Zoo trends that are overdone.

[TheGytrash]

Yeah I agree; I think the Bronx and San Diego are some of the best examples of children's zoos that are also really interesting.

I really like the one in the Maryland Zoo. It does have a farm, but it also showcases Maryland species in a creative and interesting way, including a fake cave and an artificial hollow tree with exhibits of small local animals, and floating 'lily pads' kids can hop on over a marsh. Some of the exhibits, like the river otter, are really quite beautiful. The children's zoo lets kids climb on interactive features and get unique views of some of the animals.

 

[Golden Takin]

“Madagascar” sections that are just some islands with lemurs, labeled as a Madagascar area, when the zoo *not referring to any specific* probably has other madagascar animals such as mantella or vasa parrots or tenrecs they could exhibit and make proper exhibits for the lemurs. No hate towards primate islands, I think if done properly, then they are fine. The bronx and san diego have great examples of good madagascar exhibits.

You could apply this to island native or endemic species that in a zoo, there are enough of them spread around aviaries and reptile enclosures and other exhibits that you could make an exhibit, but they are put in small enclosures.
*An example would be the madagascar crested ibis which is housed with a leopard tortoise and a fruit bat in a smal enclosure.. at the phoenix zoo*

Agreed.
Especially, when building an island for ring-tailed lemurs, zoos usually choose to keep its native forest to represent Madagascar rain-forest, which may be beneficial to animal welfare, but it fails to convey information that ring-tailed lemur lives in arid and open areas.

 

[AndyJ08]

A rather infuriating trend that I’ve seen take hold recently are the huge elaborate schemes in which many zoos decide to save money. Whether it be replacing rarer species with easier-to-find ones, (I’m looking at you, African Pygmy Goats) or introducing cheap diverting moneymakers such as private holiday parties, rental animatronic displays, and Asian lantern showcases as opposed to introducing more interesting animal species or bettering the habitats of their current residents. Hopefully this chapter will come to a close, but I unfortunately can’t say that it will in the near future.