Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park News 2021
- Thread starter Jaxton
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Yeah, it has been a while. Back when I volunteered there they had them, they were on display sometimes and in the back other times. They were in the current clouded leopard enclosure from around when the new zoo opened until some period after 2002(?) maybe.
Tampa has 1.1 shoebill (only the female on exhibit currently). DWA, having received Houston’s last individual before that exhibit’s destruction, has 2.1 (one pair on exhibit). SDZSP has one female left, but it’s off exhibit, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it move at some point.
they’re still there, just in an off display area (according to the app!)
That makes sense; they used to do that with the Person leopards too. At one point in the mid 90s they had something that just did not make sense in there, it might have been a traveling or special animal...I can't remember what it was. Maybe the Tasmanian Devils....
Made a visit to the zoo for the first time in three years this weekend.
The highlight was hands down the shoebill stork. What an incredible animal! I have seen them before at SDZSP but its always a treat to get a look of one. Perhaps my favorite bird. As far the new exhibit, its perfectly fine all around, certainly much more fresh and clean than the old aviary. However, the old aviary felt much more distinct and ambitious as an exhibit with all of the different species and overall larger space. I would be curious to her the reason they got rid of it in the first place, as it was always considered to be one of the zoos strongest exhibit. Interestingly, the space the old aviary once occupied is completely vacant and it wouldn't surprise me to see a new exhibit replace it in the near future. There was talk of adding lions to the collection right? This seems like the only space large enough in the area to do it.
Additionally, I decided to a behind the scenes encounter at the elephant complex. I got to go to the back of the barn to view a training session with a keeper featuring a mother and son pair. A short but very fun experience, would definitely recommend to any one interested.
Misc Updates:
The highlight was hands down the shoebill stork. What an incredible animal! I have seen them before at SDZSP but its always a treat to get a look of one. Perhaps my favorite bird. As far the new exhibit, its perfectly fine all around, certainly much more fresh and clean than the old aviary. However, the old aviary felt much more distinct and ambitious as an exhibit with all of the different species and overall larger space. I would be curious to her the reason they got rid of it in the first place, as it was always considered to be one of the zoos strongest exhibit. Interestingly, the space the old aviary once occupied is completely vacant and it wouldn't surprise me to see a new exhibit replace it in the near future. There was talk of adding lions to the collection right? This seems like the only space large enough in the area to do it.
Additionally, I decided to a behind the scenes encounter at the elephant complex. I got to go to the back of the barn to view a training session with a keeper featuring a mother and son pair. A short but very fun experience, would definitely recommend to any one interested.
Misc Updates:
- The wallaby walkthrough is, well, no longer that. The doors to enter the exhibit have been replaced with glass windows and the path has been completely covered. Additionally, the emus were also moved to this exhibit.
- The former singing dog enclosure, which was then home to goats, now holds African-spur thiged tortoises. I must say its almost comical to see how tall and imposing the fence is just to contain tortoises, even if that wasn't the original occupant.
- The former chimp exhibit is completely fenced off with no mention of what will be replacing it in the future. Am I correct in assuming the bonobo exhibit has been cancelled?
Where is the new enclosure? It is hard to tell from the pictures I have seen. Can you tell us what is around it?
From what I have been told, the old exhibit was not made well and was suffering from the elements and age, so it was torn down. It is a shame, that was a really wonderful exhibit and tie in for the whole area. The wasteland that is currently there is just sad.
That is one area, the area there is still a fair amount of space is over in what was the Australian Outback area (short lived as that was) across Clinton St, to the east of the African courtyard area.
I have head about them talked about off and on for decades. They were on the original master plan. Also spoken of has been a bachelor group of gorillas.
That is comical, and IMO a poor use for that space. There are a ton of animals to choose from in Australia and New Guinea that they could put in there, I guess the tortoises are just filler for now.
Yes, they confirmed that it is canceled for now, but they have not said what will be replacing them or if they are going to invest more into the habitat to make it more up to date. It needed a major refresh. There have also been suspicions that it is going to be delayed until a major renovation or replacement of Primate World.
