I thought about that. I don't have an allergy to insect stings, but I was stung at the zoo once.
Philadelphia Zoo Philadelphia Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter Kevin2342
- Start date
SaritaWolf
Well-Known Member
There’s no more of an allergy risk than there already is with native bees flying around. Honeybees are domesticated so they’re not very aggressive. I’ve opened several hives without a suit on and not been stung (still not advisable if you’re allergic obviously!) Just make sure you watch where you sit or place your hands so as not to squash any and you should be fine.
(also, protip: banana smells like the bee pheromone for “panic” so don’t wear any banana-scented products or eat bananas near the hive. They will think there is a bee in your vicinity that needs help and attempt to come to the “rescue.”)
On August 21st, the zoo announced they acquired (2.1) Saanen goats named Theodore, Franklin, and Eleanor in July which are now on exhibit at the KidZooU Barnyard.
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I went to the zoo today.
-Some changes on the pied tamarins. There are now only four instead of five pied tamarins in RACC. There are still the male/female pair near the parrots and there are only two of the three brothers near the end of the building. One of the brothers moved to PECO Primate Reserve, as Ricardo, the male at Primate Reserve, passed away recently and the female needed a companion as being primates, they are social. The 3 brothers are all in their early-mid teens which is gettin older for this species as they live 10-15 years in the wild and 15-20 in captivity. They are not super old since they are in a zoo but getting up there. Ricardo was the oldest at the zoo but the keeper didn’t know his age. You cannot see the pied tamarins in PECO Primate Reserve as they are kept in an off-exhibit area.
-The domestic ducks are back on exhibit in KidZooU outside in the pond where visitors can feed them. There are only three left as I mentioned previously, but although very likely, I don’t know if the fourth one passed away given their ages(Speculation.) A lot of times the ducks are not hungry and being so old they do not move as much as they used to. No ducks were eating when I first went there around noon, but I kept the food in my pocket and later in the afternoon they were eating some of the food in the pond, but not a lot. I threw the food in there so they can get to all of it when they choose so.
-I finally saw two Amur leopards walking around. During summer, majority of the time the big cats are all sleeping.
-Some changes on the pied tamarins. There are now only four instead of five pied tamarins in RACC. There are still the male/female pair near the parrots and there are only two of the three brothers near the end of the building. One of the brothers moved to PECO Primate Reserve, as Ricardo, the male at Primate Reserve, passed away recently and the female needed a companion as being primates, they are social. The 3 brothers are all in their early-mid teens which is gettin older for this species as they live 10-15 years in the wild and 15-20 in captivity. They are not super old since they are in a zoo but getting up there. Ricardo was the oldest at the zoo but the keeper didn’t know his age. You cannot see the pied tamarins in PECO Primate Reserve as they are kept in an off-exhibit area.
-The domestic ducks are back on exhibit in KidZooU outside in the pond where visitors can feed them. There are only three left as I mentioned previously, but although very likely, I don’t know if the fourth one passed away given their ages(Speculation.) A lot of times the ducks are not hungry and being so old they do not move as much as they used to. No ducks were eating when I first went there around noon, but I kept the food in my pocket and later in the afternoon they were eating some of the food in the pond, but not a lot. I threw the food in there so they can get to all of it when they choose so.
-I finally saw two Amur leopards walking around. During summer, majority of the time the big cats are all sleeping.
On August 23rd, the zoo announced they have opened a new live cam inside the McNeil Avian Center, which is still closed due to avian influenza.
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On August 24th, the zoo announced they have acquired (0.0.2) Ossabow Island hogs named Maui and Pua in July which are now on exhibit.*
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*Already mentioned by @Kevin2342 but I'm adding more context.
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*Already mentioned by @Kevin2342 but I'm adding more context.
I like those names.
On August 26th, the zoo announced that their Humboldt penguins are back on exhibit.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=652686692543842
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=652686692543842
I went to the zoo today for 1 1/2 hours. I was able to go to Rare Animal Conservation Center, KidZooU, Reptile and Amphibian House and PECO Primate Reserve.
The one major area with a lot of changes was the Reptile House. The exhibit where the copperhead used to live now houses two species of turtle. There is musk turtle and I forget the other one. I only saw one, not sure which. The eyelash gecko and crocodile lizard will also be back on exhibit tomorrow. The signs have already been put in place, and the viewing windows are open. The crocodile lizard will be where the emerald tree boa used to live, and the eyelash gecko will be back to its original exhibit before it was under construction. Also one of the black tree monitors is off exhibit since it was having trouble seeing with its old age and keepers want to closely monitor it. Both black tree monitors are around 18 years old which is really old for this species. One of the eastern massasaugas is also off exhibit recovering(the keeper did not mention what health issues it has.)
