Exhibit Designing Competition #2

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Small life in the Dry, Wet and High.


The house is divided into three main areas, desert, rainforest and mountain. The first two areas are set up with lights that dim toward the middle of the day so it is a 50 50 split of night and day. It is nocturnal in the morning. The “sun” begins to rise around 10:30 in the morning and it peaks in brightness around 3:00 pm. This is achieved with timed lighting as well as timed shutters and light diffusers on numerous skylights and windows around the building. The mountain area is on a seasonal schedule as skylights mostly light it. There are some outdoor exhibits surrounding the building but I will explain those later.

You enter into the desert area first. Both nocturnal and diurnal animals inhabit most of the exhibits in this area so there should be activity at all times. The first exhibit is a large glass fronted exhibit that is home to some of the smaller inhabitants of the Kalahari desert. They include a family of Meerkats(4.4), Yellow Mongoose(2.3), South African Ground Squirrel(4.4), Sprinhaas(1.1), Cape Porcupine(1.2), Bat-Eared Fox(1.1+offspring), Aardvark(1.1), Sociable Weaver(10.10), Peach-Faced Lovebird(2.2) and Namaqua Doves(2.2). There is deep sand throughout the exhibit as almost all the animals are burrowers. There are branches protruding from the walls for the weaver’s nest and perching. This way they have roosts that the potentially predatory mongooses cannot get to. There are also rock piles and other branches for the mongooses to scout from. As the foxes may intimidate some of the smaller mammals there is a network of tunnels that connect to a separate viewing area across the hall. Beside this safe area is another exhibit for Black-Footed Cats(1.1). Outside the house there are two exhibits that either the cats or the other animals will be in on a completely random schedule. The walls of these exhibits are made of six foot glass panels that afford up close and personal views. The next exhibit in the desert area is for inhabitants of the South-Western US. It is an open fronted exhibit that is home to Spotted Bats(10.10), Harris’s Ground Squirrel(5.5), Desert Cottontail(2.2), White-Sided Jackrabbit(2.2), Spotted Ground Squirrel(3.3), Greater Road Runner(2.2) and Gila Woodpecker(2.2). The animals are free to roam around the visitor area, although the visitors are on a slightly raised boardwalk (20cm). The walls are rocky and there are numerous cacti, rock piles, bushes and boulders scattered around the exhibit. There are also two glass fronted exhibits for American Badgers (1.1), Kit Foxes (1.1) and Burrowing Owls(1.1). These exhibits have outdoors areas, one netted for the owls and foxes and another separated by a small dry moat for the badger.

Moving into the next area the first thing that hits you is the rapid increase in humidity. This indicates that you are entering the tropical rainforests. You immediately get underwater views of a pair of Neotropical Otters (1.1). Their exhibit is made up of a large sandy bottomed pool with underwater viewing and a land portion modeled to look like an Amazonian riverbank. Their land portion blends seamlessly into the forest behind. After watching the otters you rise up onto a raised boardwalk that proceeds through the forest. From this perch you can see Brazilian Agoutis(2.2), Six-Banded Armadillo(1.1) and Lowland Paca(2.2). Up in the trees you get views of Pale-Throated Sloth(1.2), Silky Anteater(1.1), Northern Night Monkey(2.2), Red-Handed Tamarin(2.2), Silvery Marmoset(3.3), Coppery Titi(1.1), Uta Hick’s Saki(1.2) and Orange Spine Hairy Dwarf Porcupine(1.1). In addition to the mammals in this mixed exhibit there are also Channel-Billed Toucans(1.1), Sun Bittern(1.1) and Giant Timanou(1.3). There is a mid sized glass fronted exhibit for greater Grison(1.1) and a large piano wire exhibit for Tyara(1.1). These exhibits all have outdoor counter parts. Two glass fronted and one large walk through for the primates and company. This concludes the forest portion of the house.

The final area in the house is also the smallest. It is home to many animals adapted to life in the mountainous regions of the world. There are rocky walls surrounding you with rubble jutting out into the hall. Here you have a mixed exhibit based on environment rather than region. There are Black-Lipped Pikas(3.3), Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel(2.2), Mountain Viscachas(2.2), Yellow-Backed Rock Hyrax(1.3) and Alpine Marmot(1.2). These little mammals generally stick close to the rock but every now and again one will dash across the path to another pile.
 
