The little reported on Western North Carolina Nature Center is an AZA accredited facility. Here is a link to a presentation on their Vision 2020 master plan. Future Of The WNC Nature Center What I find most intriguing is a "Prehistoric Appalachians" exhibit that once again attempts what San Diego tried in Elephant Odyssey by showcasing modern analogs to extinct native species of the region. It will be interesting to see how such a thing is pulled off in a smaller, lower budget facility.Certainly they won't have to be worrying about the task of designing for elephants. Looks to be a very intriguing project.
I have always loved the concept (whether its EO, Pleististone Park or this) but my rule would be only exhibit species that truly were there. Don't put an asian elephant there for mammoths.
That being the case, you won't actually be able to display anything but the modern native animals. The armadillos, short-faced bears, red pandas, etc... that were found in the Appalachians over different eras are all extinct, and the genetic closeness of Asian elephants to mammoths is as close if not closer than the species used in the Vision 2020 plan.
I know im talking more along the lines of physical features than exact matches. I know it sounds dumb and I get you will get different species I don't mind that if the physical features aren't as different as say the mammoth and the elephant. Like start the concept and then add in the mammoths when and if we can clone them if that makes any sense to you.
A pair of red pandas, the first step of this master plan, debuted. Red Panda Romance Hits Western North Carolina
