property into a wooded habitat for a family of gorillas as a phase II of African Legends.

3. Expand jaguar and black bear exhibits.

4. Build a new tiger exhibit to complete Asian Forest. Also add tapirs, anoas and langurs to the region.

5. Add Australian exhibit with kangaroos and emus.

6. Open Aquarium


Caldwell Zoo


1. Open expanded and renovated African elephant, giraffe and black rhino exhibits in East Africa.

2. Add a naturalistic chimpanzee exhibit to the zoo.

3. Completely overhaul South America section turning it into Jewels of Brazil, an area featuring jaguars, giant anteaters, tapirs, capybaras, New World monkeys, caimans, prehensile tailed porcupines and South American birds in an immersive complex.

4. Move tigers out of North America and build an Asian section featuring them as well as siamangs, gibbons, gaurs, Visayan warty pigs, Bactrian camels, gazelles and crocodiles.


Ellen Trout Zoo


1. Add gorilla exhibit.

2. Build new otter exhibit.

3. Update cat exhibits.


Gladys Porter Zoo


1. Open new gorilla exhibit.

2. Renovate African section and create naturalistic habitats for giraffes, lions, rhinos, zebras and a wide variety of African hoofstock and birds.

3. Phase out chimpanzees and orangutans.

4. Tear down bear grottoes and cages.

5. Create a Rainforest.


San Antonio Zoo


1. On undeveloped land open Tembo Valley, an immersive exhibit for African elephants. Also include white rhinos, lions, hyenas, warthogs, baboons, zebras and antelope.

2. Expand giraffe exhibit into former Asian elephant and white rhinoceros habitats.

3. Tear down Bear Corner and Cat Grottoes and build habitats for African penguins and sea lions.

4. Build a new state-of-the-art aviary.

5. Add Amazon Edge, an immersive exhibit following the Amazon River. Featured animals will include jaguars, giant anteaters, capybaras, giant otters, caimans, squirrel monkeys, howler monkeys, tamarins and birds.

6. Open new exhibits for tigers, orangutans, babirusas, siamangs, clouded leopards, tapirs and gibbons in a complex called East Expedition.


Fort Worth Zoo


1. Open Elephant Springs, a state-of-the-art Asian elephant habitat. Include Indian rhinos in the same area.

2. Open Edge of Africa with giraffes, black rhinos, hoofstock and birds as well as a Hippo River.

3. Open Predators exhibit with lions, tigers, hyenas and clouded leopards.

4. Open Rainforest Region with okapis, bongos, pygmy hippos, jaguars, orangutans and a wide variety of primates.

5. Retheme and renovate World of Primates into Expedition Congo featuring gorillas, bonobos, colobus monkeys and mandrills. Possibly use Cheetah area for space.

6. Open new Australian section featuring kangaroos, wallabies, penguins and koalas.


Houston Zoo


1. Expand elephant exhibit.

2. Demolish sea lion exhibit and replace it with a new one.

3. Turn majority of the left of the zoo into an Asian section featuring habitats for tigers, orangutans, babirusas, Malayan tapirs, Indian rhinos, bantengs, clouded leopards, red pandas, Visayan warty pigs and tahrs.

4. Turn half of Carnivore section and surrounding area (excluding jaguar and cougar exhibits) into half an expansion of African Forest featuring hippopotamuses, Nile crocodiles, okapis, colobus monkeys, leopards and duikers.

5. Drastically expand lion exhibit.

6. Turn Hoof Run into exhibits for black bears and red wolves.


Dallas Zoo


1. Open Hippo Outpost for hippos, okapis, red river hogs, saddle-billed storks and duikers.

2. Close down the monorail and create a walking trail where visitors can see white rhinoceros, bongos, elands, Patas monkeys, colobus monkeys, African wild dogs, kudus, ibexes and caracals.

3. Complex overhaul of former Hill, Texas cats and picnic area, creating Trek through the Americas featuring habitats for grizzly bears, jaguars, cougars, coyotes, anteaters, tapirs, sea lions, tamarins, ocelots and New World monkeys.

4. Turn Primate Place into a walkthrough lemur exhibit.


Tulsa Zoo


1. Open Lost Kingdom with new exhibits for tigers, snow leopards, siamangs and red pandas. Also drastically renovate and expand Asian elephant exhibit.

2. Open Kings of the Kruger, a naturalistic habitat for lions.

3. Expand giraffe exhibit.

4. Tear down grottoes in top right corner and build an aquarium.

5. Open African Forest with gorillas, chimpanzees, red river hogs, duikers and colobus monkeys.


Oklahoma City Zoo


1. Open Asian expansion including Indian rhinos, sun bears, red pandas, Komodo dragons, Pere David’s deer, macaques and Asian small-clawed otters.

2. Close down Pachyderm building and make it a nocturnal house.

3. Turn pachyderm yards and hoofstock yards into Seas of Grass, an African area featuring giraffes, zebras, hippos, cheetahs, bat-eared foxes, warthogs, hyenas, wild dogs, wildebeests, sables, waterbucks, springbok, gerenuks, bongos, Thomson’s gazelles and bonteboks.

