Australia Zoo in Trouble » Australia Zoo

22-03-2008

I was refering to their movies particulaly cartoons.

Is Disneys animal kingdom in Florida. If so I went to it in 93.

22-03-2008

DAK was suffering a slump in attendanc until fairly recently when the opening of its themed Kilimanjaro theme park style ride helped to reverse this trend.
i have never been to DAK before but when it comes to photos of the savannah exhibits etc I am absolutely blown away by how authentic they seem. zoos the world over could learn alot of design tips from the park, although the commercial imperatives driving what is essentially a theme park are an ideology id be reluctant to see zoos embrace (further).,
when it comes to Australia Zoo i think this is a natural and predicatable direction for the park to take. its also quite logical for Australia Zoo to become increasingly business savvy, as it does exist in a State where the government doesnt subsidise zoos by way of captial allocation, so its future as a charity type institution would be numbered. competing against the other theme parks would also need to be considered in their future business strategy.
id be uncomfortable seeing roller coasters sweeping along past herds of giraffe or elephant, but if the attractions are based on things like simulated natural experiences like rapid rides past animal exhibits, safari caravans etc then go for it.....
speaking in a regional sense, ARAZPA zoos need Australia Zoo to stay viable to maximise the total contribution to conservation. into the future Australia, although i would agree with PTIG that a more conservative budget might draw a better return, against a backdrop of increasing oil prices and declining international tourist numbers.

23-03-2008

@Monty: Disney's Animal Kingdom opened in 1998, not 1993.

Australia Zoo had announced a while ago their plans for a hotel and safari park, along with a number of potential exhibits. The recent bad press will eventually blow over, and with the land and money at their disposal I'm sure that they'll build some amazing enclosures in the near future.

23-03-2008

I am sure you are quite right snowleopard, these plans are not that new

23-03-2008

Well I have not been then. When I was there in 93 I went to several theme parks some with Zoo parts. I could not remember if one was Disney or not.

23-03-2008

The trend with zoos building hotel accomodation next to their zoo is not new. Similarly announcing new exhibits is not either. So I agree with ZooPro that is not something to get really worked up about.

Sure, Disney Animal Kingdom has some imaginative exhibits and species conservation programmes and is a fun and good zoo experience. As a profit making institution it also funds quite a few conservation projects and programmes overseas (much similar to the NY Bronx Zoo's Wildlife Conservation Society). As for Terri referring to DAK for her Australia Zoo future vision ... I dunno if that would suit the Australian outback environment or peoples' mentality?

What I would like to see though is more clarification on what is termed this ... Disney feel to the park. That sounds rather too vague to me .....??? What about plans for exhibits, species and all. Incidentally with this African savannah; given the Australian import bans on wildlife, where are the African wildlife supposed to be coming from to Queensland?

What I also wish Terri to elaborate on is her vision of intertwinning this drive for self-sufficiency in zoo day-to-day business with Australia Zoo's conservation image:
1. How will both increased commercialism and conservation ethic contribute to Australia Zoo's development as a respected zoo institution?
In what manner will this contribute to conservation of native and African wildlife?
2. If Terri is serious on the conservation ethic and Australia Zoo's current record than where is the mission statement to all this?
3. And why is Australia Zoo so lax in upholding Queensland wildlife laws - the koala release debate - where Fleay's Wildlife Park is doing just fine?

Anyone feel ... worthy to comment?

23-03-2008

oh for $#@&'s sake!!!

monty, get a life. seriously. sorry but was the lion king supposed to show king mufasa screwing all the lionesses, viciously biting at their necks?
should baloo have eaten mowgli? i suppose you draw comparisons between the indian caste system and goofy - who was a dog and mickeys best friend when yet mickey had also enslaved another of goofys species as his pet, pluto?

you know what lets ban the anthropomorphism of animals in media. since its doing the world a lot of damage. lets take it all the way back through history and delete all the animal characters from our fables and and stories.

yeah, because it feeds animal liberation propaganda. gimme a &*%$ing break!

23-03-2008

i dont think terri refers to disney as a business, more so a world wide known oeganisation, and she wnats to build oz zoo to that rep.

Not disney land as the money place, rather make oz zoo the place kids wnat to go, it's an american thing, kids dream of disneyland, terri wants kids to dream of comming to australia zoo.

24-03-2008

I thought I might get a response from you Patrick. I agree with you, and my coments were not all serious. My kids have all the animated movies they can get and I do get a bit sick of watching them myself. Bambi does put them off their venison, but luckily they like it to much to stop them eating it.

I am sure though that some people who have little to do with natural environments dont understand preditor prey relationships and think wild animals have easier lives than they do.

I am just guessing, but maby Timothy Treadwell based his whole knolage of bears on dysney movies. His latest movie Grisley Bear an Insiders View is not doing so well.
Before anyone gets upset again that last coment was sarcastic and for those that dont know he was eaten buy bears in Alaska.

24-03-2008

Hehehe. . . Sad things is that crazy fella took someone with him.

24-03-2008

The Werner Herzog documentary "Grizzly Man", starring the now deceased Timothy Treadwell, is one hell of a fascinating film. To see a man spend 13 summers in Alaska practically surrounded by massive brown bears is incredible, and I've watched the movie 3 times. There is amazing footage of Treadwell merely feet from 900 pound bears, and at one point he touches one from behind while swimming with it. These were wild, hungry, enormous bears, and I scratch my head on each viewing and cannot for the life of me figure out how he managed to survive for as long as he did. I suppose that the bears realized that he wasn't a threat and for the most part ignored him.

24-03-2008

well ya know dude, i'm sure if i accused deer farmers of fostering animal liberationists, i'de rev you up too!

24-03-2008

I want to see that documentry about Timothy Treadwell. It has been on cable tv here but I dont have it. My brother saw it and has told me about it. Everybody who knew about what Treadwell was doing was suprised he lived as long as he did.

Sorry this has got off topic.

25-03-2008

grizzly man is a fascinating film. you're essentially glued from the beginning.

honestly, i found treadwell so cringeworthy that the only way i could enjoy the film was knowing that treadwell eventually got eaten!

think of a camp steve irwin...

"hiiii mister chocolate! oh he's a big bear. ohhhhh he's a big bear!"

26-03-2008

Never heard of him here in the UK. What happened to him?