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Bronx Zoo Bronx Zoo Review

Discussion in 'United States' started by GraysonDP, 24 Jan 2016.

  1. GraysonDP

    GraysonDP Well-Known Member

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    Bronx Zoo Review

    This is the first of a series of reviews that I’m doing of zoological institutions that I have seen over the course of the last two years. The Bronx Zoo is my favorite zoo in the country and of the ones I’m visited my pick for the best (even over San Diego.) As an intern in New York City during the summer of 2014, I had a pass to the zoo and visited several times. Having a pass and going multiple did lessen the impact on my experience of arguably the largest complaint of this zoo on this site- that it’s quite difficult to see everything in one day. With 265 acres, many exhibits that cost extra, tons of buildings and extensive complexes and not the most accommodatable hours of operation experiencing all this zoo has to offer in one day can be quite a rat race and combined with its isolation from touristy attractions it’s hard to visit properly on a short vacation to New York.
    The Bronx Zoo is renowned for its pioneering immersive exhibits ever since it revolutionized the zoo world by opening its predator-prey African Plains exhibit in 1940 where for the first time the lions appeared to share the same habitat as zebras and antelope (ironically much better than Milwaukee’s 20 years later.) Under the leadership and vision of the legendary zoo director Bill Conway Bronx was at the absolute forefront of zoo exhibitry from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s cumulating in the universally praised Congo Gorilla Forest. Some qualities that make the exhibits of this zoo unique are the prevalent conversation messages around the zoo (especially in CGF), their immersion, the specificness of the habitats in relation to others zoos (e.g.- the Himalayas, Madagascar, Congo and Ethiopian highlands rather than just standard Africa, Asia, etc.) and the green forested nature of the zoo’s property. Most of the exhibits are above average, many are state-of-the-art and few are poor. However, most are not new. Since Conway’s retirement, the zoo has silently stagnated in many ways and Tiger Mountain, Madagascar and the renovated Children’s Zoo are the only major exhibits to open since his retirement in 1999. Even more discouraging, there has not been much evidence a major complex is planned in the near future and it appears quite possible polar bears and elephants won’t be in the zoo’s collection in future decades.
    Excellent
    Congo Gorilla Forest- In my book, the best replication of any natural habitat done at any zoo in the world. While of the ones I’ve seen I would consider San Diego, Lincoln Park, Dallas, Animal Kingdom, Busch Gardens and North Carolina to have excellent gorilla exhibits (and from pics Houston, Woodland Park, Saint Louis, Louisville and Sedgwick County seem to have as well), this one is definitely the gold standard and opened in 1999. From the visitor’s perspective, you are literally surrounded by gorillas when walking through a tunnel and the glass is all that prevents you from being able to touch the great apes. For the apes, the exhibit takes naturalism to a new level. The vegetation is dense, the enriching details are realistic and everything the gorillas touch is purely natural. It actually replicates a RAINFOREST (something zoos in Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Washington DC, London, Jacksonville and Miami fail miserably on) and a damn good one! There are tons of trees for the apes to climb on, elusive corners for them to hide in and space for them to move around in. The bands of gorillas are very large and the exhibit is a mecca for babies. It’s a rare treat to see the apes in such a naturalistic environment and social structure. Even the most casual visitors don’t just stare at the gorillas for second and actually take the time to stand and watch the animals act as they would in the wild.
    Gorillas aren’t the only species that have excellent exhibits in the complex. An elusive forested habitat with great width houses okapis and duikers. I’ve seen the ghosts of the forests in grassy habitats that don’t look anything like a rainforest in Maryland and Jacksonville so this cover and depth is refreshing. Colobus monkeys have plenty of climbing opportunities and an immersive environment that shames any zoo that keeps these primates in glorified cages. Mandrills, red river hogs and DeBrazza’s monkeys also have a spacious, realistic habitat. Finally, a favorite aspect of CGF to me is the strong conservation message present in every inch of the exhibit. The complex more than any other in the US enlightens visitors to the plight of the Congo rainforest and uses interactive methods to make the visitors involved in the cause. Pure exhibit gold.