4. Close down Noble Aquatics Center and make it a state-of-the-art aquarium including sea lions, penguins, sharks, sea otters and a wide variety of fish.

5. Turn Island Life into a walkthrough monkey exhibit.


Little Rock Zoo


1. Open Wild Arkansas exhibit with otters, black bears, beavers, coyotes, elk, deer, bobcats and bats among others. Build this on area currently for Bears and Small Cats.

2. Turn Primates Reptiles Birds and More into an immersive indoor rainforest called Canopy Heights featuring New World monkeys, jaguars (with outside yard), anteaters, ocelots, capybaras, caimans, macaws and a wide variety of birds and reptiles from South America.

3. Overhaul most of the northern part of the zoo to create African Plains including existing Cheetah Outpost as well as new habitats for lions, giraffes, zebras, wild dogs, warthogs and a wide variety of hoofstock.

4. Turn Great Apes into two naturalistic habitats for gorillas and orangutans.

5. Open tiger exhibit on left side of the zoo.

6. Phase out Asian elephants and put rhinos in the old elephant exhibit.

7. Add new alligator/crocodile exhibits.

8. Open flamingo exhibit near entrance.


Alexandria Zoo


1. Expand African Experience with exhibits for giraffes, zebras, pygmy hippos, servals, colobus monkeys, warthogs and Nile Crocodiles.

2. Build new Australasian area on left side of the zoo featuring tigers, siamangs, babirusas, Visayan warty pigs, anoas, muntjacs, langurs, clouded leopards, kangaroos, wallaroos, emus and kookaburras.

3. Build a new condor exhibit.


Baton Rouge Zoo


1. Add African Elephant Oasis, a habitat for the pachyderms in a wooded environment with a huge pool.

2. Open Kangaroo Junction, an Australian area featuring kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, emus, cassowaries, echidnas and others.

3. Add Mississippi River exhibit showcasing different animals that live on the river and surrounding areas including otters, black bears, wolves, deer, beavers, skunks, raccoons and eagles.

4. Renovate Africa with new exhibits for giraffes, zebras, lions, Thomson’s gazelles, cheetahs, antelope and birds.

5. Renovate South America featuring a new Andean bear exhibit.


Audubon Zoo


1. Open new lion exhibit.

2. Redevelop African Savanna with a new, more immersive exhibits for giraffes, zebras, white rhinoceros, wildebeests, elands, Thomson’s gazelles, red river hogs, mandrills, colobus monkeys, spotted hyenas and pygmy hippopotamus.

3. Renovate Louisiana Swamp by removing cougar and bobcat cages, moving them to naturalistic habitats and renovating the otter exhibit. Use Primates for some of this expansion.

4. Build a new state-of-the-art exhibit for gorillas by the sea lion pool and Herpetarium.

5. Reopen Tropical Bird House as a much nicer aviary.

6. Open Phase II of Jaguar Jungle featuring a bat cave, caimans, monkeys, ocelots and piranhas.

7. Open new modern exhibits for tigers and leopards. Phase out sun bears.

Bird Houses put 3 or 4 news in and Reopen Tropical Bird House as a much nicer aviary.

 

[Moebelle]

Cincinnati Zoo


1. Open Gorilla World renovation and expansion. Get rid of the moat and have viewing through glass panels. Expand colobus monkey exhibit.

2. Turn Wings of the World into a state-of-the-art penguin ehxiibt.

3. Phase out sea lions and tear down bear grottoes to build Polar Trek, a modern polar bear exhibit.

4. Overhaul Rhino Reserve and white rhino exhibit turning it into a South American exhibit featuring jaguars, Andean bears, giant anteaters, Baird’s tapirs and primates.

5. Tear down Safari Camp and turn it and surrounding area into Rhino Crossing, featuring immersive habitats for black and Indian rhinoceros.

6. Turn Wild Canyon and surrounding area into a second, larger and more naturalistic habitat for Asian elephants and create a bridge that allows them to move from one habitat to the next.

7. Close Reptile House and make it a restaurant. Create a new one new Wings of the World.

1. That's exactly what the zoo is doing for Gorilla World. They are keeping their outdoor exhibit, adding an atrium, and turning the colobus cage into an island.

2. Wings of the World is about to go under a major renovation.

4. The zoo doesn't have white rhinos

6. I'm not sure if you've ever been to the zoo but if you're referring to Wildlife* Canyon, you'd know there is no possible way that the zoo could add a state of the art elephant exhibit. As mentioned in the name, the attraction is built onto and within the bottom of a small canyon (slope), and the space at the bottom is very narrow. If two exhibits were to be built down there, they both would be smaller than the ones standing today.

7. I've seen this said multiple times by a few members and I've never understood it. If the Reptile House were to be turned into a restaurant, it would most likely seat a maximum of two families. The center space, and even the behind the scenes are very small. However, it would be nice if the zoo built a new reptile complex in the empty space where that recent oak tree fell.

