ZSL London Zoo Personal Vision Of London
- Thread starter ZooMania
- Start date
You must by heart be a totally blinkered elephant fan. Forget about the 1,000's of other fascinating and rare species kept in the cramped conditions at ZSL London Zoo's Regent's Park site, bulldozer it over and built on site an elephant park.
Thankfully, to most zoo lovers that is the most unrealistic suggestion ever and one in all fairness that will never go past the wish-for days ....
Sorry for digging up this ancient nine-month old thread, but it's a subject I've been thinking about for a while which I'd like to show my take on. Basically, my vision also resolves around a biome and immersion, though the more critical side to it I suppose is the reintroduction of some large species. Still, remember it's personal, and try not to get to mad at me about it.Anything not mentioned remains mostly the same as now.
African Savannah
Consists entirely of 'Into Africa' (AKA the Cotton Terraces).
- Move the tapirs to the North Bank and the Okapi to the main zoo, then combine every single paddock on the south side (this includes the paths leading to two of the of the houses, they would then be publiclly entered from the north side of the terraces) to create one single large paddock, with a minature waterhole dug in the centre. The already present giraffe and zebra would have this paddock, and white rhino, bontebok and ostrich would also be introduced to share. The elevated platform would be relocated to the visitor path.
- The two small unused enclosures on either side of the giraffe houuse would become high-roofed avairies, one housing savannah birds like Von Der Decken's Hornbills and Sacred Ibis, the other white-headed vultures from the Eastern Avairy.
- The red river hogs would be relocated to gorilla kingdom, and the servals would move into their enclosure.
INDONESIAN FOREST
Would consist entirely of the North Bank.
- The Snowdon Avairy would house indonesian birds only with lowland anoa on the ground.
- The education centre would be redeveloped into a house for orangutans, gibbons and the komodo dragons would also move here. The Gibbons and Orangutans would have outdoor access to the whole bank between the Snowdon Avairy and west end of the North bank, allowing the use of trees to climb for both species'. In summer the Komodo Dragons would have an outdoor enclosure on the grass bank opposite the orangs/gibbons.
- The East side of the North Bank would consist of outdoor enclosures for Malayan Tapirs and Sumatran Tigers, the tiger enclosures being able to divide to better suit their needs. A stream would run through both paddocks, falling as waterfalls into pools for both species'. There would be two houses themed as longhouses; the first house would be indoor quaters for tapirs, with indoor enclosures for Sulawelsi Maquaqes and Francois Langurs, with outdoor enclosures on site of old owl/hornbill avairies. The tiger house would also contain some Indonesian reptiles.
- Near the North Bank exit gate, the lovebird avairy would be redeveloped for binturong.
AUSTRALIAN BUSH
Consists of the round house and 'happy families' area behind clore.
- The Ayes-ayes would be moved to the NightZone and the ring-tailed lemurs to Animal Adventure. The round house would once more become home to koalas, having both the outdoor cage and the old aye-aye pens. In the two indoor enclosures, there would also be short-beaked echidna on one and long-nosed pootoroo in the other.
- The meerkats and gentle lemurs would be moved to Animal Adventure, and the otters to the lubetkin pool. The gentle lemur enclosure would house Australian birds like kookaburra, frogmouth and cockatoo. The meerkat enclosure, otter enclosure and the green space behind the latter would then become the new 'outback' exhibit, using the same style of the mappins to house emus and red kangaroos.
SOUTH AFRICAN COAST
Would consist of the penguin enclosure and the service area behind it.
- An enclosure for cape fur seals built behind the penguin enclosure in part of the service area, with underwater viewing and seating.
- The Masterplan states the entrance will be relocated to Barclay Court, and is still the case here.
SOUTH AMERICAN RAINFOREST/PAMPAS[/b[
Consists of the Parrot House, Broadwalk avairy row, anteater/rhea paddock and Meet the Monkeys.
