Destinations
- Destination Africa
Opening in 2003, the Destination Africa project was among the zoo's most ambitious expansions in its history. The complex of four buildings includes the TransAlta Rainforest and the African Savannah. The TransAlta Rainforest occupies 2,900 square metres (31,000 square feet) and features a collection of African rainforest flora and fauna. The African Savannah building is home to hippos, giraffes, Red River Hogs, and a baobab tree. A 340,000-litre (80,000-gallon) indoor pool for hippos offers view of the creatures underwater. In the warmer months, the doors lift to connect the building with the rest of the Savannah exhibit, home to zebras and ostriches. Many other animals of the grasslands, including African lions, also reside in the Savannah exhibit.
- Canadian Wilds
The Canadian Wilds were built in the 1990s to house the majority of zoo's collection of North American birds and mammals. The area includes outdoor enclosures in three zones: the Aspen Woodlands, the Northern Forest, and the Rocky Mountains. Animals in the enclosures include grizzly bears, wood bison, and wolves.
- Australia (or Creatures of the Night)
The Australia complex is among the smaller areas of the zoo and includes a number of mammals, reptiles, and birds from Oceania in both outdoor and indoor enclosures. Animals in this area include kangaroos, wallabies, and bearded dragons. In 2009, koalas were exhibited at the zoo, on loan from another zoo. The Australia/Creatures of the Night building closed in September 2011.
- Botanical Gardens and Dorthy Harvie Conservatory
The outdoor gardens are among the zoo's most popular attractions and include the Dorothy Harvie Gardens. The zoo's sheltered location supports many marginally hardy plant species. The conservatory comprises the indoor component of the zoo's gardens. It includes a number of "themed" areas such as the tropical garden, the rainforest, the arid garden, and the butterfly garden. A number of animals including birds and invertebrates are housed in the conservatory. The 30 year old facility is currently in the process of being upgraded and will soon feature increased emphasis on teaching visitors the importance of plants and improving energy efficiency. On September 2, 2008 the Enmax Conservatory was closed to the public to allow for a much needed renovation. Enmax Corporation partnered with the Calgary Zoo to update the facility. The Calgary Zoo is aiming to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold in energy conservation and responsible building practices. If successful, the Enmax Conservatory will be the first facility of its kind to achieve this level of certification. The facility is planned to reopen in the fall of 2009.
- Arctic Shores and Antarctic Landing
A project planned at the current location of the north entry and will include the area of the Prehistoric Park. The project will hold King Penguins. The original plan was likely to involve both indoor and outdoor exhibits and a building the size of a football field. It will replace the zoo's former Arctic complex, which was demolished in 2000. Beluga whales and polar bears had been a planned addition until the Calgary Zoo decided to remove those plans because of financial reasons in the fall of 2008.
- Eurasia
The western portion of St. George's Island is dedicated to Eurasian animals. Animals in this area include Amur (Siberian) tigers, snow leopards, alpine ibex, Japanese macaques, red pandas and Asian elephants housed in an enclosure named Elephant Crossing, which opened in June 2007.
- Prehistoric Park
The Calgary Zoo's Prehistoric Park features life-sized dinosaurs in their re-created geographical environment. This exhibit was renovated and reopened in 2010. Specimens depicted include: Albertosaurus, Allosaurus, Ankylosaurus, Apatosaurus, Baryonyx, Centrosaurus, Corythosaurus, Deinonychus, Dilophosaurus, Edmontosaurus, Elasmosaurus, Euoplocephalus, Iguanodon, Metriacanthosaurus, Nothosaurus, Omeisaurus, Pachyrhinosaurus, Parasaurolophus, Protoceratops, Pteranodon, Pterosaur, Stegosaurus, Struthiomimus, Styracosaurus, Tanystropheus, Triceratops, Tylosaurus, Tyrannosaurus Rex and Yangchuanosaurus.
- South America
The South America pavilion is home to spider monkeys, pygmy marmosets, giant anteaters, Andean condors, two-toed sloths, cottontop tamarins, gibbons, and piranhas.
Read more about this topic: Calgary Zoo