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ZOO Antwerpen Zoo Antwerpen News 2024
- Thread starter KevinB
- Start date
Some updates from my visit to Zoo Antwerpen yesterday:
- The former exhibits of the Hamlyn's monkey (which are still being introduced to the gorilla group) are being renovated and repurposed into exhibits for callitrichids. I saw the Goeldie's marmosets not in their normal exhibit (the exhibit closest to the exit of the small monkey house on the tree kangaroo/callitrichid side of the house), but in the second callitrichid exhibit which normally houses, among others, golden-headed lion tamarins.
- In the aviary next to the large macaw and curassow aviary I saw a female Black-casqued hornbill, a species normally housed in the savanna aviary. This species was not signed, and this aviary is still signed for a confusing mix of species: great blue turaco, amazon parrots, macaws and aracaris. It would be really nice if it were to finally become clear which species this aviary actually houses and which species are still present, and if they made a choice on what to do with this aviary.
- In one of the smaller rebuilt raptor aviaries (now for parrots and other birds) that already housed Sumatran laughingthrushes according to signage Malay crestless firebacks (Lophura erythrophthalma) have been added, but I did not see any.
- In the reptile house the radiated tortoises and rhinoceros iguanas have swapped terrariums, both terrariums have also been partially redone. The radiated tortoises share their terrarium with Madagascar tree boas and giant Madagascar day geckos, I only saw the tortoises. I only saw one rhinoceros iguana that looked old and not exactly very well. The rhinoceros iguana according to signage is now mixed with changeable lizards (Calotes versicolor), which I did not find. Both of those terrariums were somewhat redone, including a change of substrate.
- The terrarium next to the rattlesnakes, which housed juvenile tortoises and iguanas a few months ago, now housed an ocellated lizard (Timon lepidus). I like this occupant for that terrarium quite a bit more personally.
- For several visits this year now I have not seen any babirusas. I went to their exhibit twice yesterday, once before noon and once in the early afternoon, but again did not see any. Are they only visible at specific times, am I just unlucky or is there something else going on here?
- There are now two Kirk's dik-diks again, after the previous male died some months ago.
I think you are just unlucky. I've seen them almost always during my visits in the last year, but they might be indoors at times.
At what time do you usually visit and/or see them? It seems like shortly before and after noon is not exactly a favorable time
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I also spot them often. I don't see them every time but like a solid 2/3 of my visits. They do go inside, but they also hide in corners of the enclosure sleeping next to the borders or in the alcoves. Their color and mud-covered bodies do make it difficult to spot sometimes. As for a time I cant say a specific time since I don't visit often enough. Last visit was 27 of June and I spotted them around 11-12 O clock. So I would say in the morning or in the afternoon perhaps. I know the Babirusas are in the zone of the Okapis so I suggest you could ask the keepers. Maybe try to go first thing in the morning?
I definitely need to check the corners and alcoves out better next time, that is a good tip.
Between 10.30 and 11 is usually around the time I am at their exhibit, so apparently that is not like the usual babirusa off-time or something. Unfortunately with the babirusas being between the aquarium and the reptile house nowadays, going to them see first thing in the morning isn't really that feasible. I also usually try to do the ape area and savanna aviary when it is not yet too busy.
I want to visit some other zoos first (weather and health allowing) before I go to Antwerp again, so I probably won't be going back until September or October. But I'll think about maybe changing my usual routine a bit.
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
I went to Antwerp on wednesday and I saw some changes mostly at the hippotopia. You can now go up to the deck to see the scavenger birds but not further. It now contains a large glass viewing area. The muntjac also lives with the malayan tapirs now, i did not see the little guy but there was a sign at the viewing glass underneath the tapir sign.
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
The muntjac apear to be (1,1), one male and one female. Can anyone confirm if these are the ones that used to be in the red panda exhibit near the exit?
I can't confirm it. I would assume it to be so. I can say that the introduction went well and the tapirs and muntjack seem to avoid each other. Also Nakal is pregnant again.
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
I also saw the owl-faced/hamlyn's monkeys in the bridge connecting the gorilla habitat and their backstage but that was as far as they went when I was there during the feeding time of the gorillas.
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
The pregnancy of the female Chimpanzee MARIT has been confirmed a few days ago.
If it will be successful (the birth is waited for late 2024/early 2025) it would be the first Chimp birth in Antwerpen for 32 years.
ZOO Antwerpen on Instagram: "Wat een nieuws! Twee streepjes op de zwangerschapstest... van chimpansee Marit! Het is sinds 1992 (32 jaar!) geleden dat er een chimpansee geboren werd in ZOO Antwerpen. En wat wil het geval? Dat waren toevallig Tuma en Tambuzi zelf, de grootste kanshebbers op het vaderschap van dit kleintje. Als alles goed gaat, verwachten we de geboorte van Marits kleintje in de maand december/januari. Kijken jullie mee uit naar de geboorte? #ZOOantwerpen #ZOOsamen #chimpansee #chimpanzee Wil je meer weten over de zwangerschap, de test, de impact op onze chimpanseegroep en nog veel meer? Dan kan je dit artikel lezen op Mijn ZOO, het digitale platform voor abonnees van ZOO Antwerpen en ZOO Planckendael, waar zij gratis op kunnen inloggen met het abonnementsnummer. Voor deze gelegenheid laten we iedereen echter graag meelezen! www.mijnzoo.be/nl/verhalen/delen/7efc6ec6-3484-11ef-b220-0050568c32e5/008a8442-e4a5-11eb-8def-0050568ce7a6"
If it will be successful (the birth is waited for late 2024/early 2025) it would be the first Chimp birth in Antwerpen for 32 years.
