Changes You Would Make to Your Zoo

Reposting this from another thread and this is expanded from my last post that barely established on bigger changes.

Brookfield Zoo

Bring back elephants, but give them their own yard similar to the old master plan. That way they have much more room than their former holding in the pachyderm house. Half of the hoof stock can be sacrificed to give them that necessary space.

Speaking of the pachyderm house, take the giant anteaters back to the Tropic Zone and have the African spur-thighed tortoises be in the reptile house with their own yard. The Nile Hippo can be back in its former holding with the pool functional again and they could add a new rhinoceros species to the mix (white or Indian) if we can have two Tapir species.

Habitat Africa: The Forest can have the African Forest Buffalo make their grand return since the past. Also, an expansion featuring the Mandrill would be another great ape inclusion without messing with the Gorilla house.

Habitat Africa: The Savannah can see the return of three fan favorites the Spotted Hyena, Ostrich, and Marabou storks. Also have a yard where we can see cheetah as renovating Fragile Hunters may not be necessary for their species. The Master Plan had a nice idea of giving the lions their own exhibit near the place, so they can have it along with the planned warthog idea to keep them separated from the red river hogs.

Pinniped Point can see the reintroduction of fur seals if there’s no possible way to bring back walruses. Overall, it needs a new facelift just to look cleaner.

Renew the Aardvark House since it seems like it’s still staying there. The species can be reintroduced and thrive once more.

The Living Coast needs its vampire bat cave again, with new inhabitants.

The Fragile Desert should bring back aardwolves and add a new species to the mix. Perhaps the diamondback rattlesnake would be a good fit just to have more reptiles.

The Fragile Rainforest is mostly fine the way it is. Maybe add red eyed tree frogs, an iconic rainforest animal that should had been included years ago.

Fragile Hunters should use the former lion exhibit to house another famous big cat, a puma. It would feel right at home with the other hunters.

No comment on The Swamp, both Hamil Family exhibits, Reptiles & Birds and Feather & Scales.

The current state of the remaining hoofstock should keep both zebra species and the addax. The Przewalski’s wild horse would be a tough call since I did say half of the hoofstock will go for the sake of the new elephant exhibit.

The Australian House should see the return of the cassowary and add more space for kangaroos. And if the breeding program goes well for San Diego, they could borrow some of their platypuses for a viewing tank. Maybe some Tasmanian devils too.

Now for the elephant in the room, the old bear grottos that Brookfield never touched in years. If they can’t demolish it, they could renovate it into a new exhibit. If we can’t have a Big Horned Sheep exhibit in Great Bear Wilderness, they can have it there. Add two other animals like the Siberian Ibex and Dalls Sheep. Call it the Goat and Sheep Mountain Range.

Speaking of Great Bear Wilderness, they can expand on the bald eagle exhibit to have a cage for common ravens like the original master plan. Also an expansion for moose, an animal barely seen in American zoos.

The Tropic World is in dire need of changes. From renovating the walls to look less aged to having an outdoor viewing for orangutans and gorillas. Babirusa would be a nice addition to the floors of the Asian section of the exhibit.

The Butterflies and Seven Seas areas are fine. No changes.

Going off to the Master Plan again, they did have ideas like separate yards for takin, reindeer, and Bactrian camels near the Fragile Hunters. But instead of reindeer (due to them being in the Hamil exhibit), it could be dedicated to onagers to make up for the loss of Przewalski’s wild horses. That’s a nice idea on its own. Maybe add a new yard for the Blue Wildebeest as I think there might not be enough space for them in Habitat Africa: The Savannah. The skyline idea should be revisited as we need new ways to traverse the entire zoo. The Andean condor exhibit idea should be reintroduced to have more birds of prey.

 

Did the zoo get rid of lions?

 

No, I was saying they should move the lions to Habitat Africa: Savannah in their own spot. An idea the old master plan had.

 

I think the Przewalski's Wild Horses are still there, unless I've missed something?

 

Because I’m would sacrifice half of the Hoofstock yard for elephant space, they would get the axe in this refurbishment. Similar to the master plan.

 

You want to get rid of Fragile Rainforest's geographic theme?

 

In all fairness, we have an African giant millipede which was geographically never in an Asian rainforest.

Although if a red eyed tree frog is too out of place, another good animal to add would be a giant hornbill or black monitor lizard.

 

In terms of the Houston Zoo they plan on doing some of these changes. Especially the seal lion, asia section (some animal species wont be same) and elephant expansion. Looks like the Mountain Lion and Black Bear are going to go to the Children Zoo and the reptile house is gonna move to the other side of the reflection pond "Ancient Relatives" and use that area as an elephant expansion.

 

NORTH CAROLINA ZOO
These are the changes I would make to the North Carolina Zoo. This is based on a very extensive visit from 2017, and as the zoo is planning on opening its Asian expansion in 2023 and Australia in 2025 (assuming everything goes well), these suggestions will take what is currently known about these plans into account.

