The African Hunting Dogs exhibit opened in Spring 2017. It is located on the former wolf enclosure. The enclosure is also extended to form a super enclosure for them.
The African Bird Safari opened in 2005 as a redevelopment of the old stork and ostrich house, replacing enclosures that were out of date by modern zoo-keeping standards. It is a walk-through exhibit housing various species of African birds including Von der Decken's hornbills, Bernier's teals, white-faced whistling ducks, Abdim's storks, Fischer's turacos, hamerkops, northern bald ibises, white-faced whistling ducks, superb starlings, blue-bellied roller and lilac-breasted rollers.
The African (formerly Eastern) Aviary replaced an aviary of 1827-28 by Decimus Burton on the same site. The Victorian building, now largely remodelled, was claimed as the best of its type in the country when it opened. To protect vulnerable birds there was a hot water heated interior with indoor cages viewable from a public passage. The floors of these cages were set close to eye level to make the birds more readily visible. Originally, there were ten outdoor cages on the south side, the two largest at either end. Built 1863-64, Anthony Salvin Junior, architect; Lucas Brothers, builders. Cost £2,688. Remodelled with new outdoor caging and renamed 1989-90, brief from Peter Olney, Curator of Birds; John S Bonnington Partnership, architects; Whitby and Bird, structural engineers; landscaping by Derek Howarth and Ron Whittle, filmset experts. Cost £485,000.
