Future Exhibits/Plans at Your Zoo

I've made a list of all the future exhibits planned in works at zoos around the country I could find in my research. Please add any you know that are not on this list or mention if any have been scrapped.

Toledo Zoo

1. $30 million River exhibit featuring hippos and grizzly bears scheduled to open in 2019. Hippos will have indoor and outdoor exhibits. Bears will be viewed through a dome-shaped viewing window.

2. $4.25 million exploration exhibit featuring Galapagos tortoises as well as other animals discovered by British explores from the 1770s to 1830s in Australia, South America and the Caribbean. Slated to open in 2018.

3. $22 million tiger exhibit on site of former Cheetah Valley next to a restaurant with large viewing windows. Slated to open in 2023.

4. $1 basic open prairie exhibit for bison, pronghorn and coyotes on current site of Tiger Terrace. Scheduled to open in 2022.

Potawatomi Zoo

1. Open giraffe and okapi exhibits.

2. Build new lion, tiger and snow leopard exhibits. Phase out Amur leopards.

3. Add meerkat exhibit and relocate warthog and wild dog exhibits.

4. Open new gibbon exhibit.

5. Relocate takin, anteater and kangaroo exhbiits.

6. Open black bear and wolf exhibits.

7. Phase out camels and Ankole cattle.

8. Open flamingo and penguin exhbiits.



Roger Williams Park Zoo

1. First $25 million phase will feature a rainforest building featuring birds, primates and reptiles from South America and a reptile house.

2. Second $25 million phase will feature new exhibits for penguins and sea lions.

3. Third $25 million phase will add tigers and gibbons to Marco Polo Trek. A new colobus monkey exhibit will open in Fabrics of Africa. North America will be redesigned with grizzly bears, moose and bighorn sheep.

4. Zebra, wildebeest, camel, pronghorn and bison will be phased out.

Oregon Zoo

1. $22 million, 1.9 acre Polar Passage will open in 2019, a two-tiered habitat for polar bears featuring natural ground materials, shallow and deep pools and great viewing opportunities. Bears will be able to patrol their habitat as they do in the wild. Sun bears will be phased out to make room.

2. Opening in 2020, the black rhinoceros exhibit will be renovated and expanded. Hippos will be phased out to make room for this addition.

3. All of the primate building but Red Ape Reserve will be demolished and new exhibits will be built for chimpanzees and mandrills. Slated to open in 2020.

4. Open new meshed tiger and leopard exhibits near elephants and orangutans.

5. Close Stellar Cove and replace it with South American exhibit featuring Humboldt penguins, tapirs and monkeys.

6. Open South American Tropical Forest Hub for South American primates, birds, reptiles and amphibians.

San Diego Zoo

1. $68 million, 8 acre Africa Rocks opens summer 2017. It will feature African penguins, Hamadryas baboons, leopards, vervet mnkeys, lemurs, ratels, fossas, ibex, Gelada baboons, dwarf crocodiles, klipspringers, hyrax and African birds.


Milwaukee County Zoo

1. New otter exhibit opening in 2017.

2. $15.2 million African elephant exhibit complex opening in 2018. Wolves, moose, kangaroos and wallabies will be phased out to make room and grizzly bears will be moved to rotate with black bears. A mixed species exhibit featuring hoofstock such as bongo and duiker will be included as well.

3. $6.9 million renovation to black rhinoceros exhibit.

4. $9.6 million renovation and expansion to hippopotamus exhibit featuring underwater viewing.

5. $17 million Alaska’s Cold Coast exhibit, presumably featuring polar/grizzly bears and seals/sea lions among others.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo

1. $18 million, 11.5 acre Asian Highlands complex featuring tigers, leopards, takin, gaur, camels, red pandas, Komodo dragons and birds. Underwater viewing of tigers will be featured. Will take place on current forested hillside and will take a progression from the lower forest habitat of gaur to temperate forest of Amur tigers.