 

[iluvwhales]

Queens Zoo


1. Open jaguar exhibit.

2. Turn Aviary into Amazonia, adding several New World primates to the exhibit.

3. Add exhibits for giant otters.

4. Turn current prairie exhibit into South American pampas for guanacos, rheas, giant anteaters, tapirs and capybaras.


Prospect Park Zoo


1. Turn Discovery Trail into Australasia Trek featuring Amur leopards, kangaroos, wallabies, red pandas, dingos, tufted deer, pallas cats, Asian small-clawed otters, gibbons and siamangs.

2. Open social animals exhibit featuring meerkats and prairie dogs.


Central Park Zoo


1. Renovate Tropics Zone. Add ocelots, porcupines, spider monkeys, mangabeys, caimans and other species to the building.

2. Open river otter exhibit.

3. Open markhor exhibit.


Bronx Zoo


1. Renovate Carter Giraffe Building so that giraffes have bulk of the space and facilities are much more modern. Add kopje complex featuring klipspringers, warthogs, meerkats, dik diks, servals, tortoises and birds next to African Plains and Baboon Reserve. Try to integrate white rhinos into hoofstock exhibits. Add wildebeest to African Plains.

2. Turn center of the Zoo from bison to World of Reptiles into Yellowstone featuring grizzly bears, black bears, moose, gray wolves, bald eagles, river otters, cougars, wolverines, pronghorn and mountain goats. Exisiting bison exhibit will be incorporated into the complex with moderate renovations and new viewing opportunities. Bear grottoes will be demolished and polar bears will be phased out.

3. Replace leopards in Jungle World with monkeys.

4. Turn former Monkey House into state-of-the-art habitats for koalas, wombats and echidnas.

5. Turn World of Darkness into state-of-the-art reptile house. Turn current World of Reptiles into a restaurant.

6. Add bongos and mangabeys to Congo Gorilla Forest.

7. If zoo decides to keep Asian elephants: Close down monorail and create a walking trail through Wild Asia habitats, naming the area Giants of India. The biggest change will be a much larger, more immersive Asian elephant exhibit with a breeding herd. Move tigers to Tiger Mountain and besides elephant exhibit have massive Asian hoostock yard with Indian rhinos integrated. Also create a large Asian style elephant barn providing year round viewing. Turn former Rare Animal Range into an African Wetlands exhibit featuring hippos, Nile crocodiles, sitatungas, lechwes, cheetahs, Cape buffalo, spotted hyenas, swamp monkeys and spotted necked otters.

8. If the zoo follows through with phasing out elephants entirely: Close down monorail and create a walking path through Wild Asia and opening a new complex there called Marvels of Asia. Keep half of the yards the same but on the other half create naturalistic habitats for orangutans, Malayan tapirs, clouded leopards, Indian rhinoceros, Japanese macaques and gharials. Add Bactrian camels and takins to the hoofstock part of the complex. Open African Wetlands.

9. If zoo were to get African elephants: Follow through with Marvels of Asia. Turn former Rare Animal Range into Elephants of the Okavango, featuring a state-of-the-art habitat for the pachyderms. Also include a large indoor exhibit to provide year-round viewing.



Buffalo Zoo


1. Phase out elephants. Turn elephant yard and surrounding area into a naturalistic habitat for gorillas. Renovate elephant house to make it appropriate for gorillas.

2. Open renovated reptile house now featuring Komodo dragons.

3. Open Himalayan Highlands in the middle of the zoo next to Rainforest Falls and overhauling bighorn sheep exhibit and wetlands. Feature tigers, snow leopards, red pandas, Pallas cats and Asian hoofstock.

4. Close current gorilla exhibit and turn it into a meerkat exhibit.

5. Turn bison exhibit into a habitat for crocodiles.

6. Open penguin exhibit near entrance.

7. Combine lion and tiger grottoes to create a naturalistic habitat for lions.

8. Overhaul hoofstock yards, creating African Watering Hole complex featuring giraffes, zebras, roans, addaxes, gemsbok, gazelles, ostriches, warthogs and birds. Incorporate exisiting spotted hyena exhibit.


Such wonderful, detailed plans. I commend you on your dedication and creativity. If I may offer some constructive criticisms:
Queens Zoo master plan: 1. Where would this exhibit be? 2. These Amazonian animals would only be on exhibit for half of the year. Consider exhibiting North American temperate birds in the colder months 3. Where would this exhibit be? 4. And phase out the bison and pronghorns?! WCS has a storied history with bison, and QZ is the only place in NY to see pronghorns.
Prospect Park Zoo master plan: All awesome ideas, but some questions. Would the meerkats be outdoors? What of the animal buildings? What winter provisions will be made for the Australian wildlife, or will they be simply kept inside for the winter?
Central Park Zoo master plan: 1. Good idea 2 & 3: Where would these exhibits be?
Bronx Zoo master plan: 1. Good idea, but what of the aardvarks? 2. Great idea, but what of Tiger Mountain? Also, moose need special care which is different than what is needed for most other cervids, more to the point, moose do not nautraly occur that far south (I love the idea of moose, but it will be difficult) 3. Good idea 4. Good idea 5. Not a bad idea, but the Dancing Crane Cafe is already so close to that area that a second restaurant may not be necessary 6. Good idea, but where would you put them? 7. All good ideas for Bronx elephants
Buffalo Zoo master plan: 1. I don't thin the elephant house is large enough to be an indoor gorilla exhibit, especially if you want indoor viewing. 2. Good idea, infact already being worked upon 3. Do you intend on phasing out the sea lions and otters. 4. The current gorilla exhibit may be small for gorillas, but it's enormous for meerkats. I'd hate to waste that space on something so small; a monkey exhibit of some kind could work. 5. Would the crocodile exhibit be fully outdoors? Because Buffalo gets very cold and snowy, an environment in which no crocodile can survive. 6. Good idea 7 & 8 are good ideas, but would you phase out the rhinos? Also, what would you do with the Vanishing Animals North and South exhibits.

