Charlotte Zoo
Since there have been some rumors about a zoo going into Charlotte, NC, I have decided to create one for that area. Every effort has been made to include species which are included in AZA Taxon Advisory Groups or could reasonably be obtained for a zoo due to being common in zoos or in the pet trade. Remember that this is a fantasy zoo but feel free to add suggestions.
NORTH CAROLINA WILDS
This exhibit is built into the main entrance to the zoo. After the visitor pays their fee, they walk along a path in a garden displaying native plants. As they make their way to the main North Carolina Wilds building, they take time to look for native butterfly species attracted to the flowers. If they are lucky they may spot a hummingbird flitting about one of the flowers or one of the many hummingbird feeders. Along with the hummingbird feeders are other bird feeders designed to attract native birds. Squirrel feeders are also present. Interpretive signs identify bird and butterfly species the visitor may spot. As the visitor enters the building, a lush paddock with shade trees is home to a small herd of white-tailed deer. These deer have been orphaned and are not able to be released into the wild. They and many of the animals here are orphaned, injured, or nuisance animals here by permission from the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Interpetive signs describe the role of the white-tailed deer in North Carolina as well as the problem with overpopulation. The visitor then enters the North Carolina Wilds exhibit building. Looking out of a big picture window, the visitor might see more native birds and squirrels as there are feeders and birdhouses places here. The visitor also sees the inside of a beehive and ant colony. A planter in the center of the room contains the unique Venus Flytrap, a curiosity to many of the visitors. Leading down a short corridor is an area that gradually darkens. This is the North Carolina at Night exhibit, which includes night sounds such as frogs, crickets, and owls to create an ambience. One the left hand side of the exhibit is a large pond containing a beaver family. Signs describe the benefit and harm these animals can cause for people. Sharing the beaver pond is a small group of swamp and marsh rabbits that have been orphaned. Guests enjoy watching these animals swim, as most are likely unaware of their swimming abilities. Next to the beaver pond in two habitats that seem contiguous with it, are separate ponds for bullfrogs and American toads. As the visitor loops around this pond, they notice three glassed in enclosures. One resembles a swamp, one resembles a forest, and the third resembles a farm on the edge of town. These three exhibits house striped skunks, raccoons, and Virginia opossums. They are rotated into different exhibits at different times for enrichment. The raccoons and skunks are confiscated pets there with permission from the North Carolina Fish and Wildlife and their stories are explained. The next section of this corridor contains terrariums for other frog, toad and salamander species. The last section of North Carolina at Night is a series of netted enclosure filled with branches. This houses great horned, barn, screech, and barred owls. These owls have all been injured and are non-releasable. Throughout the day a zoo employee has demonstrations in a separate seating area describing how owls live in the wild. As the visitor leaves the owl area, it becomes lighter and they are then walking down a corridor containing various turtle, lizard and snake species including box turtles, copperheads, water moccasins, eastern diamondbacks, timber rattlesnakes, and coral snakes. This next section is an immersive exhibit built in the same manner as the popular tunnels in aquariums. The first tunnel contains turtle species such as painted turtles, map turtles, and other aquatic species along with species of fish such as bass. The second tunnel contains larger, predatory species of turtle such as softshells, snapping turtles, and alligator snapping turtles. Throughout the exhibit are interpretive signs describing the importance of swamps and wetlands. The final tunnel is huge and contains American alligators. In this and all of the tunnels visitors can sit and watch the animals swim near them. The visitor walks a short flight of stairs (or takes an elevator) and is then able to see the alligators from above (on warm days). After leaving the building, the visitor then enters the section called Predators of North Carolina. On the right hand side are two glassed in enclosures resembling riverbanks. In one is a mink and in the other a family of river otters. Each of these has underwater viewing as well as above ground viewing. After viewing the antics of these two animals, the visitor then encounters a series of large, netted enclosures. Two are built to resemble forests and two resemble swamps. This is an exhibit where red wolves, black bears, mountain lions, and bobcats are rotated. The bears and bobcats are orphaned wildlife, whereas the red wolves are part of the Species Survival Plan and the mountain lions are stand ins for the Florida panthers that used to inhabit the area. The visitor then follows the path to the next section of the zoo.