- South American birds only in the avairies (though this is mostly the case now) with enclosures for spider monkeys, howler monkeys and coatis nearby.
CHINESE FOREST
Consists of the Lion Terraces (redeveloped and renamed as 'Wild China').
- Wild China starts with a walk-through avairy of chinese pheasants and other birds, as well as a pond for mandarin ducks and red-crowned cranes, then enters onto a red panda enclosure where the tigers used to be. This then reveals into a rockfaced enclosure for snow leopards, with a similar, smaller chinese goral enclosure after this. Visitors then pass through a bamboo thicket into 'Czechuan Panda Station, a bamboo house designed to teach visitors about giant pandas and how ZSL is helping them in the field, with plenty of interpretation and TV screens, as well as some chinese reptiles and amphibians. Finally, vistors will come to the expected, large giant panda exhibit, planted as a recreated bamboo forest with waterfalls, thickets, etc. There would be both ariel viewing platforms and large glass viewing. The panda house would be visible for one section, the rest left private to encourage breeding (a section of the enclosure would be able to be cut-off if there was a mother with cubs. Finally, there is the inevitable Bamboo Coffee Hut, Panda Shop and Face Painting, over-looking the enclosure.
CONGO RAINFOREST
Includes Gorilla Kingdom, the Eastern Aviary and new enclosures for pygmy hippos and okapi built on either side of the kingdom.
- Add a bit more planting and climbing to the gorilla island, with the gibbons moved out to the North Bank redevelop the enclosure for mangabeys, and replace all remaining Sobells with modern enclosures. Mandrills move into former mangabey exhibit. Send all birds in the walk-through to the Eastern aviary, and build a new enclosure there for the red river hogs from the Cottons.
- Make the Eastern Aviary for Congo birds, including refugees from the African Bird Safari and Gorilla Kingdom.
- Build a new pygmy hippo exhibit on the old entrance site.
- Create a new okapi paddock in the service area behind the amphitheatre, also mixing blue duikers with the okapi.
INDIAN FOREST
Consists of the Casson Pavillion, Stork & Ostrich House and Mappin Terraces.
- Move the camels and bearded pigs to Whipsnade. Merge the East side paddock of the Casson with the display lawn to create a paddock for Gaur, aswell as moving out the enclosures in one of the indoor 'pods' on their side to give them more house room. Move the hippos to the old entrance site and the komodos and anoa to the North Bank as mentioned, and demolish all buildings behind the reptile house and stork and ostrich house, creating a large space previously occupied by the hippo and anoa paddocks, the komodo dragon house, the kiosk and the performing animal pens. Merge the west side Casson paddock with this space (as well as the bit in front) to create a much larger paddock for asian elephant cows, deepening and extending the hippo pool for them too. Like with the gaur, demolish the indoor enclosures in one of their pods to make more room. (The bit I was dreading, as it is a controversial and highly unlikely idea. But remember, personal.)
- Move out all the birds in the African Bird Safari to the Cotton Terraces or Eastern Avairy, renaming it (guess what?) the 'Asian Bird Safari', keeping Indian birds along with muntjac on the ground.
- Divide the Mappin Terraces in two, creating a bridge down the middle which goes into a house in the middle, before going back up to the upper level. Redevelop the enclosure as an Indian forest with temple ruins, with Asiatic Lions on the North side and Sloth Bears on the South (If the bears prove inactive again, at least the lions hopefully make up for it). The house would contain indoor quaters for the animals along with interpretation and floor-to-celing windows into the enclosures. The upper level would be reopened, the mountains housing Hanuman Langurs and Lion-Tailed Macaques. Their houses would be built on the lion/bear enclosures as mock temples, with tunnels leading into them from the mountains. The Mappin Cafe would also reopen as, um, a cafe.
