Toronto Zoo If You Bought Toronto Zoo...

WOW!!! Those plans are amazing! I love everything about your orangutan exhibits from the o-lines to the termite mounds. The fact that they're mixed with other primates makes it even better, and if the zoo ever created something even a little like these plans it would be extraordinary! I can't wait to see the rest of your plans.

Just because I haven't posted anything doesn't mean I'm not still working on the plans for my zoo. I think about them almost every day and the main problem I'm having is choosing which species to have. Right now my zoo is similar to my older plans. It will be located in the same location as the current zoo with a similar layout. South American species will live where Indo-Malaya was while Africa will remain where it is. The Americas and Tundra Trek will be home to a variety of North American species, Asian animals will live in the entire Eurasian area and Australasia will stay mostly the same. Finally a new Arctic area will go in the current Kid's Zoo and an Oceans pavilion may or may not be created.
 
Like I pointed out before dont forget with a parking structure you could gain so much more space that maybe you wont have to pick and choose so much. By taking the entire main lot you gain about 21 acres of good open table land. Thats a space just a couple acres shy of the space in the savanna used for animals. Tons could be done with it considering only Euraisa takes up more space than the Savanna. There is the overflow lot that could easily be made into a parking structure and the front gates simply moved .

Plus based on the aerial photos of the zoo from construction non of the water features were there to start... I would assume the core woods was and then it was leveled at some point before or during construction then replanted. Since the water features aren't actual waterways you couldn't feel tied to them. Bulldoze them if you want without damaging the river.

Dont feel pressure to get your plans done. I know you have been bouncing around a lot of ideas all summer.
 
Elephant Encounter
Exiting the pavilion through the northeast exit you will pass by the gibbon and binturong outdoor exhibits to Elephant Encounter.

On the way to a mock logging camp will be set up. Along one edge of the camp everything will be lushly treed while the other side will be barren after deforestation. In the middle of the logging camp will be models of elephants who are being used by the camp. The elephants will be lifting, pulling, stacking and dragging logs. Here there will be a chance for people to learn about deforestation and its effects on all of the animals they have just visited.

To the north of the camp will be a massive Asian Elephant exhibit. While returning elephants to Toronto will be a contentious issue if the city tries to stop me I will simply move the zoo to an area that wants the worlds finest zoo. At the zoo's current site I would agree elephants couldn't possibly get enough space during the long cold Canadian winters. However at the new site with space being so abundant creating the right facilities will be possible. The Asian elephants will have the finest exhibit in the world and a huge amazing indoor barn to hold them for the winter. Not a single expense will be spared.

In bringing elephants back to the zoo I would love to be able to import orphaned elephants from southeast Asia. We could provide them with a world class home and they in turn would provide much needed genetic stock to the North American gene pool. However if thats not possible I would work to get surplus European elephants simply to help with the genetics and have great trading ability. Ideally the zoo would house two herds. There would be the family herd consisting of 6 adult females and calves. There would also be a bachelor herd of three adult males. By keeping the bachelor herd the zoo can maximize genetic diversity. Females can be introduced to the most desirable father for her future calf meaning that in a generation the young females and males could be bred to each other. Naturally the zoo won’t be able to hold the elephants forever with breeding so when numbers reach a certain level females and their offspring can be given to another zoo to build another new herd. Mothers and daughters will be kept together as much as possible. The maturing males could eventually move into the bachelor herd where their fathers will keep them in line and teach them how to be a bull.

I am not sure which subspecies of Asian elephant will be available to me. Since I wouldn't be able to know if I will be getting Indian, Sumatran or Sri Lankan elephant or a mix there of the I thought it would be a good idea to have the exhibit span between Eurasia and IndoMalaya.

The outdoor exhibit will stretch over ⅓ of the zoos width providing the zoo with easily the largest elephant exhibit in the world, consisting of anywhere from 20-40 acres. The exhibit will cross the Little Rouge so there will be two massive bridges crossing the river for the elephants. One will be towards the back of the exhibit while the other will be up close enough that guests should be able to see the elephants making the transfer. There exhibit will be divided up into at least 6 yards.
The first yard you would have come across was back in Eurasia in the grasslands. To the east of the exhibit is the Himalayas while to the south is the playground, market, dhole and macaque exhibit. This yard will take up the vast majority of the space east of the river and serve as the primary home to the bulls. To provide the bulls will lots of exercise their exhibit will feature varied terrain with lots of hills and valleys covered in sand or grass (hopefully they won't kill all of the grass). They will have mud wallows, stone shade structures, a large pool with a waterfall the elephants can stand under, fallen trees the bulls can play with, salt licks, several big fake trees that can serve as shade and enrichment, holding browse and treats. A cool feature of the exhibit will also be water cannons that guests can shoot out to the elephants. It will be a paid feature of the zoo and guest can fire a stream of water at a waiting elephants for a minute or two. There would be two or three of the cannons and ideally the water being shot will help to water the grass or create fun mud for the elephants.
The second yard will have access to the second bridge. This yard will also feature a substantial shade roof which will primarily exist to give the bulls a large space clear from snow in the winter. If I can give them outside space in the winter where staff don't have to worry as much about slips and falls this will increase the space the elephants have to enjoy and give them fresh air.

In between the two smaller yards as mentioned is the bull house. It will be a specially constructed building designed specifically to house bulls who are in full musth. It will be large enough to provide adequate space for the bulls during the winter months. If possible during the winter the males will be rotated to the main barn with the herd to give them even more space, leaving the remaining two bulls more space in the bull barn. The bull barn will not be visible to the guests but it will feature all of the normal things necessary for the bulls to be kept happy and healthy during the winter. There will be a large exercise room, a pool large enough to hold all three bulls, a shower, soft sand floors, medical and quarantine facilities. If a new elephant or elephants are moving into the zoo the bulls could be relocated to the main barn unless one is in musth. It would be an excellent spot because the new elephants could use the rear bull yard and the barn without coming into contact with any other elephants.

The third yard on the western side of the bull barn will be completely off exhibit. This yard in particular will be constructed to contain a bull in musth. It will be the smallest of all the elephant yards but it will not be in frequent use. Like the eastern yard it will have a large share roof to again increase winter space if possible.

Crossing the river guests will be able to view the cows 3 yards. The first two of the yards will be massive yards while the third will be smaller. The larger yards will be fairly similar and unless there is a reason the cows need to be separated or the bulls are being given extra space the gate will be left open allowing the cows to utilize all of the space as they see fit. The division of the yards will be achieved by creating a rock feature so that it all seems natural and like a single exhibit. Like the bull yards there will be sandy spaces, grass, hills and valleys but maybe a little gentler since there will be newborn calves who will need to be able to navigate the exhibit. There will be the same fake trees, rock shade structures, fallen logs, tree stumps, mud wallows, as the bulls get.

In the eastern exhibit there will be a stream with a shallow pool, perfect for infants. There will also be a feeding station in the southeast corner. The exhibit will slope towards the feeding tower and the elephants will just barely be able to reach the food with their trunks in order to keep the guests safe. It will be another paid experience. If any of the elephants come down with TB the program will immediately end and the tower will become lookout space and the terrain around it will be altered so the elephants cannot reach the guests.

In the western exhibit would have one of the most exciting features in the entire zoo, a massive, deep pool with underwater viewing. Guests will be able to move below via a ramp by the hornbills and pangolin outdoor exhibits. The underwater viewing will feature floor to ceiling windows the length of the pool. The viewing room will have some seating towards the back so people who really want to enjoy an elephant pool party can in comfort.

Continuing to the west would be the third smaller exhibit. It will be pretty hard to see but it isn't an important yard. Basically the purpose of this yard is to isolate mothers and new calves until they can bond and the new calf is strong enough to get around the exhibit. It will allow keepers to closely monitor the new arrival and cows set to deliver. Like the bulls this yard will be covered to double as outdoor space for the larger elephants during the winter.

To the south of the westernmost yard will be the main elephant barn which will serve as the elephants night and winter space. I would leave the ultimate design up to an architect but I want as much of the roof to be covered in glass as possible. The elephants deserve as much light as I can get them during the long winter months. It will have medical facilities off exhibit but the majority of the space will be for their housing and indoor viewing. The exhibit space will feature a sandy area with rocks, fake trees, a pool, showers, logs, and scratching posts. Guests will be able to view the elephants on two levels. At ground level they will be separated from the elephants by concrete barriers, a moat and hot wires. A second observation deck will stretch out over the exhibit.The observation deck will double as an educational area where the threats of deforestation, exploitation and poaching will be displayed.

