Toronto zoo

Retired, Mtmager of Interpretation, Culture and Design Branch at the Toronto Zoo, Toronto, ON, Canada. 

The binary civilization and the primitive seems too rigid, and the boundary between human and animal blurs (Wolch Emel, 1995, 1998). As my analysis will reveal, such complex relationships between animal geographies, hybrid geographies and social nature have informed and continue to inform the theory and practice of wild animal keeping and zoo design at Toronto Zoo, particularly... 

Today the close relationship between art, animals and the zoo is strong. In fact nowhere is this more the case than in zoo exhibitry. At the Toronto Zoo virtually all the exhibit designs for the five (5) major habitats in the African Savanna project were tied directly to the author s field sketches from Kenya. Indeed, the original creative resort to nature through field work, sketches, photographs and casts of objects supported the final design development experience. This experience and knowledge... 

When the Toronto Zoo opened to the public in August 1974, it was one of the largest zoos on one site and the first fully zoogeographically organized zoo in the world (Cherfas, 1984). With an area at 710 acres (1754 ha) only 340 acres (722 ha) are intensively developed. The rest of the site is a wild urban forest and wildlife refuge now part of the famous Rouge Park, the largest urban wilderness park in Canada. The current Toronto Zoo replaced an old city zoo called the Riverdale Zoo. The Toronto Zoo 35 year anniversary arrived in 2009. 

Toronto Zoo Exhibit Design and Replication of Place Gorilla Rainforest, African Savanna, and Tundra Trek Projects... 

These are keys to authenticity of recreation of place. Clearly, with issues of post colonialism, the politics of representation and cultural sensitivity are issues every zoo should be aware of if they are representing human culture in their exhibitry. This is particularly important for zoos whose exhibits are usually large and do not get up-dated for many years. Rigorous and appropriate, social science based research, and formal liaison with the local cultural community members and academics is essential to avoid current and future problems. At the Toronto Zoo, establishment of an African Cultural Advisors Committees was set up to mediate the planning and design of these features of the African Savanna and the Gorilla Rainforest. 

The Toronto Zoo completed a major capital project the Tundra Trek it opened in August 2009. The project is approximately 10 acres (4.47 ha) in size and cost 10 million. The philosophy and design/development foundation of the project is the interpretation of the Canadian subarctic and Arctic tundra landscape. The development includes polar bears, Arctic wolves, Arctic fox, reindeer, snowy owl, Canada geese and snow geese. 

Fig. 67.9 African Savanna field trip by Toronto zoo staff. (Photo by Author)...

Fig. 67.10 Models and sketches used in Toronto zoo projects (a) African Savanna lion Kopje Model (b) Gorilla Rainforest Concept Sketch, Dja Reserve Research Station (c) Hudson Bay Tundra Trek Project Sketch (d) Inuit Node Design Sketch, Tundra Trek Project. (Photos by...

Harpley, P. J. (1992). Western perceptions of savannas Perspectives from visitors to the Toronto zoo. MA thesis, York University, Toronto, ON. 

Paul Harpley PhD candidate. Department of Geography, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada Director of the Zephyr Society of Lake Simcoe, Sutton West, ON, Canada Retired, Manager of Interpretation, Culture and Design Branch, Toronto Zoo, Toronto, ON, Canada, paul harpley.ca... 

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