LATIN AMERICA PATH
South of the Border
The Latin America Path section of the zoo exhibits animals found from Mexico through Tierra del Fuego. The first section is called South of the Border. This is dedicated to wildlife of Mexico. The first exhibit resembles a large desert landscape. The first enclosure contains a herd of peninsular pronghorns. Although appearing to be in the same enclosure, a large rocky structure sits in the middle and seperates the pronghorn from a herd of desert bighorn sheep. The sheep exhibit overlooks a smaller paddock containing a herd of collared peccaries. As mentioned before, this exhibit appears for be contiguous. The next section of South of the Border contains an area resembling open woodland, plains, and forest. This is a rotation exhibit containing Mexican wolves, coyotes, and grizzly bears. Interprative signs highlight the near extinction of the Mexican wolf and the extinction of the Mexican grizzly. The visitor then enters a building resembling a Mayan pyramid. The first section of this building contains a simulated desert and mountainous forest. This is a free-flight aviary housing red crowned parrots, thick billed parrots, white-winged doves, and band-tailed pigeons that can approach the visitor. In areas separated from the visitor are enclosures for desert tortoise, Gambel’s quail, scaled quail, and roadrunners. Terrariums on the wall contain Gila monsters, Mexican beaded lizards, Mexican Lance-Headed Rattlesnakes, eastern massauga rattlesnakes, and Mexican red-kneed tarantulas. Leading down a corridor from the desert area are a series of aquariums containing platies, mollies, Mexican tetras, Mexican blind cave fish, Mexican and Coahuilan box turtles, and axolotls. The visitor then enters a tropical exhibit. This is an aviary similar to the first one. In one area separate from the aviary in a netted enclosure with access to the outside is a noisy flock of scarlet macaws. This aviary has another separated, netted exhibit with keel-billed toucans. Roaming along the walkway are oscillated turkeys, horned guan, and roseate spoonbill. On the left hand side of the aviary is a netted exhibit containing numerous climbing structures, foliage, and ropes. This houses the critically endangered Mexican spider monkey. The Charlotte Zoo has had great success breeding this endangered primate. The spider monkeys have access to the outside and the visitor sees that the monkeys have a great deal of climbing opportunities. A rope leading from the building allows the monkeys to traverse over a pond onto an island with foliage. From there, the monkeys can traverse over the visitors’ heads to another natural-looking jungle exhibit surrounded by water. The ropes are taken down on rainy, windy or cold days. On those days the monkeys stay in their main, spacious indoor exhibit.
Land Between the Continents
After leaving the South of the Border exhibit, the visitor then finds themselves in a jungle exhibit featuring wildlife of Central America. The first exhibit contains a troop of white-faced Capuchin monkeys. These have a similar habitat to the Mexican spider monkeys seen previously. There is an island exhibit at the beginning of the path. This one also has a rope spanning into the next exhibit which contains Central American tapir. The Capuchin monkeys have access to the tapir exhibit and the rope from there spans into the exhibit’s main building where the monkeys are housed indoors in cold, rainy, or windy weather. On the right hand side as the visitor enters the exhibit building is a netted enclosure housing ocelots. The ocelots have access to an indoor glassed exhibit complete with foliage. Different ocelots are rotated into the exhibit at various times of the day. Next to this exhibit is a glassed in area containing white-nosed coati. On the left hand side of this exhibit is a planted area where the Capuchins enter. The visitor then goes into a separate, open room. In this tropical area, green iguanas, basilisk lizards, Hoffman’s Two-Toed sloths, and blue-crowned motmots. In a separate, netted enclosure chestnut-mandibled toucans are present. After exiting the tropical exhibit, the visitor finds a row of terrariums containing, boa constrictors, eyelash vipers, Panamanian golden frogs, and golden harlequin frogs. Also along this wall are graphics explaining the benefits and risks of ecotourism and threats the wildlife face such as loss of habitat and the pet trade. As the visitor exits the building, they see a planted area for Central American spider monkeys. These monkeys have access to the outdoor area. Their outdoor moated enclosure has a rope connecting to another moated enclosure across the path the visitors walk on. The visitors can watch the monkeys cross over their heads. This concludes Land Between the Continents.
Orinoco Basin
The Orinoco Basin exhibit contains animals that are found in that area of South America. As the visitor enters this exhibit, they find an exhibit for the critically endangered brown spider monkey. This exhibit has two moated enclosures with a rope going over the visitors’ heads. These monkeys have indoor access. The Charlotte Zoo has had success breeding this species just like it has with the Mexican spider monkey. After viewing the antics of the brown spider monkey, the visitor enters the Orinoco Basin building. Along with the monkeys’ indoor enclosure, the entryway contains a large aquarium with the lesser-known altum angelfish. The visitor then enters a split level exhibit. In the lower level is a massive viewing window provided a glimpse into the breeding colony of Orinoco crocodiles. The upper level is a bridge allowing the visitors an above water view of the animals. This is another breeding success story of the Charlotte Zoo. The visitor enters a second room that contains an aviary resembling a tropical wetland. This exhibit houses Orinoco geese, helmeted currasows, and blue-billed currasows which can all approach the visitor. As the visitor leaves the Orinoco Basin exhibit, they pass by a second netted aviary containing green aracari. Like the Land Between the Continents exhibit, there are graphics explaining threats to this area. These birds have access to the outside of the exhibit and their enclosure is adjacent to a spacious outdoor enclosure for red brocket deer. This concludes the Orinoco Basin exhibit.
