Riverbanks Zoo and Garden Riverbanks Zoo News

They changed a lot less than I was expecting. Improved the desert area a fair bit, but I thought it was going to replace the tropical gallery altogether. Kind of underwhelming for all the time / hype it’s gotten tbh.
 
Smaggledagle said:
On January 26th, the zoo announced that the Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium and Reptile Conservation Center will open to the public on March 2nd, 2023.

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Here is another relevant article.

Riverbanks Zoo’s newest exhibit set to open with scales, tails — and a coral reef. Here’s when

Read more at:

A major attraction at Columbia’s Riverbanks Zoo and Garden is getting ready to open its doors. The Darnall and Susan F. Boyd Aquarium and Reptile Conservation Center at Riverbanks will open March 2. Made possible by support from The Boyd Foundation, the multimillion-dollar project will “transform the heart of the Zoo into a state-of-the-art animal care facility — providing guests with an engaging experience that places Riverbanks’ critical role in wildlife conservation at the front and center,” according to a Thursday news release. Susan F. Boyd, of The Boyd Foundation, said the conservation center will be a multi-faceted facility.

Read more at: https://www.thestate.com/news/local/article271678522.html#storylink=cpy
 
Just left the zoo. A few things worth noting:
  • The ARC managed to simultaneously be great and underwhelming. Unfortunately I have a massive phobia of snakes so navigating reptile houses are like walking across broken glass for me - and there were a lot of them and they were very active. There were also quite a few species (all of the new aquatics, as far as I could tell) that were off exhibit due to “unexpected delays”. Several exhibits near the beginning, mostly containing lizards and geckos, were also unsigned. I wasn’t expecting them to not have all of their former species return, though - off the top of my head, the Cuvier's dwarf caiman, tomistoma, and arapaima were all nowhere to be seen. Those points aside, personal highlights includes the radiated tortoise yard out front with at least 16 individuals, the mixed Australian lizard enclosure, and the aviary in the desert room.
  • I don’t recall if I ever saw it mentioned, but there are also two new (still unoccupied) outdoor aviaries on the back of the ARC.
  • The Diana monkeys seem to be gone. Their signage was removed, as well as all of their climbing frames.
  • I was a bit concerned after a recent species list that something might have happened to the zoo’s black-footed cat. I was able to catch a very brief glimpse of one today, but the exhibit’s glass was mostly blacked out and there was a sign saying that a new individual was being acclimated to the environment. No idea if this is a second one or if this is replacing the former one.
  • The baby koala and meerkat are adorable. Super glad I got to see the koala in particular.
 
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A few small notes following today’s visit:
  • The last Diana monkey died about three weeks ago. The worker I spoke with said that at his time of death he was the oldest known living Diana monkey at 27.
  • One of the new aviaries behind the ARC now houses the Eurasian eagle owls, consequently their old aviary next to the siamangs is now empty. The other is still unoccupied, but has signage for vulturine guineafowl and space for additional signs beyond that.
  • Still no sign of the new aquarium species. The unsigned ARC lizards are now signed, somewhat - turns out they were all leaf-tailed geckos, but far be it from me to actually identify which species. The binturong still has an “off exhibit” sign (as it did two weeks ago, but I failed to mention).
 
New Komodo dragon habitat to open spring 2024:

The zoo currently has 1.1 Komodo dragons, with plans to acquire another male. The new exhibit will allow room for additional hatchlings.

South Carolina: World's Largest Lizards to Land New Habitat

The zoo announced Monday that a new, larger habitat for the zoo's komodo dragons is on the horizon and expected to open in the spring 2024.

Zoo officials say the new facility will enhance the zoo’s ability to breed, house and care for Komodo dragons as recommended by the Species Survival Plan.
 
Odd. I thought the current habitat was pretty big. Wonder where they put it? I guess they could switch the alligator and dragon habitats or expand the current space into the siamang / aviary area.
 