    Tiger Mountain- While not as large or unusual as Congo Gorilla Forest, the orange and black striped cats also have a world-class exhibit with a strong conservation message. Opened in 2003, Siberian tigers have two large spacious yards viewed by visitors through roofed huts. The habitats go far back and visitors have a panoramic view of them. One habitat is very green and has several trees that allow cover and shade with a clearing in the center. One thing I appreciate about this exhibit is that it recreates the environment Siberian tigers would specifically inhabit rather than just a generic representation of what the public imagines tigers to live in. Fallen over logs and balls give the tigers enrichment and the scope of the habitat allows them plenty of room to roam. The other habitat has a nice body of water only separated from the visitors by glass that allows the tigers to swim. The pool is quite large and fits in well with the realistic environment. The vegetation in the back is more dense in this yard than in the other. Both are excellent habitats and the choice of the two allows the tigers a enriching, naturalistic lifestyle. A base camp allows visitors to learn about problems related to hunting and logging tigers face in the wild.
    Madagascar- A complete overall of the interior of the old lion house in 2008, Madagascar is a worthy addition to the zoo and shows a wide variety of lemurs in naturalistic habitats. Once again, the exhibit does a good job of replicating the natural habitat of the primates and takes the visitors into their environment. The lemurs have plenty of opportunities to climb and move around. My one problem with this exhibit is the Nile crocodiles could have more room to roam but mostly it’s top notch.
    Himalayan Highlands- Opened in 1986, this was the first immersive exhibit dedicated to animals from the Himalayas in the U.S. and is still probably the best snow leopard complex in the country. While one of the two habitats is a bit small, one is quite spacious and both do an excellent job at using rocks, vegetation and elevation to allow the snow leopards to live as they would in the wild and find enrichment. The vegetation is quite mature and the rockwork looks naturalistic and a far cry from the notorious cartoonish Milwaukee rock that dominated zoo exhibits in the 60s. Also, the habitats make the ridiculous glorified cages at many top notch zoos for leopards look despicable. Next door, red pandas have a stellar exhibit with lots of climbing opportunities and vegetation. Cranes have a good exhibit nearby.
    Baboon Reserve- A massive 2-acre habitat built in 1990 for Hamadryas baboons, ibexes and hyraxes recreating the Ethiopian highlands. I love this exhibit for taking a specific, nonobvious habitat without a marquee zoo animal and blowing the world away with it. It’s huge! The exhibit can be overlooked from an African village and its vast hilly landscape includes rocks for the baboons to sit on. One of my all-time favorite mixed species exhibits and I don’t know of anything like it.
    African Plains- This complex of habitats first opened in 1940 but was significantly expanded over the 1970s and 80s. While not the flashiest, I still think it’s one of the best African exhibits in the nation. The complex starts with a large grassy exhibit for a large herd of nyala, a rareity in the zoo world. Trees and a pond add immersive qualities to the exhibit although some will resent the present of free-roaming peacocks in the yard. Up next is a dry yard for Soemmering’s gazelles of decent size. Across from it is a kopje habitat for a pride of lions. The exhibit is above average size if not enormous, very rocky and full of natural substrate. Zebras, lesser kudus, Thomson’s gazelles and birds have large green open grasslands that are fairly naturalistic. At the back is the best of the lot- a large, shaded and grassy exhibit for giraffes and ostriches that has tons of trees. I love this exhibit because it actually shows the tall giants in a wooded habitat rather than just the usual plains biome. The zoo’s herd of giraffes is enormous and the panoramic viewing spaces give visitors a great view at the animals. In my book a top ten giraffe exhibit in the nation. Spotted hyenas and African wild dogs have immersive habitats with a fair amount of trees, hiding spots and space. The Carter Giraffe Building will be reviewed separately.
    JungleWorld- Opened in 1985, JungleWorld was revolutionary and groundbreaking in its day. Parts of it aren’t as unbelievable now but as a whole it holds up relatively well. The complex is very realistic and brings visitors into Southeast Asia. Asian small-clawed otters live in an immersive stream while langurs frolic in a nice exhibit with tons of climbing opportunities. Malayan tapirs live in an all-indoor habitat and while I personally think they should be moved to Wild Asia they have a decent level of space and naturalism. An exhibit for tree kangaroos is less impressive and a ridiculously small black leopard enclosure is a disaster, a rare one for this zoo.
    Sea Bird Colony- Instead of showing penguins in the traditional Arctic habitat, this one recreates a South American coast and has a large, open-topped aquatic exhibit for magellanic penguins, pelicans and other birds. A solid enclosure that opened in 1997.
