Zoogoer2000
Well-Known Member
First of all,i know i've already done a review for this but im just going to post it in sections.
Lion-tailed macaque habitat:Somewhat funny looking to me as it is half covered and half is a mesh verical space.I like that the monkeys have room to jump and climb but it looks some what weird.I wish they would expand it a bit more and add maybe some ferns on the ground plus a fake tree or maybe a few ficus trees with ropes running beetween them so they could have alot of climbing space..Another thing that would be cool is if you could go up a ramp to have an elevated look.And last,maybe the could make it so that the mesh is a really strong harp-wire (or would they rip through it?).Oh and then another thing that would be cool is an asian mural in the covered area and they could make the extrerior of the holding look like a temple ruin like in The Americas.
Indian rhino/malayan tapir complex:The rhino building is very concret feeling an dit has a sterile but not so bad look to it.The rooms for the indian rhino and tapir are kind of small but when it is just one its ok.I'd like if the ground was mulch or dirt instead of concrete.The moat in front is nice and i don't have aproblem with it and i like the logs embedded in the walls.It would be nice if they had asian type murals on the walls in beetween the logs and in the viewing areaThe building from the outside also looks somewhat sterile so maybe to make it more asian they could redo the exterior so it looks like one of those asian buildings that are kind of falling apart (they look really cool in exhibits).The view area inside could be turned into an education station with lots of interactive signage.The outdoor yards for the rhino and the tapir differ on each side.The rhino yard is quite spacious and i love the huge mudhole but it feels some what bare.Maybe they could add like a ruin statue,a few trees,some boulders and a big log scratiching post and they'd be even better.Now the tapir are a different story.I think the paddock is a bit small for them and the pool is puny and half the time not even filled.They should expand it and have it so there are some ruin statues,trees and a bigger pool.The fence should be made into a rockwork barrier on all the sides (same with the rhino paddock) and they should also recieve a log scratching post.Maybe something could be mixed with them as well like binturong or tufted deer.
sumatran tiger habitat:The sumatran tiger yards are spacious but lack pezzaz.The original yard is my favourite of the three.It is large,well planted and it has a really nice cave and pool.The part that bugs me is the mesh.Its not very noticable from the boardwalk which is good but on the boardwalk it is extremely ugly and heavy.The don't use for anything except for Rengat who jumps at it to scare keepers.The only thing it provides is easy visual access for keepers and to keeper the tigers at bay.i would wish that they could change the mesh wall to a rockwork one but from the bord walk you could still see in.Maybe there could also be a waterfall coming out of the wall.I also hope they get rid of the hotwire at the viewing window for close ups.The 2003 one is spacious but like Ungulate said,it is basicallly a carbon copy of the original yard but with even less stuff.If i were the one who built it i would have given it an asian feel to it with a temple viewing area.Ruin walls instead of mesh,ferns,trees,a ruin cave and a pool with a small waterfall.I'd expand it a bit more.The last yard is the holding yard which i was appauled to see Brytne and her cubs crammed into for about 6 months while they could acclaimated for about a month there and then moved to one of the bigger yards.The keepers excuse was that the zoo had a deal with AGF that there would be a cub cam until December.So what!Just have the cam one of the other yards.Anywho.This yard is very sterile and small looking but since its only used for holding area,its not as bad.Maybe they could just add some boulders and it would be fine.The part i like is that they have a nice looking sleeping platform and lots of enrichment in there.Sticking with the theme,i'd love if they made the extrerior of the holding an abandoned timber factory ( know,its already at Columbus Zoo but its jsut such a great idea).
gaur paddock:The gaur have a nicely sized paddock.All I would like to see is more trees and stuff and maybe an average sized pool.Maybe they could mix something with them as well
Additions:At the valley area that you go over on a bridge,they should add a big net free-flight aviary or and outdoor area for oranguatan,gibbons or bearded pigs.Since i'd like to see a more asian theme.It would be cool if there were all sorts of ruin buildings,ferns along the path way,cobblestone instead of cement and more education areas and new signage.
