Mixed species exhibit ideas

[Mr Gharial]

If the exhibit is unattractive to the birds it should be fine, but I would still go for the BZ's Caiman option (Separating the exhibit with hidden nets)

A little diagram showing the exhibit design of Burgers' Zoo's caiman enclosure:


Visitors enter through a rock tunnel, the birds are scared of the dark and won't fly through (you can also use plastic flaps to stop the birds). On top of the tunnel is a net that separates the corner, hidden by foliage. The enclosure in the separated area is mostly barren, but there is plenty of foliage in the top area. In the case of BZ, the separated area is only separated to larger birds. To prevent the ducks and ibises from swimming here, the smaller passerines can still come here, because they have no interest in the barren enclosure. BZ uses a lot of vines and strangling plants on the edges of the exhibit to hide the fact that it is barren, to still give it a natural look.

Caiman area in BZ:

Walkway (You can see the net in the background)

Caiman exhibit (Seems lush, but the ground is barren)

The less disguised part of the separation net (Doesn't really break immersion if that's what you're going for)

The underwater viewing area is in the bird area, you can again see the net above it

 

[Platypusboy]

A little diagram showing the exhibit design of Burgers' Zoo's caiman enclosure:
View attachment 598294

Visitors enter through a rock tunnel, the birds are scared of the dark and won't fly through (you can also use plastic flaps to stop the birds). On top of the tunnel is a net that separates the corner, hidden by foliage. The enclosure in the separated area is mostly barren, but there is plenty of foliage in the top area. In the case of BZ, the separated area is only separated to larger birds. To prevent the ducks and ibises from swimming here, the smaller passerines can still come here, because they have no interest in the barren enclosure. BZ uses a lot of vines and strangling plants on the edges of the exhibit to hide the fact that it is barren, to still give it a natural look.

Caiman area in BZ:

Walkway (You can see the net in the background)

Caiman exhibit (Seems lush, but the ground is barren)

The less disguised part of the separation net (Doesn't really break immersion if that's what you're going for)

The underwater viewing area is in the bird area, you can again see the net above it

Thank you so much for the help!

 

[Haliaeetus]

I'd agree. There's no version of this where you would want birds to actually be sharing a space with giant otters. You just want the illusion of them sharing a space. Very fine mesh and controlled sightlines will do the trick without offering any unintended enrichment to the otters

In Beauval there's isn't any mesh or fences above the Giant Otters' enclosure, so the birds could theoretically land or bathe there.

 

[Platypusboy]

What about a walkthrough Chinese wetlands aviary with a wooden boardwalk with railing going through it to keep out the deer.

Species:

Chinese water deer, Mandarin duck, Lesser white-fronted goose, Chinese spot-billed duck, Falcated duck, Baer’s pochard, Black billed spoonbill, White-naped crane, Scaly-sided merganser.

 

[Mr Gharial]

I see no problems there. In fact, I don't think you'd even need railing to keep out the deer. They should be fine in a walkthrough

 

[KevinB]

I see no problems there. In fact, I don't think you'd even need railing to keep out the deer. They should be fine in a walkthrough

I would personally still suggest an area for the birds where the deer can't go, and to put the nests there, to prevent ground nests from being stepped on or the deer snacking on eggs.

I have a question.

I know beavers and muskrats will sometimes cohabit in the wild, but would it be possible to mix the species in a zoo environment?

 

[Van Beal]

Manatees, flamingos, and various other shorebird and duck species. Would this work?

 

[Mr Gharial]

The flamingo's would need quite some shallow water while the manatees need deep water. One worry for me is water toxicity if they're in the same water. If you make the manatee exhibit deep and with hard shorelines, and make some separate marshes for the flamingos, that should be fine.

Other than that it depends on the other birds, but if it's herons and spoonbills (like you mentioned in Theoretical walkthroughs) there shouldn't be any problems

 

[Van Beal]

The flamingo's would need quite some shallow water while the manatees need deep water. One worry for me is water toxicity if they're in the same water. If you make the manatee exhibit deep and with hard shorelines, and make some separate marshes for the flamingos, that should be fine.

