Cleveland Metroparks Zoo The RainForest - Former Species List

EagleScout610

EagleScout610

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Obviously not every bird/reptile/amphibian change is listed, but these are the big ones.

Entrance Temple
  • Common Marmoset
  • White Faced Tamarin
  • Gold Lion Tamarin
  • Goeldi's Monkey
Lower Forest-
  • Albino Crocodile
  • Cape Porcupine
  • Indian Porcupine
  • Mouse Deer
  • Eyelash Viper
  • Red-Eyed Tree Frog
  • Reticulated Python
  • Green Anaconda
  • Boa Constrictor
  • Argentine Horned Frog
  • Timber Rattlesnake
  • Vietnamese Blue Beauty Snake
  • Red Tomato Frog
  • Mata Mata Turtle
  • Leafcutter Ants
  • Brazilian Salmon Pink Tarantula
  • Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
  • Australian Walking Stick
  • Twin Spotted Assassin Bug
  • Thorny Devil Walking Stick
  • Emperor Scorpion
  • Indian Ornamental Tarantula
  • Malaysian Walking Stick
  • Giant African Millipede
Upper Forest
  • Brazilian Tapir
  • Tarsier (Last one in the USA)
  • Fishing Cat
  • Prevost’s Squirrel
  • Two-Toed Sloth
  • Pacarana
  • Tamandua
  • Emperor Tamarin
  • Scarlet Macaw
  • Komodo Dragon (Temporary exhibit in the 90’s)
  • Larger Malaysian Chevrotain
Sources: ZooChat Gallery, Wayback Machine, my own memories (Been going to the RF since 2002-ish) and a 1995 guidemap I have
 
Thank you! I know they had American croc at one point as well (according to an old map, mid 90s)
 
CMZman said:
That was the albino crocodile I have listed. Couldn't find an exact species so I just put crocodile
Click to expand...
Wayback Machine (archive.org)
According to an archived version of the website, the albino crocodilians were actually American Alligators. They don't mention if it was in the rainy island or current gharial exhibits. So we can put both Albino Alligators and American Crocodiles down.
 
@CMZman great list!! thanks for doing this. I can also add-
Water Monitor
Wattled Jacana
Batagur Turtle
Ornate Horned Frog
Vampire Bat (I believe... I know they were at the zoo at some point but not sure when or where)
Panther Chameleon
Red-footed Tortoise
Yellow-and-blue Poison Frog
Fire-bellied Toad
 
I have a vague childhood memory of seeing vampire bats in the cat, primate, and aquatics building. Some kind of bats, anyway, and I at least thought they were vampires. Now, I also have a vague childhood memory of seeing a mandrill in that building crammed into a cage smaller than its own body, with its hair sticking through the bars. Pretty confident that one was a dream, but I thought it was a real memory as a kid, so take the bat anecdote with a grain of salt.;)
 
JAG said:
I have a vague childhood memory of seeing vampire bats in the cat, primate, and aquatics building. Some kind of bats, anyway, and I at least thought they were vampires. Now, I also have a vague childhood memory of seeing a mandrill in that building crammed into a cage smaller than its own body, with its hair sticking through the bars. Pretty confident that one was a dream, but I thought it was a real memory as a kid, so take the bat anecdote with a grain of salt.;)
Click to expand...
PC&A did have Mandrills up until 2018(?)
 
@JAG I believe you were right about vampire bats being in Primate, Cat and Aquatics!!! The aquatic side used to be a nocturnal area when it was the Primate and Cat Building from 1978-86 (the Cleveland Aquarium at Gordon Park closed in '86 and the aquatic animals were moved to the zoo). I just wasn't sure if they were in the Rainforest later.
 
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PCA definitely had Mandrills, they were next to the chimps ('07-'08) and when the chimps left, they combined both Mandrill and Chimp exhibits

Until the gharials came I believe their exhibit was a rotating croc exhibit. The American croc was in that exhibit (according to the map). And it wouldn't surprise me if it held albino gators ( extremely popular in the late 90 into 2000s). Golden croc could have also been held in there at some point
 
PSO said:
PCA definitely had Mandrills, they were next to the chimps ('07-'08) and when the chimps left, they combined both Mandrill and Chimp exhibits

Until the gharials came I believe their exhibit was a rotating croc exhibit. The American croc was in that exhibit (according to the map). And it wouldn't surprise me if it held albino gators ( extremely popular in the late 90 into 2000s). Golden croc could have also been held in there at some point
Click to expand...

I believe there were Hamadryas baboons in PCA during that time period but I could be wrong- I thought mandrills came around 2012 or '13. And I believe the white alligators were swimming in the moat of the rainstorm exhibit w/ the porcupines... could be wrong on that, though.
 
Monitor Lizards and Mouse Deer (which I left off the list by mistake) were in the stormy island, according to my 1995 guide
 
You are probably right, Hamadryas could have been there. I just remember them being next to the chimps.

Looking at past pictures, I have one labeled neotropical rattlesnake. I assume it has to be from the rainforest

Side note, also found a short video of a fat-tailed and bamboo Lemur mix exhibit which was from PCA
 
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PSO said:
You are probably right, Hamadryas could have been there. I just remember them being next to the chimps.

Looking at past pictures, I have one labeled neotropical rattlesnake. I assume it has to be from the rainforest

Side note, also found a short video of a fat-tailed and bamboo Lemur mix exhibit which was from PCA
Click to expand...

Can you upload or PM me that fat-tailed/bamboo lemur mix video and the neotropical rattlesnake photo, please? Thanks. And I believe it was Hamadryas next to the chimps at that time.
 
CleZooMan said:
@CMZman great list!! thanks for doing this. I can also add-
Water Monitor
Wattled Jacana
Batagur Turtle
Ornate Horned Frog
Vampire Bat (I believe... I know they were at the zoo at some point but not sure when or where)
Panther Chameleon
Red-footed Tortoise
Yellow-and-blue Poison Frog
Fire-bellied Toad
Click to expand...
I still remember watching water monitor swimming freely in the island exhibit. I thought was really tough!
 
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