Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Births, Deaths and Transfers 2020

Australiasia's reptile nursery is hopping... literally. They have a bunch of Solomon Island leaf frogs that have hatched over the last several months. The ages vary widely from the beginning of the year threw a few weeks old. The frogs are slated to go to a zoo in Europe who has been requesting a large group from Toronto for a little while. They will have to play the covid waiting game naturally but a large enough group now exists that can be shipped when the day comes.

The nursery is also home to 5 green tree pythons who were hatched last week. These are the first in 10 years. They are behind scenes for now but once they start eating and are doing well they will be going on exhibit as a group. All five were born yellow. No reds this time.
 
An update on the red panda cub. She is still undersized but is gaining weight and strength. Ila continues to care for her and allows keepers to feed her cub 7 times a day. Due to her size they still not out of the woods yet but she's proving a fighter.
 
The zoo has announced alpaca, Scooter, has been put down. His age just caught up with him and he had been on a steady decline for months. Scooter was 18.
 
The zoo has released a second batch of Blanding's Turtles into the Rouge. This second group consisted of 63 hatchlings bringing the years total to 120. The zoo has kept back 60 of this years hatchlings to raise up for the next two years to do the annual release. This second release group of younger turtles then normal means the zoo had phenomenal success this year hatching far more turtles then they aim for to place in the head start program. Let's hope that success continues. It would be great to see more years where they release their two year olds in the spring and spare hatchlings in the late summer.
 
Elderly Fruit Bat Stevie has died. He was 20 and known to many because of the TV program Zoo Diaries, which showed him being hand-raised in the Health Centre, even being taught to fly by keepers.
 
That's sad Stevie died. He was so adorable on Zoo Diaries. I loved watching his journey.

In better news the zoo has officially confirmed Grevy's zerba, Tori, is heavily pregnant again. The foal is due towards the end of October. Not a big surprise to any of us who knew she and Jake were together early last fall and breeding.
 
TZ announced today that Tempete (5) was having difficulties over the last few months and diagnosed encephalitis. He did not respond to treatment and was euthanized on the 2nd. Elsa (3) the same symptoms recently and declined rapidly. She was euthanized on the 3rd. These two were full siblings along with Orage who died a year ago and they will be missed. They were active and accessible to visitors, and nicely placed across from the Arctic Wolves.

Sadly, along with the deaths of well known individuals mentioned above and several newborns, the zoo has lost two older kangaroos in the last month, Foster and Jeff.

Thankfully the remaining newborns are doing well - Masai Amani, Bactrian Zuri, Kudu Roux, and Przwalski Colton. Reports of the Red Panda Cub are positive - she is slowly gaining weight, making some milestones, and being raised both by hand and by mom.

Plus we have another Grevy's calf to look forward to soon.
 
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The zoo has such a rough time with Arctic foxes. Since Tundra Trek opened they have been through 7 foxes. Most if not all from Parc Safari which begs some questions about the bloodlines. We started with Cody and Sarah. Sarah died early on from some neurological problem. It took a few years then Cody was joined by females Venus and Jupiter. Wasn't too long before both females were dead both of some kind of issue again with their brains. Cody was the longest lived and died in a great horned owl attack. Then after a really long wait we get Tempette and Orage who are later joined by sister Elsa. Now all three of them are gone, all due to disease which sounds similar to each other and earlier deaths. I know they are a small creature with a shorter life but not one has died of old age.

It might be time for the zoo to take a serious look at if they should be keeping foxes. Given the nature of deaths the zoo needs to consider if there is something in, near or about the exhibit that is making them more prone to death. If it's not tied to the exhibit or surrounding elements (including exposure to local wildlife) then they need to look to the source of the foxes. Like I said most if not all of them originally came from Parc Safari. Maybe they need to search further for another bloodline to bring in. Perhaps it is time to look at converting the exhibit to house something else. Retrofitting for the lynx is the most sensible answer. While some significant modifications might be needed there can be a lot of trade offs. I'd say wolverines but I know that might require a whole knock down and start again to make it wolverine proof.

It is a shame that in 11 years we have gone through 7 foxes. I really feel for their keepers. They have lost their little buddies far faster and sooner than they should. Sure the Arctic wolves have lost a ton but that's because originally they had a geriatric pack that was already in the process of dying off and the mass die off of the reindeer but who can predict a parasite wiping out your elderly herd? The foxes were all relatively young and the keepers have had every right to expect they would have them around for years to come. Again Tundra Trek proves it is one of the unluckiest places in the zoo to work.
 
They should change to something like Snow Shoed Hare, the exhibit is kind of hard too small for wolverines, it would need more hides for Lynx though that's still a bit small.
I'd be okay with another bird but the general public might see three birds exhibits as excessive.
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Excited to hear about the zoo announcing getting involved in caribou breeding.
I saw in the Toronto Live video that we have Porcupine Caribou and of course one remaining Reindeer.
Porcupine Caribou seem to be doing alright so wondering if we'll get a new subspecies or whether this project would be strictly ex situ.
I also wondered if this was the breeding they were planning for the land with the browse farm, or whether it would be done in the domain.
 
@kingoffreaks, I think the main fox exhibit is roughly the same size as the lynx exhibit but it also has a roughly same sized off exhibit yard. I measured them out using google maps so I may have judged where fences are a little off. There is also room to expand both exhibits to the rear which could double the main exhibit and probably increase the off exhibit yard by at least half. It definitely would involve an investment to convert to lynx as you are right, hides and climbing structures would need to be added.

