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Best Exhibit Zones Dedicated to Geographical Area?

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Emanuel Theodorus, 14 Feb 2020.

  1. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    So, Zoochatters, in your opinion, which zoos have best zones dedicated for these geographical area below?
    1. North America

    2. South America

    3. Africa

    4. Asia

    5. Europe

    6. Australia

    7. Arctic/Antarctica
     
  2. Pleistohorse

    Pleistohorse Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    1. Northwest Trek

    5. Wildparks Gangelt and Hanau
     
  3. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Of the ones I have seen:

    1. Minnesota Trail - Minnesota Zoo

    2. Amazon Rising - Shedd Aquarium

    3. Wild Africa - Binder Park Zoo

    4. Asia Quest - Columbus Zoo

    5. I've never seen a European complex...

    6. Australia (including Roadhouse) - Columbus Zoo

    7. Polar Frontier - Columbus Zoo

    Honorable Mentions:

    For #1, Wildlife Habi-Trek at Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary and North America at Columbus Zoo, as well as the entirety of Wildwood Zoo.

    For #3, Habitat Africa! at Brookfield Zoo and Heart of Africa and Congo Expedition at Columbus Zoo

    For #4, Russia's Grizzly Coast at Minnesota Zoo.

    For #7, Arctic Passage at Henry Vilas Zoo, Penguin and Puffin Coast at Saint Louis Zoo, and Polar Play Zone at Shedd Aquarium
     
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  4. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Come to think about it, seems a zone dedicated to European Animals are rather rare in zoos.
     
  5. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    1. Northwest Trek
    2. Vincennes/Chester/LA
    3. Bioparc Valencia
    4. Rotterdam
    5. Alpenzoo Innsbruck
    6. Taronga/Perth
    7. Hannover?
     
  6. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    So, I've never been to these zoos, but judging by the pictures and what the people said, I think these might be a contender:
    2: Jacksonville,
    3: DAK, Columbus, Bronx, Cincinnati, Dallas
    4: Knoxville, National Zoo, Bronx, DAK
    7: Detroit, Louisville
     
  7. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    2. Jacksonville is superb
    3. Disney has a good African area but not with great species variety. I'm pretty sure Valencia or Dvur Kralove have got to take theis one given they are literally based on Africa uniquely. Bronx is mentioned I'm assuming because of CGF, but the rest of the African exhibits aren't very impressive I believe. Cincinnati would be a contender were Valencia not to exist :)
    4. Don't think the National zoo can really compete with some of the European zoos' representations. For example Rotterdam, Beauval, Magdeburg, Leipzig and Chester all have very good Asian areas, especially the first 3. Leipzig has Chinese pangolins so that automatically took it into the top 5 :D
    7. Agreed that Detroit is probably the best
     
  8. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Really? I mean, Disney has like tons of animals on top of my head when I think about Africa. And the fact that they dedicate over 110 acres to their animals in Kilimanjaro Safaris says a lot. I'm kinda wondering how Valencia and Dvur Kralove could possibly overtop Disney? And yes, I meant Congo Gorilla Forest as for Bronx.
     
  9. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Have you been to Valencia? The whole zoo is based on Africa...
    DAK has 27 African mammal species - Valencia has 51 species and Dvur Kralove has 91 species. Valencia has its species in IMO better enclosures than anything at Disney - here are a few pics:

    Chimps:
    [​IMG]

    Drill, Sitatunga and Pygmy hippo:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    African plains exhibit:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Banded mongoose exhibit:
    [​IMG]

    Rhino, ostrich, zebra exhibit:
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  10. savetherhino

    savetherhino Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Arctic Ring of Life at Detroit looks impressive
     
  11. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Hot damn! Guess I should've put a bit more research on that zoo. It looks gorgeous! I kinda wonder how the Nile Hippo and African Elephant exhibit looks like though. And, nope. never really been there, only heard its some of the best zoos in Europe.
     
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  12. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Nile hippo:

    [​IMG]

    African elephant:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
  13. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    That's probably hands down the best exhibits I've ever seen! Say, do they have African Leopard or Cape Buffalo? That would be a dream african zoo if they have both!
     
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  14. amur leopard

    amur leopard Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    They have Sri lankan leopards acting as Africans for the purposes of conservation, and Forest buffalos.
     
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  15. Emanuel Theodorus

    Emanuel Theodorus Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    That's a dream african zoo right there! If I could visit Spain, this is probably on my top of bucket list.
     
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  16. Penshet

    Penshet Well-Known Member

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    And rightfully so, since it is one of the best zoos Spain has to offer. However, I don't think that it's perfect, or even the greatest representation of Africa around in European zoos. A few enclosures are too small (that Nile hippo enclosure is awful for three hippos, the lions sit around in a fairly small enclosure as well and I suspect the elephant enclosure looks a lot bigger than it actually is), and many enclosures are almost completely devoid of shade - worst offenders here are the gorilla and chimp enclosures, and the main savannah.

    There are areas that are great though. The Malagasy part is superb, the combination exhibit of pygmy hippos, drills, pelicans etc is unique and seems to do pretty well, and their flight show is magnificent as well. The African vibe is also very much present, but in my opinion often seemed fake and over the top.

    Anyway my list, only counting zoos I've visited
    1. Burgers' Desert
    2. Burgers' Mangrove
    3. Congo Gorilla Forest at Bronx
    4. Rainforest House at Tiergarten Schönbrunn
    5. European Vivarium at Paris Zoological Park
    6. Probably Budapests Australian area? Even though the theming doesn't immediately evoke Australia, they probably have the most comprehensive Australian collection in Europe.
    7. Eismeer at Tierpark Hagenbeck
     
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  17. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    Restricting myself to collections I have visited.

    1. North America -
    Burgers' Desert or Plzen's North American Zone

    2. South America - the loose "South American Zone" at Chester

    3. Africa - the entirety of Dvur Kralove

    4. Asia - Islands at Chester

    5. Europe - Alpenzoo Innsbruck or Plzen's European Zone.

    6. Australia
    - (I'll have to think about this one)

    7. Arctic/Antarctica - Eismeer at Tierpark Hagenbeck


    It's nowhere as good as it looks, or as good as it should be given the entire zoo is a new build and therefore they don't have the justification of fitting into older structures - however, it *is* one of the best collections in the Iberian Peninsula, and probably the only example of the "ridiculously overthemed" flavour of zoo which I have found myself truly enjoying. The only reason I didn't list it above is that Dvur is just that much better (and it isn't painfully overthemed either).

    I'll have to root out the conversation, but I think when the topic arose once it turned out to be in 3rd or 4th place actually :)
     
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  18. Penshet

    Penshet Well-Known Member

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    I agree completely with you TLD, there is no excuse for the lower-standard enclosures in Valencia. I've never been to Dvur so I can't compare really.
    The theming at the bioparc is weird. They want to try to replicate Africa, but on the other hand they have perfectly manicured lawns.

    I'd love to read that discussion! Budapest definitely is the biggest Australian collection I've visited, and I'd be interested to know which ones would be bigger.
     
  19. birdsandbats

    birdsandbats Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Not when you don't see a bear.
     
  20. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    Can't find it at present, but running through various collections in my head I've come up with the following in terms of Australian and/or New Guinean mammals:

    Hamerton - 15 taxa
    Plzen - 15 taxa
    Jihlava - 11 taxa
    Prague - 10 taxa
    Budapest - 10 taxa
    Duisburg - 9 taxa
    Frankfurt - 7 taxa