Areas that would stay reasonably the same and not included in the biomes would be:
- Animal Adventure (with otters in the lubetkin pool)
- Three-Island Pond
- Clore Rainforest Lookout & NightZone
- Blackburn Pavillion
- Reptile House (refurbished)
- Frog World (whenever it opens)
- Aquarium (refurbished)
- B.U.G.S!
Like the Indian Idea the best, but would have the stork and ostrich house with indian rhino instead of elephants
Now that I've been to London zoo, I feel qualified to talk about a personal vision. I hope to do this thread with realistic changes taking into account (as far as i can) the history and heritage of the zoo.
Okay My first change would be to Gorilla Kingdom:
- I would net over the entire gorilla outdoor area stretching over the visitor areas from the walkthrough aviaries right down to indoor house and to the exit path of the exhibit and he mangabey cage. (the end of the exit path would need a door) The net would be suppported by a large pole in the centre of the island, around 30ft high this would hotwired near the top so most of it could be used but the gorillas could not access the netting. The net would give a canopy feel stretching over the visitors heads to immerse the visitors into the congo.
-As well as the aviary a few free flying birds could be included in this section (now netted) mellers duck and Great blue turaco. The colobus would finally be given access to the island.
-Obviously a male would be sourced for the female gorillas
-And the indoor area would be revamped to provide more privacy to the gorillas (I felt there was not eneough when I went)
The african bird safari,
- i felt the bird collection was too much at London so i would either relocate the birds in other parts of the zoo or to other collections.
-the african bird safari would become a large drill enclosur with new indoor area built on sight.
- the entrance huts to the current safari would have glass viewing panels to see the dirlls and be diguised as a hide to make it feel more congo - like. inside these two hides would be exmaple of Drill excrement, hair, bones as well as general information and information on other animals found in the west african rainforest.
The Mappin terraces:
- a water fall would be created that seemed to trickle down form the mountain
- large boulders, logs climbing platforms would be built
- in terms of plant, ferns and pines would be planted
(have you guessed what it is yet?)
- a trio of puma would take residence here, with daily demonstartion of the puma chasing mechinsed lure through the enclosure as well as a pair of wolverine In a large cage enclosure built up high with glass viewing from the visitor path into the enclosure.
- the area would highlight predators of the world and what effective killing mahcines they are. conservation focus would be on the Florida puma (not the actual puma's on exhibit) and would be research centre to test out tracking devices, gestation cycles and interqaction with other wildlife (through the use of smells etc)
- Yes the fir forest mountains of north america would be reproduced
- the wolverine would also be allowed to go into the mian exhibit before the puma are let out to allow for extra enirchment (but only every now and again)
- All this redveleopment of mappins shouldn't be too hard or expensive.
The aquarium:
- The visitor space would be filled with more educational and themed items such as fish skeletons, drawings, paintings, coral, statues etc
Into africa:
- I would swap around the pygmy hippo's and the malayan tapirs (with some slight re adjustments to the enclosures)
- I would remove of the zebra and replace them with Bongo or failing that nyala
- And i would bulk out the girraffe herd with a few hyrbid individuals (which most collections seem to want to get rid of at the moment)
Big cat terraces:
- The tiger enclosure would be demolished (i dont know if this could be done, wether the enclosure is listed or what
) and rebuilt into a standard recatangular enclosure with an open top,
- the new enclosure would be expanded into the flamingo/pelican lagoon which would be relocated to in front of the amphitheatre
- the monkey enclosures around that area (ie the francois langur and the sulawesi macaques) would be removed and built against the walls of B.U.G.S the enclosures would be taller, planted better and just be bigger and better overall.
-the area previously taken by these monkeys would become a hut focussing on all the endangered big cat species around the world with biological examples from each.
Meet the monkeys:
- the squirrel monkey trooop would be massively bulked up with new indoor enclosure housing around 20 animals.
- agouti, cotton top tamarins, golden headed lion taamrin (from clore rianforest lookout) would be added
Clore rainforest lookout:
- the golden headed lion tamarin would be replaced by golden lion tamarin, agouti would be added as aracari
Others:
- the monkey cages (diana monkey, gibbon, colobus monkey, hanuman langur) would be built far taller and with more climbing opportunities.
