Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2023

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One part of me is wondering if this small mammal/aquatic building combination will be similar in execution and scope to Lincoln Park’s Small Mammal & Reptile building. Also, thrilled that orangutans and other primates will get an improved space. With the hoofstock, I’d be curious as to how that is pulled off especially with the current layout of their areas, and the surrounding forest that may limit their potential. I know it’s been discussed before, but I’m still holding hope for expanded cat habitats into these hoofstock enclosures as well. The Winter Quarters could be used as additional staff areas for additional access to the exhibits, or maintenance areas for any fencing and water moats that may be added.
 
No specifics, unfortunately, just that "he'd love to see in the next eight to 10 years a redevelopment of the exhibit for hoofstock animals, such as antelope or caribou" which is not even the same part of the zoo, before mentioning "outdoor habitats for orangutans and other primates". They both come off as more off-the-cuff statements.

The small mammal plans feel a bit more concrete as he mentions a lack of holding space, which makes sense as that is part of why the tayra were moved if I recall, that "some of the infrastructure of the building is wearing to a point where doors cannot be shut" and then discusses that the bats don't have "enough space to perform natural behaviors of flying" which suggests bats are very much here to stay, at least. The mention of the aquatic animals is in passing and not a direct quote.

Again, sorry to repeat myself, but I think this incredibly exciting. With elephants, rhinos, hippos or say, polar bears, the zoo has been following trends established by other, wealthier institutions in other parts of the country, and I feel it has suffered these comparisons immensely, but a new small mammal building is something nobody else is doing, an area very few zoos have invested in recently and I think there is a chance to craft something really, really special there, something unique.
I’m excited to see what they release later this year about their updated version of the master plan and vision for the zoo.

The director seems to have a much better understanding of what the zoo is and what it could be and that excites me. Which also makes me curious on the jungle building that they look to start planning in 5 years time, where and to what purpose this new expansion will fill.
 
Had a lovely visit today with friends, and I want to highly recommend the Wild Connections programs. Had a wonderful experience with one today and my friends who were not as interested in zoos were very engaged with it as well.

Speaking of, the zoo has added some new Wild Connections programs for the winter, including a red panda encounter and an encounter with the zoo's remaining moose, Robin.

Small News:
- Happy the hippopotamus has been using the new habitat consistently since it opened, but Patti has only started using it recently (sounded like around the last month) and they will now rotate. They are kept separate due to concerns related to their more advanced age.
- A keeper confirmed to me that the zoo no longer keeps tayra. He was aware of their former bts situation but indicated they were no longer present. I think most of us had figured this but it wasn't officially reported to my knowledge.
- Green aracari remain in the aviary and were sighted today. I recall someone expressing concern for this species after the pale-mandibled aracari left the collection, but the green aracari is present and accounted for!
- The Golden lion tamarin/Cotton top tamarin mix has been discontinued in Small Mammal House, and the former were not signed at all in that building, though they remain at Primates of the World.

I still have not seen the oystercatcher or agouti yet, though I did catch the fly river turtle today a week after seeing one in Saint Louis! One of my new favorite animals. :)
 
Had a lovely visit today with friends, and I want to highly recommend the Wild Connections programs. Had a wonderful experience with one today and my friends who were not as interested in zoos were very engaged with it as well.

Speaking of, the zoo has added some new Wild Connections programs for the winter, including a red panda encounter and an encounter with the zoo's remaining moose, Robin.

Small News:
- Happy the hippopotamus has been using the new habitat consistently since it opened, but Patti has only started using it recently (sounded like around the last month) and they will now rotate. They are kept separate due to concerns related to their more advanced age.
- A keeper confirmed to me that the zoo no longer keeps tayra. He was aware of their former bts situation but indicated they were no longer present. I think most of us had figured this but it wasn't officially reported to my knowledge.
- Green aracari remain in the aviary and were sighted today. I recall someone expressing concern for this species after the pale-mandibled aracari left the collection, but the green aracari is present and accounted for!
- The Golden lion tamarin/Cotton top tamarin mix has been discontinued in Small Mammal House, and the former were not signed at all in that building, though they remain at Primates of the World.

