Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Births, Deaths and Transfers 2025

Jefferson

Jefferson

Well-Known Member
Well time for a new thread for the year.

2024 wasn't this biggest profile year for births, but some pleasant surprises (e.g. cougars, return of the spider monkeys, new Demoiselle cranes, and a number of birds in australasia), some roller coasters (looking at you, red pandas), definite heartbreak (rest in peace Matumani*, Kilat**), and of course the end of an era with Silverback Charles' *** passing at 52 years old after being the reigning king of the zoo for 50 years.

So what does 2025 have to offer? Honestly not to sure.

Births:
No major pregnancies announced at this time.
I suspect we may have a few of the usual suspects bring some offspring into the zoo:
Kangaroos, Southern ground hornbill (based on their track record), and of course the breed and release programs (Vancouver Island Marmot, Eastern Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake, Black Footed Ferret, Blanding's Turtle)
Perhaps a pygmy hippo, depends on if Harvey and Kindia have been put together.

Departures:
Obi (1.0) Zebra to St. Louis
Jinnga (0.1) Orang to the Fresno Chaffe
Southern Ground Hornbills - A few young to the states

Likely some other movements for SSP reasons, will wait and see

Deaths:
I think we should continue to buckle up for some more deaths as the current animal population is getting older and older. Will have to see what happens, but I expect to see a number of deaths, perhaps even result in species phase outs, although hopefully temporarily.

Arrivals:
I think the biggest arrival of the year will be the new Silverback Gorilla when that happens. No clear date at this time, so watchful waiting it is. We presume Jawara from Granby, based on genetics and the fact that he is Canada already, but again, nothing official has been released.

The zoo has said they are planning to bring back Komodo's so hopefully we will see the arrival this year.

Summary:
I think the excitement this year will be the arrival of the Silverback.

However 2026 has potential to be a big year, possible giraffe, gorilla, zebras, pygmy hippo (if not already 2025) amongst others. This would correspond with the new entrance and could make for a great year.

* 1.0 Masai Giraffe
** 1.0 Komodo Dragon
*** 1.0 Gorilla
 
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I do believe 2025 will see lots of movement but I fear little in the way of births. We haven't heard of a lot of breeding attempts so if there are babies I think they will lack that wow factor we want. Our best hopes besides the usual suspects would be the pygmy hippos as long as they already paired Harvey and Kindia or do before April. The other big baby hope as remote as it seems is an orang infant from Ramai and Budi. Perhaps the surgery she had last year will result in a pregnancy. Its our last year to bother hoping because come her 40th in October they will not try any longer.

2026 though thats a different story.

Giraffes - Kiko and Mstari are already together and there is no reason to doubt she's likely already pregnant. An announcement might be made come spring.

Zebras - Jake could be paired with Tori and Maizy this year and we might see 2 2026 foals. I just wish they would breed at a better time of year so we get spring foals instead of late winter foals no one sees til spring. The zoo used to time it better.

Pgymy hippo - depending on when they pair them yeah there is a chance. I hope its already been done but Harvey is 30 and both of them just have one living calf as founders. As many as we can pump out is needed.

Orang - also a possibility if she were to get pregnant later on this year.

Gorilla - this totally depends on when Jawara (I have decided it will be him based on logic) arrives and how long it takes the troop to gel. None of the girls will go off birth control until they are a happy little group and thats assuming the SSP doesnt decided we need to do something about Ngozi, Nneka and Charlie all being in the same group. Its concentrating just one bloodline in one place with a male like Jawara who should see his genetics spread out more widely. I could see a possible swap of 1-2 of the girls for 1-2 of Calgary's to mix up the genetics better. Toronto then wouldn't have a mother and two daughters, as well as 3 half sisters. Calgary you could send Koijah or Dossi and Zuri to split a sister pair and mother daughter pair. Just better overall genetically. If they do that a 2026 baby might not happen. We will just have to wait and see.
 
