San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo News 2024

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Kifaru Bwana said:
Personally, I find the renovation of the polar bear exhibit quite problematic. A Californian dry hot almost desert / xerophytic environment for an Arctic species ....? I would almost feel it is a cynical jibe at trying to highlight climate change ....! Well, just my 5 cents of rationale
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Downtown San Diego (where the zoo is located) actually has a very mild microclimate for California; even in peak summer it starts in the mid-60s F (18-21 C) in the mornings and usually stays below 80 F (~26 C) in the afternoons. I'd estimate the zoo's summer temps are cooler than 90% of other major zoos in the country, actually - including many much further north that also have polar bears.

The AZA care manual for polar bears doesn't have scientific maximums and minimums for either temperature or humidity, and says that they "are mostly tolerant of fluctuating temperatures". The temperature and humidity section focus mainly on controllable aspects of their enclosure - shade, misters, fans, chilled water, ice piles, and access to climate-controlled indoor spaces (which I believe the bears at SDZ use, since they were nowhere to be seen the last time I tried to visit them in the afternoon).
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Downtown San Diego (where the zoo is located) actually has a very mild microclimate for California; even in peak summer it starts in the mid-60s F (18-21 C) in the mornings and usually stays below 80 F (~26 C) in the afternoons. I'd estimate the zoo's summer temps are cooler than 90% of other major zoos in the country, actually - including many much further north that also have polar bears.

The AZA care manual for polar bears doesn't have scientific maximums and minimums for either temperature or humidity, and says that they "are mostly tolerant of fluctuating temperatures". The temperature and humidity section focus mainly on controllable aspects of their enclosure - shade, misters, fans, chilled water, ice piles, and access to climate-controlled indoor spaces (which I believe the bears at SDZ use, since they were nowhere to be seen the last time I tried to visit them in the afternoon).
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Ngl I feel San Diego is rly privileged in terms of climate, being able to have so many species outside and comfortably all year
 
dholesquad said:
Such a shame about Kenny and Annie & Frankie the lion tailed macaques. They were for sure among my favorites. :( First the Golden takins going off exhibit (with no plans to bring them back?), and then the secretary birds completely gone from both parks, and now this. It feels like SDZ has lost so much in such a short amount of time, it’s depressing. :( Speaking of which, does anyone know what happened to two of the cheetahs in Urban Jungle? I don’t think I’ve seen Roketi or Maggie at all since December of last year/January of this year. As much as I love seeing Ayana and Jabula, it has me worried once again. I haven’t seen any new pictures of Roketi or Maggie pop up anywhere, either. I’m also curious to know what happened to the maned wolf and if they ever plan to exhibit that species again.
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Maggie passed last year after some complications. My favorite weirdo as she loved being in the rain.

Roketi is doing well, nursing a hurt foot and they don't want her running and playing to hurt it even worse.

Jabula and Ayana are both rotated out and in the Animals in Action show (extra fee).
 
Xavier GM said:
Sorry for asking, but are there any red river hogs or dwarf forest búfalo on exhibits at the zoo?
Thanks.
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There are Red River Hogs on hippo trail (near the bus road end) right by the Ituri Hut (Icees, churios, drinks,ect) near the Otters and Alan's Swamo Monkeys. The Otters are in the same exhibit as the RRHs but in the lower level of water.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Something else I noticed during my visit last month is that the Black Crested Mangabey enclosure in Lost Forest had a Vervet in it instead... does anyone know if this is a permanent arrangement? Does the zoo not have mangabey anymore? L
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That Is Louise (mom), Vinny (dad), Mosi Musa (son). Musi was raised by his grandma Thelma (RIP) as a surrogate. They previously lived on Africa Rocks.

Here is the book of Mosi Musa story!!

