Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2024

Wild wolverine

Wild wolverine

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
From the latest Wild Things newsletter, construction of an expansion to the Humboldt penguin exhibit is expected to start in March and last through November. During this time, the penguins will be off exhibit and the boardwalk to primates will be closed.
January-April 2024 Wild Things by Zoological Society of Milwaukee - Issuu
I am surprised at the length of the project. Im no construction expert, and I don’t know the details of the expansion, but an 8-month construction timeline certainly feels like a bigger project than what I have been envisioning the penguin exhibit expansion to be. Exciting news, excited to see what comes of the expansion!
 
Wild wolverine said:
From the latest Wild Things newsletter, construction of an expansion to the Humboldt penguin exhibit is expected to start in March and last through November. During this time, the penguins will be off exhibit and the boardwalk to primates will be closed.
January-April 2024 Wild Things by Zoological Society of Milwaukee - Issuu
I am surprised at the length of the project. Im no construction expert, and I don’t know the details of the expansion, but an 8-month construction timeline certainly feels like a bigger project than what I have been envisioning the penguin exhibit expansion to be. Exciting news, excited to see what comes of the expansion!
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I feel like this year may be a year we haven’t seen for some time at the zoo. Lots of different construction projects happening around the zoo, some for the animals and other for the betterment of the zoo going experience. Besides the penguin update, the rhinos will be getting a new home soon, and then how you get into the zoo on the east side is being redone.

Let alone with this year’s campaign is “Pat’s Paws for a Cause,” I wouldn’t be surprised if we got Frankie a companion this year.

Not to mention at some point in the near future they will be releasing an updated version to the master plan. I’m curious to see what changes are made and how the new zoo director is going to put his spin on the zoo. We already know that a new indoor jungle exhibit is in the planning stage and will be next after the rhino exhibit is completed. Can’t wait to see what else they are planning.
 
It's going to be weird for me to enter Milwaukee without seeing the penguins and the boardwalk first - a good chance to finally try coming in from the newer entrance maybe.

Do we know much about the improvements to the penguin habitat? I know it's been discussed often that there would be an expansion but this still feels a bit less clear to me. I definitely hope they can overlap this with the pachyderm redevelopment.

Are there any sources for the new Jungle exhibit post-Morris' directorship? It always feels to me like a lingering thread of the previous leadership and I know Morris has mentioned wanting to redo the Small Mammal House in the nearer future. It's possible this is the same project although I think the Primate buildings being turned into the Jungle still makes somewhat more sense.
 

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At a glance, I was not so impressed with the exhibit, but looking it over on a larger screen it has the potential to be great. There's definitely a lot more land space for the penguins this time, which they sorely needed, and what looks like a shade structure. More viewing options is good. I'm having trouble telling if it will keep the 'sloping' effect of the current exhibit viewing which is something I hope they preserve. Looks like a positive improvement.
 
Matthew Meissner said:
oh great, a new penguin exhibit
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A lot of this is still trying to get through the projects that were approved under the previous zoo director and get the zoo in a spot where they can pivot and start enacting the new zoo directors vision. Just this upcoming year there’s been two projects approved (rhinos and penguins) and one in the planning stages (reconfiguration of the east entrance of the zoo). Also I believe with the reconstruction of the penguins the trams will be going under the wooden walkway as you head to the ape building.

I know it’s just penguins but I’m seeing this new director put more time and money and effort to speed up the process and getting the zoo up to national standards as well and pushing the new in a new direction too.

Don’t forget if they stick the course they are on, they will begin to start asking for money this years cycle to begin the design process for the tropics exhibit/building.
 
2/4/2024 Updates

Primates of the World
  • The Golden Lion Tamarin exhibit was empty. A volunteer mentioned that one of them had been injured recently, so they were spending the majority of their time off show.
  • There were two Siamangs on exhibit. Neither of them looked like the zoo's older female, but one of them may have been her?
Reptile and Aquatic Center
  • Much of the old signage has been removed. It makes the building seem much larger.
  • The Giant Pacific Octopus exhibit is under renovation.
  • The smaller tank next to it is now titled "In the Shallows" and it exhibits: Giant acorn barnacles, Strawberry anemones, Mosshead warbonnets, Sailfin sculpins, Spillnose rockfish, Clonal anemones, grunt sculpin, and a few unlisted shrimp.
  • The Mangrove tank that housed mudskippers is now empty.
  • The former Hellbender exhibit now housed juvenile Northern Spider Tortoises.
  • Only one Red-Bellied Piranha on exhibit.
  • There was a Bullsnake on exhibit in the Timber Rattlesnake and Black Ratsnake exhibit.
Small Mammal Building
  • The former Golden Lion Tamarin exhibit is now a Ring-Tailed Lemur training exhibit.
Big Cat Country
  • The Jaguar indoor exhibit was dark (as it was on my last visit) with no individual appearing to be indoors or outdoors.
  • There is a (potentially) new sign on the former Asiatic Black Bear sign. It states several tenant requirements and exhibit features for the "exhibit vacancy." Nothing specific that could signify a potential future resident.
All of the animals were very active, with me being able to count the ones we didn't see on my fingers. It was quite an enjoyable experience.

Visiting the zoo reminded me how outdated many of the exhibits are. Once the future entrance renovations and Adventure Africa's third phase are completely, I am excited to see what plans the new director comes up with.
 
