What Changes Would You Make to Toronto Zoo’s 2016 Master Plan?
There’s been a lot of discussion on other threads about Toronto Zoo’s 2016 Master Plan, but they can get a bit lost among news of other developments. In addition, I was asked a while ago from a Zoochat member for my opinions about the 2016 Master Plan. It would feel a bit repetitive of that plan to discuss what parts I agree with, so I’ve centered my discussion around where my thoughts differ and what changes I would make to the Master Plan if I had any say- which I don’t.
Rhino/Asian Pavilion Instead of a Canadian Pavilion
Exhibiting small threatened Canadian animals is a good idea, but they don’t need a large indoor building. The current Australasian Pavilion would make a much better winter home for Indian Rhinoceros and some smaller Asian species. There’s enough space east and north of the Pavilion to create an outdoor Indian rhinoceros exhibit. Nearby northern representatives of primarily tropical species, like Amur tigers and Amur leopards, would help transition between the tropical rhinos and outdoor exhibits of more temperate species in the Eurasian zone. Small threatened Canadian species could be housed in outdoor exhibits in a Small Animal Conservation Center by the Zoo’s entrance.
Least Concern Canadian Species Replaced with Threatened Asian Species
Asia has higher biodiversity than Canada and a larger quantity of threatened wildlife species. Many of the Canadian animals by the Asian Highlands exhibits in the Master Plan have low conservation priority. Replacing these common Canadian species with Asian taxa will allow the Toronto Zoo to concentrate more on threatened species. This would also increase exhibit clarification. Instead of an Asian area embedded between Canadian zone exhibits, Asian and Canadian exhibits could be separated by geographic features, especially the ponds on site. The proposed grizzly bear and beaver exhibits across the pond could remain as a smaller Canadian area.
Breakdown of animal changes:
Coyotes replaced by Amur leopards
Lynx relocated across pond by Grizzly bears and Pallas cats (manual) added to Asian zone
Bighorn sheep replaced by Trans Caspian urial or Chinese goral
Rocky Mountain goats replaced by markhor
Cougar relocated to Central America zone
Central America Instead of Tropical America
This is a slight alteration of Tropical Americas from the Master Plan. The focus on tropical species will be loosened and emphasis placed on how Central America is an important exchange area of North American and South American animals. Cougars and jaguars could be exhibited in rotating exhibits. A sheltered exhibit for spider monkeys where the otters and beavers currently are would represent migrations of South American animals into Central America.
An Australasia/Oceania Pavilion Where Rhino Ridge is Planned
Moving the Indian rhinoceros to the larger current Australasian Pavilion would clear space for a new Australasia/Oceania Pavilion. This would allow the Zoo to maintain their Australian animal collection. Interpretation of the Pavilion could focus on the isolation of this region from other land masses and the considerable threat to biodiversity that introduced species now pose in these areas.
A Small Animal Conservation Center Instead of an Insect House
A Small Animal Conservation Center (with indoor and outdoor exhibits) by the Zoo’s entrance would make a great statement about the Toronto Zoo’s commitment to conservation. A broader focus on small animals would have more appeal to a greater percentage of zoo visitors and allow the Toronto Zoo to focus on species of conservation priority, including threatened Canadian animals.
An Asian Rainforest Instead of an Oceania Pavilion
Concentrating on Asian rainforest animals would create a more cohesive visitor experience, group animals with similar environmental needs, and allow the Toronto Zoo to showcase an important biodiversity hotspot. Improved spaces for orangutans and gibbons would reduce the collection somewhat, but much less significantly than if Australasian fauna were also included. The exhibition could focus on how destruction of rainforests for palm oil plantations destroys habitat that orangutans and a diversity of other life depend on.
