Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2023
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The zoo's press release on the epaulette shark pup that was born without the mother having mated a couple months ago. The pup is now on exhibit in The Living Coast.
Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo Press Room
Chicago Zoological Society - Brookfield Zoo Press Room
Where are the Epauletee sharks kept at the zoo?
The two adult females left the zoo a while ago and their exhibit was replaced with some fish. I do not know where the pup is located.
Nocturnal House
Member
It sounds like she’s in one of the exhibits immediately within the Living Coast like the recently-added dwarf seahorses.
I don’t think so, that would be too small. There used to be a frogfish exhibit near the leopard sharks but it was taken off exhibit, so perhaps she went in there. I won’t be able to check until next week.
Had a brief zoo visit today that, due to family reasons was only about an hour in animal-related areas (was on campus longer but personal matters)
No real news, but here's a trip report.
Big Cat Walkway was a return to form after my last visit was unusually successful - no sign of sloth bears, tigers and snow leopards asleep, and some limited lion activity. I did notice the sign about the leopard rotation. The amur leopard was active towards the end of my visit.
Clouded Leopard Rainforest was fun today. One of the clouded leopards was playing with a pumpkin treat on a rope, taking large bites and swinging it around, a pretty unique experience for this species and only my third or so time seeing them. I'm developing more of a soft spot for these guys. They were also feeding some of the herps but kids were crowding the spaces so did not spend time there. I also saw the fishing cat for the first time in my annual visits going back twenty plus years - as a head sticking out of a log, like in Denver!
Pinniped Point seemed to overflowing with active, playful sea lions, no doubt partly because we are holding some of Denver' s sea lions temporarily. The seals were very overshadowed. One of the sea lions was following a guest's hand through glass in the lower sea lion viewing area.
I passed through Desert's Edge twice, once when we arrived and once before leaving, and I did have the pleasure to see most of the residents between both stops. The new meerkat family is settling in nicely and was active in front of a good sized crowd, and the sand cat was on display and sleeping. The second walk through the Pallas' Cat was visible and moving, and I may have spotted the ocelot in the distance, though it basically looked like a shadow that moved, and the small-spotted genet was surprisingly active here, moving a little too quickly for me to get a great shot. I taught a guest how to pronounce genet.
I briefly approached Australia House before we left as well but did not have time to circumvent or go inside. I did notice the Cape Barren geese were back in their separate habitat and not mixed with the wallaby, though one was close to the fence the gate was closed. I also briefly saw an emu and the camels across the way.
Hoping to return in the near future, especially as being on campus obviously whet my appetite to revisit various exhibits.
No real news, but here's a trip report.
Big Cat Walkway was a return to form after my last visit was unusually successful - no sign of sloth bears, tigers and snow leopards asleep, and some limited lion activity. I did notice the sign about the leopard rotation. The amur leopard was active towards the end of my visit.
Clouded Leopard Rainforest was fun today. One of the clouded leopards was playing with a pumpkin treat on a rope, taking large bites and swinging it around, a pretty unique experience for this species and only my third or so time seeing them. I'm developing more of a soft spot for these guys. They were also feeding some of the herps but kids were crowding the spaces so did not spend time there. I also saw the fishing cat for the first time in my annual visits going back twenty plus years - as a head sticking out of a log, like in Denver!
Pinniped Point seemed to overflowing with active, playful sea lions, no doubt partly because we are holding some of Denver' s sea lions temporarily. The seals were very overshadowed. One of the sea lions was following a guest's hand through glass in the lower sea lion viewing area.
I passed through Desert's Edge twice, once when we arrived and once before leaving, and I did have the pleasure to see most of the residents between both stops. The new meerkat family is settling in nicely and was active in front of a good sized crowd, and the sand cat was on display and sleeping. The second walk through the Pallas' Cat was visible and moving, and I may have spotted the ocelot in the distance, though it basically looked like a shadow that moved, and the small-spotted genet was surprisingly active here, moving a little too quickly for me to get a great shot. I taught a guest how to pronounce genet.
I briefly approached Australia House before we left as well but did not have time to circumvent or go inside. I did notice the Cape Barren geese were back in their separate habitat and not mixed with the wallaby, though one was close to the fence the gate was closed. I also briefly saw an emu and the camels across the way.
Hoping to return in the near future, especially as being on campus obviously whet my appetite to revisit various exhibits.
Alejandro, the lowland tapir born at the zoo last year, has left for the Center for Conservation of Tropical Ungulates in Florida.
Black and rufous elephant shrews have returned to the zoo. The female, Nya, can be seen on exhibit in Habitat Africa! The Forest.
Two of the female nyala have been transferred to another facility.
Black and rufous elephant shrews have returned to the zoo. The female, Nya, can be seen on exhibit in Habitat Africa! The Forest.
Two of the female nyala have been transferred to another facility.
Absolutely terrific news! I adore these little guys and was sorely disappointed when they abruptly left the collection last year. Once again the zoo is one of only four holders of the species in North America.
Nocturnal House
Member
This is fascinating, I’ll be excited to see them soon! Are there any other species Brookfield has on exhibit that are such a rarity? The main one that comes to mind is (obviously) the pangolin, but I’m curious as someone whose lifelong experience has been dominated by this singular Zoo.
Giant salamanders are the first thing that come to mind.
When it comes to other mammals, pangolin, wombat, echidna and small-spotted genet can all be described as rarities (as well as klipspringer from a European perspective). Less familiar with what constitutes as rare with birds and herps, although I believe the zoo is one of no more than two or three holders of Papuan olive python in the US. There are plenty more odd and unusual species on display between the reptile/bird buildings.
Unfortunately off-show for the time-being. They were beginning to outgrow their previous accommodation and there isn't a suitable place to put them at the moment.
Now planned for release in early 2024.
You know the sad thing is almost every species I thought about while reading this post is gone or off-display. Two decades ago Brookfield still had probably more than a dozen notable rarities. I believe the pangolin and the small-spotted genet are the really big ones now, the sengi are notable as was mentioned, and a lot of the Australian collection is rarer as well. I'm sure I've missed a few and there's some animals that feel rarer to me than they are - I know Gray's monitor was a rarity once but I've heard is common now.
I have high hopes for Brookfield's future and I think in the future some recent losses will be mitigated, with the sengi definitely adding to that feeling, but with a lot of construction on the horizon I think we'll be waiting on some.
GibbonGuy95
Well-Known Member
Any updates on Hudson and Hope I know Hudson is getting up in age. I've also been thinking about the future GBW. The polar bear population in captivity seems to be declining. Axhi most likely only has a few years left and if I recall Brown Bears or atleast his species can't be bred.
I don't know what they will do about GBW if the worse case happens, surely it has been in the back of the presidents mind.
I don't know what they will do about GBW if the worse case happens, surely it has been in the back of the presidents mind.
The reason brown bears are not bred is because there are already more brown bears than the AZA has space for, mostly rescue animals, so no need to breed more. Denver couldn't even find temporary housing. I think once Axhi passes the zoo will continue with brown bears or possibly switch to grizzlies. The polar bear program is a dead end but there will always be more brown bears.
Well, the polar bear program is *debatably* a dead end. There are still many possible scenarios in which the program finds enough of a footing to stay steady or increase in the future. Furthermore, while not to the same caliber as in brown bears there will always be a small number of rescue polar bears in need of homes (unless the species goes extinct or something), and while I won't speculate as to which zoos will house these rescues, it's likely there will always be at least 3-4 polar bear holders in US zoos.
It’s interesting to imagine a world where polar bears are as rare in US zoos as pandas have been for a while.
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