They should all still be there...most likely off exhibit at the time of your visit.
San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park News 2022
- Thread starter IndianRhino
- Start date
They should all still be there...most likely off exhibit at the time of your visit.
The Safari Park should still have Okapi, I saw one on exhibit early February so perhaps they were off exhibit at the time. They do have a small herd off exhibit that they breed at the Safari Park too.
In fact, the Safari Park still holds the greater part of the okapi breeding group at San Diego Zoo. The Zoo itself has only one breeding pair on exhibit and has further space available to be able to move in/out any surplus from the Safari Park.
Quite recently, a few males got moved over to the Zoo for mating with the resident female following swaps out. I think that both male offspring Mosi and Elombe (Eli for short) born at the Zoo were moved on to other zoos around the country.
You might want to check which males are currently on exhibit at San Diego Zoo as the only definite okapi I have down is their breeding female Subira.
SOURCE: Endangered Okapi Calf—Elombe—Now on Exhibit at San Diego Zoo
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Just checked and male Mosi was sent to the Freeport McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center (see confirmation via Facebook under A), while male Elombe (Eli) is now part of a breeding pair at Disney Animal Kingdom with female Olivia (see media source B).
SOURCE:
A) Audubon Nature Institute
B) We Had a RARE Animal Sighting in Disney World Today! | the disney food blog
SOURCE:
A) Audubon Nature Institute
B) We Had a RARE Animal Sighting in Disney World Today! | the disney food blog
That animal is a young male greater kudu.
The park is phasing out greater kudu, but in the meantime they are still housing a bachelor herd. Greater kudu are not the easiest animals to place, particularly males. They're a dime a dozen in the private sector and their population is over the targeted number in the AZA. They have also recently dropped ties with one of their major private sector partners over animals being sold directly to hunting ranches. They will continue to house these males until suitable homes can be found, but they are not interested in continuing with the species long-term.
@Kudu21 boy they seem to be getting rid of a lot of animals within the last year at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park that are rare in zoos. Im not so sure I like their new ungulate management team. And I still don’t understand why they’d put those Grevy Zebras with the other animals in the Central Africa field exhibit considering they told me how aggressive they were to the other animals.
What are even the species that live in each of the parks individual field exhibits anyway @Kudu21 ? And does the park have any plans at all at the very least to bring in new animals to the field enclosures with all these phase outs?
What are even the species that live in each of the parks individual field exhibits anyway @Kudu21 ? And does the park have any plans at all at the very least to bring in new animals to the field enclosures with all these phase outs?
East Africa currently holds Southern White Rhino, Nile Lechwe, a male Uganda Kob, Thomson’s Gazelle, East African Grey-crowned Crane, Cape Buffalo, Wildebeest, Fringe-eared Oryx, Generic giraffe, Impala, and Defassa Waterbuck.
South Africa currently holds Masai giraffe, Patterson’s eland, springbok, gemsbok, Sable Antelope, Ellipsen Waterbuck, Cape Buffalo, Greater White Pelican, and Dalmatian Pelican.
Central Africa currently holds Eastern Black Rhino, Greater Kudu, Grevy’s Zebra, Uganda Kob, Roan antelope, and Sitatunga.
African Forest currently holds Red-fronted Gazelle, Roan antelope, Red lechwe, and Sitatunga.
There is also a Grevy’s zebra habitat to the side that also holds some waterbuck. And a Somali Wild Ass habitat with a single male dromedary camel.
Then on the other side of the field habitats there is one more sandy habitat home to Barbary deer, Bactrian deer, Scimitar-horned oryx, and a single male Defassa waterbuck.
I may be forgetting something but that should give you a rough layout of what the area looks like at the moment. I do not know what the Asian Savanna field habitats look like. The only species that Kudu21 told me that the park is looking to add is lowland anoa.
Are there still sitatunga in Central Africa? I know they were having predation issues in that habitat, and I had heard they had moved all of the sitatunga out.
The African Forest habitat should also have their bongo herd as well, although they are rarely seen.
The breeding Grevy's habitat should also have bachelor Nile and red lechwe as well.
The North Africa habitat is also home to their Ankole cattle as well as the deer, scimitars, and waterbuck.
@Animals R AMAZING!
