What Zoo Animals will you keep in a ''Micro zoo''?

What zoo animals will you keep, according to modern standards in respect to enclosure size/design requirements, in a zoo with small area of just 4,000 m2 (0.4 hectare) (or 43,055 square foot)?

Will they include small carnivores, smaller primates (New World monkeys, guenons, lemurs, other prosimians), anteaters & sloths, marsupials, rodents, birds, reptiles, amphibians, invertebrates, smaller aquarium, or will even include bigger animals like smaller hoofed animals (eg. gazelle, smaller antelopes), big cats, bears, gibbons ... etc.

 

I would just make a house with invertebrates.A zoo full with invertebrates is cool enough.

 

Follow the example of Artis' "Micropia"
A Visit to Amsterdam?s Microbe Museum - The New Yorker
home - Micropia

 

In the Netherlands, we actually have zoos that small.

Artisklas Haarlem is only 1,400 m2 (I don't know if this is including their
recent expension of 400 m2). It houses rheas, skunks, raccoons, raccoon dogs,
banded mongooses, barn owls, polar foxes and a nice collection of cold-bloods,
among which are several native species.

De Aarde is a reptile house which only occupies 600 m2, but it has a great
collection of reptiles (and some other cold-bloods), including smaller crocodiles,
monitors, large snakes, iguanas and many more.

 

There are so many interesting species to choose from,and some very colourful ones.

 

I think I got pretty close to this in a previous thread.

[URL="https://www.zoochat.com/community/posts/950726[/URL]

For such a small area I would have to abandon the domestic species altogether and reduce the numbers of reptiles, amphibia and fishes, perhaps looking for mixed species exhibits. I would edit the bird list severely, but I'd keep both parrots and include a mixed aviary of African waxbills plus the grey singing finches and perhaps a sunbird (Mme Verreaux's is my favourite). I would keep all the mammals except for the pademelons and the talapoins (and the fennecs if things got very squeezed). I would rely on the singing finches, parrots and gibbons to make the noises that a good zoo requires (and I have heard rusty-spotted cats calling too).

Alan

 

Thank you gentle lemur for your efforts; I love too gibbons/siamang howling.

 

I've thought about this concept a lot.
Few thing I would certainly take in mind:
1) You'll probably be more dependent on the locals, and not so much
on the tourists (except your zoo is at a very touristic location)
2) You'll not have the massive funds large zoos have, so you might
depent on local investors/sponsors for money or products
3) As a small, local attraction, you should be on good terms with
the local government

A few things result from these points:
1) I should not keep any animals that annoy the neighbourhood,
so no loud gibbons, large parrots or larger carnivores.
2) Local companies will be more likely to support you. Think
of both products and money. Buy or use their products
to boost your image.
3) You don't need to keep large megafauna to attract visitors
form far away. Keep smaller species, or species that appeal
to the locals. For example, if there are many canary breeders
around, choose canaries above finches or budgies.
4) Small zoo, small budget, small animals. Try smaller versions
of popular species. Parma wallaby instead of kangaroo, ocelot
instead of leopard, parakeets instead of parrots, corn snake
instead of python, aracari instead of toucan and so on.
5) try to squeeze a diverse collection of recognisable species into
the small zoo. Try a gecko, a bearded dragon, a snake and a
small tortoise species instead of 4 or 5 snake species.

 

Although I thought I posted my intentions for this zoo a few days back, I seem to have forgotten to press the 'post' button. I designed a 4000 m^2 exhibit on Zoo Tycoon 2, just as a fun challenge to myself as I have nothing to do during the summer . I decided to make it an Asian zoo, for no particular reason. I will attach photos to this post and to the next of the exhibits. Please note that as I designed them in a game, they are nowhere near as realistic as they could be. I used downloadable content to attempt to make the quality better, but most of the exhibits I designed would have more foliage, detail, and (in the case of arboreal or semi-arboreal animals) climbing opportunities.

As visitors enter, they encounter the only food court. There are stands where they can buy soda, water, hamburgers, hot dogs, and pretzels. Off to the side is a bathroom complex. Benches and trash cans are spread around the zoo. The main path takes visitors past a gift shop, and then to the first exhibit: a netted over, mixed-species exhibit for Chinese Water Deer and Sarus Crane. The exhibit is 82m^2. The pool (included in this space) is 20m^2, and there is 20m^2 of off exhibit space, including a barn. Currently in residence is 1.0 Chinese Water Deer and a breeding pair of 1.1 Saurus Crane. A log is used for enrichment; food is often stored in it. Many wetland plants are spread through the exhibit. The sarus cranes are able to fly, and this increases breeding capabilities drastically.

The path continues into an Asian Aviary. It is split into three parts: Central Asia, New Guinea, and The Philippines. The Central Asia exhibit is 82m^2. It is home to a variety of species, all of which are pairs unless otherwise specified: 1.0 Siberian Musk Deer, Golden Pheasant, Bar-Headed Goose, Cabot's Tragopan, 0.1 Red Panda, Baer's Pochard, Mandarin Duck, Chinese Softshell Turtle, Chinese Hwamei, White Rumped Shama, and Blue Crowned Laughingthrush. A large climbing structure provides adequate space for the red panda, and perching opportunities for many of the birds. Brush throughout the low area of the exhibit allows the musk deer to take shelter if it wishes. A small pond is included, mainly for the turtles, ducks, and geese, but can be used by every species.
The New Guinea section of the aviary is 78m^2. Similar to the Central Asian exhibit, there are perching and climbing opportunities for the many species: Ornate Fruit Dove, Mastchie's Tree Kangaroo, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Radjah Shelduck, Wandering Whistling Duck, 1.0 Raggiana Bird of Paradise, 1.0 Red Bird of Paradise, Jambu Fruit Dove, Pig-Nosed Turtle. As before, enrichment can be hidden through the many habitat elements, and a small pond is in one corner of the exhibit.
The Philippines section, a mirror of the New Guinea section, is also 78m^2. It is less accurate geographically than the other sections. Space for climbing and perching is only in the lush foliage. The species are Greater Malayan Chevrotain, Prevost's Squirrel, Cinnamon Ground Dove, Luzon Bleeding Heart, Mindanao Bleeding Heart, Philippine Duck, and Palawan Peacock-Pheasant.

