Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium News 2025

[MGolka]

Got to visit the zoo for the first time in 2025 today and while a short visit, one with a couple of interesting tidbits. Really only visited Lied Jungle, Kingdoms of Night, and Orangutan Forest. Main visit was for Member Appreciation Day with Free Popcorn for the Giant Screen Theater which my wife and I watched the Blue Whale Documentary with Andy Serkis narrating.

Now for a couple updates!

In the Lied Jungle, the first cave with the Frilled Lizard and Blood Python exhibits was getting some ceiling work done and so both exhibits were unoccupied, with the Blood Python exhibit covered up. Despite these two exhibits having their occupants off display in them, both species were on display elsewhere in the Lied Jungle.

The Frilled Lizards are now in the exhibit next to the Black and Rufous Giant Elephant Shrews, and in with the Frilled Lizards were Borneo Giant Stream Toads. This exhibit previously held Veiled Chameleon and Home's Hinge-backed Tortoise.

The Blood Python are now in the former Yellow Anaconda exhibit in the last cave with all the various frog species.

The former Golden Orb Weaving Spiders is still closed and barricaded off and has been since last fall.

An exciting development on the jungle floor in the pond that usually has the stingrays has now an unidentified and unsigned species of Lungfish present. Here is a photo for you species sleuths out there. Not sure if it is Australian, South American, or African.



In Kingdoms of the Night, not too much is different. I may have mentioned this in the 2024 thread, but there are now unsigned snakes in the Togo Slippery Frog exhibit. Will try to get a photo of them at some point when lighting is better so someone on here can identify them.

 

[DesertTortoise]

In Kingdoms of the Night, not too much is different. I may have mentioned this in the 2024 thread, but there are now unsigned snakes in the Togo Slippery Frog exhibit. Will try to get a photo of them at some point when lighting is better so someone on here can identify them.

The snakes in the Togo slippery frog exhibit are emerald tree boas. Here is a photo I took in May of last year.

Emerald Tree Boa

• DesertTortoise
• 26 Jan 2025
• 2

Kingdoms of the Night - May 22, 2024

 

[Astrotom3000]

An exciting development on the jungle floor in the pond that usually has the stingrays has now an unidentified and unsigned species of Lungfish present. Here is a photo for you species sleuths out there. Not sure if it is Australian, South American, or African.

I would say it's a South American Lungfish (Lepidosiren paradoxa), based on the coloration, short pelvic fins, and that it's being housed in an exhibit that usually features South American fauna. Actually managed to see 3 separate species of Lungfish last year in aquariums (including South American at Jenkinson's).

It's definitely not an Australian Lungfish, that much is a guarantee.

 

[MGolka]

A couple of interesting tidbits from the Zoo's monthly newsletter for February:
- A female klipspringer calf was born on January 8th and will be on exhibit in African Grasslands later in the spring to parents Naadir and Daphne.
- The zoo has named Jeff Ewelt as Chief Zoological Officer. Ewelt has 14 years of experience of leadership from ZooMontana. He will start April 14th. His role will lead the strategy and vision for all aspects of animal care and conservation.

 

[MKE Zoo guy]

Looking over the zoos master plan, what’s next for the zoo or still left to do?

 

[MGolka]

Looking over the zoos master plan, what’s next for the zoo or still left to do?

Nothing is really certain at the moment with a new zoo director. Since the master plan was Dr Pate’s vision and as he retired, he said that they finished the master plan as he gave the reins over to Dr Padilla.

But the things that were in the master plan that didn’t come to fruition: the Komodo Dragon exhibit in Desert Dome Plaza, Equatorial Africa, South America at the north end of the zoo (then later rumored to be Pacific Northwest area after the Glacier Bay Landing theme of the old Barn area), and the Polar Bear exhibit.

Right now the zoo is focused on completing the new vet hospital. But as far as future projects go, they haven’t really given any indication on anything else on the horizon.

Would be remiss without mentioning a couple other projects the zoo did in the meantime that were not in the master plan: they updated and refreshed Scott Aquarium, Hubbard Gorilla Valley, Hubbard Orangutan Forest, the Simmons Aviary, extended the Alaskan splash pad, and relocated and built a new carousel plaza.

 

[pachyderm pro]

A ringtail is on-exhibit in Kingdoms of the Night.

Omaha's Zoo & Aquarium on Instagram: " New Species Alert! For the first time in years, the ringtail has returned to Omaha. Meet eight-year-old Copper everyone! Closely related to raccoons and coatis, cacomistles are agile, tree-dwelling mammals native to Mexico and Central America, ranging from the southwestern U.S. to Panama. As omnivores do, Copper loves snacking on insects, eggs and blueberries. Stop by Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night, just beyond our naked mole rat habitat, to see Copper exploring his new home!"

