The Las Vegas Zoo - A Revised Speculative Zoo Masterplan

As I was researching about the rest of the American zone, I realized that I needed some community help. What could be some possible ambassador species for Mandalay Bay? Also, are there any other possible casino sponsored exhibits? The casinos that currently have exhibits include; Red Rocks, The Flamingo, Mandalay Bay, Paris, The Venetian, New York New York, Station Casinos, The Strat (Stratosphere), Rio, Planet Hollywood, Luxor, Park MGM, Circus Circus, Caesar's Palace, and the Sahara
 
Without wanting to sound like a boring old something, are you sure that you want casinos sponsoring your fantasy zoo?

I would suggest that neither the clientele or missions of most zoos aligns well with casinos and the audience of zoo visitors isn't really the sort that a casino is trying to advertise to either.
 
I feel like casinos sponsoring my fantasy zoo would be including possible deals/packages that would allow families to stay at the casinos' hotels with an included/cheeper priced admission to the zoo. The casinos also have theming that can make for a cool exhibit. What do you think of the zoo so far?
 
MOG2012 said:
I feel like casinos sponsoring my fantasy zoo would be including possible deals/packages that would allow families to stay at the casinos' hotels with an included/cheeper priced admission to the zoo. The casinos also have theming that can make for a cool exhibit. What do you think of the zoo so far?
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Maybe, although if you were targeting package trips for families going on a trip primarily to see a zoo why not have a hotel experience on site? It's surprising that there isn't a large zoo in Las Vegas, so a good place to imagine a fantasy one. Although I expect the majority of visitors to any zoo in Las Vegas would actually be local residents.

A zoo open 24 hours is interesting, but I imagine it would get horrendously expensive in terms of staffing costs compared to visitor attendance, certainly in the period from 9/10PM to 8/9AM.

Not trying to be a downer, you've got nice ideas so far, keep it up. I often enjoy sketching out fantasy zoo or exhibit designs. I like the idea of so many arid-themed exhibits but in arid areas across the world.
 
  • I wouldn't have a hotel there as there would be competition
  • There are more families than you would expect that visit Las Vegas and there have been many online complaints about the lack of a zoo
  • There would be 2 short intermediate periods (6:30 PM to 8:00 PM), and (5:00 AM to 6:30 AM) where species would be shifted, checked in on, etc. and the staff would shift. More and more people are coming to Las Vegas so maybe working at the zoo could count as credits for a biology course in some of the universities/colleges
  • I forgot to mention that this zoo & aquarium is in partnership with Mandalay Bay Shark Reef, occasionally trading species and housing species BTS if needed. There will be some species overlap however (like most zoo partnerships/groups) such as freshwater crocodiles, cownose rays, and a shark tank/enclosure
  • Thanks for the feedback, I like it when people are honest with the quality/ideas instead of glazing it
  • I don't really plan on sketching out the entire zoo as it's large but I might make a zoo map at the end that visitors would get
  • Is there anything I should fix with the current animal roster and enclosures in the zoo? I'm trying to be as realistic as possible
 
In "Rattlesnake Cove", there are various terrariums housing venomous reptiles which are engraved in the rockwork. This hallway could be skipped for people with ophidiophobia, and I'll talk about the animals in that hallway in the next post.

On the left side of the hallway, there are 4 terrariums while on the right side of the hallway, there are 3 terrariums. The first two terrariums are identical with them being 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. Both terrariums simulate an arid, open desert habitat with various hiding spots created by rocks. The inhabitant of the first terrarium rotates between a solitary 0.1 Great Basin Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus lutosus and the smaller, 1.0 Tiger Rattlesnake Crotalus tigris. While the inhabitant of the second terrarium rotates between 0.1 Arizona Black Rattlesnake Crotalus cerberus and 1.0 Northern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus molossus which are two species commonly found in Arizona.
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Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @CMP
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Great Basin Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @Ituri
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Tiger Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @RatioTile
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Arizona Black Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @RatioTile
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Northern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @DesertTortoise
The third terrarium is 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 90 cm tall. It has various vines, branches, platforms, hiding spots, and rocks. It's home to a SSP species, 0.1 Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake Crotalus catalinensis.
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Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium (but more natural looking)
Image Credit -> @Dhole dude
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Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @biggiesmalls
The final terrarium on the left is 180 cm long, 90 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It has various hiding spots, climbing structures and vegetation. The inhabitant is a Southwestern Deserts staple, 1.0 Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox.
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Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @Coelacanth18
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Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @Ituri