Mosi Musa: A True Tale about a Baby Monkey Raised by His Grandma
 
splendens said:
Here are some updates from June 13, some of these might not be confirmed or already mentioned.
  • Sadly, Kenny the coconut crab has died a month or two ago. The keeper I asked said he was believed to be between 20-40 years of age. He was a confiscation and the zoo doesn't plan to acquire another coconut crab, his exhibit is empty for now and no animals are planned for it I believe.
  • A Lord Howe stick insect might have died, though the body may have just been a molt.
  • Due to aggression, only a single hummingbird, a male Anna's, is on display in the hummingbird aviary.
  • There were many unsigned species in the reptile house, such as the Asian giant toads, several snakes, and a mixed exhibit for ashy and mangrove pit vipers.
  • A purplish colored crayfish is in the circular aquatic tank with the reptiles behind the pygmy hippos. Perhaps it might be a yabby?
  • Elephant odyssey currently holds Mexican alligator lizards, rosy boas, sunburst diving beetles, and island night lizards Xantusia riversiana. The rattlesnake habitat holds mexican beaded lizards, red diamond, southwestern speckled, and southern Pacific rattlesnakes.
  • I believe this has been mentioned but the marsh aviary in the tiger area holds some unsigned species such as crowned pigeons, redhead ducks, northern shovelers, and ring necked ducks.
  • I overheard two reptile keepers stating how New Zealand would not allow the tuataras to be displayed until they have bred, not sure if this is true.
  • The blue duiker is no longer separated from the gerenuk I believe, I also saw the red flanked duiker on display.
  • As mentioned earlier, the "hidden aviaries" behind the polar bears currently hold species like some of the birds from the bus stop aviary like Kagu, Guianan cock of the rock, several pigeons and doves, white naped pheasant pigeon, blue coua, what looked like a white rumped shama, and more.
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The Red Flanked Duiker in the former Maned Wolf enclosure is named Nugget.
 
pachyderm pro said:
The zoo has three takin subspecies off-show, two of which cannot leave the property due to import regulations. I would be shocked if at least one of them don’t return to public view in some capacity.
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Why not re-export them, they are of no identifiable use in North America.

USFWS and Ministry of Interior/Agriculture - I think - really have lost their way. These takin - I believe - where all imported from Europe (right, correct me if I am wrong?) ...., sort out your import / export hoofstock and veterinary laws. No way are these takin unhealthy or from illegal import ..., it is plainly absurd and purely bureaucratic inaction and lawmakers unaware of the issues to sort import/export and paperwork/veterinary tests et cetera.

NOTE: Sure it may make us unpopular, but this is a real issue and has been for a long time. It is actually prevent ex situ conservation breeding from being able to operate.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Why not re-export them, they are of no identifiable use in North America.

USFWS and Ministry of Interior/Agriculture - I think - really have lost their way. These takin - I believe - where all imported from Europe (right, correct me if I am wrong?) ...., sort out your import / export hoofstock and veterinary laws. No way are these takin unhealthy or from illegal import ..., it is plainly absurd and purely bureaucratic inaction and lawmakers unaware of the issues to sort import/export and paperwork/veterinary tests et cetera.

NOTE: Sure it may make us unpopular, but this is a real issue and has been for a long time. It is actually prevent ex situ conservation breeding from being able to operate.
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For what it’s worth — it is only the originally imported animals (1.2 golden and 1.0 Mishmi [plus an additional 2.0 Sichuan]) that are on permanent quarantine and cannot leave the zoo. The offspring produced by these animals can leave.

The restrictions placed on the imports of ungulates into the United States have really been beaten to death at this point. I’m not going to argue that they aren’t obstructive and misguided — because they are —, but with the government in the pockets of the cattle industry, we don’t have much of a choice beyond the cards we’ve been dealt. There’s not much new to add to the conversation.
 
Jonathan Petersson said:
Even San Diego's hottest temperatures don't compare to the summers of zoos in the Midwest with polar bears. Columbus, Louisville, Saint Louis, and etc. Zoos such as Cincinnati have chosen to go out of Polar Bears due to the harsh conditions of the Midwestern summers and I would argue that the dryer cooler climate is much nicer then having the temperature for the bears be 80 to 90 degrees for half the year.
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If there were unlimited money, maybe northern zoos could consider publicly viewable, refrigerated indoor exhibits for part of the year... it would obviously be impractical given the expense of construction a building strong enough for the animals, a lot of zoos are moving away from even refrigerated penguins due to the expense involved, and the declining polar bear population means those that remain should be held in the best possible conditions.

