Chessington Zoo in the 1960s.
"Golden Ages" of Certain Zoos
- Thread starter MonkeyBat
- Start date
A few that I can think of based on prior knowledge/research:
Milwaukee County Zoo
Milwaukee County Zoo
- 1980's - 1990's, in terms of animal species
- 1990's - 2008, in terms of new projects opening
- 1980's - 1992(?), when the Zoo's 1980 master plan went into effect
- Late 1990's - 2012, when some breeding programs (especially the elephants) took off, and the aquatic areas opened their doors
- Late 1990's(?) - 2015/2016, when some the Zoo's larger complexes (like Predator Ridge and Toyota Elephant Passage) opened, several breeding successes (I remember the tapirs, okapis, and orangutans were big events), and an updated Master Plan was revealed
- 1990's, when the Zoo's renaissance began
- 2016 - present, when the Zoo's "Wilder Vision" master plan was initiated
- 2001(?) - present, when the Zoo's master plan was initiated, numerous successful breedings (the elephant calf in 2009 in particular), and near-constant climbing attendance
Contrasting examples...
Lincoln Park Zoo is in a Golden Age right now; as much as a part of me would love to revisit how it was thirty years ago, it has never offered better animal welfare or more consistent quality of care than it does right now. It has no egregiously out of date exhibits (and only one with well agreed room for improvement) and has finally renovated the most notorious one in their history. For a zoo that is open to the public and completely free, the value it offers is downright incredible.
Brookfield Zoo is late 90s / early 00s -- the opening of both Habitat Africa sections, the Swamp, the Living Coast, Wolf Woods, and the Play Zoo are all a series of huge success stories and fantastic exhibit design, all within a decade, and the maximum number of exhibits and animals are on display compared to the present. The closure of the Reptile House in 2005, while an understandable individual decision, begins an era where many exhibits (reptile house, bear grottos, baboon island, dall sheep exhibit, Tropic World in some aspects, pachyderm house, aardvark house) stand empty, loses major species, or close without proper replacement, especially in the southern part of the zoo, leading to the current sense of dilapidation. The opening of Great Bear Wilderness feels like the singular visible to a plain visitor triumph after this point.
Lincoln Park Zoo is in a Golden Age right now; as much as a part of me would love to revisit how it was thirty years ago, it has never offered better animal welfare or more consistent quality of care than it does right now. It has no egregiously out of date exhibits (and only one with well agreed room for improvement) and has finally renovated the most notorious one in their history. For a zoo that is open to the public and completely free, the value it offers is downright incredible.
Brookfield Zoo is late 90s / early 00s -- the opening of both Habitat Africa sections, the Swamp, the Living Coast, Wolf Woods, and the Play Zoo are all a series of huge success stories and fantastic exhibit design, all within a decade, and the maximum number of exhibits and animals are on display compared to the present. The closure of the Reptile House in 2005, while an understandable individual decision, begins an era where many exhibits (reptile house, bear grottos, baboon island, dall sheep exhibit, Tropic World in some aspects, pachyderm house, aardvark house) stand empty, loses major species, or close without proper replacement, especially in the southern part of the zoo, leading to the current sense of dilapidation. The opening of Great Bear Wilderness feels like the singular visible to a plain visitor triumph after this point.
In all honesty, I think Chester Zoo has always been in a golden age. It’s beginnings with the concept of a zoo without bars were revolutionary and many zoos aspired to model their zoos on Chester.
Auckland Zoo, which I’ve always rated very highly, were extremely excited to appoint Derek Wood from Chester Zoo as their director in 1960 and he noted he’d been greatly inspired by the innovative ideas of George Mottershead.
- The golden years of Rio de Janeiro were the late 1940s and early 1950s. Many new exotic species arrived at that time, especially through donations and exchanges with dealers (especially Richard Tomsky, from Lodz) and other zoos (notably Antwerp).
- São Paulo had its golden age in the 1970s. Their golden year was 1972.
Conservation-wise, the 1990s were the best time for Brazilian zoos, believe it or not. São Paulo had Adayr Saliba as its director, while Brasília had Zezé Weiss. Belo Horizonte was also full of great professionals and the time, who made the zoo go through many reforms, including the construction of the current gorilla enclosure.
ZooTampa when it was still Lowry Park Zoo right after Safari Africa opened and the Asian Domain was renovated to the Asian Gardens. That was around 200-2005 when Lex Salisbury was still the Director and he had a great vision for the zoo. The zoo saw a pretty steep decline 20010-2020, but has started improving. Hopefully the renovated Manatee Building and eventual renovations in Africa and Asia, along with the addition of a whole new South American section will stoke a new Golden Age for the zoo in the next 10-15 years.
Late to the party but I'd say Hogle was in a decline in the late 2000s. So many outdated exhibits and a general mishmash of exhibits without a theme. It improved about 2014 or so. I'm curious if that ghastly Small Animal House is still there.
I thought Derek Wood came from London, but maybe he was at Chester for a period also.
Rizz Carlton
Well-Known Member
If you can include aquarium, SeaWorld Ancol came to mind (Not affiliated to America's SeaWorld).
The aquaria, originally named SeaWorld Indonesia, is the first public aquaria in Indonesia and was built in 1990. Compared to now, this era of private ownership by a separate company from PT. Pembangunan Ancol (The land owner) is marked by numerous noteworthy species (Notably dugong and bull shark), novel exhibits, and of course the iconic walkthrough tunnel tank. This "golden era" lasted from its opening in 1990 until a contract issue with Ancol in 2015-2017.
