Aviteaux Zoo

[Lacerda]

In all my years playing zoo games, this is probably the only one I've ever finished! Welcome to Aviteaux Zoo.

This zoo was built on the grounds of a classic european estate. Its original buildings include two limestone edifices, a large pond with water features and a series of barns and pens for hoofstock.Over the years, the land owner started construction of a few more buildings in order to transform the estate into a private menagerie for exotic animals, and eventually a zoo with a mix of some modern and vintage architecture containing more than 200 animals belonging to 51 species.

The first thing you see upon arriving at Aviteaux Zoo's entrance plaza is the imposing portal, made in celebration of 100 years of the original menagerie. You can buy your tickets at either of the two side booths before entering the zoo. Then, you have a choice:

Going forward you see the aviary building, one of the first additions to the lot when it was transformed into a menagerie. Nowadays it only houses Indian Peafowl, after a terrible outbreak of bird flu killed the other species of bird housed there such as pheasants and crowned pigeons. Beyond the aviary however is the flamingo pond, one of the most beautiful focal points of the zoo, as well as the palatial Insectarium.

To your left, there are the original barns and hoofstock pens. Previously holding horses, cattle and pigs, they now have llamas, camels, zebras, ostriches and nyalas on display. Going farther into this path, you can see the immense Reptilarium, the largest building in the zoo, as well as several small mammals and the latest addition: a savannah enclosure housing giraffes and sable antelope.

And to your right, you can see the Primate House, a beautiful complex housing lemurs, capuchin monkeys and mandrills in a greenhouse-style structure that protects the tropical primates from the colder european temperatures. Going around the Primate House, you will see the most extravagant of the zoo's enclosure buildings: the Big Cat Gallery, where tigers, lions and jaguars can parade around like the kings and queens of the jungle. You will also reach the Predator Corridor, with bears, wolves and hunting dogs, as well as the mountain climbing sheep.

So which path would you like to take first: front, left or right?

 

[NZFanatic]

Beautiful use of the Classic theme! Absolutely love it!

 

[Lacerda]

We head left first, checking out some of the original structure of the estate: the barns.

The first animals you'll see are probably the zebras and ostriches, that share an exhibit very amicably. The birds may look grumpy, but they actually enjoy the company of their striped friends.

We even have a little foal! No baby ostriches for now though, as the last clutch has all matured.

Here's also an exclusive look into their indoor housing. All barns have a similar layout to offer some privacy and protection from the elements to the resident animals.

Facing the ostrich and zebra paddock, are the llama pair.

These guys are very curious, and enjoy watching the guests and their neighbors as much as the guests enjoy watching them. Don't get too close though - they are a little judgemental and may spit if they don't like your face very much.

Side by side to the llamas are their humped cousins, the bactrian camels. These large animals enjoy the largest of the barns.

We also have a little baby here, who is very protective of his mother and watches over her while she sleeps!

Our final enclosure in this hoofstock area houses the Nyala antelope. These gorgeous animals catch the guests' attention with their striking coloration and their habit of sparring to maintain the hierarchy within the herd.

There are several baby Nyalas in the enclosure, as they breed easily!

Next we'll be heading off to the Reptilarium, which houses a restaurant, corridors full of frogs, lizard and snakes as well as the indoor and outdoor enclosures for giant tortoises, Nile monitors, Komodo dragons and the zoo's cherished bachelorette, a saltwater crocodile.

 

[wowman]

this has a very modern farm type feel to it. I like it.

 

[Lacerda]

The Reptilarium is a massive cross-shaped building that was originally the mansion in which the estate owner lived before it became a zoo, after his passing. The ground floor has been entirely repurposed and transformed into this reptile hub.

There are three entrances: one at the front, one at the back and one to the right side. We're gonna enter through the front, which takes us right into a food court. (Indoor shots at night to make the lights pop!)

To the side there is a nice area with some benches and a restroom.

What greets you next is a series of corridors lined with exhibits containing a variety of frogs and lizards.

Moving towards the back, the main attraction: along with several species of snake, we can see the indoor enclosures for Galapagos tortoises, Komodo dragons, Nile monitors and the saltwater crocodile.

Each animal also has a spacious outdoor area to enjoy the weather during the warmer months.

Next we'll be checking out the savannah experience, with giraffes and sable antelopes!

 

[Lacerda]

Let's check out the newest and last addition to the zoo, the giraffe and antelope enclosure! But before that, there's something we should see along the way.

To the left side of the Reptilarium, along the path that we take to see the giraffes, is a dodo statue. These birds are one of the many species that went extinct in historical times due to human activity, and became a very iconic symbol of what can be forever lost if we are not careful with our impact upon ecosystems around the world - a memory of something we once could live alongside, but can no longer be found. With this reminder of the importance of conservation, we move forward.

This little corner of the zoo is not as spectacular as some of the other structures around, being one of the first enclosures built when the zoo still operated as a small, private menagerie. But despite not looking all grand and proper, the animals within these habitats are still given the utmost care.

The first we see is the Aardvark. Rarely out and about during the day, but we got lucky!

Next, the chinese pangolin. These critically endangered animals have managed to reproduce, certainly in part due to the large amounts of space they have to roam around in their enclosure.

Finally, our red pandas. These colorful creatures love to jump and climb through the platforms installed all around the perimeter of their habitat, to get the best vantage points.

You may catch one flying if you're lucky!

Well, enough of the little guys. Looking straight ahead you can already see who awaits us!

Our savannah experience puts you right in the middle of the action, at almost eye-level to the giraffes and a great view of the sable antelopes as well.

Finally, here's an overview of everything we've seen so far. Next we'll be heading off to the center of the zoo, with the Insectarium building overlooking the flamingo pond.

 

[random goat]

Looking great so far!

