Artis Royal Zoo Artis News 2021

This weekend (16-18) Artis will be reopened for a limited number of visitors which need to show the results of a negative Corona test (not older than 40 hours) before they can enter. Also some others zoos, theme parks, museums etc will briefly reopen, this is to see how succesfull these "testevents" can be and whether these places can be reopened (with or without mandatory Corona testing).
Blijdorp (Rotterdam Zoo) will reopen from the 30th of April till 2nd of May and Ouwehands Dierenpark was reopend from 14-15 April and will be reopened from 17-18 April.

A recent instagram post mentions the birth of a female Eclectus parrot in January. According to Zootierliste Artis has New Guinea red-sided eclectus parrots (Eclectus roratus polychloros) but the zoo lists them as Eclectus roratus (No subspecies status). So I am not really sure which species of Eclectus parrot the zoo has.

A few weeks ago I also went to Artis, atleast to the Artis-plein which is open to the public. The Artis-plein is the square between the Hollandse polder aviary and the Groote Museum, which allows you to see the entire aviary upclose as well as the flamingo's. At the time the inside enclosure of the birds was being renovated, but this renovation should be finished now.

I noticed the following changes in the aviary:
- The two storks (pair?) that used to live in the aviary were gone.
- I spotted two Scaly-sided mergansers (Mergus squamatus), I believe it was a pair and according to Zootierliste GaiaZoo has them. Does anyone know whether these mergansers came from GaiaZoo and whether they used live in the damaged aviary?
- I also saw 1 Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus). According to Zootierliste, the Eurasian Oystercatchers used to be housed in the damaged aviary in GaiaZoo so I persume it came from GaiaZoo.
- I also saw 2 (pair?) European rollers (Coracias garrulus), which also used to live in the damaged aviary in GaiaZoo. At first I thought they were Lilac-breasted rollers (Coracias caudatus caudatus), but they lacked the lilac/purple coloration on their chest.
All three species are according to Zootierliste new for Artis.

The island of the golden-cheecked gibbons (Nomascus gabriellae) has increased in size (2-3 times as big) and also some additional trees have been planted on the island. The skybridge is also finished, so hopefully the gibbons will be able to go outside again soon.
Furthermore, at the end of last month the male gibbon (*2017) left the zoo. Artis now has 3 gibbons, the breeding pair and their son (*2019).


Sources:
Instagram of Artis (16/04/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CNt7qetKYCj/
Website of Ouwehands Dierenpark (13/04/2021) Ouwehands Dierenpark organiseert testdagen - Ouwehands Dierenpark
Website of Diergaarde Blijdorp (08/04/2021) Blijdorp 3 dagen als testlocatie op 30 april, 1 en 2 mei - Diergaarde Blijdorp
Instagram of Artis (26/03/2021) https://www.instagram.com/p/CM38iLGK1C5/
 
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Does anyone have an approximate current stocking of the small mammal house ?

Also I would like to know the exact opening date of this building, I know only it was in Summer 1977.

thank you.
 
Bib Fortuna said:
Does anyone have an approximate current stocking of the small mammal house ?

Also I would like to know the exact opening date of this building, I know only it was in Summer 1977.

thank you.
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If my list is correct the following species are currently living in the small mammal house:
- Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinerea)
- Bearded emperor tamarin (Saguinus imperator)
- Binturong (Arctictis binturong) (only outside)
- Callimico (Callimico goeldii)
- Cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus)
- Fennec fox (Fennecus zerda)
- Gray mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus)
- Grey handed night monkey (Aotus trivirgatus)
- Gundi (Ctenodactylus gundi)
- Indian crested porcupine (Hystrix indica) (only outside)
- Javan Chevrotain (Tragulus javanicus)
- Linneaus’ two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)
- Meerkat (Suricata suricatta) (only outside)
- Northern sugar glider (Petaurus breviceps ariel)
- Northern treeshrew (Tupaia belangeri)
- Northern yellow-throated marten (Martes flavigula) (only outside)
- Pontianak prevost’s squirrel (Callosciurus prevostii borneoensis)
- Pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea)
- Ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta)
- Southern tree-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus)
- White-faced saki (Pithecia pithecia)
- Yucatan Margay (Leopardus wiedii yucatanius) (only outside)
 
Went to the open Artisplein today and from what I could see, the new indoor gibbon exhibit is looking very good. They also seemed to have built more islands adjacent to their original island. One of these islands is planted with a magnolia tree which I think will give the animals some nice coverage and climbing opportunities.
 