- Short clawed otters would be added to animal adventure where the sheep are to tie in with the splash zone.
ps. i would love to build an orangutan exhibit in the snowdon avairy but feel thats pushing it too far (after all i've already transformed the mappins)
Okay My first change would be to Gorilla Kingdom:
- I would net over the entire gorilla outdoor area stretching over the visitor areas from the walkthrough aviaries right down to indoor house and to the exit path of the exhibit and he mangabey cage. (the end of the exit path would need a door) The net would be suppported by a large pole in the centre of the island, around 30ft high this would hotwired near the top so most of it could be used but the gorillas could not access the netting. The net would give a canopy feel stretching over the visitors heads to immerse the visitors into the congo.
-As well as the aviary a few free flying birds could be included in this section (now netted) mellers duck and Great blue turaco. The colobus would finally be given access to the island.
-Obviously a male would be sourced for the female gorillas
-And the indoor area would be revamped to provide more privacy to the gorillas (I felt there was not eneough when I went)
The african bird safari,
- i felt the bird collection was too much at London so i would either relocate the birds in other parts of the zoo or to other collections.
-the african bird safari would become a large drill enclosur with new indoor area built on sight.
- the entrance huts to the current safari would have glass viewing panels to see the dirlls and be diguised as a hide to make it feel more congo - like. inside these two hides would be exmaple of Drill excrement, hair, bones as well as general information and information on other animals found in the west african rainforest.
The Mappin terraces:
- a water fall would be created that seemed to trickle down form the mountain
- large boulders, logs climbing platforms would be built
- in terms of plant, ferns and pines would be planted
(have you guessed what it is yet?)
- a trio of puma would take residence here, with daily demonstartion of the puma chasing mechinsed lure through the enclosure as well as a pair of wolverine In a large cage enclosure built up high with glass viewing from the visitor path into the enclosure.
- the area would highlight predators of the world and what effective killing mahcines they are. conservation focus would be on the Florida puma (not the actual puma's on exhibit) and would be research centre to test out tracking devices, gestation cycles and interqaction with other wildlife (through the use of smells etc)
- Yes the fir forest mountains of north america would be reproduced
- the wolverine would also be allowed to go into the mian exhibit before the puma are let out to allow for extra enirchment (but only every now and again)
- All this redveleopment of mappins shouldn't be too hard or expensive.
The aquarium:
- The visitor space would be filled with more educational and themed items such as fish skeletons, drawings, paintings, coral, statues etc
Into africa:
- I would swap around the pygmy hippo's and the malayan tapirs (with some slight re adjustments to the enclosures)
- I would remove of the zebra and replace them with Bongo or failing that nyala
- And i would bulk out the girraffe herd with a few hyrbid individuals (which most collections seem to want to get rid of at the moment)
Big cat terraces:
- The tiger enclosure would be demolished (i dont know if this could be done, wether the enclosure is listed or what
) and rebuilt into a standard recatangular enclosure with an open top, - the new enclosure would be expanded into the flamingo/pelican lagoon which would be relocated to in front of the amphitheatre
- the monkey enclosures around that area (ie the francois langur and the sulawesi macaques) would be removed and built against the walls of B.U.G.S the enclosures would be taller, planted better and just be bigger and better overall.
-the area previously taken by these monkeys would become a hut focussing on all the endangered big cat species around the world with biological examples from each.
Meet the monkeys:
- the squirrel monkey trooop would be massively bulked up with new indoor enclosure housing around 20 animals.
- agouti, cotton top tamarins, golden headed lion taamrin (from clore rianforest lookout) would be added
Clore rainforest lookout:
- the golden headed lion tamarin would be replaced by golden lion tamarin, agouti would be added as aracari
Others:
- the monkey cages (diana monkey, gibbon, colobus monkey, hanuman langur) would be built far taller and with more climbing opportunities.
