The Brookfield Zoo's Master Plan

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Hey y'all, thanks for watching! To make it easier, here's the breakdown for the KZbin chapters... 00:00 - Intro *PHASE I:* 01:47 - present 02:47 - Tropical Forests *PHASE II:* 04:43 - North Gate 05:56 - Pacific Coasts of the Americas 07:12 - Southwest Australian Provinces *GATEWAY TO AFRICA* 08:07 - African Savanna 09:54 - East African Forests 10:29 - Central African Forests 10:13 - South African Forests *PHASE III:* 12:57 - Himilayas & Central Asian Steppe 13:45 - Hamill Family Wild Encounters Expansion & Bear Grottos Redevelopment 14:42 - Our Rivers to the Gulf 15:44 - North American Grasslands 16:13 - Tundra/Taiga *SOUTH AMERICAN SECTIONS* 16:40 - South American Atlantic Forest & Pantanal 17:10 - Andean Lagoons 17:16 - Amazon Waters 17:28 - other changes (no time exact frame) 18:00 - Outro The normal tours will resume NEXT WEEKEND & I'll announce more about my upcoming international trip at the end of this month. Thanks for watching and enjoy!

[@nitasu987]

Been coming to BZ for almost 2 decades and in a lot of parts it's definitely been showing its age. I'm REALLY stoked for these upgrades!!!

[@Ywabag]

Wow. If everything mentioned comes to fruition, every other zoo in the US is going to have serious competition. The species list is absolutely stacked.

[@tburrrg2502]

My dad’s company did the new dolphin building design and I am so excited. The Brookfield zoo is such a big family favorite of ours and the fact that our family firm played a role is a dream come true. I friggen LOVE ZOOS man lol

[@tburrrg2502]

If you need to interview someone about the dolphin building please let me know, my dad is super passionate about the project and the care for the animals!

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Hey there, sounds like a great prospect that could make for an interesting video. That's actually really cool that you know someone who took part in the design process of the dolphin building renovation! I'm not exactly sure what the logistics of an interview would be, but it's a concept that I would totally be willing to explore to create a diversity of content for the channel. Thanks for reaching out and if you're still offering, feel free to contact me via email at [e-mail] and we can go from there.

[@Ax-us2zc]

@tburrrg2502 is your dad hiring?😅

[@Godfirst500]

Wow really

[@Godfirst500]

@@tburrrg2502wow that’s impressive, the rock work is fire

[@drewluczynski9609]

I have waited for years for the elephants to return!!

[@michaelwilliams8825]

This is an amazing master plan. It is state of the art in conservation. I just hope that I’m still around to see it all. Brookfield Zoo has been a part of my life and favorite place since I was 6 which was 60 years ago

[@Godfirst500]

Me since I was 3

[@minerrrr]

Being someone who didn't have the time to read the entire document the zoo put out, I found this video actually really useful to explain what their plan is! I'm going to miss that overpass so much :( But a lot of the stuff they are adding actually seems like a real breath of fresh air, and is exciting! Also super excited for the cheetahs, when they eventually come. Great video, Mr. Virtual Zoo!

[@Godfirst500]

Hey at least they’re keeping the current dolphins home even tho they’ll also have an outdoor pool near them, even the apes they’ll get to be in and out and the bears habits except the polar bears will be the only ones taking place

[@Sashaiordanov]

​@Godfirst500 I wonder how the whole dolphin thing is going to work out. Are they going to be rotating them? Because that's a lot of work when they could've just have Chanel between the enclosures

[@Godfirst500]

@@Sashaiordanov they’re are gonna swim to the pools they want, I gotta ask the zoo staff more about how they are gonna demolish the seal current pool to turn it into the outdoor pool for dolphins

[@Sashaiordanov]

@Godfirst500 what do you mean? Demolition and reconstruction is pretty straight forward?

[@Godfirst500]

@ that project is gonna be 2034-beyond

[@JacobFiveash]

I'm so excited to see the exhibits once they open! You're so talented and I wish we could collaborate on a tour someday!

[@codyvanderhaegen3186]

This looks so incredible. I haven't been to Broofield in probably 10 years, but this would make me go back in no time. Wow!

[@Godfirst500]

Go for it we got new animals too

[@sparrow838_]

Very informative video with a great overview of the coming changes! Exciting time for Brookfield Zoo.

[@tanguyfranqueville5456]

Would absolutely love to see more videos of master plan analysis like this - great job!

[@alextepe4309]

Thats good to know about the future upgrades. I like how more megafauna, like elephants and Nile hippos will be added.

