Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Discussion Thread 2025
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- 2025 toronto zoo
Its been 5 years since that was an idea so I think the koalas are out. It was a post massive Australian wild fire/pre pandemic beautiful dream that made a lot of sense. Australia was struggling to house all the effected wildlife. Toronto easily could have welcomed a group of koalas and sent some of their new group on loan if they wanted. But then March 2020 came and the world went straight to dumpster fire mode. By the time the zoo could again look at importing koalas, Australia had figured things out and wasn't as desperate to place koalas overseas if needed. I think at this point our only hope is to wish another unprecedented and disastrous fire season on Australia and we are Canadians, we would never wish that upon our Aussie cousins.
I think best we could hope for is a loan of koalas from San Diego for a few months as in the past. I wouldnt blame San Diego if they said no since last time they lent us two koalas they got neither back. Not saying we did anything wrong. Likely just terrible luck. But they might not be too willing to send more.
Van Beal
Well-Known Member
Another new rosella? Sounds fun.
Also, not necessarily a 2025 point, but I had a ring-tailed lemur adopted on my behalf as a Christmas gift, and the package included a little info magazine that basically covered all the major events since the zoo's opening. Anyway, I was reading through it, admiring all the maps supplied from the beginning of the zoo (fun to see all the species no longer housed at the zoo), and I noticed what was labelled as a "Himalayan Blue-pie" enclosure in one of the old pavilion maps. As I don't currently have an image or recollection of which pavilion it was (I could supply an image later), I was just curious to see if anyone might have any idea what this might be referring to?
Also, not necessarily a 2025 point, but I had a ring-tailed lemur adopted on my behalf as a Christmas gift, and the package included a little info magazine that basically covered all the major events since the zoo's opening. Anyway, I was reading through it, admiring all the maps supplied from the beginning of the zoo (fun to see all the species no longer housed at the zoo), and I noticed what was labelled as a "Himalayan Blue-pie" enclosure in one of the old pavilion maps. As I don't currently have an image or recollection of which pavilion it was (I could supply an image later), I was just curious to see if anyone might have any idea what this might be referring to?
Van Beal
Well-Known Member
As much as I agree with the hopes for arctic foxes and snowy owls, I don't see the presence of the lesser snow goose (or the bald eagle) as a waste of the space. It's better than the time those two habitats spent empty a while back.
Unlikely to see Arctic Foxes again with the zoos track record with the species, multiple passed away and without definitive reasons for there deaths its unlikely the zoo will roll the dice again.
Snowy Owls proved not to be very heat tolerant perhaps with changes to the exhibit but depends how much the zoo is willing to invest in the species.
TSAR13
New Member
Hi!
I am fairly new here, but have been a low-key zoo fanatic for a very long time.
Pardon my naive question (and it may not really fit in this thread), but is there a place online where you can actually read the specific SSP recommendations as to specific animals being transferred or to breed between zoos? I am very fascinated by that.
Thank you!
I am fairly new here, but have been a low-key zoo fanatic for a very long time.
Pardon my naive question (and it may not really fit in this thread), but is there a place online where you can actually read the specific SSP recommendations as to specific animals being transferred or to breed between zoos? I am very fascinated by that.
Thank you!
Yes, but you need a membership to view them. Furthermore, if you do gain access - it's generally considered in poor taste to post undisclosed information found in them. They are considered confidential, and leaked information can undermine safety and cause public uproar unnecessarily.
AJ the TZ Guy
Well-Known Member
While I see the logic, I also don't really agree with writing off a whole species just because they had bad luck with the ones they got previously. :c
I would really call it bad luck when it comes to the arctic foxes. There is definitely something very wrong with either the exhibit or where we are getting them from. Since Tundra Trek opened the exhibit has been home to I think 8 arctic foxes and with the exception of Cody who was attacked and killed by a great horned owl, every other fox died young and due to a neurological condition. The zoo has never said what it was but it sounds like all passed from something very similar if not the same. Whatever it was would come on suddenly and usually they passes within a week of keepers noticing the first symptoms. Bad luck was Cody becoming owl food. 7 other foxes dying young and quickly from a neurological condition means there is a problem. Im not blaming the zoo. They did what they could. But either there is something contaminating the exhibit or we were getting foxes from the same source with ticking time bomb in their genetics. I think since we have stopped holding them the zoo suspects its the exhibit but I have no proof of that. Interesting though we have an exhibit built for small mammals and we are wasting it on snow geese. If you didnt want foxes back we could use it for bobcats, snow shoe rabbits or arctic hares, even coons. Instead it holds snow geese who in theory already have an exhibit.
AJ the TZ Guy
Well-Known Member
Oh jeez, yeah, snowshoe rabbits or bobcats would be wonderful additions too! :3
Van Beal
Well-Known Member
Does anyone have a conclusive (or semi-conclusive) list of the fish species kept in the African Rainforest Pavilion? There are a few I remember (the bichir, the signed Paratilapia, Ngege, and the Insolitus Cichlid and Zonobe[?]) but I was wondering if anyone had a more conclusive list than I do.
