Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Master Plan 2022

[Akula]

TZ_MasterplanBooklet.pdf (torontozoo.com) here's the pdf its much easier to access and simpler.

Things That stood out big time: Gondola going around the whole ZOO! The Indian Rhino Exhibit being made into a full on Tiger conservatory, The Gorilla Land, The Camel and P-Horse exhibits being combined into one, The long anticipated amalgamation of the Savanna animals, The Amount of Overhead transfers is insane and I'm loving it big time!, Jaguar Jungle, and lastly, the monorail opening again...

Just my first initial thoughts...

 

[TZFan]

@kav2001c, also agree nice to have another opinion thrown into the mix.

Only the giraffes live in the old elephant house. No other species has access to it unless its something smaller that they are putting in there temporarily for winter housing. I remember there was a year or two where the babirusa girls chilled there for the winter. @cypher is quite right. The savanna pavilion isn't being done for just the sake of something new. It has always been a problem for the zoo having many of its post popular animals off display for the winter months when its too cold or too icy for them to be out. From a guest standpoint they cant see some of the animals they would want to see the most thereby reducing the drive for many to come in the off season. Though not coming in the winter occasionally is a mistake. The zoo in the winter is awesome. Back to my point a nice new pavilion offering winter viewing does help to give winter guests more to see and do which in turn hopefully will draw in more people. Perhaps more pressing though is the animal welfare consideration. If the animals cant go outside for weeks or months at a time they are all cramped in the barns. The zebra and rhino barns are not massive by any stretch when you consider the size of animals it is keeping in it. The zebra barn this winter is home to 3 zebras, 3 eland and 2 marabou storks. The rhino barn has 3 white rhinos, 3 kudu, 3 ostriches, 1 marabou, 4-6 ground hornbills, 1 vulture and possibly 2-4 warthogs (sometimes they send some there). Everyone would have much more space to spread out if there was a big pavilion to hang out in in the winter. There would be space to really run and stretch those legs out or wings in the case of the birds. During the summer too instead of rotating time on exhibit everyone could be on exhibit either inside or out. Even the birds could benefit when there are things like West Nile outbreaks that require the zoo to pull them off display and keep them inside for several weeks. And I think we all agree the penguin house is far too small for them. They have done their best with what they have but a much bigger indoor facility would be better and the pavilion will offer it. It's gonna provide keepers with so much more flexibility and really improve the lives of the animals. But there are meh concepts about that plan too. Do I care if they build event space in there? Nope. I'm fine with it as long as it doesnt detract from animal space. Do I need the roof top viewing? No not really. Is it cool? Sure if they work the views correctly. But I wouldn't miss it if it never happened.

I agree a great use of resources would be any kind of development in the picnic field by the jags. If the Americas goes South American I am cool with that. I really dont want it to stay a hybrid. If it goes North American then we need a new pavilion. I do think that part of the plan is so far back in the plan though that anything could happen and they will eventually realize they could build a killer South American collection if they would just commit to it.

Sadly I think we have lost our best chance at any kind of pinniped when the walrus deal went south. I wouldnt be sad if they could find a way to bring them back but I think the ship has sailed.

I had been hoping they would use the Indian Rhino space for tapir based mixed exhibit area. I could see bringing over the gibbons since Canada does have quite a few of those. Keeping the babirusa but growing the group. Maybe relocating the clouded leopard (but probably for the future just keeping surplus animals). Bringing in some birds. Maybe consider binturong, Asian small clawed otters, ect. Tapirs as the base species for a sub pavilion space would have been cool.

I can live without gaur but to each their own on that.

You are so right about the Schofield Gardens. Move the statue so the man is still being honoured and use that land for literally anything else. Sadly it was a vision of something cool that just never materialized when the funding dried up.

The grizzlies wont stay in the decommissioned Domain. When the current pair dies off if there is no plan for a new exhibit the species will just be gone.

Oh please let those empty exhibits be used! Im sick of the wholes in Tundra Trek. I would care about the Discovery Zone if I ever went there.

WiFi right now might not sound big but as the zoo develops its app that will play an increasingly large role. We live in a very connected world and tech is how kids these days learn. Having the wifi in place to ensure they can reach kids more easily is a smart move. Frankly its something they should have done years ago. But moving beyond guess the zoo also is planning on using the WiFi for far more. First off keepers need the tech to be able to do their jobs and do the livestreams ect. They are also developing tech to track animals to learn more so care can be more specialized. They will know when animals are bored, when they are eating, what each one is eating, how they use their space, what toys engage them best ect. It will help unlock ways to enrich their lives. As well research programs can tap in to learn more about the species in general. It has multiple purposes beyond just kids goofing off.

