Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park News 2022

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Tim Brown said:
Interesting to see ZT`s new exhibits so poorly received...i have been once since 2009 (2015) and got the distinct impression of decline as the result of fiscal considerations. Then we have the addition of an amusement ride to Florida Wilds..almost a knee-jerk reaction to being on the edge of the theme park belt in Florida instead of standing apart and saying"we`re a zoo,there are plenty of other nearby places for rides", when i took this up with Larry Killmar,he said that I "didnt understand zoos"
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I'm not sure exactly when the flume ride was added, but they originally had a different monstrosity that took more space, at least the current one seems to have a smaller footprint. There are really only three "rides" that are above a normal zoo level - the water ride, rollercoaster, and flying bananas. But other than that the train, carousel and safari "ride" are pretty standard zoo rides.

The zoo has seen a distinct decline since Lex left. He obviously had some MAJOR issues, but his management style did show an ability to get a lot out of people and keep the place in top shape. I know the amusement rides came under his tenure, but I'm more speaking of the general appearance and animal species kept.
 
I'm sure there are ways to incorporate educational or conservation based components into SOME rides. Something to do with migrating birds, dueling roller coasters that are a "race" between cheetah and antelope. Maybe a carousel can be halfway surrounded by a fish tank so at least as you go around you can see the fish.
 
iluvwhales said:
I'm sure there are ways to incorporate educational or conservation based components into SOME rides. Something to do with migrating birds, dueling roller coasters that are a "race" between cheetah and antelope. Maybe a carousel can be halfway surrounded by a fish tank so at least as you go around you can see the fish.
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I do agree, but think a bit smaller. The roller coaster is quite small, it is really a kiddy coaster (it is in the kids area anyway). Actually the rides are all in the same general part of the zoo, so they have not spread to different areas. The water ride is integrated fairly decently into that part of the zoo, water is ubiquitous in Florida after all. The bananas and roller coaster have nothing to do with Australia (which is the theme for the kids area), they could have done a lot better job theming those.

The carousel is themed around endangered species, so at least that is something. An aquarium around it would be cool, but pretty impractical for the location. Originally it was a hill in the middle of the zoo, surrounded by animals in bar cages IIRC. The hill was still there when they built the "new zoo". They bulldozed the hill and built the carousel a really long time ago, it was the first ride and must have been built when the zoo was still pretty new. I don't remember the year, but it must have been the mid 1990's.
 
SwampDonkey said:
I do agree, but think a bit smaller. The roller coaster is quite small, it is really a kiddy coaster (it is in the kids area anyway). Actually the rides are all in the same general part of the zoo, so they have not spread to different areas. The water ride is integrated fairly decently into that part of the zoo, water is ubiquitous in Florida after all. The bananas and roller coaster have nothing to do with Australia (which is the theme for the kids area), they could have done a lot better job theming those.

The carousel is themed around endangered species, so at least that is something. An aquarium around it would be cool, but pretty impractical for the location. Originally it was a hill in the middle of the zoo, surrounded by animals in bar cages IIRC. The hill was still there when they built the "new zoo". They bulldozed the hill and built the carousel a really long time ago, it was the first ride and must have been built when the zoo was still pretty new. I don't remember the year, but it must have been the mid 1990's.
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What I said I meant for rides generally as opposed to specifically at ZooTampa.
 
On November 6th, it was announced that (0.0.3) West Indian manatees named Calliope, Piccolina, and Soleil were transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Ohio, arriving on November 5th.

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Smaggledagle said:
On November 6th, it was announced that (0.0.3) West Indian manatees named Calliope, Piccolina, and Soleil were transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens in Ohio, arriving on November 5th.

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That's good - the one manatee tank was getting seriously crowded when I last saw it a few weeks back.
 
Unless I missed it, and I don't think that I did, the sign for the mountain zebra has been removed, which would seem to confirm that the last one is no longer with the zoo, or at least not going on display.
 
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