I’ve really, really been looking forward to this. It’s snow leopard exhibits at twenty paces, because the topic is carnivores.
Bronx Zoo: Malayan Tiger Amur Tiger African Lion Amur Leopard Snow Leopard Cheetah (education animal) Dhole African Wild Dog Fennec Fox Spotted Hyena Grizzly Bear Ring-tailed Mongoose Fossa Dwarf Mongoose Red Panda Binturong (education animal) California Sea Lion Asian small clawed otter Spotted Skunk
Anyway, here is Zurich's species list: Asian small-clawed otter Asiatic lion Eastern Atlantic harbour seal Eurasian otter Mongolian wolf Nepalese red panda Siberian tiger Snow leopard South American coati Spectacled bear 10 species to 18 species at Bronx (19 varieties).
I don't know anything about the Bronx enclosures but the Spectacled bear + Coati and the Snowleopard enclosures are among the most heralded on the continent and the other enclosures aren't shabby either. Only the Seal enclosure is somewhat small.
Has to be 2-1 to Bronx for me. Bronx has great Tiger and Snow Leopard exhibits, these are some of the best exhibits for their respective species in the nation. Lions, Spotted Hyenas and African Wild Dogs all have good exhibits. Dholes are a new addition to the zoo and are in the former Polar Bear exhibit, while Brown Bears are in a decent grotto. I don't remember the other exhibits too well, but none of them were bad. So overall, Bronx has a larger collection, with no real bad exhibits and some really great exhibits as well. Zurich is worthy of a point, but Bronx wins this one.
I visited Bronx Zoo many years ago (2008) and Zurich Zoo even longer ago (2003), but it is a testament to the quality of the carnivore exhibits that both zoos linger in my memory. Zurich has an amazing Snow Leopard exhibit (the best I've ever seen) and the Spectacled Bear/Coati enclosure is phenomenal...truly world-class. However, Bronx has almost double the species and many terrific exhibits all over the grounds. For example, the African Lion habitat dates from 1941 but holds up well, Tiger Mountain is splendid, the Snow Leopard exhibit is excellent and there are nice carnivore exhibits all over the zoo's 265 acres. In truth, Zurich has such a fantastic quality to a few of its exhibits that this is a close contest, but I'm going to vote 2-1 Bronx Zoo and both zoos will likely advance anyway.
Am I the only one who isn't completely comfortable with the use of Cheetah and Binturong as education animals*? Are these species really suited for that? * I assume that "education animal" means a tame specimen that experiences a lot of human contact
I don't know enough about the behavior of either species to weigh in on that, but I can say that using both species as education animals (as you defined) is a common practice in US zoos, and certainly not an idiosyncrasy of Bronx.
I heard it was an Indochinese leopard, but even so, I find it disgusting... If it was an amur leopard that would list as first on the list of sacrileges of sacrileges. Second is them being housed in Living Desert in Arizona.
I remember reading somewhere on Zoochat that they're no longer kept there, and I didn't see any on my visit. I could be wrong though.
I haven't been to either zoo, but on collection this is a comfortable win for Bronx for me. Are Zurich 's enclosures ( some apparently excellent) better than Bronx? If not it could possibly be 3-0 Bronx
Their is currently a single amur leopard in Jungleworld. The zoo has had the species for a while, but this is their first time on display. Previously the exhibit held 2 female black leopards. I don't know their subspecies. The exhibit is not large and is not optimal. I much would have preferred it hold a smaller species, yet it does have a fair amount of climbing equipment and live plants. Its the worst carnivore exhibit at the zoo though, as in my opinion none of the other exhibits are below average.
Speaking broader about the Bronx Zoo's exhibits, here are a few examples of the exhibits. All are at least average in my opinion, bar the amur leopard exhibit. One of three large tiger exhibits: 1/2 of one of three snow leopard exhibits: 1/2 of Grizzly Bear "grotto" (the back of exhibit can't be seen behind the rockface): African wild dog exhibit: California Sea Lion Exhibit: Ring-tailed mongoose exhibit: And lastly the now amur leopard exhibit:
Despite Bronx's subpar leopard enclosure, many of their other enclosures for carnivores are wonderful. This, along with many rare and unique species (dholes, snow leopards) and their conservation programs, leads me to vote 2-1 for Bronx.
Subpar seems to be a very nice description of such an atrocity, it looks nice, but is not... The fossa enclosure also looks quite small (and all-indoors?) on pictures...
Yes, all indoors (I'm assuming you were referring to the Ring-Tailed Mongoose photo, although Fossas are also all-indoors). I should point out that the photo doesn't capture the full exhibit, as while it isn't massive, I don't think it's particularly small.
