So I did some MSPainting and I think the areas in red can be developed on more. I circled the Wild Asia Monorail because once the elephants die, its popularity is gonna sink like the Titanic. The middle area is also not circled because that's where a bunch of backdoor stuff is.
The zoo has already discussed plans for the Nature Trek area, they look to turn it into a African safari zone with dik-dik, mole-rats, and other smaller animals. The area behind Tiger Mountain/Northern Ponds is at least partially dedicated to bts breeding complexes, including crane stables, capercaillie aviaries, and additional tiger housing. This all makes it unlikely to be a good exhibit area. ~Thylo
I think that meerkats can be slapped into the NT area as well. And yea, that'll be a problem. Are there any areas I overlooked? Those pens by the WoB exit could use some development. I'd also like to see blue wildebeest so that they can use the pun "Gnu York." Maybe have a few with the tommies. I'd also personally like to have a lion exhibit similar to Tiger Mountain so that they can have daily keeper talks (do that for giraffes too) The Southeastern corner of Africa, in general, is super wasted.
I don’t see many pressing needs at the Bronx Zoo. As the economy goes down the drain, the zoos focus must be stability. Nobody wants to see cutbacks to staff and collection as were seen in 2008. The zoo needs to be smart about growth, and sustainability. Especially since they have a large amount of old infrastructure and such a vast site. Therefore here are a few realistic things I think the zoo should do: African plains needs a renovation. Lions, antelope, and zebra are in need of new holding buildings as theirs approach 80 years old. Move the white rhinos down here as well. Expand the lion habitat and put in a glass viewing point as well. Bring in some smaller african animals (vultures, dik-dik, mole rat...) into a kopje like area as well Renovate the Aquatic Bird House as well. Combine some of the smaller exhibits, repaint the murals and update the tiled walls. Also i’d imagine the water infrastructure needs updating to save water and prevent the smell. Turn the Monkey House into a small central american rainforest exhibit. Focus on one of the WCS key conservation areas such as Belize. Include freshwater turtles, monkeys, parrots, and reef tanks. (Alternate option is to create a New Guinea exhibit with birds of paradise, tree kangaroo, pig-nosed turtle,...) Replace the white rhinos in Zoo Center with Baird’s tapir, to create a small Central American area (or under the New Guinea plan replace them with cassowary) Birds of Prey should no longer hold large vultures, condors, or eagles. Relocate most species to other zoos, and replace with appropriate sized species of bird. Jungleworld - Replace Amur leopard with clouded leopard. Replace malayan tapir with babirusa. Wild Asia - Phase out asian elephants after the Patty & Happy pass away (hopefully they have many more years in them). Use the elephant yard as a second indian rhino exhibit. Create a malayan tapir exhibit on the tram, using part of one of the deer yards. Lastly this is more of a pet project of mine, yet I would like to see the zoo expand its space for breeding rare turtle species. This is an area the zoo already excels in, yet I would love a greenhouse complex that allows the zoo to maintain larger breeding populations of this key species.
I feel like a lot of African plains is quite long in the tooth and needs a renovation. One thing I'd like to see is predator rotation like in Denver. For the birds of prey, you can create space between cages by getting rid of walls but I'd still rather have smaller species like the burrowing owls and falcons. I like the idea of a tapir yard in the zoo center teasing a South American experience in the old Monkey house. For Jungle world, I'd not only make the leopard's portion of the exhibit bigger and get clouded, but for the tapir/babirusa, I'd make it so it can walk to where the langurs are for extra space. They should get along fine. I don't think that a tapir would be suited for the monorail. They have a babirusa exhibit already and you almost never see them. Speaking of Asia, I would personally like to see a new elephant exhibit capable of housing a breeding herd but thus really far off. The reptile house has a ton of breeding space upstairs. However, I would like to see the animal hospital become one singular building with more quarantine space.
I believe that the Bronx Zoo is sorely missing a fantastic Latin America exhibit, and I think it should be located either at World of Birds (indoor rainforest with birds, monkeys, and tapir) or the Aquatic Birds/Sea Bird/Birds of Prey area World of Birds: Indoor rainforest Macaws, monkeys, and Baird's tapirs The Aquatic Bird/Sea Bird/Birds of Prey area will become the zoo's diversity of birds habitat. Aquatic Birds/Sea Bird/Birds of Prey area Keep Sea Bird Aviary as is (Chilean birds) Turn Aquatic Bird House into indoor rainforest Turn Birds of Prey area into jaguar exhibit. Keep American flamingos Put Baird's tapirs in stork areas if there's enough room.
The zoo's already discussed plans for a Latin American exhibit without displacing any of their current collection... ~Thylo
I'm aware of their idea. What I'm unsure about is where it could be without disrupting other animals. This is why my idea uses one of the zoo's two avian zones. For those who don't know, here is the article with the Latin America idea: https://www.zoophoria.net/single-po...Aquarium-of-the-Wildlife-Conservation-Society
It's not a forested area, it's just overgrown. The exhibit closed in 2009 but the paths and even some enclosures still exist, including gibbon islands. The dinosaur safari partially runs through that area and the annual Run for the Wild at least used to go through there. ~Thylo
I've done Dino Safari tours and where the Majungasaurus were, there was a paddock occupied by a Clydesdale.
Pretty not possible This plan has been discussed in the past, and honestly I feel it's more suitable in the fantasy forums than here. ~Thylo
Well first of its a steeply sloping site. Second of all the grizzly bears and both have adequate on-exhibit spaces. That is not to say the off-exhibit holding areas are adequate (in my opinion they need to be replaced). As well much of the area is taken up by the zoos snow leopard holding area, as the zoo generally has 10-12 cats at any one time. Lastly, polar bears are not in the zoo's future plans as of now, they are extremely expensive to exhibit and not currently a sustainable population in zoos. There are currently not enough bears to go around, so more space for the species is likely not needed. I would love to see the Bronx Zoo bring in Sloth Bears at some point in the future though.
In my mental master plan, Sloth bears will be in the newly renovated Wild Asia area. Also, for Africa, I'd like to redo the area to have better holding areas and to allow rotation of both predator and prey animals. If you wanted to get the Amurs out of Jungleworld, you could use the WoD area as their home and make that whole island of land themed around Northern Asia with the bears, dholes, Himalayan Highlands,
It would be sad to see such an architecturally unique building lost. Its sad enough to look at it blocked off.