The one major area with a lot of changes was the Reptile House. The exhibit where the copperhead used to live now houses two species of turtle. There is musk turtle and I forget the other one. I only saw one, not sure which. The eyelash gecko and crocodile lizard will also be back on exhibit tomorrow. The signs have already been put in place, and the viewing windows are open. The crocodile lizard will be where the emerald tree boa used to live, and the eyelash gecko will be back to its original exhibit before it was under construction. Also one of the black tree monitors is off exhibit since it was having trouble seeing with its old age and keepers want to closely monitor it. Both black tree monitors are around 18 years old which is really old for this species. One of the eastern massasaugas is also off exhibit recovering(the keeper did not mention what health issues it has.)
Flamingos, Emu, Southern ground hornbill now back on exhibit:
https://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-zoo-birds-emus-penguins-flamingos-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza/
Bird species including Caribbean flamingos, emus and southern ground hornbills have been returned to their outdoor exhibits following precautionary monitoring to protect them from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
https://www.phillyvoice.com/philadelphia-zoo-birds-emus-penguins-flamingos-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza/
Bird species including Caribbean flamingos, emus and southern ground hornbills have been returned to their outdoor exhibits following precautionary monitoring to protect them from the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
I went to the zoo today since on Friday I only was there for a short time. I have some good and bad news.
Good news from KidZooU- Jordan the Nigerian dwarf goat is now back outside. The building is also open for visitors. You can now also walk in the chicken area but the chickens are in a cage since it is roofed. The chickens still cannot be out in the main pathway like they used to.
Bad news(and good news)from Reptile House- the banded rock rattlesnake passed away. The exhibit is now occupied by a Pueblan milk snake named Pueblo. The crocodile lizard and eyelash gecko are also back on exhibit, but the eyelash gecko is hard to find.
Good news from KidZooU- Jordan the Nigerian dwarf goat is now back outside. The building is also open for visitors. You can now also walk in the chicken area but the chickens are in a cage since it is roofed. The chickens still cannot be out in the main pathway like they used to.
Bad news(and good news)from Reptile House- the banded rock rattlesnake passed away. The exhibit is now occupied by a Pueblan milk snake named Pueblo. The crocodile lizard and eyelash gecko are also back on exhibit, but the eyelash gecko is hard to find.
My apologies in case this was already discussed, but earlier today the zoo posted a picture of their giraffes and I posted a comment asking about where Gus went. The zoo is home to Stella, her daughter Abby, and the new female. Beau moved to the Cape May Zoo, and I asked where Gus was and someone told me he was sent to a zoo in New Orleans. That is the Audubon Zoo, correct?
Gus was sent to the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center in 2020. The FMASSC is a private breeding center and satellite facility of Audubon Nature Institute that is operated in conjunction with San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance.
I looked up the place, they have bongos, Mycteria storks, cranes, and curassows. Interesting place.
They no longer have the milky storks, but in addition to the giraffe, bongo, whooping and Mississippi sandhill cranes, and blue-billed curassow, they also have okapi, sitatunga, common eland, sable antelope, yellow-backed duiker, barasingha, Abdim's stork, and saddle-billed stork.
See the news thread below for more information. Gus is now the sire of two young giraffe calves born this summer:
Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center News
On September 14th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.1) Raggiana bird-of-paradise to the Los Angeles Zoo in California.
https://s36593.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/09.2022-Animal-Transactions.pdf
https://s36593.pcdn.co/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/09.2022-Animal-Transactions.pdf
I went to the zoo yesterday.
-In the reptile house, the Panamint rattlesnake is gone and there is a sign in the exhibit that says ‘’new animal coming soon.’’ All six female giant tortoises are also now out on Tortoise Trail together as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum moved back from Bird Valley. Not sure where Abrazzo is, he may be behind the scenes or he may have moved to another zoo.
-In the Rare Animal Conservation Center, the ecelctus parrots are no longer there. Pepe, the male passed away just a few days ago and Ruby, the female moved down to McNeil Avian Center so she can be around other birds and she dosen’t feel lonely.