NORTH AMERICA
This zone opened in 1994 and currently stands as a comprehensive overview of the North American continent. It originally opened with the Cypress Swamp, the Rocky Coasts, the Streamside, the Prairie, the Northwoods, and the Sonora Desert. Since then, major changes to these regions have been implemented, such as an expansion of the polar bear habitat and the transition from the Sonora Desert to just the Desert to accommodate animals from deserts around the world.

Cypress Swamp

• The alligator, alligator snapping turtle, gopher tortoises and cougar habitats hold up fairly well, as do the amphibian/reptile exhibits.
• A walkthrough aviary with black-bellied whistling ducks, northern pintail, roseate spoonbill, royal tern, ruddy duck, snowy egret, Wilson's Plover and wood duck would be added as a sort of "exit" to the complex.

Rocky Coasts:

• The sea lion/seal habitat is small, yet tastefully designed. In general, if the zoo hasn't done so already, the pool would be galvanized to hold saltwater in order to avoid any possible corrosion, and the "modernist" shade structure would be removed in favor of more clifflike rockwork.
• The North American porcupine exhibit seems to suit its new resident very well, but the frame would be painted a "go-away green" or some other color to make it blend in with its surroundings.
• The puffin enclosure is fantastic, no changes needed.
• The polar bear enclosure is fantastic as well, and other than minor changes to hide some of the more "architectural" elements of the newer extension, it will stay a top-tier bear habitat for generations to come.

Streamside

• The aquarium is one of the most memorable freshwater aquariums I have experienced, and AFAIK, little to no changes are needed.
• The otter exhibits could use a little expansion to take advantage of the forested hillside, as one of them is essentially a well-detailed grotto.
• The reptile/amphibian building is also fantastic, I am unsure if they kept the "running stream" continuing through the different habitats as I found that to be a brilliant idea. The barred owl would receive a major renovation, perhaps an outdoor habitat?

Northwoods (North American black bears)

• In general, an absolutely fantastic space for black bears, although I would probably add a glass viewing window somewhere nearby that is unobtrusive.

Prairie

• I would add nearby exhibits for prairie dogs, white-tailed jackrabbits and sharp-tailed grouse to complement the existing bison and elk field.

Northwoods (Grizzly bears and red wolves)

• The grizzly exhibit would be expanded drastically, and unlike most grizzly habitats, this one would be themed after a prairie to complement the bison and elk habitat.
• The red wolf habitat is suitable as is.

Desert

• Other than bringing back rock hyrax and crested porcupine to the main atrium (if that hasn't been done already) and bringing back ringtail and spotted skunk, this area is fine as is. Maybe as one exits the Nocturnal Wing of the Desert, they could look into a habitat for javelina?

ASIA
Expected to break ground Fall 2021 and to open in 2023, Asia will be the first new region in the Zoo's history since North America. It will deviate slightly by not being a "continent" but rather a "taste" of Asia, and will utilize a ruined temple theme. (Golly gee, haven't seen that before.) The expected lineup is tigers, red pandas, komodo dragons, gibbons, cranes, vultures, an Asian pig species (presumably Visayan warty pig or babirusa), and various reptiles and amphibians. Rather than being a list of changes, this will be a list of suggestions.

• In general, this zone should have a sense of architectural consistency with the rest of the zoo, rather than a deviation with very heavy theming or very modern architecture.
• This area could be divided into several "biomes" or "ecosystems", similar to Point Defiance Zoo's Asian Forest Sanctuary. There would be a bamboo forest, a broadleaf evergreen forest, a volcanic scrub forest, a mineral lick site, among other potential biomes.
• In addition to this list, I would personally love to see Malayan tapir, binturong, clouded leopard, fishing cat, and maybe even sloth bears.
• If the Zoo does plan so in the future, maybe all of these animals could be incorporated, and maybe even a hillside habitat for snow leopards could also be built?

AUSTRALIA
This zone is more tentative in terms of a timeline, but I do believe it could open by 2025-2026. The expected species lineup for this (to my knowledge) is red kangaroos, Southern cassowaries, Matschie's tree kangaroos, crocodile monitors, and a plethora of Australian birds.

• Rather than going for heavy theming, the zoo should go for tasteful theming akin to Watani Grasslands Reserve. So not really "rusty metal and red sand", but perhaps a pine forest and a natural clearing, similar to the ecosystem present in Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
• Maybe wombats, Tasmanian devils, or even koalas could be a good fit?

JUNCTION PLAZA

• While this area is merely a rest stop for guests, there is opportunity here for new exhibits that could deviate from the "continent" theme ever so slightly. Maybe a new space for Antarctic penguins to complement the African penguins at the Greensboro Science Center? And along with that, an insect house on par with Cincinnati's World of the Insect?

AFRICA
This is the zoo's oldest zone, having opened in 1980 and still having habitats that hold up to this very day. That said, there is admittedly a lot of walking in between the enclosures, and more habitats in between would be nice to see, of course keeping in mind the natural ecology of the Uwharrie mountains.