- Short clawed otters would be added to animal adventure where the sheep are to tie in with the splash zone.
ps. i would love to build an orangutan exhibit in the snowdon avairy but feel thats pushing it too far (after all i've already transformed the mappins)
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Love the idea of a netted GK foz! 
I've done a revisement of my Personal Vision, and I think I'll nick that along with you're idea of wolverines on the mappins if you don't mind. 
Into Africa:
- Move the tapirs out (more on that coming up) and create a mixed exhibit of Blesbok and Thompson's Gazelle in their paddock. Opposite the paddock near the tunnel, an aviary for White-Backed Vulture is built.
- Merge the giraffe and zebra paddocks as well as the two yards on each side of the Giraffe creating a mixed exhibit with these species as well as ostrich.
- Move the okapis out (more on that coming up) and put black wildebeest in there instead.
- Leave the warthogs and hunting dogs the same, but adding an enclosure for serval at the right end of the hunting dog enclosure.
North Bank:
- Add Indian Pheasants, Waterfowl and Hornbills to the Snowdon Aviary.
- Utilise the whole of the hilly bank between the education centre and the snowdon for striped hyeana, with a bridge running over the paddock connecting the two.
- On the entire East Bank, create a trail exhibit themed on the Gir Forest, starting as a bridge running over part of the bank that has been made into a mixed enclosure for Axis Deer and Hanuman Langur. The bridge enters a 'researcg building' containing enclosures for small mammals and herps of the region, interpretation and movies about ZSL's work in Asiatic Lion Conservation, and indoor quaters for the lions with one den on show. The pat leads out to a viewing area with floor-to-celing viewing windows out onto the lion enclosure which covers the whole bank and themed as an Indian Seasonal Forest. A raised walkway then runs along the length of the exhibit towards an enclosure for Honey Badgers.
Clore Rainforest Lookout
- Squirrel Monkeys, Tamandua and Pudu added to the main rainforest centrepiece, ocelots in the largest outdoor enclosure and aye-ayes added to the NightZone.
- Open-top spider monkey enclosure built in and around the site of the old meerkat enclosure.
- New enclosure for rhea, mara and giant anteater built on part of the wooded bank opposite the Clore.
Round House and Surrounding Area
- The netted enclosure opposite the roundhouse given to small Australian birds like lorikeets and echidnas inhabit the ground layer.
- In the round house, the aye-aye are moved to the NightZone and their enclosures are given to koalas with potooroos on the ground. The Koalas have access to the outdoor enclosure when the weather permits, which is shared with kookaburras and frogmouths.
- Meerkats and otters moved to Animal Adventure, and their enclosures are merged behind them to create a new outback exhibit with emu, red kangaroo and black swan.
The main gardens plan coming later.
I've done a revisement of my Personal Vision, and I think I'll nick that along with you're idea of wolverines on the mappins if you don't mind. Into Africa:
- Move the tapirs out (more on that coming up) and create a mixed exhibit of Blesbok and Thompson's Gazelle in their paddock. Opposite the paddock near the tunnel, an aviary for White-Backed Vulture is built.
- Merge the giraffe and zebra paddocks as well as the two yards on each side of the Giraffe creating a mixed exhibit with these species as well as ostrich.
- Move the okapis out (more on that coming up) and put black wildebeest in there instead.
- Leave the warthogs and hunting dogs the same, but adding an enclosure for serval at the right end of the hunting dog enclosure.
North Bank:
- Add Indian Pheasants, Waterfowl and Hornbills to the Snowdon Aviary.
- Utilise the whole of the hilly bank between the education centre and the snowdon for striped hyeana, with a bridge running over the paddock connecting the two.