To the north of the barns entrance there will be one last impressive feature of the exhibit. There will be a training wall. Guests will be able to see how keeper train the elephants for medical procedures such as ultrasounds, blood draws, and trunk washes. No training schedule will be posted and it will not be part of the keeper talk. If a keeper happens to be training and people catch it great. I would guess though it will be easier to catch the training in the winter.

The Asian Elephants will also be given 3 webcams and daily keeper talks.

This will bring you back out by the Orangutan garden and signals the end of Indomalaya. Up next Africa!
 
Africa
After passing by the Asian Elephants barn guest would head west again into Africa. The African section of the zoo will be the largest section of the zoo by far taking up roughly a third of the zoos space. Africa will have exhibits from Madagascar, the rainforest, the watering hole, the savanna and the desert. It will feature 3 pavilions and several barns with indoor exhibit space, as most of the African creatures wont be on display much of the winter if they didn't have indoor exhibit space. A small portion of this section will also be devoted to the northern gates, plaza, and activities.

Mysterious Madagascar
Heading northeast along the main pathway leading to the northern gate you will encounter Africa’s first pavilion, Mysterious Madagascar. This long narrow pavilion will be the home to the unique creatures of Madagascar grouped into three main spaces, a lemur walkthrough, a nocturnal exhibit and a catch all for everything else. Like all my other pavilions I want this one the let as much light into the building as possible, except in the nocturnal wing, obviously. And like the other pavilions rain and natural habitat recordings will be a big feature helping immerses guests and provide the animals within it more stimulation.

Just prior to entering the pavilion you will see the outdoor lemur exhibit. It will be part of the walkthrough and both lemur groups will have a chance to rotate into the outdoor exhibit during the summer. The lemurs will be able to enjoy a big space with trees, bushes, boulders, grass, wood chips, fake trees with hollows for nests, hammocks, and fallen log climbing structures. Between the fake trees there will be ropes for swinging on and rope bridges. There will be a wooden path for guests to walk along leading from the eastern indoor exhibit to the western indoor exhibit and winding through the exhibit. The pathway will keep guests from wandering through the exhibit and giving the lemurs a chance to be away from people if they want. The exhibit like the indoor ones will be monitored by security cameras and a staff member will wander along through all three walkthrough lemur exhibits to keep an eye on the guests making sure people do not touch the lemurs and to offer information. Because someone is posted with them all of the time there is no need for keeper talks.

North from the pavilions only outdoor exhibit you will head inside and get your first look at one of the two indoor lemur walkthrough exhibits through the giant glass walls. The walls are there mostly to keep the cold away from the lemurs when guests come in during the winter. In order to provide the lemurs with stimulation they will rotate in the two indoor exhibits however each group will always consist of the same species. In the first group there will be Ring Tailed Lemurs, Black and White Ruffed Lemurs, and Blue Eyed Black Lemurs. The second group will be Coquerel's Sifakas, Mongoose Lemurs, and Red Ruffed Lemurs. Each species will consist of groups of 3 adult males, 6 adult females and offspring and as many of them as possible will be sourced from outside of North America to bring in new bloodlines and eliminate the dependence of zoos on Duke University. They can come to us for highly valuable offspring.

Before explaining the lemur exhibits you turn to the west wall of the pavilion and get a look at various insects from Madagascar. I have little clue what species would be available but I would want a good variety of species, most importantly among the butterflies. Some species I would like to see are Comet Moths, Giraffe Weevils (through magnified glass to make seeing them easier), Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Mantises, and Walking Sticks. I will leave the rest to my curator of invertebrates. The exhibits here will look like they are dug out of the rocks.

Continuing north along the bug and lemur corridor you will come to a door that will let you into the catch all space. In here guests will find the birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians of Madagascar. The doors are to keep the birds in the open space of the catch all room.

First up in front of you as you enter will be the bird exhibit tucked into the northeast corner of the room. It will be set to look like a river shoreline. This space will be designed to house Hammerkops, Madagascar Crested Ibises, Madagascar Sacred Ibises, Madagascar Teals and Madagascar Buttonquail. The ibises will be kept in groups of 10 with an equal split of males to females. The rest of the birds will have two pairs plus offspring. The exhibit will have a low glass barrier just to keep kids out of the birds nesting space. The glass should keep the open feel though. They will have a wide moat wrapping the exhibit perfect for the water lovers. There will be a couple logs in the water for the birds to rest on if they want. On the land part of the exhibit there will be wood chip and leaves on the ground providing plenty of nesting material. There will be trees for nesting and perching, bushes, flowers, vines and other vegetation to give a jungle feel to the exhibit. The birds will be allowed to fly out of the exhibit and walk around. The enclosed space is just for nesting and feeding purposes.

Along the northern wall of the first lemur exhibit will be two large gecko terrariums. The geckos get along pretty well so this is a perfect opportunity to create dynamic and fascinating mixed species exhibits. In the western terrarium there will be Satanic Leaf-tailed Geckos, Spear-point Leaf Tailed Geckos, Gold Dust Day Geckos, Peacock Day Geckos and surplus male mantella frogs of various species. In the eastern terrarium there will be Giant Leaf Tailed Geckos, Lined Leaf-tailed Geckos, Henkel’s Leaf-tailed Geckos, Mossy Leaf-tailed Geckos, Giant Day Geckos, Standing’s Day Geckos and Tomato Frogs. Both tanks being quite large will give each species a chance to have its own space. There will be lots of flowers, ferns, grasses, branches, leaves, sunning spots and large water spots for their frog friends.

At the end of the gecko terrariums there would be a set of double doors leading into the first lemur walkthrough. You will wander along a winding wooden path with a railing to keep guests in line. As you approach the back of the exhibit you will have the choice to head outside or go through another set of double doors leading to the second exhibit which would have a similar path leading to the exit. If one group is outside during the summer the other group will be given access to both indoor exhibits. This way both groupings will be able to access the most space possible. Both exhibits will be very similar in style. The only reason there are even two exhibits instead of one big exhibit is the compatibility of the 6 lemurs being kept in it. They will have towering trees, vines, bushes, hammocks, swings, hanging feeders, puzzle feeders, false trees with nesting cavities big enough for the majority of the group to sleep together. If possible it would be great to see some of the trees were fruit bearing so the lemurs can practice normal foraging behaviours. There will be lots of open spaces too so the lemurs can hang around each other and leap around freely.

Popping out of the lemur walkthrough you will turn west and get to enjoy the big frog exhibit. It will be home to Golden Mantellas, Baron’s Mantellas, Cowan's Mantellas, Blue-legged Mantellas, Painted Mantellas, Black-eared Mantellas, Beautiful Mantellas, and Green Mantellas. The frogs exhibit will only house surplus males or females. The main breeders will be kept in the amphibian breeding center so that pairings can be managed to maximize genetic diversity in the endangered species. Ideally all of the species will get along but if they dont the exhibit space will be divided into individual tanks separated by glass so that it looks still as much like one single exhibit as possible. The tank will have a nice land space with dirt and leaf cover, ferns, grasses, flowers and sticks to climb on. There will also be a large water space with fallen debris, and sticks to swim around. Naturally a little underwater viewing is necessary. Any tiny fish or bugs that could be put in the water safely with the frogs would be great to create a more interesting exhibit.

Now you have a choice you can stay in the main room or head down the western corridor which will lead you past the second lemur exhibit and reptiles as you head out the southwest exit. Not wanting to miss the animals you head that direction knowing you will have to turn around and come back in. Just as the eastern hallway had glass viewing into its lemur exhibit so too will this one. On the western wall there will be the terrariums.

There will be the chameleons in their tanks. The zoo will feature Jewelled Chameleons, Rhinoceros Chameleons, Panther Chameleons, and Brookesia Chameleons, worlds smallest chameleons. If any chameleons are turned in during the exotic animal amnesty days that are native to Madagascar they will also be included. Each tank will feature a single chameleon since they can be territorial. Their breeding partner will be off exhibit. Additional chameleons will be held at the breeding center, unless its a rescued chameleon of unknown origin. Their terrariums of varying sizes will feature rock walls, small plants and a branch climbing structure.

Additionally there will be two snake terrariums. They will have the Madagascar Ground Boas and Spear Nosed Snakes. Like the chameleons they will be displayed as single animals with potential makes being kept off exhibit and additional pairs in the breeding center. They will get a forest floor exhibit featuring wood chips, leaves, twigs, branches, small rock hiding places, and a small pool to hang out in.

