Detroit Zoo Detroit Zoo

It's amazing how the Detroit Zoo has been struggling in term of finances, and how the establishment has basically been bankrupt with almost zero funding for years now. The zoo actually came perilously close to becoming extinct not that long ago. It's a strange predicament, as Detroit has a large population and one would think that the community would be highly supportive of the zoo in terms of increasing attendance. There are two exhibits that have won AZA Best Exhibit Awards (Amphibiville and Arctic Ring of Life ) and the zoo as a whole is supposedly quite well done. One of the main reasons that I'm including it on my summer road trip is for the now legendary polar bear exhibit. It's great that a capital campaign has been launched, but the proposed new exhibits don't include anything that will entice the casual zoo fan.

On a side note, the Detroit Zoo was supposedly the first zoo in the U.S. to give up its elephants on ethical grounds. Wanda and Winky were transferred to a sanctuary in order to avoid both the Michigan winters and mounting food bills.
 
snowleopard said:
It's amazing how the Detroit Zoo has been struggling in term of finances, and how the establishment has basically been bankrupt with almost zero funding for years now. The zoo actually came perilously close to becoming extinct not that long ago. It's a strange predicament, as Detroit has a large population and one would think that the community would be highly supportive of the zoo in terms of increasing attendance. There are two exhibits that have won AZA Best Exhibit Awards (Amphibiville and Arctic Ring of Life ) and the zoo as a whole is supposedly quite well done. One of the main reasons that I'm including it on my summer road trip is for the now legendary polar bear exhibit. It's great that a capital campaign has been launched, but the proposed new exhibits don't include anything that will entice the casual zoo fan.

On a side note, the Detroit Zoo was supposedly the first zoo in the U.S. to give up its elephants on ethical grounds. Wanda and Winky were transferred to a sanctuary in order to avoid both the Michigan winters and mounting food bills.
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The Detroit Zoo was one of THE GREAT ZOOS for decades, the latest and most extensive in Hagenbeck design and planned to accomodate automobiles (as they liked to call them). But that was seventy years ago.

Now, Detroit has been a dead city (sorry anyone from Detroit) for decades, the zoo depends on the City, whose economy is dead. The Mayor is embroiled in a personal scandal (yesterday the City Council petitioned the Governor to remove him). The zoo's director had his own scandal a year or two ago (lying on his resume!), and when he gave up elephants, his zoo-director-colleagues were not happy with him.

We can be appreciative that the zoo holds on. In time, perhaps it can grow. But Detroit needs to get on its feet before the zoo can.
 
And now that I read the article okapikpr posted, I'd say it is a perfect complement to the discussion in another thread about zoos putting funds into people-amenities rather than animal exhibits and improving conditions.
 
@Zooplantman: I completely agree with your thoughts. Over and over again I read news releases from zoos that are adding gift shops, cafes or carousels while ignoring ancient exhibits. What about the animals?
 
Compared to zoos around the world, American zoos appear to have less community support than their foreign counterparts. These zoos are increasingly trying to find was to increase revenue when government funding is decreasing or disappearing. Its nice to have some zoos that are doing a classy job with it (Bronx, Toledo, Brookfield, Lincoln Park). However you have your tacky ones too (Lowry Park, SDWAP)

These zoos arent ignoring the animals and their exhibits, but just trying to survive. The zoo cant have new exhibits, if there is no zoo right? Detroit is on the right path with a possible combination of regional funding and a building resource of private revenue. New exhibits will come in time. Detroit has already closed down its smaller Belle Isle Aquarium and Belle Isle Zoo (and opened a Michigan themed small zoo in place). The Detroit Zoo doesnt quite have as much deplorable ancient exhibits that need renovation as much as many major zoos do. And like zooplantman's statements, the city of detroit is even lucky to still be in existance.
 
snowleopard said:
Detroit Zoo funding could be near | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

Half of the Detroit Zoo's budget will be taken care of if this funding eventually gets approved. Amazing for a zoo that has been teetering on bankruptcy for at least a decade.
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They inch closer to solvency.
But it will remain up to the voters, and perhaps this is not the best time to ask for a new tax?
Still, such taxes have proven popular in other locales and very helpful to the zoos (Cincinnati and Akron Zoo come to mind)
 
Many people would dearly love to see the Detroit Zoo succeed financially, as the population base in Detroit and the surrounding area means that the possibility of increased attendance could elevate this zoo back to where it was half a century ago.

Seemingly everyone has heard about the "Arctic Ring of Life" polar bear/seal set of exhibits, but the over 1,000 amphibians in the award-winning "Amphibiville" is astounding. Interesting that this zoo is home to one of North America's largest chimpanzee exhibits, and that lowland gorillas, diana monkeys and mandrills all share the same enclosure.
 
Fantastic news!! I regard this zoo quite highly, and they arguably have the best exhibits in all of North America for polar bears, aardvarks, giant anteaters, binturong, tree kangaroos and an assortment of amphibians. Throw in the largest chimpanzee enclosure in North America, the largest musk ox enclosure, the largest red panda habitat, many other spacious paddocks, etc, and I feel that Detroit is one of the best and most underrated zoos around. I never see it on lists of the "best of the best", but perhaps with a few more alterations people will appreciate this historically important zoo.
 
Great news that an aardvark has been born, as the Detroit Zoo has the best aardvark enclosure I've ever seen. I loaded lots of photos of it over the summer into the gallery, and the huge outdoor yard allows for natural behaviour and space for the animals.
 
The Detroit Zoo now has 4.2 for polar bears, but do they still have loan bears from another zoo (Como?) in that total? I'd love to revisit the brilliant Arctic Ring of Life!
 
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