Pygmy Hippo Exhibit with Underwater Viewing
The Toronto Zoo will have a hard time finding money to renovate all its pavilions, so any new exhibit buildings should be carefully considered. A building with underwater viewing for river hippopotamus will have massive construction and operating costs. The Zoo has both river hippopotamus and pygmy hippopotamus. Pygmy hippopotamus is the species with higher conservation priority and would require significantly less resources because they’re less social and smaller. Pygmy hippos would be a better choice for a new exhibit. If an exhibit is built it would be better to build it as an addition to the existing African rainforest Pavilion to reduce costs of separate buildings.
More Savanna Predators
It’s difficult to move ruminants between Canada and the United States and other Canadian zoos have limited capabilities to display tropical ungulates. Visitors also have limited interest in viewing lots of ungulates. Replacing an ungulate paddock in the African Savanna with an African wild dog exhibit would create an engaging display for an Endangered species. The wild dogs could be rotated with the other predators in the African Savanna to create enriching predator exhibits.
Exhibits that Incorporate Forest Scenery
The Toronto Zoo is on a magnificent site. The primary pedestrian pathway through the Zoo is a loop around a beautiful mature deciduous forest. The forest is part of the Core Forest Environmentally Significant Area, so it cannot be developed. However, it can still be used as a beautiful backdrop for animal exhibits. Outdoor gorilla and orangutan exhibits should be designed to incorporate views of the Core Forest to evoke their natural rainforest habitat.
Better Exhibit Pulls from the Main Circulation Pathway
Where exhibits connect with the main pedestrian circulation loop there should be attractive features characteristic of that exhibit zone to pull people from the main pathway.
Rouge Valley Interpretive Center Incorporated into Zoo Entrance
Bringing the Rouge Valley Interpretive Center next to the Toronto Zoo’s entrance complexes will increase efficiency and encourage park guests to make use of the Zoo services outside of the entrance gates. Some of the buildings may need to have a couple of levels to conserve space. Maintaining parking spaces close to the Zoo entrance will reduce the need of costly and inconvenient transports for parking spaces relocated on the other side of Meadowvale Road.
An Otter Exhibit Viewed from Outside the Entrance Gates
A viewing area for otters from outside the entrance gates would entice people to come into the zoo and create a more exciting experience around the service hub.
There’s been a lot of discussion on other threads about Toronto Zoo’s 2016 Master Plan, but they can get a bit lost among news of other developments. In addition, I was asked a while ago from a Zoochat member for my opinions about the 2016 Master Plan. It would feel a bit repetitive of that plan to discuss what parts I agree with, so I’ve centered my discussion around where my thoughts differ and what changes I would make to the Master Plan if I had any say- which I don’t.
Rhino/Asian Pavilion Instead of a Canadian Pavilion
Exhibiting small threatened Canadian animals is a good idea, but they don’t need a large indoor building. The current Australasian Pavilion would make a much better winter home for Indian Rhinoceros and some smaller Asian species. There’s enough space east and north of the Pavilion to create an outdoor Indian rhinoceros exhibit. Nearby northern representatives of primarily tropical species, like Amur tigers and Amur leopards, would help transition between the tropical rhinos and outdoor exhibits of more temperate species in the Eurasian zone. Small threatened Canadian species could be housed in outdoor exhibits in a Small Animal Conservation Center by the Zoo’s entrance.
Least Concern Canadian Species Replaced with Threatened Asian Species
Asia has higher biodiversity than Canada and a larger quantity of threatened wildlife species. Many of the Canadian animals by the Asian Highlands exhibits in the Master Plan have low conservation priority. Replacing these common Canadian species with Asian taxa will allow the Toronto Zoo to concentrate more on threatened species. This would also increase exhibit clarification. Instead of an Asian area embedded between Canadian zone exhibits, Asian and Canadian exhibits could be separated by geographic features, especially the ponds on site. The proposed grizzly bear and beaver exhibits across the pond could remain as a smaller Canadian area.
