Ecopark Zoo Association

So I decided a few days ago I wanted to showcase some of my builds, but I have a variety of different zoos that are only partially complete. As a result, I figured I'd showcase all of my parks in one thread as I move on from one to the next, beginning with the one I'm furthest along in. These zoos will be considered under the umbrella organization of the Ecopark Zoo Association (EZA), all of which are constructed in sandbox mode.
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Jasper Trail
Jasper Trail is my original park, a Canadian park that's in it's third iteration. It's a simpler, more rustic park with an emphasis on nature. It's set in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, and the enclosures look to utilize the natural forest and mountains for a natural viewing experience. Being in a boreal forest, the wildlife are primarily from colder climates across North America, Europe and Asia. Certain items like the bridge and some of the signs come from the Workshop. The tour will start with the entrance and then move between the five thematic regions of the park. We begin at a highway, running through mountain tunnels in the Jasper Valley. A gravel road branches off to the parking lot where guests can walk to the entrance.
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The entrance sits on the other side of the Jasper Valley River, where a bridge allows access.

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The entrance is built into the lighter forest with an old rustic tower, a series of ticket exchange booths granting access to the rest of the park to the left of it, and a visitor lodge to the right.
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The lodge has information booths and a small shop, as well as bathrooms and ATMs for guests. A large fireplace surrounded by seating offers places for guests to rest or retreat from the cold in the winter months. The lodge also contains our first two animals, cold blooded species of the North American Wetlands. A pair of diamond terrapins and a half dozen bullfrogs call the terrariums home.
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Next time the tour will continue through the first part of the park in an area representative of Canada's Aspen Parkland.​

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Jasper Trail
I appreciate the compliments :) . Today our tour really kicks off with the Aspen Parkland region. The Aspen Parkland is a transitionary ecoregion found in Alberta and Saskatchewan, and serves as the midway point between the prairies and the boreal forests. The goal was to give this area a distinct feel to represent that biome before we move on to the thicker forests and mountains of the park. As we go through the entrance, a rustic washroom sits to the right of the path for guest use. On the left is our first habitat.
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This enclosure is home to a coterie of 14 black-tailed prairie dogs. Their enclosure is rocky and filled with hardy scrubland foliage to mirror the more arid bluffs they often call home. They have various hiding spots between the rocks, logs, cart and water tower replica (workshop item).
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These rodents serve as a nice welcoming sight to our visitors as they move on to the larger species.
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From here a fork in the path leads to two different enclosures. Both paths meet up shortly so it simply comes down to which species you’d like to see first. We’ll start with the species on the right.
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From here we can see a large paddock for pronghorn antelope. These ungulates live in populations speckling the Canadian prairies and western United States. Their enclosure is designed to mirror the diversity of the regions they call home, with small areas of bushland, rocky hills and more arid, open land.
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We have a small herd of 2 males and 3 females. The pronghorn and prairie dogs make up 2 of the 3 species in the Aspen Parkland.
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We have a small herd of 2 males and 3 females. The pronghorn and prairie dogs make up 2 of the 3 species in the Aspen Parkland. When we resume our tour, we’ll close out this area with one of the largest species the park has to offer.​
 
Today our tour will wrap up the Aspen Parkland by taking a look at our enclosure for our American Bison. A large observation deck allows an unobstructed, elevated view into the naturalistic landscape our bison inhabit.
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From the observation deck you can get a good look at the enclosure as a whole. The rear of the paddock has some foot lands with foliage more reminiscent of scrublands while the front has a small marsh. Between both areas is a large grassy pasture giving the bison herd plenty of room to roam. The barn near the back provides shelter for the animals as well.
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And that wraps up the Aspen Parkland and it's autumnal aesthetic. The area is just as beautiful in the winter as it throughout the rest of the year.
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From here guests are given a choice to take a path on the left as the forest grows more dense, or straight ahead up a set of stairs. Both areas loop together further down the line. For now, we'll head straight towards the Alpine Trail.​
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