The small mammal house is divided up into five specific indoor buildings, accompanied by several adjacent outdoor habitats for the larger species found here.

Southeast Asian Forest

This starts in a large recreated darkened rainforest, within which there are three main habitats. The first two are large glass enclosures housing climatically sensitive species unable to be kept in enclosures with full outdoor access. The first habitat is home to a pair of North Luzon giant cloud rats, which have stands of live vegetation and a network of tree trunks and thick branches for climbing on. Illuminated information signs demonstrate the different species of cloud rat found throughout the Philippines, complete with a coloured distribution map and images of each species. Opposite this, among the real tree trunks to give visitors the impression of roaming in a real rainforest, the second glass-fronted habitat houses a pair of moonrat and a pair of spectral tarsiers along with any young. Deep patches of substrate and ground vegetation, along with natural bioregulators such as hissing cockroaches, earthworms and beetle larvae make the enclosure more naturalistic and enable the moonrats to constantly forage. The tarsiers on the other hand, are allowed to hunt the cultures of flies, locusts and moths that are released early each morning into the enclosure. Again, information signs on both species are illuminated. As visitors watch these animals, they may be surprised by the sounds of an animal moving above their heads, in the treetops. Red lighting reveals a banded linsang that weaves through the branches with extraudinary grace. A breeding pair of linsangs inhabit this enclosure, and are able to explore all the enclosure if they wish to. To avoid visitors, the linsangs also have two islands within a large pool, each one of which contains a hollow tree for sleeping and breeding in. Swimming in the pool below the linsangs is a school of critically endangered giant pangasius catfish. Following this, visitors reach a large U-shaped pathway from which they can observe three indoor enclosures, each made to replicate the forested cave areas found across Southeast Asia. The first floor-to-ceiling viewing window enables the visitors to observe the Owston's palm civets as they relax in a replicated rainforest environment. In the day, there is not much activity, but the outdoor enclosure, open in the evenings, enables visitors to get great views of the animals on their own terms. Following on from this there is the next habitat, that houses a pair of leopard cats. This enclosure is almost identical to the previous civet indoor area, albeit a bit larger. The final enclosure is a mixed-species habitat for Malayan binturong and Oriental small-clawed otter families. Both species have plenty of space to avoid one another, with rock formations and fallen branch snags allowing the binturongs to stay above the otters and their den hidden among the rocks. As with all the animals, these species have detailed information signs to educate visitors. A winding pathway then leaves the indoor area and curved around again, offering another view of the linsangs. The final enclosure is a walkthrough habitat, with a boardwalk among the trees. Again, this is a darkened tropical forest, and the overall appearence is similar to the linsang rainforest. In here however, the distinctive theme is the trade of wildlife in Asian food markets. All five species found in this walkthrough are threatened by hunting, and several information signs demonstrate this. Living on the forest floor are greater chevrotains, in the canopy there are pygmy slow lorises, gliding from tree to tree are red-and-white giant flying squirrels, foraging both on the ground and in the trees is a pair of endangered Chinese pangolins and in the large pool that occupies part of this completely indoor environment there are several Chinese pond turtles. Feeders are disguised as arboreal termite hills, hollow logs or bracket fungi to keep the enclosure looking natural, and sound rocks play nocturnal rainforest noises to help with the authenticity.

