BenFoxster
Well-Known Member
Not sure if this has been done before, if it has then feel free to delete, but I was hoping to create a list of smaller species that could serve as replacements for more iconic larger species that smaller zoos may not be able to afford/have the space for, or for larger zoos lacking the space for the larger, more iconic alternatives.
I was inspired by the Charles Paddock Zoo's 2008 masterplan as well as the historic reshaping of New York's Central Park Zoo - notable for phasing out many iconic large species such as gorillas, rhinos, and more back in the 80's, and practically rebuilding the zoo from scratch to take advantage of its low acreage to make naturalistic state of the art exhibits (quality over quantity) for smaller species - nowadays featuring gorgeous exhibits for snow leopards, red pandas, Japanese macaques, small primates like lemurs and tamarins, etc. rather than having bad or mediocre exhibits for larger species like tigers, lions, great apes, etc.
Another inspiration for this thread was the change in Fresno Chaffee Zoo's master plan - what originally planned to create a large gorgeous African river themed exhibit featuring hippos, Nile crocs, birds, monkeys, and more, was unfortunately scrapped entirely in favor for an area that could host yearly events (animatronic dinosaurs for "Zoorassic Park," Christmas lights, Butterfly Gardens, etc.). I was rather disappointed that the zoo couldn't at least downsize the original plan, perhaps replace the common/Nile hippos for pygmy hippos, the Nile Crocs for a smaller crocodilian, etc.
Going back to Charles Paddock's master plan (chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://records.atascadero.org/weblink/0/doc/67164/Electronic.aspx) on pg. 10, I was very impressed by it's plan to house many smaller underrated species rather than squeezing in larger species (its African exhibit planned to exhibit okapis, pygmy hippos, and an African primate rather than giraffes, hippos, or great apes, its Asian exhibit housing gibbons, red pandas, and more over orangutans or larger Asian species, with the tiger being one exception, holding Andean Bears over grizzlies, tapir instead of larger hoofstock, ocelots and marmosets over jaguars or howler/spider monkeys, etc.) and thought it would be wonderful to have a discussion on species that could be exhibited over more iconic counterparts in smaller zoos or large zoos lacking space for new species. Would also add more zoo diversity and give underrepresented species a chance to shine.
Examples:
Africa:
Usually represented by exhibits exhibiting larger African species such as lions, giraffes, white rhinoceros, etc.
African Hoofstock Savanna Alternatives:
Alternatives for a hoofstock savanna could include:
- Medium sized savanna featuring Giraffes and one or two fellow antelope species such as nyala or a gazelle species, plus birds such as ostriches
- Slightly smaller savanna exhibit featuring a small herd of zebras alongside another antelope species (wildebeest, nyala, gazelle, etc.), plus birds such as ostriches - while not small, a good inspiration for such an exhibit could be the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo's zebra/wildebeest/ostrich mixed species exhibit, but on a smaller scale
- Even smaller savanna featuring either zebras or just one antelope species plus a bird like ostriches
- Drop zebras entirely and exhibit a single underrated antelope species such as nyala or bongos - I feel these two species could be charismatic enough to carry an exhibit on their own, especially if at least one impressive male is featured
- Dropping the African Savanna theme entirely and featuring an African forest hoofstock species like okapis or gerenuks - species that typically require less space - could also serve as gorgeous alternatives to giraffes, zebras, or other African hoofstock
Rhino Savanna Alternative:
Alternatives for white rhinoceros for smaller zoos or larger zoos wishing to add an African rhino exhibit could be the Black rhinoceros.
- Very common for zoos to phase out their aging elephants in favor of an African or Asian Rhino species - obviously
- Many zoos may not be able to afford to manage a large mixed species savanna anyways, so why not downsize from exhibiting white rhinos to displaying their black rhino counterparts?
- Black rhinos are rarely if ever displayed in mixed species exhibits due to their aggression, so why not invest in exhibiting black rhinos and giving them a nice space to themselves?
