The new hippo exhibit is now completely finished, and does anyone know what is happening with this now-empty enclosure?
I'm not sure what's being done with it short-term, but in the long term that whole area is supposed to become the new children's zoo.
I believe they are taking out the animals in the paddocks and moving them to other places in the zoo. The Okapi went to the paddock where the Giant Anteater used to be. And I believe the Ostrich, who took up the old Elephant yard, is mixed in one of the African yards.
Conveniently the zoo has updated their website to answer your question! Philadelphia Zoo - The Hamilton Family Children's Zoo & Education Center Under the video/photo section there is a video which contains some concept sketches of the new Children's Zoo.
Thanks for the link! Philadelphia Zoo actually has one of the least attractive and most outdated children's zoos of any major American zoo and so I was thrilled to read about the redevelopment about a year ago. Did the zoo just post the new information on its website within the last 24 hours? I already know for sure that there are a few American zoos, as well as at least 2 high profile European zoos, who have their resource managers/website technicians/directors/etc monitor ZooChat and it always intrigues me to know that some zoos actually pay attention to what is discussed on this site. However, I sometimes wonder how impressed those zoo officials are when I post a scathing review of an institution on one of my road trip threads.
I remember from my visit that the okapi was one of the very few enclosures I didn't like so is the anteater paddock any bigger / better as I dont remember it?
The okapi is actually going to the exhibit where the patagonian cavy and capybaras used to be. They're re-doing it some, but the size isn't great from I recall.
The capybara exhibit is combined with the giant anteater exhibit for one big exhibit for the okapi. Fresh grass is planted in it. fkalltheway showed me a picture and it looks pretty good. An improvement for its last exhibit!
