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The best exhibits

Discussion in 'General Zoo Discussion' started by Jambo, 22 Feb 2019.

  1. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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.
     
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  2. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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.
     
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  3. Marco Penello

    Marco Penello Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I really like Indianapolis' enclosure...and also Leipzig and Pairi Daiza in Europe.
     
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  4. MagpieGoose

    MagpieGoose Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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
     
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  5. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Swap Leipzig's for Frankfurt's: the latter is really excellent and the former unremarkable.
     
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  6. FBBird

    FBBird Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Jersey's Orang islands are very good.
     
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  7. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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.
     
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  8. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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?
     
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  9. Hipporex

    Hipporex Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  10. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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.
     
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  11. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    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.
     
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  12. savetherhino

    savetherhino Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Only seen photos but Hipppos at Dallas.
    I hope Milwaukee's future hippo expansion turns out nice .
     
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  13. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    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
     
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  14. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Whipsnade keep a harem animal in pairs which to my mind should be disqualifying.
     
  15. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Fair point. On my visit SDZ only had a single animal on-exhibit by itself, though I understand they had more bts.

    ~Thylo
     
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  16. Marco Penello

    Marco Penello Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    For hippos I would say that also Beauval has a magnificient enclosure.
    And Beekse Bergen has a really nice one.
     
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  17. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    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.
    [​IMG]

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    [​IMG]
     
  18. ThylacineAlive

    ThylacineAlive Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    That looks fantastic! Why would underwater viewing mean that they wouldn't have access to the pool overnight?

    ~Thylo
     
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  19. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    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.
     
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  20. pipaluk

    pipaluk Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Orangutan - Chester (Islands)

    Hippo -, Berlin Zoo, Cologne, Whipsnade in that order (nothing else in UK touches Whipsnade imo)