IRL Zoo Impressions

[Lea_G]

Hey fellow zookeepers,

I hope we don't have this kind of thread yet. I thought it would be cool to have one where we can share pictures from our zoo visits in real life - for inspiration or as a reference (many people do recreations). I've recently moved to Munich and decided to use this nice autumn sunday to explore the Tierpark Hellabrunn. Unfortunately, almost all indoor areas are closed due to the pandemic, but there is still a lot to see and I noticed that I payed attention to several things with the game in mind. Besides watching the animals, I thought a lot about layout, habitat design, barriers and hidden staff areas I'll post some pics below and hope you enjoy, sorry for the bad quality (phone was dying and I could hardly see anything on the display)

Animals noticed that are also in the game (not necessarily the exact same sub-species):

Greater Flamingo
Chimpanzee
Western Lowland Gorilla
Orang-Utan
Ring-tailed Lemur
Red Vari
Mandrill
Peafowl
Kangaroo
Aldabran Giant Tortoise
Lion
Indian Elephant
Red Panda
Nyala
Zebra
Ostrich
Polar Bear
Indian Rhino
Giraffe
Bactrian Camel
Siberian Tiger
Wolf
Llama
Giant Anteater

Here, a keeper was at work while being watched by both the visitors and the animals:

And here, the birds needed to be weighed and the keeper tried to lure them onto the device with some food:

One enclosure I particularly liked, was the one with the giraffes. On this viewing point, the used some trees and wood to keep a distance without ruining the very natural view:

And a very typical polar bear habitat, clearly not the 6.000 sqm required in the game But to be fair, one of the bears (they just moved in two new ones this week) was clearly angry and unhappy...

The visit definitely fueled my desire for both aviaries and swimming animals, especially penguins. Oh, and meerkats. What a surprise

Bonus pic: Spot the Red Panda!

 

[Lea_G]

And some staff areas and entrances:

A nice way of providing a sleeping area/cave and still have the tiger visible (lazy one, hadn't moved one bit when I returned 2 hours later!):

You can also walk behind the tiger enclosure and see this kind-of-backstage-area which I believe is for feeding:

What I also really liked was the signs, like this one which tells us to keep a distance of "one length of a lion" because of the virus:

And the "Don't feed"-sign which is nice and cartoony:

On a sidenote: We NEED education signs which are not electrified, no screens etc. Really!

 

[SotF]

Just as a note, the backstage area you mentioned is probably more of an indoor/winter habitat area...the local zoos have them for most of their big cats that don't live in areas with much cold to deal with. It also works as an area where they can shift predators to while they clean/maintain the other parts of the enclosure.

 

[Lea_G]

Just as a note, the backstage area you mentioned is probably more of an indoor/winter habitat area...the local zoos have them for most of their big cats that don't live in areas with much cold to deal with. It also works as an area where they can shift predators to while they clean/maintain the other parts of the enclosure.

Probably the latter then, I agree. I mentioned feeding because there were some bones lying around. So I think it can be closed off from the rest of the habitat, keepers can put the food in or hold the animals back while cleaning the other part. It is not indoor, just this corner with a roof.

 

[PeppyPepp]

I've visited this zoo and it's beautiful! It was actually the first time I've seen a polar bear in real life!

I'll try to post pictures of my city zoo. The last time I've been was sometime in January (before the pandemic hit) and I've got a really cool video of a lion feasting on a bone right next to the glass where we were standing. I've seen lions before, obviously, but literally never so close (they actually renovated their enclosures so that's why we have been able to see them so close). It was honestly a WOW moment.

Just like you, I was also paying attention to things I could use as inspiration in the game.

 

[Lea_G]

I've visited this zoo and it's beautiful! It was actually the first time I've seen a polar bear in real life!

I'll try to post pictures of my city zoo. The last time I've been was sometime in January (before the pandemic hit) and I've got a really cool video of a lion feasting on a bone right next to the glass where we were standing. I've seen lions before, obviously, but literally never so close (they actually renovated their enclosures so that's why we have been able to see them so close). It was honestly a WOW moment.

Just like you, I was also paying attention to things I could use as inspiration in the game.

Yes, it is really beautiful and I'll surely visit it again sooner or later. I'd love to see pictures of your zoo!

 

[Aramar]

I'm surprised there aren't more threads like this one and that this is so quiet. Maybe is due to the pandemics. Anyway, my current local zoo is already open after more than 5 months and today I had a nice day there.

 

[FoxyDee]

I visited a zoo too over the weekend, as it finally opened and gosh so many people were in there (of course most of them not wearing a mask at all even though it was stated by the zoo that you have to...). And the indoor enclosures were unfortunately closed.
The weather was perfect, sunny but not too hot, so most animals were active (except for the lions, I was in this zoo 5 years ago and the exact same lioness was laying in the exact same spot, lol).

Well the good side was that at least the zoo will have alot of cash from the tickets.

 

[DarthQuell]

Wow, what a cool thread. Well, I unfortunately don't have any photos I took, but I'll do the next best thing: I'll share online pics of the zoo:

First of all, the map just to give an idea of how it's arranged (and maybe inspire any of y'alls future builds?) (Wow, looking at the map I didn't know we had vultures)

The main entrance

The reflection pool, which has been there as long as I can remember

So, this is part of the Texas Wetlands, opened in 2019. This is the main pond area, and the building on the left is the Cypress Cafe, which was renovated for this new exhibit

"Inside" the Cypress Circle Cafe, with a cypress tree growing in the middle

Whooping Cranes in the Texas Wetlands.