Amazonian Rainforest

The first part of the Amazonian Rainforest section (the second building in the complex) is also the biggest, and houses thirteen species in naturally planted surroundings. Among the mammals there are golden lion tamarins, white-lipped tamarins, silvery marmosets, Geoffroy's marmosets, pygmy marmosets, black agouti, a Hoffman's two-toed sloth and a lone Southern tamandua, while completing the habitat are a range of birds, namely the yellow-fronted woodpecker, keel-billed toucan, Montezuma oropendola, South American yellow oriole and screaming piha. All the species have access to a slightly smaller outdoor habitat, and the indoor area has a boardwalk following a shallow creek, so the animals are not disturbed as much by humans on the forest floor. Also there is a wall-set enclosure that houses a pair of big hairy armadillos. Information boards provide information about each species and help visitors identify what they are looking at. The next area are three mostly similar habitats set along a twisting S-shaped corridor. The first indoor area, all of which are based upon dense thickets formed along a steep cliff face houses guayaquil squirrels and striped hog-nosed skunks. The presence of lots of climbing areas allow the squirrels to avoid the skunks, and plenty of natural substrates and ground vegetation outdoor enable the skunks to forage naturally. The next habitat houses a pair of oncilla, that have one of the largest small mammal enclosures, with not only a large, well-planted indoor area complete with two smaller viewing windows but also an even larger rainforest-themed environment. The viewing corridor, which is lowered into the ground, also has part of the oncilla enclosure above it, so that the oncillas overlook the walkway when they are outside. The third and final enclosure of the trio houses both lowland paca and red titi monkeys. As usual, informative plaques provide interesting facts about each animal that the visitor can see. The final area is one of great interest to visitors, as it is based upon the nocturnal forests. The first five enclosures are all large but nonetheless similar habitats for Neotropical bats, with plenty of information about the zoo's conservation projects with bats. The first is a dense rainforest home to orange nectar bats, Seba's short-tailed fruit bats, and Honduran white bats, the second is a forested cave environment home to common vampire bats, the third houses greater bulldog bats in an open rainforest complete with a stream for the bats to feed from, the fourth is home to pale spear-nosed bats and the final enclosure holds a small breeding group of South American false vampire bats. The information signs also have facts about the diets of each of the different bat species, and show how important they are in the world's ecosystems. The final enclosure in the nocturnal area is another large boardwalk enclosure made to look like the first rainforest enclosure, except at night. In this enclosure lives a fascinating mix of nine-banded armadillos, Northern owl monkeys, yapok, Brazilian prehensile-tailed tree porcupines, grey four-eyed opossums, pacarana and breeding pairs of both Hoffman's two-toed sloths and Southern tamanduas.

Australian Outback

The Australian Outback is all confined to one building, with several animals having outdoor access to the larger adjacent Australian paddock. The first enclosure is a netted habitat disguised by eucalyptus leaves, that houses Southern hairy-nosed wombats and greater gliders. The two species both have access to a netted-over outdoor habitat as well, but during the day they are easier to see relaxing in the warm indoor area. Following from this are four enclosures in the wall, each one spacious for the species in question, with the first enclosure (that is viewed through glass) housing kowari, the next two (both viewed through invisi-netting) housing greater bilby and tiger quoll respecively and the final enclosure (again viewed through glass), housing brush-tailed mulgara. The boardwalk then runs between two seperated enclosures. One, with access to the main Australian paddock with larger animals and other birds, is home to pretty-faced wallabies, long-nosed potoroos and short-beaked echidnas, while the other houses Queensland koalas and rufous bettong, which have access to their own outside area. These animals each have adequate space to avoid each other if they desire to, and have areas where they can escape the public view if they wish to. The final additions to this house are free-roaming, although of the four species, three spend their days sleeping in specially prepared hollow trees. These three nocturnal mammals are sugar gliders, yellow-bellied gliders and feathertail gliders. Finally, there is a small flock of free-flying scarlet-chested parrots that have a hidden area to roost and nest in to avoid competition with the gliders, but generally they can be seen foraging in the wallaby and koala enclosures for randomly scattered small seeds. Information signs are present about all species shown in the house, along with an interactive section about the extinct wildlife of Australia.

Middle Eastern Desert

This single-building environment features some of the most popular small mammals in the entire house, and many of the animals in here are very rare in captivity. The first two animals are viewed from a boardwalk overlooking a rugged vegetation-lined cliff. A piano-wire enclosure with several large rock piles and fallen branches houses a pair of sand cats, which are of a very rare subspecies while the main enclosure viewed from the boardwalk houses a small colony of active and interesting rock hyraxes. Following on from this area are four indoor areas for larger animals with access to outdoor enclosures. The enclosures are all based on caves, and are made to resemble the Middle Eastern arid environment these animals have adapted to. The first enclosure houses marbled polecats, the second features endangered Turkmenistan caracals, the third is home to honey badgers and the final habitat is home to Sinai red foxes. Information boards indicate the behaviour of these four species, and interactive areas enable visitors to watch films of these animals in the wild. The final enclosure is surprisingly large and spacious, with a generous area for the two small mammals. Long-eared hedgehogs can only live on the larger lower tier of the enclosure, while tiny burrows and bolt-holes enable for the much smaller and rarer piebald shrews to avoid the hedgehogs and run around as they would in the wild. Rock piles, small amounts of vegetation and live invertebrates ensure these animals lead a naturalistic existance, and there is a large information board demonstrating the research work the zoo is performing on the piebald shrew in its native homeland.

