The North Carolina Zoo launched a new website recently that is rather attraction and easy to manuever. A great addition are the various guide downloads that can be found in the animal section of the website. Including a full zoo map brochure, antelope guide, aviary guide, and elephant guide. http://www.nczoo.org/animals/NCZooAviaryGuide.pdf
The website talks about the African Pavilion as if it still was open. I thought it had been essentially condemned.
Zoo's new plans for its polar bear expansion are also located in the zoo's new website. The expansion will include a new polar bear enclosure almost 3x bigger than and in addition to the zoo's current exhibit. The new exhibit will, however, feature less water and no underwater viewing...obviously polar bears arent strictly aquatic mammals as most zoos seem to imply. The new enclosure will be located in a small valley just Northeast of the current pen. There is also the possibility of another small arcitc species to be included in the expansion plan in its own habitat. http://www.nczoo.org/animals/NorthAmerica/ZooPBearExhibit.pdf There doesnt appear to be any date for these future plans.
Not yet, they are moving animals out slowly while the desicions are being made for the future of the land that the pavilion still sits on. The pavilion is still open for visitors.
They are keeping the current polar bear exhibit. And Im not sure, but it appears in the plans that the two can be connected via a "cave" to allow the zoo to give the bears full access to both exhibits. And to give you an idea for the expansion's size 15,000 sq ft is roughly 1/3 of an acre (about 44,000 sq ft). or 1/3 of an American Football Field.
Last week they posted a rfp (request for proposals) to begin planning for the African Pavilion and what will follow. There is surprisingly little info in the rfp, but here it is: https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/AGENCY/PDF/06445400.pdf
Wow, the new African Pavilion Plans sound exciting: Phase I - Baboon and Gorilla holding along with other Primates, Penguins and smaller aquatic exhibits, Visitor Amenities (Shopping, Eatery, Meeting Space) Phase II - Madagascar Exhibit with Lemurs Phase III - Bongo, Okapi, African Wild Dog, and more!
I hope they take their time too. I hate to see zoos build everything at once, just to see a few years of peaked attendance. If they spread out the construction over say 10 years, the zoo will most likely see sustained growth in attendance for many years to come.
Thanks for the link with the do-it-yourself-guidebook from the zoo.,okapikpr, I've printed all of them, but unfortuantely, there are no guides for the north american section, and I need a cover for the guide, can you help me, okapikpr ?
I wish it all made a guidebook, Zebraduiker, but I think these are just graphics at visitor viewing areas...really cool graphics. I too really like all the cool downloads, this zoo is now my favorite webiste. As for a cover, see if the download of the zoo's map brochure works out for you!
The zoo's youngest male white rhinos, Harris & Lyonnel, have been weaned and will be moving on this fall to the Peoria, IL Zoo. russlings
When it comes to future exhibits, the North Carolina Zoo is starting to look at the bigger picture...we may see the addition of a new continent on the zoo's property in the next decade. Zoo makes plans to expand : News-Record.com : Greensboro, North Carolina
North Carolina to add another Polar Bear.... Polar bear returning to N.C. Zoo : News-Record.com : Greensboro, North Carolina
Gorilla death at the zoo... Hope, gorilla at N.C. Zoo, dies : News-Record.com : Greensboro, North Carolina
