Nolie Thornell
Active Member
why?
Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2020
- Thread starter Mbwamwitu
- Start date
I think this is what they're be doing:
https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects..._1_Expansion_Submission_Materials_Jul2018.pdf
https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects...Yard_1_Expansion_Project_Synopsis_Jul2018.pdf
It'd expand the yard and add an outdoor training area.
https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects..._1_Expansion_Submission_Materials_Jul2018.pdf
https://www.ncpc.gov/files/projects...Yard_1_Expansion_Project_Synopsis_Jul2018.pdf
It'd expand the yard and add an outdoor training area.
IIRC the old pygmy hippo exhibit was replaced by.... benches. Whoopee. (To be fair the indoor holding for the pygmy hippos was substandard and ended up being taken over by the viewing area/interpretives for the Elephant Community Center).
Nolie Thornell
Active Member
Saw this on the livecam a few weeks ago. Looks like yard 1 is getting way bigger
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The zoo has announced a bunch of bird hatchings during the last few months. Most of the species are North American species that will be in the upcoming bird house. Some of these species are very rarely kept in captivity, even if high in abundance in the wild. They are as follows:
- 3 Rose-breasted grosbeak
- 2 Swainson's thrush
- 1 Red-legged seriema
- 3 Song sparrow
- 7 Indigo bunting
- 1 Redhead duck
- 1 Band-tailed pigeon
- 1 Northern pintail
- 7 Wood thrush
- 5 Baltimore oriole
- 3 American flamingo
Which band-tailed pigeon does the zoo have?
~Thylo
~Thylo
I honestly don't know. I kind of assumed they were the same subspecies as the Bronx Zoo population as that shipment provided the vast majority of the captive population. As they have only had them for like 3 years or so.
Have they? I'm pretty sure there are still less than five holders of the species (Bronx keeps Andean Band-Tailed Pigeon, which is a different species to the one found in the US). I'd be happy for Smithsonian to take some, as Bronx has dozens.
~Thylo
Have some free time so did some research
I don't know exactly where these pigeons came from, but they will be in the central American themed walkthrough in the bird house. And I know the zoo did not have them before they started collection planning for the new bird house. Bronx got theirs in 2014 from that shipment, and by 2015 was breeding them pretty successfully. Up until that point from what I know of the species the population was small and mostly just birds from the United States. The National Zoos pair are 2 and 3 years old, so it would make sense timeline-wise. Its not a large or widespread species at this point, but given Bronx success I imagine they wanna offload some, especially since the zoo said in a 2014 bird report that they wanted to prioritize space for more endangered species of bird.
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I don't know exactly where these pigeons came from, but they will be in the central American themed walkthrough in the bird house. And I know the zoo did not have them before they started collection planning for the new bird house. Bronx got theirs in 2014 from that shipment, and by 2015 was breeding them pretty successfully. Up until that point from what I know of the species the population was small and mostly just birds from the United States. The National Zoos pair are 2 and 3 years old, so it would make sense timeline-wise. Its not a large or widespread species at this point, but given Bronx success I imagine they wanna offload some, especially since the zoo said in a 2014 bird report that they wanted to prioritize space for more endangered species of bird.
Although the zoos has not posted anything about it, it seems they are in the process of integrating their herd. Attached is a screen grab of Bozie, Swarna, Rani, and Spike all together in the ECC today. Its good to see that Bozie seems to be doing very well since Shanthi's passing.
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I have made that observation as well. Bozie seems to be moving forward very nicely. The only one not there seems to be Kamala and I think it's due to Spike.
To be fair, all of these elephants have been together previously, I have a picture of Bozie, Swarna, and Spike together from last December. Still, it's looking to be more of a permanent thing with them moving freely around the yard.
I think this is a great thing for all of the elephants, especially if Kamala still gets some time with Maharani and Swarna at points.
To be fair, all of these elephants have been together previously, I have a picture of Bozie, Swarna, and Spike together from last December. Still, it's looking to be more of a permanent thing with them moving freely around the yard.
I think this is a great thing for all of the elephants, especially if Kamala still gets some time with Maharani and Swarna at points.
From my understanding, their main goal has always been to have a fully functional herd in which all elephants are together almost every second of everyday. Kamala is definitely the reason they all cant be house together. She seems to be quite a trouble maker not only with Bozie and Spike, but with Rani and Swarna as well. Maybe once yard one construction is done the zoo will bring in more elephants to help mesh everyone together or give them other options to house their groups so that Kamala can always be with someone.
Mei Xiang is pregnant!
National Zoo Says Giant Panda Is Pregnant | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine
An ultrasound revealed tissues that indicate a baby panda could be growing, though it is too early to tell for certain whether mother Mei Xiang will come to term. Veterinarians first detected fetal tissue last week, and have have seen other encouraging signs, including developing skeletal structures and strong blood flow within Mei Xiang’s uterus.
“In the middle of a pandemic, this is a joyful moment we can all get excited about,” says Don Neiffer, chief veterinarian at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, who conducted the ultrasound. “We are optimistic that very shortly she may give birth to a healthy cub or cubs.
National Zoo Says Giant Panda Is Pregnant | At the Smithsonian | Smithsonian Magazine
An ultrasound revealed tissues that indicate a baby panda could be growing, though it is too early to tell for certain whether mother Mei Xiang will come to term. Veterinarians first detected fetal tissue last week, and have have seen other encouraging signs, including developing skeletal structures and strong blood flow within Mei Xiang’s uterus.
“In the middle of a pandemic, this is a joyful moment we can all get excited about,” says Don Neiffer, chief veterinarian at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, who conducted the ultrasound. “We are optimistic that very shortly she may give birth to a healthy cub or cubs.
Your bold text is very misleading. She MAY POSSIBLY be pregnant. As the zoo said, "It's too early to tell if the tissue is a completely viable developing fetus." Hopefully she is, and hopefully it survives, but it's much too soon to be saying she is pregnant.
The zoo's website says they have identified a fetus:
Veterinarians Find Fetal Tissue on Giant Panda Ultrasound
Mei Xiang is pregnant. Whether the fetus progresses to full term is what they (and we) will wait with hope to see.
If Mei Xiang does gives birth, she will be the eldest Giant panda to give birth in the United States.
It literally says "fetal tissue". The second sentence on your link is "It is too early to determine if the tissue is a completely viable developing fetus as there is the potential that the fetus could be resorbed." This is something that happens pretty often in pandas. The article goes on to state, "There is a substantial possibility that Mei Xiang could resorb or miscarry a fetus. Scientists do not fully understand why some mammals resorb fetuses."
Fetal tissue. "It is too early to determine if the tissue is a completely viable developing fetus"
Awesome! A potential fourth and fifth cub for Mei Xiang!
Hopefully a fourth and fifth surviving cub!
Mei Xiang has previously given birth to six cubs (three surviving):
1.0 Tai Shan (July 9, 2005) Exported 2010
0.1 Unnamed (September 16, 2012) Died September 23, 2012
0.1 Bao Bao (August 23, 2013) Exported 2017
0.1 Unnamed (August 24, 2013) Stillborn August 24, 2013
1.0 Bei Bei (August 22, 2015) Exported 2019
1.0 Unnamed (August 22, 2015) Died August 26, 2015
Tian Tian was the sire of all six cubs.