YOUR 2020 (Covid aside)

1. Zoo visit highlight: Showing @CGSwans around my local Arizona Sonora Desert Museum (right before they closed for Covid).

2. Favorite zoo news: Confirmation that my local Reid Park Zoo will be getting fishing cats as part of the upcoming Asia expansion.

3. Biggest zoo disappointment: Going to Santa Ana Zoo to try to photograph margay to see it sleeping in a corner all the way until closing time.
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT - A recent visit to Exmoor Zoo, where amongst other species, I was able to meet the New Guinea Singing Dogs.
New Guinea Singing Dog, Exmoor Zoo

New Guinea Singing Dog, Exmoor Zoo

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2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS - It's not public yet, so I'm going to be one of those annoying people who posts that they know something, without saying... :p;)

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT - As may will agree, the overall impact of Covid-19 on zoos. The permanent closures we have seen, and are likely going to see, are a real tragedy. Especially the likes of well known establishments such as Living Coasts and Bristol Zoo, then smaller collections like Ventura (Although it's been mentioned that they may be opening elsewhere) and Tamar Otter Sanctuary... I know there have been more, but the others aren't coming to mind right now.
 
kiang said:
Red howler monkeys & Roloways (and breeding) at YWP
Quokka breeding at Saitama
Baikal seal born at Toba aquarium
Collared falconet arriving at Hayle
Weymouth's success with little penguins
Bristol breeding Goodfellow's tree kangaroo
Hamerton breeding their Wombats
Sea otters arriving in the UK
Red and white giant flying squirrel born at Todd's place
The walrus & polar bear exhibits opening at Pairi daizi
Harpy eagles arriving at Beauval & Nurnberg
As well as the douc langurs arriving at Beauval too
A Japanese serow born at Calgary
Swift parrot hatched at Edinburgh
Aye aye births at Jersey
Owston's palm civet born at Newquay
Owl faced guenon born at Zoo Berlin
Indian rhino born at WMSP
A female yellow backed duiker arriving at Frankfurt
Black faced spoonbills arriving at Parc des oiseaux
Aardvark born at Longleat
Emperor penguins bred at Chimelong
Click to expand...

Not much then? ;)
 
1. I'd like to point out another highlight I've had recently: this Saturday, I bought two yellow-collared lovebirds. My first birds ever. It's not zoo-related, but it's about animals, so I thought it was appropriate to show it here.
 
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1. Visiting Ocean Park Hong Kong after haven't been there since 2015.

2. Night safari getting aardvark, Tassie and kiwi
Saitama getting viscacha and quokka among others
Pangolin going to Prague persumably

3. Not being able to go elsewhere for zoos
The death of Chiba's purple faced langur
The closure of Living Coast and Bristol
 
1. My visit to Cincinnati Zoo was amazing.

2. Not really any, maybe the openings of the new areas at Cincinnati?

3. Disappointments....hmm....not any, actually. Living Coasts and Bristol could count, but in a way they dont technically effect me personally in a way where I'm extremely disappointed, so I wouldnt know.
 
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1. It's very hard for me to choose a zoo visiting highlight for this year as, because of the pandemic, I've done very little zoo visiting in 2020.

Early in the year I had several visits each to both London Zoo and the London Wetland Centre; I also went to Colchester Zoo. These were my only zoo visits of 2020; all were enjoable but I wouldn't consider any a "highlight".

I've not been to any animal collections since early March; definitely the longest period in my life without a zoo visit.

(2) My favourite pieces of zoo news were probably the way Hamerton continues to develop and Weymouth Sea Life Centre's success with breeding little blue penguin.

(3) Sadly there are many disappointnents this year.

Today's news of the death of Duisburg's river dolphin was very upsetting. I first saw this animal in October 1980 and was fortunate enough to see it many more times over the last forty years. I doubt I'll ever see another one.

The announcement that Bristol Zoo would be closing came as a nasty shock as it is one of my favourite UK zoos. Similarly the closure of Living Coasts was very sad.

On a more personal level, the pandemic forcing me to cancel my planned zoo visiting trip to New York was a big disappointment as was the cancelling of this year's ZooHistorica at Dortmund Zoo. (Of course my disappointment about missed zoo visits is insignificant compared to the illness and deaths caused by the pandemic.)
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT

Visiting the first phase of the South East Asia precinct at Auckland Zoo. The exhibits for Bornean orangutan and Siamang are exceptional and a vast improvement on their previous accommodation. Seeing the apes on the high ropes 20 metres off the ground and going across the central lake will be incredible. I was also surprisingly impressed by the new cafe, the architecture reminded me of the Casson pavilion.

