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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Re: Good news for the zoo
The funicular sounds like a fun idea.
But do you guys really think this will help? I don't really like zoos, so I'm not the best person to weigh in.
They are making efforts to make their zoo better and their exhibits better, however it is going to be a very slow process for the existing section. It seems like they have been doing something every year. I am so happy they moved the Tiger to a different zoo. I hated seeing that animal in that space. It was horrible.
I think for so long they were in a holding pattern about what they should do in terms of moving or expanding that they did nothing.
They also don't have a "sugar daddy" funding them for whatever they want like some other groups do, so they had that against them.
We are members and try to go a few times a year. It is a good size for our family. We can go without it being a huge daylong trip. Do I really like the zoo - meh! But I'm trying to be patient with it.
I like to say the word funicular.
Will "help" what? People attend? The zoo to rocket to world class status?
The zoo seems to be doing a good job of scaling the animals to the size of their facility and the community support. We shouldn't have elephants and polar bears, but the kids and I had a great time (this afternoon) walking outside and discussing the wild habitats of different animals.
Yes. Will it help raise the facility from a depressed, will-they-or-won't-they-survive facility?
I think that they could survive on the current path, and probably even the path they were on about 5 years ago (or before the chimp exibit opened).
I think they're on track to become a good second tier city zoo. They're working hard to open the new farm area in a few weeks. The lion exibit is nice: if the animals are outside, they're visible, they're in a "grassland" and there's a lot of information about Africa's plains to take in. It's a good place to go for a few hours (though my kids can make it a day lonnnnnngg outing). I think the rates reflect what you're getting.
Zoos have to compete with other amusement places for attendance. If there's not something new and exciting - animal related or not - people don't come. It seems like more than some people don't really go to observe and learn about animals. Today I heard a grandma tell the kids she was with, "look at the swans..." They were pelicans. I also saw adults pounding on the glass at the spider monkey exibit, and other adults throwing food at the chimps outside. These people don't respect the well being of the animal.
Woah... I'm going to step off of my soapbox now. Phew... I'm exhausted
That makes me incredibly sad. Both of those examples.
On a side note, I wish they would get that darn bear a bigger place. I know space is limited, but for such a big animal it sure doesn't have much room!
All of this is why I - sure, I'll say it - hate zoos. Wild animals were not meant to live in captivity.
On one hand I agree - but on the other zoos do some wonderful things with education, convservation of species, etc. Maybe not *our* zoo, but some haha.
B and I have been moving in this direction too, although I wouldn't say either of us hate zoos. We like animals and enjoy seeing them. But we leave zoos (particularly John Ball Park) just a little bit sad, due to the animals' circumstances, you know? And so, we haven't been to a zoo for awhile.
But realistically, the zoo isn't going to close and set the animals free. So if they're working on projects that are bringing more people in, and thus raising funds which will then be used to improve the animal habitats, I support that.
They're looking to fix the bear issue by allowing the bears to go into the now defunct sheep area next door.
Chymes, I 100% agree. But, capturing imagination, inspiring awe and really understanding about other species on the planet outweigh that for me. And the conservation componet is huge. Wild animals were also not supposed to lose their habitat to oil drilling, beef farming, and condos.
Yeah, I hear you guys. And the damage has already been done by putting these animals in captivity, so I'd like to see zoos make the best of a bad situation by doing the sorts of positive things you all mentioned. Still, I can't get on board.
Sorry to hijack the post, which is indeed about something that will hopefully be a good thing.
Oh yeah, Binder Park is awesome!