ZooChat Cup S2 Match #4: Omaha (2) vs Toledo

[pachyderm pro]

Two Midwestern heavyweights clash over another new category, ungulates. Both places have a large savannah complex and all the main abc animals are covered. Elephants, rhinos, zebras, giraffes and antelope are present at both facilities. Omaha has dozens of hoofstock yards and expansive elephant and rhino exhibits, while Toledo has historic significance with the first hippo exhibit with underwater viewing.

The concept behind this poll is explained here: ZooChat Cup Season 2

Tomorrow: Brookfield vs Miami

 

[BigNate]

R.I.P. Toledo

 

[TZDugong]

I don't know much about either zoo, so can anyone give me the reasons as too why they voted for Omaha? I'm interested.

 

[BigNate]

I just looked at a PDF of each zoos map, and Toledo doesn't seem to have much of anything

 

[TZDugong]

I just looked at a PDF of each zoos map, and Toledo doesn't seem to have much of anything

In my opinion judging a zoo's collection from its map is not the best idea. Not every animal is noted on the map (usually only the popular ones), and so many animals could be at the zoo but absent from the map. I find that while the zoo map can be a useful supporting tool, judging a zoo's collection mostly by its map, is not the best way for deciding which zoo too vote for (in my opinion).

 

[jayjds2]

It’s almost entirely impossible to make a case for Toledo against Omaha in this category. Omaha recently opened African Grasslands, a $73 million complex that redid over a third of the zoo. The savanna (giraffe and impala) is enormous, with a large background exhibit for southern white rhino. Later on is a mix of exhibits for zebra and elephant, and it is all set up so the mixing of species can occur. I’m not sure if it has yet, but it is a possibility. Later on in the complex is a large field for sable antelope and an enormous exhibit for bongo. The quality of most of these exhibits is unmatched by almost every zoo in the challenge.

Very soon, Asian Highlands will open (if it hasn’t already- I’m not aware of the exact date) and that will include a presumably excellent takin exhibit, if I remember correctly. It escapes me whether other undulates are included.

The other ungulates at the zoo are okapi and yellow-backed duiker in a mixed exhibit, a pair of klipspringer exhibits, and Indian rhinoceros. These exhibits don’t stand out, but are still better than many zoos offer the species.

Edit: I’ve just had a look at Asian Highlands opened today. There are exhibits for Pere David’s deer, tufted deer, and Indian rhinoceros.

 

[BigNate]

In my opinion judging a zoo's collection from its map is not the best idea. Not every animal is noted on the map (usually only the popular ones), and so many animals could be at the zoo but absent from the map. I find that while the zoo map can be a useful supporting tool, judging a zoo's collection mostly by its map, is not the best way for deciding which zoo too vote for (in my opinion).

For ungulates it works fine. Plus it's quick and its very obvious which zoo would have a focus on these animals.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Does anyone have a species list for these zoos? From what I can tell Toledo has Greater Kudu, Grant's Zebra, Southern White Rhinoceros, Common Hippopotamus, Masai Giraffe, and African Bush Elephant. I then see Omaha has Indian Rhinoceros, Tufted Deer, Pere David's Deer, klipspringer, giraffe, Impala, Southern White Rhinoceros, African Bush Elephant, Grant's Zebra, Sable Antelope, Bongo, Collared Peccary, tapir, Pygmy Hippopotamus, Okapi, and Yellow-Backed Duiker, with plans to open new spaces for takin and goral.

For me, Toledo wins points for having pure giraffes and breeding their elephants, but Omaha has a wider selection of species, as well as several more endangered and/or lesser kept species, kept in mostly fantastic exhibits. I guess we're all in agreement as to the winner here.

~Thylo

 

[snowleopard]

Does anyone have a species list for these zoos? From what I can tell Toledo has Greater Kudu, Grant's Zebra, Southern White Rhinoceros, Common Hippopotamus, Masai Giraffe, and African Bush Elephant. I then see Omaha has Indian Rhinoceros, Tufted Deer, Pere David's Deer, klipspringer, giraffe, Impala, Southern White Rhinoceros, African Bush Elephant, Grant's Zebra, Sable Antelope, Bongo, Collared Peccary, tapir, Pygmy Hippopotamus, Okapi, and Yellow-Backed Duiker, with plans to open new spaces for takin and goral.

For me, Toledo wins points for having pure giraffes and breeding their elephants, but Omaha has a wider selection of species, as well as several more endangered and/or lesser kept species, kept in mostly fantastic exhibits. I guess we're all in agreement as to the winner here.

~Thylo

You've done a nice job of summarizing a list of the species at each zoo. Toledo's African Savanna doesn't seem to be anywhere near as nice as African Grasslands in Omaha, plus the elephant accommodation in Toledo is what could be deemed 'adequate' while Omaha has a massive enclosure and what is possibly the largest elephant barn in the nation. This particular category is an easy one to decide and Omaha wins in a landslide.