Exhibit Designing Competition

Haz_Cat: Your entry isn't late, there's still 1 1/2 hours left til the deadline.

There's a lot of submissions for this contest so I have my work cut out for me!

 

Wow, everyone made it really hard to choose a winner, but I think that I've made my decision. Congratulations DesertRhino150! You chose a unique area and I liked the different areas of your exhibit, the ship with the exhibits in it was a neat idea. Redpanda was a close second, I liked all the mixed-species exhibits and visitor elements you included, I just think more of the species which DesertRhino150 used could be more easily maintained in captivity and would be easier to get. Everybody did a great job with their exhibits and I enjoyed reading all of your submissions. Kudos to Paix for choosing Britain and Swedish Zoo Fan for designing what reminds me of a shark tunnel through a clouded leopard exhibit. Alright, bring on the next design challenge!

 

I hope I am not late but I had made a map and forgot to put it on.


List of Animals

1-Sulawesi Babirusa
2-Togian Islands Babirusa
3-Buru Babirusa
4-Celebes Warty Pig/Mountain Anoa
5-Sulawesi Fruit Bat
6-Heck's Macaque
7-Moor Macaque
8-Gorontalo Macaque
9-Booted Macaque
10-Tunkean Macaque
11-Celebes Crested Macaque
12-Sulawesi Masked Owl/Sulawesi Hawk Eagle/Sulawesi Serpent Eagle
13-Knobbed Hornbill
14-Fish(Clown Rasbora,Rice Fish, Fire Eel)Reptiles and Amphibians(Sulawesi Forest Turtle,Sulawesi Toad, Matanna Water Snake)
Insects(Plume moth,Tortoise Beetle,Sulawesi Black Tarantula)
15-Maleo/Sula Megapode
16-Sulawesi Woodpecker/Sulawesi Hornbill
17-Purple Winged Roller/Togian White Eye
18-Sulawesi Kingfisher/Green Backed Kingfisher
19-Purple Bearded Bee Eater/Sulawesi Myna
20-Pigeon(Sulawesi Black Pigeon,Sombre Pigeon) Dove(Maroon Chinned Fruit Dove, Sulawesi Ground Dove)
21-Dian's Tarsier/Pygmy Tarsier/Spectral Tarsier.
22-Sulawesi Nightjar/Sulawesi Shrew/Tarsiers
23-Lowland Anoa
24-Sulawesi Giant Rat
25-Sulawesi Giant Squirrel
26-Sulawesi Dwarf Cuscus/Sulawesi Bear Cuscus/Sulawesi Palm Civet

 

Cool map Fossa Dude, just like I pictured it from your description.

However I've already declared DesertRhino150 the winner of this design challenge.

Thanks for still sending in your map, I always enjoy looking at people's designs.

 

So DesertRhino150, it is now your turn to set the challenge!

 

Looking forward to the next challenge...

 

Thanks! It was really fun to design that exhibit, glad you enjoyed it!

Alright, the new exhibit design shall be based upon predators. The rules are:

• 
  All animals in the exhibit have to be carnivorous (this can include sub-catergories e.g. scavengers, insectivores, piscivores
  All the animals have to be from a set continental or geographic region e.g. Africa, Asia, South America
  There must also be at least 5 mammals, 4 birds, 4 reptiles, 3 amphibians, 2 fish and 2 invertebrates in each entry
  There isn't a limit to the size of the enclosures
  Competitors can choose if there are any mixed exhibits or walk-through enclosures e.g. walk-through aviaries
  The animals don't have to be readily available in captivity, but please try to be realistic

Good luck, and I look forward to selecting a winner. Closing time for this competition is eight P.M on Tuesday, so plenty of time to come up with a winning idea.

 

@ fkalltheway- Thank you and when I put it on I already knew that someone had won but I thought it might be cool to put it on anyway why.

 

Sounds fun! But, since I'm going to Munich from Monday to Saturday, I'm not sure if I can do a new contest if I win...

