Landscaping for Realism: Simulating the Natural Habitats of Zoo Animals

What does a horticulturist or landscape architect strive to attain when choosing plants for a naturalistic animal exhibit in any major zoo? Should visitors come upon bananas and tropical figs complementing an exhibit featuring giraffes or zebras that naturally roam the hot, arid Serengeti? Let’s hope not. Likewise, they should not be confronted by trees that resemble the acacias of arid Kenya and Tanzania in a lowland gorilla exhibit. In order to simulate a particular geographical area as closely as possible, zoo horticulturists must have a thorough knowledge of the region’s overall geology, climate, economy, and social customs-all critically important for installing an appropriate habitat for zoo