Common Zoo Exhibits

arcticwolf

arcticwolf

Well-Known Member
I have noticed that most zoos aren't very creative. They always have to use another zoo's exhibit ideas. Some examples of common exhibits in North America are wolves with log cabin viewing areas, otter exhibits with an underwater viewing window, prairie dog and meerkat exhibits with pop-up bubbles, etc. So my questions are, what are some of the common zoo exhibits you've seen, and what creative exhibits have you seen that other zoos do not have?

Thanks in advance,
arcticwolf
 
Koala exhibits - Animal in a glass cage with a single tree.

The observation tower.

The bunker with a glass wall.

The aviary where visitors get to feed the birds.
 
baltic zoos bear pits-horrific concrete pits, where half of the exhibit is unavaliable to the bears unless they want a ten feet drop. The rest of the exhibit prevents natural moving, digging, or a comfertable resting place.
 
common:
South America exhibits with overgrown Mayan temples.
Reptile tanks - small terrariums lined along an indoor wall.
Walk thru aviaries - all pretty generic, nothing truly groundbreaking.
Macaws - clipped bird on a stick (the worst offense IMO).

unique, original:
Underwater capybara viewing (Reid Park Zoo)
Underwater retic python viewing (Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium)
Log flume ride through aquarium (Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium)
African safari ride through DENSE bush (Out Of Africa)
Pumas allowed to climb 30 feet up pine trees (Northwest Trek)
Reptiles, amphibians, arthropods, mammals, birds in one relatively small, completely natural outdoor exhibit (Arizona Sonora Desert Museum life on the rocks)
Self drive among lions (Lion Country Safari)
 
Arizona Docent- Let's not forget Asian exhibits with Hindu temples. For unique exhibits, I'd also personally add Brookfield's American Bison exhibit.
Birds of Prey- Small cages
Lynx- Small cramped enclosures
Giraffe Feeding Stations
Otters, Meerkats, and other small carnivores with slides and other human toys in their yards.
 
Arizona Docent said:
common:
South America exhibits with overgrown Mayan temples.
Reptile tanks - small terrariums lined along an indoor wall.
Walk thru aviaries - all pretty generic, nothing truly groundbreaking.
Macaws - clipped bird on a stick (the worst offense IMO).

unique, original:
Underwater capybara viewing (Reid Park Zoo)
Underwater retic python viewing (Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium)
Log flume ride through aquarium (Wildlife World Zoo Aquarium)
African safari ride through DENSE bush (Out Of Africa)
Pumas allowed to climb 30 feet up pine trees (Northwest Trek)
Reptiles, amphibians, arthropods, mammals, birds in one relatively small, completely natural outdoor exhibit (Arizona Sonora Desert Museum life on the rocks)
Self drive among lions (Lion Country Safari)
Click to expand...

I just saw the python exhibit in the zoochat gallery. That is really unique!
I completely agree with the Mayan temple exhibits. I don't understand why zoos can't just create a nice rainforest exhibit without a temple. And the worst part of Mayan temple exhibits is that macaws with clipped wings are normally part of it. That makes two common exhibits in one!
 
Zooplantman said:
Everything with waterfalls
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I suppose waterfalls are pretty cliche but it seems that I have seen them in bear exhibits more often. I also dislike the macaw on a stick cliche. I would much rather see then in a free-flying aviary.
 
A free flying macaw exhibit (especially with multiple macaws) is very difficult: they are so destructive.
Anyone know of any?
 
Zooplantman said:
A free flying macaw exhibit (especially with multiple macaws) is very difficult: they are so destructive.
Anyone know of any?
Click to expand...

Are they aggressive with other parrots as well? The Lied Jungle in Omaha has scarlet macaws but I'm not sure if they are clipped or not. Reptile Gardens in Rapid City, SD also has them but again, I don't know if they're clipped or not. I never have seen them flying around in either place. Are other parrots like cockatoos destructive in aviaries?
 
Common
Various macaw species with clipped wings on fake trees.
Reptile Houses (this one can't really be helped except for the exhibit size))
Giraffes with nice outdoor exhibits and small concete indoor exhibits
Wolves in cabin exhibits as previously mentioned
BTPDs with bubbles for kids to go in as previously mentioned (I like this idea though)
Stingray touch pools
Walk-though feeding aviaries.
Big, open, free-range tropical rainforest (mostly South America but Asia too) exhibits (I do enjoy these however)
I've seen quite a few nocturnal exhibits.
Ponds with native species (both captive and wild) living there.
And Giraffe feeding seems to be on the rise.

