Randuwa II

Philadelphia Zoo: View 7 of 9

My first visit to the Philadelphia back in 2011 started by entering the southeastern exit and encountering the Red Pandas in a small cage. It was a terrible start to what has become a good relationship. In all of the other many visits since then, I have always managed to miss this part of the zoo.

Today I chose to push past this and just see what is there to see. The answer is a lot! A great overhead human observation set of structures. A new multi-story home for the zoo's Colobus Monkey colony. Great habitats for Maned Wolf and Cheetah. A new and large aviary for American Bald Eagles and a smaller mini-museum like structure for Barn Owls. In all some really great discoveries.

Philadelphia Zoo: View 6 of 9

No visit to the Philadelphia Zoo for me would be complete without a visit to the McNeil Avian Center. Access to the birds is one critical aspect of the power of being in this space. There is also always a zookeeper to chat with and learn even more about the birds from.

Victoria Crowned Dove

Nicobar Pigeons

Cattle Egret

Inca Tern

Ivory-billed Aracari

And then in an adjacent habitat the Andean Condor was happy to display its wing-span.

Philadelphia Zoo: View 5 of 9

The zoo has a great facility for Greater Primates: Western Lowland Gorillas and Orangutans. On this visit I enjoyed the lesser primates: White Handed Gibbons and Ring-tailed Lemur.

As you approach the entrance of the Primate Conservation Center you encounter an island home to the Ring-tail Lemurs.

The habitat that is often open to the Orangutans was today open to the White-handed Gibbons.

There are three monumental Sycamore trees here and the apes have complete access to climbing any one of them.

Philadelphia Zoo: View 4 of 9

Across from the Reptile House at the Philadelphia Zoo is another Award winning habitat creation. The Big Cat Falls is home to 6 major species of Large wild cats from all over the world. There are habitats for African Lions, Amur Tigers, Snow Leopards, Amur Leopards Jaguars and Mountain Lions. Addition of Zoo360 over trails, create an extended experience far beyond the enclosures and opportunities for the animals to see and explore beyond their habitats.

African Lionnesses enjoying the Zoo360 space!

Can you see the Amur Leopard? He's looking down on the female with great interest...

Philadelphia Zoo: View 3 of 9

One of my favorite aspects of the Philadelphia Zoo is their Herpetarium. For a long time the zoo's director was Dr. Roger Conant. Dr. Conant authored the Peterson's Field Guide to the Amphibians and Retiles of the Eastern United States. This addition to the zoo designed by him in 1971 became the world standard for the display of Amphibians and Reptiles. It is home to 47 display habitats all of which are designed to provide naturalistic homes for the animals. It was given a technological overhaul in 1998. It has been an inspiration to me and my own series of zoo specific Herpetarium designs.

Emerald Tree Boa

West African Gaboon Viper

Cottonmouth

Splendid Tree Frog (from Australia)

West African Dwarf Caiman

Philadelphia Zoo: View 2 of 9

On this visit to the Philadelphia Zoo I chose to visit some of the places that I generally avoid. The zoo made the decision about a decade ago to stop keeping Elephants and in doing so also let other species go like their Indian Rhinoceros. The area and buildings then became prime real estate for something new and the zoo opted for a Children's zoo within a zoo concept. Today they call it KidZooU. The spaces combine a range of educational information and encounters with animals along with a petting zoo concept full of goats. The entire area was well designed and I can see how it's a wonderful resource for school groups, too; especially primary aged kids.

The Goat yard. I love Goats!

Within the former Pachyderm building you will find a flock of Parikeets and a coral reef aquarium.

A room given to Insects, too.

A great shot of the originally Elephant House. To give this some perspective, I am including an image of the design concept and then some nostalgic images of some of the buildings former inhabitants.