keith8404
Well-Known Member
Not sure how many on here are very familiar with the Tulsa Zoo, but since it is my "home zoo" I am most interested in seeing it become as great as it can possibly be. For those familiar with it, my question is: What are the TOP 3 changes that you would make to the Zoo to improve its overall quality? This can be anything from major exhibit renovations, deletions, additions, to what they serve in the grill!
To get the ball rolling, here are my Top 3:
1. Renovation/removal of the Big Cat Grottos. They are outdated and too small for large carnivores. For the time being, I would loan out the tiger (construction of a new exhibit for tigers near the Elephant Encounter would be further down my list) and retain the lions. If feasible, I would retain the existing den/off-exhibit area, join the two grottos into one, fill in the moats (of course install new appropriate containment barriers) and expand the space into the area between the Black-footed penguin enclosure and the Events Lodge (maybe add a nice viewing platform to the front of the Lodge overlooking the habitat). This would result in a large modern exhibit suitable for lions and enhance the "Africa" section of the Zoo. Associated with this renovation would be remodel/reuse of the Snow Leopard habitat for a Caracal or other small African cat.
2. Renovation/removal of the Bear Grottos. For the same reason as the cat grottos. I would loan out the bears (construction of a new Spectacled bear exhibit near the TARF building would be further down my list) and retain the troop of Black-and-white ruffed lemurs that currently is housed in the northern-most grotto. Again, if feasible I would retain the den/off-exhibit area, fill in the moats, replace the concrete with dirt and turf, and install appropriate new containment barriers. Inspired by the current use for lemurs, I would convert the other two grottos into areas for endangered African monkeys, perhaps Drills in the center one and Barbary macaques in the other. Again this would enhance and give more consistancy to the south end of the Zoo being the "Africa" section.
3. Renovation of the former Polar Bear/current Grizzly Bear habitat at the Arctic Tundra building. This is No. 3 on my list largely because it is so close to the Zoo entrance and therefore one of the first exhibits many people visit. As currently built there is too much concrete and not enough natural substrate. I would remove most of the concrete floor and replace with turf and sandy areas. I would also increase the viewing opportunities into the north area of the exhibit that is already natural dirt, enlarge that area to incorporate the former wolf habitat (which would make the exhibit truly spacious), and tie the parts together as one seamless exhibit space viewable from both the entrance of the Arctic building and around on the other side as you head toward the Desert building. Also, do whatever is needed to the pool and indoor underwater viewing window to allow the pool to be full and the waterfall to flow, and for visitors to get right up to the indoor pool window like they used to. Hopefully this could also include renovating/retheming the first large room inside the building (the one with the bear viewing area and arctic fox exhibit) to reflect a boreal forest theme more appropriate to Grizzly Bears. This would include painting the room, adding new educational exhibits, artifical conifers, and replacing the Arctic fox with a Fisher. The second room with the Igloo could be retained as the "Arctic Tundra" room. The whole building would then be renamed the "Taiga and Tundra" building.
To get the ball rolling, here are my Top 3:
1. Renovation/removal of the Big Cat Grottos. They are outdated and too small for large carnivores. For the time being, I would loan out the tiger (construction of a new exhibit for tigers near the Elephant Encounter would be further down my list) and retain the lions. If feasible, I would retain the existing den/off-exhibit area, join the two grottos into one, fill in the moats (of course install new appropriate containment barriers) and expand the space into the area between the Black-footed penguin enclosure and the Events Lodge (maybe add a nice viewing platform to the front of the Lodge overlooking the habitat). This would result in a large modern exhibit suitable for lions and enhance the "Africa" section of the Zoo. Associated with this renovation would be remodel/reuse of the Snow Leopard habitat for a Caracal or other small African cat.
2. Renovation/removal of the Bear Grottos. For the same reason as the cat grottos. I would loan out the bears (construction of a new Spectacled bear exhibit near the TARF building would be further down my list) and retain the troop of Black-and-white ruffed lemurs that currently is housed in the northern-most grotto. Again, if feasible I would retain the den/off-exhibit area, fill in the moats, replace the concrete with dirt and turf, and install appropriate new containment barriers. Inspired by the current use for lemurs, I would convert the other two grottos into areas for endangered African monkeys, perhaps Drills in the center one and Barbary macaques in the other. Again this would enhance and give more consistancy to the south end of the Zoo being the "Africa" section.
3. Renovation of the former Polar Bear/current Grizzly Bear habitat at the Arctic Tundra building. This is No. 3 on my list largely because it is so close to the Zoo entrance and therefore one of the first exhibits many people visit. As currently built there is too much concrete and not enough natural substrate. I would remove most of the concrete floor and replace with turf and sandy areas. I would also increase the viewing opportunities into the north area of the exhibit that is already natural dirt, enlarge that area to incorporate the former wolf habitat (which would make the exhibit truly spacious), and tie the parts together as one seamless exhibit space viewable from both the entrance of the Arctic building and around on the other side as you head toward the Desert building. Also, do whatever is needed to the pool and indoor underwater viewing window to allow the pool to be full and the waterfall to flow, and for visitors to get right up to the indoor pool window like they used to. Hopefully this could also include renovating/retheming the first large room inside the building (the one with the bear viewing area and arctic fox exhibit) to reflect a boreal forest theme more appropriate to Grizzly Bears. This would include painting the room, adding new educational exhibits, artifical conifers, and replacing the Arctic fox with a Fisher. The second room with the Igloo could be retained as the "Arctic Tundra" room. The whole building would then be renamed the "Taiga and Tundra" building.
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). All of that together with the Elephant Encounter would make a nice coherent Asia Section in the Northeast part of the Zoo. 