Sloth Bear Exhibit

Sloth Bear Exhibit
03-06-2012

03-06-2012

According to the zoo's press release this 1967 grotto has been designed to resemble the Indian city of Jodhpur, which is on the edge of the native range of sloth bears. Obviously the $550,000 overhaul has resulted in an improved enclosure, but is there much more space available to the single female bear or is the new habitat only slightly larger? Zoo Boise continues to make changes that benefit the zoo's inhabitants, and now if only the Primate House can make a date with a bulldozer...

Here is the exhibit before the renovation:

Sloth Bear Exhibit

03-06-2012

Judging by images from Google Earth, it appears that regrading the exhibit and eliminating the moat has at least doubled the available space for the bear.

03-06-2012

That building reminds me of the old Elephant Building at Wellington Zoo.

03-06-2012

The most important thing is the improvement in exhibit space but the replica of a structure in India looks more like a enchanted doll house

Team Tapir

03-06-2012

The effect in person is really quite different. This sort of abstracted cultural immersion is found in many places throughout the zoo and works quite well. Apparently prior to this design the zoo explored many options for changing the brutalistic look of this looming concrete wall. Turning it into an artificial cliff was financially impractical (and it wouldn't look any more natural in my opinion). They explored then abandoned the idea of a mural. I think this approach is the best thing they could have done with it. It may not be to every Zoochatter's taste, but I think it works.

Edit: it would look much better without the plastic plants I think.

28-01-2013

This is what the 1967 bear grotto looked like before the renovation:

Sloth Bear Exhibit