Its where the other smaller aviary used be, directly across from the entrance to the old walkthrough one.
I would definitely be for the idea of demolishing primate world and starting from the ground up. Its not necessarily bad, buts its undoubtedly the zoos weakest and least inspired area. I believe the old master plan referenced a South American complex and that seems like something that could fit snugly on the exhibits footprint, maybe maintaining the Orangutans by integrating them into the Asian zone.
Thanks, that is what I kind of thought, but was not sure.
Yeah, PW is kind of the only main area that has not had a major remodel. IIRC, the original Master Plan had the South American area back in the same space as the Florida region, one "region" on either side of the boardwalk. Kind of an odd arrangement, if you ask me.
But they could fairly easily make the current PW into South America, integrate the Orangutans into Asia, and swap animals around. The Lemurs would have to move to Safari Africa, which there is space for (especially if they use that open area that was the water bird aviary). A few other primates would have to go or be moved as well....but I feel it would be worth it overall.
I was able to get over to ZT this past Friday. The Shoebill aviary is surprisingly well integrated into the area, one would not know that it was a later addition. The entrance is just beside the hippo habitat, immediately to the right in the Ituri Forest area of Safari Africa. You can see the hippo pool just to the left in the picture below. Overall I give the habitat design and integration a 10/10. It is really well done and set up to sit and watch for a while, if one would like.
The old chimp habitat still has wood fencing around, but you can peek between the slats - nothing has changed since the chimps left.
Tomistomas were nowhere to be seen, I am not sure if they are off exhibit or what.
The Malayan tiger was off exhibit "under veterinary care" according to the sign. Seeing that habitat again really reminds me how far the rest of the zoo has came....and how poor that habitat really is. I am honestly not sure that they should continue to keep tigers there unless they can majorly upgrade that habitat.
The old chimp habitat still has wood fencing around, but you can peek between the slats - nothing has changed since the chimps left.
Tomistomas were nowhere to be seen, I am not sure if they are off exhibit or what.
The Malayan tiger was off exhibit "under veterinary care" according to the sign. Seeing that habitat again really reminds me how far the rest of the zoo has came....and how poor that habitat really is. I am honestly not sure that they should continue to keep tigers there unless they can majorly upgrade that habitat.
I sure hope that enclosure permits breeding for the shoebills
A Female Eastern Bongo was born at the zoo:
Facebook Post for the news.
Facebook Post for the news.
Were any of you able to ever go inside? I heard it used to be open but whenever I was there it was closed. I visited numerous times over the years from January 2010 to August 2012. My latest visit was in January 2017 and it was still closed!
Yes, the current Shoebill aviary is where the Saddle-Billed Storks, Hamerkop, African Spoonbills and one male Shoebill used to live. I just hope that the Shoebills feel they have enough space to breed.
Yes, once near when the area first opened.
Do you remember when the Shoebills used to be housed with African Openbills? I have a photo or two from 2006 when I visited the zoo for the first time. The African area looked so different back then.
Vaguely, yes. But it was a while ago and I don't have any pictures. The African area was really nice when it opened, some things that they changed I do not care for. I miss the warthogs, cheetah, that huge marsh aviary, etc. It is still a nice area of the zoo, but it was better when it opened with Ituri Forest. That said, the newish side aviaries are nice and the painted dogs are great. The connection to make it a circle is handy, but looks really poorly done.
Will they ever move the Yellowbills out of the Sulawesi aviary and back to Africa? If not I think they should send them to Jacksonville or Dallas to boost the breeding programs there.
Hard to say, I am not really associated with anyone that is still at the zoo as an employee and I have not volunteered there since around 2003. Not out of malice, just time and people moving around or changing careers.
The newer side aviaries in Africa are all too small for larger storks and such. I would hope that eventually when they put something where the old large marsh aviary was they do something similar to what was there. But in reality I would think it will be something less avian, maybe a enclosure for ungulates or swine.....but guesses range from those to gorillas, bonobo, lions....no one really knows. But that open space is really bad looking and a sad waste of prime exhibit land.