Papua New Guinea Rainforest

The final building is another magnet for rarer species, with five large habitats each planted with native New Guinea vegetation to mimic the nearly unexplored wilderness of the region. The first enclosure is based upon one of the Mageni river caves, and features a network of what appear to be tree roots, along with several small holes that allow sunlight in and enable the spectacled flying foxes that live inside to access their outdoor aviary. This long, narrow habitat enables visitors to get up close to these giant animals, and also there is an interactive sign about this amazing habitat. The next three enclosures are all overlooked from observation hides with floor-to-roof viewing. These hides enable visitors to see several fascinating species. The first enclosure houses painted ringtail possums, a colourful and fascinating species that spends much of its time clambering about among the trees surrounding the hide. The next enclosure features common spotted cuscus and Bosavi woolly rat, two impressive animals that amicably mix together, due to the fact that the cuscus, being arboreal, very rarely meets the terrestrial rat. The final habitat, and one of the largest, feature three completely different species- little red flying foxes, tiny feather-tailed possums and Northern brown bandicoots, each one interesting in its own distinct way. The final enclosure, and by all means an absolute highlight features a boardwalk going right through the forest. This enclosure is the culmination of several years of the zoo perfecting indoor rainforest habitats, and houses red-legged pademelon, Goodfellow's tree kangaroo, ground cuscus, striped possum and Australasian water rat among the mammals, while New Guinea's vast bird life is represented by Victoria crowned pigeons and flame bowerbirds. Having passed through this 95 metre square environment, where the animals are encouraged via feeding tables, nesting boxes with viewing windows and places to heat up or cool down placed near the walkway, visitors leave the Small Mammal House, and are welcome to wander around and observe the outdoor enclosures of the animals they may have already seen in the house.

Hope you enjoyed reading this, because I certainly enjoyed designing it.
 
I'm a little late, but...

All the designs were excellent, but the winner has to be DesertRhino150. I'll be looking forward to your next challenge!
 
A zoo wants to rehouse its current herd of giraffes, and want you to help not only create a new exhibit for the giraffes, but also bring in some new African species to help draw in the visitors. The rules are:

- There have to be facilities for 2:6+ reticulated/Rothschild/masai giraffes
- The giraffes have to be included in a mixed-species exhibit containing up to 10 NEW species (not including giraffes)
- There can be up to seven seperate outdoor enclosures surrounding the giraffes
- The indoor area for the paddock animals may also have up to fifteen new species, of any group
- Remember that the zoo only wants African species in this new complex
- Species don't have to be kept in captivity

The deadline will be Wednesday at 7:30 British time. Enjoy!
 
Fossa dude said:
What do you mean by that? Is it 2.6 reticulated , 2.6 Rothschild, and 2.6 Masia or is it all of them together?
Click to expand...

I assumed that you could choose one of those subspecies. So it would be 2.6 of just one subspecies, but I could be wrong.
 
I thought I wiuld try this out for a first time.
Wish me luck:D

My exhibit is called Africa. The entire exhibit is accessed by a series of canals. A main waterway surrounds a large savannah exhibit. Seven other side exhibits can be seen from the canal, or from land. Large boats travel round the waterways, picking passengers up near the giraffe barn, traveling around the savannah exhibit, and making stops at each side exhibit.
Inside the giraffe barn, the zoo’s herd of 5.6 Masai giraffes can be seen at ground level, or from an overhead viewing deck, where feedings take place every day at 3:00 p.m. The roof is made of glass, allowing natural sunlight to stream in. Indoor exhibits for the other animals on the savannah exhibit live in a behind-the-scenes holding area, Accessible from the ground floor, and underground tunnel introduces visitors to Animals of the Night. The light in here is dimed, making you feel as if you’ve entered a nighttime world. A roufous elephant shrew shares its exhibit with a rare nocturnal aye-aye. A large mixed species exhibit holds South African galagos, springhares, Gambian rats, and aardvarks, which can be seen in their underground burrow. A system of clear glass tunnels crossing through the walls, floor, and ceiling are home to naked mole rats. Rotating exhibits display cape porcupines, and fossas. The main attraction, however, is a huge cave, with fake stalactites, housing thousands of Angolan free-tailed bats, desert long-eared bats, and Mauritian tomb bats. Before emerging into daylight, you will come across an exhibit for meerkats, complete with underground viewing.

