This would not be the best exhibit for younger children due to the greenhouse allowing the animals to roam free. This could cause an issue for the children because they might get scared of the birds if they were to get close. Also, the water enclosure seems very low, so taller children could potentially fall in. An example of a type of display that went beyond in this exhibit would be the enclosure including all of the various animals, residing in one big enclosure together. Also, they had a greenhouse that mocked the actual Amazon rainforest. I believe that those who are genuinely interested in the animals, or also intrigued by them, would look at the informatic plaques.
Silver Hatchetfish - Can make very long jumps (about 13 feet) out of water - Using their large pectoral fins - Helps them escape predators
Twig Catfish - Brown body and long, slender shape - Looks very much like a twig - Blends in with dead leaves and sticks in the water
Arapaima - One of the few remaining species in an ancient group of fishes - Highly overfished - Only the large ones breed
Guinea Pigs - Delicacy in Southern America (Chuey) - Domesticated guinea pigs descended from Montane - Wild guinea pigs do not have color variations like their domesticated counterparts - Originates in South America but were domesticated as pets, at least six different species
This would be a better option for the younger children because there are a lot of “cute and fluffy” animals that they might like. Also, the naked mole rat enclosure was very entertaining because you could see all the tiny tunnels and areas that they were walking through. There were no open enclosures which would be perfect for kids because they wouldn’t be able to directly interact with the animals. I believe that people would look at them because the animals were very intriguing and I also found myself looking at them because I got curious about what that animal was.
Golden Lion Tamarin - Acts like a “typical family” - Mom nurses the babies, Dad usually carries the babies, Older siblings like to help by carrying the babies too - Endangered - Diet consists of insects, spiders and other small animals, bird eggs, and fruit
Fennec Fox - Big ears allow it to hunt easily - Ears are very sensitive - Detect small sounds - Diet consists of insects, lizards, mice, birds and their eggs, plants and fruits
Sand Cat - Live in deserts that range from 125°F during the day and 0°F during the night - Don’t leave any tracks with their furred feet - Diet consists of small mammals, reptiles, insects, and birds
Naked Mole Rat - Has a queen in a colony with workers (Gives birth every 70-80 days with up to 28 pups per litter) - Adapt survival genetics - Highly resistant to cancer and show few signs of aging
Additionally, zoos are major centers for education about zoological and ecological issues. Find and describe two (2) specific examples of ways that the Zoo aids in the public understanding of animals and ecosystems OTHER THAN simple plaques with printed information.
Many of the exhibits had interactive activities that allowed people to further understand where and what the animals are. One of these examples was held in the Amazonia, where they showed a program that revealed the amount of electricity going through the electric eel enclosure, additionally having an eel structure that acted like a battery when a person put one hand on each end of the eel. Another way was by special events like Amphibian week. While visiting the zoo, they had set up various tables, where workers often had free items like stickers and posters and told facts about the animals on the stickers. By having these types of events, people are more inclined to be interested in learning about these specific animals.
Let’s face it: zoo animals are kept in captivity, and for many animals this is a potentially traumatic experience. These animals evolved in the wild, and their behaviors are adapted to living in the more complex (and simply BIGGER) world outside.
In the old days the mental or emotional welfare of the exhibit animals weren’t of primary concern: just stick them in a cage for all to see. But this attitude has changed.
Find at least two (2) specific examples where either the physical setting or objects in their environment have been added to provide a more interesting or comfortable place for the animals.
In the Amazonia, the zoo had modeled the enclosure to replicate the actual Amazon rainforest, including a very large structure of the trees in the rainforest and actual plants that currently exist in the Amazon. By doing this, the animals that were there are able to comfortably reside there in an environment that copied their natural habitat. Additionally, in the small mammal house, the nocturnal animals were in a very dark environment with only a red light for the people to see the animals. Because these animals are nocturnal, they are more comfortable in darker settings.