Dallas Zoo Dallas Zoo News 2009

A 5-acre elephant exhibit is important, as that keeps on pushing the average size of U.S. pachyderm enclosures higher and higher, and I have to admit that the quality of elephant exhibits are getting much better everywhere. With all of the multi-acre habitats popping up in North American zoos, it is putting loads of pressure on zoos like Jacksonville that have a .75 acre enclosure for about 4 elephants. Zoos that used to have an acre or so for their elephants are now finding out that those exhibits are being dwarfed in size by the ever-increasing large paddocks that are being constructed in zoos.
 
What other US Zoos are planning African Savannah sections? Most zoos already have them or have recently renovated them. Columbus is the only one I can think of.
 
You are placing a lot of emphasis on competition between the zoos holding elephants, so long as the animals are well cared for, well stimulated and protected, surely thats all that matters, not who has the best ele exhibit.
 
@kiang: I just wanted to point out that 20 years ago, or sadly even 5 years ago, having a small herd of elephants in a one acre exhibit was perfectly acceptable. Now zoos with small enclosures find the animal rights activists, bad publicity and internal/external pressure forcing the change that has occured in North American zoos. It is no longer morally acceptable for zoos to keep a number of elephants in tiny paddocks, and slowly but surely all major zoos are expanding for the good of their pachyderms. It is a new reality in the zoo industry, and Dallas is yet another example of one of the 45 or so North American zoos that have expanded their elephant exhibits. There are zoos like North Carolina, National Zoo, Oakland, Indianapolis, San Diego WAP, Dallas, Los Angeles (maybe...haha) and others that will have anywhere from 4-7 acre elephant paddocks. That's great news all around!
 
This sounds like it's going to be a great exhibit! I like how they show Nashville Zoo's elephant exhibit as example, which is probably one of the most underrated elephant exhibit in North America.
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
What other US Zoos are planning African Savannah sections? Most zoos already have them or have recently renovated them. Columbus is the only one I can think of.
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Planning to Build New Africa Savanna Exhibits
Lowry Park Zoo (not done yet)
El Paso Zoo
Peoria Zoo
Memphis Zoo
Blank Park Zoo
Oregon Zoo
San Antonio Zoo
Birmingham Zoo
Chaffee Zoo
Living Desert
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Little Rock Zoo
Minnesota Zoo
Henry Vilas Zoo
Jackson Zoo
Great Plains Zoo
Denver Zoo
Tulsa Zoo
Hogle Zoo
Valley Zoo
Cincinnati Zoo
Buffalo Zoo


Planning to Renovate
Jacksonville Zoo
Zoo Atlanta
Fort Wayne Childnre's Zoo
Toledo Zoo
Sedgwick County Zoo
Abilene Zoo
Miami Metrozoo
 
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@okapikpr - some of those are pretty certain, but most are simply long-term plans that I wouldn't consider "new exhibits being planned," they aren't funded - fund raising hasn't even begun - and we may not see them for many years
 
Id have to disagree. I dont always complete what I plan out to do either. And at this moment in time, those zoos are planning for a new or renovated African Savanna exhibit at somepoint in the future. Isnt that what masterplans are about?
 
okapikpr said:
Id have to disagree. I dont always complete what I plan out to do either. And at this moment in time, those zoos are planning for a new or renovated African Savanna exhibit at somepoint in the future. Isnt that what masterplans are about?
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I know what you're saying, but I wanted to be clear that no one should look for all these new exhibits anytime soon...or ever. Master Plans are not long-term blueprints most of the time. An organization may do a new one every ten or fifteen years. So usually, the first few prioritized projects are likely to be built (although many things can change even that plan) and after that the rest is "history."

I can think of so many zoos that have told me their next project was "x" but in fact, their next three projects came and went and "x" never happened. So are they "planning" X or aren't they? I suppose it's a matter of what "is" is (to quote a former President)
 
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I can think of a lot of things that have been in master plans for Phoenix that never came to be... Ahh Great Deserts of the World would have been phenominal.
 
Thought some of you might like to know that the construction has begun on the African Savanna at the Dallas Zoo. Well at least the demolition. I've seen the detailed plans for the site and can say that it is something that we are looking forward to. If anyone want details or updates let me know.
 
Will Jenny be part of the new African exhibit or are the animals activists still lobbying for council meetings?
 
Jenny is sticking around. She is supposed to get a new friend soon. I don't know any more details about the new elephant but I've heard it will be here in around a month. Unfortunatly, there are still activists protesting outside of the zoo every now and again.
 
jbnbsn99 said:
Jenny is sticking around. She is supposed to get a new friend soon. I don't know any more details about the new elephant but I've heard it will be here in around a month. Unfortunatly, there are still activists protesting outside of the zoo every now and again.
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Great news for Jenny!!!

I can't wait till Billy at the LA Zoo also gets a friend (or girlfriend)!
 
The zoo has updated its plans for the new African Savanna...(thanks zooplantman ;))

The Dallas Zoo

Im not quite sure if I like it better than the previous plan on the zoo's website...
 
I honestly never saw a detailed map of the old plans, but this exhibit has been in the works since 1990! It was originally supposed to open in 1995 so I'm quite sure over the years it has changed in design over the 19 years. I know at one time both hippos and rhinos were supposed to go into the exhibit, but both of those have been removed.
 
mstickmanp said:
So did the size of the elephant exhibit change?
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The new one isn't labeled as much but I dont think so. The North and South Yards appear to belong to the elephants. Plus, the elephant yards need to big - Texas need at least ONE outstanding elephant enclosure!
 
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