 

@SZF, you could PM Desert Rhino with your challenge for incase you win.

 

So can I use bird species which eat mostly insects but also eat fruit and nectar or seeds?

 

That should be fine, as long as the main component of the diet is carnivorous.

 

Predators of Africa

You come in through our hand made straw arch to come and see a wonderful Lion Fountain with antelope statues looking like running away from the lion that is roaring. As you continue down the path you come to a Green African Grassland as the walkway is surrounded by tall grass and a few Acacia spotting the landscape. While you walk down the path, you see a small African Village. In the back is a Big Building that resembles a Hut but is the Reptile House. Here you can find: Savanna Monitor, Black Mamba, Nile Monitor, Green Mamba, Rock Python, African Bullfrog, East African Rainbow Lizard, Striped Skink, Jackson's Chameleon, African Clawed Frogs,Uluguru Hills Caecilian,Emperor Scorpion, and Namib Desert beetle. Our Savanna Monitors, Rock Python, and Nile Monitors all have an outdoor yards during the warmer months. Once you exit, you come to a Large Savanna Aviary where Vulturine Guineafowl, African Sacred Ibis, Helmeted Guineafowl, Spotted Thick-knee, Temminck's Courser, Red-billed Buffalo-weaver, Yellow-billed Stork, African Openbill, African Spoonbill, Lesser Flamingo, African Crake, African Darter, Cattle Egret, Great Bittern, Abdim's Stork, Crested Francolin, Buff-crested Bustard live in a beautiful enviroment where you are in a dry savanna at first then to a lush wetland with a 25ft water fall and greenery every where and majority of the birds live at with a river going down through the avairy while you cross over it on a bridge. When you come out the exhibit, you see a smaller avairy with a Dracaena aletriformis with a large nest home to our Milky Eagle Owl and next to it is a Verreaux's Eagle in a lush enviroment with little suprise in some of the trees.

We continue down our path out of the aviary to see the a secluded area to

Scavenger Encounter

Here you smell the odor of death all around and you see an artifical elephant skull on one side and you turn around to a window in the dry bush to see White-backed Vultures and Marubo Storks gather around a fake zebra carcass out in the open with a tree where you a pair of Lappet-Faced Vulture that already ate their fill.

After we past SE we see a buffalo skull on a wooden post next to a sign saying:
Lion Kingdom:
You have now arrive to Lion Kingdom, you hear the laughing hyenas and roaring Lions ready for dinner. As you enter, there is a Antelope skull (artifical) under a bush. The first exhibit you will see is a African Clawless Otter in a lush River Exhibit where there are live fish for the otters.There is a high clay ledge with many holes on the side to see it is home to the White-fronted Bee-eater always hunting bees for their young. The next exhibit down the path holds the Secretary-birdin a open exhibit with few trees giving them shade and a zip line that the birds chase for some mices. At the next exhibit, you see a sign pointing to the Mongoose Complex:, here you see all time of Mongooses from the savanna: Banded, Slender, Common Dwarf, Yellow, Jackson's,Bushy-tailed, and White-Tailed Mongoose. They all live a lush green habitat with many trees, scrubs, and bushes. After we finish those exhibits, we head off to the bigger predators.

We first come to a lush green wetland where we see a main river that passes through the wetland. The path leads us to a elevated viewing where the guest see the Nile Crocodiles basking in the Sun. The path stills continue to the river where we come and see and underwater viewing area where we can also see Lake Victoria Cichlids and Giant Cichlids that are favorite food for the crocodiles.


