Exhibit Designing Competition

Hi guys,

I had this idea a while ago - there are all these 'design a zoo' type threads that you get, and it gave me an idea.

I set the first exhibit challenge. The challenge will have limits and problems, and there will be a deadline to have your design submitted - then I pick my winner, and the winner has the ability to set the next challenge, so on, so on.

So here's my challenge...

A zoo is wanting to upgrade it's Orang-utan accommodation, as the current exhibit is rather dated, however they have the following specifications:
- There needs to be appropriate facilities for 1.2 Sumatran Orang-utans and young.
- There can be a maximum of 4 enclosures, 4 Vivaria and 5 Aviaries (Not counting the Orangs).
- There can be a minimum of 2 enclosures, 2 Vivaria and 3 Aviaries (Not counting the Orangs).
- There must be at least one primate that isn't a Gibbon (Orangs do not count towards this - you can keep Gibbons as well if wish but you must have at least one primate species that isn't an Orang/Gibbon)
- There must be at least two of the enclosures must be mixed
- There is a maximum of 7 Mammals (including orangs), 12 Birds and 6 Reptiles/Amphibians.
- The species kept must be easy to source in captivity.

So design away, as the dealine is 1700 GMT+1 on 07/07/2010.

 

Do we write this down, or do we have to draw plans and attach them? Also, can the one primate that isn't a gibbon be the orang-utan? Also, do the max. 5 enclosures include seperation/rotation for species, for example if I had 3 orang enclosures am I only allowed 2 more in total?
Do vivariums count as an exhibit?

 

How many species can be in each aviary?
Like can 1 be a medium to large walk-through aviary with lots of different birds inside and the others be for individual bird species that can't be mixed?

 

Right, will edit all of that to clear this up

@Javan Rhino, these are written but you can attach a plan if you wish

 

I can't replace the vivaria with enclosures for more mammals or birds?
I don't know anything about reptiles! lol
Also, what if I want to mix the orangs with another species? For example Orangutans and Siamangs? This has been done quite a few times successfully.

 

The Orang-utans can be mixed, and I guess the best thing you could do would be to go for the minimum number of vivaria - the vivaria are part of the challenge I'm afraid

 

Cool, I shall have to write since my drawing is rubbish (though I may do a plan on paint).

The updated area will be an immersion area named simply 'Indonesian Realm.'

We start off on the ground, where a wooden boardwalk takes us along the forest floor where there is a large exhibit for Sumatran Tigers. This uses wood and glass as fencing and has a large stream fed by a waterfall near the back of the enclosure. The stream cuts through the exhibit and is crossed by a bridge that is also the main viewing area. The enclosure is heavily planted and includes a variety of enrichment devices, including a 'feeding deer carcass' and pursuit ball. Off-show there is an indoor enclosure and keeper area. This can be used during seperation. Education here focuses on poaching tigers for medicene and skins. Initially, there would be 1.1 Sumatran Tigers.

The stream then feeds through the first aviary, housing Crested Firebacks and Green Peafowl. This is medium sized with almost invisible meshing, and the main form of enrichment here are scatter feeds. This is also heavily planted.

The stream then goes around and feeds into a moat that surrounds the first orang enclosure. This is a medium-large island with naturalistic planting mixed with strong wooden climbing frames ropes and and tyre swings. There would also be a few hammocks to act as 'nests.' Generally, this would house the male Orang-Utan, however the species can rotate for uses of enrichment, introductions, seperations and breeding.

The trail now goes onto a ramp that leads up into the canopy and into the 'Orangutan Sanctuary.' This is the orang's indoor building, with three indoor enclosures (the first is attatched to the aforementioned island for the male Orang). The second houses Siamangs and Dusky Leaf Monkeys, and a netted balcony/platform looks out over their outdoor enclosure. the third exhibit is for the two female Orangs and any offspring. This has windows looking down onto their outdoor enclosure. All primate enclosures are similar in design (since all three species can rotate to be in any exhibit). Beneath the walkway are tunnels between exhibits, as well as sleeping areas.