I still have not seen the oystercatcher or agouti yet, though I did catch the fly river turtle today a week after seeing one in Saint Louis! One of my new favorite animals. :)
The Green Aracari is new. It was definitely not there before. A nice new species, if nowhere near as exciting as Pale-mandibled.
 
The Green Aracari is new. It was definitely not there before. A nice new species, if nowhere near as exciting as Pale-mandibled.

I second this statement. The loss of the Pale-mandibled is a true shame, but at least there is a similar-ish species present.

I'll be visiting the zoo next weekend, so I can send updates on anything interesting that I observe.
 
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Speaking of, the zoo has added some new Wild Connections programs for the winter, including a red panda encounter and an encounter with the zoo's remaining moose, Robin.

Those are some great new tours, several of these are things offered nowhere else! The pricing sucks though, because it's all by group. As a solo traveler who occasionally has a max of one other person with them, paying for what could be 6 people sucks.

Here's the tours:
  • African Elephants: $225/6 fri/sun. Put their food in their exhibit before they’re let out in the morning.
  • Aquatic & Reptile Center: $150/6. Mon/thurs/sat through Oct 31st, fri/sun for Nov and Dec, then thurs-mon in Jan-April. Feed the Amazon River habitat, including Onassis the Amazon river turtle.
  • Aviary: $50/6 thurs-mon. In October it’s $50 thurs, $65 fri/sun. 20 minutes, focus on Inca terns.
  • Chevrotains: $50/2. Mon and sat for Oct, then only Saturdays. Feed.
  • Giraffes: $125/6 mon, fri, sun. $150 on fri/sun for October. Feed.
  • Hippos: $150/4 thurs, $175/4 sat. Learn about Happy “from a special vantage point”, then toss treats to Patti.
  • Moose: $125/6, mon, thurs, sat. Feed, learn about how animals adapt to winter.
  • Opossum: $75/6. For Oct it’s on Fridays, then $100 on Sundays. Starting Nov it’s $75 on Sundays, no Fridays. Learn all about caring for her, geared towards people wanting to become a keeper/vet/zoologist.
  • Penguins: $125/6 mon/thurs, $150/6 sat for entire season. Learn about rockhopper and gentoos in the aviary, then feed Humboldts in their exhibit (throw fish).
  • Predators of Africa: $225/6, fri/sun. Learn about cheetahs, hyenas, lions, and serval. Participate in training session with hyenas or lions.
  • Red Panda: $300/4, mon, thurs, and sat. Feed but no direct contact, must wear masks.
  • Red River Hogs: $125/4, fri/sun. 30 minutes. Tour the basement and food prep area, then meet them.
  • Reindeer: $125/6, thurs/sat. Feed. Description is very Christmas themed.
 
Those are some great new tours, several of these are things offered nowhere else! The pricing sucks though, because it's all by group. As a solo traveler who occasionally has a max of one other person with them, paying for what could be 6 people sucks.

Here's the tours:
  • African Elephants: $225/6 fri/sun. Put their food in their exhibit before they’re let out in the morning.
  • Aquatic & Reptile Center: $150/6. Mon/thurs/sat through Oct 31st, fri/sun for Nov and Dec, then thurs-mon in Jan-April. Feed the Amazon River habitat, including Onassis the Amazon river turtle.
  • Aviary: $50/6 thurs-mon. In October it’s $50 thurs, $65 fri/sun. 20 minutes, focus on Inca terns.
  • Chevrotains: $50/2. Mon and sat for Oct, then only Saturdays. Feed.
  • Giraffes: $125/6 mon, fri, sun. $150 on fri/sun for October. Feed.
  • Hippos: $150/4 thurs, $175/4 sat. Learn about Happy “from a special vantage point”, then toss treats to Patti.
  • Moose: $125/6, mon, thurs, sat. Feed, learn about how animals adapt to winter.
  • Opossum: $75/6. For Oct it’s on Fridays, then $100 on Sundays. Starting Nov it’s $75 on Sundays, no Fridays. Learn all about caring for her, geared towards people wanting to become a keeper/vet/zoologist.
  • Penguins: $125/6 mon/thurs, $150/6 sat for entire season. Learn about rockhopper and gentoos in the aviary, then feed Humboldts in their exhibit (throw fish).
  • Predators of Africa: $225/6, fri/sun. Learn about cheetahs, hyenas, lions, and serval. Participate in training session with hyenas or lions.
  • Red Panda: $300/4, mon, thurs, and sat. Feed but no direct contact, must wear masks.
  • Red River Hogs: $125/4, fri/sun. 30 minutes. Tour the basement and food prep area, then meet them.
  • Reindeer: $125/6, thurs/sat. Feed. Description is very Christmas themed.
This reminds me of how overly expensive the San Diego Zoo is for everything.....
 