Bornean Orangutan/Siamang Climbing Towers

Bornean Orangutan/Siamang Climbing Towers

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Te Puna Cafe

Te Puna Cafe

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2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS

The birth of Niambi the Common chimpanzee at Taronga Zoo. Her mother, Naomi, was imported by Taronga Zoo in 2015 - along with two other females. They were the first chimpanzees to immigrate into Taronga's community since 1993. The introductions took close to two years and seeing them eventuate in the births of Cebele (2017) to Ceres; and Niambi (2020) to Naomi, was rewarding to see. Naomi had a difficult time carrying infants to term - losing two infants prior to Niambi's birth.

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT

The decision by Auckland Zoo to phase out their elephants after 97 years. It was the right decision to make, but a disappointing one nonetheless.

Asian Elephant Cows

Asian Elephant Cows

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Photo taken 12/07/2020.
 
Enzo said:
1. I'd like to point out another highlight I've had recently: this Saturday, I bought two yellow-collared lovebirds. My first birds ever. It's not zoo-related, but it's about animals, so I thought it was appropriate to show it here.
Click to expand...
It turns out that my lovebirds are hybrids (it was confirmed right in the 1st of January). This turned out to be one of my biggest disappointments in 2020 (even though it was confirmed in 2021, I was already suspecting that during the last days of the year) and 2021.
 
Enzo said:
It turns out that my lovebirds are hybrids (it was confirmed right in the 1st of January). This turned out to be one of my biggest disappointments in 2020 (even though it was confirmed in 2021, I was already suspecting that during the last days of the year) and 2021.
Click to expand...

Is this because you were planning to breed your birds, or because them being hybrids has health implications for your birds?
 
KevinB said:
Is this because you were planning to breed your birds, or because them being hybrids has health implications for your birds?
Click to expand...
I wanted to have them as pets, so I wasn't (and still ain't) planning to breed them. However, if they bred, I'd not want hybrids, because if I ever acquire new individuals, I'd not want them to hybridize.
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT
Queens Zoo. It ain't much but I finally have been to all five WCS zoos.

2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS
Quokkas in Japan.

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Zoos being neglected by governments.
Sand cats in Japan.
Penke the last rocky mountain goat in Japan has died.
Trip to Busch Gardens Tampa, and DAK due to covid.
Not seeing the pronghorns in Queens (the reason I went there)

(why yes I tend to be a pessimist. How could you tell?)
 
kiang said:
It's that time of year again folks, time to reflect on the year past, so here we go......

3 LITTLE QUESTIONS TO ANSWER ON YOUR 2020

1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT

2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
Click to expand...

Despite being in 2021 now, I think it would be nice for me to reflect on my 2020:

ZOO HIGHLIGHT: Covid-19 stopped me from travelling overseas and even outside of my state! Still, I managed to visit the Melbourne Zoo multiple times, and see many new animals, including the new Snow Leopard cubs. Hopefully there will be much more Zoos to visit in 2021.

FAVOURITE ZOO NEWS: The import of male Asian Elephant, Luk Chai to the Melbourne Zoo to kickstart their breeding program again; and, the birth of three Snow Leopard cubs at the Melbourne Zoo, the first in the Australasian region in 11 years.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Probably the loss of Auckland Zoo's Asian Elephants, who will be sent to another facility this year. It's a possibility they will be the last ever Elephants in New Zealand.
 
  1. The highlight for me this year was going to the Nashville Zoo. Some areas of the zoo were closed so I only got to see about half the species they have, but I got to see a lot of species I haven't seen before or ones I haven't seen in a while.
  2. It was pretty cool to see all the births the Columbus Zoo had over the summer. Lots of unexpected surprises that were really cool to hear about.
  3. Because of Covid-19, I missed out on two cool zoo visits. The first one was the Bronx Zoo in New York, I was super excited to go until it was canceled three weeks before we were supposed to go. The other one was Sea Life Park in Hawaii.
 
1. Savannah area and the Giant Otters of Batu Secret Zoo and also Australia zone of Taman Safari Prigen
2. The introduction of Giant Otters into Batu Secret Zoo
3. Unable to go to Safari Farm in Batu Secret Zoo due to it's crowdiness, which means I had to missed out many animals exclusive to that area, including Saltwater Crocodile, Indian Rhinoceros, Wapiti, and my personal favorite Nile Hippopotamus.
 
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