I have been doing a lot of thinking for some of these species, and I'm not sure what the best exhibits are for some species (if there are any great exhibits for them) , so i would like to hear what you think is the best exhibits for these species - Fossa- Rhino- Black bear- Chimpanzee- (not including bonobos) Orangutan- Seal/ sea lion- Otters (any species)- Hippo (Nile or Pygmy)- American Alligator- African penguin- Capybara- Ocelot- Koala- Wolf- Any other species, please add!
Fossa- Marwell Wildlife Park Rhino- Tsavo at Chester Zoo Black bear- Drive-Through at Woburn Chimpanzee- Budongo at Edinburgh Zoo Orangutan- Realm of the Red Ape at Chester Zoo Seal/ sea lion- Active Oceans at Blackpool Zoo Giant Otter- Giant Otters at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Not including the indoors) ASCO- Realm of the Red Ape at Chester Zoo (When mixed with Babirusa or the Bornean Orangs) Nile Hippo- Hippo Lagoon at Flamingo Land Pygmy Hippo- Heart of Africa at ZSL London Zoo American Alligator- Crocodiles of the World African penguin- Living Coasts Capybara- Mixed exhibit with Giant Anteater at Chester Zoo Ocelot- Birmingham Nature Centre Koala- Edinburgh Zoo Wolf- Iberian Wolves at Blackpool Zoo
Well if you were going to include Bonobos, Columbus takes the trophy by quite a bit. I've seen the four out of the five (?) Bonobo exhibits in the US: San Diego, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, and of course Columbus. Cincinnati's is large, very tropical feeling, and a wonderful indoor exhibit. San Diego's is narrow, filled with many climbing opportunities but doesn't tower over the other two. Columbus's is massive, very lush to the point where it's impossible on some days to find them, and they can climb some natural trees. The two best of their kind that I've seen so far are both in St. Louis, their orangutan and we lion exhibits. SeaWorld Orlando's is quite spectacular as well. From what I've heard, Birmingham has the best hippo exhibit, which is also a multi-acre elephant exhibit.
I mostly agree with MagpieGoose on the best exhibits but I think that the hippo enclosure that I have seen in Copenhagen was by far one of the best hippo exhibits that I have seen.
Black Bear - Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Brown Bear - The Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center Bald Eagle - The Alaska Zoo
I read your list and at first thought' surely not' for several species: fossa, Ocelot and pygmy Hippo immediately struck me as poor choices. However on reflection, although I don't regard any of these as particularly good, I can't think of a better one in the UK for any of those 3, I don't think that's a compliment to those exhibits though! Interesting you chose Realm of the Red Ape over Islands at Chester for Orangutan! Personally, I wouldn't have chosen ROTRA before Islands opened! Most of the other choices I can't really argue with. Some there is little or even No choice!
I was just going fro ones I'd seen personally. I agree they aren't the best exhibits but i'm yet to see better. I prefer ROTRA as I feel it provides more height and probably indoor space for the orang-utans. I don't have anything against the exhibit in Islands but although viewing is not so good in both exhibits (Don't get me wrong there's plenty of viewing area but I think it could have been designed better) I just think in Islands too much (Invertebrate exhibits) is crammed into one half of the building.
As I said, I couldn't think of better exhibits for the first 3 species, so I wasn't questioning or criticising your choices! I've never thought much to ROTRA from a visitor perspective ( particularly the outside enclosures) so maybe I'm biased! I think viewing of the outside is vastly superior in Islands and you don't have that ugly prison yard wall!
No mention of San Diego and since they were including pygmy hippos, Louisville should have been in there as well.
Fossa-Lakeland Wildlife Oasis,currently the only collection I have been to that has Fossa Rhino-Tsavo at Chester Chimps-ZSL Whipsnade Orang-utans-Chester Realm of the Red Ape Seals/Sealion-Blackpool zoo Otters-Giant River otters at Chester Zoo American Alligator-Australian Reptile Park Capybara-Chester Zoo Koala-Australian Reptile Park Wolves-Blackpool Zoo Out of the list I have set to see include Black bears,Hippos,Ocelots and African penguins.
Although I wouldn't call it one of the best since they have no outdoor opportunities, the exhibit is still nice and provides great underwater views for visitors.