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

For the third year in a row, the zoo has been named the best zoo in the country by USA Today!
Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Recognized as Best Zoo

 

[MGolka]

Got to visit the zoo for a short time this afternoon and have some updates from each of the main buildings up front.

Lied Jungle

• Looks like some new signage has been put up around each of the bigger exhibits dotted around the jungle, new tapir signs, our old friend the Mueller's Gibbon finally got a sign! (I may have missed this in the last year or so, but I feel like I would have remembered seeing it before)

• There seem to be a lot of new signs for the free ranging birds, as the signs have some species that I don't believe were signed before. I didn't get photos of all of them, but here is one in particular that I know is new as it has two (or three) species that were never signed in here, but I have seen the Caciques flying around (I think they built a nest near the viewing windows near the Treetops Restaurant viewing windows).

• The lower level has the Home's Hingeback Tortoises occupying the first terrarium labeled for Prehensile Tailed Skink.
• In the final terrarium before the underwater viewing for the Asian Small-Clawed Otter, Emerald Tree Skinks have been added in with the Solomon Islands Frogs and the Asian Black Spined Toads.
• In a sad development, the old pathway on the lower level that had guests hop (or step) across some boulders in a stream to a lookout point near the big waterfall into the South American island exhibit has been converted into a boring concrete bridge. Even though it looks like wooden planks, it is concrete made to look like wood.

Desert Dome

• You are indeed correct on the species of Taipan that is in the former juvenile Perentie exhibit @DesertTortoise. However the zoo has signed it as a Papuan Taipan but same binomial as you posted in the 2024 news thread at tail end of last year.
• In the old King Brown Snake/Woma Python exhibit is a new batch of Perentie youth, with a sign saying they were hatched February 5th, 2025.
• Looks like the zoo removed a lot of the screening plants on the Ocelot exhibit and actually saw an active Ocelot during daylight hours.
• The Bobcat exhibit is under construction at the moment, nothing really notable right now, it looks like they haven't started any modifications yet, just a sign saying under construction and a cleared out exhibit.

Kingdoms of the Night

• Saw the new Ringtail on exhibit today! The individual is very active and can confirm that it is in the exhibit immediately after the Naked Mole Rats. It is in the first of the previous two Fossa exhibits.
• Did not see a Potto in the exhibit with the Springhaas just after the Fossa exhibit. The sign was also removed and replaced with a Southern Three-Banded Armadillo sign. Saw both an armadillo and Springhaas in the exhibit. Would be a shame if Potto is now out of the collection.

Scott Aquarium

• The tank right after the Dragon Moray Eel/Lionfish tank is under construction and is covered up. This tank had Harlequin Tusk as one of its many species in it for reference.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Wow, another batch hatched of perenties. Nice one!

 

[Persephone]

Omaha is going to single-handedly make perenties semi-common in U.S. reptile houses.

 

[MGolka]

I participated in a volunteer event this morning at the zoo and then did a quick lap of the zoo to see if anything in particular is new and a couple of updates.

The tank in the aquarium that I posted above is still under construction and is actually mostly ripped out from behind the glass (glass not covered) and you can see up into the BTS area of the aquarium at the moment.

The construction work on the bobcat exhibit in the Desert Dome is still ongoing.

Speaking of the Desert Dome, there are now a West African Mud Turtle and a Helmeted Marsh Terrapin in the White Headed Buffalo Weaver exhibit in the first part of the Dome next to the Bat Eared Fox Exhibit.



In the Kingdoms of the Night, the larger part of the Tammar Wallaby and Short Beaked Echidna exhibit is getting new mulch put on the floor as the floor was completely clear of the old mulch leaving the concrete floor bare at the moment. The animals may still have access (not on exhibit today) as the smaller portion still had some mulch in place.

Finally, in something I have been wondering about for a bit, when the zoo moved most of the Lar Gibbon off their island exhibit in the Lied Jungle that they have been on since the building opened, I was curious if the zoo would possibly move them to Orangutan Forest, especially after one of the three Siamang the zoo has passed away. It seems that this may indeed be the case as this sign was in the lower Siamang habitat. I believe the Siamangs may not be mixed but rather split time in one of the upper two exhibits. Which would make sense if the zoo was able to mix the male orangutan from Toledo with the females they were working on introducing when the refurbished exhibit opened.

 

[Smaggledagle]

Piece of December 2024 News + Other Early 2025 News Not Mentioned:

An Atlantic Puffin chick recently hatched, the third to the particular breeding pair that this offspring has come from. The zoo notes that the current AZA population is 125 birds at 7 facilities.

On December 16th, the zoo announced they named the puffin Bettlejuice.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

On March 10th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (0.2) black-handed spider monkeys to Salisbury Zoo in Maryland.