 

[iluvwhales]

Maybe build on top of the Amazonia building. Think of it as half green roof and half exhibit


National Zoo
-There isn't enough space for all that around Amazonia.
-there isn't enough space for that on Asia Trail unless you create some mixed-species habitats.[/QUOTE]

 

[StoppableSan]

Philadelphia Zoo
1. First, I would convert the existing Monkey Junction and Rare Animal Conservation Center into an immersive "jungle experience" featuring primates and other mammals from around the world. I would negotiate a 5 year loan with the Singapore Zoo to bring in 5 Proboscis Monkeys and 4 Douc Langurs to the Rainforest, and once the loan expires, use those exhibits for Javan Langurs and Silvered-Leaf Langurs. This particular Rainforest will be like a mini JungleWorld, if you will. I would also open up the off-exhibit outdoor yards to public viewing, adding an immersive trail to enhance the experience (windmill palms and bamboo)

2. Second, I would take the emus out of their current yard and move them in with the Kangaroos. I would take their current yard and convert it into a Humboldt Penguin exhibit, themed after an abandoned Patagonian fortress and complete with underwater viewing. I would also incorporate it with the nearby Children's Zoo (ex-pachyderm yards)

3. Third, I would gut the reptile house (keeping the collection) and convert it into a more immersive experience. For example, the jungle section for the king cobras and monitors will be viewed through a ruined temple, the desert section through an abandoned Adobe building, etc. Similar to the LAIR at the LA Zoo, I would also add skylights. As for the Nile Crocodiles, I would move them to Bird Valley, and build new indoor greenhouses for them.

4. Fourth, I would build a new nocturnal house on a separate plot of land on Fairmount Park, (provided they are willing to give up the land) so to create a zoo "network". Instead of having one isolated site for the animals, there will be multiple plots of land as well as a central hub (the main zoo). It would have much of the animals that were removed from the original nocturnal wing (feather-tailed gliders, opossum, echidna, sugar glider, etc.) as well as the aardvarks from the Small Mammal House. I would also add a Clouded Leopard and Banded Palm Civet enclosure to the nocturnal house.

5. Fifth, I would redesign Big Cat Falls to have a more cohesive experience. Due to the habitat-specific design characteristics of some of the habitats (temple ruin in Jaguars, termite mound in Lions, etc.) the experience of seeing an Amur Tiger in an African Savanna or a Snow Leopard in the American Southwest can be jarring. I would create three separate environments the cats can choose from: Forests, Mountains, and Grasslands. Any similarities that any ecosystem shares can be used for several cats. For instance, when there is a similarity between the Amur Forests and the Himalayan Foothills, rotate the tigers with the leopards. When there is a similarity with a prairie and the African Savanna, rotate the lions and pumas there. When there is a similarity with the Chihuahuan Desert and the Namib Desert, rotate the Lions with the Jaguars. I would take out the habitat-specific features and re-purpose them in other parts of the Zoo.

6. Sixth, I would re-design PECO Primate Reserve to be a more cohesive experience. I would add more jungle plantings along the visitor pathway (again, windmill palms and bamboo, as well as seasonal plantings like Sedgwick County Zoo with their Orangutan and Chimpanzee Habitat) and heavily plant the Gorilla and Orangutan enclosures (and let them sit for a year). Inside, I would overhaul the rubber floors and "lumber mill theming" inside the habitats, and add natural substrate a lot like the Artis Zoo's Gorilla enclosure. I would also add buttress root trees in the indoor Orangutan and Gorilla habitats to add to the immersion. As for the Aye-Ayes, similar process.

7. Seventh, I would re-purpose the entire southern portion of the Zoo (save for Bear Country, more on that later) for an African Savanna enclosure. I would bring back Okapi, and build a "forest edge" with Red River Hog alongside the Bird Valley (saving the pit enclosures for the crocodile). I would build a terrestrial large mammal trail along the backside of the Forest Edge, so one may witness an elephant lumbering behind the bamboo of the Forest Edge. As for the abandoned Children's Zoo and the African Plains Exhibits, I would combine them all (via terrestrial trails) and create an immersive African Savanna and bring back Elephants (using the land of the current Eagle cage as holding). I would model this off of Kansas City's and Pittsburgh's African Elephant exhibits (the planting and immersion, of course). I would bring several East-African antelope, such as Fringe-Eared Oryx, Thomson's Gazelle, etc. The Hippos would also have access to a portion of the lake that is cordoned off for them (provided they have a filtration system).