@Akula thanks for posting the link to the whole Master Plan. It is easier to read as a whole document. Look forward to more thoughts from you as you have time to digest it all. I know you are tight on time at the moment.

 

[Zooer]

This might not be a master plan question exactly - but speaking of rotations - which species and exhibits are typically rotated right now?

I've finally been able to use the map on page 16 of the master plan to place some of the animals in their exhibits.

I must be an above average zoo visitor - but for the life of me I could never figure out where the Himalayan tahr were located (which goes to show that I really never take the zoo mobile), and despite googling them at least a dozen times could never remember the differences between mouflon, tur, chamois and barberry sheep.

In terms of rotation - are the kudu ever actually out in the exhibit that's mapped on page 16? All summer I could have sworn I've only ever seen the vulture and storks in that space and I was there at least a dozen times. And I have only seen the elands a couple of times.

 

[cypher]

@Zooer, that large mostly empty looking exhibit is the Kudu exhibit. they are a very skiddish animal and hide in the back corner of the exhibit almost entirely out of sight.

Also, @Akula, nice find with the Master Plan in 1 file.

 

[TZFan]

@Zooer, what I meant by rotation was primarily in reference to different groups. For example the white rhinos. Tom is group 1 and Zohari and Sabi are group 2. They arent usually on exhibit together. Or the orangs which consist of 4-5 groupings depending on what Budi is up to.

The only ones I can think of rotating time on exhibit when not the same species in different groups is the babirusa and Indian rhinos in the indoor exhibit. Its the only one that comes to mind at this second.

The tahr really are hidden. Dont feel bad.

The spot shown on the map is the kudus exhibit. They are good at hiding out of sight. You are just having rotten luck seeing them. They live with the marabou, vulture and ground hornbills.

You are also having crummy luck with the eland. I have never not seen them and I only get to visit once a year. I have crummy luck with other animals. We all have a handful that we are constantly on the look out for because we dont seem to see them.

 

[Akula]

This might not be a master plan question exactly - but speaking of rotations - which species and exhibits are typically rotated right now?

I've finally been able to use the map on page 16 of the master plan to place some of the animals in their exhibits.

I must be an above average zoo visitor - but for the life of me I could never figure out where the Himalayan tahr were located (which goes to show that I really never take the zoo mobile), and despite googling them at least a dozen times could never remember the differences between mouflon, tur, chamois and barberry sheep.

In terms of rotation - are the kudu ever actually out in the exhibit that's mapped on page 16? All summer I could have sworn I've only ever seen the vulture and storks in that space and I was there at least a dozen times. And I have only seen the elands a couple of times.

The Eland often like to hide by the gates to the exhibit, which are covered in rock work so it can be hard to find them. But if you can catch a glimpse you can see them through the zebra exhibit as they share some of the gateways.

 

[Zooer]

That’s really helpful all. Thank you.

My “wish” for the Zoo would be better, and more informative signage! I laugh a little every time I think about how much more signage there is for the elephants that no longer live there on that route than there is for the animals in exhibit.

I know there is a sign at the elands, but I cannot recall if there is one at the kudu exhibit.

I’ll have to be on the lookout next time we’re there (once the savannah animals are back out).

 

[kav2001c]

Winter zoo trips are awesome, but I go mainly to see the happy winter animals. Wolves running about, Polars playing in the snow.

Seals used to have a great area until Penguins took it over
But there is land that could be used in that general area still (esp on the side of the Zoo Mobile)

If Savannah is larger than current off display area that does improve it in my view considerably. I am still quite skeptical that it would drive visits (young kids being primary visitors, and unlikely to walk to back of zoo in -10 weather at a time of year when daylight ends so quickly)

I do know America and Eurasia fix ups will be much further down the road but just so long as they are looked after

 

[TZFan]

@Kav2001, what I used to love about winter visits was the lack of other guests. Viewing areas were always pretty empty which means we could sit and enjoy the animals longer. Now I haven't been in the winter since becoming an adult because I have a long travel and you're right when hours are reduced thats not worth it in my case. When we went as kids though my parents were smart they balanced outside animals with pavilions and we might tackle one side of the zoo or the other. I remember plenty of times we would just hit Indo and the Rainforest. I'd plunk down in front of the gorillas or meerkats for a long time something that was almost impossible in the summer. Am I saying the zoo will be just as full in the winter as the summer? Nope not even close. But I do think there will be a rise in guests during the winter and every guest is money coming in.

