Turn an Awful Zoo Amazing

Yi Qi

Yi Qi

Well-Known Member
The title is self-explanatory. Turn a zoo (or aquarium) either regarded as mediocre at best or abysmal at worse or simply your least favourite zoo into one that can be better as you want.
 
If there is a zoo desperately needs to be fixed, I would pick Phuket Zoo in Thailand. Their current conditions are atrocious and a living hell to animals. Here's the things I wanted to fix:
1. Stopping ALL animal shows in the zoo. They are unnatural and cruel to those animals.
2. Unchain the elephants, demolish the concrete enclosure ,and build a proper enclosure for them, while also adding pools and enrichments.
3. The crocodiles are overpopulated. I would suggest sending the crocodiles to other zoos. Or in worse case scenario, maybe euthanize and sell them. While also cleaning the dirty pools.
4. Giving the caged Gibbon a proper enclosure.
5. Unchain the tiger, and undrug (?) it, while also give it a proper enclosure and pool.
6. Stopping all of the animal photoshoot experience, especially the tiger.
7. Giving the birds a proper aviary instead of the cage.
8. Updating the aquarium tanks and give them proper signage.
9. Giving the monkeys a proper enclosure to climb and swing.
10. Selling unnecessary knock off decorations.
11. Fixing the cracked roads in the zoo
12. Lowering the price of the zoo (it's incredibly overpriced)
 
My post is not about a whole zoo, but about a single enclosure. (Sorry that I didn't fully follow the instructions.) However, just wanted to make note that the Pittsburgh Zoo's enclosure for the orangutans is, in a word, depressing. It is small and gloomy, and while I know that the rainforest floor is dark, the darkness of this enclosure is just unnatural. I believe a great enclosure would be a large, circular island-like
landform. I was thinking of something similar to the one for the siamangs. Just maybe no thin ropes as they cannot support the big animals, like orangutans. Maybe one of those aireal walkways that is above the sidewalk. (BTW: a new enclosure is being built Right now, but I don't know how it will look like.)
 
Emanuel Theodorus said:
If there is a zoo desperately needs to be fixed, I would pick Phuket Zoo in Thailand. Their current conditions are atrocious and a living hell to animals. Here's the things I wanted to fix:
1. Stopping ALL animal shows in the zoo. They are unnatural and cruel to those animals.
2. Unchain the elephants, demolish the concrete enclosure ,and build a proper enclosure for them, while also adding pools and enrichments.
3. The crocodiles are overpopulated. I would suggest sending the crocodiles to other zoos. Or in worse case scenario, maybe euthanize and sell them. While also cleaning the dirty pools.
4. Giving the caged Gibbon a proper enclosure.
5. Unchain the tiger, and undrug (?) it, while also give it a proper enclosure and pool.
6. Stopping all of the animal photoshoot experience, especially the tiger.
7. Giving the birds a proper aviary instead of the cage.
8. Updating the aquarium tanks and give them proper signage.
9. Giving the monkeys a proper enclosure to climb and swing.
10. Selling unnecessary knock off decorations.
11. Fixing the cracked roads in the zoo
12. Lowering the price of the zoo (it's incredibly overpriced)
Click to expand...

Really, I think the problem of the crocodiles can be solved with a large enclosure.
 
Ebirah766 said:
Really, I think the problem of the crocodiles can be solved with a large enclosure.
Click to expand...

While I think the idea might work, it would probably only worked on a short period amount of time since the crocs would probably just breed again. The enclosure would need lots of space to contain those crocs, and I don't think the zoo would need lots of those.
 
Border City Petting Zoo
First things first, I'd raze this to the ground and let the area naturalise. I'd then move it to a new location on converted farmland. The new section would begin with a plaza, with an exhibit fr 2.3 North American River Otters and 1.1 Bald Eagles up ahead.

