Create your own unique and ideal dream zoo!

This doesn't have to be specific to PZ or what's in the game, I just thought it would be a fun thing to do. I'll be using a bunch of animals that aren't in the game. I hope you all have a fun time with this too!

Also, I'm not doing sections of the zoo in any specific order, I'm just doing each section at a time. If you want to make up a map in your head, be my guest!


Setting: South Florida
Climate: Tropical savannah
Average temp range: 60F-90F

Nighthouse
  • Entrance and general info about nocturnal animals (habitats, diets etc). Sound effects include crickets chirping, owls hooting and wolves howling.
  • North American section:
    • Possum (Small exhibit, largely arboreal focused. Forest theme, centerpiece is a tree)
    • Raccoon (Medium exhibit. Mountain forest theme with a small stream running in the middle)
    • Bobcat (Medium exhibit. Mountain forest theme)
  • South/Central American section:
    • Guests walkthrough a fake "tropical cave" area with two large exhibits, one for a colony of vampire bats, the other a colony of Mexican free-tailed bats. Then exit the "cave".
    • Emerge in a tropical rainforest themed area Crickets and SA frogs sound effects play.
    • Kinkajou exhibit is next. (Small exhibit, arboreal focused as with the possum. Tree centerpiece, rainforest theme)
    • Jaguarundi (Medium sized exhibit. Rainforest theme)
    • Ocelot (Medium sized exhibit. Rainforest theme)
  • Africa/Middle East section:
    • "Forest" dissipates into dry trees/dead brush. Cricket, hyena and lion sound effects play.
    • African porcupine exhibit (Medium sized, dry savannah theme)
    • Aardvark exhibit (Large sized, dry savannah theme. Features a burrow that has one way glass for guests to see into)
    • Bushbaby exhibit (Small sized exhibit. Dry acacia forest theme, arboreally focused. Multiple small trees.)
    • Caracal (Large exhibit, Ethiopian hills theme)
    • Pallas cat (Medium sized, Afghan mountains theme)
  • Asia section:
    • Tropical forest theme resurfaces. Crickets, Asian birds and frog calls play. Large circular room with two large exhibits on the sides, and smaller in-between.
    • Fishing cat (Large exhibit [On the left side]. Asian mountain forest theme, with a waterfall and large stream ending in a small pool.)
    • Slow loris (Small exhibit, Asian forest theme. Arboreally focused, large tree centerpiece)
    • Binturong (Medium sized exhibit, Asian forest theme)
    • Burmese Python (Small/Medium sized exhibit, Indian ruins theme)
    • Clouded leopard (Large exhibit [On the right] Asian forest theme)
Nighthouse synopsis: A journey of nocturnal creatures from around the world, except for Europe and Australia. We start in the entrance with provides a general overview of nocturnal animals found in the building, and then start in North America "Our Own Backyard". The general "mountain forest" theme is heavily inspired by the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee/North Carolina. After NA, we move in South/Central America starting with a tropical cave area that has two large free flying bat exhibits. We leave the "cave" and go through a section that feels like it's the Amazon at night, and emerge in a room themed around the dry acacia forests of Africa. Finally, we continue on and end in a large circular room themed around an Asian rainforest at night. The exit is down a hallway in between the Binturong and Burmese python exhibits. This nighthouse was heavily inspired by the modern "Night Hunters" building at the Cincinnati zoo, especially the bat area and ending circular room. This building would be state-of-the-art and a big focal point for the zoo.

South/Central American trail
  • The first habitat is themed around a coastal/tropical Mexican forest. It has a largely dirt and sand substrate covering it. It contains:
    • White nosed coati
    • Collared peccary
    • Ocellated turkey
  • The next habitat is themed around Brazilian wildlife. It has a large pool, and a small grassy area, but lots of dirt and large roots otherwise. It contains:
    • Brazilian tapir
    • Brazilian teal
  • Tropical House/Aviary
    • The first part of this building has a small info area about indigenious people of the Amazon, with a fake village to go with it. There is a lot of info about Amazonian plants, as well as two small exhibits:
      • Lehman's poison dart frog
      • Yellow-banded poison dart frog
    • The next section is a large path with a split down the middle, filled with plants. Two large exhibits face each other, and mimic each other in shape. The start at chest level, and both dip to show underwater viewing in the middle, then return to their original height. Both are themed around the Amazon River basin. They are:
      • [On the left] Cuvier's dwarf caiman and red bellied piranha.
      • [On the right] Amazonian giant river otters
    • Next is a narrow canyon pass with a giant fake fallen tree and fake vines. In the side of the tree, a small exhibit showing:
      • Goliath bird-eating spider
    • Rounding the corner just past this, there are two medium sized exhibits across from each other. They are both surrounded by rockwork on 3 sides, with chain-link facing the guests. Both are themed around SA tropical rainforest, generalized. Inside is:
      • Green iguana
        [*]
        Emerald tree boa

      [*]Next are doors to the walkthrough aviary, which consists of a set of doors, a chamber, and another set of doors to prevent escape.. The path inside is raised about 10 feet from the ground of the actual exhibit. The ground looks like the "forest floor" and contains a series of trickling streams ending in a few large pools. There are multiple waterfalls on the sides of the exhibit. The illusion is given that the guests are walking through the Amazon forest, almost at the top of the canopy level, just below the highest trees. Rockwork and "cliff faces" flank parts of the walls. The path is winding and ends in a similar two door exit. This habitat contains:
      • Golden conure
      • Sunbittern
      • Scarlet ibis
      • Red breasted toucan
      • Andean -of-the-rock
      • Paradise tanager
      • Monk parrot
      [*]The last large exhibit is on the right of the path. Facing it on the left is a medium sized stone amphitheater with stone seats, made in an ancient Mayan theme. The exhibit is separated by chain-link and mesh netting to prevent the animals inside from escaping. The theme of the exhibit is an overgrown Mayan temple. The seating provides guests with a rest while watching the energetic animals, which are:
      • Colombian white-faced capuchin monkeys.
      [*]Finally, before exiting the building, on the left there is a small exhibit featuring:
      • Brown-throated sloth (Arboreally focused exhibit)

    [*]The next habitat after the Tropical House/Aviary is themed around the Cerrado:
    • Maned wolf (Large habitat, Cerrado theme)
    [*]After that, also themed around the Cerrado:
    • Giant anteater (Medium habitat, Cerrado theme with large fake termite mounds scattered around)
    [*]One smaller exhibit is after the Giant anteater and it contains:
    • Southern tamandua (Small exhibit, arboreally focused. Tropical savannah theme)
    [*]The next exhibit is a large shared exhibit based on Argentina. It has:
    • Domesticated alpaca
    • Patagonian mara
    [*]The final exhibit is also based on Argentina and contains:
    • Spectacled bear (Large exhibit, fake Incan ruins dotted about. Contains a large swimming pool and cave to be used during the day)
    [*]Finally, the path leads you to the exit of this area


South/Central American synopsis: Our journey takes us from Mexico to Argentina, touching on Central American forests, the Amazonian River basin, the Pantanal, the Cerrado and lastly the Andes Mountains. There is a huge diversity of animals here, which is highly representative of South/Central America. The Tropical House and Aviary were largely inspired by both the Randers zoo and the South American section of Cincinnati zoo's "Wings of the World" exhibit.

Whew, that was a lot of writing! I think I'm done for now. When I pick back up, I'll post an update here and edit this original post. I encourage all of you to create your own zoos in the replies!​
 
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