Zoo Barcelona Zoològic de Barcelona News

[aim_foliksta]

I haven't seen any topic about the Barcelona Zoo, so I open this one to put the news of my local zoo (births, new species, etc...).

One of the latests news is the birth of an orangutan. This orangutan was born on 21th November but have not been visible to the public since one or two weeks ago.

Some pics of the baby orangutan and the mother:

 

[taun]

I think from the pics this is a Bornean baby orangutan?

 

[aim_foliksta]

You are right, they are Bornean orangutans.

 

[taun]

You are right, they are Bornean orangutans.

Thanks for confirming that.

 

[aim_foliksta]

Some weeks ago, the zoo put two info panels showing a list (and photos) of the births and animal arrivals during 2008. As the info is in catalan, i'll put here the english list (if you want I can upload the pics of both panels):

List of births during 2008

• Axolotl
• Siamese crocodyle
• Humboldt penguin
• Sacred ibis
• Violet turaco
• Ring-tailed lemur
• Red-handed Tamarin
• Prairie dog
• African wild dog
• Blessbok
• Goat
• Western Hermann's Tortoise
• White-collared Mangabey
• Oriental Fire-bellied Toad
• Philippines sailfin lizard
• Dalmatian Pelican
• Eurasian Spoonbill
• European Scops Owl
• Goeldi's Marmoset
• Mandrill
• Mara
• California Sea lion
• Saharawi dorcas gazelle
• Bornean python
• Bornean orangutan
• Alligator Snapping Turtle
• Chinese Water dragon
• Cattle Egret
• Luzon Bleeding-heart
• Pileated Finch
• Spanish Pond Turtle
• African fat-tailed gecko
• Black-crowned Night Heron
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Green Jay
• Asian Forest Tortoise
• Solomon Islands skink
• Hammerkop
• Pheasant Pigeon
• Red-necked wallaby
• Pygmy Marmoset
• Patas monkey
• Capibara
• Baringo giraffe
• Winset
• Lion tamarin
• Drill
• Lyle's Flying Fox
• Pere David Deer
• Barbary sheep
• Emperor tamarin
• Angolan Talapoin
• Blue wildebeest
• Lion
• Mouflon
• White stork
• Collared Mangabey
• Blue-streaked Lory
• Meerkat
• Red kangaroo

List of new arrivals (individuals) during 2008

• Giant leaf frog (new)
• Chinese water dragon
• Humboldt penguin
• Red Junglefowl
• White Woodpecker (new)
• Sri-Lanka leopard
• Red panda
• Saharawi dorcas gazelle
• Blue Poison Dart Frog (new)
• Cranwell's horned frog (new)
• Red-tailed Green Ratsnake
• Saddle-billed Stork (new)
• Green Turaco (new)
• Common Waxbill (new)
• Sumatran tiger
• Oriental Fire-bellied Toad (new)
• Giant Ditch Frog (new)
• Giant Hispaniolan Galliwasp (new)
• Glossy Ibis
• Toco toucan (new)
• Capibara
• European river otter

The animals tagged as "new" are from species that were not at the zoo before. The other arrivals are from species that the zoo already has some individuals.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

aim-foliksta,

Be nice if you could put up the notice-boards on the photo library.

Anyhow, more information on the Barcelona Zoo is much appreciated. It surely is entering a major redevelopment phase that makes it even more worthwhile.

Tell us something about the rarities in Barcelona Zoo! How is it dealing with Spanish endemics (why do few zoos even exhibit Spanish red deer, Spanish ibex, local midwife toads, Gallotia lizards (!!!), Iberian lynx ...?

What is happening birthwise or even conservation-wise - the zoo participates in the Sahrawi dorcas reintroduction .. I believe -? The gorilla breeding after Snowflake .... The elephant debate .... Will it initiate breeding of rhinos (whites, blacks, Indians) at some stage ... now down to 2.0 surplus if elsewhere unrepresented bulls ....

So many questions, so little on the zoo website ... nice to have a local to tell us all!!! By the way .. I plan to be in Barcelona next year .... how about it???

Cheers,

Kifaru Bwana

 

[Trebaruna]

could you perhaps tell more about the masterplan they have? what i find about it is in spanish. and my spanish sucks so i'm not understanding a lot of what is said

 

[aim_foliksta]

There are the info-boards:

Births:


Arrivals:



Rarities of the zoo? The terrarium of the zoo is one of my favorite parts. There are a lot of reptiles (some of them critically endangered) and there are always a lot of births (there's a nursery where you can see the newborns... I think I uploaded some pics). But the best of the terrarium is its crocodilian collection. In the last 10 years I have counted that they had a total of 14 crocodilian species, but currently there are "only" 11.
Another rare species that you can see at the zoo are: golden headed quetzal, Long-wattled umbrellabird, black-faced impala, ... (I don't remember any more )