Heading back into the main room you will encounter a good sized tortoise exhibit which will house Radiated Tortoises, Spider Tortoises, Madagascar Flat Tailed Tortoises and Ploughshare Tortoises. They will be kept in genetically compatible groupings of a male and two or three females plus older offspring. Eggs will be removed to be hatched as needed by keepers and possibly kept in the nursery while quite young to prevent the birds from deciding to eat them. The exhibit like the birds on the opposite size of the pavilion will have glass barriers but otherwise be open air enabling the birds to use the space as well if they choose. The ground will be covered in wood chips and leaf debris. There will be trees, grasses and flowers but mostly it will be open so that guest can see the tortoises. And for the benefit of the tortoises there will be heat lamps and heated rock pads for them to rest on as well as a small pool of them to cool off in.

Behind the tortoises will be the river tank. In the tank there will be a variety of fish species in the floor to ceiling exhibit. Among the species will be Marojejy Rainbowfish, Ranomafana Rainbowfish, Malagasy Rainbowfish, Reedfish, Malagasy Killifish, Sakaramyi Killifish, Varatraza Killifish, Kotso, Damba Mipentina, Pinstripe Damba, and Tsipoy Menarambo. The tank will have fallen logs, rocks and aquatic plants.

Having seen everything in the catch all room now you will head into the nocturnal habitat. Passing through the doors you enter a space with dimly lit exhibits. The lighting in the building will be reversed to encourage daytime movement and rest at night. Because the fossa are active from late afternoon to early morning the day will start off with late afternoon lighting around opening time. Once their internal clocks are flipped that should make the guests experience more interesting.

To the east there will be Aye Ayes. Given that they are rare I don’t know how easy it will be to get a breeding pair but if its not I would be happy to taking on surplus males. There would be two exhibits due to their solitary nature. They will be able to swap exhibits to make things more interesting for them and if the zoo does house a group of males they will always have access to both exhibits since they are more social than females.Their floor to ceiling exhibit will actually dip several feet below the ground to help give the aye ayes the feeling that they are higher up in the canopy. They will have lots of trees, branch climbing structures, bamboo, flowers, vines, rocks and a dark sky mural in the background. There will be lots of spots for them to build their own nests with twigs, leaves and other plant materials found on the ground. Live bugs will be released in their exhibit so that they get to hunt naturally. Natural hiding places will be around for the bugs to get into within the trees and climbing structure. If possible it would be interesting to get the bugs to infest some wood and let the aye ayes have at them.

Turing around the the west you will have your first view of the Mouse Lemurs. There will be two exhibits housing males and females with young separately to prevent excess breeding. The zoo will have 10 males and 10 females plus young. There will be off exhibit breeding spaces so keepers can pick the right mates for the right females. With so many lemurs in both exhibits there should always be movement and something to watch, especially since the exhibit will be so large that they will easily be able to leap around to their hearts content. Because so much of their foraging is on the ground their floor will be raised about two feet off the ground. They will have branched climbing structure, smaller trees, bamboo, flowers, rocks, fallen logs, dead plant life and wood chips. They can make their own nesting structures but there will also be false trees with nesting cavities capable of holding all of the lemurs. And insects will be introduced for hunting.

Continuing the north along the back wall will be two Foosa exhibits. One will be off display behind the Aye Aye. The other is on display. The zoo will keep a breeding pair possibly a trio if a pair of brothers can be acquired and housed together. They will rotate exhibits except during pregnancy and the initial months of the cubs lives when they are still in the den. This is to give the mother and young as much privacy as possible until the cubs are ready for display. Mature young will be kept off exhibit in the breeding center until they go to their new homes. The exhibits will feature floor to ceiling views of the fake trees big enough to hold the fossas in its branches, bamboo, vines, a fallen tree climbing structure, multiple den sites and resting places.

Lasty before heading out of the pavilion through its western door will be Tenrecs beside the mouse lemurs. I will take any subspecies I can get, I'm not fussy about this one. Given litter size I think I would be happy just housing surplus tenrecs of any gender. Im not sure about social groupings but the tenrecs could have three or four separate exhibits that appear to be one exhibit so multiple ones can be visible. Their exhibits would have rocks, fallen logs, grasses and a water area for swimming. The will be fed live insects and worms so that they are forced to hunt. Perhaps they could be tamed so they could come out for guests to interact with.

Heading out the door you finally leave Madagascar and enter the northern plaza area. It means taking a brief pause away from Africa but it will be well worth it.
 
Sorry I couldn't comment on your new exhibits earlier. I haven't had Internet in my house for the past couple of days.

Your elephant exhibit seems great. In my zoo there won't be elephants, but if there were I would want their exhibit to look exactly like yours.

I think your Madagascar section is my favourite part of your zoo so far. I love how you put so many details for all of the exhibits, including the ones for smaller species such as reptiles and invertebrates. I'm now extremely excited to see the rest of your African region!
 
Dont worry about not commenting earlier. When you get to it you get to it. Never a problem.

I like the elephant exhibit. If one could indeed follow the plans exactly the activists would have a hard time bullying the zoo when this would crush all other elephant exhibits. I plotted it out on a map roughly and its roughly 40 acres. In North America the biggest is at Disney's Animal Kingdom and its in the neighourhood of 6 acres I believe... maybe a little bigger. This exhibit would crush the rest. I think the cow barn alone would crush the other exhibits.

I liked Madagascar too. Some very neat additions provided you could get your hands on everything. Some Im not so sure about (reptiles minus the geckos which im postitive about, birds, fish). It would be cool.

If I can picture the exhibit I have an easier time describing it. You can probably tell when either Im having trouble or when Im inspired. I went a little nutty with the polar bears for example while I tend to have trouble with the smaller species without fur.

Im excited to see how Africa turns out myself. Im currently dealing with the first of my big field exhibits in the savanna and lets just say the selection here is impressive. As much as you will like Africa I think you will like some of the interesting features I have added at the north gate. You will probably get that tomorrow.
 
Now for the temporary pause in Africa...

Northern Entry Area
As mentioned before there needs to be a brief interruption of Africa to allow for the description of the facilities beyond the northern gate. The gate is identical in many ways to the southern gate so why rehash that. The area is divided into four main spaces, IMAX theatre, the Animal Amphitheater, Beyond the Plaza, and the Fun Zone and one really cool feature Sky Tram.

Animal Amphitheater
Nestled in beside the Madagascar pavilion will be an free, open air amphitheater with a jungle feel. It is here that I would like to have a variety of shows using our animal ambassadors.

Across the pathway from the theatre would be an off exhibit housing spot for the animals to live in. It would offer lots of space for them to be housed with similar luxuries as the other animals who live on exhibit.

The first show would be the traditional bird show featuring macaws, cockatoos, and other parrots. It’s a good place to use any exotic birds rescued during the exotic amnesty days. It might be the only chance for guests to see some rare species. What they do during the show will be up to them and their trainers.

Secondly I would like to have a bird show that focuses on the adaptations various birds have that makes them better suited for their lifestyle. I think owls, eagles, hawks, vultures and parrots would be options. If we can train surplus kiwis, penguins, storks, cranes and flamingos that would be cool too. It would also provide a potential home to rescued animals that cannot be released or birds who cannot live with their flock for whatever reason.

Thirdly I would like to have an animal ambassador show featuring surplus manageable animals. Not every baby will be needed, particularly males, so if they can be used in the show to demonstrate the unique features of its species that would give them a great purpose. I cannot begin to guess what would be in this show.

I would also like to market the amphitheater as a possible wedding or events venue. It has tons of seating for a wedding, speakers, atmosphere and an open space for dancing and dining. It would be more private than some of our other possibilities.

IMAX
Next to the amphitheater will be an IMAX theatre . I have no idea how many seats would be reasonable. It would are movies a couple of times a day and provide people with a cool place to sit out of the sun. The theater would be closed in the winter unless some group wanted to rent it. Unless it is being rented it would be another free option for guests.

It would be equipped with the best IMAX technologies available.

As to what would be playing there… I don’t know. Possibly National Geographic films if we can get some kind of partnership. In between shows various webcams from around the zoo could be playing based on however is the most active or interesting at that moment.

Beyond the North Plaza
In the space beyond the plaza the central feature of will some rides to entertain kids. Nothing too fancy or costly to run. Ideally I would like the rides to be solar powered.

First up, in the center, will be a beautiful conservation carousel. Probably would just move the current one. Granted it is geared towards the little ones but its really good looking with the expertly carved animals from all over the globe painted beautifully.

Next there would be a ferris wheel where guests can sit in between two beautifully carved animals holding the seat. The seats would be facing out to Africa for impressive views while at the top. And because in this modern age families aren’t the nuclear family with two kids and two parents the seats will fit 3 people. If a group only needs two they can ride alone or as a single person on not busy days.