The zoo has apparently acquired a Red-footed Tortoise named Rosie, currently viewable in the African Rainforest Pavilion. From looking at photos, it looks to be in the old Radiated Tortoise exhibit between Pygmy Hippos and Ibis/Spoonbills. Curious, since Red-footed Tortoises are a South American species. Though the zoo seems to have had little regard for its zoobiogeography in the last year - I suspect this mostly had to do with filling empty space for the 50th.
 
Yeah the zoobiogeography does seem a little off lately, although partly I think because I feel a number of the animals the zoo has received have been more placements, than acquisitions, so they end up needing to find an already existing home that suits them as best as possible.

The other is that sometime there are now empty exhibits sitting there and it is better for the species to be in that exhibit than off scenes. Take for example, the Fiji banded iguana's who bred last year, they moved some of the offspring to African rainforest as there was an old terrarium (I think formerly holding a chameleon species) there sitting empty. Better for them to be there than in a tank behind the scenes.

Hopefully these are temporary and work is being bone to bring the animals back to their proper locations.

And yes, I agree on 2026, if that all can happen, Africa will be the place to be in the zoo!
 
Just thinking about my last visit - one of the keepers was speaking to a very large group of people in front of the snow leopards (and doing an absolutely fantastic job of engaging and educating while she was at it).

We cannot forget the two Snow leopards cups (Zoya and Minu) are slated to move to Akron.

She was asked if Jita and Pemba would breed again - and she said that while that was an option, it was more likely to get a new female in to breed with Pemba based on his relative importance versus Jita, but that anything was possible.

It was a fun discussion - a lot of questions about the SSP, and how breeding decisions were made (she used the gorillas as an example and referred to the most likely outcome being "one of the three boys" coming from Granby). I meant to e-mail the zoo to pass on compliments but it completely slipped my mind by the time I got home.
 
Interesting, not surprising they will move the cubs south. Pemba's strong genetics need to be spread. In regards to moving forward, I can see what they mean with Jita, given her two cubs, and her mother having three new cubs this year, they are a fairly well represented line.

I wonder if they would bring Kita back from Winnipeg? She would be slightly less represented, as her brother Milo has only had one cub so far.
 
Zooer said:
Just thinking about my last visit - one of the keepers was speaking to a very large group of people in front of the snow leopards (and doing an absolutely fantastic job of engaging and educating while she was at it).

We cannot forget the two Snow leopards cups (Zoya and Minu) are slated to move to Akron.

She was asked if Jita and Pemba would breed again - and she said that while that was an option, it was more likely to get a new female in to breed with Pemba based on his relative importance versus Jita, but that anything was possible.

It was a fun discussion - a lot of questions about the SSP, and how breeding decisions were made (she used the gorillas as an example and referred to the most likely outcome being "one of the three boys" coming from Granby). I meant to e-mail the zoo to pass on compliments but it completely slipped my mind by the time I got home.
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Just for clarification - do you know what she meant by "one of the three boys" coming from Granby? The way you've worded it - it sounds as though there are multiple slated to come to Toronto, with some staying as a bachelor troop... and one becoming the new breeding silverback. I'm not asking this in a way of trying to drum up the rumour mill - but I can't help but dig deeper.

It would make sense if more than one came to Toronto. That way, Sadiki and/or Nassir could leave for a new facility/to become a breeding silverback, while the left behind one wouldn't be housed alone. And would conversely free up space at Granby to welcome other bachelors from facilities needing an offload!
 
I did not mean to make it sound more mysterious than necessary.

There was no indication more than one would come to Toronto.
 
HawkAlot said:
Just for clarification - do you know what she meant by "one of the three boys" coming from Granby? The way you've worded it - it sounds as though there are multiple slated to come to Toronto, with some staying as a bachelor troop... and one becoming the new breeding silverback. I'm not asking this in a way of trying to drum up the rumour mill - but I can't help but dig deeper.

It would make sense if more than one came to Toronto. That way, Sadiki and/or Nassir could leave for a new facility/to become a breeding silverback, while the left behind one wouldn't be housed alone. And would conversely free up space at Granby to welcome other bachelors from facilities needing an offload!
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With the gorilla Granby has 4 adult males who could helm a troop. Calgary born brothers Jawara (Kakinga x Julia) and Zwalani (Kakinga x Tabitha), St. Louis born Louis (Jabari x Nne Kazazi) and Bronx born Kuchimba (Zuri x Honi).