Don't know if you are aware but the South African fur seals had to go. Not only were their numbers dropping and there was no other group for us to reasonably swap young with or get more without taking from the wild, but the exhibit itself was a problem. Even if the species was easily traded the exhibit was too small for standards for keeping seals by the late 2000s and the barn's size was a joke for a large species that needed to be in some of the winter. Added to that they were having massive problems with the pool and filtration system. The issues were causing skin and eye problems. To even begin to attempt to fix all these issues it would have cost the zoo a fortune. Making the switch to much smaller, easy to acquire penguins just made more sense. They still had to fix the pool and filtration system but the barn wasnt as much of a problem and they didnt need to expand. As much as I adored the fur seals, moving on from them was in the zoos best interest. Hopefully one day 25 years down the line as they are reassessing the zoo again for a new master plan and looking at Tundra Trek they will be able to add a seal exhibit. Or maybe by then they will be looking at the parking lot and realizing its land they could convert into an oceans area. Who knows what the future that far away will bring. Ill be old and grey but Ill still love the zoo.

I think we will see changes and tweaks to the plan over the 25 years as needs change and management changes. Would be great if we could keep good old Dolf and company around for the full 25 years but thats probably unlikely. That's part of why I am only investing a lot of hope in the earliest projects. In 5-10 years we could and probably will have new management and unless they are looking for another Dolf we could take a huge step backwards.

 

[amur leopard]

Just my two cents here, having read the masterplan through twice and visited the zoo a couple of times. Apologies if this is a really long post, just trying to convey my opinion on the plan.

I actually really liked the Canadian Domain when I visited, I found it to be generally consistent in exhibitry quality, some nice touches here and there with the main issue for me being a lack of species diversity, with scope for exhibits for species like Whooping cranes, or a passerine aviary, or a mustelid species or even some sort of native herp and fish building. Obviously accessibility was another issue and the masterplan makes it clear that that area of the zoo is also susceptible to various inclement weather issues. However, expanding on that area elsewhere in the zoo strikes me as a good idea. However, the masterplan doesn't seem to be prioritising a broadening of the collection and appears instead to be prioritising space for the species it is keeping. From my point of view, this is a good thing - but only to an extent - there's only so much you can do with a limited species line-up, and while I can see the envisioned bison exhibit being amazing, I think that perhaps greater success could be achieved by allowing young visitors in particular to connect with species that are found closer to home and are more tangible to them; a display presented in an innovative and interactive manner with native salamanders, frogs, lizards etc. is often more poignant and leaves a longer lasting impression on children than seeing bison in the distance. The masterplan mentions a 'small charismatic Canadian species walk' but from what I can see I suspect this just references the raccoons, beavers, lynx etc. already in the collection. Would be fantastic if not though.

As this remains more or less the only North American zoo I have visited, the following point of improvement could well be more generally directed across the continent, but I'd love to see far more birds. The bird count at the zoo is honestly laughable compared to most half-decent European collections. And while I know that this applies to most American zoos (SDZ has half of Plzen's bird species tally), a bird tally of 41 species is not, in my opinion, sufficient to advance Toronto into the top leagues of NA zoos. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't remember the zoo having any sort of large aviary devoted solely to birds. Personally, I'd really therefore love to see a few nice walkthroughs throughout the zoo which can add a bit of variety.

Indomalaya was definitely not up to the standard it should be when I visited and I'm glad they are renovating but curious to see what animals other than the tigers and orangs will be housed there - don't believe the masterplan mentioned any other species. The concepts are of course very innovative (don't think I've come across a brewery/orang indoor holding before... However part of me wonders if it isn't innovation for innovation's sake, to appear more modernistic and progressive. I don't see a problem with that necessarily, I'm just wary that it could turn into a massive money sink. If the masterplan does go ahead as planned though, I would be very interested to see the end result in person.

I actually like what they propose with Africa; I think it's quite logical and uses the space better. Not sure how much it will cost though, and I'm sure that will be a major consideration before embarking on such a massive project. The Americas look fine, don't really know anything about the new building so can't comment but again hoping for more and not less species variety there. The jaguar exhibit looks a bit crazy if I'm honest and realistically a copy of Chester's exhibit would probably be much better for animals, visitors and keepers alike as well as less costly, but oh well...

