What mammals and reptiles could be added to the Walktroughs Exhibits?

[MMaire]

After adding bats and sloths - and apart from the birds that would logically have their place there - what other mammals or reptiles could we consider in the Walktrough exhibits?

In order to think about this list, I propose some constraints:

1) These animals have stereotypical behaviors (often make the same movements) slow, sleepy, or immobile.
2) These animals could not be suitable for normal Habitats, including Walktrough habitats.
3) These animals are commonly shown in contact with visitors in most zoos.
4) Bonus: these animals have a potential for variants, making it possible to add several subspecies at the same time (as was the case with butterflies).

I suggest you comment with your reasoned proposals (photos of exhibitions in parks are welcome) and I will draw up below a list of species that seem to be suitable for this mechanism.

LIST OF ANIMALS

MAMMALS :

• Slow Loris
• Slend Loris
• Douroucouli
• Flying Squirrels
• Sugar Gliders
• Chipmunks

BATS SUBSPECIES :

• Grey Headed Flying Fox
• Lyle's Flying Fox
• Linvingstone's Flying Fox
• Malayan Flying Fox
• Rodrigue's Flying Fox
• Colugo's Fox

REPTILES :

• Reticulated Python
• Burmese Python
• Amethystine
• Jackson's Chameleon
• Panthera's Chameleon
• Senegal Chameleon

INSECTS

• Bees
• Dragonfly

 

[Moonfox]

A slow loris could be a good option? They're venomous, but I'm pretty sure they have some in walkthroughs in Singapore.

Obvious answer would be more bat species: grey headed flying fox would be cool, if a little too similar to the egyptian bat we already have.

Any of the big snakes - reticulated python, burmese python, amethystine.

 

[MMaire]

Yes ! Great additions. For Loris variation, we can have Slend Loris. I saw it in walktroughs in Biotropica (France).
Other idea for mammal, the Douroucouli.
Variations for Bats : Lyle's Flying Fox and Livingstone's Flying Fox
Can be also a good idea to add Chamelons with lot of variations (Jackson's, Panthera's, Senegal...)

 

[wanderoo]

Indian, Malayan and Rodrigues flying foxes are the obvious bat adds - I think these are the three species in most US zoos?

Singapore Night Safari has a walkthrough for flying squirrels.

 

[leehonglocal]

After adding bats and sloths - and apart from the birds that would logically have their place there - what other mammals or reptiles could we consider in the Walktrough exhibits?

In order to think about this list, I propose some constraints:

1) These animals have stereotypical behaviors (often make the same movements) slow, sleepy, or immobile.
2) These animals could not be suitable for normal Habitats, including Walktrough habitats.
3) These animals are commonly shown in contact with visitors in most zoos.
4) Bonus: these animals have a potential for variants, making it possible to add several subspecies at the same time (as was the case with butterflies).

I suggest you comment with your reasoned proposals (photos of exhibitions in parks are welcome) and I will draw up below a list of species that seem to be suitable for this mechanism.

LIST OF ANIMALS

MAMMALS :

• Slow Loris
• Slend Loris
• Douroucouli

BATS SUBSPECIES :

• Grey Headed Flying Fox
• Lyle's Flying Fox
• Linvingstone's Flying Fox

REPTILES :

• Reticulated Python
• Burmese Python
• Amethystine
• Jackson's Chameleon
• Panthera's Chameleon
• Senegal Chameleon

Snakes being Walkthrough Exhibit types? Seriously? To me, it's a bad idea.

 

[leehonglocal]

Indian, Malayan and Rodrigues flying foxes are the obvious bat adds - I think these are the three species in most US zoos?

Singapore Night Safari has a walkthrough for flying squirrels.

Yeah. I went there years ago and seen a flying squirrel jumped.

 

[leehonglocal]

Could some birds (flying or not) be in Walkthrough Exhibit? For examples, some small parrots, waterfowls (like ducks, herons and storks) and crowned pigeons.

