Franklin Park Zoo Franklin Park Zoo History, Future, and Ideas

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

This thread is going to be all about the history future and ideas for Franklin Park Zoo. In this thread you can post about history, future plans or ideas for this zoo!

 

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

Once Dinari dies at Franklin Park Zoo what does everyone think the zoo will do? I personally think that they will probably just get another group of related males to live out their lives there. I hope that they instead though create a breeding group. They would probably have to fill in the most and build up the wall all around to keep any possible baby that would be born safe. They would also have to expand the behind scenes area because if you look behind the turtle exhibit and the lion exhibit near the old folly structure you can see only two trailer like things there to hold the lions in.

With the new African experience coming to Franklin Park Zoo they will be expanding the Serengeti Crossing. With the expanding do you think that they will have to expand partly into the current Hyena exhibit because it is right behind the Serengeti Crossing exhibit.

I know that this link has already been shared on Zop Chat but I am still going to put it in here: Franklin Park Zoo Development Plan

The Franklin Park zoo has more or less sort of eventually completed everything that was supposed to be done before 2024 or is currently building it. I would just like to talk about it a bit. On the timeline there is a historic element part where they make them nicer. They have already started work on the folly’s rock garden. Do you all think that this is them starting this faze? If so then they are way before schedule. I can see them doing the greeting section with the penguin exhibit or just slowly working on it and after the historic renovations is the wild Asia section. Do you think that they are going to do this after the Serengeti construction is completed? If so what animals do you think that they will include? I will write down mine in my next post here.

 

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

Once Dinari dies at Franklin Park Zoo what does everyone think the zoo will do? I personally think that they will probably just get another group of related males to live out their lives there. I hope that they instead though create a breeding group. They would probably have to fill in the most and build up the wall all around to keep any possible baby that would be born safe. They would also have to expand the behind scenes area because if you look behind the turtle exhibit and the lion exhibit near the old folly structure you can see only two trailer like things there to hold the lions in.

With the new African experience coming to Franklin Park Zoo they will be expanding the Serengeti Crossing. With the expanding do you think that they will have to expand partly into the current Hyena exhibit because it is right behind the Serengeti Crossing exhibit.

I know that this link has already been shared on Zop Chat but I am still going to put it in here: Franklin Park Zoo Development Plan

The Franklin Park zoo has more or less sort of eventually completed everything that was supposed to be done before 2024 or is currently building it. I would just like to talk about it a bit. On the timeline there is a historic element part where they make them nicer. They have already started work on the folly’s rock garden. Do you all think that this is them starting this faze? If so then they are way before schedule. I can see them doing the greeting section with the penguin exhibit or just slowly working on it and after the historic renovations is the wild Asia section. Do you think that they are going to do this after the Serengeti construction is completed? If so what animals do you think that they will include? I will write down mine in my next post here.

I am now going to write down my species list that I think the zoo would most likely put in the Wild Asia section. First of all Wild Asia would most likely include the pagoda like bird house so it would most likely be in the area behind it. Here is my species list:

-Sumatran Tiger
-Sumatran Orangutan and Siaming Gibbon mixed together
-Komodo Dragon
-Greater One Horned Rhino

Bits of Franklin Park zoo History:
Old Franklin Park Zoo map
This map I found on Pinterest of Franklin Park Zoo and it is quite interesting. I know that this has been mentioned on Zoo Chat before but the Giraffe Savannah exhibit was actually supposed to be called “Rhino Ridge” and house Rhinoceros!

 

[ZooElephantMan]

The lions holding area isn’t in the trailers— there is actually a hidden building built into the mock rock wall behind the lion exhibit. The building serves as the holding for both the lions and the hyenas. I would be surprised if the hyena exhibit was removed during the Serengeti crossing expansion, as that exhibit just received some updates and the hyenas were just moved in so it would be a waste to remove the exhibit just after those additions. If the hyena exhibit were to change again, that would be more likely to occur after the current inhabitants pass away.

I do think the historical restoration project mentioned on the masterplan is referring in part to the rock garden, but there are other projects that fit under this category too. The folly was recently restored, and they have also done upkeep on behind the scenes things and infrastructure, as well as historic parts of the zoo like the bird house.

After the Penguin exhibit and the Savannah expansion, I would expect it to be a few years before FPZ has another major construction project (probably stone zoo will get a big project before Franklin park gets another) but I would expect the new zoo entrance to be the next, and Wild Asia to be last.

Even though rhinos were originally planned for Giraffe Savannah, that is not what Rhino Ridge was referring to on that map. Rhino Ridge was actually the name of a movie experience that visitors could watch in that part of the zoo for a few years.

 

[ManedwolfLover]

I'm very intrigued about a wild Asia section. I haven't heard anything about this plan. Assuming it goes through where would it be located? There is open room along where the Tapir's outdoor enclosure is but that doesn't feel like enough for all the mentioned species. The only other plan I could think of would be expanding into the zoo's former reaches, though I feel that is highly unlikely.

 

[ZooElephantMan]

I'm very intrigued about a wild Asia section. I haven't heard anything about this plan. Assuming it goes through where would it be located? There is open room along where the Tapir's outdoor enclosure is but that doesn't feel like enough for all the mentioned species. The only other plan I could think of would be expanding into the zoo's former reaches, though I feel that is highly unlikely.