Honestly, I like the masterplan in parts, but in the back of my mind I almost expected something more - having seen a few masterplans from the up and coming zoos around the world, I could imagine most of them being pulled off but for some reason Toronto's just feels - out of reach in a way. I know a masterplan is intended to be ambitious but this plan felt in some odd way a mix of too ambitious and not ambitious enough, in the sense that when I was reading it it was clear that massive sums of money would be involved but that the end product, however shiny and tech-based would come out as underwhelming. I realise that this sounds unclear but it boils down to a masterplan that perhaps wasn't as exciting to me as it could have been. We'll have to wait for more details on particular species etc, but for now, while I like that Toronto has a vision for the future, I am slightly underwhelmed.

 

[cypher]

I like your insight as someone that doesn't regularly visit the zoo like some of on here @amur leopard. I think a lot of people share some of your sentiments on this Master Plan.

I agree on the Domain. It's a nice slice away from the rest of the zoo, but it does lack diversity of animals. Moving just these animals up to the new Wilderness North, is good, but again, I agree that I'd like to see more diversity in animal select. It' still a possibility when this project comes into the development phase. What we're seeing in this Master Plan is just a template.

I like your thoughts on having more bird species, but a large bird aviary would be hard to work into the zoo's geographical regions. It's possible, yes, but I think they want to maintain the fact that animals are grouped by region. More birds can be added to each region for sure, but it comes to where will they be held both on and off exhibit if needed.

The Brewery is planned to be a partnership, so it won't cost as much as exhibits that are internally funded. Personally, the Brewery can be a hit or miss. People have be wanting more options for alcohol at the zoo for a while, and they've expanded on that. So a Brewery is taking that to the next level.

I'm still on the fence with the Jaguar exhibit. Actually, any exhibit with the 360 tube plan. I have to see in more realized before I make a final decision on whether I like it or not.

I completely agree with you on this plan being a mix of too ambitious and not ambitious enough

 

[Jefferson]

@amur leopard I agree with a lot of what you say. I too have a major concern with the overall decrease in number of species and this is shared by a number of people on the forums.

I think you hit the nail on the head as well. Some of the projects do seem ambitious for ambitions sake, but if they get pulled off well that would be great. I just get nervous that in getting a hotel, daycare, brewery, the zoo will forget it needs animals as well, and a good variety of them.

 

[Akula]

@cypher and @amur leopard, I could not agree any more. The Canadian Domain has a nice quiet sense of tranquility and especially if you are heading out of Africa which is the most popular place in the zoo. The Master plan bring in some great new concepts. I just can't help but wonder why the step 2 for the Tiger Line expansion calls for an expanded babirusa exhibit but then in Step three they are just going to tear it down for more tiger space besides that fact that the tigers will now have the majority of what the Indian Rhino exhibit is? Besides they will have tons of room for the tigers in the main rhino paddock. I think they should just keep the Babirusa expansion plan in step 2 and leave it.

Africa:

Then I can't wait for the African Savanna just a little disappointed with the Lion and Hyena exhibit. But the Cheetah expansion makes up for it plus, the empty field space behind the cheetah house will be the expansion for the ostriches and Gnu so I'm settled for that. The Watusi also being added in the mix seems to be a good move if you have the two African bovine species together it might make groupings and management easier for the keepers.

The the second big mixed exhibit takes place in the Rhino/Zebra exhibit which is neat! The savanna pavilion sounds fun how we can walk on the roof of the building and go downstairs for an eye level view. Plus, the indoor penguin viewing! Can't wait to hear and see more details about this indoor facility.

The Rainforest is really getting me excited for the future. The amount of overhead transfers is a major win for the gorillas, there indoor exhibit is still stellar but the outdoors is something the zoo should be ashamed of... So I'm glad they are getting somewhere between 5-6 new outdoor spaces. as well they will be able to travel on top of the other animal exhibits is really neat. then finally it appears they are going to combine the lemur exhibit with the Pygmy hippos and RR hogs exhibits.

Saving Species Sanctuary:

This is a really cool concept as they appear to be capable of holding, primates, hoofstock and cats. So really anything. So maybe my dreams of having another monkey species at the zoo is not completely gone, then the oryx image as the hoof stock in that paddock is nice and they would a great addition.