R.J. Reynolds Forest Aviary

• Fine as is, though the species mix is all over the place. That is a nitpick though, as it is still an enjoyable experience.

Forest Glade

• For the gorilla habitat, I would add a moated viewing area to provide an unobstructed view (akin to Woodland Park or Bronx's last gorilla habitat on the Congo trail), and I would also heavily plant the habitat and leave it to establish, so as the gorillas don't tear it up too easily. Nearby would be new spaces for okapi and bongo, while colobus monkeys and potentially mandrills would be in with the gorillas.
• The baboon habitat would no longer be considered a part of "Forest Glade", but rather a new area, called "Desert Cliffs" or something in that style.

Kitera Forest

• No changes necessary to the chimp habitat, although the nearby lemur habitat could use a species shakeup, instead of the typical ring-tailed lemur/red ruffed lemur mix, maybe some collared lemurs in with the ring-taileds, as well as some radiated tortoises and white-faced whistling ducks.

Lions

• The lions would be moved to a new space in the Watani Grasslands Reserve, and in their place would be another African predator, perhaps cheetahs, African wild dogs or even spotted hyena.

Red River Hogs

• No changes necessary, although a potential mix with duiker would be neat to see.

Forest Edge

• No changes necessary, this is a stellar habitat for giraffes, zebra and ostrich. Maybe the kudu in Watani could go in here?
• If possible, a new space for black rhinoceros could be built nearby? Unless of course the surrounding site is too hilly for development.

Watani Grasslands Reserve

• The elephant enclosures are absolutely phenomenal, the only change I would recommend elephant-wise is the addition of public indoor viewing (though logistically that would be another long walk) or a shakeup with the current group.
• The 37 acre African Plains is phenomenal, but not without flaws. The species list is animals from all over Africa, and would be much better suited to animals situated in Eastern/Southern Africa. This means the white rhinos, fringe-eared oryx, sitatunga, waterbuck and Thomson's gazelles would stay, while the Addra gazelles get shipped elsewhere, being replaced with sable antelope. Maybe more birds could be added, like a flock of guineafowl?
• A new lion habitat would be built in such a way that takes advantage of the current landscape, and a new holding building would be carved underneath some of the current pathway.

Hippo Beach

• This area of the zoo would finally live up to its name animal-wise, with a new space for hippos, lesser flamingo, Nile crocodile, and others living in the marsh that leads to the entrance of the Africa section of the Zoo. Think Werribee's Hippo River mixed with Toledo's Hippoquarium.

 

SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK
These are the changes I would make to the National Zoo. This is from my experiences visiting the zoo many times throughout my childhood, and while I think many aspects are amazing, there are some that do need a good tightening to make it even more fantastic.

Asia Trail

• The Giant Panda habitat is absolutely world class, as is red pandas, Asian small-clawed otters, fishing cats, clouded leopards, and sloth bears. I would personally add a new space for the zoo's gibbons, and introduce Chinese giant salamander to the former Japanese giant salamander tank, with proper renovations and glare prevention.
• Elephant Trails would be more integrated into the "Asia Trail" experience, in order to make one cohesive zone. Speaking of which...

Elephant Trails

• Aside from replacing the pathway of the "Elephant Trek" with a soft, rubbery substrate and introducing mixed species opportunities wherever possible (blackbuck? Eld's deer?), this area is FANTASTIC.

Cheetah Conservation Station (Potential Africa Trail)

• The name "Cheetah Conservation Station" would stick, but only for the cheetahs' habitat. Maned wolves would move elsewhere in the Zoo, and the rest of the African collection (sitatunga, red river hog, lesser kudu, Southern ground hornbill, Grevy's zebra, dama gazelle, Scimitar horned oryx and Ruppell's griffon vulture) would remain, with heavily reconfigured spaces. Giraffes would be brought back too, taking up some of the current parking space. The whole area would be rechristened as the "Africa Trail".

American Bison

• Bison would stay where they are, however the yard itself would be expanded into the "Zoo in your Backyard" area, with that being moved potentially near the bird house. Speaking of which...

Bird House

• Hopefully this will be a fantastic rejuvenation of the bird house (I do hope they bring back kiwi one way or another), but circulation-wise, they could add another path adjoining the Elephant Trek leading down to the American Trail.

American Trail

• The older-styled habitats that remained (otters, beavers) would receive a modern facelift, the wolf habitat would be retrofitted to house and breed red wolves, the seal habitat would be retrofitted to feature underwater viewing (or would be connected to the nearby sea lion habitat), and California condors would be brought in to replace the current gibbon habitat. As for Andean bears, that habitat would also see a facelift, with one of the two yards' moats being filled in and replaced with glass viewing.

Amazonia

• Fantastic. Aside from an across the board update graphics-wise, the murals across from the main tanks would be maintained, and everything else would be maintained as is.