- Alternatively, mimic The Living Desert Zoos' mixed species black rhino exhibit, it is essentially two exhibits separated by wooden poles thick enough to prevent rhinos from crossing into the second exhibit, but large enough for the birds and antelope to pass through to keep away from the rhinos - though a zoo that could afford to make such an exhibit would most likely rather invest in a single large white rhino mixed species exhibit
Nile/Common Hippo Alternative:
- An African Forest or African Wetland exhibit with Pygmy hippos! San Diego and John Ball zoo's pygmy hippo exhibits could serve as great inspiration
- A fine standalone exhibit, but to create a full African Forest and/or Wetland exhibit with other smaller species, adjacent exhibits could feature slender-snouted crocodiles (as San Diego features, separating them from the pygmy hippos using a glass barrier), mandrills, servals, sitatunga antelopes, or various African birds and herps
African Great Ape Alternative:
Alternatives to the typical gorilla or chimpanzee exhibits could include:
- Bonobos - basically slightly smaller chimps, and more endangered, could easily serve as the star of an African forest exhibit
- An African monkey species such as Mandrills, Colobus Monkeys, DeBrazza's, Guenons, etc. - each should still be impressive enough to carry an exhibit on their own or displayed sparately from other African forest species such as okapis, servals, red river hogs, or various African birds and herps
African Big Cat Alternatives:
Alternatives to typical lion or cheetah exhibit:
- Displaying a leopard species (usually amur) rather than a pride of lions; very endangered and still quite charismatic to stand on its own, bonus points if the zoo features other iconic African species such as giraffes, zebras, or an African primate
- A serval or caracal exhibit - both gorgeous cats, often excluded from African exhibits since most feature lions or cheetahs; again could be featured in an African themed exhibit adjacent other iconic species like giraffes, zebras, an African great ape, primates, etc. (would also be nice to display an African Kopje exhibit with klipspringers, hyrax, storks, etc.)
Tiger Exhibit Alternatives:
- A zoo that cannot afford tigers, or lack the space, could choose to display slightly smaller big cats like Amur or snow leopards - The Central Park Zoo in New York seems to have opted for an excellent snow leopard exhibit, rather than having a mediocre tiger exhibit
- Another smaller Asian cat alternative could be the clouded leopard
- Especially great if displayed in an Asian-themed exhibit adjacent other iconic Asian species such as gibbons, flying foxes, tapirs, binturongs, hornbills, etc.
Orangutan Exhibit Alternatives:
- Gibbons and siamangs are the obvious choice for a zoo that cannot display orangutans
- Same as the cats, could serve as wonderful additions to a smaller Asian-themed exhibit
- Popular examples of gibbons serving as replacements to orangutans (whether intentional or not) include Disney's Animal Kingdom (presumably due to the harsh humid Floridan weather), and both the Nashville and Santa Barbara Zoo - both displaying them in superb gibbon exhibits that are almost good enough to house orangutans, though an excellent gibbon exhibit is better than an okay orangutan home
- Alternatively display another Asian primate entirely such as the increasingly popular Francois Langur or Japanese Macaque
Asian Rhino/Asian Savanna Alternatives:
- Fresno Chaffee zoo was originally going to keep Greater-One Horned Rhinoceros in what I believe would have been an ok exhibit, but will instead be using the space for a gorgeous Malayan Tapir and Babirusa mixed species exhibit - a gorgeous alternative
- Other smaller Asian hoofstock such as Psewalski's horse, blackbuck antelopes, or an Asian deer species could serve as a smaller alternative - though would still require substantial space for room to gallop and display decent sized herds
Komodo Dragon Exhibit Alternatives:
- Would personally like to see other large lizards such as Parenties and other large monitors replace the Komodo Dragons displayed in otherwise bad or mediocre komodo exhibits
On an unrelated note, red pandas, muntjac deer, flying foxes, binturongs, and other smaller Asian mammals could serve as wonderful additions to an Asian themed exhibit
North American Bison/Elk Exhibit Alternatives:
- Other smaller North American hoofstock such as the Peninsular Pronghorn could be displayed as a zoo's North American hoofstock species if the zoo cannot afford a space large enough for a herd of elk or bison - not to mention they are very endangered and could use more breeding programs
Mountain Lion Exhibit Alternatives:
- Having seen many mountain lions in otherwise bad or mediocre exhibits, these exhibits could often be refurbished to make excellent bobcat or lynx exhibits
Large Bear Exhibit Alternatives:
- Polar Bears are already understandably very rare in zoos - and many believe they aren't suitable for captivity. Many zoos have replaced their aging polar bears with grizzly bears, though personally I hope more zoos in the future will be able to make larger upgraded exhibits for their polar bears rather than phase them out
- Alternatives to grizzlies for zoos lacking the space or enrichment to fulfill such a large species could house black bear rescues or other smaller exotic bears such as sloth or Andean bears
Sea Lion Exhibit Alternatives:
- For zoos that cannot afford their own "Sea Lion Cove," North American river otters in large, gorgeous aquatic exhibits could serve as a fun alternative
- Would personally love to see more zoos display sea otters in a coastal themed exhibit, though understandably they are very difficult for zoos to obtain and are known for damaging their exhibits very easily
Large Bird of Prey Exhibit Alternatives:
- Many geographically themed exhibits could choose to display smaller birds of prey species rather then their larger counterparts - Bald Eagles over Condors, an African Eagle over large African birds such as Ruppel's Vultures, King Vulture over Andean Condor, Asian alternatives or Stellar's Sea Eagle, etc.