    Wild Asia- Opened in 1977, this exhibit must have been unbelievable in its day but is still above average. It is viewed from a monorail and unfortunately visitors don’t get much time to look at the animals. Barasinga deer, gaur, axis deer, Preswalski’s wild horse, brow-antlered deer and banteng live in extremely realistic, immersive habitats with tons of grass, trees, space and shade. These have to be the best exhibits for Asian hoofstock anywhere. A shaded Indian rhinoceros exhibit with a spectacular wallow and lots of trees is also top-notch and has had great breeding success in the past. Babirusas live in a smaller shaded habitat that’s still much larger than what the species is given at most institutions and a Siberian tiger lives in a forested habitat lacking the proximity to visitors found in Tiger Mountain. The most significant and prone with uncertainty section of the complex is the Asian elephant exhibit, which is about 1.5 acres large. A large pool is on the left of the habitat and a good amount of shade and trees is present in the rest of the exhibit. The one minute view of the habitat is clearly not enough for the visitors to view arguably the zoo’s most popular animal and 10 years ago the zoo announced it would phase out the species after the zoo was down to one. While some have doubted(including me) that the zoo will actually follow through with being done with the pachyderms forever, the institution has done a good job at keeping the animals remote and inaccessible for many visitors since the ride costs extra and the monorail is closed from October to April. While by no means state of the art especially compared to Asian elephant exhibits in Saint Louis and Oregon, the exhibit is ultimately decent and one of the better ones in the country. The program has been chastised by animal rights groups, especially for the isolation of Happy who doesn’t get along with Patty and Maxine. I’m still hopeful that the zoo will change its mind and build a state of the art exhibit for Asian elephants either in Wild Asia or on the site of the former Rare Animal Range. This exhibit complex has a soft spot for me since it does a good job at representing the diversity of large Asian animals, something done at way too few zoos (sometimes I feel tigers and orangutans are the only large Asian animals anyone cares about since Asian elephants and Indian rhinos are often snubbed for their African counterparts and Asian hoofstock species don’t stand a chance against giraffes and zebras to most visitors.)
    Bison and Pere David’s Deer Habitats- Although not in a themed zone, these exhibits are two of my favorites at the zoo. Opened in 1971 and showcasing the species the zoo saved from the brink of extinction, Bison Range is vast and allows the visitors to view the animals from up high and across water. The herd is quite large and can be seen either roaming or laying down in the grass. Opened in 1994, the Pere David’s deer yard is equally impressive and allows the hoofed animals to wade in a large body of water with a forested grassland behind.
    Average
    World of Birds- Opened in 1972, World of Birds is a building with quite dated architecture. The collection is great but the enclosures rate from top-notch to substandard. A good complex but not a great one.
    Zoo Center- A hodgepodge with white rhinos on one side and Komodo dragons on the other. Inhabiting the former elephant exhibit which was renovated in 1989, the rhino brothers have a decent amount of space and can be viewed through a forest clearing. Not necessarily replicating of their southern African habitat but good enough. In 2014, Komodo dragons returned to the zoo after a 55 year absence. They live in a solid, dark exhibit with good viewing opportunities.
    Reptile House- The zoo’s oldest exhibit having opened in 1898. The terrariums are nice and vegetated but the exhibitry is not as good as reptile houses in Fort Worth, San Diego or Detroit.
    Mouse House- A fairly standard building with habitats for a variety of small mammals.
    Birds of Prey- Typical raptor habitats that are weak compared to the other exhibits at the zoo.
    Grizzly Bear Habitat- Built in 1968, this grizzly bear exhibit is leagues ahead of grottoes found at other zoos in its day. The enclosure is averaged sized but has a wide variety of rocks and elevation changes to give the bears enrichment. It isn’t very attractive for the visitors but is entirely adequate for the bears.
    Weak
    Polar Bear Exhibit- Built at the same time as the grizzly bear exhibit, this is the absolute worst and only truly weak habitat for a marquee species found at this excellent zoo. The ugly fake white and gray cement is everywhere, the space is far too small and it gives nothing to enrich the wellbeing of the bears. I’ve seen excellent polar bear exhibits in Detroit, Columbus and North Carolina and good ones in San Diego, Brookfield, Philadelphia, Memphis and Maryland and this is honestly one of the worst I’ve ever seen. Only one bear is left and I have a bad feeling the zoo is going to opt for the phase out option rather than spend millions for a new complex.
    Carter Giraffe Building- While the giraffes have an excellent outdoor habitat, their indoor one is embarrassing.
    Lack of Productively for the Last Five Years- After being at the top of the playing field for a century, I’m all too afraid there are signs Bronx is going to recede in the future. Madagascar was the last major complex to open and that was seven years ago and no ground has broken for a new complex. I don’t understand it- it’s a world-class zoo in the biggest, richest city in the country and is affiliated with an excellent conservation organization but it appears to have stagnated. I still believe it’s the best zoo in the nation but Saint Louis, Columbus and Omaha are certainly building the complexes to catch up.