[@joshh9431]

I’m looking forward to this

[@KrzysztofSadowy-f8l]

You sound like ZooTours off brand brother😂 seriously though, great video man

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Glad you enjoyed! This channel was heavily inspired by @ZooTours whom I'm a big fan of and has helped me greatly with my youtube journey

[@Ryneoceros]

I also live in the area and I’m SO EXCITED for all this new stuff

[@joshh9431]

For some plan changes, I would have the Bactrian Camels and Przewalski’s Wild Horses also in the Asian area, have exhibits for Jaguars and Maned Wolves in the South American Pantanal area, exhibits for Mountain Lions, Black Bears, and Bobcats in the North American Woodlands, have Giant River Otters in the Amazon Waters building, also have Platypuses in the Australia house, as well as a Madagascar section with Lemurs, Fossas, Sifakas, and Aye-Ayes in Tropic World, also renovate the gorilla exhibit into a Mandrill exhibit in Tropic World as well, have exhibits for Canadian Lynx, Snowy Owls, and Arctic Foxes in the Tundra/Taiga area, have a Illinois Heritage Farm section at Hamill Family Wild Encounters, and, if China lets us, have Giant Pandas behind the reimagined Bear Grottoes that are now part of the Hamill Family Wild Encounters

[@TheVirtualZoo]

As far as the camels and P wild horses go, I really do hope they have an exhibit in that section for them because it would be a shame to lose those species from the zoo's collection. Unfortunately, the Przewalski's wild horses left the zoo last year and it might be hard to reobtain them, but all they really require is a decent paddock in the forest which would definitely fit with the Central Asian/Himalayas theme. I don't see a lot of predators like jaguars, maned wolves, or mountain lions in the plans, but I think they could definitely fit in smaller species like otters, bobcats, foxes, owls, etc. along the various trails that will be added in the North American section. Overall, having immersive exhibits is something the zoo really struggles with and most of their exhibits are just old fashioned and in a line along major paths. But yes I really hope they cater to the smaller species with these new plans because they are necessary for world-class exhibits. A Madagascar section in Tropic world is totally something I've never heard speculated about before, but that would be really cool to see lemurs in the various large trees at eye level. Would be sick to have pandas

[@Godfirst500]

@@TheVirtualZoooh yea are they even having camels next century ? Or pandas for the first time?

[@773chiguy9]

i am very excited to see the zoo evolve into the next century. A dolphin expansion would be great which I am assuming it will be a first of a kind.

[@Godfirst500]

The penguins and seals current home looks way to nice to get a new small habitat compared to the one they are in right now.

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Something tells me that the new penguin habitat will be very similar to the current one in the Living Coast, but the sea lion area will be way better than their current exhibit. I don't think I really showed how outdated the current Pinniped point is in this video. The pools are of a good size, and there are multiple exhibits, but the rock-work is very poor for modern day and education/thematic elements are lacking like the zoo says they intend to incorporate into the Pacific Coasts of the Americas. I agree that nobody would really be complaining if they didn't change this as a part of the master plan, but I think the idea is to have the sea lions as an opener when you walk right into the zoo, drawing attention to a large, natural exhibit (the current sea lion exhibit is not the first animals you see when you enter the north gate by far).

[@Godfirst500]

@@TheVirtualZoo agreed but if they are gonna make a new deal habitat they should at least do an underwater viewing cause that’s the best part when it comes to seals and sea lions. I don’t know what they are trying to do to the living coast house but the penguin house looks cool the way it does the stingrays make it look more cool. About the ape house I know for sure they are gonna go in and out, imma miss the tunnel that leads you inside the zoo that tunnel doesn’t necessarily have to go. Tbh

[@dcruz4811]

I remember those little plastic mold machines. I used to go all the time as a kid. Now I’m 18 and leaving for college so my new local zoo will be the Lincoln park zoo which I haven’t been to

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Well, I assure you that you don't have to worry about the Lincoln Park Zoo. LPZ has already finished its master plan, and its exhibit quality is years ahead of Brookfield which is just starting (the city has funded Lincoln Park much more in the past). Everything at Lincoln Park is up to date, and they have a nice collection too that you will probably enjoy. Not to mention that the zoo is free aside from parking and it's in a nice area so walking around the entire park in general is a good half-day activity for cheap. Hope you enjoy it!

[@madprophet6891]

You're going to love it. There's a greenhouse right outside of the zoo that's also free to enter. You'll see what I mean. If you're going to visit one, you should stop in the other too.

