Coming Soon to Design A Zoo
The Kaziranga Grasslands
(Working Title)
Within the floodplains of the Indian state of Assam is a world unlike any you’ve ever seen before, a world where the grass grows to heights of nearly fifteen feet, concealing prowling tigers and belittling massive Indian elephants, where rhinoceroses look like dinosaurs, and where hogs the size of cats scamper about. What else lies in the grass-choked plains? Walk through the Kaziranga Grasslands to find out.
The Andes: Mighty Mountaineers!
Prepare to embark on a grueling hike along the world’s largest mountain chain! As you ascend to the summit of the Andes, Aconcagua, visit a number of unique habitats, including the cloud forests of the Northwest, the Atacama Desert, and the shores of Patagonia. A wide variety of animal species thrive here, from South America’s only native bear, the spectacled bear, and the llama’s wild relative, the guanaco, to Magellanic penguins and some of the world’s miniatures, the kodkod cat and the pudu.
And now: our feature presentation...
Take a journey through the heart of North America to traverse long, winding trails overlooking stunning exhibits that accommodate herds of huge bison, remarkable pronghorn, burrowing owls, badgers, and prairie dogs, and a variety of other prairie animals bigger than the Great Plains themselves.
Welcome to
The Anaheim Zoo’s
The Great American Prairie
The North American Great Plains is an area of land that covers nearly one and a half million square miles, stretching from central Canada to the southern tip of the United States and covering more than ten states and provinces. It is made up of a mixture of grasslands, steppes, and prairies, and houses an amazing array of animal and plant species. On your adventure through the Plains, uncover the history of this famous region, find its prehistoric inhabitants, read about the survival success story of the American bison population, encounter its present-day residents, and come to find an overall appreciation for the majesty of the American prairie.
Greater Sage Grouse & Lesser Prairie Chicken
As your journey begins, you are greeted by a spacious field of beautiful yellow needle-and-thread grass, one of the more abundant species of grass on the Plains. The exhibit’s sides are moated, giving guests a nice overlook of the enclosure. It is nicely planted with a variety of other plants, mainly grasses such as little bluestem and bluebunch wheatgrass, and sagebrush. In the midst of the brush, you spot a vibrant patch of orangey-yellow and red. After a double-take, you notice that this “plant” has stripes and a pointy, black
beak. It turns out that it is none other than a lesser prairie chicken
(Tympanuchus pallidicinctus), a male, scouting his home for a potential mate. His adorable
whoops seem to attract a female. He inflates his pouches and hops up and down to try and impress her, but after further inspection, the female eventually turns him down.
Behind the lesser prairie chicken exhibit is an even bigger plain for greater sage grouse
(Centrocerus urophasianus). It also has needle-and-thread grass, with a row of Indian grass running along the front of the enclosure. The courtship displays of the males resemble those of the prairie chickens, but are slightly different. It is one of the most unique things you have ever witnessed. His two bright yellow throat sacs swell and suddenly “pop” as he pumps his chest in and out. The drably-plumaged females pay him no mind. Whilst the birds’ mating rituals were unsuccessful, you are glad you had the opportunity to see them.
A bridge runs over a small ravine, where you have a better view of the plains. A waterfall is on your right, with thick forests surrounding it. You continue on, the pops of the sage grouse displays still audible.
To the right is a long, cabin-like building. It is the History of the Great American Prairie building. Inside, you can read about many events in the history of the Plains, such as European settlement and the railroads built by pioneers. You can also learn of the customs of the Native Americans, like their hunting techniques and the differences in the lifestyles of the many tribes that once lived here. Dioramas show what their villages look like, and give you a better idea of how they went about their daily business. Dioramas also exhibit the extinct megafauna of the plains during the Pleistocene era: the American mastodon, American lion, smilodons and many others. Educators talk about what life was like living on the prairie centuries ago, and how the people coped in times of hardship. Before heading towards the exit, you pass a huge timeline on the wall listing important events in the history of America’s Great Plains.
