ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2024

[DesertRhino150]

Hopefully the Round Island Skink, the biggest rarity from the original house that is yet to have been announced, will be onshow once again...

The plan for the new reptile house did mention this species would be on-display, according to this post from last year's thread:

London Zoo News 2023 [ZSL London Zoo]

Going through the list of species on this planned list, an additional animal (as well as the Laos warty newt) that I saw mentioned is a species of chameleon - the zoo responded to a comment on a Facebook post about the upcoming reptile house confirming that chameleons would be present.

Also interesting to note that the reptile and amphibian house plans mention 23 species, not including the mountain chickens, but the more recent announcements have upped the number to 33.

 

[Zoofan15]

Zoo celebrates successful raising of six mountain chicken froglets:

'World’s most threatened frogs' welcome clutch of baby froglets at London Zoo

London Zoo is celebrating a conservation success story, after two of its critically endangered 'mountain chicken' frogs successfully raised a clutch of tiny froglets, for the first time in five years.

The clutch is the offspring of a new frog pair, which recently moved into the zoo’s newest habitat - the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians centre - which will open this Easter. This will be the first time London Zoo's mountain chickens will be visible to the public.

 

[Fallax]

Zoo celebrates successful raising of six mountain chicken froglets:

'World’s most threatened frogs' welcome clutch of baby froglets at London Zoo

London Zoo is celebrating a conservation success story, after two of its critically endangered 'mountain chicken' frogs successfully raised a clutch of tiny froglets, for the first time in five years.

The clutch is the offspring of a new frog pair, which recently moved into the zoo’s newest habitat - the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians centre - which will open this Easter. This will be the first time London Zoo's mountain chickens will be visible to the public.

This is one of my favourite amphibians (my username is a small hint at that ) so I'm very glad another UK zoo will have this species on show, hopefully they are easier to see than the ones at Chester too.

 

[oflory]

Zoo celebrates successful raising of six mountain chicken froglets:

'World’s most threatened frogs' welcome clutch of baby froglets at London Zoo

London Zoo is celebrating a conservation success story, after two of its critically endangered 'mountain chicken' frogs successfully raised a clutch of tiny froglets, for the first time in five years.

The clutch is the offspring of a new frog pair, which recently moved into the zoo’s newest habitat - the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians centre - which will open this Easter. This will be the first time London Zoo's mountain chickens will be visible to the public.

It isn't true that this is the first time they have been exhibited, I don't think. Weren't they in the tall cylindrical vivarium / aviary in Web of Life, where the spider walkthrough is now?

 

[Daubentoniidae]

London Zoo just posted a photo of the new mountain chicken enclosure, which gives a glimpse of the new reptile house interior.
London Zoo on Instagram: "World’s most threatened frog breeds at the Zoo We're celebrating a conservation success after two Critically Endangered Mountain chicken frogs bred for the first time in five years in their brand-new custom-built home. Metamorphosing just in time for Mother’s Day, the six froglets are offspring from a new pair who recently moved into the Zoo’s newest experience - the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians, which is opening this Easter. The six, inch-long froglets, have some growing to do to reach the size of the enormous adults, and will play a key role in bringing this species back from the brink of extinction – a recent intensive survey to find the frogs in Dominica identified just 21 individual mountain chicken frogs. Find out more about their new habitat through the link in story. #Frogs #LondonZoo"

 

[Kalaw]

London Zoo just posted a photo of the new mountain chicken enclosure, which gives a glimpse of the new reptile house interior.
London Zoo on Instagram: "World’s most threatened frog breeds at the Zoo We're celebrating a conservation success after two Critically Endangered Mountain chicken frogs bred for the first time in five years in their brand-new custom-built home. Metamorphosing just in time for Mother’s Day, the six froglets are offspring from a new pair who recently moved into the Zoo’s newest experience - the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians, which is opening this Easter. The six, inch-long froglets, have some growing to do to reach the size of the enormous adults, and will play a key role in bringing this species back from the brink of extinction – a recent intensive survey to find the frogs in Dominica identified just 21 individual mountain chicken frogs. Find out more about their new habitat through the link in story. #Frogs #LondonZoo"

That enclosure looks phenomenal and certainly gets me very excited for the house as a whole. Interestingly, although it is hard to tell given the reflection, the backdrop seems to suggest that they are in the dark room, as opposed to, as I suspected would be the case, the entire house being in one greenhouse-like room. This development is so exciting.

