I can't quite agree, red ruffed lemurs are great, there is nothing better than sitting on the balcony during summer evening, watching them a hearing their calls.
Try sleeping in a tent under a tree with lemurs (Unsure what species) launching their "homemade missiles" down upon you throughout the night
It's not that entertaining when you arrived to the zoo very late at night after a long journey and get woken up by their "morning concert" very early the next day ... But hey, at least it's more natural than the sound of the bin lorry / garbage truck emptying the trash containers right under your window (which happened to me at another zoo guest room). ^^
Yeah I can understand that, good thing that whenever I sleep next to them I wake up earlier than them
I've lived 2 years in the middle of Pairi Daiza. Best time of my life ! Sometime when I opened the curtains I had to discovered that I had the put on my cloths very quickly because some escaped Ostriches were walking in front of my house or had to put the childeren very quickly inside because a ox-bull had escaped and was walking behind my house ! Lots of other stories from this time... !
Agreed , haha , but try hearing that same sound under wild conditions while walking alone down a remote dirt path lit only by a head torch, miles away from a research centre. It is enough to make you jump out of your skin, as is the thought of running into a puma , giant anteater , a herd of peccaries or a jararaca pit viper at close quarters. You have to use all of your scientific objectitivity and mindfulness not to be scared out of your mind. It certainly helps in the case of the maned wolf to remind yourself that the chilling sound is just emmanating from an animal that is actually harmless and a totally loveable coward. With the other species mentioned above even bringing to mind the knowledge that unprovoked attacks are rare there is no such consolation and you just quicken your pace walking or resolve to go out hiking in a group next time. That said , it is quite addicting as an adrenaline fix and there is no feeling more humbling and grounding than walking through a wild area and oddly enough it is liberating just knowing that there are creatures likely roaming somewhere around you that are very capable of causing you to shuffle very painfully and excruciatingly slowly off your mortal coil.
Yes, although a keeper lived in the house behind the Reptile House in the 1970s and 1980s, that area has been not remotely habitable for decades. But the location you mention between Asia and the parking lot has me thinking. As you look toward Asia from the lot, there are a series of concrete structures with openings that could very well be the corridors of a small housing block. I don't believe any directors have lived on premises for many years, but they do have rooms or apartments where they can stay if needed. The same former education specialist who wrote of the house behind the Reptile House mentioned in her book that on occasion Kathleen LaMattina (Jim Breheny's wife) stayed overnight. The most likely place for this--before MrZooPlantman's inspiration-- would be the Science Building, which undoubtedly has a good bit of temporary housing for the many visiting scientists and zoo keepers and administrators that pass through. When crews bring large animals on non-stop road trips from far away, they are surely given a place to spend the night. While this may not be necessary in most places, there would be no lodgings available anywhere nearby that could accommodate a large transit vehicle. When a crew came to bring Priya from the Wilds, for instance, there would be no lodgings where a rhinoceros-sized carrier plus truck could park after a non-stop trip, not to mention a room for his keeper Cody to stay for a week to help acclimate both Priya and Bronx keepers.. That Asia location, though, would be even better for this purpose with the adjacent parking lot. I'm guessing that both the Education Building and the vet hospital would also have accommodations for guests or personnel to stay overnight in a medical emergency.
Just to hear about what it's like to be in the midst of these South American species makes me realize anew how unique and appreciated your presence is on here! Are giant anteaters dangerous?
I am surprised how many European zoos seem to have housing on premises. Here in the United States it is virtually unheard of in major zoos. I don't think any major, accredited zoos have it (though I could be wrong). The only ones I know about are small, privately owned facilities where usually the founder lives on site. Someone mentioned above a zoo like this in Tennessee (that I have not heard of). Some I know of are Project Survival's Cat Haven (California), Out Of Africa (Arizona), Phoenix Herpetological Society (Arizona), Shambala Preserve (California), R Lazy J Wildlife Ranch (Arizona), and a rescue place in Florida that I prefer not to mention by name. @snowleopard in his trip report found several dubious, small "roadside" zoos in Wisconsin I believe would fit this category as well.
The reverse is the case in Europe. Initially, I was surprised that this thread was ever listed at all, as most zoos have housing on the premises. In the UK most smaller to medium sized zoos have evolved from other businesses - country estates, farms, nurseries etc all of which would have had housing, from mobile homes to castles. The same is the case in France, and in Germany many zoos re-built after WWII had the Directors house, plus maybe staff and guest accommodation, within the grounds. From a security point of view, it is surprising to hear this is not the case in the US.
I think most major US zoos have a night security guard who patrols the grounds. This seems to me to be better security than having staff sleep on grounds because ill meaning persons could still do damage at night while the staff are asleep.
But, presumably, the security guard would not be able to deal with many problems, and would still need to contact/wake someone else who was living off-site, and who would then have to travel in...?
I'm assuming all of the family-owned zoos - DeYoung, GarLyn, etc. - have people living on-site. I think Big Cat Rescue in Florida and other sanctuaries have people on-site.