2 Pink Backed pelicans are also now living in the South Africa field enclosure as they’re They’re being fostered by 2 Dalmatian Pelicans. Wildebeest and I think Ugandan Kob also live in the South Africa field enclosure In addition Ankole Cattle also live in the sandy field enclosure with the Barbary deer, Scimitar Horned Oryx, etc.
Regarding additional field enclosures theres the field enclosure that has the Prezwalski Horse and two Bactrian Camels. There’s also another field exhibit for Arabian Oryxes. I think there was plans to bring back Hartmanns Mountain Zebras to the Safari park however I don’t understand why they’re getting their own field exhibit cause at Disney Animal Kingdom they’re mixed in with other animals and that’s worked well over the past year.
Regarding the Lowland Anoa I didn’t know the Safari park had plans to bring those animals to the field enclosures. That’s actually really exciting if you’re me as I think they’re rare in zoos although I could be wrong.
2 Pink Backed pelicans are also now living in the South Africa field enclosure as they’re They’re being fostered by 2 Dalmatian Pelicans. Wildebeest and I think Ugandan Kob also live in the South Africa field enclosure In addition Ankole Cattle also live in the sandy field enclosure with the Barbary deer, Scimitar Horned Oryx, etc.
Regarding additional field enclosures theres the field enclosure that has the Prezwalski Horse and two Bactrian Camels. There’s also another field exhibit for Arabian Oryxes. I think there was plans to bring back Hartmanns Mountain Zebras to the Safari park however I don’t understand why they’re getting their own field exhibit cause at Disney Animal Kingdom they’re mixed in with other animals and that’s worked well over the past year.
Regarding the Lowland Anoa I didn’t know the Safari park had plans to bring those animals to the field enclosures. That’s actually really exciting if you’re me as I think they’re rare in zoos although I could be wrong.
I believe they were still there earlier this year, not very many just 2 or 3 females. Though they may have all been moved out by now. Also, what do you mean by predation issues?
Ah yes, thank you! Forgot about the bongo, I’ve only ever seen them once in all my visits this past year.
The Arabian Oryx and Przewalski’s Horse habitats are a part of the Asian Savanna. I was only listing African Plains field habitats since I’m not sure how they’re all grouped together back there in AS. And by the way, the Bactrian camels are no longer there iirc. Where did you hear they’re getting mountain zebras back? They had been planning to make a separate habitat for them several years back, shortly after JiA opened iirc. I think they’ve dropped those plans by now.
did not know that until now but again they’ve been getting rid of animals left and right so I’m not surprised. Regarding the Hartmanns Mountain Zebras I thought there was plans to bring them back to the park as it was discussed on a thread relating to the Safari park on Zoochat. I think the Safari Park officially stated at one point they were building a new exhibit for them but I heard that was long ago. What’s does IIRC stand for?
Yes, the park did state they were going to make a habitat for them but like I said it was quite a while back, a few years after the monorail closed and the tram first opened. IIRC stands for if I remember correctly.
I imagine it has been quite the undertaking catching and moving all of the sitatunga they have, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were stragglers.
And cougars. The park has been having major issues with the local cougar population over the past couple of years. At first the incidents were largely restricted to the long-term holding and preshipment enclosures in the far reaches of the park, but the cats haven gotten increasingly more brazen.
With regards to the Hartmann's, with all of the changes at the park, I wouldn't hold my breath for any rumored plans beyond the elephant renovations.
The only thing that’s still closed, to my knowledge, is the Bats House. The platypus house is and has been open for a long time, I would suggest you head there as soon as you get to the park because the platypus are usually off habitat in the later hours.
Hope you enjoy your visit! I’m sure you’ll be impressed!
There are four female red-fronted gazelles left in the African Forest exhibit on the tram.
The slender-horned gazelle herd is on display in the African Woods section of the walking trail.
All of the remaining giant eland at the park are off display. There is still one male on exhibit at the zoo.
The topi photo you saw was a historical photo. The topi have been gone for a very long time. There are no topi on public display in North America.
I've heard the park's closure due to covid starting back in 2020 is largely to blame for this. With the park suddenly deserted other than necessary staff, the cougars quickly took advantage of it. The park was having to work with FWS to set up allowed means of discouraging the cats, apparently even with things more normal some cats are still preferring easier targets.
First I've heard about this, I'm interested to see if anyone knows!