    So there you have a comprehensive review of my favorite zoological institution and the zoo that has paved the way for hundreds of excellent immersive exhibits around the world. Besides the ones I’ve mentioned already, the only complaint I have for its zoo is its lack of proper representation for South American and Australian habitats although the renovated Children’s Zoo has helped the former. If you have any other thoughts about Bronx or ideas about where it should go in the future post them here.
     
  2. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Very good review and I'm glad you enjoyed the zoo so much. It is also my favorite zoo and I visit several times a year, though unfortunately I've been unable to visit San Diego and many of the other top notch zoos in the country.

    I know you visited in 2014 and thus some of things might not have been true yet but I have a couple of corrections and comments:

    -I know the signage is still there but there haven't been duikers or DeBrazza's Monkeys in CGF for years now. The Maxwell's Duikers were moved to the Carter Giraffe Building and the monkeys likely died out. The are also Red-Flanked Duikers in African Plains now, though they wouldn't have been there in 2014.
    -While not always, the zoo sometimes puts their Malayan Tigers on-exhibit in Tiger Mountain in the second enclosure. Fun fact, the two enclosures are actually connected by a door so sometimes you'll have animals separated in the two and other times you'll have them be able to freely go between them.
    -There are actually three Snow Leopard enclosures in Himalayan Highlands.
    -Bronx keeps Slender-Horned Gazelles, not Soemmerring's Gazelles. Also, I believe that enclosure rotates between Slender-Horned Gazlles/Red-Flanked Duikers and more Lowland Nyala.
    -Personally I think the Lion enclosure is just average. I find it to be too small for a small pride.
    -The Malayan Tapir enclosure I also find too small and I agree that they should move them elsewhere.
    -I don't think the Leopard enclosure in JungleWorld is awful. It has some good height to it and the cats can move around a bit but width-wise it's too too skinny and should hold a small species.
    -Slight correction, the SeaBird Aviary is not open-topped, just high-netted:p
    -Bronx does not keep Banteng.
    -I'm kind of surprised you think World of Birds is only average. It has an amazing collection spanning two floors and some really solid enclosures. It's not perfect but still a pretty great building.
    -Not sure if these were all open when you visited but the zoo also has an outdoor Komodo Dragon yard, an outdoor yard for Aldabra Giant Tortoises, and three indoor enclosures for smaller monitor species.
    -Personally I think the Brown Bear enclosure is amazing and certainly one of the best in the country. I agree on the Polar Bear enclosure, though.

    As for why Bronx has been so stagnant lately, the short answer is pretty simple: New York City slashed their funding. The result of which caused them to cut their collection back and close down several exhibit such as World of Darkness and Rare Animal Range. Also, as you mention they are run by a huge, worldwide organization. The WCS needs to split its money amongst itself and fund its conservation programs, the aquarium, the four zoos, ect. Not to mention the aquarium is undergoing a major expansion as well as heavy repairs and renovations.

    ~Thylo:cool:
     
  3. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Oh and one more thing, Baboon Reserve has Geladas, not Hamadryas Baboon.

    ~Thylo:cool:
     
  4. drill

    drill Well-Known Member

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    Do you know where the thylacines and platypuses were kept? And is Staten Island zoo part of the WCS?
     
  5. TeaLovingDave

    TeaLovingDave Moderator Staff Member 10+ year member

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    The thylacines were kept in the old Fox Dens; these were, as best I can tell comparing the map in my 1931 guidebook to the modern-day map, located under the site of the Dancing Crane Café.

    Platypus were kept in the old Small Mammal House; again, this is merely an estimate based on a comparison of the two maps but I believe this was located roughly where the Mouse House is now located.

    Staten Island is not part of the WCS.
     
  6. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Thylacines were indeed kept where the Dancing Crane Cafe is currently.

    ~Thylo
     
  7. drill

    drill Well-Known Member

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    thank you.
     
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  8. Pleistohorse

    Pleistohorse Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Great review! The Bronx Zoo is my favorite as well. I visited this zoo regularly in the early 1980's. My family lived up the Hudson Valley from the city and my mother purchased a membership. We would drive down to the zoo several times a year.

    The Bison Range was once the cornerstone of a North American exhibit that extended to the Polar/Brown Bear complex. Wolf Woods existed where Tiger Mountain is now. The Pere David's Deer yard held Roosevelt Elk. A waterfowl exhibit (which as far as I know still exists) completed the themed area.

    Again a great review...as always.
     
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