My take on the new map:
I have just visited the San Diego Zoo for the first time since the new map was created with 9 zones. As a long time visitor, it is certainly a new way of looking at the geography of the facility! It is true that several of the older area names were becoming less relevant, and there was certainly a need to more clearly direct first time visitors to their destinations (especially after Monkey Trails and Forest Tales was completed, an excellent exhibit complex and a cruel maze to connect to other complexes). However, the variety of new zone names and trail names and street names seem to lead to an equal amount of confusion. In addition, several of the zones have exhibit complexes which still feature their own entry signs (please do not get rid of these!) with different names than the zones in which they are located, which can only further disorient the uninitiated! For instance, Lost Forest visitors will encounter signs for Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, Gorilla Tropics, Australasia, and Tiger River.
One troubling trend is that 4 of the zones have been named with geographic references that do not accurately describe all the inhabitants actual native homes. Asian Passage has about 11 exhibits, 2 of which are not Asian. Africa Rocks has about 24 exhibits, 12 of which are not African. Outback suggests an Australian theme, yet it must have about 24 of the 40 or so that have nothing to do with the region. Polar Rim has about 15 exhibits, at least 10 of which are not polar!
Another downfall is that 2 of the zones have names which do not suggest what lies within, Discovery Outpost and Urban Jungle. Will future developments in these areas clarify the names? By the way, Urban Jungle is neither urban nor a jungle. Discuss.
Yet another problem is that two of the zones cover areas which do not feel like they are the same areas. Asian Passage is the lower half of one canyon as well as the hillside climbing up to a mesa. Outback is a level area of another mesa as well as an upper half of a canyon. Both have exhibits that are worlds apart in style and feeling.
The names of several of the zones do seem to make sense for describing the major exhibit draws or complexes. Only one is entirely composed of one exhibit complex, Elephant Odyssey, which is large enough by itself to fill one zone. Panda Canyon is nearly as logical, since it features the Giant Panda Research Station to which nearly everyone is headed, and only has 3 other small exhibits, 1 of which is for red pandas. Polar Rim is named after its Polar Bear Plunge complex, a much more popular destination than the hoofstock exhibits which share its zone. Africa Rocks is named after the Kopje complex, the only immersive exhibit in the zone, which is also the beginning of this zones path down the canyon. Outback seems to take its name from the koala exhibits within, another huge draw at the zoo, but could have also been named differently for the numerous bear exhibits which are also fairly popular. Asian Passage has a fairly logical name, since it acts as a shortcut from one mesa to another and features the immersive Sun Bear Forest. It is also adjacent to Panda Canyon, so its name further describes the link there. However, I'm not convinced that many visitors associate sun bears with Asia (even though they should) so it may not be successful for clarity.
Here is a rundown of the 9 zones:
Entry: This is not a named zone. It includes the entry buildings, Rondavel Room, Warner Administration Center, and Bus Tour loading and unloading areas.
Discovery Outpost: This includes the Skyfari East station, Otto Center, Childrens Zoo, Hummingbird Aviary, and Wegeforth Bowl. It also contains the Reptile House and outdoor reptile exhibit area, together formerly known as Reptile Mesa. I can see the challenge in naming such a diverse area.
Lost Forest: This zone is almost entirely composed of immersive exhibit complexes devoted to African and Asian forest animals. Monkey Trails and Forest Tales, Absolutely Apes (including the Parker and Owens Aviaries), Gorilla Tropics (including Scripps Aviary), Wings of Australasia, and the Treetops dining complex all occupy the mesa formerly known as Heart of the Zoo or Bird and Primate Mesa. Fern Canyon Trail is included. Tiger River and Ituri Forest occupy the area known long ago as Hippo Canyon. Oddly, the Birds of Prey Aviaries are the last part of this zone and do not match the rest. Disregarding this last discrepancy, the zoning makes sense due to the common thread of lush botanical jungle and exhibit style and era in which the complexes were built; even most of the benches and walkways and railings match from one complex to the next, easily forming what might seem to the first time visitor as a single massive complex. This is my favorite zone and if considered as one complex would be my number 1 exhibit complex anywhere! If this zone was spun off into orbit and settled in another city with similar climate, it would make my top 10 zoo list all by itself! The only complex missing in this zone is Sun Bear Forest, which has the same style as these others.
Asian Passage: This zone is composed of Sun Bear Forest, which is the lower half of the former Bear Canyon, the Canyon Cafe and moving walkways at the junction of the canyons, and the lowest few exhibits of the former Dog and Cat Canyon.
Panda Canyon: Features the Giant Panda Research Station and a few other exhibits in the area known long ago as Deer Canyon?
Outback: A strange area, this one includes the bear grottoes in the upper half of the former Bear Canyon, the various yards around the koalas, and the kiwi and anoa and monkey exhibits on Kiwi Trail.
Urban Jungle: This was formerly Elephant Mesa. The elephants have moved, replaced by rhinos which have been replaced by giraffes and gazelles and burros and flamingos. Whatever! First time visitors should save this area for last, currently it is aesthetically bland and spread out and there is little activity here.
Africa Rocks: Kopje exhibit and the various small grottoes and cages that were part of the former Dog and Cat Canyon (except the lowest ones included in Asian Passage), plus the Hunte Amphitheater.
Elephant Odyssey: Like it or hate it, its huge and here to stay with its own zone taking up about three-fourths of the former Horn and Hoof Mesa.
Polar Rim: This is composed of Polar Bear Plunge and the surviving area of Horn and Hoof Mesa.
I recently visited the Saint Louis Zoo for the first time, and it is also organized by zones composed of multiple exhibit complexes. I found their system more successful, does anyone know if it was the inspiration for this attempt?