 

[TheYeti]

Mammals:
I agree with the loris, flying squirrels and flying foxes. Especially the latter one seems like something we need. In addition I'd add the obvious similar species such as colugos and sugar gliders (similar to flying squirrels). Other bats would fit too, but I don't see them as a necessary species. Small monkeys could work in this type of exhibit, but we have no reason to assume they can't work as habitat species. The main barrier for the sloth was its speed which doesn't function with the food needs in the game.

Reptiles:
Snakes are a bad idea. I don't think there's any precedence of having them in such a type of exhibit. Other reptiles may work, but terrapins and lizards (except monitors) seem to be regular exhibit species so I don't see why they would change this for new iguanas or chameleons (unless they also make iguanas WE species which I would love but don't expect). Meanwhile, tortoises, crocodylians and monitors have only been habitat species so far so no point of making them a walkthrough exhibit species either. Sure it could work for small tortoises, but even these can just as well be kept in a habitat. The flying dragon may be suitable for this type of exhibit, but I'm not sure if it has presence in zoos.

Amphibians:
I don't see the potential for walkthrough amphibians. Maybe giant salamanders could function, but I don't think this is a logical option (are they kept in that way anywhere in the world?). They should either be regular exhibit or habitat.

Birds:
That leaves the most obvious group for which many have speculated that walkthrough exhibits have been developed in the first place. It would make a lot of sense to have birds of different groups in this type of exhibit. Most notably, hummingbirds and other small tropical species could fit, but also macaws and coastal birds would suit well. I'd personally love to see them being implemented butterfly-style (5 species per exhibit) in different categories (hummingbirds, macaws/parrots, coastal birds, Tropical Asian birds, etc.). Yet, I am sceptical of this possibility because the different birds (except hummingbirds and parrots) are far more different than the butterflies).

Fish:
This is an out-of-the-box option, but I could see the potential of having larger fish (and other marine/aquatic species) in an underwater tunnel while smaller species could be held in regular exhibits. The main barrier here will be to implement it in a DLC as it would not be feasible in any of the traditional forms (of course, a freshwater DLC could include 4 regular species and a walkthrough exhibit arapaima, but it would be weird to introduce one fish at a time). Mudskippers would also be a possibility in a Burgers' mangrove hall type of exhibit (see below for crustaceans where I elaborate).

Insects:
We have received butterflies as the first flying arthropods, but I don't see many other options that may work. Perhaps bees would be an idea, but they are probably too small to be noticed and too numerous to function properly. Dragonflies would be a more feasible option, but this is less conventional in zoos (please give me examples if they exist though).

Crustaceans:
This is not the most straightforward option, but I think some crustacean species may work in a walkthrough exhibit. Most notably, Burgers' Zoo has an indoor mangrove hall with butterflies but also fiddler crabs (and mudskippers I think). This could potentially be implemented through a walkthrough exhibit, as butterflies have already been implemented in this type of hall. Also the often requested coconut crab could do well in a walkthrough exhibit.

Arachnids:
I know I'm really stretching it now, but building on the mangrove hall theme, I believe that horseshoe crabs could function in a walkthrough exhibit, although the form would have to be modified. Perhaps the walkway would be some kind of bridge with water beneath in which they would swim. For other arachnids, I don't see an option though.

 

[MMaire]

I deliberately focused our research on mammals and reptiles because there are already a lot of discussions around birds. On the other hand I add the insects. On my side I added the Chipmunks. But quite a few breeds of squirrels could be added to such a space.

 

[TheYeti]

Right I realise now the title was this specific. But I think it would be nice to discuss in a broad sense what would be possible.

 

[leehonglocal]

Mammals:
I agree with the loris, flying squirrels and flying foxes. Especially the latter one seems like something we need. In addition I'd add the obvious similar species such as colugos and sugar gliders (similar to flying squirrels). Other bats would fit too, but I don't see them as a necessary species. Small monkeys could work in this type of exhibit, but we have no reason to assume they can't work as habitat species. The main barrier for the sloth was its speed which doesn't function with the food needs in the game.