This reminds me of how overly expensive the San Diego Zoo is for everything.....

If you can get people to pay, might as well, though it sucks for a lot of us. Tour pricing varies wildly from zoo to zoo, and there doesn't seem to be anything regional or status-based about pricing. Some places charge $100+ to do stuff that's free or a couple of bucks at others, like feed giraffes or brush goats. Red panda things vary from $50ish to $500+ per person. There's some cheetah tours I'd love to do but I'm not paying hundreds.
 
The Chevrotain feeding has been scheduled.

I'd be interested in seeing how many of these tours/experiences get filled. I wouldn't be surprised if many people didn't know about them.

Some of the other tours that Milwaukee offers seem quite interesting.
 
The Chevrotain feeding has been scheduled.

I'd be interested in seeing how many of these tours/experiences get filled. I wouldn't be surprised if many people didn't know about them.

Some of the other tours that Milwaukee offers seem quite interesting.

That tour and the moose one, in particular, have definitely moved Milwaukee way up my list of places to visit.
 
Some hasty and not professional photos of the new Aracari and signage. It is in the first exhibit in the aviary on your left after exiting the free-flight area.

20230930_115407.jpg 20230930_115404.jpg

The Green Aracari is new. It was definitely not there before. A nice new species, if nowhere near as exciting as Pale-mandibled.
Glad to hear. My first thought at the time was that it was a new species there, and I told my friends this excitedly while they moved along and wondered what I was so focused on, and later on after coming home started wondering if I was misremembering that they'd already had one and that I'd overlooked it because I'd been looking for the pale-mandibled.

I second this statement. The loss of the Pale-mandibled is a true shame, but at least there is a similar-ish species present.
Yes, exactly my thought, too!

The Chevrotain feeding has been scheduled.

I'd be interested in seeing how many of these tours/experiences get filled. I wouldn't be surprised if many people didn't know about them.

Some of the other tours that Milwaukee offers seem quite interesting.
Let us know how the feeding is! I had a very positive experience on my tour and wish the same for yours!

I've heard the keepers are expecting the red panda tour to fill up quickly once advertising begins, and I assume the high price for that particular encounter is based on an expected high demand.
 

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10/7/2023 Visit
I didn't realize that it was a free day at the zoo, so it was filled to the brim with visitors, especially guests who did not want to follow the rules. Many of the kids were going underneath railings, and tons of the enclosures had wrappers and coffee cups in them. It's a shame how little respect people have for things. (Not to mention the constant screaming in every building.

Adventure Africa
  • To my surprise, all of the animals were on display. (This goes for the entire zoo. It was ~50 degrees, and almost all of the animals with outdoor access were out there. All but the primates.)
  • The Scimitar Horned Oryx were outdoors. I believe this was my first time seeing them outside of the holding area. I'm assuming they will be phased out of the zoo once construction begins?
  • It may be safe to assume zebras are no longer kept. They're no longer listed on the zoo's website as well. (@Milwaukee Man almost noted this during their visit.)
  • Still no signs of development for the former Dall Sheep exhibit.
  • As previously mentioned, the hippos were both in different areas. One was in the "Hippo Spa" and the other was in the outdoor exhibit enjoying the waterfall.
  • Yaks are still on exhibit. What there a set time for when construction on the new exhibit area will begin?
Does anyone know if the current Red River Hog exhibit is going to remain, or do they plan on turning the empty exhibit next to it into a new exhibit for them as part of the renovation?