 

[Red Footed Tortoise]

I visited yesterday in the hope of seeing the baby gorillas, and was really pleased to see the whole family out and about in their paddock around 4.30pm. Mjukuu's baby was clinging to her chest while Effie's infant was carried by / wrapped around her forearm most of the time while both mothers got on with the business of foraging and eating. Kiburi beat his chest loudly at one point, seemingly to scare away some pigeons, or at least that was the effect it had. It was cold though by that time despite the sun, so be prepared.

The Blackburn was also a delight (and a chance to warm up) - relatively few visitors and lots of very excited birds in full voice.

 

[Swampy]

Breathtaking close-ups reveal the Secret Life of Reptiles and Amphibians | London Zoo

A few more species for SLoRA seemingly confirmed by this article

 

[Max Blundell]

The 2024 Animal Inventory has been uploaded to their website.

https://www.londonzoo.org/whats-here/animals

 

[Kalaw]

According to this new stocklist, the zoo holds the following, with the increase from last year in brackets:

Invertebrates: 203 (+30)
Fish: 35 (+4)
Amphibians: 18 (+2)
Reptiles: 25 (+1)
Birds: 86 (+9)
Mammals: 65 (+7)

Total: 432 (+53)

Which means that the total number of species has increased by no less than 54, and all six taxonomic classes have seen a net increase. Baring in mind that the total does include duplicate species (such as the multiple Alpaca breeds), that is still a phenomenal increase, and surely making 2023 one of the best years for collection growth in London Zoo's recent history.

With an increase of 54 species, more than some entire zoos, there are surely plenty of unannounced new arrivals in there, that I will aim to compile a list of later if I have time, but briefly browsing through, two stood out to me. The first is the arrival of 12 Rio Cauca Caecilians (Typhlonectes natans), making the zoo home to three caecilian species and presumably explaining the high number of aquatic caecilians seen during the final days of the Reptile House despite the zoo only housing one aquatic caecilian, a male Cayenne, up until that point. Is there any other zoo in the world which houses three caecilian species? The second was the fact that Alligator Snapping Turtles are listed, a species that, although I could be mistaken, has not been announced as a future display in SLoRA (haven't seen it abbreviated to that prior to Swampy using it upthread, but it works and I will certainly be using it from now on!), but presumably will be if they are held at the zoo. They have been listed on Zootierliste for a month now, allegedly having arrived from Paignton, so it is nice to have confirmation of this from the zoo.

 

[aquilla1]

Looks like they’ve bred more Big-headed turtles and sadly lost one of their breeding pair of Hyacinth Macaws…

 

[aquilla1]

I counted 79 species of birds, an actual decline I think!

 

[Kalaw]

I counted 79 species of birds, an actual decline I think!

I counted again and got 86, so was wrong initially but still a solid total. Going through and counting each entry individually obviously makes error very possible. Even if it was as low as 79 that would not be a decrease, however, given that the total last year was 77.

 

[aquilla1]

I think you’re including the ones showing zero!

 

[Reptile House]

I wonder if any of the new reptile/amphibian exhibits will be a mixed display?

 

[Panthera1981]

Video now on Twitter/X of the Mangshan pit vipers being introduced to their new exhibit

 

[Max Blundell]

One thing I am puzzled about is on the 2024 inventory, It says there were only 2 female Okapi at the zoo on 01/01/2024 (with the male being absent from the stocklist) and during January members received a email mentioning the Okapi's, Ede, passing. Does that mean they are down to just 1 remaining Okapi now?

 

[Regent]

One thing I am puzzled about is on the 2024 inventory, It says there were only 2 female Okapi at the zoo on 01/01/2024 (with the male being absent from the stocklist) and during January members received a email mentioning the Okapi's, Ede, passing. Does that mean they are down to just 1 remaining Okapi now?

Sadly, at the moment London Zoo has only 1 okapi

 

[Red Footed Tortoise]

I noticed this hoarding on the Round House while cycling past today, does anyone know what the plans are for that building? I've tried searching online but didn't find anything relevant.

 

[Fallax]

I noticed this hoarding on the Round House while cycling past today, does anyone know what the plans are for that building? I've tried searching online but didn't find anything relevant.
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Sometimes I think even ZSL doesn't know what to do with the building with the amount of random species that have called it home. Doesn't help that it's listed of course.

Personally I think tree kangaroo would be a good fit.