Wednesday all the zoos in The Netherlands were allowed to reopen, so after waiting 6 months I could finally visit Artis again!
Even though all the inside enclosures were closed, I still had a great day at Artis!
I noticed the following changes that day:

Hollandse Polder (aviary):
- I noticed several nest boxes in the aviary, I also finally saw one Lesser kestrel (Falco naumanni).
- The pair of Eurasian cranes (Grus grus) have laid eggs which made them very territorial, therefore fences have been placed around the aviary to keep visitors at a distance.

Gibbons:
- The island of the gibbons is almost finished. I did notice that they were working on the pavement and railing on the other side of the pond (where their former inside enclosure used to be).

Picture of the renovated Gibbon island, front view. In the right corner, you can see part of the bridge connecting the inside enclosure with the island.
Renovated gibbon island, front view

Renovated gibbon island, front view

Picture taken on 19/05/2021 from the main viewing platform/area.

Picture of the renovated Gibbon island, side view (from Pampa side).
Renovated gibbon island, side view

Renovated gibbon island, side view

  • Media owner JurassicMax
  • Date added
  • Comments 1
Picture taken on 19/05/2021 looking at the island from the pampa enclosure.
486053-ab26bc67e41556791112ee774d16d743.jpg


Kleine Zoogdierenhuis/Small mammal house:
- A zookeeper told me that around 12 female ring-tailed lemurs were send to a different zoo, because the group became too large.
- The white-faced saki that was born this year is doing fine and it's a male!
- I noticed that the two outside enclosures of the white-faced saki's are now connected by a small passage.
- The 2.1 Grey-handed Night Monkey (Aotus lemurinus griseimembra) that used to live with the white-faced saki's have been moved back to the Apenhuis/Forest house.
- Both the binturong and the sugar glider are still alive!
- The two sloths (1.1) will soon move to the Forest house, hopefully everything will turn out fine for them... I also heard that a new interesting species will soon arrive at Artis, I am not sure if I am allowed to reveal which species it is. But if my source is correct Artis will be the only zoo in the Benelux with this species.

Metzelaarskas/Greenhouse next to the Butterfly greenhouse:
- This building was also closed, but that didn't stop me from looking through the glass doors. The greenhouse has stayed relatively the same, only the entrance and the bridge have been renewed for so far I could tell.
- Currently mostly birds inhabit the greenhouse like Crested partridges (Rollulus rouloul), Red-whiskered bulbuls (Pycnonotus jocosus), (Victorian) Crowned pigeons, Nicobar pigeons (Caloenas nicobarica) and a few other species. Most of the species are either surpluss or came from the vogelhuis/birdhouse. A new species for Artis are the 2 White-winged ducks (Asarcornis scutulata) that apparently can also be found there. The Rodriguez flying foxes (Pteropus rodricensis) that used to live in the Forest house and the Malaysian painted river turtles (Batagur borneoensis) have also been moved here. Lastly a few fish and the Fly River turtle (Carettochelys insculpta) have been moved from the aquarium to this location.

Aquarium:
- I have been told that the aquarium is almost empty, apparently no other zoo/aquarium wanted the pacu's so they have been moved to the former manatee tank. The Radiated tortoises (Astrochelys radiata) that used to live in this enclosure have been moved to the reptile house. I thought that they were also going to live in the Metzelaarskas but apparently not or maybe later?