[@Godfirst500]

@@madprophet6891one thing about Lincoln park zoo that disappointed me is that they got rid of their own tigers to focus on the lions plus Brookfield beats them w a lot of animalz

[@drewluczynski9609]

9:13 Since it hasn’t been mentioned yet, and never underestimate the power of TL;DR, I’m 99% sure the Painted Dogs and Okapi will stay as they are mentioned in the survival plans in the document in the description.

[@TheVirtualZoo]

You're right! I totally missed that (also right about the TLDR with that document size). Good catch and thanks for the info!

[@drewluczynski9609]

@@TheVirtualZooEh, happens to the best of us.

[@andreasstavrinou6219]

Hey virtual Zoo I was hoping that in there long term exhibit plans that Brookfield would bring back Harbor seals and Walruses to the Seven Seas Seascape and bring back as well Aardvarks and Warthogs to the Habitat Africa Savannah Exhibit I was excited about them possibly bring back Cheetah's because they still have cape or African painted Hunting Dogs those are my favorite African Carnivore's. I also wish we could have an area for Chacma Baboons and also vervet Monkeys in the revamped Tropic world Asia exhibit. I mean it was sad when Brookfield got rid of Walruses in 2006, Warthogs and Aardvarks in 2011, Harbor seals in 2016 and Chacma Baboons in 2013 when they deconstructed Baboon Island I even saw they did away with Mandrills in Tropic world. My greatest memories of Brookfield zoo for me as a child born in the Early 1980's was The pinipped pool were Olga the Walrus and Amy the Harbor Seal.❤

[@JaredThomas-st1fz]

They were Guinea baboons that were in baboon island which was demolished in 2018

[@Godfirst500]

You’re lucky you got to see the walrus I never met one in real life

[@Godfirst500]

And the aardvarks left 2015-2016 not 2011

[@MacTonightProductions]

This video made me subscribe to you

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Really glad you enjoyed it and thanks for the sub!

[@tackleattacko8004]

I go to the high school right next to the Brookfield zoo

[@Godfirst500]

That’s gonna be a lot of changes

[@rexyjp1237]

Im at artis in the netherlands now.

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Yo thats sick mate. Let me know your thoughts on the place!

[@doyoubelong2Him]

So where will the grizzly bears go?

[@kharitheblueanteater9592]

Will the non primates move out of the tropic world to? Or are they stuck in their (also are pangolins still in the zoo?)

[@TheVirtualZoo]

I assume the non-primates (giant anteaters) will likely move out of Tropic World to be a part of a mixed species exhibit in the 'South American Pantanal and Atlantic Forest' past 2034. Unfortunately, I don't think they're going anywhere for a long time, even if the apes are getting outdoor exhibits with the Tropical Forests exhibit in 2025. I know they did have extra anteaters in the pachyderm house at one point a couple years ago, but I don't know if they still have them in there since the building is closed. For reference, on my last visit 2 weeks ago there were still anteaters still in Tropic World. As for the Asian small-clawed otters, I assume they'll be in there because there is no mention of them in the master plan, and they have a massive exhibit, easily much better than the fully indoor otter exhibits I've seen at other zoos. If you're referring to the birds in Tropic World, there are barely any left, and honestly, I hope they stick around because their welfare isn't compromised (it's like a massive aviary) and they really spice up the jungle feel.

[@kharitheblueanteater9592]

@@TheVirtualZoo honestly what do you feel like will fill in the shoes of some of the animals in tropic world once the exhibits are finished. Since theirs gonna be an entire South American exhibit and all primates are moving outdoors

[@TheVirtualZoo]

​@@kharitheblueanteater9592 The South American monkeys will probably still be in Tropic World during the colder months, and their outdoor exhibits will be a part of the outdoor ape habitats with the Tropical Forests exhibits. Simply put, they will still very much be a part of Tropic World and will NOT be moving to the other South American exhibits that will open past 2034 (those are going to have non-primate mammals, reptiles, fish, and maybe birds). I saw someone else comment that part of Tropic World could be renovated into a Madagascar section, and I think that's a really cool idea that hasn't been brought up before. The large treetops would work great with lemurs and smaller areas could easily be added for Foosas and other small mammals

[@kharitheblueanteater9592]

@@TheVirtualZoo true I am hoping they do add some ground species for the renovation since it’s gonna be very barren once the anteaters move out. What about the African part of the tropics world. Since gorillas are moving out to the new exhibits

[@TheVirtualZoo]

@@kharitheblueanteater9592 I think it's safe to assume mandrills or some other form of drills could be in the current gorilla exhibit. I know at one point the zoo had black crested mangabeys in Tropic World but honestly the smaller the primates the less of a popular species they tend to be with the public. They definitely need to add natural substrate to almost everything in that exhibit to make it decent though.

