Well on a budget of £15 million this is what I've come up with
Sea of Ice
Perhaps the most substantial exhibit in the zoo and the one receiving the lions share of the £15 million would be a more modern take on the Eismeer / sea of ice found at Tierpark Hagenbeck. I would create a enclosure for Pacific walrus almost identical to the California sea lion enclosure at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Think large pool, varying depths, modest land area and a wave machine. It costed Yorkshire £2 million for the exhibit but as walrus are larger the house needs to be bigger etc. So the Walrus habitat would have £2.5 million allocated.
Behind the walrus pool would be a polar bear habitat separate from the pinnipeds by a dry moat. The polar bear habitat would be located at a higher level. Creating a new mixed species illusion. The polar bear exhibit would be similar to the one at Jimmy's farm with deep pools, open fields, separation pens, woodland area and a salt water bath. The polar bear complex would have two enclosures. The complex at Jimmy's farm costed £1 million. Also the polar bears will be mixed with arctic foxes.
Something the UK sorely lacks is underwater viewing for marine mammals. So a indoor hall will be built allowing for underwater viewing for both animals similar to that of Pairi Daiza. Three metre tall viewing glass and educational displays. I couldn't find any costs exclusively for zoo polar bear underwater viewing so ill put another £1 million for the underwater viewing and educational elements.
Surrounding the main Eismeer habitat will be accompanying enclosures for Eurasian forest reindeer, musk oxen, snowy owl and wolverine. All with relatively simple open spacious enclosures with forested areas to avoid summer heat. The snowy owl aviary will be a walkthrough.
So that's £2.5 million for Walrus + £1 million for Polar bears and arctic foxes + £1 million for education and under water viewing + £500,00 for other arctic animals.
Sea of ice total budget: £5 million
Giants of the Raj
This exhibit would be inspired by rhinos of Nepal at ZSL Whipsnade zoo which costed £1 million to build in 2008 which is £1.6 million today. The building is self sufficient and is comprised of three stalls with pools connected to spacious yards.
Giants of the Raj would be comprised of two building almost identical to Rhinos of Nepal but connected by a walkthrough greenhouse. One side of the building will be home to Greater one horned rhinos and the other Indian gaur. Blackbuck will be mixed with at least one of the rhino paddocks.
The central greenhouse will consist of a walkthrough with various South and South East Asian pheasants mixed with Indian flying foxes. For a cost estimate for the greenhouse all I could find where new large ones like in Marwell, Beauval etc. which are multi million pound projects which this tropical hall certainty is not. I assume a large greenhouse will dense vegetation cant cost more than a few hundred thousand if that?
So thats £1.6 million for the rhinos + £1.6 million for Gaur + £400,000 million for the greenhouse.
Giants of the Raj: £3.6 million
The Alpine World
A area dedicated to the mountainous regions of Africa, Asia and New Zealand. The area would be relatively simple will spacious enclosures located on hilly ground will moats and deep fences to keep the animals in. For the sake of making the budget easier to manage the area will be a clone of the Himalaya at Tierpark Berlin.
- Yunnan snub nosed monkeys (or more realistically the golden snub nosed monkey) will be in place of the Francois langur
- Golden takin with Chinese goral, Sichuan takin, bearded vulture Eastern Kiang, snow leopard, manul, Himalayan monal and Thorold's deer will remain in place.
- Mishmi takin mixed with red goral will replace the red panda
- Kea in a larger aviary will replace the tragopan aviary
- Japanese serow with Japanese macaque will replace the ibex and markhor
- Barbary red deer and barbary macaque will replace Marco polo sheep and bharal.
- Additionally between the empty space between the Sichuan takin and snub nosed monkeys will be reserved for if Bhutan takin are ever a possibility to acquire.
Himalaya costed 5.3 million euros or £4.6 million. Since when Himalaya was built it replaced, rethemed and modernised exisiting enclosures its difficult to know how much of the budget went to fencing, housing etc compared to theming. So for accuracy sake the budget for the Alpine World will be £5 million
Alpine World: £5 million
Everything Else
Surely three multi million pound exhibits with polar bears, rhinos, snow leopards and walruses is good enough for opening day right?
After the sea of ice, giants of the Raj and the Alpine World £1.4 million was left
Well as these things also go over budget lets knock £400,000 off for unforeseen costs or sudden price hikes in raw materials.
Leaving £1 million
The remaining budget will go towards a large Cape buffalo enclosure and a modest nocturnal house with slow loris, echidna, New Guinea cuscus, aye aye and giant Chinese salamander.
