Metro Richmond Zoo Metro Richmond Zoo news

TZFan said:
A fire broke out just before 10pm on June 4th in the zoo's workshop area and spread to the hospital, feed storage and keeper areas. Staff and firefighters were able to rescue 9 animals but a meerkat died. No staff or firefighters were injured. Several structures were destroyed and there was damage to the kangaroo exhibits fencing.

A meerkat died and 9 animals were rescued in a fire at the zoo in Richmond, Virginia | CNN
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That is awful. So fortunate that the only lost one animal, though! They are remaining open through this. The community is being very supportive in helping them rebuild.
 
TinoPup said:
That is awful. So fortunate that the only lost one animal, though! They are remaining open through this. The community is being very supportive in helping them rebuild.
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It also fortunate that the one animal who did pass wasnt an endangered or rare one. Any death is sad but when it takes out an endangered animal from the population it feels like more of a loss. Hopefully they find the meerkat didnt even die from the fire. It was in the hospital already for a medical issue so perhaps it died before the fire even started. Probably would bring its keepers peace not thinking of a horrible or terrifying end to the animal they loved.

Things like this have a great way of getting the community to rally around. Its a dark day for the zoo but it will come out of it stronger with deeper ties to the community who stepped up in their time of need.
 
TZFan said:
A fire broke out just before 10pm on June 4th in the zoo's workshop area and spread to the hospital, feed storage and keeper areas. Staff and firefighters were able to rescue 9 animals but a meerkat died. No staff or firefighters were injured. Several structures were destroyed and there was damage to the kangaroo exhibits fencing.

A meerkat died and 9 animals were rescued in a fire at the zoo in Richmond, Virginia | CNN
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On June 6th, the zoo announced that 2 buildings containing "home base centers" for veterinary care, animal care, and maintenance operations suffered significant damage and will have to be demolished and rebuilt completely. The zoo also announced that their production lights, stage, and backdrops for the Miracle of Christmas nativity scene were destroyed in the fire, and the facility is looking to get new equipment.

Metro Richmond Zoo
 
The animals saved from the fire were an armadillo, fruit bat, kangaroo, 1 month old penguin chick and some other birds. They were saved by the heroic actions of zoo director, Jim Andelin, who lives on site. He heard and explosion and lept into action. Had he not been there this probably would be an even more tragic story.

Zookeeper crashes car on her way to rescue animals from fire: 'Worst nightmare'
 
Piece of 2023 News Not Mentioned:

On June 7th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) African penguin hatched on April 21st, which makes it the 300th African penguin to be hatched at the facility.

This African penguin is one of nine... - Metro Richmond Zoo

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On June 22nd, it was reported that the zoo transferred (2.0) cheetahs named Amiri and Taavi to Animal Adventure Park in New York.

https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/news/cheetahs-arrive-at-animal-adventure-park/

On August 14th, the zoo announced that (6.2) cheetahs were born on April 14th and May 7th to mothers Gamora (3 males 1 female) and Eshe (3 males 1 female) respectively.

We've got cheetah cubs! First-time... - Metro Richmond Zoo

On August 16th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) generic giraffe was born on August 2nd.

The Metro Richmond Zoo is excited to... - Metro Richmond Zoo
Reticulated Giraffe Born August 2 - Metro Richmond Zoo
 
Smaggledagle said:
On August 16th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) generic giraffe was born on August 2nd.

The Metro Richmond Zoo is excited to... - Metro Richmond Zoo
Reticulated Giraffe Born August 2 - Metro Richmond Zoo
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On October 11th, the zoo announced its name, Hawthrone.

Say hello to Hawthorne! Iris and... - Metro Richmond Zoo

On October 16th, the zoo announced that (0.0.3) southern screamers hatched on September 16th and are now on exhibit.

These Crested screamer chicks from... - Metro Richmond Zoo

On October 18th, the zoo announced that another (1.0) generic giraffe named Boomer was born on September 15th and is now on exhibit.

Introducing Boomer, our second baby... - Metro Richmond Zoo
 
Hello, I'm just curious as I may visit here in the future as to how visible their Asian black bear is. It is the only species of bear I have never seen.
 