8. For Carnivore Kingdom, I would move the Lynxes, Red Pandas, Coatis (see Bear Country) and Giant Otters to different parts of the Zoo, and re-purpose the complex for a Kopje Enclosure with Klipspringer, Hyrax, and an extension of the "Meerkat Maze". I would keep the Black Footed Cats and Southern Ground Hornbills, and design the Kopje around them as well.

9. For Bear Country, as soon as the last Asian Black Bear passes, I would use his habitat for Andean Bears (and bring a breeding pair). I would heavily plant the enclosure, and add climbing structures. I would then bring the Coatis from Carnivore Kingdom into this habitat to share with the Andean Bears. I would use the old Asian Black Bear habitat for the Giant Otters, and add underwater viewing. As for Polar Bears...

Should the Zoo keep Polar Bears:
Bring in a younger pair to keep Coldilocks company, and plant it to look more like a coast.

Should the Zoo phase out Polar Bears:
Either retrofit the enclosure for the Red Pandas, or bring in Grizzly Bears. Either one should be a suitable fit, so long as part of the pool is filled in to provide a shallower pond for the Bears.

10. Finally, I would design the trails around the various zones. Certain animals can go to certain zones, to fit more with the ecosystem. For instance, an extension of the Zoo360 Trails will be near the African Savanna, and be reserved for just Lions, or a separate Red Panda trail will be constructed and overlook the Asian portion of Big Cat Falls, etc.

 

[MKE Zoo guy]

Milwaukee County Zoo:
African Elephants will be getting a new 5 acre or so exhibit in 2018 that replaces the current Wolf Woods, Moose and Brown Bear exhibits. The lone wolf and brown bear are old and will probably die soon. The 3 moose are middle age so:
1. Move the Moose into the current Elk yard and get rid of Elk.
2. Move the Red River Hogs to a new exhibit somewhere else in the zoo.
3. Expand the Hippo exhibit with underwater viewing to take over the Red River Hog and now empty Elephant exhibit.
4. Add Ostriches into the African Savanna exhibit that currently has Greater Kudu, Damara Zebra... etc
5. With the North American River Otters getting a new exhibit by the new west entrance, add Asian Small Clawed Otters into the now empty River Otter exhibit in the small mammal building.
6. Renovate the indoor exhibits in Primates of the Word for Orangutan, Black-and-White Colobus Monkey, Siamang and former Diana Monkey.
7. Move the Ring Tailed Lemurs from Small Mammals to the former Diana Monkey exhibit.
8. Merge the two lemur exhibits in small mammals and make it one bigger exhibit for Red Ruffed Lemurs.
9. Put Tayras back on exhibit in small mammals.
10. when the Asiatic Black Bear dies, change the exhibit for Fishing Cats.
11. Add an outdoor exhibit in Australia for Matschie's Tree Kangaroo
12. Eventually change the Small Mammals building into a nocturnal only building and expand the Primates of the World and move the rest of the monkeys there. The Meerkats and Dwarf Mongoose get outdoor exhibits

http://media.jrn.com/images/29785739-cni-wnt_zoomap_1206.jpg

Milwaukee zoo
1-7 would be a complete redo of the area that once held the moose up through the rhinos and into the African Savanna. These animals would have a much larger indoor exhibit as well for the winter months. Expanding into the farm and playground area.
1. Give the elephants an even larger area with a large indoor exhibit for the cold winter months in Wisconsin and mixed species exhibit too.
2. Remove the dall sheep exhibit.
3. Destroy the current walk through area that houses the hippos, rhinos, elephants, etc.
4.Create an African savanna with an expanded Giraffe exhibit and make it mixed species too (possibly rhinos, zebras, ostriches)
5. Create a river shore splitting the savanna exhibit with the lions and Cheetahs. Inside the river shore area have an underwater tunnel and viewing area for the hippos.
6. Possible other african savanna with water buffalo, okapis, red river hogs
7. Create a meerkat exhibit that can view incorporated into one of the two savanna areas and have an indoor exhibit too.

8-12 would be taking up the corner of what currently is the big cats building, African waterhole, South American, and camel area. The area would become the new Asia area.
8. Tigers would get a larger outdoor yard, along with the snow leopards and red pandas.
9. Addition of a sloth bear
10. Komodo dragon would be added to
11. The camels would also be getting a mix species exhibit too.
12. Move the Macaque Island down to this area and make it smaller.

13-19 would be taking up space from the polar bear exhibit up through the caribou area.
13. The polar bear exhibit would be completely destroyed and expand into the woods next to the exhibit. The polar bear would get different terrain it could walk through.
14. The sea lions would get an expanded area, along with a theater to show case the sea lion education, along with an underwater viewing tunnel area.
15. The restaurant that resides in the area would be moved towards the landing area, and the landing area would be pushed more into the lake, creating an on the lake eat experience.
16. The Brown/Black bears would get an expanded exhibit but would be separated. Like the polar bears it would have different terrain and even possibly and under water viewing area.
17. The former elk exhibit would be turned into the wolf experience and the log cabin that used to be for the wolves would be placed in the area.
18. The Moose would be moved to where the part of the elk and grizzle bears now reside.
19. Redesign the Caribou exhibit or switch it out with bison.