The last ride here will be something like the traditional Dumbo ride. Not wanting to rip Disney off directly the elephant will be replaced with a paraglider. People will lay three across on a carrier with their legs and arms free under a paraglider. Their heads can rest on an adjustable chin rest and they will be snapped in. The glider will be on arms that will raise and lower as it spins on a central point. Maybe the glider will become a bird… not sure that just popped into my head.

Encircling these rides would be a miniature train track for the kiddies. At first I wanted the train to look like a circus train but then I realized I don't want to promote circuses. So I scrapped that idea and have decided on a simple steam engine train with cars decorated with animals. It will be done in natural colours so as not to make people think its a colourful circus train.

I know I could have put in much cooler rides but I don't want screaming ruining the peace and tranquility of the zoo. It’s not an amusement park or fair. It’s a zoo. I am just adding the few rides to help create more revenue streams and hopefully draw people in.

Surrounding the rides would be more benches, picnic tables, sculptures, topiaries and gardens.

Sky Tram
Located right at the gates will be an amazing new feature I just thought up, SkyTram. Sky Tram will be an aerial cable car ride that will stretch from the northern gate to the southern gate and back. I briefly considered having it run around the perimeter of the zoo but that just felt like copying the zoomobile, just in the air.

The SkyTram will help to address the movement problem in such a massive zoo. Clearly there is no chance that anyone could see the whole zoo in a single day. Which brings up the question where do you end your day. If you were to travel from the northern gate through Indomalaya, Eurasia and North America you would find yourself outside the southern gates and far from your car. Do sprint across the center of the zoo? Do you hop on the zoomobile and spend tons of time travelling back that way? You could or you could hop on the Sky Tram and be transported across the zoo pretty quickly.

I had wondered what I could do to show people the impressive size of the zoo and this will work out wonderfully. From their beautiful glass enclosed cable car groups of 10-20 depending on the car’s size would be given impressive 360 views of the zoo from high above it. They would travel diagonally across the zoo which would give a good look at all of the geographic zones and the height should ensure sweeping views.

All of the posts holding up the cables will be designed to look like trees that would be appropriate in that region to post is in. Naturally they will be leafless trees but I just want them to blend in a little. None of the posts will be allowed to go into an exhibit. And because of the size of Ocean Odyssey guests will travel over the top of it.

Naturally this would be another paid for feature but one well worth the cost.

Fun Zone
To entertain the big kids while mom and dad take the little one on the carousel there will be a fun arcade inside a large jungle themed building. Like the train at first I wanted a big top but then decided against it. Naturally with all of the fun inside the arcade I can see things being very noisy. The Fun Zone will be located so close to the outdoor exhibits for Rainforest Refuge so soundproofing will be key. I want people to be able to walk by the building and not even know what’s going on inside.

At the entrance of the arcade will be a kiosk that will take money for a play card (like a debit card). The card will keep track of the money available to the person and tokens won for prizes. The tent will be willed with animal friendly games.

First up will be the twists on classic carnival games. Obviously the classic toss the frog on the lily pad game works here. A twist on it will also be toss the snake where you must get an s shaped snake to hook onto one of several criss crossing vines. Another twist might be a flying squirrel game where kids get on a raised platform and drop a flying squirrel (working like a parachute) onto leaves that are scored. The next game would be the classic duck pond where you pick a rubber ducky and win. Another great one would be the classic water gun game, only this time the gun would be shaped like an elephants head and the water would shoot out of the trunk. Also a feature game would be whack a meerkat (yes whack a mole) but instead of a mallet you use a lions paw. A strongman game would work with the various strength levels being compared to the strength of various animals. Are you as strong as a leaf cutter ant? The balloon and dart game would be called Porcupine Panic and the dart would be called a quill. Skee Ball would become armadillo ball where the ball would just be painted to look like an armadillo. Gone fishing is a classic that could stay the same. Spiderweb could be neat, have a big velcro spider web coloured like a target that people throw velcro balls at like flies on a web. Hungry, Hungry Hippo would be another toss game where you toss a melon (ball) in the opening and closing mouth of a pod of hippos.
While classic carnival games are great kids to love their video games. This is what will make this section more appealing to the preteens and teens. First up would be a photo safari. A screen will be before the player and they use a camera to snap photos of various safari animals. Each animal is worth different points. Its a non lethal deer hunter in essence. Next is a car simulator where you get behind the wheel of a jeep and have to carefully drive down the road avoiding random animals who cross your path. You get points for each animal you avoid, hopefully teaching people some of the skills they could use to avoid such accidents while really driving. Being realistic I know kids love fighting games so I would love it if I could use Xbox Kinect to allow kids to take on the role of various animals and fight for dominance. For instance you could be a pair of male lions fighting for a pride, or rutting moose or male kangaroos. The players would have to be the same animal. No interspecies combat. Kinect could also be used to create some kind of escape from a predator game…. might already be one. A pacman like game could be done with a hungry little fish who has to avoid sharks. Obviously Frogger is great. Im sure theres a ton more ideas available.

The tokens collected on the cards can be traded in at the prize center for various stuffed animals (cheapies), small plastic toys, bug keepers, kiddie binoculars, safari hats, cheap tee shirts and ball caps, posters, and other low cost items. Or at certain point levels they can trade in their tokens for gift certificates good at any gift shop (starting at $5 and working up). All token prices would have to be worked out by someone much smarter than I so we come out on top at the arcade.
Beside the arcade will be another key activity for the older kids a laser tag center. It wouldn’t be traditional laser tag because there needs to be some quasi educational element to it. Teams would be divided into predators and prey. The prey just get a vest while the predators get the guns. Every time your tagged you are dead but still get to play until time is up. Every time you tag someone you were able to feed. At the end of the session as the people exit there could be a staff member explaining results. If we rig the games with plentiful prey, too many predators, and other factors then it could simulate the need for balance in an ecosystem.

Inside the laser tag center would be three game rooms which could be rigged to be combined if its a slow day, to accommodate large groups or whatever. Each room would be painted to look like a different biome, a rainforest, the savanna and maybe the ocean. There would be neon painted murals on the walls depicting the animals and landscapes. The walls for playing around would be done to simulate other features like grass, trees, or waves. There would be caves, animals to hide behind, rocks, and anything else he designer want. To further immerse people into the setting a sound track of that setting would be played. What better way to make you feel like you are in the ocean than to have whales playing all around you?

Due to the safety issues it is one of the entertainment venues I would be more than happy to contract out. We provide the space and facility someone else can run it and assume legal obligations. Any guest who wants to play will have to sign waivers. I would leave timing of rounds, costs and rules to the operator so long as the zoo gets its equal slice of the pie.

The laser tag would likely be a big draw for the preteens, teens and young adults. For the kids it will give them something fun to do if they think zoos are lame but have younger siblings who are all into the zoo experience. Mom and Dad can give them money and leave them there near an entrance and enjoy the day at the zoo with the little ones. For everyone else it will provide a fun activity to enhance their experience.

Next you will swing south the the African Rainforest.
 
Those are some very creative ideas TZFan! The Sky Tram sounds like a great way of getting around the zoo. I also live all of the different arcade games. You actually gave me a couple of ideas for one of the areas of my zoo that I'm working on.

Speaking of my plans, I've recently been thinking a lot about what my North American region would look like. I originally wanted to plan out my zoo in the order that visitors would see it, but my mind doesn't work like that. I will probably be posting my ideas in a random order, depending on which region I can think of good ideas for.

Right now I have started my Canadian Wilderness and Backyard Wildlife sections of my North American region and will soon be starting the North American pavilion.
 
Glad you like those ideas. They might seem a little random but I thought why not squeeze every ounce of profit from people I can. A family could easily come and spend the whole day at the north gate. Great for gamers. Just like guests could come and spend their whole day at one of two water parks. In the winter one might want to spend the whole day on the ice rink. The IMAX theater could easily serve as a movie theater all winter if I wanted. I would probably spend my day revelling in Africa because with my infinite amount of money I would be stupid not to buy up land across from the zoo and have an amazing home within sight of my beloved zoo.

I think you will enjoy the African pavilion which will come in two installments (way to long for a single post).

I think you could post the zoo randomly and then when your done just summarize the layout.
 
I finally have the first section of my zoo done. It is called Backyard Wildlife and will be a part of the North American region, which is located where the Americas and Tundra Trek are currently.

Backyard Wildlife

This section would be across from the Americas Wetlands and would include the area currently taken up by the Tundra Research Station, whale skeleton, Tundra Air Zip Line, picnic tables and some of the small pond. It would focus on the native animals that live in Ontario. The reason why I am including it in my zoo is to show people that the animals in their own backyards can be just as interesting as the exotic animals from around the world. Also, animals like skunks and raccoons can be exciting for the many international tourists that visit the Toronto Zoo. Most of the animals in this area would be rescues from the wild that can’t be released.