Kids' Farm

• Wasn't this area supposed to be closed several years ago? As much as I would like to see hippos back at the zoo, this might not be the place to do it. And there is a value to having domestic animals at a zoo, so I would honestly have to sleep on where hippos could potentially be brought back. I miss Happy... (ooh, maybe the land *below* Lion and Tiger Hill?)

Great Cats (or Lion/Tiger Hill)

• This area could receive a major, MAJOR upgrade habitat-design wise. In terms of a more "modern" direction the zoo could go, I would love to see something along the lines of Asia Trail meets Philadelphia's Big Cat Falls. Of course, this would involve moated habitats with glass viewing, and potential species would include big and small cats alike. African lions, Sumatran tigers, snow leopards, jaguars, cougars, caracals, servals, black footed cats, sand cats, Florida bobcat, the works.
  • Side note, the former Bat Cave exhibit would reopen in its full glory, and feature Seba's short-tailed bats and vampire bats, along with more rare species.

Think Tank

• The concept of this exhibit is BRILLIANT, however it can be expanded on significantly. Perhaps an indoor greenhouse for different macaw species could be added, along with a beehive or leafcutter ants? And as for primates, Japanese macaques could be interesting to see, with the Allen's swamp monkeys and Schmidt's red-tailed guenons being moved over to a new space (to be discussed later).

Reptile Discovery Center

• Heavily restored, with new infrastructure in place to properly reopen the Invertebrate House.
• Komodo dragons would receive a refurbishment to better reflect their natural habitat (something akin to Bronx' komodo area), as would the giant tortoises and crocodilians present in the building.

Great Apes (Potential Simian Trail)

• HEAVY refurbishment, with the orangutans receiving a new outdoor space akin to Philadelphia's orangutan space (with live trees...?), the gorillas' space gets refurbished with a running stream/waterfall and more carefully hidden architecture, and new habitats are constructed for the aforementioned Allen's swamp monkeys and Schmidt's red-tailed guenons. In general, this would be rechristened from Great Apes to Primates.

Small Mammal House

• Remodeled to follow a more simple layout, with greater species diversity and more "zoogeographic" design akin to how David Hancocks originally redesigned Woodland Park's Reptile House. With several bioclimatic zones and even free-ranging animals, this could be a dynamic experience. Animals that can be seen as "too large for a small mammal house" like red-ruffed lemurs would be shipped out, while animals such as African striped weasel, echidna, sugar glider and the like would be brought in.
• Perhaps in a nocturnal section at the "exit" of the building, with the finale being Panay cloud rats?
• Outside would be a good place to highlight Australian wildlife, and to complement the wallabies, other animals such as wombats, Tasmanian devils, tawny frogmouth and the like could be brought in, and primates in the exterior habitats of the Small Mammal building (howler monkeys) could be moved into the Simian Trail.
• Giant anteaters could be brought back, perhaps mixed in with the Patagonian mara?

Przewalski's Horses

• Fine as is, although potential mixing with camels could be interesting.

GENERAL ZOO:

• Olmstead Walk is a good "spine", however the Zoo does have a layout/circulation problem. To alleviate this, the "totem poles" designed by Lance Wyman would be brought back in a new way, to clearly demarcate what animals are in what trail. New paths would be constructed to prevent dead-ends and allow for visitors in certain areas to be able to access Olmstead Walk more easily.

 

CENTRAL PARK ZOO
These are the changes I would make to the Central Park Zoo. This is based on my visit in August 2021, and some species may have changed since then. However, this should still be a fairly accurate list of recommendations exhibit-wise. This is within the current site, as Central Park is MASSIVE and there may very well be opportunities for expansion if the zoo is creative enough to take them on.

Central Garden/Sea Lions

• Fine as is, though the Central Garden could be enhanced with topiary sculptures or "historical landmarks" highlighting what used to be where. Tropic Zone being the old Elephant House, Polar Circle being the old bear pits, Penguins and Seabirds being the old Lion House, etc.

