Red Panda 02

Little guy was walking around quite a bit in the former Clouded Leopard exhibit.

Movement in the clouded leopard exhibit? No I just cant believe it. LOL

This is another amazing picture! I still hope they're replaced by another animal sometime soon so they can move back to their exhibit in Eurasia.

Im betting they wont move back until May unless something else can be found and sourced quick to replace them. The Malayan Woods really doesnt have anything to offer without the butterflies and an interesting mammal. The birds are in a crummy cage that I find impossible to take a photo through (yes I suck that much). And the snake isnt enough either to make stopping worthwhile.

Yeah, they really need to find a suitible replacement for the clouded leopard, if the Red Pandas are going back to their exhibit in the spring.

And don't worry TZFan, it's damn near impossible to get a decent photo of those birds in that horribly lit cage.

No kidding. I think the zoo might want to consider gutting the Malayan Woods and start again. Eventually that section of the zoo needs to be redone so why not start with the woods while there is really nothing their. The birds and snake could be easily moved. The giant fish could be moved too and probably should be anyway. Theres no butterflies at the moment. Gut it or knock it down and start again... Im inclined to do this. Make it bigger. I like the walkthrough so it would be nice for it to be bigger and have birds that can be in a free flight aviary with the butterflies. I wouldnt return the fish. I would add a big otter tank and add asian otters (cheaper plan be just put them in a completely renovated leopard exhibit). The building would have space for two clouded leopard exhibits (a regular one for the adults and a nursery one for cubs which are always hand reared anyway). Lighting would be improved. More natural light for all spaces.

But if its as usual on the zoos cheap side. Get rid of the bird cages. If they cant be with people or will eat the butterflies get in or swap with the pavilion different birds that will do well in that setting. Switch the big fish out for some smaller more colourful ones. Bring in more light for the exhibits. Add the new species (I'd like more leopards but Im open). And whatever the new species is bump out the outdoor holding to the side of the building so people could potentially see them outside. Sure its wasted space in the winter given the climate the new animal would be from but in the spring, summer and fall it would give the animal a chance to be outside but still be on display.

I'm all for gutting and/or expanding the size of the Malayan Woods. It can be so much better than what it is now.

If were going all out though I would swap all of the malayan woods into an expanded and better utlized Indo Malayan pavilion. I'd also like the tapir and babirusa moved into the pavilion too. That would free up space for other indian animals. Maybe so blackbuck, nilgia, langurs and sloth bears. The blackbucks and nilgia could move in with the rhinos. Their yards will swing back into the tarh exhibit (they are on the outs anyway). A renoed lion tailed macaque exhibit could house them and the langurs. And then a nice big sloth bear exhibit where thats across from the adjusted rhino yard. The woods could then be made into a single free flight aviary with lots of trees, a pond in the center for ducks. The birds would be picked so they wont eat the butterflies. Along the walls where people could move close they could also have Indian reptiles, amphibians and fish. It would also be the winter home of the peacocks.

Indo Malaya would become home to all of the tropical asian animals.

The Malayan Woods is probably my least favourite area of the zoo, and even though I would like to see it demolished to make way for more Indomalaya outdoor exhibits, the Zoo would probably never do that. If more clouded leopards can't be sourced, I would like to see small clawed otters, fishing cats, or binturongs brought in. If none of those species could be acquired, I would also like to see a mixed species exhibit with flying foxes and mouse deer. A new species of crocodilian would be nice too. There are so many possibilities for this exhibit!