- On the entire East Bank, create a trail exhibit themed on the Gir Forest, starting as a bridge running over part of the bank that has been made into a mixed enclosure for Axis Deer and Hanuman Langur. The bridge enters a 'researcg building' containing enclosures for small mammals and herps of the region, interpretation and movies about ZSL's work in Asiatic Lion Conservation, and indoor quaters for the lions with one den on show. The pat leads out to a viewing area with floor-to-celing viewing windows out onto the lion enclosure which covers the whole bank and themed as an Indian Seasonal Forest. A raised walkway then runs along the length of the exhibit towards an enclosure for Honey Badgers.
Clore Rainforest Lookout
- Squirrel Monkeys, Tamandua and Pudu added to the main rainforest centrepiece, ocelots in the largest outdoor enclosure and aye-ayes added to the NightZone.
- Open-top spider monkey enclosure built in and around the site of the old meerkat enclosure.
- New enclosure for rhea, mara and giant anteater built on part of the wooded bank opposite the Clore.
Round House and Surrounding Area
- The netted enclosure opposite the roundhouse given to small Australian birds like lorikeets and echidnas inhabit the ground layer.
- In the round house, the aye-aye are moved to the NightZone and their enclosures are given to koalas with potooroos on the ground. The Koalas have access to the outdoor enclosure when the weather permits, which is shared with kookaburras and frogmouths.
- Meerkats and otters moved to Animal Adventure, and their enclosures are merged behind them to create a new outback exhibit with emu, red kangaroo and black swan.
The main gardens plan coming later.
I still dont see it all working, perhaps if it was just the lions or hyenas but not everything together. Oh well
heres my plan. it's based around immersion
The Education centre is turned into a house for sumatran orang-utans and siamang. The Dragons are moved up into the house as well, with access to a separate enclosure when its warm.
Where everyone else is putting tigers, I'll Put a pair of Sun Bear. The far north part of the bank is redeveloped for primates and others, including Douc Langurs and Clouded leopards. the Snowdon Aviary is re developed for Javan Langurs and Giboon, aswell as Otters.
Tapirs at the end of the bank
The cotton Terrece
All The moats are replaced by ha has
The current Okapi enclosure is redeveloped for Black Rhino and specks Gazzelle.
The main part of the terrece is re-devolped for giraffe, zebra and Blesbok, while the current tapir paddock becomes a White tailed Gnu and Thomsons Gazzelle paddock.
The north facing area becomes enclosure for hunting dog, serval and warthog
The Clore is extended and become Madagascar(the Main Part) Moonlight World (the basement) and Africa House ( the extension) the main feture of the african house is aadvark. The First part of the woodland walk Becomes the African kojpe, with hydrax, killerspringers and Dik Diks. the other end of the walk becomes walkthrough outback, with kangeroos and emu. The Roundhouse becomes home to Koalas (once more), potaroo, Echenda and kookabora. The Current meerkat enclosure (with the meerkats now in the old beaver enclosure) becomes a numbat enclosure, while the otter enclosure becomes a home to southern hairy nosed wombat. a part of the zsl libreys becomes a australian house (with a australian rivers enclosure feturing platypus and fish, a tazmaian devel enclosure (with out door access) a ledbetters possum enclosure and some birds) Dinos north of that area. Gorilla Kingdom remains largely the same, with a breeding silver back, 3 females and a older 'aunt'. The old sobell cages are occupied by colobus, diana, le host, owls, wolfs and possibly campells guenons.
Thats it for now, will post a little more later
The Education centre is turned into a house for sumatran orang-utans and siamang. The Dragons are moved up into the house as well, with access to a separate enclosure when its warm.
Where everyone else is putting tigers, I'll Put a pair of Sun Bear. The far north part of the bank is redeveloped for primates and others, including Douc Langurs and Clouded leopards. the Snowdon Aviary is re developed for Javan Langurs and Giboon, aswell as Otters.
Tapirs at the end of the bank
The cotton Terrece
All The moats are replaced by ha has
The current Okapi enclosure is redeveloped for Black Rhino and specks Gazzelle.