Tropic Zone

• The entry exhibit before stepping into the main building can be utilized for different species other than birds, and with that in mind, animals like cotton-top tamarins can move in, maybe alongside a two-toed sloth and a nine-banded armadillo for extra activity.
• Currently, the building is shaped like an octagon, with a central "island" and several surrounding exhibits either viewed from the main path or a second level accessed by stairs. Space-wise, it would make sense that this is the best the original designers could do in terms of maximizing the building's use.
• The main atrium's bird collection would be primarily focused on South American and African birds, with the ideal scenario being maximizing the collection inside as much as possible. The greater Malayan chevrotain would be moved to the "central" exhibit, rather than residing in the side riverbank.
• The piranha habitat is fine as is.
• The "riverbank" habitat would be the primary home of animals such as Azara's agouti (or red-rumped agouti), prehensile-tailed porcupine, and/or tamandua, of course with the ability for the free-flighted birds to enter the habitat.
• The exhibits for leafcutter ants, Seba's short-tailed bats/West African dwarf crocodile and Dumeril's ground boas are fine as is.
• The "upper-level" is truly well-executed, while the species above could use a good shake-up. Banded mongoose could be replaced with Green aracari in with screaming hairy armadillo and red footed tortoise, the cotton-top tamarins (having been moved to the entry exhibit) would be replaced with Prevost's squirrels, the Bolivian grey titis would be replaced with Golden-headed lion tamarins, and the terrariums would remain, albeit with a slight shakeup with one or two rare species added. Maybe a proper aquarium with tambaqui, peacock bass, reticulated sorubim and others could be added as well, taking the place of four of the terrariums. And given the non-visibility of the Southern galago, Northern luzon cloud rats would be brought back, perhaps the ones from JungleWorld.
• The black and white ruffed lemurs would leave the zoo, being replaced with a small carnivore species. Ocelot would be nice to see (albeit with renovations to prevent it sleeping in a completely unviewable corner), or a family of coati would be nice to see as well.
• The current exhibit for Southern coati is adequate, but a tad uninspiring. Activity-wise, @ThylacineAlive suggested a small neotropical primate, squirrel, or treeshrew, and I'm thinking the Bolivian grey titis would be nice to see here, along with pygmy marmoset, Montezuma quail and yellow-footed tortoise.

Temperate Territory

• The Japanese Macaque habitat is among the best of its kind in the United States IMO.
• The turtle pond is a nice, serene place to sit, being fine as is.
• Red pandas are fine as is, although tufted deer would be nice to see as a way of making it not an exclusive species on Bronx' Wild Asia Monorail.
• The white-naped crane habitat is fine as is.
• The Allison Maher Stern Snow Leopard Exhibit is truly among the best of its kind, and while it may seem cliché to suggest, moving the Amur leopard from its exhibit in JungleWorld to the exhibit closest to the bear habitat in Polar Circle would be an optimum way of maximizing the cat collection while also maximizing welfare for all parties involved. (So basically the typical snow leopard/Amur leopard rotation. )
• I didn't see an exhibit for muntjacs or storks on my visit, and if there was a way of bringing that habitat back (maximizing the hoofstock collection), that would be nice to see.

Polar Circle

• This is a controversial take, but BRINGING POLAR BEARS BACK. The WCS zoos, while having significant species overlap amongst each other, still have defining species. Prospect Park has Hamadryas baboons and dingoes, Bronx has a lot of the ABC animals (giraffes, gorillas, elephants, tigers, lions, zebras, etc.), Queens has Andean bears, and the Aquarium is, well, the Aquarium. If the pool was galvanized to properly contain saltwater, the zoo can comfortably hold a single male polar bear much like Saint Louis with Kali. I get that the polar bear situation is less than ideal breeding-wise/import wise (one can thank antiquated government legislation for that), and I get that more zoos are closing their polar bear habitats than opening them, but this is an important step for getting Central Park to reclaim a sense of identity. If the issue is scorching heat in the NYC summers, misters can be added along with shelters and cooled rocks. If the issue is stimulation, copious amounts of enrichment can be added. If the issue is space, I debunked that argument with Saint Louis. If the issue is varied substrate, WCS zoos do tremendous work retrofitting older enclosures or incorporating newer advances in exhibit design in older spaces. They'd do a fantastic job retrofitting the yard to have grass, sand, soil and other substrates while making it look consistent with nature.
• The harbor seal exhibit is fine for rescued individuals, and Arctic fox could be brought back if the mix has proven successful in the past.
• The Penguins and Seabirds exhibit is truly fantastic, however my only issue is clouding/condensation on the glass. If there was a way of properly ventilating the penguins' space to minimize condensation, that would be an optimum avenue to go. The puffin exhibits are equally fantastic, and the Eurasian eagle owl exhibit is small, yet satisfying.

Tisch Family Children's Zoo

• Patagonian maras are a nice surprise to see in the main aviary.
• The fish tank in the aviary would be stocked with species like black crappie, common white sucker, northern bluegill, northern pike, paddlefish, pumpkinseed, rainbow trout, and yellow perch.
• Rare breeds of domestic hoofstock would be present, such as Jacob sheep, Large Black pigs, dartmoor pony, North Holland Blue chickens, Welsh harlequin ducks, Bourbon red turkeys, etc.
• If possible, wallabies would be present as well, like Yellow-footed rock wallaby or red-necked wallaby.

 

"This is a controversial take, but BRINGING POLAR BEARS BACK."

Yeeeeeees! Desperately needed imo.

 

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Overall the zoo is good to great. There are some issues that I outlined in a thread here that need to be addressed. Branching out from general neglect of the facility, I would like to see these changes:

Asian Domain:

• Remove tigers and replace with something else. The tiger habitat is not up to current standards and is too small. My recommendation would be to net the enclosure and put leopard in it.
• Indian Rhino - enlarge wading pool.

Primate World

• This area is ready for a complete over-hall, it is the last major zone of the zoo (Aviary aside) that has not been redone since opening.
• Enlarge Orangutan habitat climbing structure and combine with lemur
• Remove Mandrill and move lemurs into that space.
• I would say remove chimps, but they already did that and are building the habitat for a currently un-announced species. So, that is progress.

