Mega-Budget American Zoo Exhibits

[Andrew Swales]

Yes, that ethic was certainly present here too in the Victorian era,. Activities that stirred the emotions beyond the constraint you mention were frowned upon. NZP was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, famed designer of Central Park and botanical gardens. The Chicago World's Fair of 1892 was designed with classical white buildings around a beautiful lake. Then city planners and the upper crust were horrified to discover that the Midway full of rides, amusements, exotic performers from all over the world, and a decidedly unruly atmosphere was far more popular than the pristine, manicured exhibits--lol even though the Midway had been intentionally located far, far back from the exhibits near the lakeside. This idea blossomed in Coney Island, the first real destination for middle and lower class people, where men and women might actually come into contact with one another or an ankle might be revealed when a skirt actually rose rn a ride. The upper crust had a cow at the immorality of it all, because passions certainly were aroused in ways museum paintings and chamber music did not. Although this was the beginning of cultural rough and tumble here, you have to remember that our country was still the Wild West in the 1800s, still and largely wild in its truest sense. So we have that semblance of history rattling in our bones too. Perhaps it's a subconscious rebellion of that that now everything must be so sterile and modern.

In situ--ya got me there.

'Freak' shows for the masses were not restricted to the US. Coney Island had its exhibits of premature babies in incubators, which actually pioneered this branch of medicine; but human exhibits of 'savages' were hugely popular in Paris, the UK, Germany; attracting millions of orginary people - the 'Knut' and 'Brumas' of their day...

 

[Zooplantman]

As for the high price tag of these exhibits, it is an interesting discussion. While I do not necessarily have a problem with it, I must confess some of these budgets seem a bit outrageous. I will also point out some of my favorite exhibits are those that were very simply (and cheaply) built around the existing terrain. Phoenix Zoo used an existing desert hillside for their bighorn sheep exhibit and it it the best I have seen anywhere. Two of my all time favorite zoos - Le Parc Des Felins and Northwest Trek - have virtually their entire facility built by fencing in existing woodland.

Yes but few zoos are so fortunate.

There are large costs in what you do not see: new exhibits often mean new sewer hook ups, new water lines, new electric service.Any one of these might cost tens of thousands of dollars depending on the distance they must run, excavation required, etc.

These days a new exhibit is an opportunity to add new bathrooms where there were none or new food stands where there were none.

Frankly, the animal enclosure itself is the cheap bit to build.

 

[TZDugong]

I'd love to repeat these sentiments as well. I haven't been to Phoenix, but Living Desert's enclosure is in the running for best individual hoofstock enclosure in the world and all it is is a natural rock formation with a chainlink fence around it! I imagine you both would love the caprine and Barbary Macacque enclosures at Prague Zoo, which have all been constructed in a similar manner.

On the subject of Bronx, I'd imagine most of us would agree that the Wild Asia Monorail features some of the zoo's (and country's) best hoofstock enclosures, most of which I'd imagine would have been built fairly cheaply since they're also just acres of natural woodland fenced in.

~Thylo

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who loves the Bighorn Sheep enclosure! The whole Living Desert is a very underrated zoo, but that exhibit in particular doesn’t get talked about enough; it’s probably my favourite hoofstock exhibit. I’d love to go to Prague, I’ve heard about those enclosures and that’s one of the main exhibits I’d like to see when I get back to Europe.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

I’m glad to see I’m not the only one who loves the Bighorn Sheep enclosure! The whole Living Desert is a very underrated zoo, but that exhibit in particular doesn’t get talked about enough; it’s probably my favourite hoofstock exhibit. I’d love to go to Prague, I’ve heard about those enclosures and that’s one of the main exhibits I’d like to see when I get back to Europe.

It makes for some truly stunning views, observations of behavior, and photos of the species! I agree that the zoo as a whole doesn't receive as much love as it should.

