Some news and pictures from my recent visit :
Tropical dome
- the red-shanked doucs outside aviary was occupied by european white storks,
- the doucs are still very shy. Just five (including the last baby) were on view. They spend all there time high on the trunk or attached to the net and just came back for food. The others were locked in one of the off-show room.
- saw for the first time the two giant asian pond turtles and really closed to the visitors (some children were touching one of the animal).
- saw for the first time the red-eyed tree frog
- there is now two or three touch panels where you can see which bird species are free-flying and a part of the fish species kept in the dome (in the manatees, pygmy hippos and tomistoma's pools + entrance tunnel). It's not excellent but better than nothing.
Gorillas tropical house
- works were being done in the upper part of the first gorillas indoor. No more info about them.
- white-lipped mud turtle (new species) are now presented in a small opened enclosure in front of the gorillas indoor. Saw one with another which looks like a neotropical painted wood turtle (this species is already presented in the reptile house).
New white-lipped mud turtle exhibit with...a painted wood turtle
- outside the house, just after the exit, I was for the first time the poison frogs breeding nursery. You can see the same species you find on-show.
Monkeys and reptiles tropical house
- no asian water monitor on show. In their previous enclosure were two smooth-fronted caimans so one more than before).
- the spinytail iguanas are now labelled and are two (with painted wood turtles and green basiliks).
Australia house
- the reef aquarium was empty for refurbishment.
- the bearded dragons terrarium has been put down. Nothing was at the same place.
Birds tropical house
- I was shocked how was empty the place. A lot of rare birds have not been replaced.
- just saw one Pesquet parrot. A pity !
- the only good news is that a pair of blue-crowned laughing thrushs are now where the green broadbill and other rarities were.
- two grey-winged trumpeters are in the last aviary before the exit (with a single toco tucan). There are two others in the tropical dome.
- the javan chevrotains are now free in the house.
- the javan rhinoceros hornbill pair have switched with the single female so now they have no access outside.
Parrots aviaries
- there are still three or four to be refurbished. The others are done but quite empty at the moment.
- blue ground-dove (have arrived) in the aviary first refurbished last year (with the sun conures).
Monkey/guenons aviaries
- there is still a lot of works on the house and facilities in the aviaries.
Elephants exhibit :
- the six ladies were together outside in the main paddock.
- Akili, the bull, was separeted in the third paddock and was seemingly in musth.
- I can confirm that the moat of the second (sand) paddock has been redone.
Off-show
Two new off-show facilities have been built behind the vet building. You can spot them on the next picture (in the centre).
Don't know the purpose but maybe it is used now to house the parrots during the works on their aviaries.
Finally, as it has been revealed on the french forum, four new large aviaries will be created in the near future. Three on new lands (including a giant one) and one in an historic part.
I hope now the animals will have lush vegetation to bring some shadow and allow some privacy.