 

[Evolution]

I really love the buildings that you made and the look of your zoo so far! Very beautiful!

 

[Lacerda]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Now we move on to the jewel of Aviteaux Zoo: the flamingo pond and the Insectarium building.

The flamingo pond is an artificial pool framed by beautiful white and purple flowers that pay homage to the colorful birds. At the center of the pond there is a gazebo that serves as shelter for the flamingos, and along the length of it some water jets provide entertainment for the guests and enrichment for the feathered ballerinas.

At the back of the pool, we can see the main focal point of this area: The Insectarium building. Originally used by the estate owner to host extravagant parties and rent rooms for social events, the ground floor has been transformed into an education hub to teach guests about different invertebrate species.

A giant ant greets you just above one of the entrances! It was carefully added in a way that doesn't damage the original structure, of course.

The entry hall already provides some insights into the critters that can be seen inside, and you can also find vending machines and restrooms. However, the real magic is behind closed doors.

The main room of the insect house is a dimly lit corridor that mimics the shady and cool habitat of these invertebrates. Along the walls, guests can see a variety of information about their importance to the world's ecosystems and humanity's impact on these less loved but very important animals.

And to finish for today here's a beautiful dawn shot of the whole area. Next we'll see the aviary and primate house!

 

[Lacerda]

On the other end of the flamingo pond, there is the aviary.

Another one of the first structures added to accomodate the transition into a menagerie, the aviary once held several different species of bird in its cages, such as pheasants, tragopans and crowned pigeons. However, an outbreak of bird flu left only peafowl, which were being held in a different enclosure at the time. Aviteaux Zoo intends on acquiring more birds to refill the aviary, but for now you can marvel at these beautiful birds.

We currently have a pair and several babies that can move back and forth between the outdoor and indoor areas or their habitat by using some wooden platforms.

Here's a shot of the main entrance, showing some of the sadly empty cages around the building.

The zoo does in fact have a second, standalone aviary containing some parrots. Those, however, are a little bit static.. (This is the parrot aviary by Woody on the workshop)

We're running out of space for photos, so let's leave the Primate House for the next update. But here's a teaser:

 

[Lacerda]

Aviteaux Zoo's primate complex houses ring-tailed and red-ruffed lemurs, capuchin monkeys and mandrills with both indoor and outdoor areas for each enclosure.

Both lemur species share an exhibit on the right side side.

While on the left side is are the capuchin monkeys.

At the end of the building, in a semi-circle shaped enclosure with off-sight indoor areas at each end are the mandrills.

The outdoor areas for the primates can all be seen from the outside of the building.

Finally, here is an overview of the Primate House.

See you soon, when we'll visit the Big Cat Gallery housing lions, jaguars and tigers!

 

[FoxyDee]

Very nice zoo! Looking forward to see more of it

 

[NZFanatic]

The primate house is astounding! Absolutely beautiful!

 

[Lacerda]

The Big Cats Gallery is one of the newest and most beautiful structures at Aviteaux Zoo. Inspired by ancient greco-roman architecture, it displays three species of pantherine cats - lions, jaguars and tigers - as animals to be revered.

The interior of the gallery is a spacious hall from which guests can see the indoor areas of all three species at once - you're safely surrounded by these magnificent predators.

With a glass barrier between them, guests can get very close to the cats while they rest and interact with the enrichment items.

The outside areas for each of the cats is huge and surrounded by moats, providing swimming opportunities. To the right of the entrance, we have the lions.We have a large pride with several babies.

To the back, the pair of jaguars that recently had a baby as well.

Finally, to the left, a solitary female tiger rules over her territory.

And here's an overview of the three enclosures converging into the gallery.

We're nearing the end of the zoo tour. But there's a few big names left: mountain sheep, hunting dogs, grizzly bears and wolves! We'll check those out next time.

 

[Paul_Crowther]

Very impressive!

 

[Lacerda]

In this final area of Aviteaux, we wander again into an older part of the zoo that reflects its simple beginnings and yet, despite not having the same grandeur of the more recently built and renovated areas, still show the care taken into making the animals as comfortable as possible.

The first enclosure we'll see today, tucked away into its own private corner, is the mountain sheep.

These tough-headed fellows live in a peculiarly round habitat, with a cozy stable for shelter and a spiraling tower at the center which allows them to survey their surroundings from high above, separated from the guests by a deep moat that they can access and which also gives them a little privacy - barely anyone can see when they're patrolling down there..

And the last zone of Aviteaux Zoo is the predator corridor, three habitats in a row housing hunting dogs, grizzly bears and grey wolves. There are some plans to renovate this area, implementing some more natural aspects to the backdrop and perhaps a less intrusive barrier between guests and animals. But that's something for the future...

In front of the wolf enclosure, a little pond was preserved from the original plot of land, with only a fountain and statues celebrating these historically important animals put in place. Lucky and attentive visitors can sometimes catch a glimpse of the pond's microfauna, such as dragonflies, frogs and little fish.

Before we leave the zoo for good, here's a birds-eye view of the entire lot.

Thanks for all the kind comments, hope to see you all in another zoo!

 

[random goat]

As I said before, great looking zoo! Many things to be inspired by.

 

[Criosdan]

I am lost for words. What an inspiration. Goodness, this is great.

 

[Mister Imp]

It looks amazing! I really like your style and everything seems really thought out!
I was wondering b.t.w how you got the "mountain goats" to look brown? From what I know we currently only have the stark white Dall sheep?

 

[Lacerda]

It looks amazing! I really like your style and everything seems really thought out!
I was wondering b.t.w how you got the "mountain goats" to look brown? From what I know we currently only have the stark white Dall sheep?

Thank you! It's the Bighorn Sheep mod by JBJan/j2bex.