Is the San Diego Zoo Ready to Take the "Next Step"?

AnaheimZoo

AnaheimZoo

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Well, the world-famous San Diego Zoo, as many of you may know, recently started construction on an Australian Outback exhibit that is set to open in the spring of 2013. From the conceptual designs posted on signs outside of the Outback construction site, the plan appears to be something exciting. But will this just be another disappointment like Elephant Odyssey seemed to be? The Zoo has also apparently bulldozed its many great Reptile Mesa exhibits, however, at the moment, it is unknown for what reason. Has San Diego started to modernize its sub-par exhibits and catch up with other zoos around the country? It could be said that some of San Diego's exhibits are oudated, a few cannot even compare with those at the Bronx or Woodland Park, and that San Diego's shrinking collection has caused it to drop quite a few spots in the running for the U.S's top zoo. So, is San Diego trying to take the next step towards retaking the #1 Zoo title? Is this the start of a new era in sunny SoCal?
 
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AnaheimZoo said:
It is clear that the Bronx and Woodland Park have better animal exhibits, and are close behind San Diego in the running for the U.S's top zoo...
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Is not this statement an oxymoron? If the two other zoos have better animals exhibits, then why do you rate San Diego ahead of them? For the record, none of those three zoos make my top five (and San Diego is most decidedly NOT number one in the country).

Not to say that I do not like San Diego, because I do and have been a member for many years (partly due to the Safari Park). As for what the future holds, I certainly do hope this is a sign of improvements because I was so disgusted with Elephant Odyssey that I had lost all hope for this zoo. (What I am much more excited about than the koala and reptile redos is the new tiger exhbit at the Safari Park).

I also believe they plan to redo Cat Canyon for their centenniel in 2016 which I have mixed feelings about. Although it is badly in need of an overhaul, I fear there will be less cats in the new incarnation (and cats are my thing). I hope I am wrong.
 
Arizona Docent said:
Is not this statement an oxymoron? If the two other zoos have better animals exhibits, then why do you rate San Diego ahead of them? For the record, none of those three zoos make my top five (and San Diego is most decidedly NOT number one in the country).
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Well, it seems that the majority of ZooChat members I've associated with (snowleopard, the most notable among them) rate San Diego as #1 in the country because of its collection, climate... but now that you mention it, this does seem to be a contradiction as it's been coming up a lot lately that SD's collection is not what it once was and the grottoes are outdated... Erm, maybe I should edit that? :o Does retake the #1 title sound more appropriate?
 
I don't think it was a pathetic attempt :D

I'm very excited about the new Australian area! I've read that horticulture specialists from the zoo visited Australia and were allowed to return with several exotic species for the new exhibit. So I foresee it being an enclosure mirroring San Diego's former glory (tiger trail/Ituri forest) by being very immersive. Also, the fact that they will become one of the only zoos outside of Australia to display tasmanian devils is quite exciting, and in my opinion counteracts several of the other species disappearances at the zoo.

I will go out on a limb here and defend elephant odyssey. Yes, we all know it isn't exactly visually appealing. But it is incredibly functional in its management of elderly elephants.
 
gorgeousingray said:
Also, the fact that they will become one of the only zoos outside of Australia to display tasmanian devils is quite exciting
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a "fact they will" get devils? Is it actually a done deal? As far as I know a San Diego keeper and some keepers from other USA zoos have been in Australia learning how to care for devils at Trowunna, but there are no definites as to devils going to the USA. It appears to still be in the hopeful-thinking stage.
 
Chlidonias said:
a "fact they will" get devils? Is it actually a done deal? As far as I know a San Diego keeper and some keepers from other USA zoos have been in Australia learning how to care for devils at Trowunna, but there are no definites as to devils going to the USA. It appears to still be in the hopeful-thinking stage.
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The San Diego Zoo has announced that they are building a Tasmanian devil exhibit as part of the new koala area refurbishment so I assume that they have some kind of "done deal" set up. The zoo has a fairly recent history of keeping the species as they had them within the last decade.
 
mm, I don't know myself if there is a sealed deal or not, but it is not by any means unheard of for zoos to announce and build exhibits on the strength of possibilities. I understand there is strong support to set up overseas "insurance" populations of disease-free devils (something I agree with myself, so I'm not just trying to be a spoilsport) - and hence the reason American keepers are training at Trowunna - but as far as I'm aware talks on exporting the species to America have not gone any further than that.

To be clear: I'm not saying its not happening, but I am not aware that it is definite at all. And I hope they do get devils.
 
I have not gotten the impression from zoo publications or from other inside sources that the devils are definite. I do however have the impression that if they do get devils it may not be by the time the exhibit opens.

Remember, Rio Grande Zoo in Albuquerque has a very nice new Tasmanian devil exhibit that now houses wombats. And this isn't the same, since it's a different government we're talking about, but what about Oakland's giant panda exhibit for hamadryas baboons or LA's golden monkey exhibit for Francois langurs?
 
Chlidonias said:
mm, I don't know myself if there is a sealed deal or not, but it is not by any means unheard of for zoos to announce and build exhibits on the strength of possibilities. I understand there is strong support to set up overseas "insurance" populations of disease-free devils (something I agree with myself, so I'm not just trying to be a spoilsport) - and hence the reason American keepers are training at Trowunna - but as far as I'm aware talks on exporting the species to America have not gone any further than that.

To be clear: I'm not saying its not happening, but I am not aware that it is definite at all. And I hope they do get devils.
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San Diego has been making announcements lately that appear to either not be happening or are uncertain, like new tiger and Asia exhibits at the Safari Park, so entirely possible that this falls into that category. I would give this some credence though based on their close and ongoing ties with Australia over koala conservation and their own recent history with devils. I guess time will tell. We should know by this time next year when the new Australia zone opens at the zoo (spring 2013).
 
@Ituri- Los Angeles Zoo's "Golden monkey" exhibit was the first thing that came to mind :D

@gorgeousingray- I myself admitted on the San Diego News 2012 thread that I never thought that Elephant Odyssey was a bad exhibit. I should've edited that, but now I can't. :o Let's just say, "as disappointing as EO was to some people." :p
 
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