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Date Posted: 18:55:00 05/31/01 Thu
Author: Diane
Author Host/IP: 203.110.18.21
Subject: I feel the same way....
In reply to: Diane & Daniel 's message, "Zoo's???" on 02:28:13 05/31/01 Thu

..but that's what I like about our zoo. They have completely moved away from the "must have one of everything" exhibit type mentality. Nowadays it is more a place to home endangered animals and work at breeding them and the like. The exhibits are mainly seperated from the viewing public by moats and are large grassed and planted areas with places where the animals can completely hide away from the prying eyes of the public if they desire to. But, the funny thing is, they don't seem bothered. Generally they are in family groups and are busy doing things that come naturally to them. A few animals are still in cages (very few and no zoo would have the money to change everything over night - but they are trying). Also (and this is sad) some of the animals were around in the bad old days of simply being there for human entertainment and the have lost the ability to interact naturally with other animals in a more "normal" environment. Those are where they are most comfortable - living out their lives in cages. I know that they did try to intergrate some of these animals but it was just too much for them and they simply couldn't cope. :(

In the pridelands area so far the giraffes and the zebras and ostrichs can mix. The springbok can also get in with them and can also enter the rhino area - pretty cool for the animals and the public I think. :) This is all acheived with clever log and brush type fencing that looks like deadfall wood - with various sized gaps to allow certain animals to go back and forth. :) The McDonalds rain forest is truly a masterpiece of zoo design. You walk around it on a wooden platform and, in parts, you'd swear you were gazing into a jungle! No bars at all. The different monkey species are totally hard case and always playing and interacting. There always seem to be babies or pregnant mums to be - I always take that as a good sign when animals are comfortable enought to breed they are pretty contented. The little cotton topped tamarins used to free range the entire zoo (they're microchipped I believe) but the naughty things were terrorizing the lizards in reptile row *G* and then started jumping on peoples heads!!! LMAO - too funny!

The main avairy is a walk in affair - if you want to see the birds you have to get in the "cage" with them. :) I was looking at the engineering behind it yesterday - man! It is honestly amazing. It's constructed of huge iron beams that arch over really tall trees and the entire thing is meshed in. There is extensive plating (it's very much like our true rainforest here - right down to a bubbling stream that runs through it with stepping stones right up the top) it is a mini bush walk and my favourite place at the zoo. I feel so at peace in there and could spend hours quietly watching for the little ground quail busy doing there thing, the wood pigeons the kaka and tui, the native ducks in their own private glade and pond down the bottom. People walk through scrunching gravel and talking and laughing and then say "Hey - where are the birds"? LOL - too funny. If you are quiet and stay still you get to see some amazing things. I watched some native ducklings playing at hydro sliding for about half an hour one day. :) Mother duck was sure they were all alone and I got to see them tumbling down their own personal rapids and getting out at the same spot only to run back up and do it all over again. :)

Even the elephants have a large open indoor/outdoor area and are also walked around the zoo twice each day for a change of scenery as well and then up into the off limits bush area out the back where they've made there own private dust bath area. :) Nisha - our sumatarin tiger is all alone :( because her sibling had to leave to be part of a different breeding programme but I hear she will soon be a Mum herself. :) She's in the old lion enclosure which is like a deep pit with a simulated cliff area at the back. The keepers spend a lot of time thinking up new games and toys and activities for her - she has a private pool, grass, rock and bush - trees to climb etc. I have never seen her pace, ever. That is something I can't abide seeing animals do!!!

Ok - I think this is now way too long but I really wanted to try and share a glimpse of what we have in our zoo here. I am proud of it and its innovative approach and the care shown to the animals. :) I wish I could share it with all of you. I propose a day trip! ;-)

Diane.

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