For those unaware of the enclosure:
Desert Bighorn Sheep Exhibit - ZooChat
Desert Bighorn Sheep Exhibit - ZooChat
Spot the Sheep - ZooChat
Desert Bighorn Sheep - ZooChat

~Thylo

 

[Zooplantman]

Yeah, I know Africa Rocks fixed a bad area of the zoo, but my point is that if they spent less on AR they could’ve used that money to fix the bear grottoes and monkey cages in the center of the zoo.

"Fixing" doesn't bring in the visitors.

 

[Zooplantman]

Some zoos like SDZ and Columbus maintain a very clean, generically pleasant, manicured look,. Even the Wilds looks manicured! People used to think of zoos as rough-and tumble, somewhat wild places, but I think we've become so used to this look in amusement parks, arenas, even malls, that it's subconsciously made us expect it everywhere. Now Columbus's latest project is a sheer money earner, a cash cow, but there's been a concerted effort to make everything look clean, fresh, and new.

We may not realize we expect this, but look what happens when we don't get it? How many ZooChatters have called the Bronx Zoo "tired" or "rough around the edges" after a visit? Despite some excellent exhibits, age and deferred maintenance have set in here too. For a long time. Behind-the-scene quarters on The Zoo look pretty shoddy compared to Columbus, SD, Georgia Aquarium, and Chester. Renovations of historic buildings like the Reptile House have huge exterior ducting and unsightly things you'd never see at another premiere. The Bronx Zoo IS scraggly and unmanicured,. T

I've forgotten many examples I had made, but I think "sleeker" expectations and facilities lapsing into years of deferred maintenance could also be causes for this trend in pricy exhibits.

I despair at the idea that zoos "need" to look manicured

 

[TZDugong]

"Fixing" doesn't bring in the visitors.

San Diego brings in 3 million visitors a year, I think spending a little less on one exhibit to improve another area that desperately needs improvement is a good idea.

 

[Batto]

@Coelacanth18 in her book "Animal Attractions: Nature on Display in American Zoos", Elizabeth Hanson connects the transition you mention to a more children-orientated attraction to the rise of TVs in American households - which correlates with your a).
The different development of European zoos might be contributed to a zoo history that predates most of the American zoos, damages caused by WW2, different cultures / political systems and a slower spread of private TVs.

 

[Zooplantman]

San Diego brings in 3 million visitors a year, I think spending a little less on one exhibit to improve another area that desperately needs improvement is a good idea.

Africa Rocks helped the zoo break all attendance records

 

[Zooplantman]

I don't think I'd call any exhibit at Bronx perfect either, I'm hardpressed to think of any that I wouldn't make at least some changes to. Still, I don't think anyone here would argue that Congo Gorilla Forest (1999), JungleWorld (1985), Madagascar! (2008), World of Birds (1972), and Baboon Reserve (1990) aren't among some of the best zoo exhibits in the world despite most having been built up to and over 30 years ago.

~Thylo

It should be pointed out (if I haven't already done so) that New York is one of the most expensive places on Earth for construction. For what the Bronx Zoo must spend on an exhibit, a zoo in the mid-west could build two similar exhibits
Construction costs in New York City are the highest worldwide

 

[m30t]

San Diego brings in 3 million visitors a year, I think spending a little less on one exhibit to improve another area that desperately needs improvement is a good idea.

Which parts of Africa Rocks would you eliminate or scale down to save enough money on to make substantial repairs elsewhere?

 

[ANyhuis]

I'm pretty sure I know 4 of your top 5 (San Diego, Omaha, St.Louis and Columbus), but what would be the 5th zoo? While Bronx hasn't made any major moves in a decade, it's hard to imagine it not being a top 5 U.S zoo imo, although I haven't been to Omaha or St. Louis (I've been to Columbus but didn't really enjoy it, it probably wouldn't make my top 15).

You're absolutely right that my Top 4 are those 4 (SD, Omaha, St.L, and Columbus), but what is my #5? Actually when SnowLeopard and I (and one other) did our complicated analysis, looking at 18 different aspects of the zoos, those 4 were the clear Top 4, and in that analysis, we had Bronx at #5, but we ONLY looked at those 5 zoos. To say Bronx is our #5, we'd have to compare it to others which we believe are competing for that slot. So "maybe" Bronx would be my #5, but I feel probably not. Others I'd like to compare with Bronx would be: Woodland Park, SD Safari Park, Houston, Denver, Sedgwick County, Brookfield, Cincinnati, Memphis, and Miami. But off the top of my head, I'm guessing that little known Sedgwick County might be the winner.