2. Close down Cat Complex and Bear Canyon.

3. $22 million Coastal Shores exhibit featuring polar bears and sea lions in 21900 sq ft and 18700 sq ft habitats. Sea lion exhibit.

4. $4 million Equatorial Africa exhibits for okapis and red river hogs.

San Diego Safari Park

1. Walkabout Australia exhibit featuring kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, tree kangaroos and cassowaries.

Denver Zoo

1. Open $2.5 million Edge exhibit in 2017 showcasing tigers. It is the first phase of Asian Highlands, which will also include snow leopards, Amur leopards, Bactrian camels, wild horses, Pallas cats and birds. This will be on current hoofstock yards between Tropical Discovery and Toyota Elephant Passage.

2. An African Savanna with species such as giraffes, zebras, black rhinoceros, okapi, bongo, gerenuk, hornbills, vultures and cranes. Guests can view species through baobab trees. This will be built on current hoofstock yards in the heart of the zoo. An African village and watering hole will be provided as well.

3. Northern Shores will be overhauled and turned into Coastal complex naturalistic habitats for polar bears, sea lions, seals and sea eagles.

4. Into the Wild exhibit which will be a very flexible exhibit with four distinct zones with a different theme. Species will include penguins, flamingos, cranes, songbirds, small cats, turtles, amphibians, condors and primates. One of the zones will be Perks of the Prairie which will feature prairie dogs, otters, beavers, cougars, lynx, wolverines, burrowing owls and reptiles.

5. Presumably hippos, grizzly bears, kangaroos, Cape buffalo, cheetahs and other species will be phased out.

Saint Louis Zoo

1. Grizzly Ridge will open in summer 2017, providing home for grizzly bears.

2. Current Red Rocks and Big Cat Country will be overhauled and turned into Silk Road. Featured species will include Amur tigers, Somali wild ass, Addra gazelles, addax, gorals, snow leopards, Pallas cats, red pandas, takins, Bactrian camels, Amur leopard, musk deer, sea otters, urials, cranes and possibly golden monkeys and giant pandas.

3. Part of Historic Hill will be turned into Legends of the Forest. The current reptile and primate houses would be renovated to house exhibits from South America, flooded forest, Madagascar, Congo and Southeast Asia.

4. Parking lot will be redeveloped into 13 acre Acacia Grasslands featuring a mixed species savanna for giraffes, zebras and antelope as well as exhibits for lions and meerkats.

Sequoia Park Zoo

1. Native Predators exhibit will feature existing Watershed Heroes and Bald Eagle Aviary as well as add black bears, cougars and other predators.

2. Asian Forests will bring a gibbon xhibit to the zoo.

3. Tropical Andes Biodiversity Hotspot will include giant anteaters, capybaras and maned wolves.

4. Prairie Keystone will feature prairie dogs.

5. Island Adaptations will include ringtailed lemurs.

Audubon Zoo

1. $5 million, 12000 square foot African lion habitat scheduled to open in 2018 on site of current eland/Thomson’s gazelle exhibit. This will begin the redevelopment of the African region.

2. $2.6 million Tropical Birdhouse Renovation.

3. $2.6 million Jaguar Jungle phase II including night house for batsand other creatures.

4. $5.1 million new tiger exhibit in Asian Domain region.

Buffalo Zoo

1. $2.5 million Reptile House renovation that will replace all of the current exhibits with modern habitats. It will also bring Komodo dragons to the zoo and is scheduled to open in 2017.

2. Asian exhibit featuring snow leopards, red pandas and hoofstock.

3. African Watering hole exhibit.

4. Outdoor exhibits for lions, tigers, gorillas and crocodiles at the front of the Main Building.

Zoo Atlanta

1. $41 million Cyclorama exhibit that will expand the zoo by five acres and include a mixed species habitat for African elephants, giraffe and hoofstock as well as a new exhibit for rhinoceros.

Louisville Zoo

1. $2 million Primate forest/passages will open in 2020 it will be a network of overhead tunnels and a new area for gorillas. They will be enclosed by see-through.