20-22 would be looking at the area that is the special outside exhibit and small mammals area.
20. Tear down the small mammals building and build a new event space area for traveling exhibits like "Body Works - animals" or the String Ray exhibit.
21. Leave the outdoor special exhibit space.
22. Move the restaurant area into this area.

23 would be the reptile/aquarium area.
23. Expand the reptile/aquarium exhibit. Create spaces for each area, such as the amazon area. Where the river and frogs could be together with some real/fake plant life recreating the area. Have a coral reef area possibly even a touch tank. Have larger viewing areas for lake Wisconsin fish, etc.

24-25 would be dealing with the area around Macaque Island
24. Australia/New Zealand would move to this location. With a large outdoor area with a large indoor area as well. The kola, Tasmania devil, kangaroos, tree kangaroos, etc.
25. Their would be an addition of a mammals of the night experience. The bats, foxes, and other night animals would move here.

26-27 would be dealing with the birds building area
26. The build would expanded and include a larger and immersive penguin experience.
27. The peasant area is where the expansion would expand to, and include a tropical bird encounter too (Macaws). Peasant and other birds will also go on exhibit too.

28 dealing with the primates of the world.
28. Many of the primates would get an renovated exhibit, one that has more terrain and not just concert.
29. The outdoor exhibits will be made more friendly towards the public with glass and not wired fences, and the exhibit would recreate their living areas in the wild and not just metal boxes stacked on each other.
30. Orangoutangs would get a more open and friend space.
31. Their would be an expansion on where many of the small mammals that were in the small animals building would get a new indoor/outdoor areas for them attached at the end where the howler monkeys have their outdoor experience.

Many of the exhibits would have expanded back areas too for educational tours; from small kids to college and for the general public.This would allow the zoo to partner with colleges in the area and becoming a learning center with hands on experience. The aquarium would allow for year round education trips for schools. Also with reorganizing by regions, better conservational efforts could be made on getting messages across, instead of having them disjointed as they currently are. The push for more mix species exhibits is again in part of creating a larger conservational message and recreating the space they would be in. Also, for the enrichment of the animals too.

 

[Yi Qi]

Toronto Zoo
1. Expand Eurasian Wilds.
a. Turn Panda Interpretive centre into free-flight aviary as well as herpetarium for endangered eurasian reptiles and amphibians.
b. Make panda exhibit for either wild boars, dholes, or south china leopards.
c. Make bovid paddocks at the top more natural.

2. Hugely renovate Indomalayan Pavilion
a. Move all of the australian fauna into Indomalayan Pavilion.
b. Create outdoor exhibit for orangutans, or at the very least add natural substrate to indoor exhibit.
c. Bring southern cassowaries, saltwater crocodiles, and koalas (back) to collection.

3. Renovate Canadian Domain
a. Create more exhibits in Canadian Domain, mostly in the space big empty paddock.
b. Expand the cat exhibits into the woods.

Any additional ideas can be seen in the Master Plan.

 

[Yi Qi]

African Lion Safari

Turn the Nairobi Preserve into a reserve for South American fauna (capybara, greater rhea, chacoan/white-lipped peccary, jabiru, guanaco, brazilian tapir). Move the caribbean flamingos here and deep the current pond in the reserve for them as well.

Ship the white lions out of Timbavati Lion Country and bring the cheetahs back into the reserve. However, they would rotate on and off with African wild dogs and Spotted hyenas, with the reserve being named to Duma Carnivore Country.

Move the red river hogs to Wankie Bushland Trail. They're own exhibit would be replaced by domestic pigs.

Move the watusi cattle, crowned cranes, marabou storks, and egyptian geese here. Bring impala, thompson's gazelle, bushbucks, and black rhinoceros to the park's collection.

Take the donkeys from Eurasia and into the Pet's Corner. Pet's Corner itself would gain more grassy exhibits.

Phase out the fallow deer, and bring whitetail deer and pronghorn in the park's collection for North America, here renamed Canada Plains.

Create a walkthrough exhibit between Tusker Trail and the BOPCC known as Tanami Creek for the kangaroos (moved from Eurasia), black swans, kookaburras, and tawny frog mouths. Bring emus, bennett's wallabies, and dingos to the park's collection.

Replace most of the bird of prey aviaries with bigger ones like the ones for the bald and stellar's sea eagles.

If the sarus cranes are anything to go by, Tusker Trail has an indian theme to it. Thus, swap the caribbean flamingos out with more zoographically correct greater flamingos. Phase the elephant rides out in favour of creating a new exhibit in the space.