Kudu21 said:
For what it’s worth — it is only the originally imported animals (1.2 golden and 1.0 Mishmi [plus an additional 2.0 Sichuan]) that are on permanent quarantine and cannot leave the zoo. The offspring produced by these animals can leave.
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I think this is extremely useful knowledge! I'm glad to know the population will have some limited, long-term flexibility. Maybe we may see a few other zoos take in the future takin offspring.
 
Haybale said:
Maggie passed last year after some complications. My favorite weirdo as she loved being in the rain.

Roketi is doing well, nursing a hurt foot and they don't want her running and playing to hurt it even worse.

Jabula and Ayana are both rotated out and in the Animals in Action show (extra fee).
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I’m very happy to hear Roketi is doing well! I was beginning to fear that she had passed as well. Maggie’s passing broke my heart, she was an incredible cheetah.
 
@Kudu21, thanks for clarifying the situation with the takin.

For my perspective: Do they maintain breeding groups of all three takin subspecies?
With the imports that cannot be sent elsewhere: 2.0 Sichuan (what other individuals at the Zoo?), 1.0 Mishmi (what other individuals with the unrelated male?), 1.2 golden (what other individuals do they hold?)?


PLEASE NOTE: I think both in North America and in particular USA as well as Europe the sometimes draconian strangle hold that is maintained over exotic wildlife imports and exports (I do not mean regular CITES transactions under the provisos for captive-breeding) for fear of and in protecting the environment destroying cattle industry on both sides of the Atlantic needs to be destroyed completely as it is an insane, darkly subterfuge unregulated mess and full of animal abuses unseen and usually covered by ignoring the facts and at the expense of polluting our environment (both soil, air and water). And if politicians, regional and global policymakers and us humankind really (would) do care about conserving biodiversity and the extant plant- and wildlife on this only living Planet we call Home and Earth it is one of the bad patches we need to fix now (along with Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Habitat Destruction et cetera).

Above and beyond, I can personally vouch and attest to the fact that the cattle industry in general whether domestic livestock (as in cattle), horses, sheep, goats, pigs or chickens and turkeys is one hell of a cesspool of unhygienic, animal unfriendly, zoonosis infested industry that ... is both absurd, beyond the pale and needs to be closed down and completely overhauled to let it fall in line with the high standards kept by the WAZA/ZIMS/all zoo regions' organisations accredited instutions and zoo associations for animal husbandry and management. If not, penalise and shut them down.

Amen!
 
I think there's a day where we can find a solution to this whole thing but I think it's something we need to work really hard on, and with vigor.

I know that sounds vague af but I like to be optimistic, especially since we actually got the polar bear thing done so I think there's a way the zoo industry can start with getting ruminant transfers to be less insane
 
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Coelacanth18 said:
Downtown San Diego (where the zoo is located) actually has a very mild microclimate for California; even in peak summer it starts in the mid-60s F (18-21 C) in the mornings and usually stays below 80 F (~26 C) in the afternoons. I'd estimate the zoo's summer temps are cooler than 90% of other major zoos in the country, actually - including many much further north that also have polar bears.
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That’s colder than what I thought San Diego would be. For context here in Munich the temperatures sometimes reach as far as 28 C (maybe even more). And I have been told that back at Istanbul (which has temperate climate) the temperature reaches over thirty degrees Celcius.

Kifaru Bwana said:
@Kudu21, thanks for clarifying the situation with the takin.

For my perspective: Do they maintain breeding groups of all three takin subspecies?
With the imports that cannot be sent elsewhere: 2.0 Sichuan (what other individuals at the Zoo?), 1.0 Mishmi (what other individuals with the unrelated male?), 1.2 golden (what other individuals do they hold?)?


PLEASE NOTE: I think both in North America and in particular USA as well as Europe the sometimes draconian strangle hold that is maintained over exotic wildlife imports and exports (I do not mean regular CITES transactions under the provisos for captive-breeding) for fear of and in protecting the environment destroying cattle industry on both sides of the Atlantic needs to be destroyed completely as it is an insane, darkly subterfuge unregulated mess and full of animal abuses unseen and usually covered by ignoring the facts and at the expense of polluting our environment (both soil, air and water). And if politicians, regional and global policymakers and us humankind really (would) do care about conserving biodiversity and the extant plant- and wildlife on this only living Planet we call Home and Earth it is one of the bad patches we need to fix now (along with Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, Habitat Destruction et cetera).