Backyard Wildlife would start with a discovery building that looks exactly like a small house. In addition to housing small animals, it would educate visitors about how to be eco-friendly at home. Outside the house would be a garden home to native plants such as wildflowers, bushes and trees. It would be used to give tips about how to have a garden that is good for the environment.

Inside the house would be a row of invertebrate exhibits. Most of the exhibits would be made to look like a backyard with lots of dirt, grass and other plants. One notable exception is a hive for western honeybees that would also include tubes leading outside so the bees can pollinate plants. Other invertebrates in this area would be: nursery web spiders, daring jumping spiders, green stinkbugs, banded wood snails, northern walkingsticks, bess beetles, common earthworms and North American millipedes. These species would be used to show the importance of invertebrates in our ecosystem. Also, some of the species such as honeybees, earthworms and banded wood snails would teach visitors about introduced species in Ontario. Two larger exhibits would be home to common garter snakes and American toads. The reason why I chose those species is because they are the only kinds of reptiles and amphibians that I’ve found in my backyard, which makes them special to me. Another part of the house would include washrooms for visitors. These washrooms would have a lot of information inside them about water conservation. One last feature of the house would be an updated version of the video game Frogger next to the American toads (thanks TZFan for the idea). Instead of being a generic frog, visitors would be able to play as a native amphibian species like an American toad or leopard frog trying to cross the road to get to a pond and lay their eggs.

After exiting the house, visitors would be in the actual backyard area. The first exhibits here would be for northern raccoons and striped skunks. The raccoon exhibit would include a couple of trees to climb on and a small stream, and the skunk exhibit would have a dirt area to dig in and a large burrow. The skunk burrow would have a glass window inside it so visitors can see inside. One form of enrichment that would be used for the skunks and raccoons is to put garbage bins with food in their exhibits. This would be used to teach visitors how to protect their garbage from animals. Great horned owls would live in an aviary close to the skunks that would have lots of tall trees to perch on. The next exhibit would be home to red foxes. They would have the largest exhibit in this section that would have lots of grass with a few trees, bushes and rocks. Blue jays would live in the final exhibit in Backyard Wildlife, which would look similar to the owls’, but slightly smaller.
 
One major thing that I forgot to mention is that in the outdoor exhibits, there would be lots of theming to make it actually feel like a backyard. For example the raccoon and skunk exhibits would be attached to the house and would include a small deck area with a table and lawn chairs. Also, instead of a stream, I would give the raccoons a kiddie pool, because that fits in better with the backyard theming. The great horned owl exhibit would include a tire swing (as long as it is safe for the animals) and the foxes would have a storage shed as a shelter. Finally, the blue jay exhibit would have a bird feeder in it that would teach visitors about making your backyard better for wildlife.

Some theming in the house would include chairs, a flat screen television playing videos about the zoo’s conservation work and windows looking out into the raccoon and skunk exhibits.
 
I like your start. I wish I had stopped to think about being eco friendly in my Urban Jungle.

Im sort of surprised you didnt go with some of creatures considered pests by many like mice, rats, bats, less loveable bugs ect simply because they dont take up much space.

You could combine the skunks and raccoons if you wanted as they are compatible. That would free space for another species (squirrels? chipmunks?) or a song bird aviary but I suppose you could just have an open space and encourage the birds to visit of their own free will.

A butterfly garden would be cool. Darn I wish that had occurred to me in the urban jungle. You could just plant a garden that would encourage butterfly visits, not actually build something.

I love the whole at home idea you used. Very smart. They will probably make better connections that way then my more urban atmosphere.
 
Thanks for the suggestions TZFan. I'm glad you like what I have so far.

I'm not sure why I didn't include mice, rats or bats in my exhibit. I may decide to have them in the exhibit later, but I don't know if I will. I don't know exactly what you mean by less loveable bugs, but I tried to include a nice diversity of species.

I didn't realize that skunks and raccoons can live together, so I would like to make that change to my exhibit. In the extra space, I would love to use your idea of having a small butterfly garden that could also have a couple of bird feeders for wild species.
 
Africa Continued…
Since the rainforest appears to have the largest collection of species thus far it will be divided into two posts.

Rainforest Refuge
Now that you have emptied your pockets in the Fun Zone you will follow the path to the south leading directly into the next pavilion, Rainforest Refuge. The Refuge is home to all sorts of animals from Africa’s rainforests and wetlands. Unless you want to completely avoid the pavilion and head towards the center of the zoo you will have to go through the Refuge. It is the only pavilion that has a main pathway running through it.

As with all of the other pavilions I want this one to be as big and bright as possible will all kinds of natural plants inside creating that natural feel. A rainforest soundtrack will be played and sprinklers will produce rain. And like Rainforest Range in Indomalaya there will be an upper observation deck that will wrap around the main gallery.

Before you even enter the pavilion you will be greed to the Refuge by a beautiful garden dedicated to Toronto’s original 6 gorillas. There will be statues dedicated to Charles, Barney, Josephine, Samantha, Amanda, Julia and Caroline. Below their statues will be their biographies and the zoo won't hide the brutal way in which baby gorillas were captured during the early days. Its a chance to educate people on how gorillas were once regarded and treated and hopefully it will serve to inspire people to care about them more and protecting future gorillas from a similar fate. Nearby the garden will be a touch booth.

As you pass by the garden to the west is the outdoor Okapi exhibit. Since okapis are not social creatures just a breeding pair and their most current offspring will be helped on exhibit. If the zoo can gets its hands on more okapis they will be held in the quiet of the breeding center. The male will be houses separately from the female and their calf. They also will not have exhibit mates to ensure as little stress as possible on them. I could mix in duikers, cranes or hornbills but considering they are so sensitive I want to err on the side of caution to ensure breeding. During the summer they will each be on exhibit but during the winter they will have to rotate. Due to their sensitive nature the okapis should be held in a quieter spot but I want them to be visible. The Fun Zone immediately to the north of the exhibit was sound proofed for just this reason. The exhibit will also offer just two viewing spots while the rest of the exhibit will be covered by large trees and bushes to damped the amount of noise the foot traffic going into the pavilion will create for them. The outdoor exhibit itself will feature a variety of grasses, and sandy areas with lots of tall shade trees creating a heavy canopy that should keep them safe from overheating during the summer. A giant fallen tree will be placed in the middle of the exhibit to offer the okapi’s privacy if they feel the need to be out of sight. A small stream will be running throughout so they can enjoy the water if they want but it won’t be very deep. Inside the pavilion the okapis will have a decent sized exhibit that will hopefully have lots of grass covering the ground and if not grass then woodchip. They will have lots of native trees, plants, bushes, and flowers. It would be great if some of their trees were fruit trees. Unlike the outdoor exhibit though the okapis won't have stuff to hide behind in here. If they want privacy they can go off exhibit.

To the east of the gorilla garden will be the outdoor exhibit for the Western Lowland Gorillas. The gorillas will be maintain in three groupings. There will be two family groups featuring a silverback, 4 adult females, and various offspring. Also there will be a bachelor troop housing young males pushed out of the family groups. One family group will be our current troop plus a new male… many of you already know what I would do with the gorillas so that our original 6 are represented. A second whole troop would be imported, preferably on with an older silverback and several young males just about ready for a bachelor troop. The bachelor troop wouldn't be started until the troops current young males are booted from the troop. They would also be able to provide other genetic options for the zoo when breeding time arises. Females could have visits with a more desirable genetic match in the bachelor group. The second family group with the older male is being chosen in the hopes that one of the young bachelors can take over the troop when the male passes.

Outside the gorillas would have a very large exhibit. Viewing would occur over a moat so that pesky netting won't be a problem for photographers. The moat will be designed to look like a winding river. The large grassy exhibit would transport guests to a forest clearing where the gorillas have settled in for a day of foraging. Well away from the perimeter would be big trees providing the gorillas with shade, food and climbing opportunities. Naturally they will be carefully monitored to prevent escape. Towards the center of the exhibit would be several large fallen trees providing a climbing structure for the youngsters to test their skills on and perches for the adults to rest on. The climbing structure will also provide opportunities for smaller gorillas to get away from pesky teenage gorillas testing their boundaries. Its a big exhibit and the silverbacks can't be everywhere at once. There will be ropes painted green to look like vines stretched around for swinging should young be interested. Through the middle of the exhibit there will be a shallow river leading to the moat. This shallow area will give the gorillas a chance to drink and if they fill silly play in the water. Some enjoy water, others dont but by providing safe water to play in the gorillas can have more fun.

