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Great Bear Wilderness - Grizzly Bear Exhibit - Second Outdoor Viewing Area

This new North American themed exhibit complex includes a large American bison exhibit, a bald eagle aviary, a grizzly bear exhibit with underwater viewing, a polar bear exhibit with underwater viewing, another polar bear exhibit with den viewing, a shop called Bear Crossings, a counter service restaurant called Bison Prairie Grill, and an indoor classroom with views into the bison and second polar bear exhibits. It also incorporates the existing Wolf Woods exhibit for Mexican Gray Wolf, and acts as the entrance to the existing Salt Creek Wilderness nature trail loop.

Great Bear Wilderness - Grizzly Bear Exhibit - Second Outdoor Viewing Area
geomorph, 21 May 2010
    • geomorph
      This new North American themed exhibit complex includes a large American bison exhibit, a bald eagle aviary, a grizzly bear exhibit with underwater viewing, a polar bear exhibit with underwater viewing, another polar bear exhibit with den viewing, a shop called Bear Crossings, a counter service restaurant called Bison Prairie Grill, and an indoor classroom with views into the bison and second polar bear exhibits. It also incorporates the existing Wolf Woods exhibit for Mexican Gray Wolf, and acts as the entrance to the existing Salt Creek Wilderness nature trail loop.
    • Blackduiker
      I'm sure this is a vast improvement of their former home, but Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo Grizzly habitat is the standard I judge all others by. Not in the same league, but nothing to be ashamed of either. I applaud Brookfield for the improvements they're making. Not every new exhibit will be on the same par with one another.
    • PAT
      From this photo the new exhibit just looks like an expanded grotto. Is there more to the exhibit then is seen here of is this it?
    • geomorph
      There are nooks around each side of what is seen here but they are not as large as this main expanse. The nook to the right is mostly occupied by a nice swimming pool with underwater viewing from inside. All three bear exhibits are similar, being glorified grottos, but are much more open feeling than old grottos. They do have rather undetailed large sloping moat faces for separation in open view areas, but I think it is preferable to the entire exhibits being sunken below grade to form pit type barriers. They also have soil substrate and some brave trees inside the enclosures.
    • PAT
      Thanks for that. They look like very good homes for the bears but who knows where we could be in thirty years in terms of animal husbandry.
    • Blackduiker
      Unfortunately, those trees probably won't last through the summer.
    • TropicWorld54
      The trees are still here 2 years later and have gotten bigger plus the zoo added more evergreens to the exhibits but the zoo has added hotwire to protect the trees.
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  • Category:
    Brookfield Zoo
    Uploaded By:
    geomorph
    Date:
    21 May 2010
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    2,859
    Comment Count:
    7