ZooChat Cup finals: Beauval vs Plzen

[Vision]

@amur leopard that is indeed a first hand account, but you hadn't mentioned that anywhere so nobody could have known that it wasn't busy when you were there. Rayane was just mentioning how it was crowded on his visit, not claiming in any way that it was always crowded.

Either way, situations like these should definitely matter - crowdedness can partially be blamed on the amount of visitors, but the exhibit should also be built in such a way that it can handle the expected amount of visitors, to secure a pleasant experience for both visitors and to ensure that the species inhabiting the aviary have a good quality of life. In Beauval I'd state that this is potentially a design problem, with indeed many rather narrow paths throughout the entire aviary. To add another firsthand experience, on my visit in July there were many people but I never truly felt crowded - But I could imagine that on busier days (or times of the day, for example right after the nearby bird show) the aviary gets quite a lot of traffic, and perhaps more than it can manage.

Either way, with the tropical dome still being out of reach for this cup I think that definitely for now I side with Rayane - Plzen has great outdoor exhibits for Pygmy hippopotamus and Indian rhinoceros, both with massive amounts of water that they actively use and that display the aquatic character of both species well. For the rest they lack the megafauna Beauval has, but instead they focus on smaller aquatic species and do so rather well. A nice waterfowl collection (85 taxa to Beauval's 43), a lot of decent tanks for a very choice selection of rare fish and amphibians throughout the zoo, a very good penguin exhibit, a nice aviary with 6 species of gull, and a few other decent aviaries with scarce herons, ibises etc throughout the zoo make aquatics a perhaps slightly less obvious but very pleasant part of Plzen's zoo.

 

[Brum]

@amur leopard that is indeed a first hand account, but you hadn't mentioned that anywhere so nobody could have known that it wasn't busy when you were there. Rayane was just mentioning how it was crowded on his visit, not claiming in any way that it was always crowded.

Either way, situations like these should definitely matter - crowdedness can partially be blamed on the amount of visitors, but the exhibit should also be built in such a way that it can handle the expected amount of visitors, to secure a pleasant experience for both visitors and to ensure that the species inhabiting the aviary have a good quality of life. In Beauval I'd state that this is potentially a design problem, with indeed many rather narrow paths throughout the entire aviary. To add another firsthand experience, on my visit in July there were many people but I never truly felt crowded - But I could imagine that on busier days (or times of the day, for example right after the nearby bird show) the aviary gets quite a lot of traffic, and perhaps more than it can manage.

Either way, with the tropical dome still being out of reach for this cup I think that definitely for now I side with Rayane - Plzen has great outdoor exhibits for Pygmy hippopotamus and Indian rhinoceros, both with massive amounts of water that they actively use and that display the aquatic character of both species well. For the rest they lack the megafauna Beauval has, but instead they focus on smaller aquatic species and do so rather well. A nice waterfowl collection (85 taxa to Beauval's 43), a lot of decent tanks for a very choice selection of rare fish and amphibians throughout the zoo, a very nice penguin exhibit, a nice aviary with 6 species of gull, and a few other decent aviaries with scarce herons, ibises etc throughout the zoo make aquatics a perhaps slightly less obvious but very pleasant part of Plzen's zoo.

I don't agree with your vote, but I agree with your point.

 

[FunkyGibbon]

What does Plzen currently keep in the indoor room exhibit in the Hippo House? On my first visit it held either goliath or purple herons, on my second I can't remember but I know pelicans have been in there as well.

 

[amur leopard]

Plzen has great outdoor exhibits for Pygmy hippopotamus and Indian rhinoceros

Don't think Indian rhinos count for this tie but if they do, I don't think that is a winning point given Beauval has a 17,000 sq metre outdoor exhibit for them with a massive lake...

As for the other points, if rhinos count, then so must capybaras, and Beauval also has a very good exhibit for them. Equally, Beauval also has some quaint waterfowl exhibits, not least for the waterfowl mixed with the pelicans in the two large lakes allocated for them.