Outside, on the main savannah, 10 animals co-exist in a 6 acre recreation of the African plains. These animals, none of which can swim, get their drinking water from the canal that surrounds their exhibit. The before metioned Masai giraffes share their spacious home with Grevy’s zebras, a white rhinoceros, nyala, puku, and roan antelope. Also inhabiting this exhibit are ostriches, marabou stork, helmeted guineafowls, gray crowned cranes, and kori bustards.

The first side exhibit you will encounter is a walk-through aviary. Inhabiting this large, free-flight exhibit, are hammerkop, white-headed buffalo weaver, superb starling, cattle egret, white-cheeked turaco, white-faced whistling duck, and bare-faced go-away bird. There are plenty of trees in here for the perching birds, as well as a small pond for the ducks.

The second side exhibit is a large, sprawling savannah, full of plenty of grasses and heated rocks, for some of the savannah carnivores. Any one of 4 species can be seen in this rotating exhibit. Lions, cheetahs, African wild dogs, or a spotted hyena can be viewed here, across a wide moat, or through a close-up viewing window.

The third exhibit is a stream-side exhibit, housing Nile hippopotamuses and Nile crocodiles. The exhibit is split in the middle by an underwater plate of glass, allowing these to ferocious enemies to live in peace. They can both be seen on land, or in an underwater viewing tunnel that goes through the middle of the two exhibits. Sharing both exhibits are various cichlids, able to swim back and forth through small holes.

Fourth is a kopje exhibit, with towering boulder that provide a home for this area’s residents. Rock hyraxes live on top of the high rocks, while ground pangolins and dwarf mongooses reside on the ground. Flying around this whole exhibit are masked and peach-faced lovebirds.

The fifth exhibit may be the most popular. African elephants can be seen in a long, winding exhibit with deep pools at both ends, from a walkway that follows the sharp curves of the exhibit, or from a sky-ride that encircles the elephant’s home from above. With over 8 acres for these giants to roam, this is the largest elephant exhibit in the country.

The sixth exhibit is not accessible from land, and can only be seen from the boat. It is a sprawling 8 acre savannah, housing bat-eared foxes, Somali wild ass, warthogs, dromedary camels, common elands, wildebeest, sable antelope, secretary birds, southern ground hornbills, and aldabra giant tortoises. These unique savannah species teach people about the biodiversity in a single habitat.

The seventh and final exhibit is home to a large troop of chimpanzees. These always popular animals have full access to a forest and open field, where visitors can view them while learning about the similarities of chimps and humans in a research stations. Also in this building is a sandy exhibit for sand cats.

As the tour concludes visitors, can donate money to several wildlife charites, as well as have a bite to eat at a restaurant overlooking the main savannah exhibit.
 
Africa

This complex focuses on the African savanna. It is entered through a village area with a gift shop selling various African-themed items, cafe and a few other things. The cafe has a balcony seating area which overlooks the large mixed enclosure seen next.

After passing through the village, you arrive at a large exhibit, about 4 acres in size, housing several species of animal, including Reticulated Giraffe, Burchell's Zebra, Impala, Greater Kudu and Ostrich. It is viewed from several areas, including ground level, from the cafe and a feeding station. The feeding station is open at certain times of the day for a limited time and allows visitors to feed the 2.6 giraffes.

Near this exhibit are the predators. African Lions and Spotted Hyenas are both exhibited in large, hilly moated exhibits with lots of tall grass and hiding spots. The lion exhibit also has a small kopje. Both can be viewed from glass windows as well as from the moat.

The largest exhibit is the one for African Elephants. It is around 7 acres in size, with a large pool, muddy and sandy sections as well as grassy areas. Food is scattered throughout the exhibit on a daily basis to encourage the elephants to forage.

The kopje contains 2 exhibits, primarily for small mammals. The first is for Meerkats and African Crested Porcupines. The second is for Rock Hyrax, Klipspringer, Dwarf Mongoose and Red-billed Hornbill. The hornbills have access to a smaller area the other animals cannot access.

