Melbourne Zoo Future of Melbourne Zoo 2023 (Speculation / Fantasy)

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Zoofan15 said:
I would intend for the entirety of the middle terrace of Sloth Bear Mountain to be taken up by the two Sloth bear exhibits and the Sri Lankan leopard exhibit.

Potentially the Dhole exhibit, which would comprise the lower terrace, could be reduced to allow a Malayan tapir to be exhibited. It could potentially have a pit style exhibit (on a level with the Dhole burrow) to further reduce sunlight; though I’m unsure how much effort Zoos Victoria are willing to go to for this species.
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I see now. So the terraces would be all around the mountain and not just one one sloping side while the other is vertical? Considering the species is endangered and held at the zoo, and I heard rumours, I’m certainly hopeful
 
Zoofan15 said:
I would intend for the entirety of the middle terrace of Sloth Bear Mountain to be taken up by the two Sloth bear exhibits and the Sri Lankan leopard exhibit.

Potentially the Dhole exhibit, which would comprise the lower terrace, could be reduced to allow a Malayan tapir to be exhibited. It could potentially have a pit style exhibit (on a level with the Dhole burrow) to further reduce sunlight; though I’m unsure how much effort Zoos Victoria are willing to go to for this species.
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Would it be possible for you to make a map of your Bear Mountain concept, overlayed on an aerial image of the zoo?
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
I see now. So the terraces would be all around the mountain and not just one one sloping side while the other is vertical? Considering the species is endangered and held at the zoo, and I heard rumours, I’m certainly hopeful
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I misinterpreted you. When you referred to the right side of the terraces, I assumed you meant the right side of each terrace e.g. where the Sri Lankan leopard exhibit is:

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No, it wouldn’t be terraces surrounding the entire mountain. The back would be vertical/flat - similar to Mappins Terraces (view from football pitch on Regent’s Park):

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Mappin Terraces © Oliver Dixon cc-by-sa/2.0
 

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Zoofan15 said:
I misinterpreted you. When you referred to the right side of the terraces, I assumed you meant the right side of each terrace e.g. where the Sri Lankan leopard exhibit is:

View attachment 612641

No, it wouldn’t be terraces surrounding the entire mountain. The back would be vertical/flat - similar to Mappins Terraces (view from football pitch on Regent’s Park):

View attachment 612642
Mappin Terraces © Oliver Dixon cc-by-sa/2.0
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So I was suggesting the tapir outshoot could be from the vertical side. Just one terrace. Also, if at all possible a vertical map of this(not in immense detail) would be greatly appreciated
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
Would it be possible for you to make a map of your Bear Mountain concept, overlayed on an aerial image of the zoo?
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PaddyRickMFZ said:
So I was suggesting the tapir outshoot could be from the vertical side. Just one terrace. Also, if at all possible a vertical map of this(not in immense detail) would be greatly appreciated
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I’ll see what I can do. :)
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
I would however be a fan if Melbourne Aquarium and Melbourne Zoo together created a new campus (in a suitable location) which could include the Aquarium's collection, and also include Melbourne Zoo's Wild Sea.
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Not a Melbourne location, but I could envisage a Zoos Victoria facility, Geelong Aquarium being built near Limeburner's point or a little further around near CSIRO, on Stingaree Bay
 
If a consolidation of tigers were to occur in the TOTE with a few enclosures to allow breeding, it would awesome to create a similar situation to the idea for the Orangutan and Gibbon, by allowing an aerial bridge between enclosures, like the Jacksonville Zoo in florida has, where the tigers walk in an enclosed bridge above the path between enclosures.
This of course would need to be a situation where the tigers are not able to move into an enclosure where another tiger is still in residence, but is worth considering.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
I’d love to see a more attractive aquarium, preferably one reminiscent of this in the states. With primates and birds as well as aquatic creatures
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It feels like the natural progression for Zoos Victoria considering they have African Savannah (Werribee), Rainforest (Melbourne) and natives (Healesville). As @The Sleepy Hippo suggested, it could be a joint project between Zoos Victoria and Melbourne Aquarium - resulting in expanded facilities for pinnipeds and penguins built at a new site; combined with species from the Aquarium.
 