I agree with your examination of the Plzen exhibits but not so much of the Beauval hippo exhibit. I don't think the crowding was due to poor exhibit design. The exhibit has 4 viewing points, several of which have more than enough space to allow space for crowds. There is a large viewing platform above the restaurant adjacent to the exhibit where visitors can look down onto the hippos. There is a boardwalk to the left of the exhibit which allows the visitors to look more closely into the land area of the exhibit as well as seeing the hippos above the water. Visitors can also go to the restaurant and view the hippos while they eat from the first floor of the African themed adjacent building. Then finally there is the underwater viewing area, with the 23 metre long viewing window. So no, I don't think it is a design issue and I think it was just a case of there being lots and lots of people being there at the time. At other periods, it is completely deserted. Perhaps @Rayane visited the enclosure directly after the bird show (lunch time) when many people rush to the nearby restaurant (since many people watch the hippos whilst they wait for spaces to free up in the restaurant).

 

[TeaLovingDave]

So.... reasons why Plzen (although not being particularly well-known for the aquatic biome) does merit a point due to the excellence present in much of what it does have; much of the following post/posts will be replicated and edited from prior arguments and discussions for ease and consistency of reference.

Firstly, two of the most important and best exhibits within the zoo for this category, along with a third very excellent exhibit with a lesser bearing on matters.

Czech River

This area, located near the top of the zoo among mature woodland, represents a complex of exhibits showcasing the local Czech river biomes.

Here, I think it would be apt to directly quote the stocklist provided by Vision in 2017 for this area - it may not be entirely accurate, but as I failed to take detailed notes for this area in October 2019 it is nonetheless an important resource.

Czech river:
1) Crucian carp, Carassius carassius
Tench, Tinca tinca
Rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Pikeperch, Sander lucioperca
Asp, Leuciscus aspius
White bream, Blicca bjoerkna
Common bream, Abramis brama
European perch, Perca fluviatilis
2) Common carp, Cyprinus carpio
Roach, Rutilus rutilus
Wels catfish, Silurus glanis
Pike, Esox lucius
Pikeperch, Sander lucioperca
European eel, Anguilla anguilla
3) Tench, Tinca tinca
Sunbleak, Leucaspius delineatus
Barbel, Barbus barbus
Baltic vimba, Vimba vimba
Rudd, Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Bleak, Alburnus alburnus
Roach, Rutilus rutilus
Ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua
White bream, Blicca bjoerkna
4) Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra lutra
5) Eurasian otter, Lutra lutra lutra
6) Empty exhibit, with a sign saying 'hybernating animals'
7) Burbot, Lota lota
Ruffe, Gymnocephalus cernua
European perch, Perca fluviatilis
8) Grayling, Thymallus thymallus
Gudgeon, Gobio gobio
Stone loach, Barbatula barbatula
European chub, Squalius cephalus
9) Brown trout, Salmo trutta fario
10) Bullhead, Cottus gobio
Dace, Leuciscus leuciscus
Stone loach, Barbatula barbatula
11) Freshwater pearl mussel, Margaritifera margaritifera
Slender-clawed crayfish, Astacus leptodactylus

The exhibit to which he refers containing "Hibernating animals" contained nominate Grass Snake in both June 2017 and October 2019.

The following photographs depict the Czech River complex:

"Underground World" Complex.

Another excellent and rather unsung exhibit which is one of the hidden gems of the collection; this exhibit complex contains a number of fish, invertebrate and amphibian species which are pertinent to the "aquatics" biome and is therefore worthy of consideration in this match.

Entered through a small museum which has a regularly-changing array of temporary exhibits alongside more permanent displays (such as the taxidermy remains of several former residents of the zoo), the bulk of this exhibit has been repurposed from a WWII anti-aircraft shelter which extends deep inside the hillside on which much of the zoo sits, and which in the post-war years after the zoo purchased the site had been used for decades as a cool-but-thermostable location for the winter storage of reptiles and delicate plants.

For much of the past decade, however, this area has comprised a series of themed exhibits within the tunnels of the old shelter based around the subject of subterranean life, primarily in Europe and North America, along with a semi-offshow breeding centre for a variety of endangered fish and amphibians, an outdoor exhibit at the exit to the complex themed around Czech herpetofauna, and displays discussing related in-situ conservation projects which the zoo is currently involved in; most notably the attempts to conserve the Olm, a species which if I may digress for a moment would be perfect as a future addition to this exhibit complex

The complex covers the following areas:

Caves of the Czech Republic - a series of exhibits showing a variety of subterranean species native to the Czech Republic, along with educational displays discussing cave formation and geological structures.
Amphibian Ark - This is the aforementioned semi-offshow breeding complex for troglodytic fish and amphibians, visible through an overhead window and the locked glass entrance, which contains approximately 30 tanks.
Underground Spaces of the Mediterranean - similar to the first zone, a variety of educational displays and animal exhibits themed around Mediterranean caves
Caribbean Caves - ditto for the Mediterranean
Evolution of Life - an aquarium display containing a variety of reef species.
Soil Formation - a variety of educational displays about the soil cycle, along with terraria for fossorial invertebrates and amphibians
Thermophytic Flora and Fauna of the Czech Republic - a large greenhouse exhibit containing a variety of heat-tolerant plants set around a small pond, with a variety of native reptiles and birds also within.