The last outdoor exhibit is the African aviary. It is themed as a savanna, with many native African plants and trees including acacias. A small stream flows through part of it. Species list: Crested Francolin, Natal Francolin, Water Dikkop, Cape Turtle-dove, Emerald-spotted Dove, African Green-pigeon, Fischer's Lovebird, Hartlaub's Turaco, Green Wood-hoopoe, Woodland Kingfisher, Black-collared Barbet, Black-headed Oriole, Fork-tailed Drongo, Garden Bulbul, Burchell's Starling, Superb Starling, Golden-breasted Starling, Cape Weaver, Scaly-feathered Weaver and African Spurred Tortoise.

Now you go indoors. The indoor quarters for the giraffes and other species in the first exhibit are in here, however they are only open at certain times of the day for short periods to minimize stress. The other part of the building is African Nightlife. It is a mixed species exhibit showing the varied nocturnal animals of the savanna. In this exhibit are Epauletted Bat, Thick-tailed Bushbaby, Aardvark, Springhaas, Brush-tailed Porcupine, Cape Thick-knee and European Nightjar. It can be viewed through glass and wire. Before exiting the building there are tanks for Green and Black Mambas and a Rock Python.

I didn't have a lot of time to add details, so some parts might not be very detailed...
 
Into The Abyssian Kingdom

This complex is focused on the wildlife of Ethiopia. The centerpiece is a large savannah exhibit that is home to Reticulated Giraffe.

You begin in the northern deserts. Here you find a large, sandy exhibit planted with acacia type trees. This exhibit is home to Somali Wild Ass(1.3), Eritrean Dorcas Gazelle(2.5), Sommering’s Gazelle(2.3) and Greater Kudu(2.3). This exhibit is viewed from huts, raised platforms and across a large water hole. Continuing down the path the vegetation changes as does the terrain. It becomes rocky and grass and shrubs become more numerous. The first exhibit in the scrub area is a walk-through aviary for Yellow-Necked Spurfowl(2.2), Black –Bellied Korhan(1.1), Two Banded Courser(1.3), Laughing Dove(3.3), Brown Parrot(2.2), White-Bellied Go-Away(1.1),Striped Kingfisher(1.1), White-Throated Bee-Eater(3.3), Abyssian Roller(1.1) and Superb Starling(3.3). Also inhabiting this exhibit is a pair of Salt’s Dik Dik(1.1). There is also a larger open exhibit with a few rocky outcrops. It is about half the size of the ass’s exhibit. This area is home to Beira(2.2), Dibatag(1.4) and Abyssian Ground Hornbill(1.1+offspring).

Once again the landscape changes. This time it transforms into the jagged peaks and lush plateaus of the Ethiopian Highlands. Here there is an exhibit similar to the Bronx’s Baboon Reserve. It is home to a large family of Gelada (2.6), a heard of the endangered Walai Ibex(2.4),Klipspringer(1.1), Rock Hyrax(4.4) and Blue Winged Goose(2.2). Just down the path is another exhibit home to a breeding pair of Ethiopian Wolves (1.1+0ffspring). These charismatic canines can be viewed from a shelter that is dug into the ground and lets you look up at these elusive animals. After watching the wolves you begin your decent from the highlands, but not without a visit to the mountain forests. Here there is a wooded exhibit that is home to Mountain Nyala(1.2), Melnik’s Bushbuck(2.4) and Bale Mountain Grivets(3.6).

Leaving the highlands the land opens up into vast savannah grasslands. Here there is the 10 acre+ exhibit that holds the Reticulated Giraffe (2.8), Grevy’s Zebra(1.3), Beisa Oryx(2.4), Gerenuk(2.4), Defassa Waterbuck(1.4), Lesser Kudu(2.2) Grant’s Gazelle(2.4) and Hunter’s Hartebeest(2.4). This exhibit has a couple of water holes, wooded areas, viewing platforms and even a camel-drawn dart ride that takes you on a rout through the vast exhibit. The ride ends at the Giraffe Barn. Inside this building is an indoor exhibit space for the Giraffe as well as indoor exhibits for Nile Crocodile(1.2), Desert Warthog(1.1), Aardwolf(1.1) and Serval(0.1). The Warthogs, serval and aardwolves all have outdoor exhibits as well. They are set up so that the Aardwolf and serval can switch and the warthogs can be left to roam around the main exhibit when the keepers see fit.

Hope you enjoy this, as I sure did making it!
 
So sorry for the lateness on my part, but the contest in now closed. And I can confirm the winner is Dibatag! I really liked the idea of exhibiting wildlife all from one area, and the overall species diversity was also very impressive. Commendations go to everyone who entered.