Zwalani - He is a write off. His mother Tabitha is Johari's half sister making her his aunt. No shot on earth he will be picked. Toronto resisted sending out Johari for so long just to keep Josephine and Charles's baby. Shes the sentimental fav. With a half sister (Yewande) in Calgary he will have to go to the US where he could join almost any troop and he will be appreciated.

Kuchimba - Almost shouldnt even be considered. While he is not genetically relate to any of our girls he is FAR too related to most other gorillas. Here in Canada he would be a terrible choice. His half sisters Koijah and Dossi live in Calgary and if the SSP plans to swap young back and forth between Toronto and Calgary as they usually with most species, he would be a terrible choice long term. His low ranking genetics really would devalue our high ranking ladies.

Louis - He's the least related to any other gorilla in Canada but hes still pretty well represented in the US. He's not a terrible choice. He would just be better as a back up should Toronto or Calgary unexpectedly lose a silverback and a decision needs to be made. He would do better as Kuchimba's companion until needed. The girls in Toronto could do better genetically.

And that brings us to the most likely contender for Toronto's vacant throne...

Jawara - He has stayed in Canada for a reason. He and Zwalani could have gone south long ago to head troops and they both have the genetics to back that choice. Jawara has long been the favored choice for Toronto. He's got it all for Toronto. You are talking the number 2 ranked male in North America. Dad Kakinga was a European import and thus a founder. He has 6 living kids Ntonodo (a male who cannot breed due to medical reasons), Mbundi (father of Kruger, Burchfield and Sally), Jawara, Zwalani, Barika (mother of Alika) and Yewande (mother of Okabe). So 5 kids who can breed and other than Alika all other grandkids are too young to breed for some time. Bringing Jawara and Zwalani into the mix would be good. Mom Julia is even more precious being a wild born founder with just 3 living kids Ntondo, Jawara and Barika and 1 grandchild Alika. Ntondo will never be bred. Thus leaving just two kids and a grandkid. Barika is ready to breed again and Alika could very soon as well but they will only have one baby every 4 years or so. Jawara is the one who could really spread Julia's vastly underrepresented genetics. Toronto would be a good spot with 3 breeding age females and a 4th not too far off (provided there are not swaps with the females too). Mixing him with Johari the 9th ranked female (6th if you dont count those several years off breeding age) will produce little genetic powerhouses. Ngozi and her girls are very well ranked as well. Furthermore if Toronto is interested in it they own Jawara. Why is this important? Well we have a kinda unique troop in that Toronto owns every single one of our gorillas because every one of them descend from one of our wild born babies. Obviously Johari is from Josephine and Charles while Sadiki descends from Charles and Samantha. Ngozi descends from Amanda, which makes Nassir, Nneka and Charlie descendants of Amanda and Charles (we own Ngozi but not her sisters Calaya and Uzumma). Jawara is a descendant of Julia and in math that didnt work well for Calgary, Toronto owns all three of her kids. If they are interested in retaining both history and ownership of every troop member he would be the choice I would ask for. Ok I would ask for him because of his genetics alone but Toronto has the right to request his return as his owner. And in the past I have heard from reliable sources hes the one Toronto wants. It could have changed but I doubt it from a zoo that stubbornly held on to Johari for about 15 years longer than they should have. She should have 3-4 babies by now like Ngozi.

Honestly I would be completely shocked if any male other than Jawara takes the spot unless we get unlucky enough he passes before he can be transferred.

Have I invested too much thought in this? Clearly! But the gorillas are my thing.
 
I appreciate the detailed reply. I agree - Jawara is the very clear choice to be in with TZ's females.