The taxa relevant to this category held within this complex are as follows:

Big-headed Turtle (Platysternon megacephalum)
----
Common Spadefoot (Pelobates fuscus fuscus)
Common Toad (Bufo bufo)
Cuban Tree Frog (Osteopilus septentrionalis)
European Common Brown Frog (Rana temporaria)
European Green Toad (Bufotes viridis)
Majorcan Midwife Toad (Alytes muletensis)
Rio Cauca Caecilian (Typhlonectes natans)
Cane Toad (Rhinella marina)
Mandarin Salamander (Tylototriton shanjing)
North African Fire Salamander (Salamandra algira tingitana)
Kaiser's Spotted Newt (Neurergus kaiseri)
----
Minnow (Phoxinus phoxinus)
Mexican Tetra (Astyanax mexicanus)
Blind Cave Tetra (Astyanax jordani)
Purple Tang (Zebrasoma xanthurum)
Red Sea Sailfin Tang (Zebrasoma desjardinii)
Common Clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris)
Tomato Clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus)
Blue Tang (Paracabthurus hepatus)
Convict Blenny (Pholidichthys leucotaenia)
Epaulette Shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum)
----
Purple Sea Urchin (Paracentrotus lividus)

There are several tanks within the Amphibian Ark breeding troglodytic fish species; however, I do not know which taxa these may be.

Mediterraneum


This exhibit, located uphill from the Succulent House, is a large and very pleasant greenhouse with associated outdoor exhibits, the entirety of which is devoted to displaying various native plant and animal species of the Mediterranean; these include a number of aquatic species as follows:

European Pond Turtle (Emys orbicularis)
Western Caspian Turtle (Mauremys rivulata)
Peloponnese Minnow (Tropidophoxinellus hellenicus)
Marathon Minnow (Pelasgus marathonicus)
Adriatic Carp (Rutilus aula)
Dinaric Bleak (Alburnus arborella)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

And now a selection of the category-relevant aviaries dotted throughout the collection, followed by a list of the category-relevant birds found within these and similar aviaries:


African Wetland Aviary

This large aviary contains a number of wetland birds; as the name suggests, it primarily focuses on African taxa but in the winter months it is also used as a holding aviary for many of the European waterfowl species which are scattered throughout the collection during the more clement months of the year.

African Aviaries in/around Hippo House

Near the aforementioned large wetland aviary, there are a number of aviaries both inside the Pygmy Hippopotamus house and outside which contain several species which are relevant for the purposes of this challenge; they are spacious and quite pleasant, and well-suited to the inhabitants of the aviaries in my opinion.

Pelican Exhibit

The system of moats and ponds surrounding the Angolan Colobus exhibit serves as the exhibit for several of the pelican taxa displayed at the zoo:

Australian Mixed Exhibit

This large mixed exhibit contains a number of native waterfowl and other aquatic birds, among other non-category species:

Australian Wetland Aviary

This aviary (located close to the Japanese Garden, uphill from the Philippine House) contains the following species; Sarus Crane, Black Swan, Straw-necked Ibis, Glossy Ibis, White-faced Heron, Magpie Goose, Plumed Whistling Duck, Maned Duck, Pacific Black Duck and Hardhead. This photograph only shows a portion of the aviary, from memory.




Malagasy Wetland Aviary

This pair of aviaries contains several category-relevant species, including Striated Heron (Butorides striata), Meller's Duck (Anas melleri), Bernier's Teal (Anas bernieri) and Madagascar Pond-heron (Ardeola idae) amongst others. This aviary is on the right-hand side; the left hand exhibit is much more thickly vegetated:




--

These are, of course, just a handful of the exhibits containing wetland birds within the collection - it would be a bit of an epic task trying to find a photo of every single aviary or pond containing a relevant species - but rather are intended to give a general impression of the whole.