Burrowing Owls
After exiting the History of the Great American Prairie building, you see what appears to be a large, netted enclosure in the distance, looming behind towering orange rock formations and shrouded in a clump of huge, dark green bur oak trees. There is a fork in the path ahead. To your right, a wheelchair-accessible ramp rolls down, right, and around a boulder, ending at the entrance of the exhibit. Next to the ramp is a five-step stairway which also leads to the front of the enclosure. A zoo employee warmly greets you with a quick nod and a smile while opening the glass doors for the arriving guests.
Inside, you immediately start twisting your head about, taking in the sights and sounds. You are surrounded by rock: the walls are rock, the ceiling is rock, and the floor is studded with jagged stones and rock slabs. You then realize that you are at the end of a cave corridor. A closer inspection of the walls’ crevices and ledges reveal the bones of small rodents, the ripped-up remains of crickets, and what appears to be a bird’s regurgitated pellets. A series of holes have been dug into the corners of the room, tunneling deep into the ground, but it is clear that prairie dogs do not live here. You then hear a few distant
hoo-HOOH… hoo-HOOH and
h-h-RHH, t-chk, t-chk, t-chk calls, and decide to head forward.
A set of plantation-style doors (or at least similar to it), which have six wooden horizontal slats each, and criss-crossing wire mesh between them, corrals you into a [roughly] fifteen-foot [tall] by thirty-foot [long] canyon, where a second set of plantation doors, identical to the first, confines you in a small “cage.” The rock ceiling has vanished and is replaced by netting. Through this netting, you can see the blue sky, which is screened over by the exterior mesh of the exhibit. This area is precautionary: it is meant to ensure that no animals escape or even have a chance to.
Once out of the gorge, you are startled by a small, white-spotted, brown head poking out of the brush. Its bright, unblinking yellow eyes are accentuated by thick, white “eyebrows.” It is a Northern burrowing owl
(Athene cunicularia hypugaea), cocking its head left and right as it peers at you inquisitively. Its furrowed brows make it seem as though it is
scowling at you, almost as if it were human. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it bolts into the nearby brush and out of sight. You continue on through the exhibit.
Here, the rocks, which act as the primary barrier in the enclosure, are much shorter, at heights of 30-36 inches. Their relatively flat, smooth tops are 36-42 inches wide, and thick clusters of sagebrush have been planted on the other side to ensure that visitors stay out. The exhibit very accurately replicates the natural habitat of the burrowing owls it houses, the semi-arid prairies of the central United States. Tufts of prairie dropseed and galleta grass protrude from the khaki-colored earth, while patches of tall Indian grass and short, slender Eastern red cedars dot the outer rim of the aviary. Wheat-colored dead trees and their broken, spindling branches offer lookout posts for the owls.
The landscaping of the exhibit is varied. The majority of the exhibit is rolling dunes, however, there are areas where the ground is flat, and more densely planted. There are craters in the dirt as well. A continuation of the rock cave you came out of, a colossal escarpment makes up almost the entire back side of the enclosure. An overhang allows shade for the owls, while miniature mesas give them additional perches. Looking left and right, you see a large number of the burrowing owls throughout the exhibit atop these rocks, all of them eyeing you intently.
Tiny piles of dirt scattered across the ground mark the entrances and exits to the burrowing owls’ burrows. The burrows were pre-made and run through the length of the exhibit. You smile as a pair of owls runs in and out of the burrow, almost as if they were playing a game of tag. Nearby, two glass-fronted viewing areas are in front of a few of the tunnels, allowing guests to view the owls scamper around underground. In front of these windows is a small staircase that leads you into another viewing area, one that is actually under the owls. Here, there are the bubble domes found in most prairie dog exhibits, accompanied by another set of glass windows that face more of the underground passageways. One window gives you a look at the owls both above ground and below it. You decide that it is finally time to leave the burrowing owls, and make your way out of the exhibit.
*
Burrowing Owl Feeding Frenzy*
Live feedings, along with zookeeper talks would take place twice a day in the burrowing owl exhibit. Known as the Burrowing Owl Feeding Frenzy, this fun experience would enable guests to watch a burrowing owl hunt in action. Small rodents and lizards would be released into the exhibit, with burrowing owls scurrying right behind them in hot pursuit. Short retractable fences would be put up before feeding shows, preventing any prey animals from escaping.