The main part of the terrece is re-devolped for giraffe, zebra and Blesbok, while the current tapir paddock becomes a White tailed Gnu and Thomsons Gazzelle paddock.
The north facing area becomes enclosure for hunting dog, serval and warthog
The Clore is extended and become Madagascar(the Main Part) Moonlight World (the basement) and Africa House ( the extension) the main feture of the african house is aadvark. The First part of the woodland walk Becomes the African kojpe, with hydrax, killerspringers and Dik Diks. the other end of the walk becomes walkthrough outback, with kangeroos and emu. The Roundhouse becomes home to Koalas (once more), potaroo, Echenda and kookabora. The Current meerkat enclosure (with the meerkats now in the old beaver enclosure) becomes a numbat enclosure, while the otter enclosure becomes a home to southern hairy nosed wombat. a part of the zsl libreys becomes a australian house (with a australian rivers enclosure feturing platypus and fish, a tazmaian devel enclosure (with out door access) a ledbetters possum enclosure and some birds) Dinos north of that area. Gorilla Kingdom remains largely the same, with a breeding silver back, 3 females and a older 'aunt'. The old sobell cages are occupied by colobus, diana, le host, owls, wolfs and possibly campells guenons.
Thats it for now, will post a little more later
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Just where are you planning on moving the most important zoo library in the world too in your plan?Also you have alot of good ideas but the space just sin`t big enough for what you plan to do unless you plan on going back to the good old days of the POSTAGE STAMP collection?
My thoughts exactly! how you would squeeze rhino into the okapi enclosure is beyond me. the library at london zoo is far too important to donwsize!
okay, i'll have to find new space, rhinos, okay then no way.
the current okapi enclosure becomes part of the main enclosure with the giraffes, which now contains, giraffe, zebra, blesbok and speks gazelle.
I won't downsize the library
So instead
The Wombats are moved in with the koalas and the Tazmanian Devils occupie the current otter enclosure.
A small part of the clore becomes the auzi rivers exhibit and ledbetters possum
the current okapi enclosure becomes part of the main enclosure with the giraffes, which now contains, giraffe, zebra, blesbok and speks gazelle.
I won't downsize the library
So instead
The Wombats are moved in with the koalas and the Tazmanian Devils occupie the current otter enclosure.
A small part of the clore becomes the auzi rivers exhibit and ledbetters possum
The way I see it, London is an urban zoo, so it should be along the lines of Bristol, Paignton, etc. As with Dudley, I've never been, but I have seen a lot of photos, so a few things spring to mind:
Just my two pence I'd give the rest of the zoo over to providing spacious enclosure for smaller species.
Also - is it me or does London Zoo have a lot of picnic areas/some big picnic areas? Seems a bit of a waste of space, although I guess in London it's nice to see a bit of grass as opposed to concrete.
Keep some "big draw" animals, like the gorillas, the tigers and Asiatic lions, and a non-breeding hybrid herd of giraffe depending on the size of their paddock (if it's large, then a small breeding herd of pure giraffes might be good)
Gorillas - get rid of some of those awful fake trees (I presume they're fake - or very dead) and tie ropes between some of remainder for enrichment, but above all, plant some shrubbery, etc, that'll grow thick and lush to provide hiding places and further enrichment. I'd also try and put in some saplings (with a good deal of hotwire, I guess
) to let some real trees have a chance to grow and provide future gorillas with some cover. A/N - silly me forgot the most obvious thing - get a new, ideally proven silverback
Okapi - like the gorillas, plant some more fast growing trees to give them cover and the paddock a "forest-y" feel
Mappin Terraces, where their Outback theme is - redo this for, say, a tiger species, either the Sumatrans or swap them for Amur (?) Or we could ask the Aussies to let us have a dingo pack
Sulawesi Crested Macaque Exhibit - I might be wrong about this, since it is a photo, but it does look small and appears to have some wasted space at the front (from where the photo is taken). If possible, I'd pull the fence forward and plexiglass the front, as well as plant that part up to give the macaques some privacy.