The 156 category-relevant bird species at Plzen are as follows:

Spoiler: 156 TAXA

African comb duck (Old World comb duck) (Grey-sided comb duck) (Sarkidiornis melanotos (Syn.: Sarkidiornis melanotos melanotos))
African grey-headed gull (Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus poiocephalus (Syn.: Larus cirrocephalus poiocephalus))
African openbill (African open-billed stork) (Anastomus lamelligerus)
African sacred ibis (Sacred ibis) (Threskiornis aethiopicus)
African spoonbill (Platalea alba)
African three-banded plover (Charadrius tricollaris)
American black duck* (Anas rubripes*)
American white pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)
American wigeon (Mareca americana (Syn.: Anas americana))
Asian woollyneck (Asian woolly-necked stork) (Ciconia episcopus episcopus)
Australian Black Duck (Anas superciliosa rogersi)
Australian ibis (Australian white Ibis) (Australian sacred ibis)* (Threskiornis molucca (Syn.: Threskiornis moluccus)*)
Australian pelican (Pelecanus conspicillatus)
Australian shelduck (Chestnut-breasted shelduck) (Tadorna tadornoides)
Baer’s pochard (Bear’s white-eye duck) (Aythya baeri)
Baikal teal (Sibirionetta formosa (Syn.: Anas formosa))
Bar-headed goose (Anser indicus (Syn.: Eulabeia indica))
Bewick's swan (Cygnus columbianus bewickii (Syn.: Cygnus bewickii) (Syn.: Cygnus bewickii bewickii))
Black crake (Zapornia flavirostra (Syn.: Amaurornis flavirostris) (Syn.: Limnocorax flavirostra))
Black swan (Cygnus atratus)
Black-backed rajah shelduck (Moluccan rajah shelduck) (Radjah radjah radjah (Syn.: Tadorna radjah radjah))
Black-crowned night heron (Nominate subspecies) (Nycticorax nycticorax nycticorax)
Black-headed gull (Common black-headed gull) (Chroicocephalus ridibundus (Syn.: larus ridibundus))
Black-headed ibis (Oriental white ibis) (Threskiornis melanocephalus)
Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus (Syn.: Himantopus himantopus mexicanus))
Black-tailed gull (Larus crassirostris)
Black-winged stilt (Himantopus himantopus (Syn.: Himantopus himantopus himantopus))
Blacksmith lapwing (Blacksmith plover) (Vanellus armatus (Syn.: Hoplopterus armatus) (Syn.: Antibyx armatus))
Blue-winged goose (Cyanochen cyanoptera (Syn.: Cyanochen cyanopterus))
Blue-winged teal (Spatula discors (Syn.: Anas discors))
Buff-banded rail (No Subspecific status)* (Hypotaenidia philippensis (Syn.: Gallirallus philippensis) (Syn.: Rallus philippensis)*)
Cape barren goose (Nominate subspecies) (Cereopsis novaehollandiae novaehollandiae)
Chestnut teal (Chestnut-breasted teal) (Anas castanea)
Chilean flamingo (Phoenicopterus chilensis)
Chilean pintail (Anas georgica spinicauda)
Chiloe wigeon (Mareca sibilatrix (Syn.: Anas sibilatrix))
Chinese spot-billed duck (Eastern spot-billed duck) (Anas zonorhyncha (Syn.: Anas poecilorhyncha zonorhyncha))
Cinnamon teal (Spatula cyanoptera (Syn.: Anas cyanoptera))
Collared Kingfisher (White-collared Kingfisher) (Black-masked Kingfisher) (No Subspecific status) (Todiramphus chloris (Syn.: Halcyon chloris))
Collared pratincole (Glareola pratincola)
Common Little bittern (Little bittern) (Ixobrychus minutus)
Common moorhen (Eurasian moorhen) (Nominate subspecies) (Gallinula chloropus chloropus)
Common pochard (European pochard) (Aythya ferina)
Common redshank (Tringa totanus)
Common ringed plover (Charadrius hiaticula)
Common sandpiper (Actitis hypoleucos)
Corncrake (Crex crex)
Eastern grey-crowned crane (East African crowned crane) (Balearica regulorum gibbericeps (Syn.: Balearica pavonina gibbericeps))
Eastern purple heron (Ardea purpurea manilensis)