 

[Echobeast]

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

Renovate Primate World into Fragile Forests. Add another orangutan exhibit so both species can be out at the same time with overhead walkways similar to O-line at the Smithsonian and Indianapolis Zoos. Mix siamangs with orangutans. Renovate siamang outdoor exhibit for Japanese macaques so there is a primate that can be exhibited outdoors all year. Gorilla outdoor exhibit can be kept the same but renovate the indoor spaces to have more vertical space and natural substrate like Cincinnati's new indoor space. Add a nocturnal aye-aye exhibit to replace naked mole rats. Expand on the palm oil shopping exhibit to promote the zoo's palm oil shopping guide app.

Tear down Monkey Pavilion and renovate Bear Grottoes. The Bear Grottoes should be combined into one large yard. Expand this yard into the bear gardens to the south (currently a smoking area) and connect the walking paths from bears to My Big Backyard. Add a natural water feature, grass and add a viewing platform for guests. Bring back Andean bears for this exhibit. Add an Andean condor aviary on the north side of the habitat with viewing from the platform. Mountain tapir exhibit can be kept the same but bring lowland or Baird's tapirs in when the mountain tapirs are gone. Across from tapirs, there is plenty of space to add an exhibit for a South American carnivore. I would love jaguars but multiple smaller exhibits can be built for ocelots or another small cat species. Coatis or kinkajous could also go here. On the hillsides going up to Monkey Pavilion, add a couple netted outdoor exhibits for spider and howler monkeys with overhead shifts connecting the exhibits. Expand on the outdoor sloth exhibit. Replace Monkey Pavilion with a state of the art tropical house with exhibits for Panamanian frogs, fish, caiman, calltrichids, capybara, birds, and indoor exhibits for spider and howler monkeys.

Add netted outdoor aviaries in the Australia Walkabout for kookabura, eclectus parrot, tawny frogmouth, etc. Add wallaroos to the walkthrough exhibit. Replace American alligators with freshwater crocodiles. Add Fly River turtles to the shell duck pond. Renovate outdoor exhibit on south side of Scutes Family Gallery and indoor atrium for Komodo dragons. Replace art gallery theme with more natural exhibits but keep the idea of the animals being art like MOLA but on a much smaller scale.

Build outdoor aviaries for ground hornbills in Encounter Africa or African Rift Valley. Add naked mole rats to indoor elephant viewing or indoor giraffe viewing. Replace one of the three meerkat exhibits with banded mongoose.

Add outdoor exhibits for wolverines in Rocky Mountain Wild.

Add outdoor exhibits in My Big Backyard for raccoons, ringtails, ravens, and owls.


Denver Zoo

Keeping with the master plan because I love it but adding a few things.

Make the new polar bear exhibit rotational with grizzlies as I don't have faith that there will be enough individuals to support all the polar bear exhibits in the country.

Add a giant tortoise yard outside of Tropical Discovery.

Completely redo The Edge. Reduce the amount of metal and build something more naturalistic with elevation changes and water features (akin to Cleveland's new exhibit). Rotational exhibits for snow and Amur leopards should be added nearby.

Add a walkthough Australia exhibit between the Coastal area and The Edge. Wallabies in a walkthough exhibit and emus, and kangaroos in a separate yard. Tasmanian devils should get an exhibit here as well. This isn't a huge space so this is probably all that could be added.

Bring back bison and add pronghorn to the proposed Into the Wild area.


Pueblo Zoo

*this is largely based on if Pueblo had more money to build exhibits. They barely raised enough to build a new Debrazza's monkey exhibit and quarantine facility so this is based on changes I would make with a much larger budget.*

Renovate area around the new painted dogs and Debrazza's monkeys exhibits. Add a new yard for ostritch and zebra in this area. Combine this yard with the current Australia yard and add giraffes.

Replace the animals in Islands of Life with animals that actually live on islands. Iguanas, Komodo dragons, birds, and more lemur species should go here. Move animals such as hyrax, meerkats, squirrel monkeys elsewhere in the zoo that make more sense thematically.

Build a new Australia exhibit with wallabies, emus and kangaroos outside the Islands of Life building.

Renovate the South America and Asia hoofstock yards into an Asian complex with red pandas, Pallas' cats, takin, and snow leopards.

Renovate the center of the zoo (currently Pioneer Ranch) into a restaurant and event space.

Build a new Pioneer Ranch (or call it something new. Same farm/children's zoo concept) over the old bear grottoes.

Demolish and rebuild World of Color into a modern reptile house.

Move bald eagles to a new aviary by the waterfowl pond and build a grey wolf exhibit nearby.

Demolish the corn cribs, the African Plains yard, and birthday party space and build a large Forests complex. An immersive exhibit that begins near the main entrance with an aviary for an owl species. The path continues with an exhibits for Canada lynx, and other North American species. The path then leads to a new yard for maned wolves and giant anteaters. There is a netted exhibit for squirrel monkeys. Then the big exhibit for okapi and a building for bonobos with a netted outdoor exhibit. The complex exits near the African penguins exhibit which is now outdoors and attached to a renovated Ecocenter.

This new Ecocenter has a walkthrough aviary with lorikeet feeding, a touch pool with sharks and other sea creatures, and an interpretive educational area with a stage for presentations.