The first terrarium on the right is 90 cm long, 45 cm wide, and 45 cm tall. This terrarium replicates a mix between a rocky desert and more montane environments, similar to a mesa. There are various rocks, ledges, and hiding spots to allow which are located in spots with different temperatures. The inhabitants rotate between 0.1 Banded Rock Rattlesnake Crotalus lepidus klauberi and 1.0 Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake Crotalus pricei pricei.
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Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @Neil chace
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Banded Rock Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @ralph
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Twin-Spotted Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @CarnotaurusSastrei
The second terrarium on the right is 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It simulates the rocky desert, and has various hiding spots, rocks, and driftwood. The inhabitant rotates between 1.0 Baja California Rattlesnake Crotalus enyo enyo and 0.1 Speckled Rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii.
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Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @CMP
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Baja California Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @CarnotaurusSastrei
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Speckled Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @phraps
The third terrarium is 180 cm long, 90 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It has various hiding spots, logs, rocks, and branches. It's home to a relative of rattlesnakes, 1.0 Beaded Lizard Heloderma horridum.
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Possible Beaded Lizard Enclosure (excluding the Gila Monster)
Image Credit -> @lintworm
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Mexican Beaded Lizard
Image Credit -> @Valentinoamor

Species On-Exhibit Count:
Invertebrates: 13
Fish: 6
Amphibians: 2
Reptiles: 20
Birds: 5
Mammals: 8
Total: 54

What do you think so far? Feel free to provide comments and feedback. I'll post again, likely tomorrow or Wednesday.
 
MOG2012 said:
In "Rattlesnake Cove", there are various terrariums housing venomous reptiles which are engraved in the rockwork. This hallway could be skipped for people with ophidiophobia, and I'll talk about the animals in that hallway in the next post.

On the left side of the hallway, there are 4 terrariums while on the right side of the hallway, there are 3 terrariums. The first two terrariums are identical with them being 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. Both terrariums simulate an arid, open desert habitat with various hiding spots created by rocks. The inhabitant of the first terrarium rotates between a solitary 0.1 Great Basin Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus lutosus and the smaller, 1.0 Tiger Rattlesnake Crotalus tigris. While the inhabitant of the second terrarium rotates between 0.1 Arizona Black Rattlesnake Crotalus cerberus and 1.0 Northern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake Crotalus molossus molossus which are two species commonly found in Arizona.
full

Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @CMP
full

Great Basin Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @Ituri
full

Tiger Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @RatioTile
full

Arizona Black Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @RatioTile
full

Northern Black-Tailed Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @DesertTortoise
The third terrarium is 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 90 cm tall. It has various vines, branches, platforms, hiding spots, and rocks. It's home to a SSP species, 0.1 Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake Crotalus catalinensis.
full

Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium (but more natural looking)
Image Credit -> @Dhole dude
full

Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @biggiesmalls
The final terrarium on the left is 180 cm long, 90 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It has various hiding spots, climbing structures and vegetation. The inhabitant is a Southwestern Deserts staple, 1.0 Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox.
full

Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @Coelacanth18
full

Western Diamond-Backed Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @Ituri

The first terrarium on the right is 90 cm long, 45 cm wide, and 45 cm tall. This terrarium replicates a mix between a rocky desert and more montane environments, similar to a mesa. There are various rocks, ledges, and hiding spots to allow which are located in spots with different temperatures. The inhabitants rotate between 0.1 Banded Rock Rattlesnake Crotalus lepidus klauberi and 1.0 Western Twin Spotted Rattlesnake Crotalus pricei pricei.
full

Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @Neil chace
full

Banded Rock Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @ralph
full

Twin-Spotted Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @CarnotaurusSastrei
The second terrarium on the right is 120 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It simulates the rocky desert, and has various hiding spots, rocks, and driftwood. The inhabitant rotates between 1.0 Baja California Rattlesnake Crotalus enyo enyo and 0.1 Speckled Rattlesnake Crotalus mitchellii.
full

Possible Look of Rattlesnake Terrarium
Image Credit -> @CMP
full

Baja California Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @CarnotaurusSastrei
full

Speckled Rattlesnake
Image Credit -> @phraps
The third terrarium is 180 cm long, 90 cm wide, and 60 cm tall. It has various hiding spots, logs, rocks, and branches. It's home to a relative of rattlesnakes, 1.0 Beaded Lizard Heloderma horridum.
full

Possible Beaded Lizard Enclosure (excluding the Gila Monster)
Image Credit -> @lintworm
full

Mexican Beaded Lizard
Image Credit -> @Valentinoamor

Species On-Exhibit Count:
Invertebrates: 13
Fish: 6
Amphibians: 2
Reptiles: 20
Birds: 5
Mammals: 8
Total: 54

What do you think so far? Feel free to provide comments and feedback. I'll post again, likely tomorrow or Wednesday.
Click to expand...
I really like it the only feedback I would give is that it would be cool if you made 3 habitats one for a relative of the beaded lizard and this relative is the Gila monster and the other two habitats are for two species of rattlesnake and the two species of rattlesnakes are the sidewinder and the Mojave rattlesnake.
 
Tigeanderson said:
I really like it the only feedback I would give is that it would be cool if you made 3 habitats one for a relative of the beaded lizard and this relative is the Gila monster and the other two habitats are for two species of rattlesnake and the two species of rattlesnakes are the sidewinder and the Mojave rattlesnake.
Click to expand...
I already have them in the Mojave desert part that I mentioned earlier
 
Desert Dome: Part 4: "Rat Pack"

If you have a fear of snakes or simply dislike them, there is another hallway that is next to "Rattlesnake Cove" and it's entrance is next to the other hallway. This hallway is titled "the Rat Pack" with several desert rodent species.

The first enclosure is 180 cm long, 90 cm wide, and 90 cm tall with the substrating going as far as 45 cm deep before there are barriers. It has a hollow log, rock shelters, and pre-made PVC tunnels which can be seen as the enclosure is raised. It's home to a solitary 0.1 Botta's Pocket Gopher Thomomys bottae, a Nevada local.
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Botta's Pocket Gopher
Image Credit -> @zoo_sipsik
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Possible Look of Gopher Enclosure
Image Credit -> @Maguari
The second enclosure is 120 cm long, 60 cm, and 90 cm wide. It has various branches, logs, rock caves, and platforms allowing the inhabitants, a pair of 0.2 White-Throated Woodrat Neotoma albigula to stimulate natural behaviors.
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White-Throated Woodrat
Image Credit -> @zoo_sipsik
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Possible Look of Woodrat Enclosure
Image Credit -> @Coelacanth18
Then, there are 2 identical enclosures after these, that are 90 cm long, 60 cm wide, and 60 cm tall each. They have various sand, burrows, shelters, branches, logs, and rocks. The first enclosure is home to 1.0 Merriam's Kangaroo Rat Dipodomys merriami, and the second enclosure is home to a pair of 0.2 Cactus Mouse Peromyscus eremicus.
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Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
Image Credit -> @zoo_sipsik
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Cactus Mouse
Image Credit -> @Ding Lingwei
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Possible Look of Enclosure
Image Credit -> @felis silvestris

At the end of this hallway and the Rattlesnake cove, a door leads to the same room. This room has various educational signs and models about life in the desert, and how to adapt. There are two possible exits for this room, one for day and one for night. I'll continue with the rest of the Desert Dome this weekend.

Species On-Exhibit Count:
Invertebrates: 13
Fish: 6
Amphibians: 2
Reptiles: 20
Birds: 5
Mammals: 12
Total: 58
 
You seem to have a lot of single individuals of different species - you don't want to have multiple individuals of any species? No interest in attempting breeding?
 