Egyptian goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca (Syn.: Alopochen aegyptiacus))
Egyptian plover (Pluvianus aegyptius (Syn.: Charadrius aegypticus))
Emperor goose (Anser canagicus (Syn.: Chen canagica))
Eurasian golden plover (European golden plover) (Pluvialis apricaria)
Eurasian goldeneye (Common goldeneye duck) (Bucephala clangula clangula)
Eurasian goosander (Common merganser) (Mergus merganser merganser)
Eurasian great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis)
Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)
Eurasian teal (Eurasian green-winged teal) (Anas crecca crecca)
Eurasian wigeon (Mareca penelope (Syn.: Anas penelope))
European scaup (European greater scaup) (Aythya marila marila)
Falcated duck (Falcated teal) (Mareca falcata (Syn.: Anas falcata))
Ferruginous duck (White-eyed pochard) (Ferruginous pochard) (Aythya nyroca)
Flying steamerduck (Tachyeres patachonicus)
Freckled duck (Stictonetta naevosa)
Fulvous whistling-duck (Fulvous tree duck) (Dendrocygna bicolor)
Gadwall (Gadwall duck) (Mareca strepera strepera (Syn.: Anas strepera strepera))
Garganey (Spatula querquedula (Syn.: Anas querquedula))
Glossy ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Great white pelican (Eastern white pelican) (Rosy pelican) (Pelecanus onocrotalus (Syn.: Pelecanus roseus))
Greater flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus (Syn.: Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) (Syn.: Phoenicopterus antiquorum))
Green-backed heron (No Subspecific status) (Butorides striata (Syn.: Butorides striatus))
Green-winged teal (American green-winged teal)* (Anas crecca carolinensis*)
Grey gull (Leucophaeus modestus (Syn.: Larus modestus))
Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)
Greylag goose (No subspecific status) (Anser anser)
Hadada ibis (No Subspecific status) (Bostrychia hagedash (Syn.: Hagedashia hagedash))
Hamerkop (Hammerhead) (Scopus umbretta)
Hardhead (Australian hardhead) (White-eyed duck) (Aythya australis)
Hawaiian duck (Anas wyvilliana (Syn.: Anas platyrhynchos wyvilliana))
Hawaiian goose (Nene goose) (Branta sandvicensis)
Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus (Syn.: Mergus cucullatus))
Humboldt penguin (Spheniscus humboldti)
Inca tern (Larosterna inca)
Indian sarus crane (Antigone antigone antigone (Syn.: Grus antigone antigone))
Indian spot-billed duck (Anas poecilorhyncha poecilorhyncha)
Javan pond-heron (Ardeola speciosa)
Laughing gull (Leucophaeus atricilla (Syn.: Larus atricilla))
Laysan duck (Laysan teal) (Anas laysanensis (Syn.: Anas platyrhynchos laysanensis))
Lesser scaup (Little blue-billed duck) (Aythya affinis)
Lesser whistling-duck (Lesser tree duck) (Javan whistling-duck) (Dendrocygna javanica)
Lesser white-fronted goose (Anser erythropus)
Little egret (Nominate subspecies) (Common Little egret) (Egretta garzetta garzetta)
Maccoa duck (Oxyura maccoa)
Madagascar crested ibis (White-winged ibis) (Lophotibis cristata)
Madagascar pond-heron (Malagasy pond-heron) (Ardeola idae)
Madagascar sacred Ibis (Bernier's Madagascar white Ibis) (Threskiornis bernieri)
Madagascar teal (Bernier`s teal) (Anas bernieri)
Magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata)
Mandarin duck (Aix galericulata)
Maned duck (Maned wood duck) (Australian wood duck) (Chenonetta jubata (Syn.: Neochen jubata))
Marbled teal (Marbled duck) (Marmaronetta angustirostris (Syn.: Anas angustirostris))
Masked lapwing (Northern masked lapwing) (Vanellus miles (Syn.: Vanellus miles miles))
Meller's duck (Anas melleri)
Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata)
New Zealand scaup (Aythya novaeseelandiae)
New Zealand shoveler (Spatula rhynchotis variegata (Syn.: Anas rhynchotis variegata))
Northern bald ibis (Waldrapp) (Geronticus eremita)
Northern pintail (Anas acuta (Syn.: Dafila acuta))
Northern shoveler (Spatula clypeata (Syn.: Anas clypeata))
Paradise shelduck (Tadorna variegata)
Patagonian crested duck (Lophonetta specularioides specularioides (Syn.: Anas specularioides specularioides))
Philippine duck (Anas luzonica)
Philippine rufous night-heron (Nycticorax caledonicus manillensis (Syn.: Nycticorax caledonicus major))
Pied avocet (Eurasian avocet) (Recurvirostra avosetta)
Pink-backed pelican (Pelecanus rufescens)
Pink-footed goose* (Anser brachyrhynchus (Syn.: Anser fabalis brachyrhynchus)*)
Plumed whistling-duck (Plumed tree ducjk) (Dendrocygna eytoni)
Red-billed teal (Red-billed duck) (Red-billed pintail) (Anas erythrorhyncha)
Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis (Syn.: Rufibrenta ruficollis))
Red-crested pochard (Netta rufina)
Red-crowned crane (Japanese crane) (Manchurian crane) (Grus japonensis (Syn.: Grus viridirostris))
Ring-necked duck (Ring-billed duck) (Aythya collaris)
Ruddy duck (No species or subspecies status) (Oxyura jamaicensis (sensu lato))
Ruddy shelduck (Tadorna ferruginea)
Ruddy-headed goose (Chloephaga rubidiceps)
Ruff (Calidris pugnax (Syn.: Philomachus pugnax))
Sandhill crane (Canadian crane) (Little brown crane) (Antigone canadensis (Syn.: Grus canadensis))
Silver teal (Versicolor teal) (No Subspecific status) (Spatula versicolor (Syn.: Anas versicolor) (Syn.: Punanetta versicolor))
Slender-billed gull* (Chroicocephalus genei (Syn.: Larus genei)*)
Smew (Mergellus albellus (Syn.: Mergus albellus))
South African black duck (Anas sparsa sparsa (Syn.: Melananas sparsa sparsa))
Southern lapwing (Chilean lapwing) (Vanellus chilensis (Syn.: Belonopterus chilensis))
Southern screamer (Crested screamer) (Chauna torquata (Syn.: Chauna cristata))
Speckled teal (Chilean teal) (Anas flavirostris flavirostris)
Spot-billed pelican (Pelecanus philippensis)
Spotted crake (Porzana porzana)
Spotted whistling-duck (Spotted tree duck) (Dendrocygna guttata)
Steller's sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus (Syn.: Haliaeetus pelagicus niger))
Straw-necked ibis (Threskiornis spinicollis (Syn.: Carphibis spinicollis))
Sunda teal (Indonesian grey teal) (Anas gibberifrons (Syn.: Anas gibberifrons gibberifrons))
Tufted duck (Tufted pochard) (Aythya fuligula)
Wandering whistling-duck (Wandering tree duck) (No Subspecific status) (Dendrocygna arcuata)
West Indian whistling-duck (West Indian tree duck) (Dendrocygna arborea)
Western cattle egret (Buff-backed heron) (Bubulcus ibis ibis (Syn.: Ardeola ibis ibis))
Western water rail (Water rail)* (Rallus aquaticus*)
White-cheeked pintail (Bahama pintail) (No Subspecific status) (Anas bahamensis)
White-faced Heron (Egretta novaehollandiae (Syn.: Ardea novaehollandiae))
White-faced whistling-duck (White- faced tree duck) (Dendrocygna viduata)
White-naped crane (Japanese white-necked crane) (Antigone vipio (Syn.: Grus vipio))
White-tailed Sea Eagle (Grey Sea Eagle) (Haliaeetus albicilla)
White-winged duck (White-winged wood duck) (Asarcornis scutulata (Syn.: Cairina scutulata))
Wood duck (North American wood duck) (Carolina wood duck) (Aix sponsa)
Yellow-billed duck (African Yellow-billed duck) (No Subspecific status) (Anas undulata)
Yellow-billed pintail (Anas georgica georgica)
Yellow-billed stork (Mycteria ibis)