Zoofan15 said:
It feels like the natural progression for Zoos Victoria considering they have African Savannah (Werribee), Rainforest (Melbourne) and natives (Healesville). As @The Sleepy Hippo suggested, it could be a joint project between Zoos Victoria and Melbourne Aquarium - resulting in expanded facilities for pinnipeds and penguins built at a new site; combined with species from the Aquarium.
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And our fabled tropical dome could eventuate with better facilities for all species. I would love to see a river trail like at Singapore but accept that’s not even close to a possibility
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
If a consolidation of tigers were to occur in the TOTE with a few enclosures to allow breeding, it would awesome to create a similar situation to the idea for the Orangutan and Gibbon, by allowing an aerial bridge between enclosures, like the Jacksonville Zoo in florida has, where the tigers walk in an enclosed bridge above the path between enclosures.
This of course would need to be a situation where the tigers are not able to move into an enclosure where another tiger is still in residence, but is worth considering.
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This has worked well at Auckland Zoo, which has three tiger exhibits connected by overhead bridges. The tigers find it enriching to explore exhibits where the other tiger has been (they currently have a young breeding pair) and it’ll allow the zoo to manage the tiger cubs bred at the zoo into adulthood.

Melbourne would presumably aim for the same - a breeding pair, with offspring accomodated until new homes are found.
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
If a consolidation of tigers were to occur in the TOTE with a few enclosures to allow breeding, it would awesome to create a similar situation to the idea for the Orangutan and Gibbon, by allowing an aerial bridge between enclosures, like the Jacksonville Zoo in florida has, where the tigers walk in an enclosed bridge above the path between enclosures.
This of course would need to be a situation where the tigers are not able to move into an enclosure where another tiger is still in residence, but is worth considering.
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That's another really good idea.

Considering they have a second exhibit in the Carnivores trail, I always thought a good idea would be to use an overhead pathway to connect the two enclosures.

A suitable path would potentially start from the very left of the enclosure and would enable it to continue directly over the otter enclosure (similar to Auckland's set up) and then straight across the main boulevard across towards Keeper kids (pretty much following the Orangutan's trail towards the Japanese Garden). Instead, when the Tiger's pathway passes the tree, it could cross across past the Red Pandas and towards the Amazon Aviary where it would loop around the back and then head towards that current off display area and right up to the back of house Snow Leopard/Tiger area.
 
Zoofan15 said:
This has worked well at Auckland Zoo, which has three tiger exhibits connected by overhead bridges. The tigers find it enriching to explore exhibits where the other tiger has been (they currently have a young breeding pair) and it’ll allow the zoo to manage the tiger cubs bred at the zoo into adulthood.

Melbourne would presumably aim for the same - a breeding pair, with offspring accomodated until new homes are found.
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I need to get my self over to Auckland. Sounds like they are doing things!!!
 

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The Sleepy Hippo said:
I'm taking it the low bridge is a tiger bridge?
I'm feeling Melbourne should Ape Auckland, and just do similar on steroids!!!
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Yes that’s correct. There’s two overhead tunnels. This is the other, which connects the medium and large exhibits and passes over the Asian-small clawed otter exhibit below.

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PaddyRickMFZ said:
Stupid question, what is stopping clumsy orangutans from falling on the visitors?
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The collected will of everyone standing below. Short answer nothing, though the greater danger is of the orangutan choosing to do its business while guests are standing underneath. There’s signs warning them not to for this reason.
 

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Zoofan15 said:
Yes that’s correct. There’s two overhead tunnels. This is the other, which connects the medium and large exhibits and passes over the Asian-small clawed otter exhibit below.

View attachment 612648



The collected will of everyone standing below. Short answer nothing, though the greater danger is of the orangutan choosing to do its business while guests are standing underneath. There’s signs warning them not to for this reason.
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Such a great facility, and the benefit of Auckland's over Jacksonville is that it is streamlined design, and not kitsch. Really would show off the animals :)
 
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