EsserWarrior said:
Big Cat Country
  • The Jaguar indoor exhibit was dark (as it was on my last visit) with no individual appearing to be indoors or outdoors.
  • There is a (potentially) new sign on the former Asiatic Black Bear sign. It states several tenant requirements and exhibit features for the "exhibit vacancy." Nothing specific that could signify a potential future resident.
All of the animals were very active, with me being able to count the ones we didn't see on my fingers. It was quite an enjoyable experience.

Visiting the zoo reminded me how outdated many of the exhibits are. Once the future entrance renovations and Adventure Africa's third phase are completely, I am excited to see what plans the new director comes up with.
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I believe I've seen the sign by the black bear exhibit during my visit in September, but did not know it was new. I think the Asiatic black bear/Malayan tapir area is set to be torn down with the rhinoceros construction, right?

The Jaguar indoor exhibit was like that on my previous visits, too, but I saw an individual sleeping outside at least twice.

MKE Zoo guy said:
A lot of this is still trying to get through the projects that were approved under the previous zoo director and get the zoo in a spot where they can pivot and start enacting the new zoo directors vision. Just this upcoming year there’s been two projects approved (rhinos and penguins) and one in the planning stages (reconfiguration of the east entrance of the zoo). Also I believe with the reconstruction of the penguins the trams will be going under the wooden walkway as you head to the ape building.

I know it’s just penguins but I’m seeing this new director put more time and money and effort to speed up the process and getting the zoo up to national standards as well and pushing the new in a new direction too.

Don’t forget if they stick the course they are on, they will begin to start asking for money this years cycle to begin the design process for the tropics exhibit/building.
Click to expand...
These are great points. I'm very impressed with how quickly Director Morris is moving forward to finish off the old plans. He and director Mike Adkesson at Brookfield both seem like they are really forging ahead quickly with completing long gestating projects and signaling ideas for the future for both of their facilities. It's an incredibly exciting time to be near both of these facilities, and I think both have potential to rise up the zoo ranks.

I think you're still correct that the zoo will be looking towards the next construction cydle before the end of this year, but do we still know the Tropics exhibit is next on the agenda? Morris seemed to have other plans when he was last interviewed:

Following completion of the Adventure Africa campaign, Morris said he wants to look at the small mammals building. He believes this building would not be a renovation project but rather a complete replacement. The small mammals building currently does not have enough holding spaces for the animals, and some of the infrastructure of the building is wearing to a point where doors cannot be shut.

"The bats, which are housed in the small mammals building, also do not have enough space to perform natural behaviors of flying. When we talk about modern zoological standards, we’re not just talking about new exhibitry. You can do modern animal care and husbandry in older facilities if the facilities will accommodate it. What we’re looking for is the animal to have choice and control over its environment," Morris said.

Morris said one possibility for the future of the small mammals exhibit is creating a new facility that would accommodate both small mammals and aquatic animals, which are now housed in the aquatic and reptile building."​
 
JVM said:
I believe I've seen the sign by the black bear exhibit during my visit in September, but did not know it was new. I think the Asiatic black bear/Malayan tapir area is set to be torn down with the rhinoceros construction, right?

The Jaguar indoor exhibit was like that on my previous visits, too, but I saw an individual sleeping outside at least twice.


These are great points. I'm very impressed with how quickly Director Morris is moving forward to finish off the old plans. He and director Mike Adkesson at Brookfield both seem like they are really forging ahead quickly with completing long gestating projects and signaling ideas for the future for both of their facilities. It's an incredibly exciting time to be near both of these facilities, and I think both have potential to rise up the zoo ranks.

I think you're still correct that the zoo will be looking towards the next construction cydle before the end of this year, but do we still know the Tropics exhibit is next on the agenda? Morris seemed to have other plans when he was last interviewed:

Following completion of the Adventure Africa campaign, Morris said he wants to look at the small mammals building. He believes this building would not be a renovation project but rather a complete replacement. The small mammals building currently does not have enough holding spaces for the animals, and some of the infrastructure of the building is wearing to a point where doors cannot be shut.

"The bats, which are housed in the small mammals building, also do not have enough space to perform natural behaviors of flying. When we talk about modern zoological standards, we’re not just talking about new exhibitry. You can do modern animal care and husbandry in older facilities if the facilities will accommodate it. What we’re looking for is the animal to have choice and control over its environment," Morris said.

Morris said one possibility for the future of the small mammals exhibit is creating a new facility that would accommodate both small mammals and aquatic animals, which are now housed in the aquatic and reptile building."​
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As far as I know I have yet to see anything come up in the normal channels. Though taking a look back at past big projects, they have already begun to fundraise for the new project, I think they call it “quiet fundraising” before the big push begins. I

I did hear that they are coming up with an updated master plan and strategic goals to make sure the zoo is more financially sound sometime in the near future.

After watching what occurred during the zoos request for more money for the penguins because of design flaw, the county may be be putting any future endeavors in a hold as a punishment while they reallocate money that would go to the zoo elsewhere. Who knows if that will happen we still have months before the true scope of/if retaliation happens.
 
EsserWarrior said:
That explains why the exhibit was under renovation during my visit. I wonder if they will acquire another, or if they will turn it into an exhibit for something else.
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Octopuses (octopi? octopodes?) have a notoriously short lifespan. This exhibit has gone through many of them over the years. Whenever one passed away they've always replaced it with another eventually, so we have no reason not to expect that to continue.
 
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