North America
  • No Prairie Dogs on exhibit. Their enclosure will filled with garbage.
  • No Badger on exhibit. (Surprise, surprise!)
  • The Elk were out and about. They never fail to impress me with their beauty. I wonder if they plan on reintroducing a male eventually, or if they plan on letting them pass away for when they eventually renovate that portion of the zoo.
Big Cats / Prey Exhibits
  • The indoor Jaguar exhibit was pitch black, but he was outdoors enjoying the weather.
  • Three Waterbuck were on exhibit with two female Kudu, a male, and a calf. There was another female watching them through the shift door.
  • The exhibit across from the Cheetahs contained two Pelicans, two Ground Hornbills, a pair of Thompson's Gazelles, a pair of Black-Crowned Cranes, and one Cinereous Vulture. (I believe this roster has been consistent for a while, but I figured I'd mention it anyway.)

Aviary

  • White-eared bulbul are no longer on exhibit with the Guam kingfisher. (I don't know if this was mentioned previously or not.)
  • Only Waldrapp ibis, Inca tern, Boat-billed heron, Abdim's stork, Hamerkop, and some waterfowl were spotted in the free-flight exhibit.
  • Plush-crested jays are now on exhibit with the American oystercatcher.
  • A single Green aracari and Curassow are living together.
  • We did have the Chevrotain feeding experience. It was quite informative. Apparently, the illness that killed their third individual a few years back is still affecting the individuals today. Ruby (the female with the pink spots on her nose) was not affected much by the illness to begin with, but the other female, Opal, still has to take medication for it, making her more wary of people.
  • The two exhibits across from the Weavers were filled with birds. Both now exhibit Victoria crowned-pigeon, with the smaller now housing the Bulbul, which is assumably from the Guam kingfisher exhibit.
  • Only one Speckled mousebird and a pair of Cape thick-knees were observed in the larger of the two side-by-side African aviaries. Only a single Egyptian plover was on exhibit with the pair of hornbills.
  • It looks like a few more birds were added to the "Guam" exhibit (the one that normally houses the waterhen and those birds), making it look a little cramped.
Primates
  • The Bonobos were perfect, as always. However, I don't know if one of the females has put on weight recently, or if she is pregnant, as she looked quite large. Due to all of the guests, I was unable to attempt to get close enough to tell which individual it was. I wouldn't be upset if Milwaukee announced that they had a new bonobo on the way, though!
  • Maji Maji was out on exhibit. I wonder if they will try to introduce one of their current males to the two females, or if they will bring in another male to pair with them.
  • The DeBrazza baby is ADORABLE!
  • Only a pair of Golden Lion Tamarins were on exhibit in the large exhibit. No Goeldi's Monkeys or Curassow.
  • The Spider Monkeys were quite active. I don't know if they still have four, or if they only have a pair left.
  • The Siamang (Zachary Ann?) is a treasure. I've got such a soft spot for her. I know the zoo was previously planning on acquiring a male to pair with her, but I wonder if they will just wait and bring in a whole new pair eventually.
Herp/Fish Building
Due to time constraints, we were not able to visit this building.

Small Mammals Building
  • The former Golden Lion Tamarin exhibits are still empty.
  • The Ring-Tailed Lemurs have access to four of the indoor exhibits.
  • Goeldi's Monkeys have access to three of the indoor exhibits.
  • The Prevost's Squirrel has access to two indoor exhibits.
  • One of the exhibits in the Nocturnal side seems to be empty. The one next to the recovery exhibit for the fruit bats.
There wasn't much to report. However, I'll remember to double-check to see if it is a free day before my next visit!


 
10/7/2023 Visit
I didn't realize that it was a free day at the zoo, so it was filled to the brim with visitors, especially guests who did not want to follow the rules. Many of the kids were going underneath railings, and tons of the enclosures had wrappers and coffee cups in them. It's a shame how little respect people have for things. (Not to mention the constant screaming in every building.
Terrible to hear about the disrespect during the free day. I don't want to sound like I'm discouraging free days but I imagine it certainly brings in the chunk of visitors that would have no interest in a zoo except as a way to kill time.

Yaks are still on exhibit. What there a set time for when construction on the new exhibit area will begin?
Does anyone know if the current Red River Hog exhibit is going to remain, or do they plan on turning the empty exhibit next to it into a new exhibit for them as part of the renovation?
There is no set date yet last I was at the zoo. It doesn't sound like the keepers know exactly when this is happening (I was told this secondhand, not firsthand though) and there is still some fear that the project may be blocked. I imagine construction is further off than we know.