2. $25 million African Savanna scheduled to open in 2022. It will add new exhibits for lions, rhinos, giraffes and antelope and incorporate existing exhibits such as Elephant Encounter.

3. $22 million Shark Conservation Institute scheduled to open in 2024. Featuring two species of shark and stingrays.

4. $10 million Crocatorium scheduled to open in 2026. It wil feature two crocodile tanks near HerpAquarium

5. $12 million Kentucky Trails scheduled in 2027. It will be on 18 acres of undeveloped land and include bison, elk, deer, bears, cougars, coyotes, raccoons and bald eagles.

Fort Worth Zoo

1. Scheduled to open in 2018 on an undeveloped part of zoo property, the African Savanna will include watering holes showcasing giraffes, black rhinoceros, flamingos, zebras and antelope. Also, there will be a hippo river.

2. Scheduled to open in 2020, Elephant Springs will almost double the size of the elephant habitat and feature a 50000 gallon pool. Indian rhinoceros will live next to them.

3. Opening in 2022, Hunters of Africa and Asian Predators will feature lions, tigers, cheetahs, striped hyenas, clouded leopards, leopards and wild dogs.

4. Opening in 2025, Forest and Jungles will feature new habitats for bongos, orangutans and jaguars as well as bring okapi to the zoo.

Dallas Zoo

1. $13.5 million, 3.5 acre Simmons Hippo Outpost will be an immersive African waterhole habitat for hippos with an underwater viewing. Okapis, red river hogs and saddle-billed storks will also be included.

Columbus Zoo

1. Sea lion and seal exhibits in two large pools near the entrance.

2. Renovation to gorilla, bonobo and orangutan exhibits.

3. North America turned into the Americas featuring spider and squirrel monkeys, parrots and anteaters among others.

4. Meerkats will be added to Heart of Africa.

5. Indian rhinoceros will be added to Pachyderms.

Cincinnati Zoo

1. $12 million Gorilla World expansion opens in 2017. It will contain a brand new 4350 square foot naturalistic indoor exhibit that will allow gorillas to be on exhibit year round. New off exhibit holding areas will be built as well and the colobus monkey exhibit will be expanded to 1175 square feet.

Greenville Zoo

1. New 10,000 square foot tiger exhibit alongside renovated Asian bear, orangutan and Amur leopard exhibits creating Asian forest.

2. Lion exhibit will be renovated.

3. New tropical rainforest building.

4. Renovation of reptile and nocturnal building.

John Ball Zoo

1. New 8300 square foot black bear exhibit by entrance. A new cougar exhibit will be built as well.

2. Lemur Habitat and Primate Trails will open new exhibits for lemurs and monkeys as well as aviaries.

3. Forest Realm will include snow leopards, wolves and red pandas.

4. Tropics Building will be renovated and walkthrough aviary and new Komodo dragon exhibit will be built outside.

5. Western Valley will have camel rides and three new primate exhibits.

6. African wild dogs will be added to Africa.

Akron Zoo

1. Renovation to Tiger Valley with new exhibits for lions and tigers.

2. New exhibits for primates such as gibbons and colobus monkeys.

3. Distant plans for an African Plains exhibit possibly including rhinoceros.

4. Possibly an orangutan exhibit.

El Paso Zoo

1. Possibly add wild dogs to Passport to Africa.

2. New Chihuahan Desert exhibit featuring jaguars, cougars, wolves, pronghorn, peccaries, ocleots, chuckwallas, roadrunners, parrots and owls. Jaguars and cougars will rotate. Scheduled to open in 2018.

3. Americas will be redesigned and add Andean bears, giant anteaters, flamingos and squirrel monkeys in 2022. Penguin exhibit will have an underwater viewing.

4. Sea lion exhibit will be renovated.

5. Indian rhinoceros, Komodo dragon, langur, Asian small clawed otter and red panda will be added to Asia. Elephants will most likely be phased out. Leopard, tapir and tiger exhibits will be renovation. Otters and langurs will share an exhibit.