Above and beyond, I can personally vouch and attest to the fact that the cattle industry in general whether domestic livestock (as in cattle), horses, sheep, goats, pigs or chickens and turkeys is one hell of a cesspool of unhygienic, animal unfriendly, zoonosis infested industry that ... is both absurd, beyond the pale and needs to be closed down and completely overhauled to let it fall in line with the high standards kept by the WAZA/ZIMS/all zoo regions' organisations accredited instutions and zoo associations for animal husbandry and management. If not, penalise and shut them down.

Amen!
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For me it isn’t just the food industry having the US government in the palm of its hands that hinders zoos from progress. I argue that the apathy the general public has not just to wildlife but also the wildlife trade (yes I am lumping accredited zoos with the rest if the trade) also pushes the general public away from caring much about wanting zoos, let alone their local zoo, to improve. Alas, we live in a society where wildlife is seen as novel, and zoo visits are for the most part a childhood memory.

tigris115 said:
I think there's a day where we can find a solution to this whole thing but I think it's something we need to work really hard on, and with vigor.

I know that sounds vague af but I like to be optimistic, especially since we actually got the polar bear thing done so I think there's a way the zoo industry can start with getting ruminant transfers to be less insane
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An American named after chocolate bonbons once said:
“Snap back to reality
Oh there goes gravity”

Also “vague af”?
 
I'm really not sure that changes to import laws would really make the situation for ungulates within the AZA much better. For better or for worse, the reality right now is that the average zoo simply doesn't appear interested in having large numbers of ungulate species. Of course there are exceptions (e.g., Bronx, Saint Louis, both San Diego parks), but the real need to see an increase in ungulates in AZA zoos is for the zoos themselves to be interested in having a wider variety of species. If zoos are content with domestics, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, greater kudu, red river hogs, American bison, and takin as their entire ungulate collection, then I don't see how any amount of imports from other countries will lead to a more sustainable future for ungulates in zoos. This is especially true since there are large populations of many animals (e.g., aoudad) at reputable non-AZA facilities that could enable zoos to manage more ungulates even without importation.

Obviously, imports would help some- especially by easing the ability for Canadian AZA zoos (e.g., Toronto and Calgary) to collaborate with US collections, but I don't think it'll help enough for law changes to be a top priority for most zoos. There are bigger problems out there.
 
Neil chace said:
I'm really not sure that changes to import laws would really make the situation for ungulates within the AZA much better. For better or for worse, the reality right now is that the average zoo simply doesn't appear interested in having large numbers of ungulate species. Of course there are exceptions (e.g., Bronx, Saint Louis, both San Diego parks), but the real need to see an increase in ungulates in AZA zoos is for the zoos themselves to be interested in having a wider variety of species. If zoos are content with domestics, giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, greater kudu, red river hogs, American bison, and takin as their entire ungulate collection, then I don't see how any amount of imports from other countries will lead to a more sustainable future for ungulates in zoos. This is especially true since there are large populations of many animals (e.g., aoudad) at reputable non-AZA facilities that could enable zoos to manage more ungulates even without importation.

Obviously, imports would help some- especially by easing the ability for Canadian AZA zoos (e.g., Toronto and Calgary) to collaborate with US collections, but I don't think it'll help enough for law changes to be a top priority for most zoos. There are bigger problems out there.
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Tbh, I'm just rly worried that giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, greater kudu, red river hogs, American bison, takin, and a few others are going to be the only real exotic ungulates left in AZA zoos due to the sheer apathy of the zoo industry and the public.

I love ungulates and I think that the lack of interest in them is pitiful
 
tigris115 said:
So, what are some good examples of reputable non-AZA facilities?
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Hemker Park and Zoo (a common "dumping ground" for AZA surplus at the moment), Rum Creek Center for the Conservation of Tropical Ungulates, Iron Mountain Ranch, Micanopy Zoological Preserve. There are a lot of private holders of rare ungulates that have limited openings to the public, if that.

Article from Connect a few years ago about collaborations between zoos and the private sector: Achieving Ungulate Sustainability
 
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