After passing through two pairs of plantation doors, just like before, you find yourself once again in the entryway of a cave. You hear crickets chirping and the hoots of the owls. You sigh, wishing you could’ve stayed longer. But there’s much more to be seen on this journey across America’s Great Prairie, much more to explore. Another zoo employee is there to hold the door open for you, but you are practically storming out in anticipation.
Wild Turkeys
Just outside of the exit to burrowing owl exhibit, there is another split in the pathway. You choose to go to the right once again. This route is very picturesque, almost like a boulevard; with rows of colorful trees and bushes running parallel to the path. At your right is the edge of a small cliff, presumably there to keep guests out of the undeveloped land surrounding the exhibit. To the left is a three-rail mortised split-rail fence that runs the length of the path with wire mesh between its rails. Inside of the exhibit, the ground is carpeted with bluebunch wheatgrass, with a few maple trees scattered around. The exhibit is very spacious, and includes a large pool at the center. A long, hollow, mossy log sits nearby. The outer fringes of the exhibit are heavily planted with a variety of bushes and other plants including Baldwin’s ironweed. Three benches are up against the cliffside for viewing of the exhibit.
However, nothing stirs. You are not yet sure what lives here, but you are convinced that it would be a suitable enclosure for a deer or something similar. Then you hear the distinctive gobble of a turkey
(Meleagirs gallopavo intermedia), and you see an absolutely huge tom stride into view. He is very impressive, with a full fan of white- and brown-tipped feathers, a robust figure, and a brilliant contrast of colors between his snood and his bright-blue face. He settles himself directly in front of you, and remains still. Following close behind is a group of hens, probably the hens he has mated with. And then another memorable experience; you notice a few poults, or baby turkeys, accompanying the hens. Considering how big their father is, you cannot believe how tiny they are. The tom gobbles again, as if he were giving orders, and the parade of turkeys marches away.
Great American Prairie Aviary
Down the path, you spot another aviary ahead. Stepping inside the big netted exhibit, you gasp in awe at the gorgeous forest habitat, seemingly cut right out of the wilderness and placed indoors. Beautiful red bud trees, cedars, oaks and maples are among the many species of trees inside, which shelter mourning doves
(Zenaida macroura), red-headed woodpeckers
(Melanerpes erythrocephalus), Northern flicker woodpeckers
(Colaptes auratus), Northern mockingbirds
(Mimus polyglottos), yellow-breasted chats
(Icteria virens), Western meadowlarks
(Sturnella neglecta), and American goldfinches
(Carduelis tristis). The aviary entrance is level with the ground; however the remainder of the aviary runs off the edge of a short cliff, meaning once you walk in, you are eye-to-eye with the birds in the treetops. High walkways go in between the huge trees, and then wind downwards toward the floor. From here, you can spot plains bobwhite quails
(Colinus virginianus taylori) and scaled quails
(Callipepla squamata) trotting among the leaf litter.
On the ground, the aviary is lushly planted, aside from a few clearings where beautiful ponds lie. A lovely assortment of wildflowers create a magnificent mosaic of colors on the forest floor, one with dark purples, vivid yellows, fiery reds, and many other hues.
The High Plains
Going left at the second split in the path (at the burrowing owl exhibit) leads you to the High Plains section of the complex. At your right, there is a semi-circle pathway overlooking an enormous watering hole in a moated exhibit; the sides are steep, keeping the animals inside. A trio of male pronghorn
(Antilocapra americana americana) stops before you to drink. Further ahead, the exhibit continues, running adjacent to the pathway. This passage has only one tree in it, a small silver maple right in the center, surrounded by tall needle-and-thread grass and bluebunch wheatgrass. Towards the back of this section are a few piles of large rocks, with a higher, steeper cliffside acting as another barrier. Surrounding the exhibit is thick forest.
To the left, a little loop runs off of the main path. This area addresses the misconception of calling pronghorn antelope, when they really are not antelope at all. Close by is a very realistic, life-size male pronghorn sculpture and another sign showing you the differences between pronghorn and true antelope species. It also explains what features characterize an antelope, why pronghorn have their own separate family and are not considered an antelope species, and the variations between antelope species, including full-size bronze models of different antelope horns.