- A zoo could still go even smaller with species of hawks, owls, falcons, etc.
Penguin Exhibit Alternatives:
- One of the biggest inspirations for this post along with the Pygmy Hippos and African Primates, zoos that want a penguin species but don't have the space or money for a larger, cooled exhibit could opt for the smaller, more warm-weather tolerant little blue penguin - could also more easily fit in indoor aquatic exhibits
South American Large Primate Exhibit Alternatives:
- Zoos that cannot afford larger SA primates like howler or spider monkeys could opt to exhibit Sakis, Squirrel monkeys, Capuchins, Marmosets, or a Tamarin species - tamarins like golden-lions and cotton-tops in particular I feel are still too underrated a species and could easily grow in popularity and could become a classic ABC species if more zoos were to promote them, especially considering their adorable sizes, charismatic personalities, and important conservation message and critically endangered status; would especially love to see more of these in interactive walk-throughs, and to repeat the same idea as the orangutans, small primates in gorgeous lush island or glass exhibits would be more visually appealing and inspiring for guests than howler or spider monkeys in old school caged bar or wire fenced exhibits
South American Species Alternatives (In General):
- Zoos that cannot afford the larger species could always opt for smaller species such as ocelots and margays (jaguar alternative), tamanduas or lesser anteaters (giant anteater alternative), and other small South American species such as sloths, capybara, kinkajous, coatis, and various small bird, herp, and fish species, though it often already feels like larger South American species like giant otters, harpy eagles, and more are often already under represented as it is
- Even the larger South American species could serve as alternatives for the more common African, Asian, and North American species in general
- As an alternative to larger canines like wolves or African Wild Dogs that require plenty of space to roam and house a large pack, Maned Wolves being a more solitary, less energetic species could serve as a gorgeous, underrated alternative that may require less space to exhibit - bonus points if featured in a mixed species exhibit along anteaters or tapirs
Australian Species Alternatives:
- Australia is already extremely under represented as it is - smaller zoos or zoos lacking Australian themed exhibits could feature smaller wallaby walkthroughs over kangaroo or emu walkthrough, or simply feature their emus and wallabies in old fashioned mixed-species exhibits - though that's rather boring
- Smaller species like wombats, koalas, tassie devils, and more are already extremely difficult for zoos to obtain, or else would make for good alternatives for typical Roo and Emu exhibits
- Would love if tree kangaroos could become a more common species to exhibit, they're getting closer to being more common as the years pass - would make for a more unique alternative to zoo's typical Roo or Wallaby exhibits
Note that I'm not advocating for all zoos to phase out their larger ABC species in favor of smaller, more cost-efficient, lesser-known species - this is merely meant to serve as a list of ideas for smaller zoos, most notably less than 20 acre zoos, or for larger zoos running out of space/funds that still want to add more species or add species to represent underrepresented or unrepresented continents/biomes. This might also help serve as a mini guide for spec zoo designers looking for alternatives to larger species to create more realistic fantasy zoos - though might fail as a guide considering that I did not have the time to research every species' space requirements. I'm sure many of the veteran or more knowledgeable can or have made a far better guide, as I'm not quite qualified yet, but it is still something I wanted to write and find other's opinions/discussions on the subject. Would love to know if anyone agrees or disagrees, or has other ideas or disagrees with my particular choices.