Uncommon
Bronx Zoo's Asian Monorail.
CPZ's free-range rainforest exhibit (has species from almost every continent).
SNZ's public indoor Great Ape exhibits (I don't know of many zoos that allow for their Great Ape's night quarters to be open to the public.

By the way, Central Park Zoo has free-flying macaws in their big rainforest exhibit. I was almost hit by one!

~Thylo:cool:
 
Zooplantman said:
A free flying macaw exhibit (especially with multiple macaws) is very difficult: they are so destructive.
Anyone know of any?
Click to expand...

http://www.zoochat.com/1018/giant-south-american-aviary-hyacinth-macaw-249979/

http://www.zoochat.com/610/blue-gold-macaws-222229/

There's two examples but they are very large aviaries.

On the topic of common exhibits, if we're including aquariums then virtually all Sea Life centres are extremely similar with the odd exception or with a bit of a regional twist. I get a feeling of "seen one, seen 'em all" whenever I visit one.
 
@ Arizona Docent where is CPZ and SNZ? Also what are BTPDs? The indoor tropical exhibit is pretty common but that is one thing that I do like in zoos. I would just prefer they exhibit some macaws flying freely, as we have been discussing. I don't like the concrete cells that animals like giraffes and elephants stay in. That seems like it would have to hurt being on that surface. It would be nice to see reptile houses be more innovative but I'm sure that's tough since things like snakes and lizards generally have to be contained.

@Brum, those are nice macaw exhibits, especially the one in France. Is that the same zoo that has vultures that are not in cages? I remember seeing one on Ultimate Zoo that had vultures in an old quarry. Since there were trees above it the birds couldn't fly away since they couldn't get a "running start" so to speak. This zoo also had public feedings of vultures.

Something else I've noticed in zoos is that the entrances almost always seem to have flamingos and/or the Australian wildlife. At least this is what I remember as a little kid, not sure if it's still that way.
 
You directed the first question to the wrong ZooChatter. It was ThylacineAlive that posted those abbreviations, not me. However, I do know that BTPD stands for Black Tailed Priaire Dog.
 
nanoboy said:
What's wrong with temples?
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I think that the main problem with temples is that they don't accurately represent the animal's natural habitat. I'm pretty sure that jaguars don't live on pyramids. Also they are too commonly used, so eventually, people become bored with them.

Another common exhibit that I've seen are kangaroo walk throughs. I know children and even adults love them, but can't zoos think of something more original?
 
Zooplantman said:
A free flying macaw exhibit (especially with multiple macaws) is very difficult: they are so destructive.
Anyone know of any?
Click to expand...

Melbourne Zoo has a really beautiful heritage listed aviary that has macaws as the highlight and a host of other species that changes quite often. I remember when the exhibit had a pair of blue-and-gold macaws, a pair of scarlet macaws, a flock of sun conures, and squirrel monkeys. Here's a photo from the gallery.

http://www.zoochat.com/51/melbourne-zoo-2008-historic-listed-aviary-136036/
 
Arizona Docent said:
You directed the first question to the wrong ZooChatter. It was ThylacineAlive that posted those abbreviations, not me. However, I do know that BTPD stands for Black Tailed Priaire Dog.
Click to expand...

Sorry about that.

@ ThylacineAlive where is CPZ and SNZ? The indoor tropical exhibit is pretty common but that is one thing that I do like in zoos. I would just prefer they exhibit some macaws flying freely, as we have been discussing. I don't like the concrete cells that animals like giraffes and elephants stay in. That seems like it would have to hurt being on that surface. It would be nice to see reptile houses be more innovative but I'm sure that's tough since things like snakes and lizards generally have to be contained.
 
elefante said:
@ ThylacineAlive where is CPZ and SNZ?
Click to expand...

I'll answer for him. CPZ stands for Central Park Zoo in New York City, NY.
SNZ stands for Smithsonian's National Zoo in Washington D.C. He should have said that beforehand.
Macaws having their wings clipped irks me, especially when they're stuck on a stick for their lives. I do like free-flight macaw demonstrations. For example;
Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo's Videos | Facebook
 
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