Houston Zoo

1. Sea lion pool will be replaced, possibly phasing out the species or building a new habitat.

2. Giraffe exhibit will expanded.

3. New shoebill stork exhibit.

4. Phase III of African Forest including hippos, crocodiles and bongos.

5. Expanded Asian elephant exhibit will open in 2017.

San Antonio Zoo

1. $1 million renovation of jaguar exhibit opening in 2017.

Tulsa Zoo

1. $21 million, 5 acre Lost Kingdom will open in spring 2017. Architecture will be inspired by ancient Asian cultures. Tigers and snow leopards are the stars with a tiger bridge allowing the cats to cross over pathways. Habitats for red pandas, binturongs, siamang and Komodo dragons will also be featured.

2. Asian elephant exhibit will be greatly expanded.

3. African Forest will have a new habitat for chimpanzees as well as bring gorillas to the zoo.

4. Wild Islands will have new exhibits for flamingos, lemurs and Aldabra tortoises.

Detroit Zoo

1. New jaguar exhibit.

2. New snow leopard exhibit.

3. New pygmy hippopotamus exhibit.

Woodland Park Zoo

1. $3 million Night exhibit will reopen in 2018. It will feature nocturnal species such as fruit bats, sloths and small primates.

2. A new Asian exhibit will open on site of former Elephant Forest. One option is Asian Wildlife Living in Social Groups featuring a habitat for langurs and muntjacs, an exhibit for gaurs and sambar deer and a walkthrough exhibit for songbirds. Another is Wild Diversity of Asia, which would include gibbons, muntjacs, babirusas, sambar deer and turtles. Last, Wildlife Icons of Asia would star Indian rhinoceros as well as feature sambar deer, rhinoceros hornbill, peacock pheasant, mountain tortoise and anoa.

3. Hippo exhibit will be drained and turned into a wild pig exhibit, probably for red river hogs. Also a 3000 square foot leopard or hyrax exhibit and 500 suare foot meerkat exhibit will be added to African Plains. Most significantly a new hippopotamus exhibit with underwater viewing will be added.

4. A new cougar exhibit will be built in Temperate Forest.

5. 4.6 acre Asian Highlands exhibit complex will include snow leopards, gorals, takin, red pandas, Asian bears, blue sheep, Pallas cats, cranes, pheasants and snub-nsosed monkeys.

6. Desert exhibit featuring peccaries, roadrunners and hummingbirds.

7. New exhibits for tree kangaroos, cassowaries and Komodo dragons as well as a walkabout for kangaroos, wallabies and emus.

Brookfield Zoo

1. Komodo dragons will be added to the collection.

2. Baboon Island will be redeveloped as a Japanese macaque exhibit.

3. A modern African elephant exhibit will be opened on undeveloped land in the property.

4. Pinniped Point will be renovated.

5. Outdoor exhibits for gorillas and orangtuans.

6. Asian exhibit for tigers, Amur leopards, snow leopards, takin, Bactrian camels and reindeer.

7. New lion exhibit near Habitat Africa.

Nashville Zoo

1. White rhinoceros herd will debut in spring 2017. They will co-exist with wildebeest and cranes.

2. New spider monkey exhibit will open in early spring 2017. They will be viewed through treetops.

3. Andean bear exhibit will open in late spring 2017. Pudus, sloths, guinea pigs and marmosets as well as a Peruvian lodge will be nearby.

4. Renovated tiger exhibit will open in summer 2017.

5. Giant otters and Humboldt penguins will be added to Bamboo Trail.

6. 40 acre African Savanna featuring elephants, zebras, lions, cheetahs, hippos and antelope.

7. African Forest including okapi, mandrills, bongos, guenons, red river hogs and gorillas.

Caldwell Zoo

1. $6.7 million African Overlook renovation will open in spring 2017 and include a new elephant yard with a pool and a giraffe feeding deck.
In regards to the Houston Zoo where did you find out that the Giraffe exhibit would possibly expand?
 