Now behind the gorilla exhibit to the east there would be an off exhibit holding. The yard would be a flex yard that could hold any of the primates during the summer months to give all of the animals as much access to space as possible. It would still be a nice exhibit but because it is out of sight it wont have the same level of detail and expense put into it. I think it would be interesting if the holding could be raised above the main exhibit, with indoor holdings below underground. When the other gorilla groups are out it would give the illusion of a larger troop. They would be about to see and communicate with each other and act sort like wild gorillas when they meet other troops. However I dont know how this would go over for the bachelors. If it would cause them too much anxiety or create aggressive behaviour from them then no I would prefer to keep the holding exhibit sort of hidden behind rocks and trees. If the chimps were out then they would make it seem like a mixed exhibit.

As you walk into the building towering trees will hold giant glass viewing windows for the gorilla exhibit. I like the idea of the false trees because they can match some of the bigger wild trees found in the region without having to worry about them outgrowing the space. Wherever possible these trees will hold exhibit barriers or the observation deck.

The gorillas would have a massive multi story exhibit. The exhibit would primarily be used by both of the family troops who would rotate on in the winter and rotate outside in the summer. Personally I like the design of the zoo’s current gorilla exhibit and would like to replicate it on a larger scale. In the two back corners I would love to have huge old looking trees stretching towards the roof… frankly if they can help to support the roof thats totally fine by me. In the giant roots there will be places to rest and sit out of view. The upper branches can provide places to climb. Elsewhere in the exhibit there will be fallen trees resting against the walls providing other little nooks for gorillas to hide and rest. Ultimately the gorillas will have the choice to be up close and personal with guests or to back off and be private. Vines will run all over the exhibit… okay ropes. There will be some fast growing plants the gorillas can eat down low like bamboo. Up higher on the walls and barrier ledges there will be tons of leafy plants out of the gorillas reach to help make the exhibit green. The floor will be a mix of sand, woodchip and grass. By the windows in southwest corner of the exhibit there will be a small waterfall with water running through a modest shallow stream. Again it would give the gorillas a chance to be silly with water. The stream will appear to come out from under the wall and drain into the water exhibits across the walkway which will sport a bridge. Hammocks, cargo nets, burlap sacks, buckets, barrels, and a variety of other toys will be added to spice up their days. Some of the fallen trees will lead up to several platforms up by the viewing windows on the observation deck. Up there there will be puzzle feeders that guests can watch the gorillas manipulate. It would be interesting if they could be designed so guests could interact with the gorilla to help achieve success with the puzzle feeders. Someone smarter than me would have to think that one out. Speaking of smarter than me the gorillas will also participate in the same kind of IPads for Apes program as the orangs. They will also receive a keeper talk and webcam. The keeper talk will take place on the opposite side of the exhibit beside the bonobos so they can discuss either of the family groups or the bachelors as well as immediately talking about the bonobos in their own keeper talk right after that if they are out that day.

Around here you will find out there is a pavilion wide activities available to you. It will be called Forest Forage. It will be a scavenger hunt of sorts. The idea of the game will be that you're a gorilla needing to survive. The things you would be looking for would be food items, dangers, predators, tools, ect. By the time you exit the pavilion you will receive a score on your ability to survive. You will download the app to your smartphone and while you travel through the pavilion you will be tasked to take photos of various cleverly hidden objects. Might be a model of a fruit, might be a specific species of bird, might be a tiny painting of a leopard. There will be hundreds if not a thousand little hidden objects you need to snap photos of. Hopefully a person, smarter than I, can program the app to recognize the photos and award points. The whole point of the game is to teach guest how aware of their surroundings gorillas and other animals have to be to find enough food to eat, avoid dangers and survive to reproduce. With any luck the game will get that point across.

The view of the gorillas as you enter will be brief. As you continue into the building along the western edge of the gorilla exhibit and opposite the okapis will be the first of the bird aviaries. The aviary will be a large free flight walk through aviary housing Ring Necked Parakeets, Red Headed Lovebirds, Black Winged Lovebirds, Black Collared Lovebirds, Peach Faced Lovebirds, Fischer’s Lovebirds, Yellow Collared Lovebirds, Lilian’s Lovebirds, and Black Cheeked Lovebirds. This is the ideal list but it will likely be missing some while having an abundance of others because all or almost all of the lovebirds and parakeets as possible will be rescued animals turned in during the exotic amnesty. Only if its necessary will the zoo go through rescue groups. Now I know some of the species in this group are better suited to fit in other areas of Africa but by grouping all of these unwanted birds together it provides the chance to discuss the impact of the pet industry on wild birds.

The birds included in the exhibit will be carefully selected. They will need to be healthy, tame and social because guests could come into direct contact with them. Once selected for the exhibit each bird will be paired with a potential mate in isolation before being introduced to the flock so that they will not cross breed. Keepers will use dummy eggs in most nests to prevent unwanted chicks. However there will be some exceptions to the rules provided there are potential homes at other zoos for the more threatened the Fischer’s lovebirds, Lilian’s lovebirds and black cheeked lovebirds. Discussions will be held with keepers to see if its a good idea to hold a couple of bird feedings in here a day where guest can feed the birds themselves. If its a good idea guests could buy a small amount of food and get to feed them. If its not a good idea then it will simply be a nice walkthrough.

The exhibit itself will feature huge trees stretching towards the roof and filled with leafy plants to simulate real tree leaves. The trees will be holding netting for the birds so that their calls can be heard throughout the pavilion. Inside a wooden pathway will wind through the exhibit in a loop before letting guests back out where they started. Surrounding the path will be a lush rainforests with trees of varying heights, many towards the back of the exhibit being fruit bearing trees, ferns, bamboos, tropical flowers, and bushes. The ground will be littered with plant debris and other materials the birds might like to build their nests out of. Along the rock wall at the back of the exhibit there will be lots of nesting boxes that keepers can check from the rear. Along the western and southern walls of the exhibit guests will be able to look in on the birds.

Continuing south from the okapis and across from the lovebirds and parakeets you will find two good sized exhibits housing African Grey Parrots and Red Fronted Parrots. Since both species are kept in the pet industry and the zoo will likely be able to acquire the birds during the amnesty or through a rescue organization the zoo will keep as many as it can house. Generally they live in monogamous pairs but if the zoo can keep a social grouping that would be ideal. However if only a pair of each species can be kept on exhibit thats fine. Like the lovebirds and parakeets they will be allowed to breed naturally but dummy eggs will replace real ones. While both species are threatened in the wild the unknown pedigree of any rescues will eliminate them from the gene pool anyway. Unless told to breed them by the AZA the zoo wont. The two separate exhibits will be very similar in design. Both will feature the tall trees holding up the exhibit netting. They will have lots of fruit trees to give the birds foraging opportunities, flowers, bushes and other plants to create that luscious tropical feel. In the trees holding up the netting there will be a hollowed out area for nesting. Preferably the female will choose to nest there and guests can peer into the nesting chamber through one way glass. There would also be a keeper hatch in the tree so the eggs can be retrieved and a way to flush the mother out and keep her out during egg retrieval. This up close view of nesting behaviour should be interesting to guests.

After visiting with the parrots you might think you're done with the bright and colourful birds but you’re wrong. Another large aviary is the next stop on your tour. Now I’m less familiar with many of these species but I know several of them can be kept together. Ideally the whole group will be kept together. However some species may need to be isolated or the groupings broken up more. It will be up to the keepers to tell me what needs to be done. The exhibit will feature Violet Turacos, Great Blue Turacos, Lady Ross’s Turacos, Black Bellied Turacos, Red Crested Turacos, White Cheeked Turacos, Violaceous Turacos, Black Faced Go Away Birds, Yellow Vented Bulbuls, Speckled Mousebirds, Violet Backed Starling, Golden Breasted Starlings, Black Crakes, and Blue Bellied Rollers. I would like to take a minute here and point out I have no clue if Black Faced Go Away Birds are kept in the AZA or captivity in general but their name is so interesting I want them if I can have them. Silly reason to want a species but there you have it. It would be interesting to offer another walkthrough exhibit but its probably not necessary. Their long narrow exhibit might not allow for it. Like the other aviaries the exhibit will feature tall trees sporting netting. This should give the birds lots of room both in area and height. Hopefully they will stay within few of guests and that can be achieved by having feeders on the ground and at eye level. There will be some higher feeders on the back wall just to lessen competition down low. Since many are fruit eaters I would love to see African fruit trees planted to provide normal foods at least part of the time and encourage foraging. Other trees, bushes, flowers, grasses, bamboo, and plants will be all over creating a lush green back drop against which the bright birds should stand out. Nesting sites will be provided along the back wall so that keepers can access nests and control breeding. Natural nesting materials will litter the ground.

