Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium New "Top of the World" Exhibit

The new exhibit is finally here! I am so excited for this exhibit, because fianally a new center for endangered/ threatened animals is under construction. Animals being housed here include reptiles, amphibians (a real big focus on frogs), orangutans, snow leopards, spectacled bears, jaguars, Przewalski's horse, and native endangered Pennsylvania wildlife. Construction will begin in the fall. A totally brand new snow leopard exhibit would be adjacent and a large outdoor yard with climbing structures for the orangutan will compliment the renovated Tropical Forest exhibit. Also here will be a komodo dragon breeding center and another education center for children to experiance the behind the scenes look at the zoos medical center.

Pittsburgh Zoo plans new exhibits, vet hospital - The York Daily Record

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/pittsburgh/s_693135.html

 

It sounds like this unique addition will be in the same complex conceptual vein as Elephant Odyssey at San Diego Zoo: its organization will be neither wholly zoographic nor geographic. This seems like a good way to allow flexibility in the collection over time while still being able to use habitats once their original inhabitants die or are transferred by SSP recommendations. If designed with a minimum of regional detail, it makes it possible to replace black-footed ferrets with hairy-nosed wombats without having to rip out or add any cultural theming such as a prairie cabin viewing shelter!

 

I was just going to a post a link to this article. I'm so glad the snow leopard will get a new exhibit and the orangutans will have an outdoor exhibit! I also like how they're going to design their children area/vet hospital based on Seneca Park Zoo's complex.

 

It is defiantly a big improvement and I like the vet area as well.

 

This ambitious project is still years away from completion, and many items could be altered in the meantime, but it still sounds terrific and the zoo might no longer have the absolute worst orangutan exhibit in North America!

 

I hope they don't scrap the plans for a new snow leopard exhibit and orangutan exhibit. Hopefully everything will go as planned...although that is usually never the case. Something will be taken away or added.

 

Here is an arial view of the future planned exhibit. You can see the Tropical building in the bottom right corner, along with the outdoor gorilla yard.

ThePittsburghChannel.com - Image

 

Just some quick updates for the new exhibit. There will be 10-13 outdoor exhibits for endangered animals. The orangutans will no longer be residents in the Tropical Forest Building. Instead they will be given a new indoor and outdoor exhibit. The cost will be around $20-$30 million. The new two story building will be made of glass, like the Phipps Conservatory building (here is a pic http://0.tqn.com/d/pittsburgh/1/0/q/8/Entryway.JPG) The lower level of the buidling will be the veternarian center and the top level will include a childrens vet area. The reptile center may include one or two new species for the zoo; Philippine crocodiles or Chinese alligators. An endangered pig species may also be included.

 

So they are constructing 3 buildings a Veterinary/Conservation Building, A Reptile Center and a Orangatan Building is this right?

Team Tapir

 

It will be in the same builidng with different sections I believe.

 

Im glad to hear the orangs are getting a new exhibit and the Philippine crocs will finally go on display. They have had them for a few years now but never had a place to put them on exhibit. Same with their tree roos.

 

So the Pittsburgh Zoo actually do have tree kangaroos? I saw that on ISIS today and thought it was a mistake or outdated. Are they used as education animals right now or just off exhibit all together?

 

When I was their in 2008, they had some animal encounter programs scheduled throughout the day. I did not see them, but I would suspect they would use them, simply because they are very calm animals and perfect for such programs.

 

Just off exhibit all together. They may go on display for T.O.W. exhibit.

 

is there any update on this exhibit? like when its going to open and what animals are going to be exhibited? thks

 

There have been no new updates provided by the zoo so I have no idea if construction even started. Several news articles said that it would be constructed in three phases over several years. The exhibit will house endangered reptile and amphibian species as well as outdoor exhibits for orangutans (finally!), an expanded exhibit for snow leopards, a possible breeding center for Komodo dragons, and possibly spectacled bears and jaguars. Hopefully they release some details. Its been over a year since they announced the project!

 

I don't want to be stupid, but I'm really not getting the theme of this exhibit other than the zoo is building a bunch of enclosures for what seems like a scattershot of endangered animals. Is there a theme? Will the exhibits be tied together somehow or does the zoo just want a bunch of interesting animals from around the world? Any explanation of what this is about would be appreciated.

 

The area to be used for this project sits on a ridge atop and over looking the rest of the zoo thus the name Top of the World.As far as the collection of animals is concerned most of these animals are atop the worlds endangered species list and there is no intention of displaying them by geography.This is simply our interpretation of what we have heard and read.We hope to visit sometime this winter and see what else we could find out about this project.

Team Tapir

 

from what i seen recently and heard was that theres 3 buildings going up. this summer theres going to be a new reptile house and a new medical veterinary center. and then 2013 is goin to be the top of the world exhibit. its going to look excatly like the phipps conservatory building. they already have one building almost complete. it's located right behind the outdoor gorilla exhibit.

 

Thanks for the update. I was worried since I didn't hear anything that the project was cancelled or at least delayed.