I've heard conflicting things about the red river hogs but I have reason to believe their accommodations will be modified.

No Prairie Dogs on exhibit. Their enclosure will filled with garbage.
  • No Badger on exhibit. (Surprise, surprise!)
  • The Elk were out and about. They never fail to impress me with their beauty. I wonder if they plan on reintroducing a male eventually, or if they plan on letting them pass away for when they eventually renovate that portion of the zoo.
I've had the pleasure to see and photograph the badger not once but twice this year - hope your luck turns around there, he's a fun animal. I'd personally love to see a male elk return as well.

Has anyone seen the prairie dogs though??
Only Waldrapp ibis, Inca tern, Boat-billed heron, Abdim's stork, Hamerkop, and some waterfowl were spotted in the free-flight exhibit.
Are there any other species that used to be in that exhibit? Species list matches up with my visits.

We did have the Chevrotain feeding experience. It was quite informative. Apparently, the illness that killed their third individual a few years back is still affecting the individuals today. Ruby (the female with the pink spots on her nose) was not affected much by the illness to begin with, but the other female, Opal, still has to take medication for it, making her more wary of people.
Thank you for sharing, poor chevortain! Hope it was a fun experience.

The Bonobos were perfect, as always. However, I don't know if one of the females has put on weight recently, or if she is pregnant, as she looked quite large. Due to all of the guests, I was unable to attempt to get close enough to tell which individual it was. I wouldn't be upset if Milwaukee announced that they had a new bonobo on the way, though!
Last week the bonobos were in visible estrus which made my companions a little uncomfortable. Possibly related?

  • The Spider Monkeys were quite active. I don't know if they still have four, or if they only have a pair left.
  • The Siamang (Zachary Ann?) is a treasure. I've got such a soft spot for her. I know the zoo was previously planning on acquiring a male to pair with her, but I wonder if they will just wait and bring in a whole new pair eventually.
In July, I believe there were two siamang, including an individual I thought was male. I also want to say there are still four spider monkeys although with the distance between the indoor and outdoor habitats I can't exclude that maybe one of the individuals I aw indoors went outdoors. I just checked my photos and none show more than two monkeys at the same time, but I'd swear I saw three at once at one point.
 
10/7/2023 Visit


Adventure Africa
  • Scimitar Horned Oryx were outdoors. I believe this was my first time seeing them outside of the holding area. I'm assuming they will be phased out of the zoo once construction begins?
Does anyone know if the current Red River Hog exhibit is going to remain, or do they plan on turning the empty exhibit next to it into a new exhibit for them as part of the renovation?
As far as I know the Oryx are staying and the red river hogs will get a new/renovated exhibit
 
10/7/2023 Visit
I didn't realize that it was a free day at the zoo, so it was filled to the brim with visitors, especially guests who did not want to follow the rules. Many of the kids were going underneath railings, and tons of the enclosures had wrappers and coffee cups in them. It's a shame how little respect people have for things. (Not to mention the constant screaming in every building.

Adventure Africa
  • To my surprise, all of the animals were on display. (This goes for the entire zoo. It was ~50 degrees, and almost all of the animals with outdoor access were out there. All but the primates.)
  • The Scimitar Horned Oryx were outdoors. I believe this was my first time seeing them outside of the holding area. I'm assuming they will be phased out of the zoo once construction begins?
  • It may be safe to assume zebras are no longer kept. They're no longer listed on the zoo's website as well. (@Milwaukee Man almost noted this during their visit.)
  • Still no signs of development for the former Dall Sheep exhibit.
  • As previously mentioned, the hippos were both in different areas. One was in the "Hippo Spa" and the other was in the outdoor exhibit enjoying the waterfall.
  • Yaks are still on exhibit. What there a set time for when construction on the new exhibit area will begin?
Does anyone know if the current Red River Hog exhibit is going to remain, or do they plan on turning the empty exhibit next to it into a new exhibit for them as part of the renovation?

