Small but cool things in zoo design you saw

[Jurek7]

Just to share little bits which you seen in some zoo and really liked.

Savanna exhibit for zebra, antelope and similar in Lyon zoo has some prickly bushes planted in the dry moat. It looks like there is no moat. But, if course, ungulates are too heavy to climb out on the bushes.

I am not sure of the bush species, possibly spiny berberis. The Lyon zoo is otherwise very small.

 

[pendraig_milnerae]

The general aesthetic of this unassuming wallaby exhibit at PL. The combination of open space between the trees, the woodchip substrate, the forest grasses and the simple fence design all just seem to add together perfectly. Ironically this is an exhibit for red-necked wallaby.

Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve - 26.07.2020

• pendraig_milnerae
• 8 Dec 2020

Bennett’s Wallaby Exhibit

 

[Jurek7]

I found a photo of the Lyon Zoo hidden savanna moat by maxime:

African savanna exhibit - ZooChat


The green roof of the new gorilla house in Prague zoo looks like a meadow with skylights dotted among the grass:
Rezervace Dja: nový pavilon goril

I know that Berlin Zoo has an aviary (the large walkthough wading bird aviary near the hunting dogs) with a winter house under it, which is basically invisible unless somebody notices insconspicious plastic domes on the side.

I wonder if zoos with limited space can build exhibits on roofs of buildings. I can perfectly imagine an aviary, an exhibit for monkeys or big cats on a green roof. Basically, anything which does not require deep water, tall trees and is not too heavy.

Press kit and map of the area :
Rezervace Dja: nový pavilon goril (zoopraha.cz)

 

[Zooplantman]

I wonder if zoos with limited space can build exhibits on roofs of buildings. I can perfectly imagine an aviary, an exhibit for monkeys or big cats on a green roof. Basically, anything which does not require deep water, tall trees and is not too heavy.

It is being discussed

Also, while not a zoo exhibit, this is another example (several years old now)
Living Roof

 

[Gondwana]

I wonder if zoos with limited space can build exhibits on roofs of buildings. I can perfectly imagine an aviary, an exhibit for monkeys or big cats on a green roof. Basically, anything which does not require deep water, tall trees and is not too heavy.

I know of at least one existing example -- the cat house at the Como Park Zoo. The puma and snow leopard exhibits go up onto the building roof, with the roof level viewed by an elevated deck. It is indeed a zoo with limited space considering it houses four big cat species, three pinnipeds, bears, six ungulates, and two great apes on a site of ~12 acres.

 

[Jurek7]

My home city has green roofs on most buildings in the city center. Looking from a tall building, one sees everything on roofs: meadows, a swimming pool, cafes and whatever. So why not an animal exhibit?

 

[Zooplantman]

I

I know of at least one existing example -- the cat house at the Como Park Zoo. The puma and snow leopard exhibits go up onto the building roof, with the roof level viewed by an elevated deck.

wasn't aware of that and, frankly, it took quite a bit of searching to see it on-line. Well done use of space (although not immersive nor an elegant path/deck. Still, it is 40 years old!).

 

[RIPPompadour]

I’ve found I enjoy seeing remnants of gravel roads and paved paths in some exhibits. The bison/elk/white-tailed deer exhibit at the Greater Vancouver Zoo has trails that serve as reminders of the exhibit’s past as bus tour acreage. Naturalists and authors such as Jim Corbett mention animals traveling on or beside roads and the absorption of the infrastructure by natural habitat is an optimistic little reminder that healthy things can eventually result from destructive practices.

Not that I’m advocating for more service roads.

There should be images early on in the GVZoo gallery.

 

[Zoofan15]

I like how the back wall of Auckland Zoo’s Siamang exhibit is the wall from the zoo’s old Bornean orangutan exhibit. This iconic exhibit opened in 1987 and housed Bornean orangutan until it’s demolition in 2017 (a new exhibit opened in 2020).

It was no doubt done to be cost effective and recycle materials etc. but as someone who appreciates historic architecture, seeing the remnants of this historic exhibit is something I greatly enjoy.