Australia/Kids:
Meh, it is what it is. Overall this is an OK area, considering it is primarily the "kids" section of the zoo.

• The Wallaby/emu habitat is in sore need of a redo, it is basically just a dirt yard now.

Safari Africa:

• Finish plan to remove the former warthog habitat that is now the sad tortoise habitat and replace that entire space with the gorilla habitat.
• Landscape Nyala habitat again, and bring back the bongos.
• Acquire one or two more mountain zebra
• Build something in the grass mess that was once the camel trek and marsh aviary.
• Landscape the Okapi enclosure better. (and acquire another okapi)
• Landscape and enlarge the red rive hog habitat.
• Decorate and landscape the wood fenced walkway from the Ituri Forest to the Africa plaza

Wild Florida:
This area is being remodeled from after the water flume ride to the alligators, so that is a huge step. New panther and black bear habitats are under construction now.

• Remodel otter habitat to make it more natural (it is basically all concrete mock rock now).
• Remodel the manatee building reptile areas. Those enclosures are too small by today's standards.

Aviary:

• Remove dilapidated viewing platform (that does not have access any longer - the stairs were removed a while back).
• Renovate and expand side aviaries.
• Renovate small entrance aviary.

 

This post is 6 years old so thought I'd update it based on some new realities at the SF zoo.

African Savannah:
-Bring small species of hoofstock to African Savannah Exhibit: Thompsons Gazelle, Grants gazelle or Impala.
-Add in a vulture species as well such as Egyptian vultures.
-The small unused yard inside the African savannah exhibit should be renovated for a family of Hyrax or either bat-eared fox or fennec fox.
-Area between Southern portion of the African savannah & Gorillas should be repurposed for the Bongo.

Primate Center (soon to be new Madagascar Center exhibit).
- Reopen the nocturnal gallery and make it part of the Madagascar Center- with nocturnal promisimans for Sportive lemurs, mouse lemurs & dear lemurs.
- Renovate the old Patas Yard (make it more lush) for Mandrills & Drills (rotate the two species between the current Mandrill yard & the Patas yard.
- turn the old tamarin exhibits into additional off-exhibit- holding space for Mandrills & drills to accommodate more animals

Great Ape Expansion.
-Build New Great Ape outdoor Yard on the side of the pachyderm building (the area behind the former binowee landing aviary) for Orangutans with additional indoor play room inside the Pachyderm building.
- Renovate the two unused triple grottos islands as additional area for both species
-Turn old binowee landing aviary exhibit into a new area for the Francois Langurs.

Australia Walkabout
-Bring in more Kangaroos, wallabies & Wallaroos!

South American Rainforest building
- bring in a species of Tamarin to share the Sloth Enclosure (maybe Emperor Tamarins?)
-Area directly outside of Rainforest Building should be an Andean Condor Exhibit (the zoos' two condors are currently held off-exhibit)

Bear/Wolf Country
-old Sea lion pool should be used for injured/rehabilitated pinnipeds & sea otters
- Expand Grizzly Exhibit up the hill. rotate the Grizzly's & black bears between the two bear exhibits.

Puente Exhibit
- Send out remaining Guanaco & bring in a herd of Capybara & Rhea
- Add Tamanduas & Tamarins to the Aviary Exhibit
-old Monkey Island area should be turned into a large naturalistic netted-in exhibit for spider monkeys.

Indian Rhino/Pachyderm building
-Renovate & spruce up yard for Malaysian Tapir. Knock down unused yard next to Komodo Dragon/Aldabra Tortoise exhibit to make additional outdoor space for Tapirs. Send Indian Rhino to another Zoo.

Lion/Tiger House
-Remove wall in two middle grottos to make it larger for a larger pride of lions
-Add netting over the two other yards so they can utilized for Jaguars, Leopards or Cougars

Black Rhino/Hippo area
-Expand hippo land area & bring in Pygmy Hippos.
- Expand Black Rhino area into current bongo yard & bring in female Rhino.
- Repurpose the remaining old hoofstock/giraffe yards for Cheetah Exhibit.

Children Zoo
-Turn old duck pond exhibit into an American Alligator exhibit.
- Open Field near playground should be turned into a permanent Reindeer Exhibit (it's used for Reindeer seasonally).

South Eastern portion of the zoo/old hoofstock yards:
-Old Blackbuck/muntjac yard should be turned into expansive area for Bactrian camels.
- Turn Therapy Horse area into Przewalski Horse Exhibit.
-Old yards next to Grizzly Gulch should be repurposed for Moose.
-Bobcat/Anteater grottos & area around it should be knocked down & turned into an expanded small cat area- additional space for the zoos snow leopards, fishing cats, as well as bring in Clouded Leopards & Pumas.