There is also a Bald Eagle and some American Alligators but I couldn't find pics (sorry)

 

[DarthQuell]

So now, my favorite: the South American Pantanal

The entrance

Our resident Green Anaconda

We have 4 Giant Otters, but only 1 pair at a time. I love watching these guys

The Jaguar. His name is Tesoro, which is Spanish for treasure

Going down the path there is a "tree" that he walks across and we can see him from under

Moving on we have a nice grasslands area with Baird's Tapirs, Greater Rheas, Capybaras, Giant Anteaters, etc.

If you keep going there are some bird cages but I can't find images

 

[Jevana]

So now, my favorite: the South American PantanalView attachment 226384
The entrance
View attachment 226385
Our resident Green Anaconda
View attachment 226382
We have 4 Giant Otters, but only 1 pair at a time. I love watching these guys
View attachment 226383
The Jaguar. His name is Tesoro, which is Spanish for treasure
View attachment 226381
Going down the path there is a "tree" that he walks across and we can see him from under
View attachment 226386View attachment 226387
Moving on we have a nice grasslands area with Baird's Tapirs, Greater Rheas, Capybaras, Giant Anteaters, etc.

If you keep going there are some bird cages but I can't find images

Your pictures are beautiful !
Here are some I took of Singapore zoo:

 

[DarthQuell]

Your pictures are beautiful !
Here are some I took of Singapore zoo:

View attachment 226442View attachment 226443View attachment 226444View attachment 226445View attachment 226446View attachment 226447View attachment 226448View attachment 226449

Very nice

 

[DragonNTiger]

Went to Columbus Zoo in Ohio today... didn't get to see everything (I have an old lady for a mother who only made it 3 hours before she was done), but what I saw was really nice... saw a bunch of animals not in PZ too, including:

• Addra Gazelle
• American Beaver
• Arctic Fox
• Bald Eagle
• Cougar
• Grey Crown Crane
• Markhor
• Mexican Grey Wolf
• North American River Otter
• Sloth Bear
• Vervet Monkey
• Wolverine

Plus a walkthrough Asian Aviary exhibit with Muntjac, some kind of tortoise, at least two kinds of duck and some kind of pheasant.

 

[Orque41]

I visited a lot of zoo my favorite is the Beauval zoo that I would like to return. On the other hand a Zoo that I will never want to go again is the D'Amnéville zoo because the brown bears have enclosures too small I have the impression that they are sad I unfortunately do not have any photos that I have taken, but I will do the next best thing: I will share photos online of the zoo:

 

[BibiPizzy]

I will try to post you soon pictures from the Paris Zoo
I also have a question for you guys, i'm looking for photos taken in zoos so i can work around them when i'm streaming PZ, would it be ok for you if i use some of yours that you displayed here ?

 

[Jevana]

I will try to post you soon pictures from the Paris Zoo
I also have a question for you guys, i'm looking for photos taken in zoos so i can work around them when i'm streaming PZ, would it be ok for you if i use some of yours that you displayed here ?

no problem for me !

 

[Ounze]

I'll be going to the Oregon Zoo in a few weeks, I'll make sure to grab lots of pictures! They just completed a thirteen year bond project, revamping about 40% of the zoo, including their Polar Bear, and Primate habitats during the pandemic. Unfortunately, Oregon Zoo is also a specialist zoo in caring for geriatric animals, so over the last three years, they lost one of their Amur tigers, both Stellar Sea Lions (replaced by harbor seals), and both Amur Leopards (which got replaced with Red Pandas, sadly).

 

[Aramar]

I've spent the morning in the zoo again. I've had an amazing time watching the lynx. Please, please, please, can we have it in the game?

An impressive markhor:

Adorable lazy bears

Baby reindeer

Marmot

European bison babies

European wildcat

 

[BibiPizzy]

I've spent the morning in the zoo again. I've had an amazing time watching the lynx. Please, please, please, can we have it in the game?

View attachment 236609

An impressive markhor:
View attachment 236610

Adorable lazy bears
View attachment 236613

Baby reindeer
View attachment 236622
View attachment 236623

Marmot
View attachment 236624

European bison babies
View attachment 236626

European wildcat
View attachment 236627

I would love to see the Lynx coming into the game as well !!

 

[DarthQuell]

I will try to post you soon pictures from the Paris Zoo
I also have a question for you guys, i'm looking for photos taken in zoos so i can work around them when i'm streaming PZ, would it be ok for you if i use some of yours that you displayed here ?

Of course (how did I not see your message?)

Next time I visit the zoo I'll take better photos of other sections. Maybe Africa? I love using real-life zoos as inspiration.

Another zoo I enjoy is a very small zoo in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico. It's tiny, but recently with all the Japanese immigrants moving to that location they've really renovated. Due to the pandemic I haven't been to Mexico for the past 2-3 years, but this little zoo was kinda rundown. Now they've repaired the train and playgrounds, added a petting zoo, rebuilt the main entrance, and many other things. It's very nice, and I'm kinda eager to see how much it's improved since I've last been