Ghosts of the Prairie (1.4 hectares)
The first major section to the right of the plaza, an exhibit themed around native prairie life and how european expansion destroyed the native ecosystem.
  • 3.4 American Bison
  • 2.2 Pronghorn Antelope
  • 3.4 Northern Burrowing Owl
  • 12.23 Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
  • 2.2 Black-Footed Ferret
  • 4.4 Sandhill Crane
  • 2.3 Greater Sage-Grouse
  • 5.5 American White Pelican
  • 1.1 Ferruginous Hawk
  • 1.1 Grizzly Bear
  • 3.4 Grey Wolf
Northern Forests (1.2 hectares)
An exhibit themed around boreal forests of northern Saskatchewan, continuing from Ghosts of the Prairie's west, past the bears and wolves.
  • 1.2 Moose
  • 2.2 Manitoban Elk
  • 2.2 Whitetail Deer
  • 3.3 Whooping Crane
  • 1.1 Golden Eagle
  • 1.1 Great Horned Owl
  • 4.5 Northern Sturgeon
  • 2.2 Northern Muskellunge
  • 1.1 Northern American Beaver
  • 1.1 Canada Lynx
  • 1.1 Bobcat
  • 1.1 Cougar
  • 1.1 Great Grey Owl
Taiheyo Trail (1 hectare)
The zoo's asian section, themed around its eastern area on the Pacific Rim, located south of Northern Forests.
  • 1.2 Stellar's Sea Eagle
  • 4.6 Japanese Macaque
  • 2.3 Japanese Giant Salamander
  • 2.2 Red-Crowned Crane
  • 3.3 Wild Boar
  • 2.2 Chinese Alligator
  • 2.2 White-Naped Crane
  • 3.4 Mandarin Duck
  • 2.3 Great Cormorant
  • 2.3 Giant Luzon Cloud Rat
  • 3.3 Visayan Warty Pig
  • 1.1 Burmese Python
  • 2.2 Babirusa
  • 3.4 Sulawesi Macaque
Roar! (1.2 Hectares)
The zoo's westernmost exhibit, serving as its african section.
  • 2.3 African Lion
  • 1.1 African Leopard
  • 1.3 Eastern Black Rhino
  • 1.2 White Rhino
  • 2.2 Grant's Zebra
  • 1.2 Common Ostrich
  • 3.4 Helmeted Guineafowl
  • 4.4 Ring-Necked Dove
  • 3.3 Rock Hyrax
  • 1.1 Ball Python
  • 3.3 Uromastyx
Macropod Meadows (0.75 Hectare)
Your usual australian walkthrough exhibit.
  • 3.3 Red Kangaroo
  • 3.3 Eastern Grey Kanharoo
  • 2.2 Bennett's Wallaby
  • 2.2 Black Wallaroo
  • 3.3 Australian Brushturkey
  • 2.2 Malleefowl
  • 2.2 Black Swan
Ranch (0.80 hectares)
Your usual petting zoo, located south of the Entrance Plaza
  • 4.4 Domestic Goat
  • 4.5 Domestic Sheep
  • 4.5 Pig
  • 3.4 Cattle
  • 4.4 Horse
  • 3.4 Sicilian Donkey
  • 4.8 Domestic Chicken
  • 4.7 Domestic Chicken
  • 5.6 Turkey
  • 2.2 Alpaca
  • 2.2 Llama
 
Yi Qi said:
Border City Petting Zoo
First things first, I'd raze this to the ground and let the area naturalise. I'd then move it to a new location on converted farmland. The new section would begin with a plaza, with an exhibit fr 2.3 North American River Otters and 1.1 Bald Eagles up ahead.