At this point you have reached the small nocturnal section. Jutting off the main body of the building will be the nocturnal exhibits. This is being done so that the animals can have their days flipped around without effecting any of the other species in the bright building. All of the exhibits here will be behind glass and the room will resemble a cave in its rocky appearance even though three of the species in here do not deal with caves. Its just to get the effect and keep things darker.

Immediately after entering the nocturnal room to the west you will get to see Royal Antelope. The zoo will house a breeding pair and their young together in a single exhibit provided the mother is comfortable with the father being around her calf. If necessary the exhibit is likely large enough it can be subdivided by simply putting some large logs in the way. Due to the fact they tend to be most active around dawn and dusk their exhibits light levels will be carefully controlled to maximize the time they are active for guests. Since they are so small it will probably be wise to raise the floor of their exhibit at foot or two above the pathway so that people can get a better look at them. The exhibit will feature fruit trees, flowers, grasses, bushes, rocks, fallen trees and a small fallen log with a hollow in it where the antelopes can rest nestled in hay. The antelope will be encouraged to forage for their food.

South of the antelope will be an off exhibit holding which could house any of the nocturnal animals at any time.

Along the southern edge of the pavilion will be Pottos and Lesser Bushbabies. The pottos will be kept as a breeding pair with their most recent young. The male will only be removed if the mother is uncomfortable with him being there or he is aggressive with his offspring. The more social bushbabies will be kept in two groups, a bachelor group of 6 and a female group of 6 plus their young. This will enable keepers to have maximum control over reproduction while allowing the bushbabies to engage in normal social activities. The groups will rotate time on exhibit with the pottos always being visible. Since both species are very arboreal their exhibit will need to match that lifestyle. It will be the largest of the exhibits in here. There will be a mix of false trees and real trees. The real trees will include fruit trees to encourage foraging. The false trees will have different sized hollows in them for the bushbabies or pottos to make a nest in. There will also be fallen trees and branches to make an amazingly complex climbing structure. Gives will also hang from the ceiling offering other ways to get around. Flowers and other plants will give the animal something else to much on. They will also be provided with some bugs to catch and eat. Their holding will be designed not to let those bugs escape. Having the more active bushbabies in with the bigger less active pottos should make for an interesting mix.

To the north of the pottos and bushbabies on the eastern side of the nocturnal room will be the obvious choice for any nocturnal room… the bats. Since the zoo currently has both Egyptian Fruit Bats and Straw Coloured Fruit Bats they will be in this exhibit even though neither are really a rainforest bat. It’s just simpler to tuck them in here then build them another dark room elsewhere. If more appropriate bats can be selected by the curator go for it. I am not sure what the colonies currently consist of but I would like to work towards a housing two single sexed groups. This would allow the zoo to prevent unwanted breeding. The genders can rotate on exhibit every other day and have a second off exhibit holding for the other days. To make the exhibit feel each colony should probably have 10 bats of each species. Thus the zoo would likely have 40 fruit bats unless they are being bred. Their exhibit needs to house a wide variety of fruit trees. I want guests to be able to see the important role these bats play in the pollination process. I want the exhibit to have fruits ripening at different times of the year. I dont expect this to be their only source of food but it will encourage them to forage as they would in the wild.

Tucked into the rock work around the exhibits could be nocturnal bugs, amphibians and reptiles. However that would be left up to the designers. Most of those species are being included in the observation deck. Again its an issue of it just being a good space to stick smaller exhibits leaving the ground level for the big guys… and yes the ones I like more.

Exiting out the same door you used to enter the nocturnal room and turning to the east you will get your first of three looks at the Eastern Bongos, Yellow-backed Duikers, and Guereza Colobus. The bongos will be kept in a herd consisting of one male, six females and their young, however two other breeding herds and a bachelor herd will be kept at the breeding center. Males will frequently be rotated through the groups to promote maximum genetic diversity. Why all this breeding? If the zoo can breed bongos and have the young be release back into the wild it will be a good conservation program worth dedicating the space too. When it comes to the duikers three duikers will rotate on exhibit. The male will be on his own most of the year. The two females, plus any young, will be the second group. Since duikers are less social this will provide guests ample opportunity to see a duiker without stressing the animals too much by having unnatural groupings for them. The colobus will be kept in a group with a dominant male, three females and their young. This type of grouping will keep the exhibit lively without over crowding it.

The exhibit will feature glass walls on the western and eastern edges of the exhibit which will be surrounded by pathways on three sides. Along the northern edge there will be a mat over which you can view the animals, ideally. Im not sure if a moat is a good idea with the colobus. If not then there will be glass and netting above. The moat, if it exists, will look like it is part of the same body of water you will find in the hippo exhibit to the northeast. Like the water in the gorilla exhibit I would like guest to cross a bridge so that it feels like it is all the same water. Inside the exhibit there will be lots of open spaces where the animals can gather and rest but there will also be plenty of privacy spots available so that if the bongos or duikers feel threatened they can move to somewhere they will feel less threatened, thus reducing stress. These hideaways might be visible from other viewing points but some won't. Unless keepers are cleaning the holding I would want the holdings to also be left open so they can completely retreat if they feel the need. In order to create the hideaways for the bongo and duikers the plantings and exhibit furnishings will need to be carefully done. There will be numerous fruit trees, along with other trees the colobus would enjoy, bamboo, shrubs, flowers and other plants. The plants will be grouped to form thickets for hiding in while leaving room elsewhere for resting and feeding in view. Naturally the colobus will need lots of vertical height to enjoy and a tall climbing structure will have lots of fallen trees and branches for swinging and climbing on. Vines will be all over high above the bongos and duikers so they can't get tangled. Platforms will be well hidden and look like nests. They will also be given hammocks and cargo nets to rest in and on. Everything will be done to encourage the colobus not to make trouble. An added to the exhibit solely for the use of the colobus will be an elevated transfer shoot leading across the eastern pathway to the neighbouring exhibit. Just outside the pavilion exit southeast of the bongos you will find the outdoor exhibit for them. The exhibit will be fully netted with several tall fake trees holding it up. Inside the netting the there will be big full trees to provide all of the animals with shade and the monkeys with lots of climbing opportunities. There will be rocks, fallen trees and shrubs for cover but mostly it will be left open. Its a good space for everyone to stretch their legs. A small climbing structure would be added for the colobus. During the summer the doors will be left open and the animals can choose to be indoors or out.

Back inside to the east of the bongos will be the Red River Hogs who will receive visits from the colobus. The zoo will house a male and three females plus young in the hog herd. By keeping more then the standard male female and young I am allowing the hogs to live in a more natural grouping. It should provide them with more stimulation to have more animals to interact with. If a moat will work to keep the colobus in the bongo exhibit ti will be employed again with the hogs. The moat will work with my general attempt to make the pavilion appear to have a winding river running through it. It also helps to properly show the chosen habitat of the hogs in that they live beside rivers, lakes and streams wherever possible. The exhibit will be mostly sandy simply because the hogs can be tough on grasses but the zoo will try to grow some in there. In the sandy places there will be two or three big mud wallows. At the back there will be lots of bamboo to hide the holdings. There will be some fruit trees and other plants around to provide that rainforest feel in an exhibit that might not demonstrate that very well. And to get them rooting around there will be rotting logs brought in for them to destroy and find bugs in. Also in the exhibit for the benefit of the colobus will be a smaller climbing structure with several of the perks in their main exhibit. The colobus are really just being given more space to explore and get away from others if they want. Unless an animal needs isolation from others for social reasons the shoot would be left open almost all of the time. It will allow them to decide where to spend their time.

Outside across the pathway from the bongo exhibit will be an outdoor exhibit. This exhibit will be designed to accommodate the red river hogs, the pygmy hippos and occasionally the otters. The colobus won't be allowed to go outside in this exhibit so that they exhibit can be open and guests can view the flamingo exhibit to the east with little obstruction creating a feeling of more space. The hippos and hogs will never be out together and if one is outside for the day it will be possible to give the other species access to the second exhibit. If the hippos were in the hog exhibit the colobus shoot would be closed for their safety. The exhibit will have several big trees to provide much needed shade for the hippos but not so many to obstruct views. There will be some bushes and as much grass as they can grow. Wallows will exist to give both species a chance to cover themselves in mud on a hot day. A wide deep moat will run along much of the exhibit providing the animals a chance to swim. Close to the pavilion though will be a glass viewing wall. This will be the only up close view people will get of the hippos and hogs based on the layout. The otters will be allowed out here occasionally so they can get some sun and fresh air but their visits will be rarer because I’m sure people would prefer to see them swimming underwater.

