Hi I'm going to Burgers Zoo this weekend and this got me thinking. Burgers is going tm make 2 new ecodisplays one in 2013 (after their 100th birthday celebrations) and one in 2016. The displays will be park displays like Rimba Burgers always keep their cards close to their chest so lets start spitballing hypothetical ideas *One display will be in the last hagenbeck part of the zoo. The other one in the vaccant space behind the Safari * The Meerkats and Warthhogs will be moved to the space in safari between the hoofstock and the predators * The fist new ecodislay will be a South America display they already have Coati's and Baird's Tapir. Add Jaguars, Giant Otters, Pekari's, Anaconda's, Tamuda, Sloth, Tayra and Oncelot and some monkey species * The last remainig elephants are 3 old females. I think that when they die Burgers will either built a new elephant paddock or use the space for a new Ecodisplay. * The second display will be an tropical african display. Behind the chimp and gorilla islands and reaching to the vaccant part behind the Safari. The Bongo's, Pygmee Hippo's and Duikers from the old hagenbeck part could be moved there. They could be helt behind the scenes after the realisation of the South America display. Add Red river Hog, Okapi, Brazza Meerkat As you may gather i've thought it. Now i'd like to hear your thoughts and opions. Tell me why my ideas are nonsense or great and what your ideas are
Burgers holds lowland tapirs. The only Baird's tapirs in Europe are well documented on zootierliste (the Wuppertal breeding group plus their male offsprings at Berlin and Cottbus).
Hi Sneeuwpanter I did some similar speculations about Arnhem in the past. I had the same idea about using the space behind the cheetahs and lions as for animals of the tropical rainforest of Africa like Bongos, a Mangabey species, pygmy hippo and or common hippo and others as well as some new aviaries for african birds in general (from the aviaries behind the Mangrove-Hall and from the Bush). That will give us a complete AFRICA-Zone. And I hope, that the old Orang-Utan/Ring-tailed-Lemur-house and its surrounding exhibits (plus restaurant, plus reindeer exhibit, plus childrens playground) will be transformed into a new Elephant exhibit with restaurant, Asian Small clawed Otter-exhibit plus free-flight-aviary for Birds from Australasia (from Bush, Phesantry and Bird House). So there would be with Rimba, Mangrovehall and the rest of the birds a complete AUSTRALASIAN-Zone. The current exhibit for Asian Elephant (and adjacted free wooded area) could be used for some of the South American Animals you have mentioned as well as for some birds from the aviaries behind the Mangrovehall. Together with the Desert and the (now only by american animals occupied) Bush (if you can catch all "foreigners") we would have a complete AMERCIA-Zone. The current exhibit for Meerkats could be used either for caucasian porcupines (AUSTRALASIAN-Zone) or with Prairie-Dogs (AMERICA-Zone The current children playground would be moved a few meters southbound (closer to the entrance, below the current exhibit for Ring-tailed Lemurs). Just two problems will be left: What happen with the seals? Maybe a new exhibit/aviary together with the Bass Bobby/Gannet (Jan van Gent) on the other side of the pannekoeken House and the ravens as a little EURASIAN-Zone? And should we left the Aardvarks in the Bush because of their good breeding results? What do you (and other members) think about it?
All sounds good. The aardvarks could get a new exhibit in the African rainforrest zone. The seals should be moved to another zoo from a Geo Zoo perspective this makes no sense they are baikalseals for the large russian baikal lake. I like the idea of the bush becomming just south american. I don't think they will move the childrens playground as long as i can remember (at least 25 years) it has been there.
last year the director said they will start building the new ecodisplay in 2013/2014, but what it will be ??? The location will probably be the penguin-tapir-coati-bongo-meerkat area. My guess goes to a polar exhibit/tundra display.
@Sneeuwpanter: Thank you for your reply. I guess you are right because of the childrens playground. It was just an idea to give more space to the Elephants. But are the seals in Arnhem really Baikal Seals? Last time I went there (2010) they were signed as Ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and it is also in this way in the ISIS list. @lintworm: Thank you. I forgot the Black-footed/Jackass Penguins. At the moment, they would not fit in my geo concept. Anyway, I think, you probably will be right with the polar exhibit/tundra display. Reindeers, Gannets, Cormorants, White-tailed sea eagles, Waterfowl, Snowy Owls and Seals are already there, a return of Polar Bears and Polar Foxes is not impossible. Put Musk-Oxen, Moose, Wolves, Wolverines and some Rodents in and your Arctic (Eco-)Display or - if you keep the penguins - your Polar Display is complete. But then what are we doing with the Elephants? - Transfering to another zoo and stop keeping them or create a new exhibit in the forest behind the lions and cheetahs (and delete the plans of a central african rainforest)?
The only Baikal seals in captivity outside of Russia/former Russia is female "Vera" at Leipzig. Burgers' holds ringed seals, Phoca (Pusa) hispida.
You guys must be right. I recalled it from memory but it has been 3 years since my last visit and something stuck with me about living in lakes.
@ zoomaniac : I would find it a bald choice not to go with a new elephant paddock. You do not distinguish yourself by adding or keeping elephants. This realy annoys me about smaller zoos (this part doesn't reffer to burgers) the space a decent elephant paddock consumes and elephant are very common in zoos.
He everybody. I just visited burgers Zoo. What can I say when you're wrong you're wrong. It are Baltic ringelrobs. That being said I've got some new ideas, views on the future (I like these mind excersises whenever i'm in a zoo). This is what i would do rather than what i think i gonna happen. *I would add one or two predators to burgers safari. I believe there is room for Spotted hyena and/or Servals, Painted dogs. Between predators and savannah put meerkats, warthog's, secretarybirds maybe even add bataleurs. Add Ground horbills to cranes area. *Maybe put the new elephant exhibit at the safari as well. With african elephants. There is a lot room at the head of the savannah (near the rhino viewing area. Otherwise I would not keep elephants. * Behind safari reaching towards gorila's and chimps as said earlier tropical africa with Bongo's, Aarvarks, Pygmee hippo's, Duikers. Add Okapi, Red river hogs, Sitarung, Brazza meerkat. Smaller greenhouse for the aardvarks also add some snakes, nile monitor, Nile crocodiles and free roaming birds like hamerkops. * As you may have noticed i've been adding birds to their geozones. A lot of the birds in the birdcage area are already on display in the bush and desert. May put one walkthough area with pelican and kookaboora etc. in the Australia exhibit I plan there. Wallabies are already there. Add koala, Wombats, Kangaroos maybe Tasmanian devils (I hear the looking to put breeding groups in Europe and North America) * Make the bush all south american swap out asiatic otter for giant otters add tamuda, sloths maybe somekind of larger green anaconda display. * Also put Jaguar and Ocelot dispays up against the bush building. When you walk from the main entrance of the bush towards gorilla and chimps there seems to be a lot of room wasted. * Make the last remaining part of the zoo Polar. Polar bears, Artic wolves/foxes. Steller sealions, Steller eagels, Walrus, Musk ox, Reindeer, Northers gannet.