We continued down the path to hear the Lions roaring even better but they will have to wait later. You turn to a glass window into a dry savanna woodland and you spot a Caracal sleeping under the shade with a little pond near the right with a log over it between two medium size Kopje. Next will be the African Civet a another dry savanna woodland but with some long grass where the civet hides when he hears a lion roar. When he comes out, there are plenty of treats in the logs and some toys in his exhibit. The Serval exhibit though, is a open field cover by long green grass with a Acacia Tree near the middle of the exhibit and climbing logs so they can get to the top. You hear a commontion going on so you go to the next exhibit, the Ratel. This exhibit is a open savanna woodland with to logs with alot of honey and some meat hidden the plants for the predator to find. Now we come to the Canines section of the exhibit. The Bat-Eared Fox has a large open savanna exhibit with a few bushes and a with a few burrows here and there you can see a head pop out and a couple of little ones and they run out to the toys and the little treats buried in the ground. The next thing you smell is death like before to come to the Black-backed Jackal in a savanna/woodland habitat with a dead wildebeest in the middle of the exhibit. We are finally to get to Africa's bigger predators, the African Wild Dog is first. This species lives in a savanna in the front but a lightly woodland in the back, usually where they have their pups, but the front is where the zipline carrying fake impala with meat stuff inside is given every two days to these animals. The Spotted Hyena are next in a open green savanna with a few trees and srcubs plus a river running my to seperate the humans and the predators and a fence. Our next exhibit is home to our fastest land animal, the Cheetah. These cats have a wide open green savanna with a few long grass, few termites mound, trees and a bush with a zipline like the African Wild Dog but a Gazelle though. The next big cat is the African Leopard living in a lush green forest, allowing the cats to climb the trees and look out for prey and zoo keepers with food. Here is one of our star attraction, the Lions. The big cats have a large 3 arce exhibit with a large climable Kopje giving them a great shot of their favorite prey. There is a small river giving them drinking water. a small green woodland for shade and a open savanna to bask in the sun.

 

@DesertRhino150

I was planning to do South America. Could I include Mexico and Central America? If not, cool.

 

Fossa Dude: Mexico and Central America are fine to include with South America. Looking forward to seeing more good designs!

 

For this challenge I chose North America, specifically the American Southwest. Starting out in a typical desert setting pathways diverge and allow you to follow the Woodland Loop trail, the Desert Scrubplain trail, the Riparian Corridor trail, or enter a large building. After you’ve explored all of these areas sufficiently you will travel back out into the desert, this time into a rocky canyon area. The entire exhibit area forms a large loop, and the Scrubplain and Riparian trails line the sides of the main exhibit building (see map). There's approximately 360 individuals of 89 species in this whole exhibit area.

Starting your journey into the desert you see saguaro cactus and other plants native to the American Southwest. A mixed-species aviary for Greater Roadrunner (1.0), Gila Woodpecker (1.0), and Cactus Wren (1.1) is the first exhibit that you see. Directly across the path is a spacious home for a trio of Harris Hawk (3.0). A family of coyote (1.1+offspring) lives in a spacious exhibit with plenty of space for them to run. Visitor views into the exhibit are placed carefully so that you will not see other guests. Rocky outcroppings can be seen in the background providing immersion into the desert landscape. Turkey Vultures (0.3) and Black Vultures (0.2) share an exhibit across from the coyote.

If you choose to do so you can enter the Desert Aviary. Inside you will find yourself in desert scrubland surrounding a small trickle of a stream. An active colony of Cliff Swallows (5.5) dart around the aviary catching flying insects. Other insect-eating birds live here as well: Brown-crested Flycatchers (3.2), Black Phoebes (3.3), Western Kingbirds (2.2), Vermilion Flycatchers (3.1), Yellow Warblers (2.2), Wilson’s Warblers (2.2), Curve-billed Thrashers (2.1), and a pair of Ladder-backed Woodpeckers (1.1). For a small fee guests can purchase a cup of insects to feed these birds, some tame enough to take insects right out of your hand. Lizards also call the aviary home. Southwestern Fence Lizards (4.4) and Common Side-blotched Lizards (4.4) can be seen fighting over territories in the rock piles.

