Page 18 - Gateways_2023_Spring

Hiding Continued

to choose among a variety of conditions.
(See the article about AZA accreditation
standards in this issue.)
Animals need places in their habitat—
under a log, in a nest, behind vegetation,
or atop a high ledge, for example—where
they can go to feel safe and comfortable,
even if that means they are out of
visitors’ sight.
“We don’t want to force animals
from their hiding spots,” said Sullivan.
“We don’t want the animals to have
100 percent visibility.” For example,
he said, sometimes an orangutan wants
space to itself—away from people and
other animals. “There are a lot of places
for the orangutans to go to be invisible
to guests and their own kind.”

Creating Visibility

Thoughtful habitat design, large glass
viewing windows, lighting, and elevated
platforms in rock work are some of the
obvious ways the zoo facilitates animal
viewing for guests. Up-close experiences
with animals are provided through the
Animal Ambassador program, Penguin
Encounters, and giraffe feedings.
But there are also many less-obvious Above: A Hoffman's two-toed sloth in TROPIC WORLD: SOUTH AMERICA has several cozy,
ways Brookfield Zoo brings animals into private spaces to curl up in.
view for guests while meeting the needs Right: Large viewing windows enable zoo visitors to go eye-to-eye with a polar bear
of the animals. One of the best examples in GREAT BEAR WILDERNESS. Children play with Hudson polar bear.
of this can be found at REGENSTEIN
WOLF WOODS, the zoo’s habitat survival, they are isolated from humans. draw them there. We want to draw them
for endangered Mexican wolves. The windows in the indoor viewing to something they desire, and in doing
The habitat was designed to meet the area are made of special one-way glass so, increase their visibility and activity.”
requirements of AZA’s Mexican Wolf that enable visitors to watch the wolves Take the sloths, for example, he
Species Survival Plan® and the U.S. Fish without the wolves seeing the visitors. said. “We looked at what sloths need.
and Wildlife Service Recovery Plan for Animals can be guided to particular When resting, they like enclosed, private
this species. Wolves born at zoos, includ- areas in their habitat, said Sullivan. “If you spaces. We created several that make
ing Brookfield Zoo, have been released want to create better visibility for guests, them feel comfortable.” Soft hammocks
into the wild to repopulate the species. you have to understand the animals and were hung over the visitors’ path in
To give the animals the best chance of create environments within the habitat that TROPIC WORLD: SOUTH AMERICA.

18 GATEWAYS | ANIMALS HIDING