I was inspired by the Charles Paddock Zoo's 2008 masterplan as well as the historic reshaping of New York's Central Park Zoo - notable for phasing out many iconic large species such as gorillas, rhinos, and more back in the 80's, and practically rebuilding the zoo from scratch to take advantage of its low acreage to make naturalistic state of the art exhibits (quality over quantity) for smaller species - nowadays featuring gorgeous exhibits for snow leopards, red pandas, Japanese macaques, small primates like lemurs and tamarins, etc. rather than having bad or mediocre exhibits for larger species like tigers, lions, great apes, etc.
Another inspiration for this thread was the change in Fresno Chaffee Zoo's master plan - what originally planned to create a large gorgeous African river themed exhibit featuring hippos, Nile crocs, birds, monkeys, and more, was unfortunately scrapped entirely in favor for an area that could host yearly events (animatronic dinosaurs for "Zoorassic Park," Christmas lights, Butterfly Gardens, etc.). I was rather disappointed that the zoo couldn't at least downsize the original plan, perhaps replace the common/Nile hippos for pygmy hippos, the Nile Crocs for a smaller crocodilian, etc.
Going back to Charles Paddock's master plan (chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://records.atascadero.org/weblink/0/doc/67164/Electronic.aspx) on pg. 10, I was very impressed by it's plan to house many smaller underrated species rather than squeezing in larger species (its African exhibit planned to exhibit okapis, pygmy hippos, and an African primate rather than giraffes, hippos, or great apes, its Asian exhibit housing gibbons, red pandas, and more over orangutans or larger Asian species, with the tiger being one exception, holding Andean Bears over grizzlies, tapir instead of larger hoofstock, ocelots and marmosets over jaguars or howler/spider monkeys, etc.) and thought it would be wonderful to have a discussion on species that could be exhibited over more iconic counterparts in smaller zoos or large zoos lacking space for new species. Would also add more zoo diversity and give underrepresented species a chance to shine.
Examples:
Africa:
Usually represented by exhibits exhibiting larger African species such as lions, giraffes, white rhinoceros, etc.
African Hoofstock Savanna Alternatives:
Alternatives for a hoofstock savanna could include:
- Medium sized savanna featuring Giraffes and one or two fellow antelope species such as nyala or a gazelle species, plus birds such as ostriches
- Slightly smaller savanna exhibit featuring a small herd of zebras alongside another antelope species (wildebeest, nyala, gazelle, etc.), plus birds such as ostriches - while not small, a good inspiration for such an exhibit could be the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo's zebra/wildebeest/ostrich mixed species exhibit, but on a smaller scale
- Even smaller savanna featuring either zebras or just one antelope species plus a bird like ostriches
- Drop zebras entirely and exhibit a single underrated antelope species such as nyala or bongos - I feel these two species could be charismatic enough to carry an exhibit on their own, especially if at least one impressive male is featured
- Dropping the African Savanna theme entirely and featuring an African forest hoofstock species like okapis or gerenuks - species that typically require less space - could also serve as gorgeous alternatives to giraffes, zebras, or other African hoofstock
Rhino Savanna Alternative:
Alternatives for white rhinoceros for smaller zoos or larger zoos wishing to add an African rhino exhibit could be the Black rhinoceros.
- Very common for zoos to phase out their aging elephants in favor of an African or Asian Rhino species - obviously
- Many zoos may not be able to afford to manage a large mixed species savanna anyways, so why not downsize from exhibiting white rhinos to displaying their black rhino counterparts?
- Black rhinos are rarely if ever displayed in mixed species exhibits due to their aggression, so why not invest in exhibiting black rhinos and giving them a nice space to themselves?