This timeline of the masterplan seems to suggest that Wild Asia would be connected to the Bird House, which makes sense given that building's architectural style. But this entire plan may also get thrown out the window when the new director comes in, depending on if they want the zoo to move in a different direction.

(timeline from this website: Zoo New England Re-Development Plan - BIA.studio)

 

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

Yes I was thinking that it would make sense for it to be with birds world as birds world and the crane exhibit are Asian themed.

 

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

The lions holding area isn’t in the trailers— there is actually a hidden building built into the mock rock wall behind the lion exhibit. The building serves as the holding for both the lions and the hyenas. I would be surprised if the hyena exhibit was removed during the Serengeti crossing expansion, as that exhibit just received some updates and the hyenas were just moved in so it would be a waste to remove the exhibit just after those additions. If the hyena exhibit were to change again, that would be more likely to occur after the current inhabitants pass away.

I do think the historical restoration project mentioned on the masterplan is referring in part to the rock garden, but there are other projects that fit under this category too. The folly was recently restored, and they have also done upkeep on behind the scenes things and infrastructure, as well as historic parts of the zoo like the bird house.

After the Penguin exhibit and the Savannah expansion, I would expect it to be a few years before FPZ has another major construction project (probably stone zoo will get a big project before Franklin park gets another) but I would expect the new zoo entrance to be the next, and Wild Asia to be last.

Even though rhinos were originally planned for Giraffe Savannah, that is not what Rhino Ridge was referring to on that map. Rhino Ridge was actually the name of a movie experience that visitors could watch in that part of the zoo for a few years.

Thanks for all of the info! It’s really helped fill in some blank parts of the zoos history and plan for me! Really appreciate it!

 

[Zoo-Lover-1-2-3]

This just came to my mind but do you think that if the wild Asia section is to be made would they move the bactrian camels over there as the area that there are now is only African animal besides for them?

Here is also some idea for the Tropical Forest that I have for all of the exhibits going from start to end of the building:

- Western Lowland Gorillas: overall this exhibit doesn’t need much of a renovation but I think it would be great if they could add colubus monkeys in with the gorillas (more about the colubus monkey possibility can be found out in the zoo news 2024 thread)

-Ring Tailed Lemur: I know that I’ve talked about this before but I think that they should remove the ring tailed lemurs and change the exhibit up to be more forest like and put in white and red ruffed lemurs.

-Under Construction Clouded Leopard Exhibit: O can’t say much about this yet as I don’t know totally what the exhibit will end up looking like but I’m excited for this new animal!

-Pygmy Hippo pen one and two: I think that they should keep the hippos but in the previous capybara exhibit which is now one of the hippo exhibits the pool needs to be re down and deepened.

-Cotton Topped Tamarin and Pygmy Falcon: I think that the should send away the Pygmy falcons and combine this exhibit with the tamarin exhibit to give the tamarins even more space. It would be an easy fix as the two exhibits are right next to each other.

- Potto: As this species is getting phased out of AZA zoos they should instead put in Lorises.

- Slither Inn: overall a nice exhibit area but rename the exhibit so that it can include amphibians too. Also remove some of the skulls which take up old animal tanks and bring in some new poison dart frogs!

- Hippo Theatre: overall nice but remove the fish informs of the hippo pool so that it’s easier to see them while they are swimming. Also make the glass go all the way down to the ground to maximize viewing.

-Saddle Billed Stork: overall I think that this exhibit can be kept as it is.

- Giant Anteater: I think they should remove the anteater and retrofit the exhibit so that it can hold cassowaries. With the retrofit should be some more young trees and hidden puzzle feeders to help engage and stimulate the cassowaries brains.

- Bairds Tapir indoor: not sure if this is a great idea or not but I think that they should remove the tapirs and either bring in Malayan tapirs or okapi.

-Caged in Bats: this exhibit can be kept pretty much the same.

-Crocodile and Sloth: I believe that this exhibit is too small for this species and the croc should be removed and this exhibit should be combined with the neighboring sloth exhibit. The sloth would then be able to explore a bigger larger space. I think that adding emperor tamarins or golden lion tamarins in with the sloth would also be a nice touch.

-De Brazza Monkeys: I think that the monkeys should be sent away and with minor renovations to make the exhibit more natural they could bring in binturong as a replacement.

-Outdoor Painted Dog exhibit: the dogs should leave as they aren’t even a tropic species and with minor renovations they should bring in two or three maned wolves if they could be sourced.

-Outdoor Bairds Tapir exhibit: As I’ve said easier the Bairds Tapir should be replaced by either Malayan tapirs or okapi. With this I think that the outdoor exhibit should be heavily renovated and be majorly naturalized and cleared out a bit with special touches that would pay homage to either the Malayan tapir or the okapi (whichever one would end up in the exhibit).

That wraps up my Teopical Forest Ideas! Please let me know about what you think about my ideas and also please let me know all of your ideas for the tropical forest dome and the rest of the zoo. Also please critique my plan as I most likely made a mistake about being able to get an animal or if an animal would not do well in the tropical forest dome.