Breakdown of animal changes:
Coyotes replaced by Amur leopards
Lynx relocated across pond by Grizzly bears and Pallas cats (manual) added to Asian zone
Bighorn sheep replaced by Trans Caspian urial or Chinese goral
Rocky Mountain goats replaced by markhor
Cougar relocated to Central America zone
Central America Instead of Tropical America
This is a slight alteration of Tropical Americas from the Master Plan. The focus on tropical species will be loosened and emphasis placed on how Central America is an important exchange area of North American and South American animals. Cougars and jaguars could be exhibited in rotating exhibits. A sheltered exhibit for spider monkeys where the otters and beavers currently are would represent migrations of South American animals into Central America.
An Australasia/Oceania Pavilion Where Rhino Ridge is Planned
Moving the Indian rhinoceros to the larger current Australasian Pavilion would clear space for a new Australasia/Oceania Pavilion. This would allow the Zoo to maintain their Australian animal collection. Interpretation of the Pavilion could focus on the isolation of this region from other land masses and the considerable threat to biodiversity that introduced species now pose in these areas.
A Small Animal Conservation Center Instead of an Insect House
A Small Animal Conservation Center (with indoor and outdoor exhibits) by the Zoo’s entrance would make a great statement about the Toronto Zoo’s commitment to conservation. A broader focus on small animals would have more appeal to a greater percentage of zoo visitors and allow the Toronto Zoo to focus on species of conservation priority, including threatened Canadian animals.
An Asian Rainforest Instead of an Oceania Pavilion
Concentrating on Asian rainforest animals would create a more cohesive visitor experience, group animals with similar environmental needs, and allow the Toronto Zoo to showcase an important biodiversity hotspot. Improved spaces for orangutans and gibbons would reduce the collection somewhat, but much less significantly than if Australasian fauna were also included. The exhibition could focus on how destruction of rainforests for palm oil plantations destroys habitat that orangutans and a diversity of other life depend on.
Pygmy Hippo Exhibit with Underwater Viewing
The Toronto Zoo will have a hard time finding money to renovate all its pavilions, so any new exhibit buildings should be carefully considered. A building with underwater viewing for river hippopotamus will have massive construction and operating costs. The Zoo has both river hippopotamus and pygmy hippopotamus. Pygmy hippopotamus is the species with higher conservation priority and would require significantly less resources because they’re less social and smaller. Pygmy hippos would be a better choice for a new exhibit. If an exhibit is built it would be better to build it as an addition to the existing African rainforest Pavilion to reduce costs of separate buildings.
More Savanna Predators
It’s difficult to move ruminants between Canada and the United States and other Canadian zoos have limited capabilities to display tropical ungulates. Visitors also have limited interest in viewing lots of ungulates. Replacing an ungulate paddock in the African Savanna with an African wild dog exhibit would create an engaging display for an Endangered species. The wild dogs could be rotated with the other predators in the African Savanna to create enriching predator exhibits.
Exhibits that Incorporate Forest Scenery
The Toronto Zoo is on a magnificent site. The primary pedestrian pathway through the Zoo is a loop around a beautiful mature deciduous forest. The forest is part of the Core Forest Environmentally Significant Area, so it cannot be developed. However, it can still be used as a beautiful backdrop for animal exhibits. Outdoor gorilla and orangutan exhibits should be designed to incorporate views of the Core Forest to evoke their natural rainforest habitat.
Better Exhibit Pulls from the Main Circulation Pathway
Where exhibits connect with the main pedestrian circulation loop there should be attractive features characteristic of that exhibit zone to pull people from the main pathway.
Rouge Valley Interpretive Center Incorporated into Zoo Entrance
Bringing the Rouge Valley Interpretive Center next to the Toronto Zoo’s entrance complexes will increase efficiency and encourage park guests to make use of the Zoo services outside of the entrance gates. Some of the buildings may need to have a couple of levels to conserve space. Maintaining parking spaces close to the Zoo entrance will reduce the need of costly and inconvenient transports for parking spaces relocated on the other side of Meadowvale Road.
An Otter Exhibit Viewed from Outside the Entrance Gates
A viewing area for otters from outside the entrance gates would entice people to come into the zoo and create a more exciting experience around the service hub.
