San Francisco Zoo San Francisco Zoo 2012-2013

Falcosparverius said:
Here's some more information on the new playground, the most recent time I was at the zoo, it seemed virtually finished. If you look closely at the picture in the link, you can see plants on the playground structure, if these plants were to grow out, I think it will look pretty nice and naturalistic.
Animals Exhibits Elinor Friend Playground
Click to expand...

Their chimpanzees are in a concrete hovel. Their polar bears are in 1930s era grottoes. Their big cats are in a 1930s era decaying box. They have spent 3.2 million dollars on a playground. ANOTHER playground. They have no discernible plan to build actual new animal exhibits to replace the 80 year old decaying zoo.

Unbelievable.

Yet, there it is, and after watching this zoo steadily decay for the last few decades, I guess one has to believe it.
 
DavidBrown said:
Their chimpanzees are in a concrete hovel. Their polar bears are in 1930s era grottoes. Their big cats are in a 1930s era decaying box. They have spent 3.2 million dollars on a playground. ANOTHER playground. They have no discernible plan to build actual new animal exhibits to replace the 80 year old decaying zoo.
Click to expand...

The "Americas Capital Campaign" is supposed to build new exhibits, no one knows for sure what is being built, but obviously no chimpanzee or big cats are planned. We can only hope that the zoo builds a new polar bear exhibit with the money (funded?). Unfortunately, the zoo's polar bears are old, so it will have to wait until after they die.
 
Falcosparverius said:
The "Americas Capital Campaign" is supposed to build new exhibits, no one knows for sure what is being built, but obviously no chimpanzee or big cats are planned. We can only hope that the zoo builds a new polar bear exhibit with the money (funded?). Unfortunately, the zoo's polar bears are old, so it will have to wait until after they die.
Click to expand...

The scuttlebutt suggests that a lot of those funds are earmarked for yet another reno of the South Americas building. It might also include that squirrel monkey exhibit they were talking about. Not that the squirrel monkeys are in dire straits.

My preferences:

1.) Chimps
1.) Bears
3.) Snow leopards
4.) Primate Discovery Center
5.) The other Big Cats
6.) Gorillas
 
Thanks for the link, Falcosparverius. That moose/beaver complex looks really interesting. I wonder if they will actually build it?

Most of those drawings look like they are for the umpteenth remodeling of the tropical house. The designer gave a presentation at the AZA meeting and the complex looks cool. They are planning on having free-flying parrots as shown in the drawings. It could be quite impressive if it works.

I'm sometimes critical of the San Francisco Zoo, but they do have areas of excellence. Pioneering healthy parrot exhibitions that give the birds stimulation and showcase them beyond the dreaded "parrot on a stick" could be an important contribution to zoos.
 
Last edited:
DavidBrown said:
Most of those drawings look like they are for the umpteenth remodeling of the tropical house. The designer gave a presentation at the AZA meeting and the complex looks cool.
Click to expand...

A close look at the site reveals it is not about new projects at the SFZoo but rather a display of the artist's portfolio.
Don't run too far with this. It announces nothing of the zoo's plans.
 
Last edited:
Still it would be nice if they would announce what they are going to do with the funds from the capital campaign. There are obvious exhibits and animal areas that really do not to be renovated or updated big time (as some other posters have already suggested which species should have precedence).

Are we any nearer to knowing what the current management is planning for its animal collection and re-building!??? :confused:
 
Zooplantman said:
A close look at the site reveals it is not about new projects at the SFZoo but rather a display of the artist's portfolio.
Don't run too far with this. It announces nothing of the zoo's plans.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the clarification. This designer apparently did work on the actual plans for the tropical house renovation though, as this project has been announced and is being built (or is built?).
 
DavidBrown said:
Thanks for the clarification. This designer apparently did work on the actual plans for the tropical house renovation though, as this project has been announced and is being built (or is built?).
Click to expand...

Yes, Kang did the illustrations for ThincDesign.
 
@Falcosparverius, cannot answer your question. Hope the SF regulars or Californicans can give us more insight in your very valid question.


On face value, how does this … current zoo map of SF Zoo correspond to current reality on the ground. Link: http://www.sfzoo.org/plan-zoo-map

If I look at that master plan the rhino exhibit has significantly moved … / whereas in the zoo map this is not reflected at all. Quite a few other examples (see Asian area and the extended African precinct … where on the zoo map nothing seems to have been built or is vacant space. I get the distinct feeling something about that zoo map is not quite right??! :confused:

If someone can clarify all this, that would be most welcome!
 
I believe that this could be San Francisco's current masterplan.

Kifaru Bwana, I'm not quite sure what you are trying to say. I would often expect a zoo's new('ish) masterplan not to look like the current zoo itself. Its also important to note that the San Francisco Zoo has several empty/closed exhibits that are purposely not reflected on the map. A zoo wouldn't want to be advertising these anyway.
 
gerenuk said:
I believe that this could be San Francisco's current masterplan.
Click to expand...

This is what I thought when I first saw the site, but now I think it is the previous director's (prior to 2007 tiger incident) master plan. The map plans still show elephants, but the current plans could be just a revised version of this one. We won't know for sure until the Zoo officially reveals anything.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top