But the list of the species (and breeding/conservation programs) will be very different in some years because the remodelation of the zoo. We don't know the animals that will remain or the new species that could arrive... we only know that there will be animals from the asian steppe, african savannah (mainly the Sahel region), rainforest and endemic animals (but these don't appear in the map that was presented). In fact, the only confirmed animal is the Komodo dragon (the construction of its new exhibit should start to be build the first semester of the current year)

The zoo released a new webpage with information of the project of new zoo (Marine and Ciutadella zoo): Zoo de Barcelona: Un Zoo que val per Dos (web only available in Catalan, but you can try to translate it with the Google translator or ask to me what you want to know).
Inside this webpage you can find this PDF with the biomes represented in both zoos and at the page 4 you can see some silhouettes of animals, but we don't know if these animals will be at the new zoo, but there's very possible: http://www.zoobarcelona.com/ZOO_Barcelona/zoodos/im/mapes/biomes.pdf

We don't know so much about the new zoo.... only the information that appears in the web I posted before and all is very schematic. I hope that in the next months the Zoo tell to us more info about the project (maybe some plans of the new exhibits or the animal list).

If you plan to visit the zoo and you need info ask it to me For now I can only say that don't try to go on weekend because there are a lot of families there (seems that a half of Barcelona is inside the zoo ) and it's impossibly to walk inside the terrarium after 11:00.

 

[Jakub]

On the list of births is bontebok mentioned, there are no any bonteboks left in Europe, I am sure, that it is going about blessbok.

 

[aim_foliksta]

Sorry for the mistake, I'm not familiarized with some english names....
I've just edited the original post to correct the mistake.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Thanx aim_foliksta,

If one looks at the biomes and the animal labels towards the end, one can make out these species:

North America
Californian sea lion
Manatee (Florida)

South America
Galapagos Tortoise
Rock lizards (probably Rhino Iguana)
Jaguar (guess)
Lowland tapir
S.American primates (hard guessing which species)
Humboldt penguins

Africa
Scimitar-horned oryx
Second antelopid (the label is for a buscelaphine, but THAT has got me pissing my pants ... excusez le mots ... it probably defines gazellines)
Pygmy hippo
Lowland gorilla (of course)
African Elephant
Nile crocodile (situated in the Nile Delta???)

Madagascar
Lemurids (obviously)

Europe
Iberian wolf
Others (?????)
maybe ICONA might give some good advice here to Barcelona zoo mgnt

Asia
wild ass (damned if I know whether they want onagrids or kiangs, I suppose given the steppe designation either kulan)
Siberian tiger (rather inappropriate for the climate, I pray for Sumatrans instead) ... or is this clouded leopard?????
Asiatic lion
Orang Utan
Varanid (Komodo dragon .... your call)

It will be fascinating to know what kind of exhibits the new zoo is looking into. I just hope the Reptilarium will feature prominently, if only with less species and more focus on breeding groups of endangered taxa (will come to that in a later posting on reptiles).

Cheers,

Jelle

 

[aim_foliksta]

More news about the new zoo.

In an unofficial web made by zoo staff members (for the campaing against the reduction of the zoo to build a parking for the Parliment) I have read that the construction of the new Komodo dragon exhibits should start the next month (april). This new enclosure will possibly be named as "Terra dels Dragons" in catalan, or what is the same in english, "Land of the Dragons".

This exhibit should be fully completed at the end of this year.

 

[aim_foliksta]

The Zoo has updated their map (only the printed version that is given to the visitor) and there you can see the incoming new animals and exhibits.

Let's begin with the new exhibit. As I said before, the first new exhibit to be build is going to be the Komodo dragons exhibit. Acording to this new map it is located at the current dromedary camels / bactrian camels enclosures (that is not was suggested in the "masterplan" project map, where this new exhibit were located at the current chimpanzee/gorilla zone). So, the area of the Komodo dragons exhibit will be aproximately about 900 square meters.
The dromedary camels and bactrian camels will be moved to the old american bison and waterbuck exhibits respectively.

Near the current kangaroo enclosure will be constructed a "Punt Verd" (Green Point), or what is the same, a recycling point. The kangaroos will be moved behind the "Espai Goril·les" (a gorilla exposition, near the Bird House). I don't know if this new kangaroo exhibit will be a part of the new zoo or will be only a temporary enclosure during the construction of the recycling point....

And now, it's the time for the new animals that will be in the new zoo. At this new map we can see two new animals: African Forest Buffalo and Indian Muntjac. The zoo has registered both species at ISIS, with one individual of each one.
The african forest bufalo will be located at the old greater kudú enclosure, and the muntjac at the old tamandua exhibit. I'm sure that this is only temporary and the next new exhibits to be constructed will be for these two species.... the zoo said that all the exhibits will be new.