Wolverines would probably require a total rebuild that would be too expensive. They need an exhibit designed for them and their power.

Snow shoed hare would be boring. Most people wouldn't know the difference between them any any other rabbit or hare. Though I do like the idea of keeping a species with that drastic colour change. They just seem like the wrong fit.

You are right a 3rd bird species seems excessive in such a small space as Tundra Trek. Normally I like the idea of adding bird species. I wish the tee pee area hadn't been wasted and instead was the home to a big aviary for the snowy owl, puffins, gyrfalcons peregrine falcons (which would be cool if the zoo was part of a breeding a release program). Freeing the snowy owl exhibit would be nice to use for something smaller like rock ptarmigan, snow shoes or some other small mammal.

I would be excited if the zoo did get into caribou breeding. All it would take to kick start breeding would be a male. I kind of felt though like the announcement was an ex situ situation which would be unfortunate. They have 11 good females ready to go and could rapidly build a a decent sized release herd if wanted. I think though the zoo will take the time to do its research on how to best participate first with an eye on potentially breeding down the line.
 
The zoo now has three marsh turtles in the Malayan Woods, Marsha, Bog and Peat. Marsha and Bog were confiscated pets. Peats there just to be their companion. Unfortunately you cant see them until it reopens or go on a wild encounter.
 
TZFan said:
@kingoffreaks, I think the main fox exhibit is roughly the same size as the lynx exhibit but it also has a roughly same sized off exhibit yard. I measured them out using google maps so I may have judged where fences are a little off. There is also room to expand both exhibits to the rear which could double the main exhibit and probably increase the off exhibit yard by at least half. It definitely would involve an investment to convert to lynx as you are right, hides and climbing structures would need to be added.

Wolverines would probably require a total rebuild that would be too expensive. They need an exhibit designed for them and their power.

Snow shoed hare would be boring. Most people wouldn't know the difference between them any any other rabbit or hare. Though I do like the idea of keeping a species with that drastic colour change. They just seem like the wrong fit.

You are right a 3rd bird species seems excessive in such a small space as Tundra Trek. Normally I like the idea of adding bird species. I wish the tee pee area hadn't been wasted and instead was the home to a big aviary for the snowy owl, puffins, gyrfalcons peregrine falcons (which would be cool if the zoo was part of a breeding a release program). Freeing the snowy owl exhibit would be nice to use for something smaller like rock ptarmigan, snow shoes or some other small mammal.

I would be excited if the zoo did get into caribou breeding. All it would take to kick start breeding would be a male. I kind of felt though like the announcement was an ex situ situation which would be unfortunate. They have 11 good females ready to go and could rapidly build a a decent sized release herd if wanted. I think though the zoo will take the time to do its research on how to best participate first with an eye on potentially breeding down the line.
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I would have to agree that caribou husbandry and management as well as conservation breeding does need more attention from boreal and sub arctic zoos in North America. The species and its subspecies are directly under threat from climate change and habitat conversion and biodiversity loss. It is about time zoos take a more serious look into caribou (and not tramp around with semi-domesticated reindeer that bear no resemblances to their wild counterparts.
 
Does anyone think they'll bring in a new male Aldabra, I don't know if there's a SSP or if theres any breeding, I've heard tortoises can breed well into old age.
 
About 80 tomato frogs were hatched this year. The young should be heading for Zurich soon. They are featured on the latest Facebook Live.

@kingoffreaks no there is not an Aldabra SSP. That doesn't mean they wont get another male. Rasputin was big and impressive and they do have a brand new exhibit dedicated to the species so it's not unreasonable to think they may pick up another one or two. I don't know if they will be dedicated to a male for breeding though.
 
Sad news from the zoo. Wattled crane, Curly Rita, passed away October 15. Unfortunately it was not a pleasant passing and involved a coyote. Keepers are naturally devastated. Shame the coyote happened upon her when it did. Odds are the keepers will be catching up the birds shortly to put them in winter holdings. If the coyote had just stayed away another week or two Curly Rita would probably have been safely inside the pavilion. The zoo is probably thankful they haven't lost more animals this year to predation as the Rouges predators feel more comfortable coming in closer due to the lack of guests and activity.
 
@TZFan Thank for the Aldabra info
Unfortunate and sad about Curly Rita, are they going to be taking extra measures for other animals like the Hornbills and Marabous and others.
I heard the San Diego Wild Animal Park was having trouble with hoofstock predation but that was cougars.
 
@kingoffreaks no problem. I wish there was an SSP and studbook for the Aldabra.

My guess is the zoo probably has begun catching up the other birds if they are not done already. Now that they have a coyote they need to relocate elsewhere I highly doubt they would take the risk of keeping the hornbills, vulture, marabous and grey crowned crane outside. I know the like to leave them out as long as possible and gage bringing them in based on weather but they would have been coming in soon enough.

Toronto does have a history with predation because it is in the Rouge. Raccoons, foxes, rats, coyotes, mink and owls have taken down quite a few animals. The raccoons probably hold the position as most problematic. Not only did one take out quite a few birds from Indo awhile back but they do break in and cause havoc and have caused diseases in other animals. But that's part of being part of the Rouge. To be fair the zoo's predators have also taken down their share of squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, geese, ducks, herons, other random birds and coons. I think the wolves took down a heron and the coon was eaten by a polar bear. Animals being animals.
 
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