Fazanterie/Pheasantry & Vogelhuis/Birdhouse:
- I noticed that several aviaries in the pheasantry were empty and that quite a few species had either left or been moved to different aviaries.
- I am not 100% sure but I thought I saw 2 pairs of Palawan peacock-pheasants (Polyplectron napoleonis) in 2 different aviaries.
- The Hamerkops (Scopus umbretta) weren't signed and neither did I see them, I did however see the Northern bald ibises and 3 Northern white-faced scops-owls (Ptilopsis leucotis) in that enclosure together with 1 pair of Palawn peacock-pheasants.
- I didn't see the Crested guineafowls (Guttera pucherani) in their aviary, I only saw 1 Northern white-faced scops-owl.
- In the aviary oppostie of the previous one, I saw 1 Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) but I didn't see the signed Bali myna (Leucopsar rothschildi) in there. Possibly the Burrowing owl came from the birdhouse.
- The Grey-winged trumpeters (Psophia crepitans) that used to live together with the
Sun parakeets (Aratinga solstitialis) in the pheasantry were signed at the former Great hornbill
(Buceros bicornis) aviary at the birdhouse.
- The Wreathed hornbills (Rhyticeros undulatus) were signed at the large aviary of the birdhouse, suggesting that they have access to the whole tropical part of the birdhouse.

Other news:
- Months ago I noticed that the Black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicianus) were gone. Now a sign at the enclosure explained that their enclosure needed to be renovated and therefore they were send to a different zoo in the mean time.
- I saw atleast 1 stork in the enclosure of the two ostriches, the storks are also now signed at that enclosure together with the ostriches. Could this be the pair from the Hollandse Polder?
- A sign displaying the opening times of all restaurants/food stalls has been placed next to the large zoo map (between the pelican pond and gibbon island).
- I also saw 3 students from the Universities of Amsterdam and/or Leiden doing research at the enclosure of the Chimpanzees, Blue-throated macaws (Ara glaucogularis) and Keas (Nestor notabilis).
 
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I visited Artis today for the first time in nearly 1.5 years. I never had no visit for such a long period in more twenty years, so it was very nice to be in Artis again today. The buildings are still closed (I guess they will reopen at June 5th), but nonetheless I had a pleasant visit.

Most notably for me were the replacement of part of the iron work of several of the outer enclosures of the Small Mammal House bij glass; parts of the enclosures of the yellow-throated marten and margay and the complete new enclosures for sakis (former lemur, former spider monkey enclosures).

JurassicMax said:
I also heard that a new interesting species will soon arrive at Artis, I am not sure if I am allowed to reveal which species it is. But if my source is correct Artis will be the only zoo in the Benelux with this species.
Click to expand...

Can you at least tell us which type of mammal (family/order)?
 
AWP said:
I visited Artis today for the first time in nearly 1.5 years. I never had no visit for such a long period in more twenty years, so it was very nice to be in Artis again today. The buildings are still closed (I guess they will reopen at June 5th), but nonetheless I had a pleasant visit.

Most notably for me were the replacement of part of the iron work of several of the outer enclosures of the Small Mammal House bij glass; parts of the enclosures of the yellow-throated marten and margay and the complete new enclosures for sakis (former lemur, former spider monkey enclosures).



Can you at least tell us which type of mammal (family/order)?
Click to expand...

What did you think of the new gibbon enclosure/renovated island?

I will try to go to Artis this weekend and ask whether I can reveal which species it is. ;)
 
JurassicMax said:
What did you think of the new gibbon enclosure/renovated island?

I will try to go to Artis this weekend and ask whether I can reveal which species it is. ;)
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I am sure there currently has been no public communique on what you are alluding to. Best to keep it to yourself for now.
 
Last Sunday I visited Artis again, I noticed the following things:

Fazanterie/Pheasantry & Vogelhuis/Birdhouse:
- I noticed a pair of Palawan peacock-pheasants (Polyplectron napoleonis) in
the aviary of the Sun parakeets (Aratinga solstitialis), both species were signed.
- I saw one Grey-winged trumpeter (Psophia crepitans) in the aviary of the birdhouse.
- I saw one Hamerkop (Scopus umbretta) in the desert aviary of the the birdhouse, so I persume they are now in the desert walkthrough part.

Other news:
- I can now confirm that 2 White-winged ducks (Asarcornis scutulata) are living in the Metzelaarskas/greenhouse, I could see them through the closed sliding doors.
- I persume that the two-toed sloths have been moved to the Apenhuis/Forest House, because the Cotton-top tamarins (Saguinus oedipus) had access to the sloth enclosure.

This weekend all inside enclosures (like the reptile house) except the Apenhuis/Forest house will reopen! I am looking forward to finally visit the Metzelaarskas again!
 
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