This article by the Bronx Zoo director from 1968 might now be interesting to read.
After reading this I need to reassess my hot take. Bull frogs are no longer a disappointment.
While I would have preferred a salamander or maybe an alligator snapping turtle, I think it is nice to see another frog. With 7000+ species we can't even come close to fairly represent them. In general I am just happy when the exhibit animal is something that actual match the size of the exhibit, which I think is roughly the case with this one.
My point is that rather than fennec and Arctic foxes, we'd get African spurred tortoises and tundra swans. You don't need to sacrifice taxonomic variety in order to have biome variety. You just have to think outside the box and challenge paradigms.
Sounds boring. I'd rather have 2 foxes than 3 giant tortoises, imho.
Fantastic article and a great case for why every real-life zoo should have a dedicated section to the native wildlife in its immediate area.
I really just want to shout this out again. @Tim Smith , @Jens Erik ,@Eltanin Casciani and @Francesca Falcini, absolutely phenomenal job on this. I realize something like the mountain lion is probably a go-to when thinking of what animals to put into a NA themed pack, but really, using the list to get such highly requested animals, plus the Arctic fox, which was a bit lower but highly requested since the Arctic wolf was picked over it for the Arctic pack. I'm very pleased with the work your team has done, both on the choices and theming for this pack, but also for so many of the great features that will be included that were from the meta-suggestions list. It's always great to see everything come together at once and you 4 have a huge part in that. Thank you!
One thing I'm curious about with the Arctic fox is how (if at all) they'll handle morphing. The main population of Arctic foxes changes fur colors from white in the winter to brown and grey in the summer.
This. Been thinking about it for a few hours, and this is one of my concerns. That, and dam building behavior in beavers.
I think the foxes will stay white. I think the Beaver pool enrichment will let them build lodges, just based on the wording of the initial post.
Here is a magnificent find!
The stones must come as plaster and adobe walls, in different shapes! This is going to be really nice and creative!
I'm ecstatic. I don't want to call it too soon, but I'm thinking this will end up taking the crown for best pack from SEA. Every habitat animal is a super inspired choice, they add tons of biodiversity, and all of the ones we've actually seen so far look fantastic (although I agree that the color of the sea lion feels a bit off). The fact that we're revisiting the animal pack format is phenomenal, the fact that it's for NA is even better. I could gush for hours. You've made me a very happy North American today, Frontier. Thank you, genuinely.
But instead of nonstop gushing, I think it might be more constructive to voice my very few gripes instead:
But instead of nonstop gushing, I think it might be more constructive to voice my very few gripes instead:
- The bullfrog is a letdown, full stop. It's just the latest in a trend of Frontier throwing a curveball for the exhibit species when there are very obvious more popular choices (frill-necked lizard, a cobra, a chameleon, and now a salamander). I really don't get it. Like, bullfrogs are fine, but in a world where axolotls and hellbenders exist? This is a bizarre choice.
- I really don't like the aesthetic of the animal signs, since I'm assuming those are what's on the roadmap image. But I mean, this is just that: a matter of aesthetic taste. Not a big deal.
And here-in lies the problem: public perception. Tortoises are an entire family of reptiles, while foxes are a mere tribe (largely composed of a single genus). People don't care enough about taxonomic variety, and I think that's quite disappointing. The three largest turtle species are all from different genera, while there's there's only 4 genera spread between the absurdly high canid count of 7.
Reptiles (both avian and non-avian) is general get quite shafted in zoo games, and I wish that'd change...
I guess it will just be wait to see. Regardless, still buying this pack when I have money. Hell, I'll make my own beaver lodge and dam if I have to.
I would also taken another rodent, the Grasshopper Mouse describes three species of carnivorous mice. They eat scorpions, spiders, centipedes, baby snakes, other mice. They would have been great here.
Racoon does have another shot, if they do biome/climate packs, they are a perfect choice for a temperate forest pack (Fisher, Raccoon, Kakapo, and Tuatara.)
The Thorny Devil is a Australian Animal. You've probably confused it with the Horned Lizard which has the Ability to shoot Blood out of its Tear Glands to protect itself from PredatorsThe exhibit animal is kinda meh for me. An Eastern hellbender, thorny devil, axolotl or snapping turtle would all have been better choices imo, but the pack still gets a 9/10 from me
The Sealion could be nice above the Seats in a Marine themed Zoo Restaurant
I wish you lots of Luck. I know what this is like because I'm in a similar Situation. Needed 2 Years to finally get my first Job and now that I finally have one, I still need a second Job to earn enough Money
I don't hope that this'll happen. I like to see it in the Tropical Exhibit. I think the Ponds in which the African Bullfrog lives are also often almost completely drying out. Maybe they could add a Way to switch between different Designs but even then I would prefer a tropical Aquaterrarium instead of the same that the North American Animals have.
I find them really cool. Would be nice to keep one as a Pet one Day but I don't even know if they are available as Pets outside of America
The Main Population? Is there a Population where it doesn't happen?
This sounds awesome. I really hope someday we'll get at least one Exhibit Mammal
(especially because making it a Exhibit Animal could cause Problems with Sloths in Case they wouldn't work as Habitat Animals. Of course we would need a bigger Exhibit first)
thinking about your timed scenarios again buddy?
Coastal populations usually maintain a grey/blue color year-round.The Main Population? Is there a Population where it doesn't happen?
This sounds awesome. I really hope someday we'll get at least one Exhibit Mammal
I mean, I think my zoo has a sloth and an armadillo it what looks like a 4m x 4m.