PAt, does the average visitor want all this- they just want animals when they go to the zoo, it's nice for them t see orangs in a sanctuary, and elephants on the edge of a forest, but how mnay visirs go, um where the forest. The visior sees fences, and a bit of scenary behind and go well theres the edge. And how possible is it to create a rainforest in the zoo, just to create and edge of forest feel. I think the desugners did well with the orginality of TOE, unlike taronga, the site fr TOE has a abckdrop of larger trees beyond the fence, and surrouding apthways, and leading into each exhibit. i actually think the designes did well to incorporate the site. they could ahev bulldozed the lot of it and planted all topical plants.
I agree that the orang-utan exhibit is made on too much high ground. In my personall opion i think that the poles are too high and there aren't enough platforms. But i'm no orang keeper
I was under the influence that the village paddock represents domestic elephants living in the and the other two are meant to be wild elephants on the outskirts of the village
Really if so i think Kapah and Bong su should be the locals because they are long time residents, but then again Bong Su is a bull and he is usually in the far paddock
I've been maybe four times with the new thai elephants and Bongy, as i like to call him, is always alone in the village paddock and all of the cows get the other two exhibits.
Your right contact with him is only between Dokkoon for breeding and Mek Kapah some times because the two are best friends
Is there anyway to change your name on this site 'cos when i signed up i didn't know there was a patrick and it's kinda confusing. I want to be called Bong-Su and i'll get a good picture of him one day.
PAt, does the average visitor want all this- they just want animals when they go to the zoo, it's nice for them t see orangs in a sanctuary, and elephants on the edge of a forest, but how mnay visirs go, um where the forest. The visior sees fences, and a bit of scenary behind and go well theres the edge. And how possible is it to create a rainforest in the zoo, just to create and edge of forest feel. I think the desugners did well with the orginality of TOE, unlike taronga, the site fr TOE has a abckdrop of larger trees beyond the fence, and surrouding apthways, and leading into each exhibit. i actually think the designes did well to incorporate the site. they could ahev bulldozed the lot of it and planted all topical plants. quote zooboy i agree that the zoo did a good job on TOE, but i also agree with Patrick and disagree with you zooboy on your point about visitor expectations. at its most basic level, yes, zoogoers are going to see animals. but they also want to see animals in naturalistic habitats. zoos are keeping in check with visitor opinion. if zoogoers didnt want this zoos would never have progressed from the concrete era to the point where they are now; anticipating and self-regulating their evolution. i think the immersion of cultural elements into zoo exhibits is important, but only where and when it is approtriate to the themes being interpreted. in Melbourne' Asian section the cultural representations are good, but emphais must also be placed on recreating natural habitat too, otherwise zoos run the risk of presenting every species in the context of a human environment. the point needs to be made that whilst some species are clearly and obviously impacted upon by humans, and in some cases have special significance culurally, that animals also exist in natural habitats too. habitats that are intrinsically beautiful, worthy of saving and inspiring.
I over heard keepers saying that the Baboons aren't going to be in a cage much longer. But then they walked away. Perhaps they are planning an exhibit such as the great rift valley of ethiopia in singapore zoo. I they did that would be an attaction won't it? ( That zoo is so amazing)
I've recently been reading some of the FOTZ Zoo News Magazines which I found stashed away in my house, dated between 1994-2003. Particularly between 1997-2000, the "Melbourne on the Move" frequently referenced a Master Plan established by the Zoo in 1987, and featured in (according to a 1998 issue) Zoo News, Vol 9 No. 1, March 1989 (Master planning- Towards the 21st Century). The only information I've found in the magazines in regards to the initial plans is that the Zoo initially planned to divide the grounds up into bioclimaic zones (which is well known), with one edition stating that the zoo intended to creat an African (complete), Asian (complete) and Australian rainforest; GFA (already existing); eucalyptus woods(complete); an arid Australian zone; savannah and mountain zones. I haven't been able to find any other details via internet or other magazines (the masterplan is generally only mentioned). Does anyone have more detailed information regarding the initial plans?
According to one FOTZ News edition the Australian Rainforest was to be built between the proposed site of the elephant exhibit and GFA (i.e. where the Tree Kangaroos and cassowaries used to be); with the GFA to act as a transition point between the rainforest and woodlands habitats. Presumably the Zoo did not excpect the Trail of the Elephants to be so large. Following the completion of the Australian Bush in 1998, a number of editions spoke of the Zoo's short-term plans; the new elephant exhibit, an Orang-Utan exhibit between the Tigers and Butterfly House (where ther Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies formely resided) and Stage 2 of the Australian Bush; which was supposed to be an arid zone with corresponding fauna and flora. All of these plans were continuously refernced between 1998-2001; though folowing that, no explanation was made as to why Stage 2 of the Australian Bush never went ahead and why the Orang-Utan site moved. Does any one know why these occurred (surely stage 2 did not mean the small and short-lived exhibits housing macropods in the former buffalo exhibit (i.e. the one from 12 years ago-not the one from 4 years ago); nor the refurbishment of the red Kangaroo exhibit and establishment of that arid area which leads into the Australian Bush, as these are only minor developments). Most of the Issues also listed macropods which were despatched, but likely to return when exhibits were constructed. Will we ever see them again (i.e. Brush-tailed rock Wallabies, potoroos, Whiptail wallabies, parma wallabies, dorcopsis etc.)?
Is there really rats in there? I've never seen any. I'll look out for them next time i'm there.......Hopefully this weekend. It's two hours away (three if it's bad traffic) but i'm set on getting a picture of the baboon cage for everybody.