 

I see that you posted this sometime ago. According to the master plan, Houston Zoo is supposed to renovate the Reptile/Amphibian House and use that area as elephant expansion. I just hope they do something with the current Tiger exhibit. Having an outdoor asia rainforest habitat would fit well with the humid climate. Plus the current orangutan exhibit is foreshadowing to the future "Asian Islands" exhibit. A plethora of projects after the Galapagos exhibit

 

My local Zoo is, interestingly, Port Lympne, an institution that many on this site (myself included) peaked in the 1970s/80s, and has even made a number of less-welcome changes since I first started visiting in 2012, although some decisions like the phasing-out of their elephants on-site are understandable given the circumstances. The changes I will be theoretically making will be in line with the goals of the Aspinall Foundation (the foundation itself and not those of its chairman) and will be based on the state of the park as of my last visit in July 2020.
Basecamp
- Plant more trees and vegetation in the Barbary lion enclosure to create a visual barrier between the lion lodge and the visitor viewing areas, mostly for human privacy
- Replace old gift shop with a more modern entrance and re-do pathing in that area to improve access
- Revitalise pre-entrance exhibit and house in there a smaller old-world monkey of some kind (possibly a langur or colobus?)
- Improve parking
- Add a terminal for a sky-lift near the entrance, the hill is incredibly big and steep, which limits access to less physically-capable visitors
Primate Trail
- Tear down old exhibits around the bachelor gorilla area, many are now out-of-use and beyond repair, and give a facelift to the current bachelor paddock, including more ‘natural’ barriers, and do the same to the outdoor portion of Palace of the Apes
- Remove fencing for the old bongo exhibit as well as current primate exhibits at the top end of the monkey trail (currently housing capuchins, gibbons etc.)
- Improvements made to tapir exhibits, conversion of bottom two which are out of use into bear exhibits, but in this ‘timeline’ for Malayan sun bears instead
- Bottom end of old bongo exhibit turned into newer enclosures for Javan gibbons, Javan langurs and fishing cats, as well as a walk-through aviary of south-east Asian birds
Carnivore Territory
- Get rid of the meerkats
- Redesign the interior of the pallas’s cat viewing structure, build staff-accessible indoor housing for the cats, and add visual barriers between the three enclosures so more can be held as part of the breeding programme
- Update bison house, other than that keep them where they are, move the Przewalski’s horses back in with them and maybe add a Eurasian deer species like Altai Wapiti, to create a ‘mammoth steppe’ like exhibit with large herds
- Bring in a second herd of European bison to one of the bottom fields and put in the neccecary facilities for a self-contained breeding programme (as in on site, not separate from the rest of the breeding programme)
- turn the furthest bottom field into a solar plant
- tear down all the old carnivore exhibits from the ocelot exhibit to the rusty spotted cat exhibit, and put in new exhibits for small cats, as well as a new reptile and amphibian building (one of the biggest losses, in my opinion, was the stop-off point at the top of the African experience) as the collection at the moment is almost entirely mammals
- add a terminal for a sky-lift to connect the bottom to the top of the park
- heavily revise dinosaur forest, make it scientifically accurate and work on the trees and other vegetation
African/Asian/South American Experiences
- replace and improve all fencing for this part of the park, removing all the old rusting green metal fences that no longer serve a function
- redesign the rhino exhibit in front of the treehouses and clubhouse so it is semi-drive through, with the truck tour passing through it with a series of boulders and a near-invisible ha-ha separating it from the rhino(s), and do a similar thing with the smaller exhibit just before it to create a wooded space for Visayan warty pigs
- expand and improve the South American Experience

 

Although I do not have a "local zoo" I did visit Bioparco Roma and Parco Natura Viva which are the closest ones to me that I've visited, and I made a thread about what K would change of Bioparco :
Bioparco di Roma(fan-made) masterplan
Regarding Parco Natura Viva I'll post my "masterplan" in a second reply

 

Beardsley Zoo:

- First I would get rid of the alligator alley section across from the tigers and make 2 new exhibits. Theses exhibits would be a new Amur leopard exhibit and a exhibit for binturongs.

-Then with the leopards relocated I would make a new tiger habitat with 3 separate yards that extends from the current tiger exhibit all the the way through where the old Amur leopard exhibit was

- Next,I would get rid of the white naped cranes for the time being to construct a snow leopard habitat where the old pronghorn habitat used to be.

- Next, I would build a new bigger enclosure for the Andean condors across from Pampas plains.

- Then I would build a new green house where the Andean condors old exhibit was.

-After that, I would get rid of the the farmyard and use some of its animals for a children’s zoo across from the greenhouse and it will extend up toward the picnic are in a big walkthrough loop. It will have goats, miniature horses, donkey, porcupine, guinea hogs, chickens, geese, swans, and rabbits. It will also be the relocated home of the North American river otters and black tailed prairie dogs.

- Next I would make a big aviary with all types of birds where the farmyard had been.