I made a list in 2024 based on the zoo's signage. At the time they had the following signed. No idea which species are still kept (especially the various cichlid species given that sign is quite old)
In the Malagasay Fish section across from the molerats:
- Joba Mena
- Garaka
- Zonobe
In the two tanks just past the Lake Malawi tank:
- African Lungfish
- Mottled Bichir
- Perrieri
- Two-striped white lip
- Ngege
- A genericly signed "Cichlid"
In the Lake Malawi tank (extremely willing to bet that most of these species are not still in there. hopefully some cichlid experts can provide more insight):
- Melanochromis auratus
- Labeotropheus trewavasae
- Labeotropheus fuelleborni
- Protomelas taeniolutus
- Labidochromis caeruleus
- Plachidochromis electria
- Melanochromis interruptus
- Mylochromis melanonotus
- Fossorochromus rostratus
- Copadichromis chrysonotus
- Copadichromis borleyi
- Pseudotropheus demasoni
- Pseudotropheus aurora
- Pseudotropheus saulosi
- Protomelas sp. spilonotus tanzania
- Cyrtocara moorii
- Metriaclima callainos
- I also have something on my list called "Pseudochromis fanziiberi" that doesn't seem to exist - unsure if this is a typo/misreading on my part
Kalvin
Well-Known Member
To add to this, the tanks across from the molerats have, in recent years (though I noticed a lot of moving around on my most recent visit a month ago) held a Ctenopoma sp., Bedotia marojejy, Congo Tetra (Phenacogrammus interruptus), Yellow tailed Congo Tetra (Alestopetersius caudalis), Synodontis sp., and the African Lungfish.
Also two Synodontis species (ocellifer and one other) in the Ngege tanks, not sure if those are still around.
What I was told about the Malawi tank is that it iis currently only populated by the species that are easiest to get in commercial aquaria. At one point, it did have all of the species listed, but it's far fewer now. In my opinion, there's so much wasted potential with that tank and the incredible ecological phenomenon it represents, but anyway..
The most likely species to still be in the tank are
Melanochromis auratus
Labeotropheus trewavasae
Labeotropheus fuelleborni
Protomelas taeniolatus
Labidochromis caeruleus
Metriaclima callainos
I think the vast majority are the two Labeotropheus spp.. Up until at least 2019 they did also still have one or two Cyrtocara moorii but I'm not sure about now.
Pseudochromis is an oceanic genus of Dottybacks, I think you've probably combined Pseudotropheus with Melanochromis. Pseudotropheus fainzilberi would be the species you're referring to, it's now placed in the genus Maylandia.
I did look rather extensively for all of these species back in 2019, and I don't think I found more than the ones I listed. There might be some of the other species still kicking around, but I kind of doubt it.
Van Beal
Well-Known Member
Is there anything known about the species which resides in the Dwarf Croc habitat? I'm not really expecting anything seeing as they weren't signed but I thought I'd ask. As for the generically-signed Cichlid, all the signage gives is that it is a Paratilapia sp.
Kalvin
Well-Known Member
If memory serves, they are just more Ngege, Oreochromis esculentus.
Gorilla, Charlie, was in the health center today for surgery to complete a partial amputation of a toe following the girls spat with new silverback Zwalani. They thought it was just a cut but there was damage to the bone and part of it needed to be removed. Charlie should heal well but intros for her and Zwalani will be halted until shes healed. The zoo is rethinking intros and will probably try solo intros instead of the whole group. Given how Ngozi likes to use the girls as back up to assert her dominance, kinda surprised this wasnt the go to move.
Toronto Zoo gorilla undergoes surgery after part of toe bitten off by new silverback
Toronto Zoo gorilla undergoes surgery after part of toe bitten off by new silverback
AJ the TZ Guy
Well-Known Member
tbh, I have no idea which fish are or aren't still in there myself, nor do I have the knowledge or patience to discern which are which, so on my personal photo guides, I just sum them all up as the Lake Malawi cichlids and call it a day.
Van Beal
Well-Known Member
Might be ending up at the zoo on Saturday, and seeing as I will be making the venture alone and thus have time to go opening to closing at the zoo, I have a few questions:
- As she is the only species that I have never once photographed, are there any particular times to visit the Australasia Pavilion which will give me a high(er) chance of spotting Annie the ever-elusive echidna?
- Also Australasia-related, are the kooks living in the demoiselle aviary?
- Are the peafowl still living in the Lemur Summer Home, or have they been relocated to allow the lemurs to get their outdoor time?
- Is anyone aware of when the last ZooMobile run leaves the main station? Was planning on hopping on at least twice during my visit, once for sure to close out my day.
- Are any notable species currently off-display? I have heard about the Spectacled Owl (unfortunate that I won't see them), but wanted to know of any others.
- As she is the only species that I have never once photographed, are there any particular times to visit the Australasia Pavilion which will give me a high(er) chance of spotting Annie the ever-elusive echidna?
- Also Australasia-related, are the kooks living in the demoiselle aviary?
- Are the peafowl still living in the Lemur Summer Home, or have they been relocated to allow the lemurs to get their outdoor time?
- Is anyone aware of when the last ZooMobile run leaves the main station? Was planning on hopping on at least twice during my visit, once for sure to close out my day.
- Are any notable species currently off-display? I have heard about the Spectacled Owl (unfortunate that I won't see them), but wanted to know of any others.