How many hippos does Woodland Park Zoo have? Has there ever been talking of building a hippo exhibit with underwater viewing at this zoo?
The zoo has always had 2-3 hippos at any one time and there has definitely been talk of underwater viewing in the past. The 2004 Master Plan discusses the hippo exhibit on page 98 and a small part of the plan is copied and pasted here: "The present hippo exhibit is difficult to service. There are no indoor pools for off-exhibit use and the water is cold. The hippos have tolerated these conditions but these facilities do not meet the high standards expected at Woodland Park Zoo. The proposed underwater viewing carries a significant cost for construction and operation because of the challenging filtration requirements. However, public response to these underwater giants is exceptional and their aquatic behavior can be truly appreciated in no other way." 2004 Master Plan (115 pages): http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1352
I've looked at photos of this exhibit in the past and I've always thought it was a narrow habitat with a large pool at the front edge by the guests. Now I noticed that there's a building to the right of it along with a pool that curves along the side of it, forming a semi circle. Is this pool part of the exhibit? It's hard to tell because it's hidden by the trees.
It is difficult to gauge how much land there is for the hippos as the exhibit blends into the African Savanna backdrop and also curves around to the right-hand side. There is one fairly shallow, main pool with water that is cold year-round, with the exhibit having been built in 1980 and perhaps outdated by modern standards. A hidden building is the indoor quarters for the animals, with no other pool except for a small semi-circle one that used to house waterfowl but that water is outside of the hippo enclosure and now usually vacant.
