"Superzoo" Trend..?

[NZ Jeremy]

Hello all, I was going to point this out in the "Big animals in city zoo" to make my point to Sun that zoos are heading toward open range zoos but felt it deserved its own topic...

Columbus Zoo
Chester Zoo
Australia Zoo

All three have plans to expand to 250 acres or more, ("Superzoos" for lack of a better term, coined by Chester)...

San Diego Zoo is expanding into areas which have been off exhibit for almost 100 years, (Elephant Oddysey) and into a car park area (?) (please confirm..?)

Do you believe this is trend toward larger inner city zoos around the world..? If so why (public expectations or zoos raising their expectations)..?

Or a case of these zoos gambling on their future to be the undisputed number 1 zoo destination in their countries and indeed their part of the world..?

Or is it simply a case of these zoos being in position where they have land readily available, finances and a good reputation..?

What other zoos do you feel are candidates for the "Superzoo" treatment..?

 

[Sun Wukong]

Or is it simply a case of these zoos being in position where they have land readily available, finances and a good reputation..?

That's exactly the point. And as pointed out before, it's doubtful whether "open range zoos" are really "the" future for all zoos-see Jurek7's or my arguments concerning this matter in regard to f.e. European zoos.

There are other zoos than the ones mentioned that do expand, may they be in Russia, Europe, Asia etc., but it's mainly due to the reasons mentioned in the quotation-and to gain more visitors. However, You can also have a "Super zoo" in a small format...

 

[Jurek7]

Certainly if zoo borders some open space it is good to expand.

Other trend is building two zoos - small old zoo surrounded by city buildings and second, big zoo far in the outskirts. E.g. London and Whipsnade, Antwerp and Plackendael, Poznan old and new...

 

[Sun Wukong]

...which nevertheless is also limited by the amount of financial resources the particular city/institution has available for the running of two zoos-and by the willingness and ability of the visitors to go to both zoos. Poznan's inner city zoo f.e. looked really deserted to me.