2 large vivariums in the sanctuary are for Crocodile Monitors and reticulated pythons.

Upon leaving the sanctuary, the trail again goes down to ground level (following a netted Clouded Leopard enclosure). This is similar to the Sumatran Tiger exhibit, though it is somewhat smaller and the waterfall is absent). There are also a number of logs/branches for climbing.

At the bottom is a small playground, with education boards comparing human and orang play.

Next is a second aviary for Nicobar pigeons, Sulawesi Ground Dove and Purple-Tailed Imperial Pigeon.

Next to this is an exhibit for Malayan Tapir (1.1). This is quite basic, with a low stone wall. It is naturally planted and has a good-sized pool, as well as an off-show den. Food is scattered beneath logs and leaf-litters to encourage foraging.

Finally, a medium-sized aviary holds a pair of Rhinoceros Hornbills. This has several areas for nesting, as well as hanging fruit/seed baskets. Like all other exhibits, it is naturally planted and has a good-sized pool.

(I think this complies to all of the rules, hope you think it's alright If something is against the rules then let me know and I'll tweak it)

 

@haz_cat,
It's your challenge, of course, but would it improve the results if people gave some idea of the areas and dimensions of their exhibits, aviaries, etc? Or do you prefer to leave that unspecified?
It might sharpen the thinking.

 

Again, this is Haz_cat's challenge, however I think this might make it a little too difficult for some. I for one would struggle to know what dimensions are required, since I don't know how to work measurments (for example, I don't know how large an acre is)

 

As you enter the exhibit the first animals you see are birds. There are 3 aviaries here, 2 individual ones, and 1 mixed one. The first 2 contain Great Argus and Rhinoceros Hornbill. Both aviaries also have indoor areas that the birds can access although the visitors cannot see into them.
The 3rd aviary is a small walk-through rainforest aviary. It contains:
Crested Partridge
Black-naped Fruit-dove
Blue-crowned Hanging-parrot
Green Broadbill
Fairy Bluebird
White-rumped Shama
Blue-winged Minla
Silver-eared Mesia
Straw-headed Bulbul
Yellow-vented Bulbul
While this aviary is small it is large enough that several aditional species could be added at a later date without problems, but it is still small enough to locate the birds and does not seem empty inside.
Passing by the birds, the next exhibit you come to is for Silvered Leaf-monkeys. They of course have many opertunities to climb and also have an indoor area which is not visible to the public. Despite this the indoor area is very similar to the outdoor one, lots of climbing opertunities inside as well.
The next exhibit is for Malayan Tapir which includes a large deep pool. It also houses a family of Lar Gibbons, and like the previous primate exhibit, it has tons of climbing opertunities and lots of room for bratchiation as well as lots of ground space for the tapir. There is also a smaller off-exhibit enclosure so one of the species can be separated, as well as separate indoor areas for both species.
The last exhibit is the largest, and features Sumatran Orangutans as well as Siamangs. This features lots of climbing opertunities (obviously by now) as well as ground space and a small pond which contains Southeast Asian Box Turtles and some fish. There is also an exhibit for the male Orangutan which is viewable by visitors. There is of course off-exhibit separation enclosures for both species, 2 for orangutans and 1 for the siamangs.
Also there's a building with glass viewing into the pond as well as into the exhibit, and there are also vivaria in here. One very large one for Reticulated Python and a small one for Tokay Gecko. You exit this through another room with a video about orangutans and the threats they face which also has some interactive displays.

I had to downgrade the huge 80 species walk-through aviary to a small one with 10 species. Huge difference. My original area also contained larger mammals and hoofstock but I figured most could go in other areas of the zoo so I left them out of this exhibit.

 

I imagine a big Borneo Dome, about 60 m in diameter and 25 m in height, planted with tropical trees.