Asiatic Lions - is their exibit listed? Otherwise, I'd make that wall a bit taller and partly plexiglass it and fill the moat in the give the lions some more terra firma.
Alternatively
Put the lions on the Mappin Terrace, keep the Sumatran Tigers where they are (I believe it is due to be expanded anyway?) and use the present lion exibit for an aquatic/semi aquatic species, like penguins, maybe pygmy hippo or even common hippo, provided there is the space.
Just my two pence
I'd give the rest of the zoo over to providing spacious enclosure for smaller species. Also - is it me or does London Zoo have a lot of picnic areas/some big picnic areas? Seems a bit of a waste of space, although I guess in London it's nice to see a bit of grass as opposed to concrete.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Your still going to be looking at creating a good old POSTAGE STAMP zoo with your plans.
johnstoni
Well-Known Member
If the zoo is to keep okapis, the only places really suitable are the cotton terraces, giraffe house or Casson Pavilion.
I would suggest the Casson Pavilion has more potential.
Round the Casson, ZSL should plant a wood, of browse trees and understorey bushes. The path should be taken up, and earth piled over the perimeter walls and moats, before the wood is planted. The camel paddock could extend literally to the perimeter fence (or a metre or so away with screening. This would take in the strip of mature trees and bushes between the zoo boundary and the current wall of the camel enclosure. The paddock could extend to the cafe area and old show animal cages. I think this whole area, together with the two indoor elephant dens, would make an excellent paddock for Okapi and yellow-backed duiker, which could be mixed safely in such a space.
The current winter area for hippo could be joined under a raised viewing area to the summer area and pool. The anoa paddock could also join and form a good-sized facility for the pygmy hippos, with permanent indoor accomodation in the casson.
The other paddock would be suitable for gaur and possibly a small group of axis deer if extended along the bottom of the tiger exhibit and edge of three island pond. A new ha-ha along this path would maximise the enclosure space available, and interact well with an extended Asiatic lion exhibit.
The Casson would then effectively feed two separate exhibit areas; the central african zone leading from Gorilla Kingdom, and the Indian forest zone should the lions come to form the main species on the site of the cat terraces.
Inside the public area of the Casson, I would like to see arts funding for life-sized individuals of both elephant species that resided in that house, literally in the public space so that people can walk amongst them and appreciate what the house was buillt for.
I would suggest the Casson Pavilion has more potential.
Round the Casson, ZSL should plant a wood, of browse trees and understorey bushes. The path should be taken up, and earth piled over the perimeter walls and moats, before the wood is planted. The camel paddock could extend literally to the perimeter fence (or a metre or so away with screening. This would take in the strip of mature trees and bushes between the zoo boundary and the current wall of the camel enclosure. The paddock could extend to the cafe area and old show animal cages. I think this whole area, together with the two indoor elephant dens, would make an excellent paddock for Okapi and yellow-backed duiker, which could be mixed safely in such a space.
The current winter area for hippo could be joined under a raised viewing area to the summer area and pool. The anoa paddock could also join and form a good-sized facility for the pygmy hippos, with permanent indoor accomodation in the casson.
The other paddock would be suitable for gaur and possibly a small group of axis deer if extended along the bottom of the tiger exhibit and edge of three island pond. A new ha-ha along this path would maximise the enclosure space available, and interact well with an extended Asiatic lion exhibit.
The Casson would then effectively feed two separate exhibit areas; the central african zone leading from Gorilla Kingdom, and the Indian forest zone should the lions come to form the main species on the site of the cat terraces.
Inside the public area of the Casson, I would like to see arts funding for life-sized individuals of both elephant species that resided in that house, literally in the public space so that people can walk amongst them and appreciate what the house was buillt for.