 

[TZDugong]

Which parts of Africa Rocks would you eliminate or scale down to save enough money on to make substantial repairs elsewhere?

Probably the Gelada/Nubian Ibex exhibit, it's very nice but they already have Hamadryas Baboons so there isn't a real need to have both. The Rady Falls and Dwrf Crocodile exhibits could be cut also, the Crocodile exhibit felt like filler anyway and I think money could be spent better than building a waterfall. I think that would free up enough money to make significant developments to the Bear Grottoes while still having enough to make Africa Rocks a major draw for the public.

 

[TZDugong]

Africa Rocks helped the zoo break all attendance records

Yes but I feel like the could've spent less on AR and still have it be a big draw that brings in visitors. Say they spent $50 million on AR, the other $20 million could be used to improve some of the bad exhibits at the the zoo.

 

[amur leopard]

It makes for some truly stunning views, observations of behavior, and photos of the species! I agree that the zoo as a whole doesn't receive as much love as it should.

For those unaware of the enclosure:
Desert Bighorn Sheep Exhibit - ZooChat
Desert Bighorn Sheep Exhibit - ZooChat
Spot the Sheep - ZooChat
Desert Bighorn Sheep - ZooChat

~Thylo

I also like this exhibit formerly for Barbary sheep and Barbary macaques but now housing Himalayan blue sheep at Montpellier zoo in France:



The exhibit is over 3 acres in size.

 

[reduakari]

I also like this exhibit formerly for Barbary sheep and Barbary macaques but now housing Himalayan blue sheep at Montpellier zoo in France:

View attachment 425680

The exhibit is over 3 acres in size.

And looks like a degraded livestock paddock (which it is...)

 

[amur leopard]

And looks like a degraded livestock paddock (which it is...)

Firstly it isn't. Do you actually know anything about the zoo at all?

Secondly this is not a very recent photo of the enclosure and in reality it is much larger and more hilly.

 

[reduakari]

Firstly it isn't. Do you actually know anything about the zoo at all?

Secondly this is not a very recent photo of the enclosure and in reality it is much larger and more hilly.

The photo shows a severely overgrazed and eroded landscape, complete with livestock fencing and feed troughs. It may be big, but it ain’t attractive.

 

[amur leopard]

The photo shows a severely overgrazed and eroded landscape, complete with livestock fencing and feed troughs. It may be big, but it ain’t attractive.

1. It is not severely overgrazed, it has never been home to any livestock. Furthermore if you knew anything at all about the South of France the landscape is almost entirely made up of chalky ground with gravel and rubble and covered with pines and other Mediterranean tree species. Therefore your assertion is both incorrect and rather offensive.
2. What is your problem with erosion?
3. What is your problem with livestock fencing? Just because it doesn't look glamorous like most of the zoos near to you, it doesn't mean that a zoo that can't afford to blow tens of millions on exhibits that could cost half of that can't have nice exhibits without the icing around them. And if you have a problem with fencing off pieces of land that already were very well suited to the animal in question, then have a look at Phoenix and/or Living Desert's bighorn sheep enclosures.
4. In the sun and irl the exhibit is much nicer than in the photo, especially because the area to the left of the part shown on the photo is much steeper and suited to the sheep.

Please do not make such bold comments if you actually have no idea how nice the exhibit is.

 

[Chlidonias]

1. It is not severely overgrazed, it has never been home to any livestock. Furthermore if you knew anything at all about the South of France the landscape is almost entirely made up of chalky ground with gravel and rubble and covered with pines and other Mediterranean tree species.Therefore your assertion is both incorrect and rather offensive.
2. What is your problem with erosion?

Two questions:

How is that offensive??

Do you know what erosion actually is?