- Alternatively, mimic The Living Desert Zoos' mixed species black rhino exhibit, it is essentially two exhibits separated by wooden poles thick enough to prevent rhinos from crossing into the second exhibit, but large enough for the birds and antelope to pass through to keep away from the rhinos - though a zoo that could afford to make such an exhibit would most likely rather invest in a single large white rhino mixed species exhibit
Nile/Common Hippo Alternative:
- An African Forest or African Wetland exhibit with Pygmy hippos! San Diego and John Ball zoo's pygmy hippo exhibits could serve as great inspiration
- A fine standalone exhibit, but to create a full African Forest and/or Wetland exhibit with other smaller species, adjacent exhibits could feature slender-snouted crocodiles (as San Diego features, separating them from the pygmy hippos using a glass barrier), mandrills, servals, sitatunga antelopes, or various African birds and herps
African Great Ape Alternative:
Alternatives to the typical gorilla or chimpanzee exhibits could include:
- Bonobos - basically slightly smaller chimps, and more endangered, could easily serve as the star of an African forest exhibit
- An African monkey species such as Mandrills, Colobus Monkeys, DeBrazza's, Guenons, etc. - each should still be impressive enough to carry an exhibit on their own or displayed sparately from other African forest species such as okapis, servals, red river hogs, or various African birds and herps
African Big Cat Alternatives:
Alternatives to typical lion or cheetah exhibit:
- Displaying a leopard species (usually amur) rather than a pride of lions; very endangered and still quite charismatic to stand on its own, bonus points if the zoo features other iconic African species such as giraffes, zebras, or an African primate
- A serval or caracal exhibit - both gorgeous cats, often excluded from African exhibits since most feature lions or cheetahs; again could be featured in an African themed exhibit adjacent other iconic species like giraffes, zebras, an African great ape, primates, etc. (would also be nice to display an African Kopje exhibit with klipspringers, hyrax, storks, etc.)
Tiger Exhibit Alternatives:
- A zoo that cannot afford tigers, or lack the space, could choose to display slightly smaller big cats like Amur or snow leopards - The Central Park Zoo in New York seems to have opted for an excellent snow leopard exhibit, rather than having a mediocre tiger exhibit
- Another smaller Asian cat alternative could be the clouded leopard
- Especially great if displayed in an Asian-themed exhibit adjacent other iconic Asian species such as gibbons, flying foxes, tapirs, binturongs, hornbills, etc.
Orangutan Exhibit Alternatives:
- Gibbons and siamangs are the obvious choice for a zoo that cannot display orangutans
- Same as the cats, could serve as wonderful additions to a smaller Asian-themed exhibit
- Popular examples of gibbons serving as replacements to orangutans (whether intentional or not) include Disney's Animal Kingdom (presumably due to the harsh humid Floridan weather), and both the Nashville and Santa Barbara Zoo - both displaying them in superb gibbon exhibits that are almost good enough to house orangutans, though an excellent gibbon exhibit is better than an okay orangutan home
- Alternatively display another Asian primate entirely such as the increasingly popular Francois Langur or Japanese Macaque
Asian Rhino/Asian Savanna Alternatives:
- Fresno Chaffee zoo was originally going to keep Greater-One Horned Rhinoceros in what I believe would have been an ok exhibit, but will instead be using the space for a gorgeous Malayan Tapir and Babirusa mixed species exhibit - a gorgeous alternative
- Other smaller Asian hoofstock such as Psewalski's horse, blackbuck antelopes, or an Asian deer species could serve as a smaller alternative - though would still require substantial space for room to gallop and display decent sized herds
Komodo Dragon Exhibit Alternatives:
- Would personally like to see other large lizards such as Parenties and other large monitors replace the Komodo Dragons displayed in otherwise bad or mediocre komodo exhibits
On an unrelated note, red pandas, muntjac deer, flying foxes, binturongs, and other smaller Asian mammals could serve as wonderful additions to an Asian themed exhibit
North American Bison/Elk Exhibit Alternatives:
- Other smaller North American hoofstock such as the Peninsular Pronghorn could be displayed as a zoo's North American hoofstock species if the zoo cannot afford a space large enough for a herd of elk or bison - not to mention they are very endangered and could use more breeding programs
Mountain Lion Exhibit Alternatives:
- Having seen many mountain lions in otherwise bad or mediocre exhibits, these exhibits could often be refurbished to make excellent bobcat or lynx exhibits
Large Bear Exhibit Alternatives:
- Polar Bears are already understandably very rare in zoos - and many believe they aren't suitable for captivity. Many zoos have replaced their aging polar bears with grizzly bears, though personally I hope more zoos in the future will be able to make larger upgraded exhibits for their polar bears rather than phase them out
- Alternatives to grizzlies for zoos lacking the space or enrichment to fulfill such a large species could house black bear rescues or other smaller exotic bears such as sloth or Andean bears
Sea Lion Exhibit Alternatives:
- For zoos that cannot afford their own "Sea Lion Cove," North American river otters in large, gorgeous aquatic exhibits could serve as a fun alternative
- Would personally love to see more zoos display sea otters in a coastal themed exhibit, though understandably they are very difficult for zoos to obtain and are known for damaging their exhibits very easily
Large Bird of Prey Exhibit Alternatives:
- Many geographically themed exhibits could choose to display smaller birds of prey species rather then their larger counterparts - Bald Eagles over Condors, an African Eagle over large African birds such as Ruppel's Vultures, King Vulture over Andean Condor, Asian alternatives or Stellar's Sea Eagle, etc.
