Flamingos - West Edmonton Mall

I can't remember where WEM got their flamingos, but I have always disagreed with them having them...they never see natural life and people tap on the glass and drop things into their enclosure from above. The mall is SO LOUD, I can barely stand to be in there for longer then a few minutes. The enclosure is also completely artificial and very small. Apparently their old home was outdoors with a real pond.

The mall also has sea lions, penguins, sharks, caimen, etc.

Seems pretty horrible. Is this the place that used to keep a Gorilla?

Back in 1985 or 1986 (when I lived in Edmonton) the mall had many animals in glass exhibits all around visitor areas. There were tiger cubs, young cougars, black bear cubs, macaws, and many aquatic animals in the underground aquarium section. All in terrible exhibits.

theres nothing wrong with commercialising animals (sarcasm). here in australia the Victorian State Government may endorse turning a publically-owned zoo into a Warner-owned theme park.

This is surely the worst flamingo exhibit ever, and inside one of the world's largest shopping malls! Brutal. The penguin enclosure in another section of the mall is probably the worst of its kind that I've ever seen, and definitely the smallest.

@snowleopard Is this flamingo exhibit gone now as of 2022?

@DavidBrown The flamingos are long gone, but the basic structure of their enclosure remains. It's kind of surreal for me to tour the mall and see some large glass stores (selling soap, clothes, candy, etc.) where I once saw flamingos, tigers and bears as a young child.