 

[Valentinoamor]

Henry Vilas Zoo

• Finally complete the White Rhino exhibit.
• Add a smaller African hoofstock animal into the small chunk of exhibit left from the rhino renovation.
• Turn the large picnic area near the rhinos and giraffes into an exhibit area. I've never seen anyone use it.
• Renovate the Barbado Sheep and Ostrich exhibit (which may be happening, the animals haven't been on exhibit despite the surrounding construction being done around the exhibits. They also have "Pardon our dust!" signs in there."
• Get some air flow in the room with Geoffroy's Marmoset exhibit so it doesn't smell so terrible and people can enjoy the animals.
• Revamp the Goat Yard.
• Revamp the Round Barns into an Asian exhibit area. Keeping the Lar Gibbons, Red Panda, and Indian Crested Porcupines. Adding in exhibits for possibly Clouded and Snow Leopards, both of which are species the zoo said they would like to add to the zoo a few years ago.
• Remove the old American Bison and Prairie Dog exhibits, building a new Prairie Dog exhibit, as well as newer exhibits for other North American species.

 

[Nate Brother]

Cincinnati:
It is not confirmed what is going to go in the current Elephant Reserve after Elephant Trek is completed, I would say turn it into a large forest exhibit for Indian Rhinoceros. Add some more species to the P&G Discovery Forest, maybe bring back the Toucan or tropical fish (for representing the most biodiverse area on earth, there are a small amount of species). Possibly they could take the empty area besides P&G and turn it into an exhibit for South American Wildlife (I would want Maned Wolf but I have bias). Add some more foliage to the Girrafe Ridge and turn the campground into a private area for the giraffes. Moving to the bear line, DESTROY IT ALL. Tear down everything that is their, including the Sea Lion exhibit. Turn it into a large forest exhibit for Polar Bears, and destroy all the mock rock. Include an underwater viewing where it is today, but bigger and no mock rock. In Dragons, I would expand it to contain more monitor lizards, since it is supposed to be the Monitor house but only contains about 5. Move the lemurs to an exhibit in Jungle Trails. Ditch the moat in Goriila World, and make the area just all grass and climbing oppputunites that you view through glass. Remove the Chinese Alligators from the reptile house, and give them a large outdoor exhibit in the future Elephant Trek. With the Monitors also now in Dragons, you can make the area entirely for small snakes and frogs. Turn the large empty area between Gibbon Islands and the new Galapagos Tortoise into a new Pinniped Exhibit, with Sea Lions and maybe Harbor Seals. Also, in the upcoming Roo Valley, instead of a Beer Garden, make a lush exhibit for Cassowary or a small picnic area with a wombat exhibit.

 

[Dyl0526]

Southwick's zoo:
Move the lions closer to the african area of the zoo by renovating the watuzi and camel exhibits so they could contain the lions. This would give them more space than they have now. I'd also give the current lion exhibit to sloth bears because a lot of the animals in that area are asian. It would also be cool to see a female african leopard so her and the male their could breed.

 

[15399]

Capron Park Zoo-
Get rid of the goat/alpaca yard and build a new exhibit there for endangered deer/ other hooftock. Add tufted deer to the crane exhibit. Turn the nocturnal exhibit into a diurnal reptile house for African rock python, tuatara, Chinese alligator, tokay gecko, Sumatran water monitor, and build new exhibit in center of pathway for Brazilian rainbow boa and madagascar day geckos. Turn old water monitor exhibit and hornbill exhibit into an Amazon rainforest display with titi monkeys, a southern tamanduaa, caiman lizards, a green aracari and the golden lion tamarind. Renovate the otter exhibit to accomadate giants otters. Add ocelot back to the Lemur side of otter building. Remove the caterpillar play area to build a new exhibit for squirrel monkeys. Build a new exhibit where the tent for summer camps is and house rare sheep in it. Add raggiana birds of paradise to the porcupine exhibit. Add crested oropendula to the outdoor bird exhibit. Expand the Kookaburra exhibit.

 

[Dyl0526]

Capron Park Zoo-
Get rid of the goat/alpaca yard and build a new exhibit there for endangered deer/ other hooftock. Add tufted deer to the crane exhibit. Turn the nocturnal exhibit into a diurnal reptile house for African rock python, tuatara, Chinese alligator, tokay gecko, Sumatran water monitor, and build new exhibit in center of pathway for Brazilian rainbow boa and madagascar day geckos. Turn old water monitor exhibit and hornbill exhibit into an Amazon rainforest display with titi monkeys, a southern tamanduaa, caiman lizards, a green aracari and the golden lion tamarind. Renovate the otter exhibit to accomadate giants otters. Add ocelot back to the Lemur side of otter building. Remove the caterpillar play area to build a new exhibit for squirrel monkeys. Build a new exhibit where the tent for summer camps is and house rare sheep in it. Add raggiana birds of paradise to the porcupine exhibit. Add crested oropendula to the outdoor bird exhibit. Expand the Kookaburra exhibit.

I'm surprised you Didn't mention the lion exhibit I went to capron today. I forgot how small it really was.