MOG2012 said:
There are some individuals BTS, and the rodents in particular have another individual (if solitary) in their enclosure during breeding season
Click to expand...

Are you planning to design the behind the scenes areas as well or just have it from a visitor's perspective?
 
LaughingDove said:
Are you planning to design the behind the scenes areas as well or just have it from a visitor's perspective?
Click to expand...
I think I might give a "tour" of the behind the scenes area at the end of this project but the BTS areas are different for different zones (ie. the behind the scenes for Deserts of Americas is in the Desert Dome (both underground, and above)
 
MOG2012 said:
Here is a link for a document containing the speculative plan as I keep on editing it, and revising it. Right now, it's only the Entry Plaza. There aren't any photos but I did add quite a lot of species. Feel free to comment on this thread (or private message me) any feedback, suggestions, concerns, etc.
Las Vegas Zoological Park and Aquarium
Click to expand...
I've updated the document to the parts of the Desert Dome I've posted so far. I'll post the next part this weekend. I also have came up with a document for a species analysis-ish and the stock list (updated everytime the other document is). Feel free to give suggestions, critiques, point out mistakes, etc.
Species Analysis and Stocklist
 
MOG2012 said:
I forgot to mention that for Western Long-Beaked Echidnas, it might be barely plausible in the future as I think there was going to be an

Since no one said no, here’s what I’ve got so far. This is going to be for my Australian Adventure sector:

This enclosure is 4 m tall indoors and is 5.5 m tall outdoors. The indoor section is 30 sq. m while the outdoor section is 50 sq. m with a 2 m wide tunnel with climate-controlled entry on the ground level and a slightly wider, 2.5 m wide tunnel which is 3.5 m above ground which connects both sections. It's home to a breeding parade of 1.2 Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus and a solitary 0.1 Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides. This enclosure is seen during both day and nighttime with it being the first enclosure in the Land Down Under building.

Indoors, it's lit up by red LED lights with viewing possible via tempered glass panels extending from floor to ceiling though there is a 0.8 m tall wooden fencing in front of it to prevent tapping and disturbance. The substrate is made out of 60% sandy soil, 30% organic compost, and 10% clay. There are pre-dug tunnels and chambers for the echidnas. There are grasses, shrubs, and small Mulga varients with log piles and rock formations. There are nest boxes for the echidnas and foraging puzzles for both the echidnas and the frogmouth.

Outside, the barriers are high-tensile steel mesh netting to prevent predator intrusion with a 2 m deep reinforced concrete base to prevent burrowing escapes. There are 1 m tall wooden fencing to prevent interactions between the inhabitants and the visitors. There are rock piles, sand dunes, shrubs, and larger mulga trees (not full size though) with shrubs and other plants (like grasses).

These individuals would be the only individuals of their species in the spec zoo.
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Short-Beaked Echidna (top) and Tawny Frogmouth (bottom) Image Credits -> @WhistlingKite24
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Possible Look of Outside Enclosure but Netted, Image Credit -> @Swanson02

There aren't really any photos for my indoor enclosure plan.

Thought Process: Echidnas are growing in popularity (I mean that people are starting to like them more) and there has been a little growth in zoos too. They are great educational wise as they represent monotremes which defy some traits that most mammals have (ie. lays eggs) and can be used as educational animals (though are very shy. These species are also the most arid adapted monotreme. I chose tawny frogmouths as they are arboreal so they aren't likely to disturb the echidna's space, and they have similar hours of activeness (they're both nocturnal). Another positive aspect is that they have a Species Survival Plan though my spec zoo wouldn't participate in breeding. I didn't have any opossums as Virginia opossum were the only choice and they aren't native to Nevada so there isn't really a need for them.

Current Stocklist of the Zoo Document: Stocklist and Analysis of the Species
All of the Enclosures of the Zoo so Far Document: Las Vegas Spec Zoo
Click to expand...
I'm going to be posting some updates on this thread but I'll return here sometime later this year. The enclosure posts will be relevant to the animals that I'm talking about so I'm on most of the Australian part right now. Then I will do afrotherians and xenarthrans but that's not until spring probably (3-4 months).
 
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