- A zoo could still go even smaller with species of hawks, owls, falcons, etc.
Penguin Exhibit Alternatives:
- One of the biggest inspirations for this post along with the Pygmy Hippos and African Primates, zoos that want a penguin species but don't have the space or money for a larger, cooled exhibit could opt for the smaller, more warm-weather tolerant little blue penguin - could also more easily fit in indoor aquatic exhibits
South American Large Primate Exhibit Alternatives:
- Zoos that cannot afford larger SA primates like howler or spider monkeys could opt to exhibit Sakis, Squirrel monkeys, Capuchins, Marmosets, or a Tamarin species - tamarins like golden-lions and cotton-tops in particular I feel are still too underrated a species and could easily grow in popularity and could become a classic ABC species if more zoos were to promote them, especially considering their adorable sizes, charismatic personalities, and important conservation message and critically endangered status; would especially love to see more of these in interactive walk-throughs, and to repeat the same idea as the orangutans, small primates in gorgeous lush island or glass exhibits would be more visually appealing and inspiring for guests than howler or spider monkeys in old school caged bar or wire fenced exhibits
South American Species Alternatives (In General):
- Zoos that cannot afford the larger species could always opt for smaller species such as ocelots and margays (jaguar alternative), tamanduas or lesser anteaters (giant anteater alternative), and other small South American species such as sloths, capybara, kinkajous, coatis, and various small bird, herp, and fish species, though it often already feels like larger South American species like giant otters, harpy eagles, and more are often already under represented as it is
- Even the larger South American species could serve as alternatives for the more common African, Asian, and North American species in general
- As an alternative to larger canines like wolves or African Wild Dogs that require plenty of space to roam and house a large pack, Maned Wolves being a more solitary, less energetic species could serve as a gorgeous, underrated alternative that may require less space to exhibit - bonus points if featured in a mixed species exhibit along anteaters or tapirs
Australian Species Alternatives:
- Australia is already extremely under represented as it is - smaller zoos or zoos lacking Australian themed exhibits could feature smaller wallaby walkthroughs over kangaroo or emu walkthrough, or simply feature their emus and wallabies in old fashioned mixed-species exhibits - though that's rather boring
- Smaller species like wombats, koalas, tassie devils, and more are already extremely difficult for zoos to obtain, or else would make for good alternatives for typical Roo and Emu exhibits
- Would love if tree kangaroos could become a more common species to exhibit, they're getting closer to being more common as the years pass - would make for a more unique alternative to zoo's typical Roo or Wallaby exhibits
Note that I'm not advocating for all zoos to phase out their larger ABC species in favor of smaller, more cost-efficient, lesser-known species - this is merely meant to serve as a list of ideas for smaller zoos, most notably less than 20 acre zoos, or for larger zoos running out of space/funds that still want to add more species or add species to represent underrepresented or unrepresented continents/biomes. This might also help serve as a mini guide for spec zoo designers looking for alternatives to larger species to create more realistic fantasy zoos - though might fail as a guide considering that I did not have the time to research every species' space requirements. I'm sure many of the veteran or more knowledgeable can or have made a far better guide, as I'm not quite qualified yet, but it is still something I wanted to write and find other's opinions/discussions on the subject. Would love to know if anyone agrees or disagrees, or has other ideas or disagrees with my particular choices.