What I wouldn't mind as well is if Granby used this as their opportunity to clear house of sorts. Even if they sent Zwalani to the US to become a leader of a troop there, Jawara here to be TZ's breeding male, and we welcomed Louis and Kuchimba here to live with our current bachelors. And once they were all gone - would free up space to house other males in the US needing bachelor holding, particularly those of low genetic value who aren't imminently needed back in the US once they mature.

It would be really lovely for Toronto to have a few bachelor males who are here to stay, so to speak. That way, when it's time for one of the Toronto born males to go (ex. Sadiki), there's no headache of a left behind younger one who still needs a companion (ex. Nassir). And conversely for future male babies, an automatic bachelor troop to transition to upon appropriate age.

Also wouldn't mind seeing Calgary take on a few bachelors, if they have the space. I'm a pretty firm believer in facilities that are able holding one of sorts at all times. I think it really helps take pressure off other facilties, and provides much less headache of what to do with male babies of troops.
 
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As mentioned before, I wouldn't be wildly surprised if some female swapping happens with Toronto and Calgary at some point either. Even if we kept Ngozi and Johari, and traded Nneka and Charlie for Dossi and Kiojah - would liven things up genetically even more.
 
HawkAlot said:
I appreciate the detailed reply. I agree - Jawara is the very clear choice to be in with TZ's females.

What I wouldn't mind as well is if Granby used this as their opportunity to clear house of sorts. Even if they sent Zwalani to the US to become a leader of a troop there, Jawara here to be TZ's breeding male, and we welcomed Louis and Kuchimba here to live with our current bachelors. And once they were all gone - would free up space to house other males in the US needing bachelor holding, particularly those of low genetic value who aren't imminently needed back in the US once they mature.

It would be really lovely for Toronto to have a few bachelor males who are here to stay, so to speak. That way, when it's time for one of the Toronto born males to go (ex. Sadiki), there's no headache of a left behind younger one who still needs a companion (ex. Nassir). And conversely for future male babies, an automatic bachelor troop to transition to upon appropriate age.

Also wouldn't mind seeing Calgary take on a few bachelors, if they have the space. I'm a pretty firm believer in facilities that are able holding one of sorts at all times. I think it really helps take pressure off other facilties, and provides much less headache of what to do with male babies of troops.
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Because this is clearly my favourite topic...

I think if Jawara ends up here (when in my brain), the SSP will probably move Zwalani south. He would be a great choice for some zoo. The only places he cannot go is Sedgewick with his sister Barika and niece Alika, Gladys Porter with his brother Mbundi and his kids Kruger, Burchfield and Sally, and Cincinnati with his two nieces Mondika and Elle (Jomo's girls). Because he is totally Canadian he has so many options. And reality is without his brother there as back up against Louis and Kuchimba who are bonded from a very young age like brothers their group stability could be altered in a very negative way. They could be cool too. You dont really know until you change that group dynamic by removing Jawara.

As to Sadiki and Nassir leaving for Granby Im not sure. I think it could go either way. Introducing full grown males isnt done as often. Usually they build bachelor groups from brothers or young males between 5-9 years old who have no brothers. But Louis and Kuchimba have already proven they can build a social group with unfamiliar adult males so they might give it a go with Sadiki and Nassir. Personalities might come into play a fair bit. Also future plans for Sadiki and Nassir. Nassir isnt too necessary to breeding but Sadiki is. He is Samantha's only surviving son now. I have long suspected once Nassir is old enough to head his own troop both boys will go south. Nassir can just go to a group that doesnt need to breed as much or as often while Sadiki goes to a group where he has lots of females and will quickly contribute.

When it comes to bachelors in Canada Granby kinda serves as the home for our bachelors. Toronto never held its boys for long before now. Jabari and Patrick left for Dallas around I think 4-6 but they were never able to integrate into the group so getting them to other young males was important and at the time Calgary had nothing to offer. Jomo was at least able to stay part of the group until he was in his early teens and without a brother close enough in age their only real option for him was a troop of his own. He was very young to become a silverback but he was also a pretty chill fella going into a group with older socially savvy females who didnt need to breed right away. Subira was in the same boat with Sadiki far too young to go with him when he left for Granby. They tried to blend him in with Jawara, Zwalani and their older brother Nsabi (who passed away but would have been a great option for Toronto too if still alive). That didnt go well. It was a single male coming in against three brothers who had been together their whole lives. Subira ended up living a solitary life for quite a bit until they sent him to Dallas to have his own group. They seem to be experimenting with using older males to serve as role models for younger males, particularity unbonded single boys. I could see in a few years when Calgary's Okabe and maybe a brother or a Toronto boy or two is ready for integration they will go to Granby where Louis and Kuchimba will serve as there mentors.