If you opt not to enter the aviary, the pathway to the right showcases some of the animals found in the forested areas of the Southwest. A small aviary for Cooper’s Hawks (1.1) is the first exhibit that you see here. Accipiters are not generally held in zoo collections so seeing these here is a rare treat. Next you come upon an exhibit for White-nosed Coati (0.4), always active and begging for food. An aviary for Great Horned Owl (1.1) is next. Spotting these owls can be difficult as they often remain still, blending in with their surroundings. Many might not know that the range of the Jaguar extends into the Southwestern United States, so a pair of Jaguar (1.1) exhibits informs zoo guests of that fact. Each exhibit can house a pair of cats, but for now there is only one pair on exhibit. The two habitats are slightly different from one another, one being rockier than the other. Glass viewing panels give guests close views of these elusive cats. Following the trail you encounter a pack of Mexican Grey Wolves (0.6). The zoo participates in the recovery effort for this subspecies, serving as a holding institution by exhibiting an all-female group. The large exhibit provides varied terrain for the wolves, and even a small pool (viewed from the Riparian Corridor trail).

Choosing to follow the wolf exhibit around into the Riparian Corridor trail you are granted close viewing of the wolves through glass panels. Directly across from this viewing window is a mixed-species exhibit for Tree Lizards (2.2) and Sonoran Mud Turtles (1.1). Raccoons (0.2) are found in an exhibit near a small pool, with an exhibit for Desert Kingsnake (0.0.1) across the pathway. Next visitors see a large streamside exhibit with underwater viewing. This exhibit houses Northern Leopard Frogs (4.4) and Longfin Dace (0.0.65). A pair of Hooded Orioles (1.1) also lives here, providing an unexpected splash of color. Sonoran Chub (15.15) can be found in an adjoining exhibit which appears to continue the river from the previous exhibit although the species cannot intermingle. Red-spotted Toads (1.1) and Arizona Tiger Salamanders (1.1) share an exhibit across the pathway. Lastly an exhibit Desert Pupfish (20.20) rounds out the area, educating visitors about adaptations fish have to survive live in the desert.

If you chose to instead follow the Desert Scrubplain trail you encounter an exhibit for American Badger (1.0) and an adjacent exhibit for a trio of Burrowing Owl (1.2). Underground burrows give visitors views into the hideouts of these species. The coyote exhibit extends behind these two exhibits, and occasionally visitors can view coyotes in the distance behind these exhibits. Across the path a mixed-species exhibit for lizards can be seen: Common Collared Lizards (1.1), Desert Whiptail Lizards (0.3), and Greater Earless Lizards (3.3). Further down is an exhibit for Kit Fox (1.1). Underground burrows let visitors peak into the wolves retreat. Mohave Rattlesnakes (1.1) appear to live in a burrow under this exhibit but are actually in an exhibit of their own. Across the path American Kestrels (1.1) share an exhibit with Western Box Turtles (1.2). If you lift up a rock in front of this exhibit you will see a small exhibit for Stripe-tailed Scorpions (0.0.3). A group of Verdins (1.2), a Killdeer (1.0), and Couch’s Spadefoot Toads (2.2) share an exhibit, a Western Hognose Snake (1.0) lives in a burrow habitat underneath. Raptors round out this area with a pair of Northern Aplomado Falcons (1.1) and Prairie Falcons (1.1) housed in adjacent exhibits.