Ghosts of the Prairie (1.4 hectares)
The first major section to the right of the plaza, an exhibit themed around native prairie life and how european expansion destroyed the native ecosystem.
  • 3.4 American Bison
  • 2.2 Pronghorn Antelope
  • 3.4 Northern Burrowing Owl
  • 12.23 Black-Tailed Prairie Dog
  • 2.2 Black-Footed Ferret
  • 4.4 Sandhill Crane
  • 2.3 Greater Sage-Grouse
  • 5.5 American White Pelican
  • 1.1 Ferruginous Hawk
  • 1.1 Grizzly Bear
  • 3.4 Grey Wolf
Northern Forests (1.2 hectares)
An exhibit themed around boreal forests of northern Saskatchewan, continuing from Ghosts of the Prairie's west, past the bears and wolves.
  • 1.2 Moose
  • 2.2 Manitoban Elk
  • 2.2 Whitetail Deer
  • 3.3 Whooping Crane
  • 1.1 Golden Eagle
  • 1.1 Great Horned Owl
  • 4.5 Northern Sturgeon
  • 2.2 Northern Muskellunge
  • 1.1 Northern American Beaver
  • 1.1 Canada Lynx
  • 1.1 Bobcat
  • 1.1 Cougar
  • 1.1 Great Grey Owl
Taiheyo Trail (1 hectare)
The zoo's asian section, themed around its eastern area on the Pacific Rim, located south of Northern Forests.
  • 1.2 Stellar's Sea Eagle
  • 4.6 Japanese Macaque
  • 2.3 Japanese Giant Salamander
  • 2.2 Red-Crowned Crane
  • 3.3 Wild Boar
  • 2.2 Chinese Alligator
  • 2.2 White-Naped Crane
  • 3.4 Mandarin Duck
  • 2.3 Great Cormorant
  • 2.3 Giant Luzon Cloud Rat
  • 3.3 Visayan Warty Pig
  • 1.1 Burmese Python
  • 2.2 Babirusa
  • 3.4 Sulawesi Macaque
Roar! (1.2 Hectares)
The zoo's westernmost exhibit, serving as its african section.
  • 2.3 African Lion
  • 1.1 African Leopard
  • 1.3 Eastern Black Rhino
  • 1.2 White Rhino
  • 2.2 Grant's Zebra
  • 1.2 Common Ostrich
  • 3.4 Helmeted Guineafowl
  • 4.4 Ring-Necked Dove
  • 3.3 Rock Hyrax
  • 1.1 Ball Python
  • 3.3 Uromastyx
Macropod Meadows (0.75 Hectare)
Your usual australian walkthrough exhibit.
  • 3.3 Red Kangaroo
  • 3.3 Eastern Grey Kanharoo
  • 2.2 Bennett's Wallaby
  • 2.2 Black Wallaroo
  • 3.3 Australian Brushturkey
  • 2.2 Malleefowl
  • 2.2 Black Swan
Ranch (0.80 hectares)
Your usual petting zoo, located south of the Entrance Plaza
  • 4.4 Domestic Goat
  • 4.5 Domestic Sheep
  • 4.5 Pig
  • 3.4 Cattle
  • 4.4 Horse
  • 3.4 Sicilian Donkey
  • 4.8 Domestic Chicken
  • 4.7 Domestic Chicken
  • 5.6 Turkey
  • 2.2 Alpaca
  • 2.2 Llama
Click to expand...
Wait, does this thread is about converting an existing zoo into a totally different zoo or simply fixing its current problems?

And speaking of which, since I don't know this zoo existed, would you tell me its problems?
 
Emanuel Theodorus said:
Wait, does this thread is about converting an existing zoo into a totally different zoo or simply fixing its current problems?

And speaking of which, since I don't know this zoo existed, would you tell me its problems?
Click to expand...

Problem #1 it is literally a bog.
Problem #2 the enclosures are dull, tiny and have nothing in them
Problem #3 it is in the middle of nowhere
Problem #4 it has no variety whatsoever
Problem #5 it is just bad.
 
For me I'd like to do Racine Zoo, the problems for me are lack of theme in many areas (Degu in the Australian area), Lack of outdoor sections for a certain exhibit, and certain exhibits being too small, For a few of the exhibits I'll let them stay the same, with only a few changes of species.
Exhibits that stay the same
West Caucasian Tur Exhibit (Maybe add some soft ground, I feel the exhibit works pretty well)
Stork Aviary
Bear Ridge
Barnyard Safari (Haven't been there when it is open)
Meerkat Manor (I'm just confused that the penguins have a viewable indoor area for the winter while the meerkats do not)
Raptor Roost (Have no idea what to do with this)
Entrance Exhibits (Discovery Center/Screech Owl/Tortoise exhibit)
Walkabout Creek
The Degu would be replaced with an animal native to Australia
A new exhibit for Kookaburra would be added
All other exhibits would remain the same
Vanishing Kingdom/Big Cat Canyon
Rethemed to Forests, the lion Indoor exhibit is now repurposed for the Fossa
Outdoor Exhibit is built for the Orangutan
Outdoor Lion exhibit is now a second exhibit for Amur Tiger
Land of the Giants
The land to the left of the Safari Base Camp is the new Lion exhibit
The Masai Giraffe exhibit will get an African bird species
Extra Exhibits
The empty exhibit by the Andean Bears will become an exhibit for South American birds
Small new exhibit for Otters near the Lake
This is just my ideas for how to improve the zoo, if there are any problems with my ideas tell me
 
Zoo di Napoli,Italy

Surely it's not an awful zoo but it can be better.
I would:

1)Renovate the Lion enclosure,which it's terrible,turning it in a modern and bigger exhibit for a breeding couple of Gir lions.

2)Move the mongooses,the meerkats,the prairie dogs,the hystrixes and the red squirrels to proper exhibits.

3)Modify completely the reptile house.

4)Create new couples of rare species like Sumatran tigers, Ceylon leopards and Asinara donkeys.

5)Add more enrichments in all the enclosures.
 