The old map can be found here: http://www.zoochat.com/467/zoo-barcelona-map-68180/ It can be helpful to find the locations that I mentioned before.

 

[aim_foliksta]

The zoo has not comunicated it, but a brazilian tapir has born.

I don't have photos because the day I saw the baby tapir I didn't have the camera with me but I recorded two small videos:

And now some good news about the terrarium. The old part is now empty, so it suggests that this part will be remodelled:

http://www.zoochat.com/467/old-cuban-crocodile-enclosure-terrarium-70289/

http://www.zoochat.com/467/old-tortoises-enclosure-terrarium-70290/

So, now the Cuban crocodile, Morelet crocodile and saltwater crocodile are not visible. The spectacled caimans are now outside the main building with the yacaré caimans.

The temporary (or not) kangaroo enclosure is now under construction:

http://www.zoochat.com/467/provisional-kangaroo-enclosure-70295/

 

[Zebraduiker]

@Jakub. There is one bontebok left in europe, a really old female, born at Rotterdam Zoo, later send to Lisbon zoo and then send to Desert Oasys Zoo Tabernas in Spain, where it is still alive.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

And now some good news about the terrarium. The old part is now empty, so it suggests that this part will be remodelled:

So, now the Cuban crocodile, Morelet crocodile and saltwater crocodile are not visible. The spectacled caimans are now outside the main building with the yacaré caimans.

Do you know what the plans are in terms of crocodile husbandry and management at Barca Zoo. Is it finally in the works that some breeding groups of the more endangered Cuban and Morelet's crocodiles are assembled and that single specimens are sent elsewhere (as well as those rather obsolete Nile and salties)?

 

[aim_foliksta]

I don't know the plans of the zoo about the future of the crocodiles. The african dwarf crocodiles breed usually (the zoo exported exemplars to other zoos, like Valencia Bioparc) and the Siamase crocodiles also breed "recently" (last July).

The following crocodilian species have members of both genders, so, i think that the plan is to breed them:Cuvier's dwarf caiman, Broad-nosed caiman, Caiman yacaré, Spectacled caiman, Siamese crocodile, African dwarf crocodile, Chinese alligator.

Morelet's, Cuban and salties cannot breed because the two individuals of each species are from the same gender... Well, the zoo has two individuals of each registered at ISIS, but I always have seen only one individual in the Terrarium. Maybe the hidden ones are in the upper floor (not accessible to the public). The only crocodile which is alone is the Sri-Lanka mugger crocodile.

 

[aim_foliksta]

The two new animal species that appear at the new zoomap are now at the zoo. The indian muntjack is now in its exhibit, but all the enclosure is covered with a web to facilitate the animal adaptation to its new habitat. I think that in one week this web will be removed and the muntjac will be fully visible (well, the web is not opaque, so you can see the muntjac through it).

The forest bufalo (a female) is now on display. I've just uploaded a photo:

http://www.zoochat.com/467/african-forest-buffalo-71226/


The dromedary camels have been moved to the old american bison enclosure. Now there are only the bactrian camels in the future Komodo dragon exhibit.

 

[aim_foliksta]

As I commented before, the zoo recieved two new species. Somebody knows the home zoos of the individuals that Barcelona Zoo recieved?

The animals are two females of African forest buffalo and a female of Indian muntjack

 

[Newzooboy]

Barcelona Zoo

Took the opportunity presented by a work trip to Barcelona this week to visit the zoo.

Overall, was imppressed even though species-wise there wasn't too much to shout about (for the frequent zoo visitor) with the exception of reptiles and amphibians of which there were many interesting and rarely kept species, plus the stunning saddle-billed stork (the first time I have seen one of these in the fleash so to speak).

I thought the elephant, giraffe, rhino & hippo area was much too small (quite possibly the smallest elephant paddock I have seen in recent times) and couldn't really see the indoor areas which must also be very small. There is also some Blesbok squeezed into this area in tiny concrete stalls. Presumably they are sometimes mixed with the giraffe into another tiny paddock. Surely, this area must be the priority for next major development?



The dolphins could be seen in an open air pool with underwater viewing, but there is also an indoor facility (which was closed). Are the dolphins moved here in the winter? And how is this done as I could see now connection between the buidlings and they were quite along way apart? Also, is the old buidling near the entrance (with basketball nets at either end) an old dolphin facility?

Most of the crocodile species in the Terrarium were labelled (Cuvier's Caiman, Broad-nosed Caiman, Chinese Alligator, West African Dwarf Crocodile, Swamp (Mugger) Crocodile and Siamese Crocodile but some were not. Can anyone help with the species in the photos attached?

I took pictures of pretty much the whole place so if anyone is interested in specific animals/ enclosures, just let me know through this thread or PM.