Visited the zoo this past weekend. Aside from the ones publicly announced, the zoo also has about over a dozen different hoof stock babies on exhibit. I counted 2 bongo calves, about 8 Kudu, 4 Nyala (with the newest being born that same day on exhibit, so exciting!) several Armenian mouflons and a gemsbok. There were also several Kangaroo joeys. All in all was a good visit. Also, does anyone happen to have any information on their Rhinos? A keeper advised me they work with the AZA SSP on their Rhinos, Cheetah and Snow Leopards as well as some of their hoof stock. But I cant manage to find any rhino info for them.
 
2 News from October 2023 Not Mentioned:

On October 13th, it was reported that a (0.0.1) cheetah was born in late August and was then transferred to Wildlife Safari in Oregon in early September.

Wildlife Safari fosters cheetah cub

Smaggledagle said:
On August 14th, the zoo announced that (3.1) cheetahs were born on April 14th to mother Gamora.

We've got cheetah cubs! First-time... - Metro Richmond Zoo
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On October 27th, the zoo announced the cheetahs' names as Manjano, Manyara, Mombasa, and Malindi.

Gamora and her four 6-month-old cubs... - Metro Richmond Zoo

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NOVAElephantEnthusiast said:
Visited the zoo this past weekend. Aside from the ones publicly announced, the zoo also has about over a dozen different hoof stock babies on exhibit. I counted 2 bongo calves, about 8 Kudu, 4 Nyala (with the newest being born that same day on exhibit, so exciting!) several Armenian mouflons and a gemsbok.
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On November 6th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) gemsbok was born on October 7th.

We're excited to announce the birth... - Metro Richmond Zoo
 
The Richmond Metro Zoo is currently non AZA. This has been so a while already.

Is the current AZA accreditation policy to exclude some zoos on welfare or financial grounds or having a more commercial being part of ZAA organisation too exclusive .... (whatever one may think of ZAA and is the new AZA accreditation and species management model totally wholesome and justified?)?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
The Richmond Metro Zoo is currently non AZA. This has been so a while already.

Is the current AZA accreditation policy to exclude some zoos on welfare or financial grounds or having a more commercial being part of ZAA organisation too exclusive .... (whatever one may think of ZAA and is the new AZA accreditation and species management model totally wholesome and justified?)?
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I'm not really sure what you're asking here, but Richmond doesn't want to be AZA.
 
TinoPup said:
I'm not really sure what you're asking here, but Richmond doesn't want to be AZA.
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Yes, I know the story and how the director does not like the interference. What I am asking really is AZA becoming too restrictive both in the way it deals with zoos that in their view do not follow the guidelines or not as restrictive in breeding and exhibiting a more diverse animal collection.

My personal view is .... We cannot afford losing any zoo for an effective ex situ conservation breeding / education task and the AZA is visibly losing Endangered species as and when they deem them unfit with their new criteria (Red, Green, Yellow) to Signature or not .... (and basically more phase)?

Not to mention that phase out and not cooperating with other regions on placing species no longer of interest and under management elsewhere to another region. US import / export regulations are even more insanely bureaucratic and preventing cross-border and cross-continent import / export of wild animal species that are endangered and threatened.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Yes, I know the story and how the director does not like the interference. What I am asking really is AZA becoming too restrictive both in the way it deals with zoos that in their view do not follow the guidelines or not as restrictive in breeding and exhibiting a more diverse animal collection.

My personal view is .... We cannot afford losing any zoo for an effective ex situ conservation breeding / education task and the AZA is visibly losing Endangered species as and when they deem them unfit with their new criteria (Red, Green, Yellow) to Signature or not .... (and basically more phase)?

Not to mention that phase out and not cooperating with other regions on placing species no longer of interest and under management elsewhere to another region. US import / export regulations are even more insanely bureaucratic and preventing cross-border and cross-continent import / export of wild animal species that are endangered and threatened.
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I really disagree with what you're saying here. The AZA needs to be somewhat restrictive for their membership to mean anything.

Your second and third paragraphs have been covered pretty heavily on zoochat; the AZA is trying to focus on species it *can* make a difference with and has enough of a species for, vs having a couple of holders here and there that ultimately end up dead-ending a population. I'm not sure what you mean by "not cooperating with other regions" as they do, with tree kangaroos and sifakas being two major examples - the AZA exclusively focuses on Matschie's TK/Coquerel's sifaka while other continents have other species.
 
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