The path turns left, giving you a spectacular view of a wide open plain, the extension of the smaller passage you walked by a moment ago. The golden-yellow coloration of the grass intensifies in the light of the sun. Huge, lumbering plains bison
(Bison bison bison) patrol the enclosure, while young pronghorn gallop around, their mothers right on their heels, ready to protect them if something goes wrong. This section of the exhibit is nearly treeless as well, with the only exceptions being tall, slim cottonwood trees sporadically-planted at the edges of the enclosure.
After the viewing area, the path quickly jerks left again. In the middle of u-turn are dense trees and foliage, planted there to prevent guests from seeing the path on the other side where the pronghorn/antelope comparison area was. The prairie, however, becomes wider, with its fencing following the pathway, further expanding the exhibit. A very pleasant water feature, separated from the pronghorn and bison by rockwork, contains a nice collection of aquatic animals of North America, including the blue-winged teal
(Anas discors), the snowy egret
(Egretta thula) the Western painted turtle
(Chrysemys picta bellii), and the common musk turtle
(Sternotherus odoratus). The pond is densely planted, with reeds and other aquatic plants poking out from the surface. At the center of the pond, a bunch of intertwined branches sits on a bank. The egrets and ducks can perch here, while a large log gives the turtles a spot to bask on. A smaller exhibit is located behind the former; it contains smooth softshell turtles
(Apalone mutica) and American bullfrogs
(Lithobates catesbeiana). Thick grasses and rockwork act as the main barriers. The exhibit has mossy logs and a white, sandy bank for the softshells to rest on.
Having focused all of your attention on the many species in the pond, you barely notice a mother canvasback
(Aythya valisineria)leading her orderly bunch of ducklings across the path. You come to an abrupt stop and watch them disappear into the surrounding brush.
Before the pond exhibits, there was a section trailing off to the left. This small area was another educational spot; this one compared the two subspecies of the American bison: the wood bison and the plains bison. Life-size sculptures are here as well, and a chart shows the most dramatic differences between the two, such as the enormous hump at the front of the back found in wood bison, and the larger bonnet and beard found on the plains bison. The next section is dedicated to the recovering of the bison population after they nearly went extinct in the late 1800s.
As the trail rejoins the main path, another exhibit can be found on your left. It supposedly houses alligator snapping turtles
(Macrochelys temminckii), but they are nowhere to be found. A wide, brownish-green pool is up front, with thick grasses, reeds, logs, and rocks found on the sandy and muddy banks surrounding it.
You head down a ramp, which leads to level viewing of the alligator snapping turtle enclosure and the two pond enclosures. Straight ahead, over a rock fence similar to the ones in the burrowing owl exhibit, is a moated exhibit for Kansas white-tailed deer
(Odocoileus virginianus macrourus). A thin creek, which stared in the snapping turtle area and ran next to the path before cascading into the deer exhibit, divides the enclosure into two areas: a wooded area on the left, an open plain on the right. The path, before turning right, stops at a nice overlook of the exhibit. A doe and her fawn are grazing by the creek, while an impressive buck scent-marks his territory. As you step closer to the fence, the buck, the doe, and the fawn all immediately turn their heads toward you. In unison, they dart into the woods, under the bridge you walked over previously, presumably to where their night quarters are located. Their white flicking tails are the last thing you see as the docile creatures flee.
You walk along a corridor
in between the deer and the continued section of the bison and pronghorn exhibit. After passing a large rock formation on your right, you pass a dusty black-tailed prairie dog
(Cynomys ludovicianus) exhibit dotted with sagebrush, Indian grass and tufts of galleta grass. A dead tree stands off to the side of the exhibit, and branches are along the edges. A small tunnel in the rock barrier allows you go into a few bubble viewing domes to get closer to the prairie dogs. A pair comes right up to the glass, undeterred by your presence. They go about eating their grass, almost as if you were not even there. The exhibit has plenty of rocks for the prairie dogs to lookout from, and a huge network of burrows underground. Glass windows outside of the bubble area give you a chance to see the prairie dogs in their tunnels, like with the burrowing owl exhibit. A nice feature of the exhibit is that you can still see the bison and pronghorn walking around in the background while prairie dogs play in the foreground.