I agree that the current space seems at least adequate. I get wanting additional space to breed, but honestly Komodo dragons aren’t exactly a species that excites me. I’ll just keep on hoping that an overhaul of the Conservation Outpost will be the next next thing that the zoo finds the time and money for.
 
Few minor things following today’s visit:
  • White-winged doves have been added to the aviary within the ARC.
  • The lined seahorse and the handful of other fish and sea stars that accompany it are now present in the ARC. All of the other species that have been “on delay” since its opening (including the octopus, cuttlefish, and wolf eels) are still nowhere to be seen.
  • The new aviary behind the ARC which had been vacant but signed for vulturine guineafowl is now filled, although not with vulturine guineafowl. Bruce's green pigeon, superb starling, red-crested turaco, hammerkop, red-billed hornbill, and violet-backed starling are all present.
  • Toco toucans weren’t on display or signed. Not sure if they’re gone or simply not on exhibit today for whatever reason.
  • Brazilian porcupines are back on exhibit, after what I believe was a years-long absence. The binturong enclosure has been given a face lift and currently holds the two-toed sloths and a pair of white-faced saki. The new black-footed cat has acclimated to its environment very well and was sleeping right in front of the glass.
 
biggest_dreamer said:
Few minor things following today’s visit:
  • White-winged doves have been added to the aviary within the ARC.
  • The lined seahorse and the handful of other fish and sea stars that accompany it are now present in the ARC. All of the other species that have been “on delay” since its opening (including the octopus, cuttlefish, and wolf eels) are still nowhere to be seen.
  • The new aviary behind the ARC which had been vacant but signed for vulturine guineafowl is now filled, although not with vulturine guineafowl. Bruce's green pigeon, superb starling, red-crested turaco, hammerkop, red-billed hornbill, and violet-backed starling are all present.
  • Toco toucans weren’t on display or signed. Not sure if they’re gone or simply not on exhibit today for whatever reason.
  • Brazilian porcupines are back on exhibit, after what I believe was a years-long absence. The binturong enclosure has been given a face lift and currently holds the two-toed sloths and a pair of white-faced saki. The new black-footed cat has acclimated to its environment very well and was sleeping right in front of the glass.
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I did not see Toco Toucans anywhere in the zoo (not even signage) during my May visit. I am not sure when they were ever on exhibit (being that said visit was my first), but if they were still not present as of yesterday, I think it's safe to say they are not coming back on exhibit any time soon.

Also, for that aviary south of the ARC, it did not have Hamerkops or either of the Starling species on my visit. One of the aviaries was occupied by Eurasian Eagle-owl. Was the Eagle-owl moved out and replaced with the aforementioned species? Hard to imagine fitting 6 species of birds in just one of those aviaries.

The doves and porcupines were present during my visit. Also, it's nice to see the delayed species in the ARC starting to appear on the scene, though as you said, they are still missing some of the more notable species.
 
Astrotom3000 said:
I did not see Toco Toucans anywhere in the zoo (not even signage) during my May visit. I am not sure when they were ever on exhibit (being that said visit was my first), but if they were still not present as of yesterday, I think it's safe to say they are not coming back on exhibit any time soon.

Also, for that aviary south of the ARC, it did not have Hamerkops or either of the Starling species on my visit. One of the aviaries was occupied by Eurasian Eagle-owl. Was the Eagle-owl moved out and replaced with the aforementioned species? Hard to imagine fitting 6 species of birds in just one of those aviaries.

The doves and porcupines were present during my visit. Also, it's nice to see the delayed species in the ARC starting to appear on the scene, though as you said, they are still missing some of the more notable species.
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Eurasian eagle owls are still in their aviary, and all 6 of the birds I listed were in the same enclosure. It honestly didn’t seem that overcrowded though - I think there may have just been an individual of each species, maybe.

The toucans had been there for quite a while, I believe many years, in the same aviary as the curassows. So yeah, doesn’t sound too promising for them.
 
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