Visitors find themselves on rocks on the side of the dome. There is a cafe overlooking the rainforest and rainforest river, where false gharials and water turtles bask. There are small waterfalls which hide the moat barrier and a separation of two water flows. So children have a splashing pool in apparently the same river, where crocodiles are watching them just upstream.

Main footpath on forest floor goes through the dense vegetation. Visitors can see freeliving fruit bats, prevost squirrels and large birds: argus pheasants, fireback pheasants, pied imperial pigeons, nicobar pigeons, green magpies, common mynahs and three species of hornbills. There are two viewing points across water moats on two main enclosures.

From the top of the rocks, visitors can also walk on a suspended walkway meandering between trees around the dome and back to the rocks. Visitors can see four enclosures with rich fake trees and lianas. One has male orangutan, second and third have each female orangutan fouth have a troop of silvered langur monkeys. Small-clawed otters and malayan tapirs are together with these primates.

All four enclosures are equivalent, and animals can switch daily in various combinations. So, langurs and orangutans are never together, female orangutans are never together, male orangutan is most of the time separated from females. Tapirs and otters can go across all four, diving between moat barriers.

The fourth footpath goes inside rocks under the restaurant. Visitors see a cave with rich stalactites and underground river. There are egyptian fruit bats flying around. Smaller caves house animals which visit caves in Borneo to hunt bats: reticulated python and barred eagle-owl (or bay owl or brown wood-owl).

And there is a separate room, which has freeflying butterflies and free crawing green rat snakes. And a small separate aviary for small birds: with banded pittas, straw-headed bulbuls and crested partridges.

Outside is about two hectares of woodland divided into four large outside exhibits for primates, tapirs and otters. Visitors see them from across the water moat, glass and from viewing towers at treetop level. Like indoors, animals switch daily in different combinations. Birds from the main dome have their own outside aviary where they can go out in season.

(I hope I made number of species and enclosures right. Good night!)

 

Not long left now - remember, winner sets the next challenge...

 

OK - Time's up - no more entries. Winner to be revealed shortly...

 

OK - The winner, and therefore setting the next challenge is...

siamang27!

Who completed the challenge completely to the specification - Javan Rhino didn't have enough mixed enclosures, and Jurek7 exceeded the maximum number of exhibits - but still great efforts from these two.

 

Indoor rainforest:

For this exhibit, you can pick any area of the world you want, as long as you stick to that 1 area and it only contains species that live in the rainforest. For example if you make an indoor Australian rainforest exhibit, you can only use animals from Australia in that exhibit.

All exhibits must be indoor.
You can have a minimum of 5 mammals, 10 birds, and 5 reptiles/amphibians. Maximum is 15 mammals, 30 birds, and 20 reptiles/amphibians. You can have none or as many fish/insects as you want.
The exhibit must include either 1 walk-through aviary or free-flying birds throughout the exhibit.
You must have at least 2 mixed species exhibits (besides the aviary/free-flying birds), however this can still include birds if in a separate aviary.
Animals can be any species as long as they are 1. from that region of the world, and 2. held in captivity.
Remember, everything has to be indoors so think carefully about what animals would do best in that setting...

Deadline will be tomorrow. I didn't set a time as most members are in the UK and your time is different from mine...If you guys want to come up with one then that's fine.

If you have any questions just ask!

 

As for the deadline should we go for the same as yesterday?

*Goes back to working on exhibit*

 

Yeah, we can just use the same deadline as the orang exhibit.

 

@Haz_Cat: Did the mixed enclosures not include the aviaries? I had 3 mixed exhibits (one with Siamang and Dusky Leaf Monkey and 2 aviaries). Not bitter, just wondered for next time .

@Siamang27: Congrats . I will submit my exhibit tomorrow morning.

 

@Javan Rhino, fraid so, but that's my fault as I should have made it clearer.

 

No worries, I'll know for next time I will carefully plan my next exhibit .