Fort Worth Zoo Fort Worth Zoo News

[snowleopard]

Fort Worth Zoo has a new zoo map that has a lot more detail than previous versions:

https://www.speakcdn.com/assets/2059/web_map.pdf

There is an exciting future at the zoo with $100 million in projects:

African Savanna - 2018 (which looks terrific from photos)
Elephant Springs - 2020
Hunters of Africa & Asian Predators - 2022
Forests & Jungles - 2025

Master Plan information:

Support A Wilder Vision

Lastly, does anyone know anything about the Petting Ranch that will open in 2019? It is located near the entrance of Texas Wild...

 

[Ggrarl]

They just posted on Facebook that it'll open in May, with sheep, miniature donkeys, and African pygmy goats

 

[SharkFinatic]

A giraffe calf was born at the zoo.

Fort Worth Zoo Has a New Baby Giraffe

 

[SharkFinatic]

The zoo debuted a new petting corral.

Fort Worth Zoo Debuts New Petting Corral

 

[d1am0ndback]

I briefly visited the Fort Worth Zoo, and noticed a number of changes throughout the zoo.


In MOLA, Solomon Island Leaf Frogs have moved onto exhibit (I don't recall what they replaced), Budgett's Frogs have replaced Axolotl, European Long-nosed Viper has replaced the Gila Monster, and Forsten's Tortoise has replaced the Green Toads. An unsigned snake-necked turtle which I have not identified has been placed on exhibit in the sailfin dragon exhibit. A Red-breasted Goose has also replaced the Scarlet Ibis in the outdoor portion. Atheris squamigera has replaced Usambara Bush Viper The entry exhibit to MOLA appears to be under some kind of renovation.

In Texas Wild, 5 Plain Chachalaca were observed in the Coastal Aviary, along with 3 Green Jays. The space beneath the swaying bridge has become an exhibit for a pair of Trumpeter Swans. The new petting zoo is indeed open, and is in my opinion very nice. There was a small and lushly vegetated duck enclosure at the front of the new petting zoo which contained several Wood Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, and Redheads. The Hill Country Aviary now contains only 5 birds I could find, 2 Baltimore Oriole, 1 White-winged Dove, 1 Cardinal, and 1 Robin. In the Mountains and Deserts area, the kangaroo rats have been replaced with Eastern Collared Lizards, and the Pecos Pupfish are back on exhibit.

The rest of the changes I observed within the zoo include only birds. The zoo's Piping Guan has moved to the ex-gorilla aviary, and a few birds such as the Victorian Crowned Pigeons may have moved out. The small duck pond behind the Lesser Flamingos now has the additions of a Herring Gull (presumably from the coastal aviary) and a Freckled Duck. The South American themed bird exhibit has the addition of a Roadrunner. There is a new bird enclosure with Occelated Turkey, Blue-crowned Motmot, Cotton Goose, and Puna Teal. The Argus Pheasant enclosure has the additions of a Green Turaco and Lesser Bird-of-paradise. In the raptor area, at least one African Fish Eagle has replaced the White-backed Vultures, which have moved and now share a space a few enclosures down with White-necked Ravens. It appears one of the Harpy Eagles has moved off exhibit.

 

[SharkFinatic]

Budgett's Frogs have replaced Axolotl

Budgett's frogs, eh? I'd like to see them do a keeper demo with those animals so visitors can hear their cat-like hissing.

 

[ctfctf7]

Any sign of progress on Elephant Springs?

 

[d1am0ndback]

Any sign of progress on Elephant Springs?

Yes, the area with cranes, One-horned Rhinoceros, and Lowland Anoa has been shut off completely. If you backtrack from the tigers, you can get as far as the Birds-of-paradise enclosure before you get cut off. I could see some construction underway but all I could make of it was a bridge.

 

[Elephantelephant]

Elephants probably plan to breed after completing Elephant springs, am I right? The last calves were born in 2013.

 

[SharkFinatic]

A Puerto Rican crested toad was hatched at the zoo via IVF utilizing frozen semen from a wild specimen.

Fort Worth Zoo Welcomes IVF Puerto Rican Crested Toad Named 'Olaf'

 

[Hyak_II]

Elephants probably plan to breed after completing Elephant springs, am I right? The last calves were born in 2013.

Of their four cows, Rasha is 48 years old and has been cycling erratically for the past several years. She is likely post reproductive now. Angel is 31 and has never had a successful pregnancy, and is as such likely a write off reproductively. Blue Bonnet is 21 and has had one successful calf, however she is a behavioral non-breeder who will not stand for a bull to breed her, leaving her only option for pregnancy AI. Bluebell is 6.5 years old, and as it stands will likely make for a good natural breeder thanks to her early years with young male Bowie, however for the past few years she has been housed mainly, if not exclusively with only her mother, denying her critical social learning opportunities with same age and older bulls.