At Wilhelma Zoo they plan several new Enclosures

2022: new Bird and small Mammmal House with Greater Roadrunner, Pygmy Falcon, European Beeeater, Armadillo, Tamandua, Mouse Deer, naked Mole Rat and many other Species.

2022: new Terra Australis Building with Monitor Lizard, Nocturnal Animals, Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo, Koala and Other Australian Animals.

In Two or Three years they want to Open new Enclosures for their Asian Elephants and Siberian Tigers.
 
So what's Brookfield up to with the new guy?

I keep hearing rumors that they want elephants back but I haven't seen a verifiable source for it besides a very old master plan

Also, does anyone have a HD map of Sedgwick's most recent master plan? All the ones I see on Google are either really old or low resolution
 
A few for zoos in the UK I regularly keep up with news from:

- London Zoo - next month they're re-openig what used to be the Snowdon Aviary, as a monkey walk-through housing black and white colobus monkeys.
- Chester Zoo - They've recently been granted approval for a Grasslands exhibit, which will consist of a huge open grassland paddock for giraffes, antelope, ostriches and zebras, along with Africa themed lodges you can book and stay in overnight.
- Edinburgh Zoo - Back in 2019 they announced five large-scale projects for the zoo's redevelopment, the first of which, a giraffe house, was completed and opened last year. However, there hasn't been a lot of news about the other four projects since Covid, so it's not clear if they're still moving forward with them.
- Blackpool Zoo - the Big cat enclosures are set to be demolished and re-built some time this year, with them re-opening next year. I'm not sure how far along they are with this, on my last visit in May, the big cats were gone but demolition on the old enclosures hadn't started yet.
 
Auckland Zoo are preparing for the opening of this tropical dome later this year. The highlight of the exhibit will be False gharial, a species never before held in Australasia.


It’s the last phase of a South East Asian precinct, which has included new exhibits for Sumatran tiger, Asian-small clawed otter, Bornean orangutan and Siamang. The apes have access to this aerial pathway which is around 20 metres off the ground.

 
- Edinburgh Zoo - Back in 2019 they announced five large-scale projects for the zoo's redevelopment, the first of which, a giraffe house, was completed and opened last year. However, there hasn't been a lot of news about the other four projects since Covid, so it's not clear if they're still moving forward with them.
Link?
 
Looks neat. I do wish elephants were up for consideration but ig that's too much
Yeah, despite having them in the past, Edinburgh Zoo doesn't really have anywhere suitable for elephants. I'm honestly surprised they've managed to pull off a good giraffe house with the space they have.
 
So what's Brookfield up to with the new guy?

I keep hearing rumors that they want elephants back but I haven't seen a verifiable source for it besides a very old master plan
Brookfield's new master plan is being fully revealed early next year, but a few tidbits have already been talked about by the new director. The first project is an expansion/renovation of Tropic World with outdoor exhibits for the gorillas, orangutans and South American monkeys. There are also plans to add additional holding space for a bachelor troop of gorillas, reconfigure back-of-house and keeper areas, and add additional primate species.

The other major project that's been talked about is an expansion of Habitat Africa. This would be done by replacing the hoofstock line with new savanna habitats for zebra, ostrich and various antelope species. A new black rhino complex is also planned and there is hope to bring back nile hippo in an exhibit with underwater viewing. Elephants are a big desire here, it's certainly something the new director wants, but with the state of the African elephant SSP I'm not going to count on it.

There are a few smaller scale projects in the works as well: a prairie dog exhibit with pop-up tunnels and a new exhibit for the zoos ambassador macaws. There is also a desire to bring in koalas, but that is largely dependent on funding.
 
Phoenix Zoo has Predator Passage, set to open in spring 2023. It will feature lions, spotted hyenas, meerkats, an amur leopard, and warthogs. I remember hearing somewhere that Fossa were also going to be included, as well as a new mixed-species habitat for Red River Hogs and African monkeys nearby, but those sources seem to be missing.
There is also Big Cats of Arizona, an expansion of the Arizona Trail for Jaguars and Cougars.
 
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