Eurasia:

The Eurasia wilds is the youngest area of the zoo with a mild face lift in 2013. The really nice part about it is that the Amur tigers will get an expansion that almost doubles the current size of their exhibit. Also the red panda AC viewing is really nice. as that part of the zoo does not have the best shaded areas. The Camel exhibit and P-horse mix is nice as they are both truly Eurasian species, heck I wouldn't be offended at all if they put the yak in with everyone since they seem that they are in no rush to get rid of the yaks. The terrain in the camel field is mountainous a little bit which would be good for the yaks. Then, I was disappointed that the snow leopards did not get an expansion when the other cat species in Eurasia gets one. but the cougars in wilderness north get one... just a little un fair and the snow leopards are actually a breed-able species on the SSP.

Wilderness North:

Wilderness North is a nice place that seems to be the new place of the bison work and breeding, as well the yurt staying overnight sounds fun, not sure if I'd do it but sounds great and a fun overnight idea. The cougar exhibit will be taking over the dhole exhibit which is a nice reusing of space I only fear that they won't have enough space. So maybe they will have an overhead bridge into the macaque exhibits?

Jaguar Jungle:
A nice expansion for the cats of South America. the river that flows through the flamingo exhibit and jaguar exhibits is nice. The really nice part about it as that the Jaguars will get more climbing oppurtunities and the current exhibit just cannot offer that so a new expansion and exhibit will be nice.

The Entrance:

The entrance brings in more orangutan travel towers which is nice, as well the building that they plan to introduce is the resting place or the orangs on the upper deck and the Sumatran tiger holding on the lower deck. The Otters should've been Asian small clawed as they are in the middle of the entrance and they are so close to Indo-Malaya. Which brings me to my next point...

Indo-Malaya:

I do hope that they keep the current tiger exhibits and also have the expansion, the expansion is really nice and I love the overhead transfers that weave over and through the boardwalk. The tiger expansion is nice and can't wait, just wish in step 3 they wouldn't get rid of the babirusa expansion. Also the Orangutan O-Lines will span all the way into the entrance which is a really nice way to greet guests but will the build those towers now or later on? The Malayan Woods Pavilion appears to be a orangutan mega tower in the future which is nice and I do wonder if they will build that one now or later as well...

Anyways these were my thoughts about the new master plan on my second read through.

 

[cypher]

@Akula, I wouldn't put too much in the animal figures on the layout for the exhibit designs. I look at those more as a "what's possible" rather than something that will happen.

In regards to the Tigerline, I see a lot of people prefer the Babirusa to keep their expansion. Personally, I'm looking at what the zoo is trying to build overall with this area, so I don't mind the Babirusa eventually leaving that area. Plus, it doesn't mean the Babirusa are leaving the zoo, just this area.

I also noticed something of interest. The Phasing document between what was presented in the Board meeting the Phasing document part of the Master Plan on the website are different. Projects are moved around quite a bit, while others remain in relatively in the same spots.

 

[cypher]

Hopefully you can all see it, but the phasing plan on top is from the board meeting and the one on the bottom is the official one published on the zoo's website.

 

[Akula]

My gut aches to tell me that the one from the board meeting will likely be the one they stick with, even though I would rather the one from the master plan document.

My reason I would rather the second one:

Well for starters the new entrance/conservation campus will have the next projects and can really help to advertise them. Imagine you walk in the new entrance and you get greeted with the comeback message plus the tiger expansion and fixes plus the boardwalk and red panda improvements.

But great catch with the different plans @cypher

 

[cypher]

I'm inclined to think the bottom one that's in the Master Plan on the zoo's website is the actual document that should be followed, as it were. Why? Because that's the one the zoo is presenting to the world on their official website. The one from the board meeting is just that, from a meeting. Not necessarily an official document.

Either way, I find the second phasing plan interesting and overall better. We know the Conservation Plan is the next project, and we know that the Sumatran Tiger Boardwalk needs to be completed sooner rather than later in order to address AODA concerns. We also see some favourable projects moved up in the timeline, like the Jaguar and Tiger expansions, as well as the much coveted Wilderness North Project.

