It appears the new North America exhibit will not open until spring 2010 (original estimates had an opening for sometime this year). Brookfield Zoo to mark 75th birthday -- chicagotribune.com
This zoo's section is a little sparse for forums so I thought this could be converted into a general discussion topic for GBW as an exhibit. Bison Plains Area Before the opening of Great Bear Wilderness, I forget the Bison were part of Brookfield Zoo's collection. They were placed in boring, fairly non-distinct habitats, and I ran recall seeing wolves and forest buffalo housed there at various times in habitats that usually resembled deserts and grasslands. The new exhibit is a beautiful grassy plain that allows the animals to stand out and the size of the herd is begin enough to emphasize the majesty of these beasts and help one imagine what they're like in their native habitat better. The tunnel attached is all right but not particularly impressive to me. It's a huge improvement over the previous exhibit and in my opinion, the stand-out piece of GBW. Bald Eagle Aviary I don't believe Brookfield Zoo every had a traditional Bald Eagle exhibit before this, just a few rescue animals in the old Children's Zoo. Now they have a massive aviary to fly free, and it's the biggest aviary in either Chicago zoo. There's also more eagles than the solitary birds seen before. This one is also a big step up from the animals' old habitat and much superior to the one at Lincoln Park in Regenstein Birds of Prey habitat. The Bear Yards While an improvement over the iconic rockwork grottos the bears had been living in for generations at Brookfield, the new enclosures are larger and grassier, but still rely on rockwork in the middle to set the scene for visitors and still focus on large pools for visitor amusement. There are no permanent enrichment items and minimal foliage, just lots of open space. The result is a little underwhelming from outdoor viewing, and still does not feel fully natural for either animal, particularly the forest-dwelling grizzlies. I think some trees and additional foliage would do a lot to help the yards. Indoor Bears Exhibit The zoo re-utilizes the popular and successful concept of using large windows and indoor viewing areas for outdoor exhibits, with the bear enclosure pools up against the glass to watch the bears swim. This provides much amusement for visitors when the bears are in the water and solves one of the biggest issues the previous grottos faced for visitors, allowing the underwater viewing visitors at Lincoln Park Zoo have enjoyed for decades. The setback, however, is it can be difficult to go eye-to-eye with the bears at ground level due to the focus on the pools. Regenstein Wolf Woods I remember when this exhibit first opened in 2003 or so and still enjoy how it manages to give the wolves an extensive area with lots of space while also offering plenty of room for visitors to view them, with more than one area/window. The animals don't feel forced in the open but guests can still effectively enjoy the animals. The educational aspects do well to help visitors more closely examine the animals' behavior as well. If I had one complaint, it's simply that I'm a little unhappy it's been integrated as part of the new exhibit, preventing it from standing on it's own. Bison Prairie Grill Haven't eaten here yet. Would like to try it on my next visit if a meal on grounds can be justified. Bison Shop or w/e Has a nice, diverse selection of items themed around North American wildlife, many of which are unique to the shop, as well as a number of Native American-inspired items. A great place to buy items' relevant to the exhibit's carnivores nonetheless. Overall The real stars of Great Bear Wilderness, in my opinion, were not the bears but the bison and eagles, who feel like new additions to the zoo with such sizable improvements over their previous habitats, whereas the bears ultimately feel like more of the same, though with highly improved living conditions. The integration of Wolf Woods is a little strange but it's a fantastic exhibit in it's own right. It nicely compliments the Children's Zoo in Lincoln Park Zoo, which focuses on wildlife in the American midwest. The biggest weakness might be the feeling of 're-treaded ground', re-utilizing the existing but great wolf exhibit, and resting on the same themes in the bear habitats. I think the addition of another large mammal or some additional small animals could have done wonders to give the exhibit more of a 'new feeling' - such as the suggested inclusion of Mountain Goats in the original master plan, or even some Dall Sheep, or smaller creatures like beavers, owls, or a new outdoor habitat for North American otters. Despite these faults, it's the best place to see these iconic North American megafauana in Chicago.
nice summary and i would overall agree with it. it will only hold the mantle of the best place to see polar bears in chicago a short while, however. LPZ's will address some of the issues you mention.