Lion-tailed macaque habitat:Somewhat funny looking to me as it is half covered and half is a mesh verical space.I like that the monkeys have room to jump and climb but it looks some what weird.I wish they would expand it a bit more and add maybe some ferns on the ground plus a fake tree or maybe a few ficus trees with ropes running beetween them so they could have alot of climbing space..Another thing that would be cool is if you could go up a ramp to have an elevated look.And last,maybe the could make it so that the mesh is a really strong harp-wire (or would they rip through it?).Oh and then another thing that would be cool is an asian mural in the covered area and they could make the extrerior of the holding look like a temple ruin like in The Americas.
Indian rhino/malayan tapir complex:The rhino building is very concret feeling an dit has a sterile but not so bad look to it.The rooms for the indian rhino and tapir are kind of small but when it is just one its ok.I'd like if the ground was mulch or dirt instead of concrete.The moat in front is nice and i don't have aproblem with it and i like the logs embedded in the walls.It would be nice if they had asian type murals on the walls in beetween the logs and in the viewing areaThe building from the outside also looks somewhat sterile so maybe to make it more asian they could redo the exterior so it looks like one of those asian buildings that are kind of falling apart (they look really cool in exhibits).The view area inside could be turned into an education station with lots of interactive signage.The outdoor yards for the rhino and the tapir differ on each side.The rhino yard is quite spacious and i love the huge mudhole but it feels some what bare.Maybe they could add like a ruin statue,a few trees,some boulders and a big log scratiching post and they'd be even better.Now the tapir are a different story.I think the paddock is a bit small for them and the pool is puny and half the time not even filled.They should expand it and have it so there are some ruin statues,trees and a bigger pool.The fence should be made into a rockwork barrier on all the sides (same with the rhino paddock) and they should also recieve a log scratching post.Maybe something could be mixed with them as well like binturong or tufted deer.
sumatran tiger habitat:The sumatran tiger yards are spacious but lack pezzaz.The original yard is my favourite of the three.It is large,well planted and it has a really nice cave and pool.The part that bugs me is the mesh.Its not very noticable from the boardwalk which is good but on the boardwalk it is extremely ugly and heavy.The don't use for anything except for Rengat who jumps at it to scare keepers.The only thing it provides is easy visual access for keepers and to keeper the tigers at bay.i would wish that they could change the mesh wall to a rockwork one but from the bord walk you could still see in.Maybe there could also be a waterfall coming out of the wall.I also hope they get rid of the hotwire at the viewing window for close ups.The 2003 one is spacious but like Ungulate said,it is basicallly a carbon copy of the original yard but with even less stuff.If i were the one who built it i would have given it an asian feel to it with a temple viewing area.Ruin walls instead of mesh,ferns,trees,a ruin cave and a pool with a small waterfall.I'd expand it a bit more.The last yard is the holding yard which i was appauled to see Brytne and her cubs crammed into for about 6 months while they could acclaimated for about a month there and then moved to one of the bigger yards.The keepers excuse was that the zoo had a deal with AGF that there would be a cub cam until December.So what!Just have the cam one of the other yards.Anywho.This yard is very sterile and small looking but since its only used for holding area,its not as bad.Maybe they could just add some boulders and it would be fine.The part i like is that they have a nice looking sleeping platform and lots of enrichment in there.Sticking with the theme,i'd love if they made the extrerior of the holding an abandoned timber factory ( know,its already at Columbus Zoo but its jsut such a great idea).
gaur paddock:The gaur have a nicely sized paddock.All I would like to see is more trees and stuff and maybe an average sized pool.Maybe they could mix something with them as well
Additions:At the valley area that you go over on a bridge,they should add a big net free-flight aviary or and outdoor area for oranguatan,gibbons or bearded pigs.Since i'd like to see a more asian theme.It would be cool if there were all sorts of ruin buildings,ferns along the path way,cobblestone instead of cement and more education areas and new signage.