 

[TeaLovingDave]

And now a few final odds and ends:

Pygmy Hippopotamus

The outdoor exhibit complex for this species at Plzen is rather pleasant and spacious - although the indoor enclosure is distinctly on the below-average side, I suspect the inhabitants spend the vast majority of their time outside - with the animals having access to the Angolan Colobus island and an off-display area of land immediately behind their house, along with access to the stretch of lake/moat around the house and the colobus island. The following map shows the extent of the aforementioned lake - the divide between this and the moat for the savannah and plains exhibits is quite clear, but it should be noted the hippos do not have access to the portion of moat surrounding the De Brazza islands.

And some more photos of the outdoor exhibit:

Penguin Exhibit

The only photograph of this exhibit in the gallery is a little out-of-date, as it has recently been refurbished and covered over (to allow the addition of Inca Terns) but it nonetheless gives a good impression of the size of the exhibit; I estimate between a third and half of the exhibit is visible here. It is spacious and well-suited to the inhabitants, which include the aforementioned terns, Humboldt Penguin and Patagonian Crested Duck.

Frustratingly I don't have my camera on-hand, elsewise I would be able to upload photographs from my recent visit hopefully someone else who has recently visited ( @twilighter ? @HOMIN96 ? ) can help here.

Plains of India:

Borderline one here, but I think the massive amount of space for wallowing and swimming which is provided to the Indian Rhinoceros at Plzen is worthy of note and *possibly* counts within the category.

Philippine Crocodile

A spacious and pleasant exhibit for this unusual species - note that this photograph shows only half of the exhibit, as there is a second enclosure connected by an underwater tunnel. Again, @HOMIN96 might be able to help with photographs of the other half.

 

[TeaLovingDave]

What does Plzen currently keep in the indoor room exhibit in the Hippo House? On my first visit it held either goliath or purple herons, on my second I can't remember but I know pelicans have been in there as well.

Empty, when I visited in October 2019

 

[HOMIN96]

What does Plzen currently keep in the indoor room exhibit in the Hippo House? On my first visit it held either goliath or purple herons, on my second I can't remember but I know pelicans have been in there as well.

If I remember correctly in summer it was used as inside area for the aviary next to it - hamerkop, grey crowned crane, hadada ibis + 1 more ibis species (african sacred?), lesser kestrel or red-footed falcon, can't remember which one (also they were signed but I never saw them) and some duck/goose species.

and in November, it served as a wintering area for some of the pelicans IIRC.

Pics of the penguin aviary:

And the second part of Philippines crocodile exhibit:

 

[CGSwans]

Surely the at least the less good old manatee pool counts for this challenge? The manatees are now in the bigger, better exhibit in the new Equatorial Dome, offshow for an interim period on a week. Are we seriously going to discount the manatee pool despite them being only recently taken off show...?
@CGSwans ?

Don't think it is really fair to discount the manatees just because they are temporarily off-show. It either means we simply count their old exhibit or count the new exhibit, which I have measurements for and pictures of.

I also forgot to mention the pygmy hippo exhibit upcoming to the dome, although it doesn't count, just worth keeping in mind that Beauval is addressing their Aquatics area even if it is quite good already.

We’ve established before that you can count the existence of a species at the collection, but not as yet unopened exhibits, and I agree with Dave that your repeated citations of the coming dome are nodding in that direction. You know by now that it’s out of scope.

Past conditions are a *slightly* trickier question. Historical factors - such as but not limited to being the first zoo to hold or breed a species, or having otherwise been responsible for a major innovation in their care - are fair game. But if the argument you are building is a straight exhibit to exhibit comparison, as you seem to be making here, then I don’t think it’s quite honest to be incorporating disused former exhibits simply for the sake of heightening the contrast.

I will once again draw attention to the guiding principle that people’s contributions should be motivated by accuracy, not a given outcome. I would also suggest to you (and others) that fitting an argument around the facts is a lot more persuasive than fitting the facts around an argument.

 

[amur leopard]

Past conditions are a *slightly* trickier question. Historical factors - such as but not limited to being the first zoo to hold or breed a species, or having otherwise been responsible for a major innovation in their care - are fair game. But if the argument you are building is a straight exhibit to exhibit comparison, as you seem to be making here, then I don’t think it’s quite honest to be incorporating disused former exhibits simply for the sake of heightening the contrast.

I agree, but it isn't really 'historical' or 'past'. They literally left their exhibit a few days ago, so shouldn't at least one or the other count, if not both? I know that the dome doesn't count, but what does if the manatee exhibit is not counted. It is still a part of the zoo and is still an exhibit.

 

[Brum]

As much as I'm enjoying this debate about the manatee enclosures, are we sure all of them have moved to the new dome? I thought the new imports were for the dome and the original manatees were staying put? I can't find anything to back this up now, but I'm about 90% sure that was the original plan.

