What would be on your animal wish list?

[TZFan]

I was wondering what animal additions would you love to see made to the zoo? And to make it just about what we would want lets not consider the cost of the animal, building an exhibit for it or how we would get it.

Personally there are just a couple of things I would die to add if i could have it my way. First I've always wanted there to be African Wild Dogs. I love those. So beautiful, so endangered and I love that they like to live in larger packs so we could have several.

Secondly and I dont know the practicalness of it but I always thought it was a shame walruses or seals werent added to Tundra Trek. I personally would have prefered walruses. I think they would have been an enormous draw rivalling the polar bears. And they are well suited to our cold winters so all the better. Probably wasnt a good idea for whatever reason but walruses rock.

Thirdly I'd like to bulk up the Australian secton with the addition of koalas, tasmaninan devils and platypuses. I know we had devils before but they were awesome! Who doesnt love koalas? and seriously to be the only place outside of australia to have Platypuses would be an incredible draw for attendance. Probably destroying the numbers for we will get for pandamania. Those crazy mammals have always fascinated me.

So what would everyone else add to their dream wish list?

 

[Meaghan Edwards]

I have to find the article again but I heard Devils may be back

For Africa, I would like to see African Wild Dogs as well, or jackals. Okapi and Generuk were only list of species I'd like to see, but it seems the zoo is getting them I'd like to see impala return, or maybe Thomson's Gazelle (a previously kept species). Dik-Dik and Klipspringers are some others. Pangolins are another, considering how they are being targeted by poaching.

For the Americas sections, definately I would like to see coyotes; I think the zoo could take in some "problem" animals and their exhibit could help educate people about how to live alongside the canids. I think Ravens could prove to be an interesting animal to keep, as they are very intelligent. For reptiles, Anaconda. For fish (a girl can dream) Ocean Sunfish. Oppossums could also interesting.

For Australia, I would not say no to koalas, or Platypi, or Kiwi. Cassowary would also be interesting, along with Dingoes.

For Eurasia, Ibex or Markhor, male Dhole and breeding age females, Pallas' Cat.

 

[TZFan]

Oh Meaghan your so right. How could I forget dingoes! I love them! I'd definitely add them to my list.

I did know devils was a possiblity for us to get back. Must have read the same article. But since we currently dont have them I added them to my list.

Okapi would be nice. They could possibly take over the giraffe exhibit when they move down to the elephant exhibit but I think I would prefer they go somewhere near the African Pavillion simply because it is more rainforest themed where the Okapi probably belongs. Dont know if thats even possible though. Okapis would definitely help boost attendance though.

For your North American woodland species I'm not fussy about any additions. Any addition is ok but I live way up in cottage country so I get to see those animals fairly frequently so they have lost their unique appeal to me. Although adding loons to the zoo might be cool if they werent so concerned about people. Maybe if they were hand reared ones though the problem wouldnt exist.

If I could make one major change to the zoo, forget the costs, I think I would move the Malayan Woods and Indomalaya Pavillon over to Eurasia. Nice new big buildings. Fill that all big empty space with animals from that portion of the world. The oranguatans would definitely get a big outdoor area with real trees and a new breeding male. Its always bugged me that those areas havent been together. I know the area is not being converted in Eurasia now will become the future Canadian area but I'm sure we can alter the current area. The existing space for the moved asian animals I would clear out and look at adding to the African collection, make an antarctic section or swing the south American collection that direction thus freeing more space in that area for North American species. Ok so apparently its not one change I would make but tons based upon the one big change.

 

[arcticwolf]

I agree with both of you, okapis would be a great species to have at the zoo. Some other species that I would like to see are saiga (will probably never happen) and african wild dogs. More dholes would be nice too.

Bush dogs and anteaters in the mayan temple would also be good