animal exhibit area in a zoo?

Question

i am an architecture student, and i am creating a plan of a zoo, but i have less information & ideas about planning the exhibit area of a certain animal, i already visited our state zoo to gather some datas but the datas i acquired are very insufficient...what i need know are this ff. questions.

1.is it neccessary that the holding area of a certain animal must be adjacent to its exhibit area?

2.what are the general contents of an animal holding area?(either mammals avians or reptiles),

3.what is the specific function of the zookeeper's working area?

4.do the food of a certain animal should be stored somehwere on the holding area?, or do zoo have a general or main storage area for all their animal foods?

5. how can i zookeeper transfer a certain animal specially dangerous animals (like tigers) from the holding area to the exhibit area without being harmed by the animal?

I know only Zoo personnels can answer this, and pls answer them in details!,thnks!

Answer 1

1: It depends on the species. Most dangerous animals need to be right next to or close the exhibit because the less shifting of the animal from place to place the better/safer. If the animal is not next to the exhibit there needs to be some type of permanent transfer system in place to be able to move the animal at a moments notice. Nine times out of ten you will find the holding connected to the exhibit due to safety and the event of an emergency. For example say there is severe weather moving into the area fast. Keepers are not going to have the time to shift all the animals long distances.

More often than not you will find less dangerous animals moving longer distances between their holding. Birds, smaller hoofstock, education animals, etc... stuff that you can either walk or carry without having to drug or animals that are used to moving into transfer cages then driven to another location.

2: The majority of animal holding areas tend to be rather simple in design leaving the complex and "nice" stuff out in the public areas where the animals spend most of their time. Depending on the species more often than not it is concrete and steel (hard to have grass inside). There is also water and food access or small pools (depending on the species). There is really nothing other than that... the rest is added by keepers on a need to basis... ie toys, bedding, enrichment, etc. As far as structural design goes though, it is very empty and clean... makes it easier to care for the animal. For example a great deal of medical care goes on behind the scenes, if the holding area was complex it would be harder to treat the animal and or keep a "clean space" to treat the animal.

3: Keepers working area more or less has two parts. One is an area that does not include animals. Their private area serves as a place to get food/meds ready, a break room, a meeting place and a place to do paperwork (yes there is a great deal of paperwork as a keeper). The other area is of course keeper walkwalks along the holding cages. That area must be wide enough to work in and still be safe. You will find that many keepers areas have lines painted in the floor that are a visual "safe zone". For example the keeper can glance at it and know that behind the line they are ok but if they go infront of the line they move into the space where the animal might be able to reach/grab them. The space also needs to be large enough to store hoses, cage transfer systems (steel ropes, geers, pull bars, etc). There also needs to be wide enough access (doors/halls) that keepers/vets can get a transfer cage in if there is an emergency that they need to get the animal out of the building. For example, you do not want to have an elephant building where 90% of the halls and doors are too small to get the animals through.

4: Most zoos have an animal kitchen where the bulk of the food is delivered and stored. Daily the kitchen keepers will deliver the food to the different areas. Of course this rule does not apply to stuff like baby formual, etc.... stuff that can be stored in a small fridge or is not part of a daily diet. Many animals who require a ton of hay/wood wool (hoofstock, pachyderms, primates) have a small storeage area at their building where it is kept. For example if you are building a petting barn you might want to make a hay loft.

5: Some dangerous animals are knocked down to be moved others are trained to move into transfer cages (most are on wheels). The transfer cages can be butted up against the actual cage and connected. From there the door to both cages can be opened and the animal can walk into the smaller cage. The keepers can then close the doors and unhook the cage and move it to where they need.

Answer 2

It depends on the animal and on the zoo. Many animals have an indoor and outdoor section to their enclosure - if it's a dangerous animal, it will be confined to one section while the keepers clean the other. If it's a harmless animal, the keepers can go into the enclosure with it in order to clean. Most animals are left where they are after the zoo closes, or given access to both parts of their enclosure. However, some animals, for example those that might feel the cold at night, will be restricted to the indoor part of the enclosure.

Answer 3

1) this would be both practical and safer for the keeper and the animal

2)it is a place to shelter and protect the animal and provides security and rest, as well as food, and access to safe containment for medical treatment

3)safety and access

4)this depends on each animal's requirements, but in general it is more convenient to have the supply close

5)funnels and gates