Rotterdam Zoo Blijdorp Zoo News 2024

A number of Dutch zoo news outlets reported this week that Blijdorp applied for various permits. They applied for permits for the expansion of the elephant habitat towards the location of the camels and an 'oliduct'. The bat cave will be renovated and repurposed for education and it will function as indoor facility for the François' langurs, which will get a new outdoor habitat here as well. The last permit is for the creation of a new catering point south of the new elephant exhibit.

Sources:
Article ZooFlits

Permit new elephant habitat
Permit Oliduct
Permit bat cave and langurs
Permit new catering point
Permit removing trees and other preparatory work
 
Recently Blijdorp had a presentation about their future plans. During which they also revealed how the future layout of the zoo will be. We can't see any enclosures yet, sadly, but we can see where the new regions will be:
QoZwEfG.jpeg

Dark and Light blue = Sustainable North Sea and Caribbean Coast
Light green = African Jungle
Orange = African Plains
Grey = Nature Close-by
Dark red = The Last Resorts
Purple = Himalayan Peaks
Red = Asian Corridors

Some notable things we can see here:
- The Flamingo aviary will be part of Nature Close-by
- The lemur island in the central lake will be part of the Asian Corridors region
- The lemur cage near the Oceanium will be part of Caribbean Coast. I'm very curious which animals we'll be seeing there...
- African Jungle is HUGE. Central and West Africa are criminally underrepresented in European zoos and I'm very glad it's getting a spotlight. I'm very curious about which animals they will showcase here...

During the presentation it was also mentioned that there was a large chance that Asian Corridors will include side exhibits. With the likes of Primates, Hoofstock, Turtles and Otters. Good, if you ask me. As the elephant enclosure is set to take over nearly every habitat left in the Asian area (if we take off Himalayan peaks and the Last Resort). Including the Burung Asia aviary, the Asian swamp, and the Camel paddock

There are also plans to create tree nurseries in the Himalayan Peaks area, and provide people with a chance to adopt trees to be planted in Nepal. As well as a small greenhouse dedicated to breeding extinct-in-the-wild plants such as the Rwandan waterlily (Nymphaea thermarum).

Along with the first steps of the Asian Corridors, there are also renovations for the Riviéra hall and the Reindeer stables planned in the near future

Source: Blijdorper Bende
 
I have serious reservations about this. What on earth is going to happen with the polar bears?
 
Exactly. Is there a polar bear exhibit in a major european zoo as good as the one in rotterdam? How old is it?
 
Today the eighth stranded sea turtle arrived at the zoo, another Loggerhead turtle which had washed up on a beach on Texel yesterday. Like the other turtle, this animal spend the night at Ecomare and was picked up by caretakers of Blijdorp today.
This is the sixth loggerhead turtle to arrive at Blijdorp in the last month, currently they are all kept behind the scenes.

Source:
Instagram story of Diergaarde Blijdorp (26/01/2024)
 
It is interesting that only Blijdorp and Ecomare are allowed to pick up beached animals. I get that zoos like Wildlands and Burgers' Zoo are much further away from the sea but Ecomare can't harbour any tropical animals because they only have cold water tanks, and Blijdorp's Oceanium, though large, surely has its limits. Maybe even Sea Life Scheveningen should be allowed to take in beached/injured, in case of emergency
 
 
Mr Gharial said:
It is interesting that only Blijdorp and Ecomare are allowed to pick up beached animals. I get that zoos like Wildlands and Burgers' Zoo are much further away from the sea but Ecomare can't harbour any tropical animals because they only have cold water tanks, and Blijdorp's Oceanium, though large, surely has its limits. Maybe even Sea Life Scheveningen should be allowed to take in beached/injured, in case of emergency
Click to expand...
How I understand it only Blijdorp has the right permits to house these animals so they are the only one allowed to hold these sea-turtles. Ecomare only is allowed to let them stay the night because they are the closest that can harbor them until transport to Blijdorp is secured. So it's more of a emergency solution rather then that they are allowed to deal with it. However I think if beaching does keep occurring at current rates other facilities might get the right permits.
 
Perseus6 said:
How I understand it only Blijdorp has the right permits to house these animals so they are the only one allowed to hold these sea-turtles. Ecomare only is allowed to let them stay the night because they are the closest that can harbor them until transport to Blijdorp is secured. So it's more of a emergency solution rather then that they are allowed to deal with it. However I think if beaching does keep occurring at current rates other facilities might get the right permits.
Click to expand...

Only Blijdorp and Ecomare have permits to save beached or injured animals. Ecomare mostly does this for seabirds, seals and seahorses. As well as the occasional shark, porpoise, and one time even an Oceanic sunfish! Blijdorp has the same permits, and also have a seahorse rescue programme.

Technically Ecomare is also allowed to house rescued sea turtles, but they don't have the right facilities.
 
I am happy that zoos in my country are allowed to take rescued wild animals by default. It only depends on their judgement if they can take a particular animal.

If one zoo has no suitable tank but is legally allowed to take rescued sea turtles, but a zoo with the biggest aquarium in the country is not allowed, then permits have dubious benefit.
 
Does anybody know if any loggerhead turtles are on display yet? Or even if this will be the case? I thought i heard they were going to be displayed in the mangrove tank
 
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