Next door to the prairie dogs is a similar, but smaller, paddock for ornate box turtles
(Terrapene ornata ornata), with foliage hiding the rock barriers. A pool is towards the back left, while the entrance to a burrow and a nest area lie behind stalks of Indian grass to the right.
Forest Exhibits
Straight ahead, there is the entrance to a path looping around a vast turkey vulture
(Cathartes aura septentrionalis) aviary. There are trees along the outside of the exhibit, while the interior is more sparsely-planted. It has a few cedars and dead trees for the vultures to perch on, along with large boulders and tree stumps. Fake carcasses filled with meats of various creatures would occasionally be left out for the vultures to feed on.
After walking around the aviary, you are back on the main path. To the right is a cave tunnel. Inside, there are terrariums for the Western hognose snake
(Heterodon nasicus), the Eastern hognose snake
(Heterodon platirhinos), the speckled kingsnake
(Lampropeltis getula holbrooki), the prairie kingsnake
(Lampropeltis calligaster calligaster), the prairie rattlesnake
(Crotalus viridis viridis), the copperhead
(Agkistrodon contortrix), and the Western massasauga
(Sistrurus catenatus tergeminus). A nice mixed species terrarium houses Texas horned lizards
(Phrynosoma cornutum), Great Plains skinks
(Eumeces obsoletus), and Northern prairie skinks
(Eumeces septentrionalis septentrionalis).
Outside of the tunnel, there are spacious aviaries for American kestrels
(Falco sparverius) and Northern saw-whet owls
(Aegolius acadicus). The kestrels have a moderately-wooded aviary with many perches. Zookeeper demonstrations would occur once a day inside the exhibit, and occasionally a kestrel would be taken out to be viewed up-close by visitors. A handler would answer questions while having the kestrel perched on his/her wrist. The owl exhibit is dense; a forest of oaks, cedars and firs. Live feedings and demonstrations would also take place at this exhibit. Another path loop leads you in front of the aviaries.
After passing the turkey vultures again, you walk down a path leading you past the last few exhibits of the complex. Across from the deer is an evenly-wooded exhibit for greater sandhill cranes
(Grus canadensis tabida). A pair struts by, their conspicuous red caps being the only things preventing them from completely blending in to their surroundings. The grass is taller in this exhibit than any other you have seen, but you are still able to make out a chick, camouflaged with yellowish-brown plumage, at its mother’s side.
The back of the exhibit is more marsh-like; the ground is muddy, mossy logs and rocks plentiful, and murky ponds outlined with reeds are inhabited by American bitterns
(Botaurus lentiginosus).
The path takes you behind the sage grouse and prairie chicken field, where you find an American badger
(Taxidea taxus) enclosure. It is a lightly planted clearing with the zoo ground’s natural woodlands acting as the backdrop. Salt-desert shrubs and grama grass are the primary plant species in the exhibit, with large patches of silvery dirt making up the rest of the terrain. The entrance to a burrow is right up front near the guest viewing area. A solitary male trudges through the light brush and over the many rocks slabs in the exhibit. He snarls, showing off his impressive fangs. He then lethargically slips into his burrow, and the area falls silent.
The winding paths that follow take you to the gift shop, where you buy a souvenir to remember your experience by. You leave the Great American Prairie, and go on to visit another section of the zoo, hoping it is just as exciting...
The Great American Prairie
Exhibit Statistics
Total Number of Species:
42
Estimated Size: 35-50 acres
(25-30 acres for exhibits and pathways, 5 acres for night enclosures, quarantines, utilities, offices, 5 acres of undeveloped land)
Estimated Cost: $25-$35 million
(Landscaping, irrigation, planting, state-of-the-art holding facilities)
Nothing all that special, just typing what I see in my head! Far greater designs will be posted on here by who knows who and who knows when... 
Although, my Mafuriko Wetlands exhibit (described earlier in this thread) has seen many changes in the last few months. That is probably the exhibit I've put the most work into.