North America
  • No Prairie Dogs on exhibit. Their enclosure will filled with garbage.
  • No Badger on exhibit. (Surprise, surprise!)
  • The Elk were out and about. They never fail to impress me with their beauty. I wonder if they plan on reintroducing a male eventually, or if they plan on letting them pass away for when they eventually renovate that portion of the zoo.
Big Cats / Prey Exhibits
  • The indoor Jaguar exhibit was pitch black, but he was outdoors enjoying the weather.
  • Three Waterbuck were on exhibit with two female Kudu, a male, and a calf. There was another female watching them through the shift door.
  • The exhibit across from the Cheetahs contained two Pelicans, two Ground Hornbills, a pair of Thompson's Gazelles, a pair of Black-Crowned Cranes, and one Cinereous Vulture. (I believe this roster has been consistent for a while, but I figured I'd mention it anyway.)

Aviary

  • White-eared bulbul are no longer on exhibit with the Guam kingfisher. (I don't know if this was mentioned previously or not.)
  • Only Waldrapp ibis, Inca tern, Boat-billed heron, Abdim's stork, Hamerkop, and some waterfowl were spotted in the free-flight exhibit.
  • Plush-crested jays are now on exhibit with the American oystercatcher.
  • A single Green aracari and Curassow are living together.
  • We did have the Chevrotain feeding experience. It was quite informative. Apparently, the illness that killed their third individual a few years back is still affecting the individuals today. Ruby (the female with the pink spots on her nose) was not affected much by the illness to begin with, but the other female, Opal, still has to take medication for it, making her more wary of people.
  • The two exhibits across from the Weavers were filled with birds. Both now exhibit Victoria crowned-pigeon, with the smaller now housing the Bulbul, which is assumably from the Guam kingfisher exhibit.
  • Only one Speckled mousebird and a pair of Cape thick-knees were observed in the larger of the two side-by-side African aviaries. Only a single Egyptian plover was on exhibit with the pair of hornbills.
  • It looks like a few more birds were added to the "Guam" exhibit (the one that normally houses the waterhen and those birds), making it look a little cramped.
Primates
  • The Bonobos were perfect, as always. However, I don't know if one of the females has put on weight recently, or if she is pregnant, as she looked quite large. Due to all of the guests, I was unable to attempt to get close enough to tell which individual it was. I wouldn't be upset if Milwaukee announced that they had a new bonobo on the way, though!
  • Maji Maji was out on exhibit. I wonder if they will try to introduce one of their current males to the two females, or if they will bring in another male to pair with them.
  • The DeBrazza baby is ADORABLE!
  • Only a pair of Golden Lion Tamarins were on exhibit in the large exhibit. No Goeldi's Monkeys or Curassow.
  • The Spider Monkeys were quite active. I don't know if they still have four, or if they only have a pair left.
  • The Siamang (Zachary Ann?) is a treasure. I've got such a soft spot for her. I know the zoo was previously planning on acquiring a male to pair with her, but I wonder if they will just wait and bring in a whole new pair eventually.
Herp/Fish Building
Due to time constraints, we were not able to visit this building.

Small Mammals Building
  • The former Golden Lion Tamarin exhibits are still empty.
  • The Ring-Tailed Lemurs have access to four of the indoor exhibits.
  • Goeldi's Monkeys have access to three of the indoor exhibits.
  • The Prevost's Squirrel has access to two indoor exhibits.
  • One of the exhibits in the Nocturnal side seems to be empty. The one next to the recovery exhibit for the fruit bats.
There wasn't much to report. However, I'll remember to double-check to see if it is a free day before my next visit!

Do you know for sure the badger and prairie dogs were off-exhibit? Or could they just have been hiding underground?

I know some people like to joke that these species are impossible to see at MCZ, but I actually see them fairly often (though certainly not every visit).
 
I've had the pleasure to see and photograph the badger not once but twice this year - hope your luck turns around there, he's a fun animal.

Henry Vilas is closer to me, so I have the pleasure of seeing their badgers frequently :p

Do you know for sure the badger and prairie dogs were off-exhibit? Or could they just have been hiding underground?

The badger's shift doors were open, so I believe he was there, just behind-the-scenes or possibly burrowed. I'm unsure about the prairie dogs, due to the grass being in the exhibit I could not tell where their holes were. Hopefully they weren't on exhibit, as they may have ingested lots of plastic and other garbage.
 
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