If you entered the building you will find yourself plunged into darkness, exposing you to what goes on in the desert at night. Exhibits for Western Screech Owls (1.1), Canyon Treefrogs (0.0.5), Rosy Boa (1.0), two mixed-species snake exhibits [Black-tailed Rattlesnake (0.1) and Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnakes (0.2) and Gray-banded Kingsnakes (1.1), Arizona Coral Snake (1.0)], Western Spotted Skunks (1.1), Elf Owls (1.1), and Giant Whip Scorpions (1.1) can all be found here. Central focal exhibits in this area include a pair of Cacomistle (1.1) and a colony of Pallid Bats (10.10) in an old mine shaft. If visitors continue around the corner they find themselves in a hallway looking at a cut-away of the ground. Peering into the underground world of the desert visitors find exhibits for Southern Grasshopper Mice (2.2), Bark Scorpions (0.0.3), Western Banded Geckos (1.1), Sonoran Gopher Snakes (0.2), and a Desert Blond Tarantula (0.0.1). Passing through a rubber-strip curtain visitors find themselves reentering the light. Two side-by-side exhibits showcase animal’s adaptations to living in sand: Sidewinders (1.1) and Mojave Fringe-tailed Lizards (2.2). The opposite wall showcases animals from rockier habitats. A large exhibit for Yarrow’s Spiny Lizards (3.3) and Canyon Spotted Whiptails (1.1) is paired with an exhibit for an Arizona Black Rattlesnake (1.0) and Banded Rock Rattlesnakes (1.1). Under this exhibit is an exhibit for Giant Desert Hairy Scorpions (0.0.3). Focal exhibits in this gallery include mixed species exhibits for Gila Monster (1.1) and Colorado River Toad (2.1) as well as Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (1.1) and Coachwhip (0.0.1). Located below is an exhibit for Common Desert Centipede (0.0.1).

Exiting the building visitors find themselves in a rockier desert environment. An aviary for Red-tailed Hawks (3.0) hugs a portion of the main exhibit building. A scrubby habitat for Grey Fox (1.1) can be seen across the pathway. There are plenty of climbing opportunities here, showcasing the arboreal tendencies of this canid. Across the pathway an Ocelot (1.1) exhibit showcases another rare cat of the American Southwest. A large cliffside habitat for Golden Eagles (1.1) can be seen next. Visitors have the opportunity to climb a set of stairs and enter a cliffside viewing blind, giving them excellent views of the eagle habitat and the desert canyon. A pair of Bobcats (1.1) can be seen next, across from Chihuahuan Ravens (2.2). The final exhibit on this desert trail is a large habitat for Mountain Lion (1.1). This pair occupies an exhibit which gives them tons of vertical space. The viewing area is approximately two stories tall and gives visitors amazing views into the cat’s canyon habitat.

Here’s the map, hopefully you can read it ok, I know some of the numbers are very small. The shaded areas are areas for plantings. The shading just kind of stops in many cases, that’s just since I didn’t feel like shading the entire paper. Also I realize that no animal holding spaces are shown and that the building would need to be larger to accommodate keeper space/animal holding, but just go with it for now.

Enjoy!

Map Key
1. Greater Roadrunner/Gila Woodpecker/Cactus Wren
2. Harris Hawk
3. Turkey Vulture/Black Vulture
4. Coyote
5. Desert Walkthrough Aviary: Cliff Swallow, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Western Kingbird, Vermilion Flycatcher, Yellow Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Curve-billed Thrasher, Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Southwestern Fence Lizard, Common Side-blotched Lizard
6. Cooper’s Hawk
7. White-nosed Coati
8. Great Horned Owl
9. Jaguar
10. Jaguar
11. Mexican Grey Wolf
12. North American Badger
13. Common Collared Lizard/Desert Whiptail Lizard/Greater Earless Lizard
14. Burrowing Owl
15. Kit Fox with Mohave Rattlesnake underground
16. American Kestrel/Western Box Turtle with Stripe-tailed Scorpion underground
17. Verdin/Killdeer/Couch’s Spadefoot with Western Hognose Snake underground
18. Northern Aplomado Falcon
19. Prairie Falcon
20. Tree Lizard/Sonoran Mud Turtle
21. Raccoon
22. Desert Kingsnake
23. Red-spotted Toad/Arizona Tiger Salamander
24. Northern Leopard Frog/Longfin Dace/Hooded Oriole
25. Sonoran Chub
26. Desert Pupfish
27. Western Screech Owl
28. Canyon Treefrog with Rosy Boa underground
29. Black-tailed Rattlesnake/Arizona Ridge-nosed Rattlesnake
30. Western Spotted Skunk
31. Elf Owl
32. Grey-banded Kingsnake/Arizona Coral Snake with Giant Whip Scorpion underground
33. Cacomistle
34. Pallid Bat
35. Burrow Network: Southern Grasshopper Mouse, Bark Scorpion, Western Banded Gecko, Sonoran Gopher Snake, Desert Blond Tarantula
36. Mojave Fringe-tailed Lizard
37. Sidewinder
38. Yarrow’s Spiny Lizard/Canyon Spotted Whiptail
39. Arizona Black Rattlesnake/Banded Rock Rattlesnake with Giant Desert Hairy Scorpion underground
40. Gila Monster/Colorado River Toad
41. Western Diamondback Rattlesnake/Coachwhip with Common Desert Centipede underground
42. Red-tailed Hawk
43. Grey Fox
44. Ocelot
45. Golden Eagle
46. Bobcat
47. Chihuahuan Raven
48. Mountain Lion