Their two mature bulls, Colonel and Romeo, are both unrelated to all their cows, and Romeo is a proven natural breeder. If the zoo permits them, and the cows will stand, they will perform their jobs without issue.

My personal intuition is that Blue Bonnet will be artificially inseminated after the opening of Elephant Springs, for a calf sometime in 2022, and Bluebell will be bred naturally for a first calf between the ages of 10 and 14, placing the birth sometime between 2024 and 2028

 

[Elephantelephant]

So is it possible that Rasha would still become pregnant? But I guess they won't get pregnant. Yes breeding will probably continue after opening Elephant Springs.

 

[zooman]

Visited FWZ today, curious as to why what looks like 1/2 the new elephant exhibit is off exhibit space. Thoughts?

Last visited here 8 years ago and such a shame to see the display vegetation in MONA has not been maintained.

 

[Loxodonta Cobra]

The zoos twitter posted a video about two of their elephants exploring a "new habitat" (potential new yard for Elephant Springs?)
Fort Worth Zoo on Twitter

 

[Jungle Man]

3 Baer Pochards hatched at the zoo on May 14th:

 

[Zoofan15]

Horned Lizard Conservation Success

58 Texas Horned Lizards Hatch at Fort Worth Zoo

The Fort Worth Zoo is home to 58 baby Texas horned lizards and dozens more are expected to hatch soon, the zoo announced Monday.

The zoo is breeding them as part of a conservation program with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.

They are set to be released into the wild in September.

The zoo said about 200 eggs, delivered from several breeding couples, are in the process of hatching.

Fort Worth Zoo Named Top Zoo in North America

This survey has ranked Fort Worth Zoo as the best zoo in North America:

Best Zoo Winners (2020) | USA TODAY 10Best

1. Fort Worth Zoo - Fort Worth
2. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden - Cincinnati
3. Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium - Omaha, Neb.
4. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo - Colorado Springs
5. Brevard Zoo - Melbourne, Fla.
6. Audubon Zoo - New Orleans
7. San Diego Zoo - San Diego
8. Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum - Tucson
9. Dallas Zoo - Dallas
10. Living Desert Zoo and Gardens - Palm Desert, Calif.

 

[E Maximus]

Found an article claiming that the zoo is looking to purchase two elephants from ALS in Ontario

Ft. Worth Zoo Set to Pay Record-Setting $2 Million for Two Female Asian Elephants from Canada | Dallas Weekly

Any thoughts on this?

 

[Hyak_II]

Hm, very interesting news. They're most likely looking to send out Emily and her daughter Gigi, since Emily is a half sister to their current breeding bull, Johnson, and one of Fort Worths bulls, Colonel, is a half brother to Natasha at ALS (Natasha has four female calves and two grandcalves all living with her at ALS).

Overall, I support the move, for ALS, Emily and Gigi are the most sensible two to move since it's a clean split, no breaking matrilines, it still leaves ALS with two distinct family clans (Lily line and Natasha line), and ALS has 16 animals right now, 11 of which are breeding or potential breeding cows, so it's no real loss for them in terms of breeding numbers. For Ft Worth, they currently have two fairly valuable bulls, a new, fairly large exhibit complex, and only one matriline composed of four animals (Mom Rasha, her daughters Bluebonnet and Bluebelle, and Bluebonnets son Bowie, who is now separated from the family group). It would give Ft. Worth one hell of a potential breeding herd, and also allow them to breed within their own group without needing to transfer in or out any new breeding bulls for the next 20+ years. They most likely would transfer out one of their current cows, Angel, as she is not related to the Rasha clan, is a non breeder, and does not get along with Rasha terribly well, so her and Rasha are kept separated, but I suppose she could potentially be integrated with the ALS girls too. Who knows on that one. Personally I would just send her out, but that's just me.

The only tiny concern I have in the back of my head, is Ft Worth suddenly having 5 (though realistically 4 since Rasha is pretty old) potential breeding cows, and squandering the potential of the group by taking a classic US approach of only having calves every 6-10 years per cow. Assuming they keep things proper and actually breed their animals regularly though, I support the move fully!

 

[Ggrarl]

I recently received their newsletter, and it talks about phase three, that is their next big exhibit: Hunters of Africa & Asian Predators. Much like what happened with the Indian rhinos, before they break ground on construction, they're sending away some of the current residents: the tigers, the lions, the hyenas, and the zebras.

 

[StoppableSan]

I recently received their newsletter, and it talks about phase three, that is their next big exhibit: Hunters of Africa & Asian Predators. Much like what happened with the Indian rhinos, before they break ground on construction, they're sending away some of the current residents: the tigers, the lions, the hyenas, and the zebras.
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Please let there be moats, please let there be moats, please let there be moats...