Make an Exhibit for that Recently extinct species

The exhibit is inside a large aviary. At one end a salt water pool 2m deep represents the coastal habitat. One side of the pool slopes to a rocky shore which slopes up to an area of tall tussock grass with some bushes of Metrosideros. At the other end of the aviary is a second freshwater pool surrounded by a sloping sandy beach. As well as the mergansers the exhibit is home to a pair of Subantarctic Snipe Coenocorypha aucklandica and a flock of red-crowned parakeet Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae.

 

I like your detailed description of the exhibit and the combination of species. I don't think the parakeets/kakarikis would deal well with saltwater though as they are not marine birds.

Your next species (or rather, subspecies) will be the Pyrenean ibex, Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica.

 

Wetlands of The Eighth Continent
Around 70,000 square feet in total, this marshy wetland exhibit replicates the watery homes that the Malagasy Pygmy Hippopotamus called home. It consists of two large connected areas; an acre large mesh covered paddock and two large connected pools on either side of it.

The main paddock is the acre large one, and is a mesh-covered aviary (the mesh is kept up with wooden posts). The aviary has varied terrain, but is largely flat with only a few grassy mounds here and there. It has large swathes of open marshy grassland as well as a couple of scattered groves of dense Madagascan ground vegetation and trees. Stands of Avicennia and Rhizophora trees. Some scattered acacia trees also dot the marshland. Ponds and several large but generally shallow and less than 7 foot deep lakes also are found throughout the aviary, connected by slow-moving channels and backwaters. Logs creep over the reeds and provide perching structures for various birds. The banks of these rivers and lakes are muddy, with occasional boulders also for perching. Reeds, cattails, and other species of Madagascar marsh vegetation make up most of the flora in the aviary and characterize the landscape. There is a large lake at the front of the enclosure, which is the largest and deepest pool. This is the main lake utilized by the hippopotami. The mesh at the edges of this pool extends down to the water level but does not go underwater, enabling the hippos to simply swim under it.

There are two enclosures immediately bordering the aviary which the hippos alone have access to. Both are fairly similar to the main paddock but smaller, a little larger than 13,000 square feet. These are also covered with mesh, and have two large shaded pools each (with the pools being about 8 feet deep at their deepest point). Reeds and cattails cover the muddy banks, while acacia and Rhizophora trees provide cover. Some logs serve as scratching posts as well. Aquatic plants grow in the ponds, both on the surface of the water and underneath it. Tilapia are not found in Madagascar, but to make sure the pols stayed relatively clean, the zoo decided to put in a large school of Polleni Cichlids in with the hippos. These clean the hippos off by eating dead skin and would likely also consume their organic waste, preventing the growth of too much algae and bacteria. The paddocks also have large grassy areas, as it seems the hippos spent more time on land than their mainland counterparts. The hippos generally have access to both these enclosures at any given time, though if need be, they can be separated by sliding a large reinforced plastic door underneath the mesh, blocking the channel the hippos use to access their enclosure. This can be done to keep the hippos in one exhibit, though there are also off-show paddocks the zoo can utilize. Only one other species would be able to access this paddock; the African Darter. They would be encouraged not to with positive reinforcement and regular feedings.

The main paddock is viewed from a raised wooden boardwalk on elevated posts that runs around the perimeter of the exhibit, with free of charge binoculars to allow closer views of species. Various signs tell about the threats the bird species face and (if the hippopotamus had never gone extinct) the dangers the hippos encounter or (if they had been brought back) why they went extinct. The other paddocks are viewed into by a covered wooden platform elevated above the exhibit and looking down into it, or through large glass panels on the lower observation floor providing underwater viewing.


1.2 Malagasy Pygmy Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus madagascariensis)

2.3 African Openbill (Anastomus lamelligerus)
4.8 Yellow-Billed Stork (Mycteria ibis)
3.5 Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta)
3.5 Black Heron (Egretta ardesiaca)
3.5 Malagasy Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis bernieri)
2.4 African Darter (Anhinga rufa)

0.0.80 Polleni Cichlid (Paratilapia polleni)


Ready for the next species, please!