Salisbury Zoo

A female klipspringer calf was born on January 8th and will be on exhibit in African Grasslands later in the spring to parents Naadir and Daphne.

On March 12th, the zoo announced they named the klipspringer Opal.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

On April 2nd, it was reported that the zoo transferred 9 crocodile monitors to Bioparc Fuengirola in the Province of Málaga, Spain, which were then sent to zoos in the EAZA in March.

V pražské zoo jsou nově k vidění dva varani Salvadoriovi

On April 11th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (0.2) perenties to Cameron Park Zoo in Texas.

Cameron Park Zoo

On May 3rd, the zoo announced they moved 2+ purple-striped sea nettles that were raised at the facility on display in the Scott Aquarium.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

 

[Omaha92]

Today the zoo announced the passing of Chino a male California Sea Lion.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

 

[DesertTortoise]

Here are some updates from my visit today (May 22, 2025).

Desert Dome

• A red-billed hornbill now occupies the exhibit that previously housed spotted thick-knee and, for a short time, a blue-bellied roller. This is the hornbill that was in the rock hyrax exhibit in African Grasslands. Pretty tiny exhibit for this hornbill in my opinion.
• East African serrated mud turtle (Pelusios sinuatus) is now signed in the klipspringer moat. I did not see it.
• The netting for the roadrunner, bobcat, and coati exhibits has been removed, so all of those animals are off exhibit.
• The Yucatán spiny-tailed iguana (Cachryx defensor) that was previously in the Lizard Sun Room is now on exhibit with the Baja blue rock lizards. It is not currently signed.

Kingdoms of the Night

• The second fossa exhibit next to the ringtail now houses additional springhares.
• The potto sign is back up, and at least one potto is still present and was actively climbing around. That exhibit has signs up for potto, springhare, and three-banded armadillo.
• A large portion of Kingdoms of the Night is currently closed for construction. They reroute you from the aardvark exhibit straight to the dry cave bat room and then from there into the swamp room like normal. Everything between the aardvark exhibit and dry cave room is not accessible right now. That should include the wet cave room, South America room, and Australia room.

Lied Jungle

• Orb-weaver spider exhibit is open again on the canopy level.

Scott Aquarium

• Purple-striped sea nettle (Chrysaora colorata) has replaced the West African sea nettle.

Orangutan Forest

• White-handed gibbons are now signed for the exhibit that originally had siamang. I saw one siamang in one of the outdoor exhibits on the top level.

Simmons Aviary

• I saw a few ducks in here that I haven’t seen in the aviary before : green-winged teal, Barrow’s goldeneye, bufflehead

Asian Highlands

• The goral sign on the first viewing area for the takin exhibit has been removed. I don’t know if the goral are just permanent behind-the-scenes residents or if they have left the zoo, as I just saw two of them last November.

African Grasslands

• Plains zebra now occupy the sable antelope exhibit. The signage for the antelope is still up, but no zebra signage is present yet. It is possible that the antelope are now gone from the zoo.
  
• Red-and-yellow barbet and violet-backed starling have been added to the rock hyrax exhibit.

 

[JVM]

Very interesting news there on both mixes. I'm glad the zebras are no longer being housed with the elephants (shame the mix didn't work out but it sounds like that wasn't set to change) but I hope the Sable Antelope are not gone. So perhaps the siamang may mix with the orangutan and lar gibbon take the former siamang enclosure then?

 

[DesertTortoise]

So perhaps the siamang may mix with the orangutan and lar gibbon take the former siamang enclosure then?

This is correct. Although I don’t remember whether the siamang was mixed with the orangutans or if it was in the smaller of the two outdoor exhibits on the upper level by itself.

 

[MGolka]

Nice updates and finally some confirmation of a couple internal moves across the zoo. Goral has also been removed from the map online and I wonder if they just relocated them to the Safari Park BTS as they were breeding them out there.

Great to know Potto is still in the collection.

If the last two Sables have passed, I am also curious if they bring in a new herd as @Kudu21 mentioned in years past how stubborn that species can be for integrating new members. If the zoo doesn’t get more in the future it will be the end of an era as Omaha has long held Sable Antelope for as long as I can remember and used to have a huge herd in the 90s and 2000s.

 

[tigris115]

They should have sable at their sister park.

That being said, I heard sable are a massive pain in the ass regarding herd management

 

[The Horse Boy]

Plains zebra now occupy the sable antelope exhibit. The signage for the antelope is still up, but no zebra signage is present yet. It is possible that the antelope are now gone from the zoo.

I think why they at least moved some of the sable and did not put the zebras in the giraffes white rhino impala and kudu is because captive plains zebras can attack smaller antelope species and babies.