Questions #3*******MEN

              Hornaday, Blair, and Osborn as the Bronx Zoo leaders pushed for what change in the zoo’s public mission? In terms of design, what changes did Osborn institute? What were the pros and cons with the African Plains exhibit in the 1940s? Overall, why does Hancocks seem to priase the Bronx Zoo?  

With the introduction of the  “Hagenbeckxation” into the Bronx and may other American zoos caching up this the innovations of European zoos the concept of the bar-less cage began. Also introducing the idea of simulating the natural environment from witch these animals came from. The goal was to synthesize an environment in witch both the animal and the viewer gained.  Experimenting with the panorama and the water moat the desire for conservation from sterile cages was necessary. Unfortunately the latter of the two, the water moat, failed in certain situations. Undeniably trying to present better conditions for the animals a few gorillas fell into them and drowned, gorillas can’t swim. It is clear that Hancocks would praise the Bronx zoo for its leading roll in reconditioning and investment of the well being of the animals and the education of the public.

What does Hancocks argue were the major innovations, which they introduced at Seattle’s Woodland Park Zoo? How was their approach to design, landscape, and animal grouping different from what came before and why did they feel it was the superior. It is multi-component, so try to identify all the parts.

 The woodland park zoo first and foremost declared that “the animals were the primary client” this was a first for animals well being to rule superior over audience and keepers Ignoring the Taxonomic Layout of most zoos the woodland park zoo address its animals on the basis of bioclimatic and geographic arrangements. Designed by jones and jones and asked to research soil, water and temperature specificity the designers created the most realistic and animal centric environments to be seen in zoos.

             

There is a discussion about similar issues at the Sororan Desert Museum concerning proghorn deer and mice. What seems to be the radical departure that zoos committed to the “landscape immersion approach” are taking to the question of conservation, size/configration/materiality of exhibits, and the goals for animal experience as well as human experience at zoos?

It is interesting, one of the points made of zoo exhibition and conservation relationships, is drawn to curtail roll of an animal in an ecosystem. At the Sororan Desert Museum the issue arose in the form of debate of presenting two different animals that had the origin of the same place. Desiring to build a pronghorn “the most interesting animal” exhibit, demonstrating a specific ecological story was questioned. Suggested instead was an exhibit on the grasshopper mouse, a vital part to the same ecological story of the pronghorn. The museum stated that it would be more cost efficient and significant but, the pronghorn was the largest of the animals thus leading to esthetic interest, to more money and finally to conservation of the ecosystem. In part demonstrating zoos, museums and other live animal displays struggle human esthetic, morality and capital in the display and focus of the animals and their environment.

                 

What do you make of Wilson’s evolutionary argument for the habitat features and landscpaes that humans prefer? It is part of his more general argument about “biophilia” arguing it is n’t just landscape, but all the animasl within them that wwe also have a deep draw to. What implications would it have not for zoo design (a la Hancocks) but also for the reasons behind or obvious desire to see animals (a la menageries and zoos, a la Berger?) 

Its seems to me that Wilson is talking about human esthetics in desiring what is human beauty. Wilson mentions history, phycology and behavior witch intern relate to the human experience and esthetic judgment. While the point of the chapter is unclear to me it seems that a large amount if romanticism of viewing nature is present in Wilsons writing.  It is the multitude of reasons that drive us to practice the live and public zoological study. In some form are desire to conserve is driven from gilt and the ability to relive the damage we have done to the animal and its habitat. We as humans desire the beauty and order of the natural would, it inspires and validates are existence.