I have chosen in my opinion the top new exhibits opened in 2019 and created a poll to see the most popular amongst zoo chat members. Please feel free to discuss your choices and persuade others to your point of view. If there is a glaring omission please point it out.
I'd also be interested to know which zoochatter has visited the most of these new exhibits. I'd be impressed by anyone who has seen over half.
I've seen 4 of the completed exhibits (plus 3 under construction). I didn't visit Edinburgh, Birmingham or Longleat in 2019
I've seen: Twycross - Tigers Chester - Madagascar open / Lions under construction Longleat - Koala Creek Exmoor - Fanaloka Wild Place - Bear Wood We did visit Whipsnade and Wingham but can't honestly say we saw much in the way of construction of either. Did not visit Edinburgh / BWCP last year.
@britishzoofan , I'm interested in your reasons for including Exmoor on the list. Whilst I love the zoo, and consider it one of my favourites, the exhibit you have mentioned doesn't seem to fit with the standards of the other contenders. If looking at it from a holistic level, then the species certainly bumps it up a few points... Still however, not of the same standard. Please don't take this as a slight towards you, I'm just intrigued
I saw the Fanalokas in Exmoor last summer but wasn't aware the exhibit was specially built(?)- it looked like a run of the mill enclosure for any smaller mammals, or even birds really.
Yes on second thoughts I would have perhaps included a different exhibit. I only included it to add a slightly different alternative to the other choices, the rare species on display and because there wasn't really another obvious choice on offer. I haven't actually visited the collection so didn't realise it was just a run of the mill enclosure. I'd be interested to hear your opinion on an alternative option.
Although not on the list above or I haven't seen it yet, I like the look of the new Asian area at Folly Farm which was complete in Summer 2019.
I think that quite rightly Wild Place's Bear Wood has won! Amazingly good exhibit. Bad luck Chester, I think the Fossa exhibit is great, but the lemur walk through doesn't match it for me!