 

I loved your extensive, detailed and descriptive design that encompassed so many facets of the exhibit. Thank you very much for your submission.

Your next species will be the Martinique giant rice rat, Megalomys desmarestii.

 

A grassy paddock will hold a few pairs of this tortoise. The exhibit will be similar to modern-day Aldabra tortoise enclosures: a large grassy area with a pool of water to cool down and wade in. Nearby signs tell visitors how overhunting the tortoises for food led to their extinction, and an adjacent exhibit for radiated tortoises explains the efforts to reintroduce tortoises to Rodrigues.

Next species please.

 

Nice design. I like how you based the housing on existing species.

Your next species will be the Saudi gazelle, Gazella saudiya.

 

I believe if cape buffalo can be safely mixed with gazelles, boar could be safely mixed with ovids and equids. If nothing else, the gazelles and urials can have access to an enclosure where the oars cannot get to.

Rabb's fringe-limbed tree frog exhibit coming soon.

 

A large paddock filled with sand and gravel flooring will hold a small herd of these gazelles. The enclosure, though mostly barren, has sporadic acacia trees and a small oasis at its center. Similar enclosures nearby hold two other rare ungulates of Arabia: Arabian sand gazelles and Arabian oryx. Signage explains how overhunting has caused severe population declines in all three species' populations and how breeding programs for both extant species have worked wonders on saving their originally low populations.

Next species!

 

Nice exhibit, I like your focus on the Arabian desert ecosystems.

Your next species will be the Choiseul pigeon, Microgoura meeki.

 

Poʻo-uli Paridise

In an alternate series of events, the Poʻo-uli never went extinct. Instead, it went extinct in the wild, alive but in terrible trouble. This exhibit would be located in a large tropical zoo, perhaps in Florida, Hawaii, or California, and would focus on the species on Maui, and the invasive species that affect them.

This exhibit would be a simple trail off of a main path of the zoo it is located at. A large sign featuring flying birds and a rainbow would attract visitors to this quiet spot in the zoo. The trail itself would be densely planted, with coconut palms, hibiscus flowers, and lots of other tropical plants. The sounds of birds would be played through speakers, and a statue of the moa-nalo would be located here. All this shows the Hawaii should be, lush, green, and most importantly, full of native wildlife. The visitor then encounters a little island cottage. Inside, there are many displays about Hawaiian life, as well as information about the native wildlife of Hawaii, and how many native species are gone from the islands. The hut overlooks a medium sized aviary. (A little smaller then the hornbill aviary in San Diego probably.) The aviary is densely planted with tropical bushes and plants, offering hiding places, and a small waterfall also creeps down in the back of the exhibit. The exhibit would be home to Maui parrotbills, 'akahekohes, 'I'iwis, and (of course), Poʻo-ulis. The back of the exhibit would feature a large mural (a aspect I find charming in zoos) of a Hawaiian mountain chain and a large rainbow over the sky. There would be holes in the mural allowing the birds access the behind the scenes area. This area would feature offshow specimens who could breed. The area would also have a nursery, and a one-way glass pane would offer visitors a look at birds hatching. I know many ZooChatters (Including myself) Would be pushing our way through the crowd to see that!

The next part of the trail would become bare, less foliage would be growing and the sounds of birds would fall silent, showcasing how Maui should not be. The first exhibit in this part of the trail is an abandoned shack. Visitors can peek in and see a group of Norway rats raiding a shed full of grain and old equipment. A display will talk about how rats started to decline of birds in Hawaii, and how their world wide range decimates endemic species on islands such as Maui. The next exhibit nearby is a large ditch. There would be many hiding holes and lookout hills for Indian mongooses. Signage nearby would talk about how mongooses were brought to Hawaii to control the aforementioned rats, but the rats were nocturnal, and the diurnal mongooses were attracted tot he eggs of the birds. The final exhibit would be a shaded yard. It would feature a little hut for shade and shelter with a Hawaiian license plate on it. There would also be a mud wallow. This exhibit would house a pair of Guinea hogs. Signage nearby would explain how colonization often leads to animals being let loose on new lands, causing decimation to local wildlife. This ends the trail, and a sign near the exit asks the visitor, "should we let unwelcome visitors destroy the birds who know no other home?"