Once visitors exit the aviary, they are met with the first real predator of the zoo: a Chinese Alligator in a (regrettably) small exhibit of 22m^2. The land and water areas each take half the space.

The largest exhibit in the zoo is next: a 228m^2 hillside exhibit for 1.3 Tadjik Markhor and 1.2 Cinerous Vulture. A 38m^2 pool, a section of bush, and a low fence separate visitors from these magnificent animals. The backdrop is made of mock-rock and gives the illusion of being high in the mountains. 84m^2 of off exhibit space is taken up by a large barn and small yard, which the animals have access to at all times. A shade structure rests at the top of the hill, along with food troughs for the markhor. Two structures made to resemble fallen trees are used by all of the animals for perching and climbing. The vultures cannot fly.

The next exhibit visitors come to is the second of Asian Rocks. It holds a flexible amount of Komodo Dragons, and at 66m^2 (of which 15m^2 is off exhibit holding), it is usually a magnificent habitat for one dragon. Foliage dots the landscape, providing hiding places if the dragon desires it.

The last exhibit I will cover in this post is the Asia House. It is best descriped as a herpaquarium. There are two reptile exhibits and three fish tanks. The entire building is 140m^2, and one tenth of that space is off exhibit, consisting of keeper access to 3 tanks and 1 exhibit. The three tanks contain creatures of the Indian Ocean: One has Chambered Nautilus, another has Lionfish, and the third is home to colorful reef fish and coral. A 24m^2 exhibit provides both climbing and bathing opportunities to a single Burmese Python, while a 34m^2 exhibit for some Indian Star Tortoises.

To be continued!

Edit: the pink balls are toys, just for clarification

 

I miss playing Zoo Tycoon 2.
But since I started using another computer I can't download anything ;(



But usually these "micro zoos" animals are what have available, and not planned animals.

 

After exiting the Asia House, the first exhibit is a netted-over Fishing Cat exhibit. It is 41m^2 with a 23m^2 off exhibit cave and denning area. a decent sized pool allows keepers to stock fish in the exhibit for the cats to catch, as a form of enrichment. There is a small climbing structure in the middle of the habitat.

Next is the largest predator of the zoo: A 68m^2 habitat for Mugger Crocodile. One large male occupies this habitat that includes a 28m^2 pool and lots of low growing foliage.

The final habitat is for the most endangered animal in the zoo: Visayan Warty Pigs. The 1.2 pigs have 102m^2 of space, 78m^2 of which is on exhibit. There are mud wallows, a small pool, a shade structure, and both logs and substrate piles in which the animals can forage for food, using natural behavior. They are an active bunch. After their exhibit, the visitor walks back into the entrance plaza.
------
Hopefully you all like it! I tried my best to design it realistically. I know some of the exhibits are a tad small, and I cut some species out of the zoo entirely to try and make up for this. The zoo has a major flaw in which there are no primates or large predators. The crocodile is great, but crocodiles don't exactly do anything exciting, unless they are getting fed. There are also no amphibians, as I couldn't fit any into the Asia House and there wasn't room for a giant salamander exhibit (though I did originally try for one). However, given the limited space, I think I did pretty well .

Thoughts?

 

Very interesting jayjds2, keep continuing!

 

That's it! I've used my 40,000m^2 of space.

 

I think I'm going to revive this thread and do my own micro zoo.... Seems like an interesting idea

 

I've decided that my zoo will be based on one of Two The Congo/ West African Rainforest, or Central/South America. which would you prefer? I can also do just a regular zoo in terms of geographically based exhibits

 

I like the idea of the Congo, and it may give me some inspiration for my WA exhibit on a different thread... Geographically themed is not a requirement but it's just something I thought I'd do. Have fun with it!

 

Almost any "interesting" animal can be kept in a very small zoo, because for me, smaller animals are usually the most interesting ones Just put a room with small mammal terrariums, some bird enclosures for small finches and softbills, a building as reptilarium, an insectarium and another building as an small aquarium... and voila! you will have a very small zoo that for me would be much more complete and interesting that most safari-parks with large hoofstock and big carnivores

 

@DragonDust101, both choises are interesting (as for me, there is not, non-interesting tropical collection, but collection can be quite monotonous if it is based on animals native from Europe, US (ok except Southern states), Canada, North-Central Asia/Japan, Southern South America - because animals are not so colorful, not so diverse, with not so exotic shapes, reptiles are not so big, there are not parrots/apes (with rare exceptions), ect.), but if I choose It would be Congo basin/ West Africa-based collection.

@Kakapo thanks, I agree with you that such small but species-rich zoo would be more interesting than big safari park mainly with megafauna/artyodactilids

 

Anything really interests me except central/ Western Europe, and eastern United States. The small temperate animals are not my thing

 

I have to think about it, I'll decide within the next 4 hours probably