- Some changes on the pied tamarins. There is only one pied tamarin in the exhibit near the entrance of RACC with the sloth. Summer, the female, passed away a few weeks ago due to a short-term illness right before she died. She had some other health issues but they were being treated. The zoo is looking to get another one so the remaining male dosen’t feel lonely. A shame. Two pied tamarins which is a critically endangered species have passed away this summer. I also found out how Ricardo passed away. He had liver disease and was on medication for a while but in the long run it didn’t work and he didn’t feel well and ended up passing on his own. He was 19 which is really old for any type of tamarin or marmoset. Chip, another male from RACC is now living with Ricardo’s previous mate off exhibit at primate reserve. Chip’s two brothers, Napoleon and Alcide, remain on exhibit in RACC near the end of the building.
- The baby saanen goats have now moved to the KidZooU barnyard. They are very shy, so if you try to touch them, go slowly down their backs. They tend to hide away from guest contact behind the orange cones or in their stalls sometimes since they are very shy.
- The Royal Palm turkeys are now across from the rats in the kidzoou building, instead of where they used to be located across the ducks when you couldn’t go in and you could only see them from the windows. The chickens are in a roofed cage near the building but you can now walk in their typical area, but you won’t be sharing the same space as them.
-In the reptile house, the Panamint rattlesnake is gone and there is a sign in the exhibit that says ‘’new animal coming soon.’’ All six female giant tortoises are also now out on Tortoise Trail together as Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum moved back from Bird Valley. Not sure where Abrazzo is, he may be behind the scenes or he may have moved to another zoo.
-In the Rare Animal Conservation Center, the ecelctus parrots are no longer there. Pepe, the male passed away just a few days ago and Ruby, the female moved down to McNeil Avian Center so she can be around other birds and she dosen’t feel lonely.
- Some changes on the pied tamarins. There is only one pied tamarin in the exhibit near the entrance of RACC with the sloth. Summer, the female, passed away a few weeks ago due to a short-term illness right before she died. She had some other health issues but they were being treated. The zoo is looking to get another one so the remaining male dosen’t feel lonely. A shame. Two pied tamarins which is a critically endangered species have passed away this summer. I also found out how Ricardo passed away. He had liver disease and was on medication for a while but in the long run it didn’t work and he didn’t feel well and ended up passing on his own. He was 19 which is really old for any type of tamarin or marmoset. Chip, another male from RACC is now living with Ricardo’s previous mate off exhibit at primate reserve. Chip’s two brothers, Napoleon and Alcide, remain on exhibit in RACC near the end of the building.
- The baby saanen goats have now moved to the KidZooU barnyard. They are very shy, so if you try to touch them, go slowly down their backs. They tend to hide away from guest contact behind the orange cones or in their stalls sometimes since they are very shy.
- The Royal Palm turkeys are now across from the rats in the kidzoou building, instead of where they used to be located across the ducks when you couldn’t go in and you could only see them from the windows. The chickens are in a roofed cage near the building but you can now walk in their typical area, but you won’t be sharing the same space as them.
I went to the zoo today.
-First, in terms of the panamint rattlesnake. She unfortunately was very old and was euthanized recently. The keeper said she died around a month ago but I saw her August 28. So it was definitely less than a month ago. I saw her right at the very end.
- Some updates about small mammal house. The green fence in front of it has been removed and the front door says plans are underway for the building. We are down to 1 Degu, the hedgehog passed away and the tenrec moved to another zoo. No more Pygmy marmosets. Harvest mice have been moved to KidZooU but they are not on exhibit. The building is in the process of being emptied.
- A keeper in KidZooU told me that the domestic ducks are also a phase-out species. Once the last three die, there are plans to do something else with the exhibit, such as get koi fish instead of ducks. The goat yard was also closed this afternoon because of the storm.
- Penguins are back on exhibit. I didn’t go over there today but I saw them last week. The flying steamer ducks are out of Water is Life and back with the penguins.
-First, in terms of the panamint rattlesnake. She unfortunately was very old and was euthanized recently. The keeper said she died around a month ago but I saw her August 28. So it was definitely less than a month ago. I saw her right at the very end.
- Some updates about small mammal house. The green fence in front of it has been removed and the front door says plans are underway for the building. We are down to 1 Degu, the hedgehog passed away and the tenrec moved to another zoo. No more Pygmy marmosets. Harvest mice have been moved to KidZooU but they are not on exhibit. The building is in the process of being emptied.
- A keeper in KidZooU told me that the domestic ducks are also a phase-out species. Once the last three die, there are plans to do something else with the exhibit, such as get koi fish instead of ducks. The goat yard was also closed this afternoon because of the storm.
- Penguins are back on exhibit. I didn’t go over there today but I saw them last week. The flying steamer ducks are out of Water is Life and back with the penguins.
Is there any word on what the zoo's plans for the small mammal house actually are? I know in the past, some zoochatters were speculating about whether the building would be demolished or reused for another purpose.