Reptiles:
Snakes are a bad idea. I don't think there's any precedence of having them in such a type of exhibit. Other reptiles may work, but terrapins and lizards (except monitors) seem to be regular exhibit species so I don't see why they would change this for new iguanas or chameleons (unless they also make iguanas WE species which I would love but don't expect). Meanwhile, tortoises, crocodylians and monitors have only been habitat species so far so no point of making them a walkthrough exhibit species either. Sure it could work for small tortoises, but even these can just as well be kept in a habitat. The flying dragon may be suitable for this type of exhibit, but I'm not sure if it has presence in zoos.

Amphibians:
I don't see the potential for walkthrough amphibians. Maybe giant salamanders could function, but I don't think this is a logical option (are they kept in that way anywhere in the world?). They should either be regular exhibit or habitat.

Birds:
That leaves the most obvious group for which many have speculated that walkthrough exhibits have been developed in the first place. It would make a lot of sense to have birds of different groups in this type of exhibit. Most notably, hummingbirds and other small tropical species could fit, but also macaws and coastal birds would suit well. I'd personally love to see them being implemented butterfly-style (5 species per exhibit) in different categories (hummingbirds, macaws/parrots, coastal birds, Tropical Asian birds, etc.). Yet, I am sceptical of this possibility because the different birds (except hummingbirds and parrots) are far more different than the butterflies).

Fish:
This is an out-of-the-box option, but I could see the potential of having larger fish (and other marine/aquatic species) in an underwater tunnel while smaller species could be held in regular exhibits. The main barrier here will be to implement it in a DLC as it would not be feasible in any of the traditional forms (of course, a freshwater DLC could include 4 regular species and a walkthrough exhibit arapaima, but it would be weird to introduce one fish at a time). Mudskippers would also be a possibility in a Burgers' mangrove hall type of exhibit (see below for crustaceans where I elaborate).

Insects:
We have received butterflies as the first flying arthropods, but I don't see many other options that may work. Perhaps bees would be an idea, but they are probably too small to be noticed and too numerous to function properly. Dragonflies would be a more feasible option, but this is less conventional in zoos (please give me examples if they exist though).

Crustaceans:
This is not the most straightforward option, but I think some crustacean species may work in a walkthrough exhibit. Most notably, Burgers' Zoo has an indoor mangrove hall with butterflies but also fiddler crabs (and mudskippers I think). This could potentially be implemented through a walkthrough exhibit, as butterflies have already been implemented in this type of hall. Also the often requested coconut crab could do well in a walkthrough exhibit.

Arachnids:
I know I'm really stretching it now, but building on the mangrove hall theme, I believe that horseshoe crabs could function in a walkthrough exhibit, although the form would have to be modified. Perhaps the walkway would be some kind of bridge with water beneath in which they would swim. For other arachnids, I don't see an option though.

Flying squirrels or sugar gliders would be nice to me even though something that will rarely happen bother me a bit.

 

[Spiderhawk]

the only way I’d go along with other mammals being WE, is if there the path is covered by a 1 sided screen tunnel as many of the mentioned small mammals are very shy of humans. Loris for example are venomous (1 reported death case), many loris found outside of asia are victims of the exotic pet trade therefore they go through unimaginable hell before being transported.
Koi or turtle ponds: the walk way is a bridge going over these ponds that the guests look down and see the critters swimming in the pond.

 

[NZFanatic]

I don't think there are many species, particularly listed here, that need the walkthrough exhibit.

One I'd like is the golden orb weaver spider. That would be really cool.

 

[hudsonbear]

I'm assuming you mean that large snakes would be segregrated from the public, right, like a sort of walk through glass tunnel or something? Giant snakes like reticulated pythons are extremely dangerous.
Something like little marmosets might be fun - I know they're not slow and sleepy like the suggestion in the OP, but neither are the bats, so it might work. I'm not sure if they would bite the guests though