Looking forward to the next challenge :)
 
Thank you! I love hoofstock from that area and I got to pull out all the stops on the last challenge!

Now for the next one. Your local zoo has made an agreement with a rescue centre in south-east asia. The centre is sending you 1.1 sun bear, 4.6 southern pig tailed macaque and 2.3 hog deer. All have either been raised by humans as pets, or rescued from the wildlife trade.

You must provide accommodation for all the individuals mentioned above
You can add up to 7 other mammal, 10 bird and 5 reptile/amphibian species.
Maximum of 8 enclosures.
Minimum 2 mixed exhibits.
Add some educational elements that have to do with the illegal pet trade or the general mistreatment of animals in south east asia.

Deadline is Monday september 20th at 9pmGMT+6

Have fun!
 
This exhibit would be set around three sides of a lake with one big island on it and can be viewed the whole way along the trail because the trail works it's way around. The island would have an asian building (in a realistic style, not a fanciful Cambodian temple) protruding out onto it on the forth side but it's mostly hidden by the multitude of plants for the gibbons and deer to live in. The island is home to the 2.3 Hog Deer and 1.1 Crested Gibbon. Behind the building would be off exhibit areas for the deer.

The path your walking along winds through some forested areas for a bit and goes past a big aviary for 1.1 Great Indian Hornbill. The aviary is made of that nearly invisible netting and set a little way off the path and the plantings are exactly the same inside the aviary as outside of it so it looks like they're wild. Also in front of the aviary is a rundown looking sign with a picture prohibiting the poaching of Great Indian Hornbills. Also along this trail you can catch glimpses of 1.1 Sun Bears or some of the 4.6 Pig-tailed Macaques or both but they are some way off the path and seem to have no barrier in between them and the path (a hidden moat is the answer).

Up until this point the only signs of humans have been the path, the deer/gibbon building and the hornbill sign and seeing as the path has been winding this way and that the visitors feel like they're actually in the forest until they walk right up to an old, open-fronted building similiar to some of the shops and buildings in Melbourne Zoos elephant village area. This building is labeled as a rescue centre and is home to the previously mentioned bears and monkeys. On one side is a viewing window into the heavily planted exhibit that was seen on the path you've just followed to get here. At the back of the building is a large dayroom that's flooded with natural light and has lots of oppurtunities for climbing as well as a thick bed of mulch. And on the last side is another viewing window into an island exhibit with lots of plants. All three of these exhibits can be used by the bears or the macaques or both together. This will mean a lot of variation for the animals and flexibility for holding the animals in case the bears are seperated for breeding or any other reasons. Inside the building is information about the all of the species you've seen so far(hog deer, crested gibbon, hornbill, sun bear and pig-tailed macaque) as well as threats they face (habitat loss, poaching and being captured for the pet or entertainment trade) and information about the individual animals on display and their stories of being rescued. There are also some interactive props for kids (and the young at heart) to play with such as a bear bile cage to climb into to see what it's like to be a bear on a bear farm, chains that are used to hold monkeys so visitors can put it around their ankle and see the lives many monkeys face and crates that show how many species are kept while at markets.

You exit the building and wind along the path between the deer/gibbon island and the bear/macaque island, cross a bridge or two and find yourself at an asian inspired pavillion. This time it is a proper, stereotypical asian building with two sets of doors so that not much light enters because inside is a nocturnal area. Instead of being a passage with exhibits along the walls, this pavillion is one large open space with a large pond in the middle and three exhibits around the walls. The pond is home to 2.3 Chinese Soft-shell Turtle, 2.2 Pig-nosed Turtle, 2.2River Terrapin (it's scientific name is Batagur baska because it's common name sounds a bit vague) and 1.2 Indochinese Box Turtle. Two of the three large, glass fronted exhibits around the walls are well furnished with branches and plants, one is for 1.1 Malayan Civet and the other is for 1.1 Chinese Pangolin and 1.1 Slow Loris. The final exhibit is a half above water and half below water exhibit for 1.1 Saltwater Crocodile with a sandy beach at the back. The building has a very modern feel inside and has free standing display boards here and there displaying information about threats to more asian species as well as screens playing videos and computer games for kids with an educational feel. All of these have lights set onto them so the area stays mostly dark. There are also money collectors that make animal noises when they get money to raise money for ANIMALS ASIA and other Asian wildlife charities.

Hope you liked it. :)
 
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