Brazilian Journey
After leaving the Orinoco Basin, the visitor reaches the most extensive exhibit along the Latin America Path. This exhibit displays animals in Brazil native to the Amazon Basin and the Pantanal. The entry to Brazilian Journey contains numerous interpretive signs and other graphics discussing the biodiversity of Brazil and the problems the wildlife of Brazil faces. This building contains aquariums containing freshwater fish of the Amazon. In various aquariums in the hallway the visitor sees South American cichlids, discus fish, various tetras. Angelfish, and corydoras catfish. The visitor continues down this corridor until they reach a section with an immersive tunnel exhibit. In this tunnel exhibit is a huge school of red-bellied piranhas surrounding the visitor. In the next tunnel the visitor is surrounded by large freshwater fish such as electric eels, arrowanas, and pacus. The last tunnel features arapaimas. At this point the visitor goes up a short flight of stairs and enters the Amazon Basin rainforest aviary. On the left hand side is a large netted enclosure for a flock of blue and gold and green-winged macaws. In this planted area, there is a curious feature. A simulated clay riverbank contains hiding spaces for food. The parrots congregate on the clay bank when they are fed. These parrots are able to fly. No parrots on a stick here! The arapaimas are also visible in this exhibit. In the space where the visitors walk, hawk headed parrots, golden conures, and yellow-headed Amazon parrots fly freely. On the right hand side of this exhibit is a separate enclosure containing Brazilian agoutis and common squirrel monkeys. The squirrel monkeys have a rope going through a small opening in the ceiling that leads them into another enclosure in a separate room. On the left hand side of the monkey exhibit is a simulated riverbank that is home to giant otters. The visitor then exits the building for another complex of monkey exhibits. These monkeys have indoor and outdoor access to well-planted exhibits. The monkeys in this area include golden lion tamerins, Geoffrey’s marmoset, white-faced saki, and pied tamarin. These monkeys are rotated between habitats. The visitor then finds a complex dedicated to predators of Brazil. Three spacious enclosures for bush dog, maned wolf, and jaguar detail the importance of predators in this ecosystem. The predators rotate between the exhibits. This predator complex also contains a large aviary with harpy eagles and king vultures. These birds may be out of the exhibit if a keeper is demonstrating their flying ability. The last section of Brazilian Journey is walk through aviary with capybara (not able to approach the visitor), crested screamers, sunbitterns, burrowing owls, and red-legged seriema. As the visitor leaves the walk-through aviary they are immersed in either side by netted enclosures with hyacinth macaws and toco toucans. The last exhibit in this area is a planted exhibit for southern tamandua with simulated termite mounds.
Gran Chaco
The second to the last exhibit showcases the more arid region of the Gran Chaco. This area contains a large, open enclosure for giant anteater (with simulated termite mounds), Chacoan peccary, and greater rhea. A netted aviary is adjacent to this open exhibit and contains red-fronted and blue-throated macaws. These birds have access to a building which is the next stop for the visitor. The building also has a planted enclosure separated from the visitor by water. This exhibit contains black howler monkeys that have access to the outside and the monkeys can be seen from the area across from the previously described outdoor exhibits. This indoor exhibit has a separate area with a darkened room. This is to highlight the diversity of armadillos in the Gran Chaco. The armadillos included in this exhibit are nine-banded, screaming hairy armadillos, and southern three banded armadillos. These armadillos are in individual enclosures behind glass.
Andean Foothills
This is the last exhibit on the Latin America Path. I am taking a few liberties with this one as these animals are from Patagonia as well as native to the higher range of the Andes. The visitor enters a building that illustrates the difficulty of life in the Andes as well as information on the Inca culture and modern cultures. This area also contains a small petting zoo for children featuring guinea pigs, with information on their role in South America. The visitor then may enter a dark exhibit with a petting zoo containing chinchillas. This is optional and those not wishing to enter this area instead go straight into an aviary containing Andean cock-of-the-rock, a unique bird not exhibited in many zoos. The visitor leaves this area and sees a massive netted enclosure. This contains Andean condor. These birds may be out of the exhibit if a keeper is demonstrating their flying ability. Leading down the path the visitor encounters a rocky, spacious enclosure for guanaco. These animals have multiple climbing structures and are kept cool with shade as well as cleverly hidden misting fans. Descending stairs (or an elevator) the visitor sees an exhibit containing many trees and pools. This one contains spectacled bears. The exhibit next to this one, which appears attached to the bears’ exhibit due to cleverly designed moats, is a paddock for the world’s smallest deer, the Chilean pudu. The visitor is now on an area resembling Patagonia. The first section in this is a walk-through exhibit with Patagonian mara. The animals can be approached but not touched. The last section of this zoo is a netted aviary containing Chilean flamingo, Coscoroba swan, black-necked swan, Patagonian conure, austral conure, and a rocky area with Inca tern and Magellenic penguin. This concludes the Latin America Path. In all of these Latin America exhibits the visitor finds graphics detailing the threat of loss of habitat and especially the pet trade. Some photos are a bit graphic in order to get the point across.
Part two will hopefully be posted in the next few days. It's the Africa section.