The highlight ought to be the free flying parrots South American Tropical Rainforest and Aviary Exhibit Opens at San Francisco Zoo | NBC Bay Area http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Birds-snakes-and-sloths-meet-in-new-S-F-zoo-6379385.php
They already managed to lose one of the snakes: Small Venomous Snake Mysteriously Missing From San Francisco Zoo Exhibit CBS San Francisco
@Chimpangeek: Could you also put a complete list of animal species of the new exhibit here please? (or anyone else who's familar with SF Zoo). Thanks in advance.
I posted it on the main San Francisco Zoo forum, here is the link to the list: http://www.sfzoodocents.org/notebook/TropicalBldgAnimals.pdf
I posted so e photos of the new exhibit in the Gallery section for the zoo. I was quite impressed with the new renovation. The layout is excellent. It uses the space in the building well (ie there aren't wide open spaces like before). It's lushly and beautifully planted, immersive and interactive, appropriately for people of all ages. A Path winds through the middle of the building, splitting the exhibit into a northern and southern portion. The northern portion of the building has remained mostly the same. The Anaconda exhibit stayed exactly the same. The only major difference is the area where the Caiman used to be, which is now filled in, and river habitat that used to be home to fish and freshwater rays. The southern half of the building, which used to be empty space now features a waterfall and stream habitat. There's a large rocky outcropping, with a water fall that leads into a stream and pond. Underneath the outcropping and around the corner is a tunnel that visitors can climb through and view several species of herps and a South American termite species. At the far edge of the building is a netted enclosure with tall bushes that is currently home to the Agouti, an overly territorial Toucan, and one of the sloths. Along the edge of the two main habitats are a number of large aesthetically pleasing tank habitats home to a random assortment of reptiles and amphibians. If I were to rate the new exhibit, I'd give it a 9 out of 10. I felt like they could've used the height of the building to the exhibits advantage, by putting in taller trees or cliffs with salt licks replicating those found in the wild. They also don't have any fish or exclusively amphibious species in the streams or ponds. Piraña would've been cool. Also lacking we're large and/or dangerous reptile species (besides the anaconda). More large constrictor and venomous snakes and adult iguana would've been more exciting for visitors. I would've given the exhibit an 8/10 if I didn't know that the exhibit is still a work In Progress. As with other parts of the zoo, it still feels not as occupied as it could be.