After the feud with Ancol and a brief closure, Ancol eventually fully owned the aquarium as part of their attractions and saw the shift into a more commercialy-focused management style. While it had done notable upgrades (I.e phasing out the sea turtle touch pool and releasing a rescued baby dugong), the current Ancol management saw decrease in notable animals, incoherent mix especially with their freshwater collection, bad space management, and others. Mixed with the surge of new aquarias since the opening of Jakarta Aquarium in 2017, SeaWorld Ancol nowadays is somewhat obsolete and mostly only known as one of Jakarta's 90's/2000's nostalgia site and just another attractions within Ancol Dreamland.
The aquaria, originally named SeaWorld Indonesia, is the first public aquaria in Indonesia and was built in 1990. Compared to now, this era of private ownership by a separate company from PT. Pembangunan Ancol (The land owner) is marked by numerous noteworthy species (Notably dugong and bull shark), novel exhibits, and of course the iconic walkthrough tunnel tank. This "golden era" lasted from its opening in 1990 until a contract issue with Ancol in 2015-2017.
After the feud with Ancol and a brief closure, Ancol eventually fully owned the aquarium as part of their attractions and saw the shift into a more commercialy-focused management style. While it had done notable upgrades (I.e phasing out the sea turtle touch pool and releasing a rescued baby dugong), the current Ancol management saw decrease in notable animals, incoherent mix especially with their freshwater collection, bad space management, and others. Mixed with the surge of new aquarias since the opening of Jakarta Aquarium in 2017, SeaWorld Ancol nowadays is somewhat obsolete and mostly only known as one of Jakarta's 90's/2000's nostalgia site and just another attractions within Ancol Dreamland.
Derek Wood (Director of Auckland Zoo from 1960-1988) definitely came from Chester Zoo. It was detailed in Auckland Zoo’s history book A Tiger by the Tail (1922-1992).
Derek Wood brought a male giraffe (John) from London Zoo to Auckland Zoo when he was appointed as director in 1960, which may be what your thinking of; though I suspect the confusion lies in the fact there also was a keeper named Derek Wood who worked at London Zoo. He’s mentioned in several articles from the much publicised escape of Goldie the Golden eagle in 1965. Coincidentally, 1965 was the year Auckland Zoo’s first giraffe calf (Peter) was born, sired by the aforementioned John.
I actually visited two of John’s three surviving great-grandchildren at Hamilton Zoo yesterday. The third lives at Taronga Western Plains and has produced numerous calves. Due to the limited number of founders to Australasia’s giraffe population, John’s import was of great significance.
He's the one I was confusing this with...I actually remember him vaguely at London Zoo, he was head of the B.O.P section hence the involvement with Goldie the escaping eagle.- he didn't seem quite the 'type' somehow to end up managing a Zoo in New Zealand, so that explains the mystery for me. Thanks.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
Didn't Derek Wood write a book about Goldie the eagle escape?He's the one I was confusing this with...I actually remember him vaguely at London Zoo, he was head of the B.O.P section hence the involvement with Goldie the escaping eagle.- he didn't seem quite the 'type' somehow to end up managing a Zoo in New Zealand, so that explains the mystery for me. Thanks.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
I remember that after leaving London Zoo he went to work at Kelling Aviaries in Norfolk
That's more like the career direction I would have expected...not sure about the book but it sounds likely.
NNM.
Well-Known Member
I don’t know if anyone has already brought it up, but it’s time for my obligatory Franklin Park Zoo mention.
Much of my time growing up was spent at this zoo and I watched it change quite a bit over the years. And as such, certain animals I became familiar with seeing around departed and were sometimes replaced. The mid to late 2000s and perhaps early 2010s were the days I remember the most fondly species-wise.
The tigers were a prominent part of the zoo. They had two species of zebra. Certain species like Chilean flamingo, bongo, Matschie’s tree kangaroo, and Southern ground hornbill were long-lasting. The Children’s Zoo still had Amur leopards and the Little Critters building, and the Tropical Forest had a great many departed inhabitants, like the capybara, mandrill, ocelot, Ruppel’s griffon vulture, white-crested hornbill, and red-eyed tree frog.
Much of my time growing up was spent at this zoo and I watched it change quite a bit over the years. And as such, certain animals I became familiar with seeing around departed and were sometimes replaced. The mid to late 2000s and perhaps early 2010s were the days I remember the most fondly species-wise.
The tigers were a prominent part of the zoo. They had two species of zebra. Certain species like Chilean flamingo, bongo, Matschie’s tree kangaroo, and Southern ground hornbill were long-lasting. The Children’s Zoo still had Amur leopards and the Little Critters building, and the Tropical Forest had a great many departed inhabitants, like the capybara, mandrill, ocelot, Ruppel’s griffon vulture, white-crested hornbill, and red-eyed tree frog.
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
Looking at the promising future with their insane master plan, Brookfield Zoo should easily have their "Golden Age" in the 2030s.
Derek Woods was head keeper at London Zoo of Birds of Prey/Diving Birds section through the '80's, he was charming...He's the one I was confusing this with...I actually remember him vaguely at London Zoo, he was head of the B.O.P section hence the involvement with Goldie the escaping eagle.- he didn't seem quite the 'type' somehow to end up managing a Zoo in New Zealand, so that explains the mystery for me. Thanks.
Checking the old ZSL Annual Reports (from the days when they supplied a wealth of information about the animal collection and the staff):
Derek Woods was Head Keeper of Aquatic Birds and Birds-of-Prey for thirteen years, from 1978 until 1990.
I remember his vast knowledge of birds-of-prey.