While you could the pavilion now and head out to the savanna you are not done with the pavilion yet. Returning inside north of the hogs you will pass the gorillas again to the west and the Pygmy Hippos to the east as you cross over the unnecessary bridge. The large exhibit will be the home to a breeding pair of hippos and their offspring. The male will be with the female and the youngster most of the time provided both adults behave appropriately. If necessary he will be held off exhibit will the baby is deemed big enough for his reintroduction. The land portion of the exhibit will be predominantly sand so that it is easier on the hippos bodies. They will have grasses and bamboos at the back of the exhibit which they are welcomed to munch on. THere will also be a couple of fallen trees they can push around and rub against to get their itch out. like their neighbours the hogs they would have a mud wallow or two. Dominating the exhibit though would be the zero entry pool. A platform would be just off the ramp where they could lay in shallow water but then it would drop off into the rest of the pool. Underwater there would be mostly rocks and maybe a fallen tree but nothing they can get stuck on or around. Adding to the underwater interest there will be any kind of mix of cichlids. Not a ton but just enough to give people something to look at when the hippos are on land.

Part two of the pavilion will be posted tomorrow.
 
Your African Rainforest exhibit is probably the best thing that I've seen on this thread so far! Everything about it is amazing.

The scavenger hunt in the pavilion is probably the most original idea that you've created. What I love about it is that it will get visitors to actually be able to interact with the exhibit while learning about gorillas and other animals.

Today I've been doing a lot of work on my plans. I have a species list done for the Canadian Wilderness and I will probably start typing that up soon. The biggest challenge that I had with the Canadian Wilderness is that since it will be located in an already existing area of the zoo, there isn't a ton of space. I actually really liked this though, because it made my species choices more meaningful.

I've also been planning out my North American Pavilion and I really love some of my ideas.
 
Thanks for the compliments. I liked the pavilion too. And your just at the half way point.

I cant claim credit for the scavenger hunt idea. I sort of stole and twisted Disney's Hidden Mickey concept to make it meaningful.

With your plans dont forget mixed species exhibits can help add animals. If in doubt about mixed compatibility there is the stuff I sent you plus look back at my mixes to see some other possibilities you might not think of... like the raccoons and skunks.

I love the idea of a North American pavilion. I left out tons of American species because I didnt want to build one single big pavilion. Part of me wishes I had one big pavilion in the center of North America.

Cant wait to see more of your ideas. I just know there will be something in there that will make me wish I had thought of it.
 
You're still very creative for thinking of how to apply the Hidden Mickey idea in your zoo.

I have a few ideas for mixed species exhibits in the Canadian Wilderness, but a lot of the species are carnivores that need to live alone. Most if not all of the major Canadian species will be in the exhibit complex though, and the only animals that I had to leave out aren't that important.

I really love my North American Pavilion because it takes the layout of the Americas Pavilion and divides it into separate regions. I decided not to have an Oceans section in my zoo, so instead a large portion of the North American Pavilion is dedicated to marine species.
 
Here is the next section for my zoo. I know that I'm missing a few popular Canadian species, but I tried to make the animal collection as diverse as possible while still including almost all of the major species.

Canadian Wilderness

The Canadian Wilderness will take up the space that is now Tundra Trek and the Mayan Temple. It will also cover a small part of the services area behind the Americas. The main entrance to this section would be the same as the current entrance to Tundra Trek.

Before entering the Canadian Wilderness would be an exhibit for a non-Canadian animal. Mexican grey wolves would live in an exhibit that would have a mix of tall grass and dirt on the ground, with some large bushes and tall pine trees for shade. A small pool and large rock cave would be added so that the wolves can stay cool in the summer. The exhibit would be surrounded by mesh, but there would be two other viewing areas. One would be from across a moat and the other would be through a large glass window, allowing for up close encounters with the wolves. A second smaller exhibit would be used for female wolves with pups. It would be less visible than the main exhibit to give the mothers privacy. The zoo would participate in Mexican grey wolf conservation projects and if possible, would help return them back into the wild.

After the wolves, visitors would enter the Canadian Wilderness. The first exhibit here would be for a group of black tailed prairie dogs. Their exhibit would be grassy with a couple of bushes and rocks. There would not be pop-up bubbles in this exhibit because they would make it seem less natural. Instead, there would be kid-sized prairie dog tunnels next to the exhibit for children (and small adults) to crawl through.

A herd of Rocky Mountain goats would live in the next habitat. In the centre of their exhibit would be a massive rock mountain for them to climb on. The mountain would include some flat areas with grass on them, and a couple small pine trees would be planted too. Some of the rocks would hang over these areas to give the goats shade.

Nearby would be a very large exhibit for a herd of wood bison. This exhibit would include a mix of tall and short grasses with some dusty areas and a large pool to swim in. There would also be a few large trees and bushes in the exhibit too. I would like to keep a fairly large herd of bison in here, although there would also be some off exhibit in the breeding centre. The zoomobile would go through the back of this exhibit that would not be visible to visitors on foot.

Across from the bison would be a tall bald eagle aviary. The animals in this exhibit would probably be rescues from the wild that can’t fly, so there would be lots of tall trees that the eagles can use to walk on. Also, a small pool would be in one of the corners in this exhibit that would occasionally have fish in it for the eagles to try to catch. As another form of enrichment, zookeepers would give the birds materials for them to make a nest.
The next two exhibits would be home to North American cats. First would be the cougar habitat. It would be a long exhibit with viewing through mesh and glass. The exhibit would look like a mountain forest with a mix of large rocks and logs to climb on. There would also be lots of trees and bushes, and a rock cave in one corner of the enclosure. Canada lynx would live in the second exhibit, which would look very similar to the cougar exhibit but slightly smaller. One difference is that the lynx habitat would have more of a forest theme than the cougar, meaning it would have more trees and less rocks.

After seeing the cats, visitors would see a mixed species exhibit home to moose, wild turkeys and trumpeter swans. The main part of the exhibit would look like a forest, with tall and short trees, bushes and grass on the ground. There would also be a large pond at one end of the exhibit that would be used by the moose and swans. I would want the zoo to have a male and two female moose, plus any offspring they have. The male and females would rotate between the main exhibit and an off exhibit area not visible to the public. There would also be a breeding pair of swans, and I would like the zoo to continue to participate in trumpeter swan conservation and reintroduction programs.

The last section in the Canadian Wilderness would be home to the grizzly bears. There would be two exhibits for the bears to rotate through. The first would be a more mountainous enclosure and would have hills, large rocks, a cave and pine trees. The second exhibit would look more like a grassland habitat. This exhibit would include a few trees and bushes with a large dirt area. The main feature here would be a massive pool that would include an underwater viewing area. As a form of enrichment, the bears would be given live fish to hunt for in their pool. In addition to the underwater viewing, visitors would be able to see the bears through glass windows and across moats in each exhibit. All of the bears at the zoo would be rescues from the wild and would not breed.

There would be lots of theming throughout this area such as moose antlers and bear tracks on the ground, cougar claw marks and a fake bald eagle’s nest on trees, and artificial salmon skeletons close to the bear underwater viewing area. The Caribou Café would have its name changed to the Cougar Café, and it would have new Canadian Rocky Mountain murals painted on the walls. The Beavertails, General Store and zoomobile station would remain where they are, but the General Store would sell Canadian themed merchandise like stuffed animals, hats and items made by First Nations people. A new picnic area would be created close by, since the Backyard Wildlife section replaced the one that is close to Tundra Trek.
 
Great selection. You got most of the biggies you just cant have a great Canadian section without... Im assuming the beavers and otters are staying in the pavilion and that your just positioning Tundra Trek.

You know one iconic Canadian species I wish we both could have included was the loon. Unfortunately they dont do well in captivity but to me there is no sound more Canadian than the cry of a loon. Luckily I usually get to hear them at home and see them on occasion but it would be a real treat for most guests.

I like that your including some of your theming too.

I look forward to seeing where we go next in your zoo.
 
A lot of the smaller Canadian species such as beavers, otters, black footed ferrets and all of the reptiles, amphibians and fish will be in the North American Pavilion. That will be the next plan I post, but it might take me longer than the last two. I've been working on the species list for it for two weeks now!

I was actually thinking about adding loons to the moose exhibit, but like you said, they don't do well in captivity. Trumpeter swans were a last minute change that I made because I completely forgot about them while I was planning the exhibit.

I like the first two sections of my zoo, but I love what I have so far for the North American Pavilion. There are so many awesome species in it, and a few might surprise you!
 
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