ZOO Antwerpen on Instagram: "Wat een nieuws! Twee streepjes op de zwangerschapstest... van chimpansee Marit! Het is sinds 1992 (32 jaar!) geleden dat er een chimpansee geboren werd in ZOO Antwerpen. En wat wil het geval? Dat waren toevallig Tuma en Tambuzi zelf, de grootste kanshebbers op het vaderschap van dit kleintje. Als alles goed gaat, verwachten we de geboorte van Marits kleintje in de maand december/januari. Kijken jullie mee uit naar de geboorte? #ZOOantwerpen #ZOOsamen #chimpansee #chimpanzee Wil je meer weten over de zwangerschap, de test, de impact op onze chimpanseegroep en nog veel meer? Dan kan je dit artikel lezen op Mijn ZOO, het digitale platform voor abonnees van ZOO Antwerpen en ZOO Planckendael, waar zij gratis op kunnen inloggen met het abonnementsnummer. Voor deze gelegenheid laten we iedereen echter graag meelezen! www.mijnzoo.be/nl/verhalen/delen/7efc6ec6-3484-11ef-b220-0050568c32e5/008a8442-e4a5-11eb-8def-0050568ce7a6"
Malayan tapir Nakal has given birth a male calf. The birth happened earlier than calculated but the calf is drinking well and seems healthy.
https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20240829_92649781
https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20240829_92649781
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
The first introductions with the owl-faced monkeys and the gorillas have taken place. They tried introducing the monkeys to Amahoro (Eastern lowland Gorilla), while the other gorillas stayed inside. The hatch was open but the monkeys did not enter the habitat yet.
Père Damian's Deer
Well-Known Member
Construction seems to be starting for 'New Jubileum Complex' after the summer vacations, seeing as there seemed to be trucks arriving. There is also work being done at the indoor area of the giraffes. The 3 of them are now temporarily in the former oryx paddock. The baby Malayan Tapir is indeed doing very well.
Hippopotamus Hermien, a favorite of the public and an icon of Zoo Antwerpen who has lived there since 1985 (aside from a brief interlude at Planckendael in 2001 during the construction of the current hippo house), is entering her final weeks. Old age is catching up with her pretty badly and she is suffering with bad skin, artritis and rheumatism, which are still causing her pain, walking difficulties and sores despite maximum use of medication. They fear she might one day drown because she fails to get out of the pool. Therefore the decision has been made that at the end of the month Hermien will be euthanized.
The euthanasia of Hermien will take place on the same day and immediately after her daughter Imani, born in 2007, is crated for a transport to Ireland, where she will join an existing group and later on enter the breeding program.
This will also mean the end of hippopotamus housing at Antwerp. In 2025 the current hippopotamus exhibit will be renovated to house the endangered pygmy hippopotamus, a species the zoo held until the early 2000's alongside common hippos and will join the breeding program for.
https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20240905_95742883
To be honest I am not unhappy that Antwerp at least is letting go of one megafauna species. And I like pygmy hippos quite a bit too.
The euthanasia of Hermien will take place on the same day and immediately after her daughter Imani, born in 2007, is crated for a transport to Ireland, where she will join an existing group and later on enter the breeding program.
This will also mean the end of hippopotamus housing at Antwerp. In 2025 the current hippopotamus exhibit will be renovated to house the endangered pygmy hippopotamus, a species the zoo held until the early 2000's alongside common hippos and will join the breeding program for.
https://www.gva.be/cnt/dmf20240905_95742883
To be honest I am not unhappy that Antwerp at least is letting go of one megafauna species. And I like pygmy hippos quite a bit too.
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Kalaw
Well-Known Member
Very unfortunate to hear that she has passed away (EDIT: sorry, somehow read that she had a euthanasia was *planned* as opposed to having already happened many times but it didn't occur to me when writing this sentence). When I visited Antwerp, I got to the hippos quite late into a cold, December afternoon, and had the house all to myself, barring the hippos of course, whose presence was enhanced by the old-fashioned design of the house that allows you to hear their breathing and the ripples they create in the water. Watching one of the hippos (I believe Hermien, but might have been Imani, can't quite remember) fully submerge themselves in the pool was brilliant, and the knowledge that one of the most dangerous animals in the world could be mere inches away from me and I wouldn't know quite unnerving.
I also thought that, unlike some other hippo enclosures of a similar design, the one at Antwerp was actually a really good enclosure for the hippos, as well as visitors. One of the better ones I have seen, in fact, a monumental achievement for a city zoo. If I were to chose a megafauna species to remove from Antwerp, it would definitely be elephants or rhinos, not hippos (purely based on enclosure quality, not the popularity of the species among visitors). The fact that the Hippo House was only built in 2021 (I hadn't realised this until reading your post), makes me wonder if the zoo is making this decision out of welfare concerns or the unavailability of replacements for Hermien and Imani.
All that said, the enclosure will be excellent for pygmy hippos as well, and I very much look forward to seeing how it is developed for them.
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I made a mistake in the date of the hippo house, the current one was built in 2001, not 2021. I'm sorry.
Hermien hasn't passed away yet, her euthanasia is planned in a few weeks, at the end of the month. The hio
The hippopotamus enclosure at Antwerp certainly isn't bad, but the indoor space is not really that extensive for a larger herd, the indoor separation space is very small and there is no outdoor separation yard. So it is perhaps not really suitable for a larger breeding herd. That said, I do agree that Antwerp should really stop keeping elephants, that exhibit, even with the recent expansion, is really not going to be acceptable much longer.
cornu aspersum
Well-Known Member
Quite sad to hear the end of a local legend and that Antwerpen is going out of hippos. However, there are no breeding hippopotamus in Ireland with only one individual living in Dublin Zoo.