I have noticed a lot of threads about the best exhibits for a specific species. So, I have decided to create this thread. Every couple of days I will pick a species. You guys will then give your opinions of which zoo has the best exhibit for the specific species. So to start off, which zoo has the best Orangutan enclosure? Any type of sub-species are allowed.
Omaha has a huge indoor and outdoor area, with the outdoor area being very high and allowing for lots of climbing. Philly's is nice, as well. The indoor structures are several floors high with lots of climbing areas, ropes, landings for nests, etc. The outdoor area is quite large, one of the largest in the zoo. The orangs also get rotated with the gorillas to have access to the 360 trail, which lets them explore other areas of the zoo.
In European Zoo's I would certainly consider Chester Zoo, Apenheul Primate Park, Rostock Zoo, Leipzig Zoo, ZOOM Gelsenkirchen and Zoo de Amneville to have the best Orang-utan enclosures
You cannot forget Singapore’s which is absolutely outstanding and gives visitors the feeling they are really in the rainforests of Indonesia. The Smithsonian national zoo have a great exhibit design too.
Now for the second species... which zoo has the best exhibit for Hippopotamus (Nile and Common)? I would say Toledo, Weribee open range zoo, Disney’s animal kingdom and San deigo zoo have great enclosures. What do you think?
I will only chose from exhibits I've seen in person and in that case I choose: Disney's Animal Kingdom Habitat for Nile Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius amphibius) Wild Africa Trek- Nile Hippopotamus | ZooChat Wild Africa Trek- Nile Hippopotamus | ZooChat
Here are some photos of the exhibits that I think are the best exhibits that I have visited so far. Toledo zoo- Oct. 2018 - Tembo Trail - Hippoquarium Panorama | ZooChat Toledo zoo- Oct. 2018 - Tembo Trails - Hippopotamus Exhibit From Elephant Viewing (From Unnoticeable Windows) | ZooChat San deigo zoo- San Diego Zoo - Hippo Pool | ZooChat Werribee open range zoo-Common hippopotamus enclosure | ZooChat Werribee open range zoo- Common hippopotamus enclosure | ZooChat I didn’t post photos of DAK’s hippo exhibit because @Hipporex already posted some.
Dallas! There's is only a year or so old, it's massive, mostly water, and has underwater viewing. Fort Worth's new exhibit is also amazing. I only vaguely remember animal kingdom's but I recall it being magnificent as well.
For orangutans I'd say Chester's is the best I've seen. For hippos I'd say DAK (they don't have the nominate subspecies), Berlin, San Diego, and maybe even Whipsnade have the best I've seen. ~Thylo
Fair point. On my visit SDZ only had a single animal on-exhibit by itself, though I understand they had more bts. ~Thylo
For hippos I would say that also Beauval has a magnificient enclosure. And Beekse Bergen has a really nice one.
My personal favourite hippo exhibit is Gelsenkirchen, which manages the all too rare feat of having a large outdoor pool, a sizeable grazing area and a decent indoor pool. The fact that there is no underwater viewing is almost a bonus, as it removes doubts about whether the hippos have access to the pool overnight.
That looks fantastic! Why would underwater viewing mean that they wouldn't have access to the pool overnight? ~Thylo
I have heard (presumably on here) that in order to keep the water as clear as possible this happens in at least one major European Zoo (which may or may not have been mentioned in this thread). I don't actually know though.
Orangutan - Chester (Islands) Hippo -, Berlin Zoo, Cologne, Whipsnade in that order (nothing else in UK touches Whipsnade imo)