[@Dschn08]

I am going to be dead before this is completed 😂

[@Godfirst500]

No you’re not

[@raulgarcia7312]

Elephants are coming back????

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Yes.

[@Godfirst500]

Yessir

[@TommyBoggs-cq4te]

Will the peacocks remain untouched in Brookfield Zoo?!!?

[@TheVirtualZoo]

This wasn't explicitly mentioned in the master plan, but I assume they will still be allowed to roam freely around the property, and I even saw them on my recent visit last week.

[@EddyHernandez-n4j]

I heard it through the grapevine, that in the old gorilla habitat will be housing a real life Sasquatch.🤫

[@cheese-x3m]

correction, It seems like from the concept art that there will be white rhinos instead.

[@TheVirtualZoo]

Based on the concept art, you are completely right. However, the master plan never exactly mentions which rhino species will inhabit the new exhibits, only referring to them as "rhino" on one map. The reason I mentioned black rhinos is because the zoo already has multiple of them, has already dedicated a large amount of space and money to house them, and many people in the online forums have speculated that it would simply be easier for the zoo to retain their current rhinos than to bring in another subspecies. Though I think it's possible that they could obtain white rhinos, I still think it is more likely they will stick with black rhinos for the time being, but who knows, they might have to temporarily move animals during the construction and if they left, whos to say they'd be the same rhinos that come back. The fact that the concept art shows white rhinos could be a mix up, or even something I missed entirely, so thanks for the catch!

[@cheese-x3m]

@@TheVirtualZoo I just thought that cause I thought they only had one rhino left.

[@TheVirtualZoo]

@@cheese-x3m You are right about that. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't there significantly more white rhinos in AZA zoos than blacks? Anyways, wouldn't matter much to me, plus I think white rhinos tend to mix better with other species like antelope so that could be a cool arrangement too. Once again, seriously appreciate the insight.

[@Godfirst500]

@@cheese-x3mI thought white rhinos went extinct idk if it’s true but yea, we only have Layla the rhino now hope she survives, we lost nakili the rhino and some rhino that was w Layla once went back to the zoo in downtown for breeding

[@Sashaiordanov]

​@@Godfirst500 northern white rhinos only have two left. Southern white rhinos are more numerous but still endangered. Black rhinos are critically endangered

[@Godfirst500]

By the way those animals in the dark in the Australian house are now owls, they are bats 😅

[@Godfirst500]

Not*

[@TheVirtualZoo]

You are very much correct! I didn't mean to imply that they were bats, and at that point I was just using random footage of the current Aus house. for example, the very next clip I say "reptiles, and even insects", clearly showing the current wombat enclosure which does not house either of those at the moment. nice username btw.

[@Godfirst500]

@@TheVirtualZoo one question do you think there’s gonna be an indoor area for lions hippos alligators cheetahs and grizzly bears? Because I know for a fact they are gonna need one once fall starts. And do you think they’re gonna bring back walruses baboons mandris aardvarks and pandas? And even a female lion since theirs just passed away 2020. Wanna hear you’re opinion

[@Godfirst500]

@ and thanks I appreciate you complimenting my username

[@TheVirtualZoo]

@@Godfirst500 I think if elephants and rhinos are going to get a public indoor exhibit, then there's no doubt that hippos will as well. As for the lions and grizzly bears, modern indoor exhibits for large carnivores in the US are relatively hard to come by (notice I note modern ones because some zoos still have outdated cat houses and such) so I think they will not have public indoor spaces. Both these species tend to do pretty well in the cold anyways and the zoo keeps them outside year round though they do have off show indoor areas (which I'm guessing are nothing to write home about). In fact, public indoor exhibits for large carnivores are almost never a thing in American zoos, and the first time I saw this done a lot was in British zoos (example, London zoo tiger territory indoor dayroom or chester zoo indoor lion area). The zoo currently does not have alligators. I think bringing back aardvark is feasible in the very extensive African sections we will get, and many people have speculated that some form of large monkeys like mandrills or baboons could inhabit the current indoor gorilla exhibit in tropic world once the gorillas move to the new building. As for pandas, I don't think they are a priority and if I were in charge I wouldn't waste the money. I have to imagine they will acquire more lions in the future with the new African section and could even rotate multiple separate groups onto habitat at different times as Omaha does.