Roscommon Zoo

This Roadside zoo, located in Roscommon, Michigan, isn’t terrible but the exhibit sizes are either too large or too small. Not many exhibits the right size. The exhibits are also depressing in design. Most exhibits are just squares of dirt and grass with maybe one tree. None of the animals, not even the monkeys, have enrichment. There is also not a lot of water in the exhibits Here are the changes I would make:

  1. Give the kangaroos more foliage and a small watering hole. Although kangaroos come from an area without many plants, they do eat them when they come across them. I would add a huge willow tree in the back of the exhibit, add two smaller trees towards the front, add a small watering hole to the right side of the exhibit, add bushes around the watering hole and trees, and replace the wooden structure with something twice the size with an Australian theme. I would also move the wallaby in the exhibit with them.
  2. Give the parrots, Cockatoos, and owl larger and natural aviaries. All of the birds at the zoo are kept in small cages with sticks to climb on. Like the rest of the zoo animals there isn’t any vegetation in their exhibits. I would give the owl a large enclosure that is 25 feet tall allowing him to fly around freely. He would still get branches, but also I would add pine trees, bushes, and other trees found in their natural habitat. The parrots and cockatoos would still be in their own enclosure, but obviously a lot larger. They would be in their own climate controlled building where the guests could walk inside to see them. Each enclosure would be 6’x 6’x 10’ and filled with trees and plants from their natural habitat and a small pond with a waterfall to make them feel at home. The two macaws can stay outside since their wings are clipped.
  3. Better pathing. In the zoo the paths are dirt. To make it better I would just have the paths paved. I would also add maps and directional signs around even though it’s a small zoo.
  4. Larger reptile enclosures. The zoo has three species of reptiles: a bearded dragon, two green iguanas and tortoises. All are kept in small cages with little room to move around. To make this better I would give them large enclosures similar to the Detroit Zoo, which is about 3-4 hours south of Roscommon. The bearded dragon would be given a standard reptile enclosure that is 6’x 3’x 3’ filled with sand and desert plants, and the iguanas would be given a larger trapezoid-shaped terrarium with a height of 10’ with a small pool, soil, climbing branches, and tropical plants (Same design as the black iguana enclosure at the Detroit Zoo). They will both join the birds in their aviary. The tortoises would be given a larger pen outside with a concrete wall on all sides. The enclosure will be filled with grass.
  5. Give small mammals larger enclosures. The 5 small mammals at the zoo are Prairie dogs, fennec foxes, Arctic foxes, cavies, and barking deer. Out of all of these the prairie dogs have the worst enclosure because they are kept in what looks like a large hamster cage. I would give them a larger enclosure on the ground instead and give them a lot of dirt so they could dig their own tunnel system. To prevent them from digging out to escape, I would fill the areas around the enclosure with concrete. The Arctic fox will be given an enclosure about the size of the tortoise pen with a small pond. The barking deer and cavies will be given exhibits that are twice the size and with more plants. The fennec foxes will be given an enclosure with sand and cacti. They will join the birds in the aviary.
  6. Better Entrance, Gift Shop, and restrooms. Right now the gift shop and entrance are in the same building and are operated on the same cash register. The gift shop only sells toys and stuffed animals from other companies and none of their own stuff. The bathrooms are just port-a-johns. The entrance would be in a larger building with two ticket booths to make the line move faster when the zoo get busier. The gift shop would move to its own building to the left side of the entrance. It would not only sell stuffed animals and toys, but it would also sell exclusive merchandise that can only be found in their stores like magnets, tree ornaments, and clothing. There would also be a men’s and women’s restroom in the gift-shop.
  7. Better Primate enclosures. All the primates at the zoo are kept in small cages with a lot of other animals in the main “building complex”. All the enclosures have ropes, branches, and small tires but still don’t entertain the animals. I would give them larger cages with in their own separate area. Each enclosure would have trees, bushes, climbing branches, and a water fall to give them a forest feel.
  8. Better emu yard. The zoo has two emus located in a small enclosure. There are a lot of plants with them thought. I would move them next to the kangaroos with a large grassy field with a couple trees. I would also remove their small wooden shelter.
  9. Farm Animal Barn. A lot of animals at the front of the zoo are mostly domestic animals that are found at petting zoos. The yards are basic, but are fine the way they are. I want to move them to a barn so they can go somewhere when it rains.
  10. Medium Mammal Yards. The binturong and porcupine are the two medium-sized mammals at the zoo. They are also kept in smaller cages in the building complex. The binturong would be kept in a 10’x 20’ yard with climbing branches, grass, and a tree. The porcupine will be kept in a larger yard with a few trees, bushes, a pool, and a climbing rock.
  11. Better Deer Yard. The zoo has two species of deer both from North America. The exhibit is a good size but is very boring. The exhibit is just grass and mud. To make it better I would add trees and bushes to not only give them a forest exhibit but also to give them a better source of food instead of eating the grass. I would add a small river to flow through the exhibit and give them a source of water.
  12. Cat House. The zoo has sand cats, a serval, a bengal tiger, and a white bengal tiger. The sand cat and serval are in the building complex and the tigers have their own separate yards. The tiger yards are very small with an above ground pool, large ledges to lay on, and some enrichment toys. I would make the cats a large house where they would be viewable both inside and outside all year around. The serval would be in a large cage, but with grass trees and bushes. The sand cat would be kept in an exhibit with sand, cacti, and small bushes. The two tigers would still be kept in separate enclosures and have pools, but they would be 5x the size with the addition of a waterfall, large trees, bushes, and heated rocks.
  13. Controlled Mosquitos and less animal feedings. In the summer there are a lot of Mosquitos all around the zoo. To prevent the bugs from laying their eggs in the water, they could add bubblers at the bottom of the ponds at the entrance. Also when you buy your ticket, you can also buy carrots and other food to feed the animals. The sad thing about the animals is that they’re always begging for food. I don’t want to completely remove it, but I want to limit it to only the farm animals
I hope you agree with these improvements. I wouldn’t mind to hear your thoughts and opinions.
 