In terms of the best outcome for the girls in a swap between Toronto and Calgary, the ideal choices would be Zuri and either Dossi or Kiojah coming here. Zuri may have lacked a ton of maternal instincts with her first baby and Yewande, she did improve with Yewande. And she is incredibly valuable genetically. It would probably be worth the risk to breed her again. She might improve again or if she doesn't Yewande still was mother raised and has done well. Even if she rejected the baby completely Toronto would have a really good mother ready to be a surrogate in Dossi or Kiojah. Both are not that valuable to breed. Not horrible if they do. Not necessary if they dont. While both of them lost their first borns it wasnt their fault. Kimani, Koijah's daughter, died of cancer while Dossi just lost her daughter Eyare was killed in a tragic human error accident. Both were very good moms and would probably do well as a surrogate. Either of the sisters would be a good back up too for first time mothers Johari and either Nneka or Charlie. Yeah I just made it clear I would turf Ngozi. She picks on my Johari and if Im gonna get rid of someone its my sweet hat loving Johari's number one nemesis, genetics be damned! She is totally the one we should keep for genetics. But there is also benefit in keeping Nneka or Charlie. They are younger. Helps to spread out the reproductive lifespan of our group. We dont want them to all be roughly the same age. A much younger female would be good for Toronto and it would also with the departure of her sister help Calgary too. Zuri is 29, Ngozi is 27 in March, Johari, Kiojah and Dossi are all 24 this year, Yewande is 17 in May, Nneka is 10 tomorrow and Charlie turns 7 in June. The older girls have 11-16 years of breeding ahead of them while the three younger girls have 23-30 years of breeding ahead of them. Balancing ages would help both zoos. But we will see if the SSP eventually agrees with me.

Did I mention I spend too much time thinking about this? Lol.
 
Zoo has officially announce the arrival of three animals from the Ontario Science Centre

0.1 Red-Footed Tortoise - Rosie
14 year old located in the African Rainforest Pavilion - Near the Ibis

1.0 Common Snapping Turtle - Grumpy
Age unknown - Located in America Pavilion

1.0 African Spurred Tortoise - Brock
19 year old - currently behind the scenes

Toronto Zoo certainly has been taking in a lot of animals from other facilities that are closing (i.e. here, Hamilton Aviary). It is good to see the animals get a nice home.
 
Weird why not put the African Spurred Tortoise in Africa and the Red Footed Tortoise behind the scenes?
 
kingoffreaks said:
Weird why not put the African Spurred Tortoise in Africa and the Red Footed Tortoise behind the scenes?
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the African Spurred Tortoise actually was out on exhibit first in the enclosure with the Aldabras and Lemurs. They took him off when they put the new grey crowned crane in to the exhibit but I think that's just a coincidence. I think he'll be used as an ambassador animal because he absolutely adores being around people and with his keepers, so I wouldn't be surprised if come spring you see him walking around guests at the zoo. Just my guess
 
I heard he may have also been getting too friendly with the Aldabra's and maybe not making friends well (or trying too hard to be friends). I am sure one of the new tortoises could go out to the kids zoo for the summer. There are a number of enclosures they could go in and we all know the kids zoo needs some love and more animals.
 
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When I visited in the middle of November there were three keepers monitoring and talking about Kindia's weight. I was curious at the time if they were also monitoring a pregnancy, but I have no proof of that. They could have also been monitoring to prepare her for breeding. I believe they said that she had gained weight but I was just standing in proximity while they were feeding her so I'm not entirely sure.
 
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