Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
What are you referring to? The "African Veldt" opened in the 1930s designed and mostly built by the Hagenbecks.
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden Cincinnati Zoo News 2008-2009
What are you referring to? The "African Veldt" opened in the 1930s designed and mostly built by the Hagenbecks.
Zoogoer2000
Well-Known Member
The old website stated it as Flamingo Cove which opened 2000
African Veldt is the name of the whole area in questioned and it opened in 1935...65 years before "flamingo cove" supposedly opened which is the name of the flamingo exhibit? That flamingo/waterfowl area has been there for at least 20 years if not more. And Rhino Reserve is the name of the Indian Rhino exhibits.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
I think okapikpr is right. There were saddlebille storks in the corner of the Veldt nearest Cat House in the 1980s. Flamingos before that, I think. They probably just re-did that corner in 2000. See attached photo from the 1930s
Attachments
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
The train was already a fixture by then. My guess (only a guess) is that it came in the 70s after Ed Maruska took over.
On Sunday there was definately a yellow-backed duiker in with the okapi as well. The okapi hung out near the back and the duiker was messing around near the front rock wall. Some visitors near us actually thought the duiker was a baby okapi as there was no sign there to say it was part of the exhibit.
tigertiger
Well-Known Member
That's....interesting. Wasn't there today though. I wonder what's up with that.
Also, does anyone have any idea what's going on with the orangs? I hadn't seen them my last 15 zoo visits and contacted the keepers who said they were training them for transferring. Now the sign for their indoor space is gone (a space less than ho-hum for just white checks).
What gives?
tigertiger
Well-Known Member
Any info that you can provide on that? To/in exchange for/etc.?
Curious that if there is ONE to be transferred the lot of them would be off exhibit (I think there are 3?). I just miss seeing orangs...ever.
I saw one in the yard on Sunday. That's it. They had the gibbons in the Asian house as usual. Funny thing is, there are also gibbons in the African building in the old Colobus/aardwolf display. I understand they are limited spatially, but their geographical orientation is atrocious in Cincy. This is just another example of it along with the jumble of species from 2 Asian biomes, Africa and the zoo's few larger species from Oz in Wildlife Canyon by the Sumatrans, along with sea eagles and Andean condors overlooking. The Veldt is kind of a jumble now too whereas it was once pretty strictly African species. Wolf Woods used to be viewable from the back end of the Veldt and held the cheetahs. Now they let the weeds grow over the fence so you can't see into it on that side. Even the old Komodo exhibit with anteaters and tamarins had Siberian cranes in the outside yard. I'd like to think it'll all be straightened out one day, but I kinda doubt it.
tigertiger
Well-Known Member
Very interesting.
For me, geography isn't something important at the zoo (unless it's an exhibit explicitly named--like if the African Plains suddenly had a Giant Panda...) but Cincinnati does have a geography issue.
At the same time, zoos like Cincinnati don't have to luxury of space or money to move animals around until they get it right.
Zoos arent required to theme their facilities by zoogeography. And not all zoos display animals by zoogeographic realms. Cincinnati is an old zoo with a "Victorian" layout...usually consisting of systematic or popular exhibit layout This does give the zoo more flexibility when exhibiting animals. Besides the only zoogeographic exhibits at Cincy are Manatee Springs and Wolf Woods. The rest are mainly systematic/taxonomic (Cat House, Jungle Trails) or popular(Asian Elephants, Gorilla World).
I kind of like the taxanomic approach as well, but it seems to be on the outs in general as far as American zoos go aside from reptile and bird displays.
I hate to be so critical of a zoo I really love and grew up going to frequently. Some of Cincinnati's old European features are what I like about it. I'd love to see new geographic exhibits, but not at the expense of historical buildings like the Reptile House or Elephant House. Those buildings are as much a part of that zoo as the animals for me.
I guess I have just seen so many modernized facilites in the US, usually in a zoo with more usable space, that the grass looks greener to me on the other side when I go to Cincy.
Zooplantman
Well-Known Member
IMO, Cincinnati is the best of its sort. As you say, it cannot easily emulate Woodland Park or the Bronx....not enough space unless they radically reduce their collection. But as an older style zoo collection, it is beautiful and amazingly stuffed with animals to see. It is perfect for the casual visitor (although no zoo will please all of us fanatics on this Forum
) It may well produce a greater number of satisfied visitors than most other zoos.Still, most of what we see is a combination of the first director - Sol Stephan - and the director who re-invented the sad zoo of the 60s - Ed Maruska. We have to wait to see what the "new" director will do (although he has been there on the staff for perhaps 30 years)
tigertiger
Well-Known Member
Newest news from today's trip:
One of the hundred (okay, it's an overexageration but there used to be a lot...) potto exhibits is now a radiated tortoise. It's the last potto exhibit in the Tropical African building in Jungletrails.
As a matter of fact, the zoo now has a WHOLE new map that I think looks great and is informative. There are two ways you can go with zoo maps: 'words' or pictures. I much rather words and this is reflected in the map. The map also promises a black rhino in the old exhibit and the hogs moved over to the bird exhibit next to it. As of yet, this has not been done.
Oryx exhibit in the widlife cannon is being renovated for prezmewalski horses (terrible spelling, I know).
There will be a new Dudke Energy Go Green Garden opening in June.
Today marks the 6th time I've seen one of the females in with the bull elephant. Anyone know why?
Also...today marks the 16th time I've been to the zoo in the last few months and the orangs have been off exhibit (that I've even bothered to look as I don't even go to that portion of Jungletrails anymore...). I've only seen orangs at Cincy twice and once was in December....
Another question: there is definately a duiker in with the okapi's. Anyone know...why?
One of the hundred (okay, it's an overexageration but there used to be a lot...) potto exhibits is now a radiated tortoise. It's the last potto exhibit in the Tropical African building in Jungletrails.
As a matter of fact, the zoo now has a WHOLE new map that I think looks great and is informative. There are two ways you can go with zoo maps: 'words' or pictures. I much rather words and this is reflected in the map. The map also promises a black rhino in the old exhibit and the hogs moved over to the bird exhibit next to it. As of yet, this has not been done.
Oryx exhibit in the widlife cannon is being renovated for prezmewalski horses (terrible spelling, I know).
There will be a new Dudke Energy Go Green Garden opening in June.
Today marks the 6th time I've seen one of the females in with the bull elephant. Anyone know why?
Also...today marks the 16th time I've been to the zoo in the last few months and the orangs have been off exhibit (that I've even bothered to look as I don't even go to that portion of Jungletrails anymore...). I've only seen orangs at Cincy twice and once was in December....
Another question: there is definately a duiker in with the okapi's. Anyone know...why?
I wonder if the Prezwalski's horses are coming from the Bronx downsizing.