Cuyahoga Valley Zoo

[weinerman]

Hello all -

Welcome to the Cuyahoga Valley Zoo! I am new to the forums, i posted a few times in the planning post about my extravagant plans for a massive zoo, so i figured i would share some progress here as well. As the name suggests, and for anyone unfamiliar, this zoo is based in Northeast Ohio, USA. It is themed around national parks, being based near Cuyahoga Valley National park. It is mostly still in progress, but there are a few parts that are finished that i will post now. Hopefully will be updating fairly regularly. Pretty new to the game as well as the forums, so any advice or suggestions are more than welcome.

Here is my planned layout, which i posted in the other thread:

The main section I have worked on thus far is a separate loop within Expedition: Asia called Tiger falls, which is themed around indian riversides. At the end, it will feature the asian small clawed otter, gharial, lion-tailed macaque (someone way better than me at this game made them on the workshop, I can figure out who if you want a shout out), the indian muntjac (also from the workshop, i edited someone's chinese muntjac), the Bengal tiger, as well as some fish/small herps that also came from the workshop. I really enjoy building for small animals so i have a lot of fun with the static models from there. Note i have not added animals from the game yet because i want to keep my computer moving. Anyways, the first habitat in Tiger falls is the Asian Small Clawed Otter, as you approach this is the first viewing area:

The habitat is separated into two sides, and the otters swim through that tunnel to get to either side.

Here is the second area, just a small beach with their holding area, maybe too big and over-themed, i am thinking of redoing it.

Otter info sign:

Continuing on, we pass a rock wall with terrariums for the Indian Rock Gecko and Indian Burrowing Frog (edited some workshop items again).

Next, you are led through a building with the gharial, a small aquarium for indian fish, and a small aviary for waterfowl (I have started this but it is nowhere near ready to show). Following that, the macaque and tiger habitats, which i am almost finished with. Finally, before returning to the beginning of the loop, a small ish indian muntjac habitat:

Thanks to everyone who stuck around to read this, i had a lot of fun posting it and hope to keep it up in the future as i am able. Feedback incredibly welcome!!

 

[weinerman]

Back again, showing the mostly done half of the Steve Irwin Wetland Discovery Center - it still does not have a roof, i will probably do all the roofs last because i hate them so much. The center is divided into two sections - the Flooded Forest and the Billabong. Flooded forest focuses on the Amazon and Southeast Asia mostly, and the Billabong, I would imagine you can guess. The entrance lobby has a large freshwater aquarium with North American fish and an entrance to a cave for blind cave fish and axolotls.

Today we will take a look at the Billabong section, which is on the right side after you enter. It houses saltwater crocodiles (habitat unfinished), white-bellied fish eagle (thanks drac(?) i think from the workshop), an aquarium for Australian Lungfish and Silver Perch, and finally Platypus Creek.

When you enter from the main lobby, you are greeted by a large view of the saltwater crocodile habitat, which i am currently working on. Here is the informational display adjacent to the habitat:

Next, we come across a small aviary for the white bellied fish eagle. In my imagination it is an injured rescue so it does not need that much space. There is a water area for feeding demonstrations which are advertised on the sign nearby.

Across the way from this, there is the tank holding the Australian Lungfish and Silver Perch:

Finally, we come to Platypus Creek:

It features a full length underwater viewing as well as eye-level land to see the platypus both ways. There are education boards nearby about the platypus and a sample nest.

After exiting on the other side of Platypus Creek, there is an educational area with information about Australian wetlands, before you go through the entrance into the Flooded Forest section.

 

[weinerman]

Here are a few shots of the aquariums i have started in the zoo, since we were talking about fish and aquariums in the What did you do today post. There is an aquarium in the congo section called "Bembe Aquarium" and one in Expedition: Asia called "Aquatic Tapestry." There are also small aquariums in the australia house, gharial house, and a few in the "Parkland Pathways" section, which is the national-park themed North American area. The animals are split up by national parks that they are found in in separate areas named after those respective parks. There are also a decent number of aquarium tanks in the flooded forest section of the wetlands building. If you couldnt tell, i enjoy adding aquariums lol. Anyways, today we will walk through a couple of these almost finished areas. Obviously still no roofs done (or floors, i'm really having trouble finding floors that look good).

