Tyrannosaurus-PicoPico
Well-Known Member
When I first heard that I would be heading to the Cleveland Zoo for the first time on November 5th for a special trip for the volunteers after we had a voting session ( the other options were Akron, Detroit, and Columbus ), I'll admit. I was definetely intrigued with how many unique and rare species there are from what I've heard about. However, there are a few changes I would make to the zoo. I may post an updated version of this after I have visited, as I don't know the current layout, current species, and I haven't actually seen anything in person yet.
So, the first thing I would change would definetely have to be the obvious elephant in the room ( pun not intended ), the Primate, Cats, and Aquatics building. Now, I think instead of demolishing it, I feel like it could keep the building, but pull a bit of a Toledo on it. And by pulling a Toledo, I mean by renovating it ( referencing their aquarium and the museum ) rather than demolishing the building as from what I've heard, it is a bit historic in a sense. Now, I agree that a majority of the enclosures are absolutely hideous for both the species they hold and just in general. Sure. But with a bit of a reimagining, I feel like it could become a reptile house, aquarium, amphibian house hybrid. Honestly, I feel like something as outdated and appalling as the original Snow Leopard enclosure before the Asian expansion to Wilderness Trek one could be turned into something a bit more fitting for something like Kimberly Rock Monitors. So far I don't have many concepts for this idea, but I think it could potentially work.
My second idea involves the pool for the Sea Lions. I feel like, besides an obvious needing for an expansion, it could use an underwater viewing. Now, I have no idea if Cleveland has one or not for them, but I feel like with a larger amount of space and an underwater viewing could be neat. Oh yeah, and one more thing. I get it, California Sea Lions are pretty neat, but I feel like they should be phased out for a different kind of Pinniped. Now, I have no clue on where the Sea Lion pool is, but if it makes any sense at all for the themeing, I feel like Pacific Walruses or atleast some kind of pinniped other than California Sea Lions could work alot better. And alot of zoos nearby have them in their collections. Or, maybe it doesn't even have to be a pinniped. Maybe some kind of otter, or something along those lines.
And my 3rd and final idea involves a new exhibit, actually. One focused on invertebretes as well as having a couple of animals in the building that eat said insects. Called " Crawlers, Climbers, and Flyers ", the themeing throughout the area is mainly involving how important bugs are for the enviorment, and that all of them, in some way, shape, or another, has a role to take on. Theres 5 different rooms in the building. In order from how you would see them, theres The House ( focusing on native insects and arachnids of Ohio ), The Desert ( focusing on Australian, African, and Southern US species ), The Tropics ( focusing on Asian as well as South American species ), The Invasive Room ( as the name states, focusing on species such as Spotted Lantern Flies as well as other invasive species ), and lastly? The Venom Research Lab ( focusing on mostly venomous species. ), which doubles as a sort of play area for the wanna-be scientist children. Now what makes these interesting is that, in each room, there is either 1 or 2 species that aren't invertebretes but rather eat them. The House has a Bearded Dragon, The Desert has an Aardvark as well as a Thorny Devil Lizard, The Tropics has a Southern Tamandua as well as Common Kingfishers, The Invasive Room contains Cane Toads, and The Venom Research Lab contains Domestic Rats. Weird choice since they aren't venomous, but I added them there as I think people should be more aware about what rats have helped us figure out in science. And in each room, theres 5 - 6 inverts on display. I don't have a list for any of the invert species yet, but I'm willing to take in ideas. But it's around 25 - 30 species of inverts, so I wish you good luck.
So, the first thing I would change would definetely have to be the obvious elephant in the room ( pun not intended ), the Primate, Cats, and Aquatics building. Now, I think instead of demolishing it, I feel like it could keep the building, but pull a bit of a Toledo on it. And by pulling a Toledo, I mean by renovating it ( referencing their aquarium and the museum ) rather than demolishing the building as from what I've heard, it is a bit historic in a sense. Now, I agree that a majority of the enclosures are absolutely hideous for both the species they hold and just in general. Sure. But with a bit of a reimagining, I feel like it could become a reptile house, aquarium, amphibian house hybrid. Honestly, I feel like something as outdated and appalling as the original Snow Leopard enclosure before the Asian expansion to Wilderness Trek one could be turned into something a bit more fitting for something like Kimberly Rock Monitors. So far I don't have many concepts for this idea, but I think it could potentially work.
My second idea involves the pool for the Sea Lions. I feel like, besides an obvious needing for an expansion, it could use an underwater viewing. Now, I have no idea if Cleveland has one or not for them, but I feel like with a larger amount of space and an underwater viewing could be neat. Oh yeah, and one more thing. I get it, California Sea Lions are pretty neat, but I feel like they should be phased out for a different kind of Pinniped. Now, I have no clue on where the Sea Lion pool is, but if it makes any sense at all for the themeing, I feel like Pacific Walruses or atleast some kind of pinniped other than California Sea Lions could work alot better. And alot of zoos nearby have them in their collections. Or, maybe it doesn't even have to be a pinniped. Maybe some kind of otter, or something along those lines.
And my 3rd and final idea involves a new exhibit, actually. One focused on invertebretes as well as having a couple of animals in the building that eat said insects. Called " Crawlers, Climbers, and Flyers ", the themeing throughout the area is mainly involving how important bugs are for the enviorment, and that all of them, in some way, shape, or another, has a role to take on. Theres 5 different rooms in the building. In order from how you would see them, theres The House ( focusing on native insects and arachnids of Ohio ), The Desert ( focusing on Australian, African, and Southern US species ), The Tropics ( focusing on Asian as well as South American species ), The Invasive Room ( as the name states, focusing on species such as Spotted Lantern Flies as well as other invasive species ), and lastly? The Venom Research Lab ( focusing on mostly venomous species. ), which doubles as a sort of play area for the wanna-be scientist children. Now what makes these interesting is that, in each room, there is either 1 or 2 species that aren't invertebretes but rather eat them. The House has a Bearded Dragon, The Desert has an Aardvark as well as a Thorny Devil Lizard, The Tropics has a Southern Tamandua as well as Common Kingfishers, The Invasive Room contains Cane Toads, and The Venom Research Lab contains Domestic Rats. Weird choice since they aren't venomous, but I added them there as I think people should be more aware about what rats have helped us figure out in science. And in each room, theres 5 - 6 inverts on display. I don't have a list for any of the invert species yet, but I'm willing to take in ideas. But it's around 25 - 30 species of inverts, so I wish you good luck.
