"Inexpensive" Exhibits: Best Bang for the Buck?

[keith8404]

I am wondering what are some of the best exhibits (for both animals and visitors) you have seen relative to the amount of money spent to build and maintain them? In other words, who appears to have received the "biggest bang for their buck," as we like to say in these parts?

 

[Dassie rat]

I liked the old 'Rodent House' in the Children's Zoo in East Berlin. It was a big shed containing various small mammals, including gundis, short-tailed opossums and cururos. It is the only place where I have seen dassie rats. Quite a few people visited it and the animals seemed to be more active than in some similar establishments.

I doubt if it cost much, but it was an interesting exhibit and contained several more species than are kept in many larger mammal houses.

 

[Zoovolunteer]

One of the most popular cheap exhibits I have seen at many zoos, including where I volunteer at Bristol, are the prairie dogs. Aside from an escape proof peripheral wall they take care of themselves aside from feeding, and do have any other special needs. Capybara are good too, providing they have access to a suitable pool.

 

[Shirokuma]

I think the Highland Wildlife Park's polar bear enclosure. I know it wasn't cheap as such but compared with many polar bear enclosures its simple concept has been quite innovative and I hope other collections follow its example.

 

[Arizona Docent]

Most cost effective may be those that are for native wildlife - where they just use the existing terrain (more or less) and put fences around it. Really good examples of this can be found in the United States at:

Northwest Trek (Washington)
Wildlife West (New Mexico)
Living Desert State Park (New Mexico)

Or, similarly, for exotic (and native) animals that are from a similar climate and can also be put in modestly landscaped exhibits with a large fence. Examples in the United States:

Minnesota Zoo (Minnesota)
The Living Desert (California)
Fossil Rim Wildlife Ranch (Texas)

 

[jwer]

Most cost effective may be those that are for native wildlife -

When i read that, i thought of Dortmund's Lynx exhibit. Basically a fenced of piece of forest in which the animals look amazing.

Zodiac Zoos who operate Overloon, Wissel Zoo (Epe) and AquaZoo Friesland are in my opinion very good in creating very decent exhibits without (I think) huge costs. They usually use small islands (for primates) or netted treetrunks (as aviary's) or dug out rondo's (for things like binturongs, coatis, red panda or crab-eating raccoons). It's mainly why i like their Zoos.

One exhibit that i really liked was Barcelona's Penguin exhibit. Relatively small, but so much to do and see on such a small area.

 

[Zooish]

Singapore Zoo's "Free-ranging" Orang utan display is by far the cheapest major exhibit ever created in Singapore Zoo. All it took was some hotwire, artificial vines and a couple of cargo nets strung around some mature trees.

It is easily one of the most memorable sights at the zoo, and great for the apes too.