Blake Varga said:
Roscommon Zoo
    1. Give the kangaroos more foliage and a small watering hole. Although kangaroos come from an area without many plants, they do eat them when they come across them. I would add a huge willow tree in the back of the exhibit, ...
    2. Give the parrots, Cockatoos, and owl larger and natural aviaries.... The parrots and cockatoos would still be in their own enclosure, but obviously a lot larger. ...Each enclosure would be 6’x 6’x 10’ and filled with trees and plants from their natural habitat ...
Click to expand...
  1. If you put live trees like you suggest in with leaf-eating, branch-chewing animals what prevents the enclosures from quickly reverting to the same barren places you are describing? (I do not know this zoo)
 
Zooplantman said:
  1. If you put live trees like you suggest in with leaf-eating, branch-chewing animals what prevents the enclosures from quickly reverting to the same barren places you are describing? (I do not know this zoo)
Click to expand...
The zoo doesn’t have any trees in the exhibits, so that’s why I want to add trees.
 
Yi Qi said:
  • 4.8 Domestic Chicken
  • 4.7 Domestic Chicken
  • 5.6 Turkey
Click to expand...
Would these birds be freely interacting with each other, or kept in separate enclosures? Most turkeys die of blackhead when constantly kept in the presence of chickens.
 
I wouldn't describe it as "awful", but Alligator Adventure in Myrtle beach could use some work. :)

1: Turn the old museum area into an education building

2: The cassowary pen and lemur house will be known as the "Islands" Get rid of the ruffed lemur cage and add in a small pond for cuban crocodiles. Convert the extra exhibit in the back of the house back into a bat exhibit, and the marmoset exhibit will be home to an island reptile.

3: Move the Chinese alligators to the current giant tortoise exhibit. tear down the bobcat cage and covert these two exhibits for beavers and river otters.

4: Convert the temporary exhibit (Home to ostriches rn I believe.) and convert it back into an African theme. Bring back zebras and add them in with the ostriches. Also add back crowned cranes and a gazelle species. Add nile crocodiles in a new pool next to them.

5: Add jaguars into the current hyena exhibit, and add glass viewing. Add a small pond for yacare caimans next to them.

6: Add porcupines back into the herpetertim.

7: Move the giant tortoises into the current sulfate tortoise exhibit.
 
Not exactly awful, but these days Marwell has not seen the best of days, and could use some TLC.
1. Decline any Lego events to happen at Marwell. This is a zoo, not LegoLand.
2. Make the car park somewhat smaller, but to reintroduce species closer to the entrance, like takins and anteaters.
3. Introduce species such as free-ranging Guineafowl in the park to reintroduce the species, but also as a pleasant surprise to people visiting.
4. Repopulate Penguin Cove. Nowadays it is only home to Humboldt Penguins, but was formerly also a home to Eiders and Inca Terns.
5. Introduce more species of ungulate to the African Plains exhibit, currently it's quite a lot of empty grassland. Wildebeest, Dik-Diks, Nyala etc etc
6. Repopulate the top of the park. Coatimundis, Bat Eared Fox, Serval etc
7. Don't tear down the old Tropical World! Maybe they could re use it for a Nocturnal House or something like that
8. Introduce species in empty areas, like Vicuna
9. Repopulate the Giraffe house with animals like Porcupines and Coloubus
10. Let Water and Wetlands introduce more animals, not just a glorification of the current flamingo and rhea paddock.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top