I have some other threads to respond to currently, so, for now, I will not ask of another species.

 

A steep rocky hillside is surrounded by an electric fence to contain the animals. Through the middle of the enclosure runs a stream to provide water and a focal point for viewing. On each side of the enclosure are tall aviaries holding Lammergeir on one side, and on the other European Red Squirrels. As well as the Ibex, the main exhibit also holds Alpine Marmot and Chamois.

 

Thank you very much for your submission, I really enjoyed it. I love the inclusion of several very nice extant species and of the nursery. I also appreciate the focus on invasive species and their ecological effects.

This would be a rather lovely European mountain exhibit. I like how you considered replicating both a mountain environment and containing animals that can climb very well. Also lammergeier are one of my favorite vulture species, so I like that you included them.

Your next species will be the Tahitian sandpiper, Prosobonia leucoptera.

 

Rice Rat Forests
This exhibit focuses on the animals found on the Caribbean island of Martinique. This would take place in a timeline where the Martinique Giant Rice Rat became critically endangered and believed extinct but rediscovered in isolated pockets of the island and hastily moved into a captive breeding environment, not unlike the Red Wolf or similar species.

This enclosure would be around 400 square feet in size, and consists of a simple mesh-covered forest paddock. It consists of two outdoor exhibits and three indoor shelters.

The outdoor paddocks consist of two forested, circular aviaries, each being around 200 square feet; the main paddock, which the rats have access to, is slightly larger at 220 square feet, while the bird paddock is 180 square feet. The substrate for the enclosures is predominantly soil, but there are patches of mulch and sand. These are all covered with twigs and leaf litter. Patches of grass are also present in some of the more open, sunny areas of the aviaries. I know little about native Caribbean flora, but suffice it to say some deciduous ground shrubbery and ferns dot the forest floor. The understory is made up of Caribbean crops; namely, mango, coconut, banana, plantain, coffee, and breadfruit trees. The mesh extends 30 feet above ground level to accommodate some of the taller trees. Logs also dot the forest floor, and there are some shallow pools and flat-topped rocks. Small, low to the ground wooden feeding racks for the rats, and flat-topped wooden feeding platforms for the birds are also present. The outdoor exhibits are separated by a large ditch the rats cannot jump across, and also my a series of low wooden posts. The birds can fly over these posts and the ditch easily to access the all-bird area, while the rats are confined to their larger paddock.

Indoor accommodations consist of four separate rooms. All have glass skylights permitting the growth of some hardy, resistant, and/or fast-growing plant species. The substrate is predominantly mulch with patches of soil. Logs, branches, and dead trees are present in all of the rooms, with the bird rooms having perches and the rodent rooms having a system of thick ropes and hammocks the rodents may be able to climb and sleep in. Guests can see into one bird room and one rodent room through one-way glass windows.

Guests view the outdoor enclosure from a path that the exhibit partially extends into. Wooden benches are also located bordering this exhibit, though they face the opposite direction. A wooden handrail keeps guests separated from the mesh, and also has signs placed on it detailing the inhabitants of the exhibit, the threats they face (primarily deforestation), and the work the zoo has done in the conservation of the Martinique Giant Rice Rat.

The indoor shelters are viewed from a larger building, which has smaller reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, and small mammals. This building has further displays talking about the threats Caribbean animals face, and guests can view videos on the work the zoo has done in the Caribbean for various species.

This mix should work, as it seems the rice rat was predominantly herbivorous. These birds are also large or fast enough to not be seen as prey by the rats. That being said, eggs and young will be cared for off-exhibit, to prevent nest predation. That being said, if there were any problems, that bird species would be removed.