- Lastly, I would make a bigger and better rainforest that will go from where the maned wolves are to where there is currently a fountain outside the current rainforest. It will have much more exhibits, species, and the exhibits will be bigger than the current ones. Species that would be in it would include Black Howler Monkeys, Brazilian Ocelots, Goeldi’s Monkeys, two toed sloths, Golden Lion Tamarins, Scarlet Ibis, Toucan, red rumped agouti, lemurs, languars, Asian small claw otters, Malayan tapir, caiman, and different assortments of snakes. It will also have to large exhibits right outside of it for black handed spider monkeys and white cheeked gibbons.

 

I would get rid of the gator exhibit at Scovill, it is too small. I’m not sure what I’d replace it with, though.

 

Neither are my local zoo, but I got a few ideas for a couple places I’ve visited:

Toledo Zoo & Aquarium

Arctic Encounter

• If space allows, provide a dedicated reindeer exhibit
• Modify the polar exhibit for a few more natural elements like substrate, maybe a small pine tree or two, and an expansion if possible

Africa!

• The current set-up has the main savanna habitat split into three, with one of these being the waterhole portion with a branch barrier. I actually think splitting this portion is a great idea if the Zoo wishes to separate the smaller animals from the larger ones. For example, I can easily see warthogs, Guineafowl, or crowned cranes inhabiting this portion, and give the opportunity to access the main savanna if they wish to.
• If the main savanna were to stay split into thirds, then I would remove the Asian residents (yak, reindeer, Bactrian camel), and replace them with more African species that are either more aggressive, or would do better with their own space. I’m thinking Grevy’s zebras, Cape buffalo, or sable antelope.
• Otherwise, restore the savanna back to its original huge space and species (barring the waterhole portion mentioned earlier).

Tembo Trail

• Restore the original African focus:
  • Swap out the river otters for either spot-necked otters or a crocodilian like dwarf crocodile or slender-snouted crocodile
  • Swap out the Tasmanian devils for dwarf mongoose or Nile monitors
  • Swap out the brown bears for red river hog or (after a major renovation) either caracal, serval, or mandrill
  • Combine and modify the current Indian rhino and yak/camel/reindeer exhibits into either one large dedicated rhino habitat (flexible with either white or black); or a mixed species habitat for white rhino and either zebra or a mid-sized antelope (nyala for instance)
• If the Zoo maintains the elephants, here’s a few options:
  • Keep the current setup, and focus solely on either retired older females (like Milwaukee or San Diego) or bulls
  • Expand the elephant space to create a third habitat, which would take up the current rhino (Detroit has white rhinos an hour north, so I’d imagine Toledo would be ok without the species) and yak/camel/reindeer exhibits
• If the Zoo phases elephants out, here’s a few options:
  • The current elephant habitats can be used for a pair of black rhino. I’d be flexible to either maintain the exhibits as they are, or combine them into one large habitat. Possibly use the combined rhino/Asian animal exhibits for a second exhibit as well (see above)
  • Dramatically renovate the habitats for okapi

Toledo Pride

If the Zoo wishes to bring lions back at some point, here’s how I’m envisioning it. The space in between “Carnivore Cafe” and the historic Amphitheater seems rather large (correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t this a cheetah exhibit once?). With a combination of glass viewing, moats, and/or looking down, in a savannah and kopje combo habitat, this lion habitat would make a great centerpiece to the historic side of the Zoo. It’s only a nice bonus that “Carnivore Cafe” is located right across from the site, which could be a nice educational tie-in.

Outback Walkabout

With the current collection of Aussie animals, I’m actually a little surprised that Toledo doesn’t have a dedicated complex for them. I feel that the current Tiger Terrace would be a good space for this. The dingo habitat would remain as is; “Flamingo Key” could be modified for little blue penguins (current “Flamingo Key” can be relocated elsewhere in the Zoo); wombats and echidnas could be brought to public display (I thought I read the Zoo has these behind the scenes- correct me if I’m wrong); a new and improved Tasmanian devil habitat; and a walkthrough exhibit with wallabies and/or wallaroos and other birds.

Forests Complex

I know this complex is in the future plans, but not much has been revealed in terms of specific exhibits and location. So, this will be more of a fantasy section. I think an international focus would be a great way to tie in the concept and the intended species together. For example, North America could have the brown bears, North American river otters, and possibly other small species; South America with spectacled bears, maras, pudu, and other smaller species from the continent; and Asia would consist of Amur tiger, red panda, crane, Pallas cat, and other small animals. As for location, I believe the Zoo was looking at acquiring more land, so it can go there. Otherwise, the only place remaining that seems large enough I can think of is between Great Apes and the Conservatory.


Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary

• Provide a new and improved cougar habitat that takes advantage of the surrounding forest, along with implementing some rocky climbing areas
• Build an American black bear habitat that too utilizes the forests. Perhaps move the red foxes in for a mixed-species habitat
• Combine the current four small mammal exhibits into two spaces. One is for the river otters (their current area and bobcat area), the other would be for the bobcats (using the red fox and cougar exhibits)