Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo Beardsley Zoo News

I visited the other day and noticed a few new things:

-Another Andean Condor has arrived and is now on-exhibit.
-The Red Panda enclosure is under construction, oddly placed directly in front of the Pronghorn enclosure. I wonder if the zoo is going to replace the Pronghorn with an Asian species once their last remaining individual dies/leaves.
-Both the tiger cubs and wolf pups were out and very active.

~Thylo
 
Lucy the Dexter Cow was euthanized after illness. Beloved Beardsley Zoo cow euthanized after illness
The Maned Wolf pups were named in a naming contest. The male was named Goncalo, and the female pups were named Guapa and Sabana. Beardsley Zoo Announces Results of Maned Wolf Pups Naming Contest
Zuele, the world's oldest howler monkey, turned 32 on May 27th. Beardsley Zoo howler monkey turns 32 on Sunday
Interestingly, the zoo has moved their two lynx to Lehigh Valley Zoo. 2 new lynx make public debut at Lehigh Valley Zoo
 
Just visited this past weekend and have a few new updates.

-The Maned Wolf pups and Amur Tiger cubs both out and very playful, not to mention growing very quickly (particularly the wolves). I couldn't exactly see but the wolves were playing with something (a visitor remarked that they were tormenting an unfortunate toad), and the tiger cubs were wrestling with each other, and playing in a tub of water.
-The zoo also has many prairie dog pups out on display right now.
-The Red Panda Pavilion building is partially constructed.
-I only saw 1 Snowy Owl on exhibit.
-There are new rats in the barn. I also saw 2 Barn Owls in the barn, as opposed to seeing 1 in the past year or two.
-Lawrence the Llama has taken up residency in the former cow yard.
-The outdoor Snapping Turtle exhibit is empty, and the Gray Treefrog is gone from its exhibit with the Eastern Newts. The Common Garter Snake exhibit has been converted into an exhibit for a hatchling Snapping Turtle.
-A pair of Spotted Turtles are taking up space in the shed across from the Great Horned Owl again.
-The Boa Constrictor is no longer on exhibit. The Yellow-Spotted River Turtles formerly in the Amazon Tree Boa exhibit are now where the Boa Constrictor used to be. It's a bit humorous seeing the turtle in an exhibit with a lot of vertical space that it has absolutely no use for.
 
Another article with some more info on the Red Panda Habitat. On another note, I’ll probably be able to visit the zoo late next month, and will take pictures.
CT's Beardsley Zoo's Natt Family Red Panda Habitat Is Now Open to the Public
A male Red Wolf named Peanut arrived at the zoo in August from the Wolf Conservation Center.
Rare red wolf finds new home at Beardsley Zoo
The zoo recently debuted two Boat-Billed Herons from the Buffalo Zoo in the Rainforest building aviary. The male is named after the late Burt Reynolds, and the female is named after one of Reynolds’ wives, Loni Anderson.
Boat-billed herons land at Beardsley Zoo
 
On October 19th, the zoo announced the passing of Dakota, the male American Bison, from age-related complications. The zoo still has its female bison, Sweetpea.
After a naming contest on Facebook, the zoo's male anteater pup was named Tupi. Tupi is the name of an indigenous people that used to live in Brazil, as well as the general name for anteater as translated in the Tupi and Brazilian Portuguese languages.
Also the anteater born in 2016, Mochilla, is now living at the Alexandria Zoo in Louisiana.
 
The zoo celebrated the first birthday of Reka and Zeya (Amur Tiger cubs) on November 25th. At the celebration, it was announced that the zoo was receiving a $1 million donation from Pam Hope Kochiss Werth for the construction of a new tiger habitat to be completed in 2022, the zoo's centennial anniversary.
Donor gives zoo $1 million for tiger habitat
The zoo's website has a donation page which includes exhibit design info such as "a greatly expanded footprint, educational ranger station, glass viewing windows, and an elevated walkway for our tigers to move between enclosures". The total cost is expected to be $2.5 million, and every donation will be matched up to $1 million.
Additionally, 2 Emperor Geese are on exhibit now from Woodland Park Zoo. They seem to be placed in the southeastern-themed Alligator Alley aviary, which is a curious choice.
Emperor Geese Arrive at Beardsley Zoo
 
The zoo has announced on their Instagram that they will be beginning a total refurbishment of the farmyard starting January 2. I had heard that this was happening, but I'm surprised it's happening so quickly.

~Thylo
 
ThylacineAlive said:
The zoo has announced on their Instagram that they will be beginning a total refurbishment of the farmyard starting January 2. I had heard that this was happening, but I'm surprised it's happening so quickly.

~Thylo
Click to expand...
Here's an article with some more information on the refurbishment. Highlights include new habitats for several farm animals, a larger section for birds, a larger Learning Circle, and a children's play area.
CT's Beardsley Zoo Re-Imagines Its Popular Farmyard
 
Visited the zoo this New Year's Eve for a quick visit. While I didn't have the time to visit the Rainforest, there are plenty of other updates around the zoo.
  • There are 4 Mexican Wolves at the zoo now. The zoo has the same sister pair as before, but there were 2 other wolves visible in the kennels behind the exhibit. Perhaps they are rotating the pairs on exhibit for now?
  • The prairie dogs, peccaries, anteaters, and alligators will most likely be off-exhibit for the winter.
  • On the Maned Wolf pups' birthday celebration on December 27th, the habitat was named the Julia Wasserman Maned Wolf Experience in honor of late board member Julia Wasserman. Beardsley Zoo celebrates 1st birthday of critically endangered wolf pups
  • Pronghorn are no longer at the zoo.
  • Inside Alligator Alley, the Black-Crowned Night Herons were not on-exhibit, so they may have died. The new Emperor Geese are indeed being held in the aviary. Only 1 Bald Eagle was on-exhibit.
  • The farmyard had several things going on. The Domestic Cat is no longer at the zoo, and the Cotswold Sheep were not on-exhibit and their sign wasn't there either. The hog, llama, horse, and goat exhibits all had rope fencing blocking off direct guest access (possibly in preparation for planned farmyard refurbishments). Most of the poultry pens were empty as well, although some chickens were visible in their shed behind the pens.
 
As for exhibit-related news...
  • The new Red Panda exhibit is a significant improvement over their former metal cage. Viewing is tremendously improved, with open-air viewing of the outdoor habitat, and large glass-fronted viewing for the indoor exhibit. The exhibit is a little bare right now, but once it's grown in a bit in the spring I'm sure it will look very nice. The outdoor exhibit could perhaps use a little more climbing opportunities, and I'd like to see them take advantage of the height of the enclosure. Indoor enclosure is small, but will be good for guests to view them on hot summer days whereas they would frequently be off-exhibit during the summer in previous years.
  • Construction on the Spider Monkey exhibit seems to actually be doing well. They've essentially demolished the former peccary habitat, and are underway on building the boardwalk and a viewing structure, as well as what likes the poles for the netting.
  • Conceptual renderings of the planned tiger exhibit can be seen at the former lynx exhibit, although they are attached to the actual lynx cage, much to the woe of any nearsighted visitors. They show the planned overhead crossing as well as a training wall for the tigers.
 
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