1.1 Martinique Giant Rice Rat (Megalomys desmarestii)

1.2 Scaly Naped Pigeon (Patagioenas squamosa)
2.2 Brown Trembler (Cinclocerthia ruficauda)
2.4 Carib Grackle (Quiscalus lugubris)
1.2 Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus)


Long in the making, but got sidetracked. Here it is. Ready for the next species, though it may be a while as I am working on World of the Andes for Design a Zoo.

 

Very nice Carribean exhibit.

Your next subspecies will be the Kangaroo Island emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae baudinianus.

Take the time you need to do the exhibit.

 

A large heated aviary 15m wide x 10m front to back and 5m tall is floored with a mixture of coral sand, shell and coral rubble. At the front is a large aquarium 2m wide and 2m deep the length of the front, which gives the public a tropical coral reef display. In the sand of the main exhibit are planted a scattering of appropriate plants with a selection of small palms, including coconut palm, which gives an open impression with a large proportion of open ground. As well as the Tahitian sandpiper the exhibit includes Blue Lorikeets and Grey-Green Fruit Doves.

 

I like your detailed description of the aviary and the species you chose to include.

Your next species will be the Broad-billed parrot, Lophopsittacus mauritianus.

 

Sorry about the wait. I've Here is my exhibit for Rabb's fringe-limbed tree frog.

Toughie Times (in reference to Toughie, the last known Rabb's fringe-limbed tree frog in existence who died in 2016)
This indoor exhibit is home to several endangered or extinct species of herptiles. It starts with an exhibit for Cayman blue iguanas. Next are several turtle exhibits: a mix of Eastern box turtles and wood turtles, Indochinese box turtles, big-headed turtles, and radiated tortoises. Next is a wall of amphibian exhibits including Panamanian golden frogs, Kihansi spray toads, gastric brooding frogs, golden toads, and Rabb's fringe-limbed tree frogs. Next are exhibits for Chinese giant salamanders, eastern hellbenders, and Ozark hellbenders. Last are separate exhibits for crocodilians: Chinese alligators, gharials, and West African slender-snouted crocodiles.

Next species please.

 

Take all the time you need for your submissions, I don't mind.

That would be an amazing herp house many of us, even those who like me are primarily mammal and bird people, would enjoy tremendously. Very nicely done.

Your next species will be the Cape Verde giant skink, Chioninia coctei.

 

Islands of Africa
This large complex is dedicated to wildlife from various islands surrounding Africa. There are several outdoor enclosures, but mostly there are buildings.

Cape Verde
This island is the first to be represented when visitors enter the complex, but it is the most low-key exhibit here. Under a sign that says "Cabo Verde" is a large terrarium embedded in a rock formation housing a pair of Cape verde giant skinks.

Maritius
Past the Cape Verde exhibit is the physical centerpiece of this complex, a representation of Maritius. This island is represented by a lush paddock in which a family of dodos cavort about the foliage. For a price, visitors may enter the paddock for keeper-supervised petting and feeding. On the opposite side of it stands the remaining two exhibits. If you are looking at the twelve-o'clock position with the dodo exhibit to your back, directly in front of you is the Madagascar exhibit. at about the two-o'clock position is the next exhibit...

Rodrigues
This island is represented by a greenhouse. This is a mixed exhibit with Aldabra tortoises roaming the floor and Rodrigues flying foxes flying and perching overhead.

Madagascar
This is the last exhibit on the complex. Outdoors are two large exhibits for extinct wildlife: one housing a pair of Malagasy pygmy hippos and another housing a pair of elephant birds (Aepyornis maximus). Between both of them is an outdoor exhibit for ringtail and collared lemurs. Inside are indoor exhibits for all creatures as well as radiated tortoises (mixed with the lemurs), Nile crocodiles, foosa, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, lesser tenrecs, and tomato frogs. Exit through gift shop.

Next species, please.

 

I love how you included several island groups. Very lovely combination of extinct and extant species. I like this one a lot.

Your next species will be the Mascarene parrot, Mascarinus mascarin.