Other than that it depends on the other birds, but if it's herons and spoonbills (like you mentioned in Theoretical walkthroughs) there shouldn't be any problems

Alright thanks for the input! And yea, I did mention this in the walkthroughs as well. Research for my spec zoo

 

[Van Beal]

Manatees, flamingos, and various other shorebird and duck species. Would this work?

Im thinking of maybe adding a smaller mammal, maybe a primate or rodent, and some songbirds. Is this still a working exhibit depending on what mammal/birds added?

 

[Mr Gharial]

Im thinking of maybe adding a smaller mammal, maybe a primate or rodent, and some songbirds. Is this still a working exhibit depending on what mammal/birds added?

Highly depends on the species, but most smaller South American primates should be fine. Tamarins and white-faced saki's have been mixed with birds before, and have been in walkthroughs plenty of times. Agouti are also a good option here

 

[KevinB]

Highly depends on the species, but most smaller South American primates should be fine. Tamarins and white-faced saki's have been mixed with birds before, and have been in walkthroughs plenty of times. Agouti are also a good option here

Agoutis can be mixed with birds or with sakis, but it is best not to mix them with callitrichids - agoutis have been known to sometimes seriously injure or kill tamarins or marmosets.

 

[Van Beal]

Highly depends on the species, but most smaller South American primates should be fine. Tamarins and white-faced saki's have been mixed with birds before, and have been in walkthroughs plenty of times. Agouti are also a good option here

So if I were to put in both agoutis and sakis it would work?

 

[KevinB]

So if I were to put in both agoutis and sakis it would work?

I'm not entirely sure whether sakis would work with birds.

 

[Mr Gharial]

I believe Tiergarten Nürnberg in Germany mixes White-faced saki with Honeycreepers, Teals, Ground-doves and Tanagers in their manatee house

 

[Unenlagia90]

Cape dogs are notable for being group hunters and always prey on herbivores of many kinds. But they might not be interested with larger ones like hippos, rhinos and elephants.

Chimelong had cape dogs mixed with hippos, and i've seen a video of a curious cape dog trying to bite a hippo's tail, and the hippo ran away, but the cape dog still chases the hippo for seconds.

What's your opinion of cape dogs mixed with hippos in one enclosure? are they going to live together in harmony?

 

[Corangurilla]

Cape dogs are notable for being group hunters and always prey on herbivores of many kinds. But they might not be interested with larger ones like hippos, rhinos and elephants.

Chimelong had cape dogs mixed with hippos, and i've seen a video of a curious cape dog trying to bite a hippo's tail, and the hippo ran away, but the cape dog still chases the hippo for seconds.

What's your opinion of cape dogs mixed with hippos in one enclosure? are they going to live together in harmony?

They’re going to live in harmony without the “ony”.

 

[Platypusboy]

Cape dogs are notable for being group hunters and always prey on herbivores of many kinds. But they might not be interested with larger ones like hippos, rhinos and elephants.

Chimelong had cape dogs mixed with hippos, and i've seen a video of a curious cape dog trying to bite a hippo's tail, and the hippo ran away, but the cape dog still chases the hippo for seconds.

What's your opinion of cape dogs mixed with hippos in one enclosure? are they going to live together in harmony?

Neither the hippos or the cape dogs would be safe in this scenario. Hippos should generally never be mixed with anything, especially not with carnivores.

 

[Jarne]

Is it possible to mix Meerkats with anything?

Lot’s of species, including gorilla’s, giraffes and antelopes. What doesn’t seem to work: lions. The baboons on the list Monkeybat send you also seem like a bad idea, unless the goal is to enrich the babboons.

 

[OskarGC]

thoughts on these?
1. Crab-Eating Macaque & Asian Small-Clawed Otter
2. Mandrill & Diana Monkey
3. Malayan Tapir, Ruddy Shelduck, Giant Gourami, Clown Knife-Fish, Dusky Leaf-Monkey & Silver Pheasant (the fish in the swimming area/moat)
4. Himalayan Tahr & Himalayan Monal
5. Indian Hog-Deer & Japanese Macaque
6. Patagonian Mara, Capybara & Muscovy Duck
7. Geoffroy's Spider-Monkey & White-Faced Saki
8. Maned Wolf & Giant Anteater
9. Collared Peccary & South American Coatimundi
10. Domestic Guinea-Pig & Burrowing Parakeet