 

"African Ravine: Carnivores and Scavengers of the Savanna"

The “African Ravine: Carnivores and Scavengers of the Savanna” exhibit will include a number of recognizable species for guests in a new exhibit layout composed of rocky outcroppings, clustered trees, and African streams and pools. When first entering the African Ravine Area guests are welcomed by the African Lion exhibit. This exhibit, like most, has an expansive layout composed of pools, trees, rocks, and fallen trees. A Secretary Bird exhibit is off to the side and is complimented by the African Aviary in which visitors will experience later. Guests then are welcomed by the African Ravine Visitor Center. This building serves as a viewing area for the animals, an education, and some smaller invertebrate and amphibian exhibits. These exhibits include: Boulengerula taitanus, African Bull Frog, African Clawed Frog and African Dung Beetle, Inland Button Spiders, Long-legged Sac Spider, Baboon Spider, and African Millipede. Visitors can see a pack of African Wild Dogs, Leopards, Cheetahs, as well as Lions in this visitor center. While each species have their own “home” exhibit, the animals will rotate between the four exhibits, giving the animal’s enrichment and space. Each species will also have a holding facility. Next as visitors exit the Visitor Center they are greeted by the other side of the Cheetah exhibit. With a pool separating the Cheetahs from the visitors, guests can see an expansive exhibit filled with high grasses and an occasional tree. From this pool, an African Stream forms where visitors can see a number of different species of fish, aquatic lizards, and turtles which include: Nile Perch, Soft-Shelled Turtles, Tiger Fish, Lung Fish, Catfish, and Water Monitors. Next, guests enter an open air, walk-through African Aviary, where they can see African Fishing Eagles, Egyptian Vultures, Yellow Billed Storks, and African Open Bill. Also in this exhibit are four species of snake, African Egg Eating Snake, African Rock Python, Green Water Snake, and Dusky Bellied Water Snake. The snakes will behind glass and their exhibit will be integrated throughout the Aviary to give the illusion that everything is connected. When guests exit the Aviary, they are once again greeted by the African Stream. The stream leads them to the endangered Aquatic Gennet exhibit. This small mammal exclusively eats fish and visitors may be able to see them fishing in their African stream and pool. The stream continues on ward and guests enter under a large fallen tree to get to the Nile Crocodile exhibit. Here guests can see the crocodiles in an underwater viewing are as well as an overlook area.

 

That Map is amazing! Aimed at the African Ravine!

 

Thanks Paix! It's amazing what paint can do!

 

Right then. Time's now up! Despite not having the greatest quantity of entrants, the quality was completely unmatched, and all three entries would be deserving of a win, but the overall winner has to be NAIB Volunteer. The overall exhibit layout, an interesting range of species and of course, the fantastic map all added up to make this entry overall excellent. Both fkalltheway and JaxElephant had brilliant entries, and all deserve special commendation for providing such excellent ideas. I look forward to seeing your challenge NAIB Volunteer, and thanks again for entering!