 

[CGSwans]

I agree, but it isn't really 'historical' or 'past'. They literally left their exhibit a few days ago, so shouldn't at least one or the other count, if not both? I know that the dome doesn't count, but what does if the manatee exhibit is not counted. It is still a part of the zoo and is still an exhibit.

“Past”: adjective, having existed or taken place in a period before the present

See Definition of PAST

 

[TeaLovingDave]

You know, the process of going through and making the argument for Plzen deserving at least one point, and hence reminding myself just how very good the collection is for aquatics in a small, low-key way (combined with the above suggestion that the "old" manatee exhibit at Beauval may not be valid for the purposes of this match) has made me pretty damn tempted to switch to a 2-1 Plzen vote so, I put this challenge to you @amur leopard ...... how about presenting an argument focused on these highly-vaunted hippopotamus and penguin exhibits which make Beauval worthy of a completely clean sweep in your eyes, to sway me into sticking with my original gut instinct?

 

[TeaLovingDave]

They literally left their exhibit a few days ago, so shouldn't at least one or the other count, if not both? I know that the dome doesn't count, but what does if the manatee exhibit is not counted. It is still a part of the zoo and is still an exhibit.

As much as I'm enjoying this debate about the manatee enclosures, are we sure all of them have moved to the new dome? I thought the new imports were for the dome and the original manatees were staying put? I can't find anything to back this up now, but I'm about 90% sure that was the original plan.

I have a feeling it was at least a handful of weeks ago, actually - as the newborn calf was born to one of the existing stock, and was born in the Dome exhibit..... I rather suspect they wouldn't have moved a cow into the Dome when she was due to pop any moment, so the move must have happened sometime before the birth at the start of this month.

As for your other point, if something is no longer used to exhibit animals, *is* it still an exhibit? Is the old Penguin folly at ZSL London Zoo still an exhibit?

And yes, @Brum - I'm pretty sure it's the lot

 

[sooty mangabey]

Is it bad that I’ve voted in favour of Pilsen in part because I find the finger-jabbing tone of the promotion of Beauval, above, slightly nauseating (even though I love Beauval itself)?

 

[HOMIN96]

Is it bad that I’ve voted in favour of Pilsen in part because I find the finger-jabbing tone of the promotion of Beauval, above, slightly nauseating (even though I love Beauval itself)?

Not necessarily bad, probably not really in the heart of Zoochat Cup either

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Is it bad that I’ve voted in favour of Pilsen in part because I find the finger-jabbing tone of the promotion of Beauval, above, slightly nauseating (even though I love Beauval itself)?

I imagine that as long as you genuinely do believe Plzen has worth in this category, and therefore it isn't the only reason for your vote, you're fine in terms of your vote being allowed to stand

Incidentally.....

I put this challenge to you @amur leopard ...... how about presenting an argument focused on these highly-vaunted hippopotamus and penguin exhibits which make Beauval worthy of a completely clean sweep in your eyes, to sway me into sticking with my original gut instinct?

....this challenge also applies to the other people who have voted 3-0 Beauval, not merely AL. Tell me why none of the factors I have raised make a difference!

 

[CGSwans]

Is it bad that I’ve voted in favour of Pilsen in part because I find the finger-jabbing tone of the promotion of Beauval, above, slightly nauseating (even though I love Beauval itself)?

Yes.

I’m working on the issue, but more rule-stretching doesn’t help. Though I will point out that your post shows how certain debating styles can have counter-productive results.

 

[twilighter]

And now a few final odds and ends:


Penguin Exhibit

The only photograph of this exhibit in the gallery is a little out-of-date, as it has recently been refurbished and covered over (to allow the addition of Inca Terns) but it nonetheless gives a good impression of the size of the exhibit; I estimate between a third and half of the exhibit is visible here. It is spacious and well-suited to the inhabitants, which include the aforementioned terns, Humboldt Penguin and Patagonian Crested Duck.

Frustratingly I don't have my camera on-hand, elsewise I would be able to upload photographs from my recent visit hopefully someone else who has recently visited ( @twilighter ? @HOMIN96 ? ) can help here.

Sorry for the late answer.I have seen, that @HOMIN96 already post enough materials. Here it is just one more point of view:


I also thing, that 3:0 for Beauval is very undeserved. I feel that the French zoo has small edge here, but Plzen is also strong in this category. The smart way, they are using the natural water bodies for most of their aquatic exhibits including even African Water Holes and Lions grounds is worth mentioning.