Jun. 2013 - Africa - New Cheetah Exhibit

Tomorrow on June 29 the zoo will open its largest exhibit ever, Africa. Africa will will be an 8 acre complex featuring the wild beauties of the African Savannah.
2008: Phase 1: Giraffe Ridge - Masai Giraffes
2010: Phase 2: Cheetah Encounter + Greater Flamingo
2013: Phase 3: Lions, Cheetahs, and Vultures
2014: Phase 4: Grevy\'s Zebras/Giant Elands/Gazelles/Ostriches/Crowned Cranes/Marabou Stork
2015: Phase 5: African Wild Dogs + Red River Hogs + Nile Crocodiles + Hippopotamuses

Looks like a lush exhibit! Hopefully the cheetahs won't ruin it in the next couple years. What are the yellow nest-looking things in the trees?

Those are fake weaverbird nests.

http://www.zoochat.com/556/jun-2013-africa-weaverbird-signs-326586/

I don't know how I feel about those. What do you think of them?

I like the idea because the signs shows the interesting story of why they are made. I just wish that they actually had weaverbirds.

I was at the zoo tonight for member's night, and I think that with the sign, the weaver bird nests are a nice touch. There was a family reading the sign while I was there, and they seemed very intrigued by the fact that the birds were able to build such structures.

Haha! In their defense the sign doesn't say where weaverbirds are from and some people will think they were actually built by birds.

What did you think of Africa Kudu? Do you want to know the two secrets that I have that you might like?

Are the vultures part of this phase or next year's phase?

We have fake weaver nests like this in Expedition Tanzania (elephant exhibit at Reid Park Zoo). Of course we also have real golden weavers in our walk-in aviary that sometimes build real nests like that.

I wasn't speaking negatively of the people, I was just trying to say that I think that the nests are of interest to the public and are serving their educational purpose.

Well, it was incredibly busy and I didn't get a real good luck, but I have to say that I quite liked what I saw. I mean, I guess we'll have to see what becomes of the vulture island, but besides that, I felt that it was nicely done. As far as your secrets, I would love to hear them. I have a feeling I might know what they are as I've heard rumors, but it'd be nice to know whether or not they're true.

As far as the vultures go, I'm rather confused by that as well. The zoo's website makes it seem as if they are supposed to go on exhibit with this phase, but I'm not sure that this is what will happen. There was a docent talking to a group of people in front of the island, but I couldn't hear what was being discussed.