Bembe Aquarium (Congo themed, in the plaza for the congo section of the zoo)
After branching off the main African loop, there is a medium-sized hut which marks the entrance to the congo section. After exiting this building, you are in Red River Hog Plaza, a small plaza with food trucks and restrooms, and viewing into the red river hog habitat. Off to the left stands the Bembe Aquarium...join me in a journey along the Congo!

As you pass under the archway towards the door, these signs greet you and explain the meaning of the name.

There are several unfinished tanks and connecting areas so right now i will just be focusing on the mostly finished areas. The first tank is for congo tetra and is currently under construction. Next, we come to a large tank for Congo Perch:

After this, there is a fork in the road, with a tank for African leaf fish in the center. A left will take you to the "Congo River Harmony" Exhibit, which highlights mixed species in the exhibits, and a right takes you to the "Aquatic Encounters" room and the exit.

There are two tanks in the congo river harmony exhibit, with the first housing cichlids, tilapia, and the side-necked turtle.

The second features African pygmy goose, rosy barb, and corydoras catfish.

Finally, the aquatic encounters room features a large touch tank for mudskippers (There is retractable mesh for when its not touchin time you just can't see it), a tank housing african freshwater crabs, "conservation corner", and various other educational and informational displays.

Mudskipper touch tank

freshwater crab tank

Conservation corner:

Thats all i have done for the Bembe Aquarium at the moment! Will be back shortly to update the other aquariums

 

[weinerman]

Now stepping into the Aquatic Tapestry aquarium, near the entrance to Expedition: Asia.

It is structured in 3 main areas, each with 1 or 2 tanks highlighting the species of a specific ecosystem in Asia. The first we come across is Central asian lakes (tank under construction).

Up next, eastern mountain streams, which has 2 tanks: a moving stream with white cloud mountain minnows, and a large tank for the chinese giant salamander.

Entrance to the hall:

White cloud mountain minnow stream:

Chinese giant salamander tank:

Finally, we come to Southeast Asia Serenity, featuring a variety of fish from Southeast Asia, from iconic to rare in captivity.

And thats all for this one until I finish the Central Asian Lakes aquarium! Will probably show the aquariums from Parkland Pathways next, because i want to finish up some more details in the flooded forest before sharing those

 

[weinerman]

Couple other finished areas, before i take a break for a bit to work on my new smaller zoo, as starting to build the actual buildings was becoming overwhelming so i wanted to practice elsewhere. As promised, first we will see:

Cuyahoga River's Edge
A small shack-style building in the parkland pathways section, representing the aquatic wildlife of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park. There is a small aquarium for shiners and a turtle, a larger aquarium for largemouth bass, catfish, and trout (unfinished), and a tank for the hellbender, with some conservation information about the hellbender's status and what Cuyahoga Valley National park has done to help.

Next, back in Tiger Falls, the Lion-Tailed Macaque Habitat is complete, with a small raised cabin to view them in. Right after exiting the gharial building, you come across this habitat.

The exterior of the viewing building:

The interior, with info boards, and the view of the habitat:

Finally, i have finished part of the Bushland Bungalow, a small Australia house with Koalas, wombats, a small aquarium, some reptiles & amphibians, and some educational material. Here is the interior of the lobby:

After entering, you pass the koala (almost finished) and wombat (not started) habitats, and a display showing the invasive cane toad and the native banjo frog:

Towards the exit of the building, there is a small room called "Rainbowfish Retreat," which has some vending machines and restrooms, as well as 2 small aquariums, one for rainbowfish and one for australian bass and murray river turtle.

Thats all for now, as always, feedback and tips are welcome, i am amazed by some of the stuff i see on this site and on the workshop. Thanks for reading!