 

[hyena142]

Amazing catch @cypher, I almost certainly would've overlooked that

Some interesting things in the website timeline, for one Wilderness North is set to be done significantly earlier, so maybe things are happening for that sooner than expected. As I've said before it feels like they're beginning early prep for it (all the non-bison Domain species and all the non-horse drive-thru species are either getting real old, in the process of phase out, or both) so here's hoping that'll be the next big project in line after the outdoor orangs and Conservation Campus are set up. The jag expansion isn't split into two phases on the revised timeline either, meanwhile Tigerline is, so that's probably significant in some way. No matter what happens it seems like we'll all be old by the time the Savanna Meander happens lol

 

[Zooer]

It's bizarre that there are those differences (good find @cypher). Especially considering the number of differences.

Has anyone e-mailed the zoo to find out? Even if they won't tell you anything, if they suddenly update the "official" one on the website to the Board pack one, that'll certainly tell you something!

Also I laughed at @hyena142 "No matter what happens it seems like we'll all be old by the time the Savanna Meander happens lol". My wife pointed that out to me when I was getting overly invested in reading the master plan.

 

[TZFan]

@amur leopard, first off really like your outsiders take on the plan. Most of us are looking at it from the perspective of frequent visitors. Fun to have someone who has only visited a handful of times view.

You are indeed spot on about the Domain. It's in a beautiful spot if not for the darn hill and the natural surroundings do a lot for the exhibits that are down there. Definitely need more species and to be moved though. The smaller species you mention can be found in the Americas or Discovery Zone to some extent however I would like that part of the collection in one spot and dedicated to Canadian species. I think the Discovery Zone could be a prime spot of that if the focus was shifted to local animals and smaller animals the zoo is focusing its conservation efforts on. That little rebrand of the area would help three ways. First gets small Canadian animals out of the Americas so it can make the shift to South America which would be huge. Secondly it corrects the lack of focus in the Discovery Zone. It will become more of a life in your own back yard area. Third it will highlight conservation programs. The native reptiles, amphibians, fish, small birds and smaller mammals would make for a good area at minimal cost.

100% correct our bird collection is sad. The zoo groups animals by geographic region so there is no one big aviary but the zoo does have a number of decent sized and smaller aviaries. Indo, the Rainforest, and Americas all have 2 walk through aviaries of varying sizes. The Woods, Discovery Zone and Australiasia have one a piece. Problem is they have only a handful of species. I don't think it would be overcrowding to boost the number. It would be nice if walkthrough aviaries were added to Tundra Trek, Wilderness North, Eurasia and the new Savanna pavilion with possible summer outside space. @lintworm please come and be out bird curator. The person with the job the last several years has been taking a hatchet to the collection even though the zoo has some fantastic private collectors its worked with who happily share rare and unique species the zoo might not be able to get from the AZA.

When it comes to the innovation in Indo it seems very ambitious but I dont think its necessarily innovation for innovations sake. Toronto has never really been known for being cutting edge except for when it opened. I think the orang brewery isn't them being creative just to be creative. We need to remember Indo is way undersized for the amazing region it represents and the animals it currently holds. By creating a secondary indoor space outside of the pavilion the zoo vastly increases the space available for the orangs. The only way to expand their space right now is to take over the gibbon exhibit and that really doesnt add a ton more space plus we lose yet another species. Getting another space outside the pavilion allows them to really expand and possibly just remove the orangs all together from the pavilion thus freeing up more space for other species in the pavilion. Could be a hint at major changes in the area without telling us that directly. Have to wait and see what the plans actually look like when they get there, if that ever actually happens.

I totally get what you are saying about the plan seeing like the zoo has bit off more than it can chew. If we could get all of it, that would be amazing. I really do think huge parts of it are way out of reach which is why I can only be interested in a few elements of it which should happen sooner rather than later. This is a zoo that has always struggled to fund projects and cheaped out on grand visions in the end with good enough being the standard. Granted the new team has done amazing things, total credit to them on that, but I think I would need to see long term success with amazing projects before I can really begin to hope most of the master plan is achievable. And I agree they left lots of things very vague so they have lots of wiggle room on projects. They can scale the project to the funds they can collect without looking like they missed the mark. Might actually be a smart move in the end. We don't clearly know what to expect so whatever we get will seem like everything they hoped for instead of another case of them coming up short.

@Akula I agree with you some of the plans are confusing. Why are we spending money to do some projects just to rip them out later in the plan? Yes why work on the babirusa if you are just gonna remove the exhibit? Why expand the tahr exhibit when its just gonna become more tiger space? Frankly that one really baffles me because the tahr we have are all elderly. They might not even survive until the project. Its also off display, unless you are on the zoomo so why bother? The only project that makes sense with that one is demolishing it to free up the space for the tigers down the line.