Calgary Zoo Calgary Zoo news 2008-2011

update on the penguin exhibit:
Calgary Zoo presses ahead with penguin exhibit
Tough criticism of the Calgary Zoo's approach to expanding its collection won't stop the facility from plunging ahead with a new, $24.5-million penguin exhibit.

Construction is already underway on the Antarctic Landing exhibit, which eventually will feature as many as 90 penguins from four species.

"It's been thoroughly planned out and it's well underway," said zoo spokeswoman Laurie Herron.

The exhibit is expected to open in early 2012, she said.

The Calgary Zoo came under fire last week after a report — requested by zoo officials following a series of deaths and animal mishaps — revealed a number of problems at the facility.

Amid other concerns revealed by the review team of accredited zoo experts were issues over the Calgary Zoo's poor collection planning, which showed little focus, critics argued.

Herron said the penguin display has already undergone exhaustive planning for several years, noting the zoo has experts on hand to care for the penguins once they arrive and is planning to bolster its team of knowledgeable marine animal staff in the meantime.

Antarctic Landing is the lone piece of the ambitious Arctic Shores proposal to be constructed in the near future after the rest of the exhibit was scaled back due to soaring construction costs.

The exhibit will feature King, Rockhopper, Gentoo and Humboldt penguins and include a pool with a viewing glass for visitors.

Penguin experts say the birds can do well in zoos, but only if the proper homework is done on their care.

When the penguin exhibit opens next year, it may also mean another part of the zoo will close, according to spokesman Simon Scott.

"When the penguins (exhibit) open(s), when they arrive, we will look to close another part of the zoo, perhaps an aging part of the zoo, which will allow us to focus more moneys and more resource in this area," he said.

In 2008, an entire cow nose ray exhibit was wiped out because of human error. Since then, the zoo has been harshly criticized for not having appropriate expertise to build the pool and to care for the rays.
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Zoo News

After the review there has been plenty of change at the zoo,

The Wild Dog pack has dispersed
The two male Sloth Bears have headed to the Montgomery Zoo
Sherri the Giraffe born in 2008 is Going to African Lion Safari
Keti the Red Panda is going to Huston and the second Red Panda Cub of the year has been born making it 11 cubs since 1994
 
Tiger Cub

A female amur tiger was born at the zoo in the early hours of the 7th. The keepers did not know that Katja was pregnant. When they came in they found one cud dead and the other in need of care. The remaining cub is at the health centre and doing well. They hope to put it back with Katja soon.
The father is Baikal, the male that came from the bronx in the spring.

http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/news-release-Tiger-Birth.pdf
 
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Happy for the Amur tiger SSP and Calgary Zoo for this important and noteworthy birth.

Curious though that the pregnancy went unnoticed for the entire duration ...??? :confused: One can read allsorts into that (the independent expert review already delved into the issue of a more complete keeper routine and more communication between keepers staff and veterinary-health staff re. the animal collection).

Please do not get me wrong HERE! I am genuinely happy for this great event. I do ALSO feel that some of the criticism - particularly by animal welfare organisations - regarding recent elderly individual animal deaths (principally the gorillas and elephants) are unjust. The major find in the report was that the animal curator at Calgary lacked several important capacities in his task of operation. The fact that he has been fired and someone more experienced hired that is more interested in a balanced animal collection and better relations and communication levels within the zoo staff ... bodes well for the future. :cool:
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Happy for the Amur tiger SSP and Calgary Zoo for this important and noteworthy birth.

Curious though that the pregnancy went unnoticed for the entire duration ...??? :confused: One can read allsorts into that (... perhaps the independent expert review already delved into the issue of keeper proficiency)
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I was thinking the same thing. it does appear a little odd :confused:
 
Fall news for the zoo.

Vitali, a three year old amur tiger, will be moving out to Toronto later this year.

The three red river hog piglets born in 2009 will disperse.

Tengu, the breeding male giraffe and his most recent daughter Sophie will be heading to African Lion Safari.
 
We are awaiting that arrival in Toronto! Hopefully some cubs in the near future!!
 
He should make a nice addition. Vitali is full of energy and very interesting to watch. And I think that his bloodlines are quite important. Hope to see some nice cubs out of him in the new future.

On another note, with our only male giraffe leaving, does anyone know if there is a replacement lined up, or is calgary just going to do without a breeding male?
 
I was at the zoo yesterday and there has been quite a bit of change. The previous home of the African Hunting dogs is now home to Red River Hogs. Im guessing that they are just the 2009 babies. The area was under quarantine though so there may be a new addition to the zoo, possibly a second pair of hogs?

Tanga and Sophie the giraffes are gone, leaving Mardi and Carrie.

The two female gorillas that came from the bronx a while back have been successfully integrated. Unfortunately, the two males did not work out. They were rotating the indoor/outdoor enclosures with the mixed group this summer, but with a good layer of snow this is not an option. I am unsure if they are just staying in the back, or if they have left the zoo.

In Eurasia there has been a little bit of change. A new camel has arrived, I'm guessing it is a male. Im quite sure that Vitali has left the zoo now, has he arrived in toronto yet?
The lone capybara has not headed out either, he is still in the old Sloth bear enclosure.
2 of the red pandas born in the spring are now on display and the Asian wild Horses have not come back from the zoo ranch leaving the exhibit empty.

Finally, the penguin exhibit is coming along nicely. It is located in the northern point of the canadian wilds. The wapiti, skunk, porcupine and rehabilitated raptors exhibits have been removed. The main steel framing for the buildings are done and the retaining walls for the outdoor pools were going in while I was there.

If you have any questions I will try my best to answer them.
 
You mean they tore out the Aspen Woodlands part of Canadian Wilds to build Antarctic Landing? That was one of the better parts of that area. I would have thought the area of the Prehistoric Park nearest the plaza would have been a better spot.
 
the white tails are still there and a portion of the wapiti enclosure is still there, but home to wild turkeys. I did enjoy this section and I really feel that the prehistoric park is a real black mark on the zoo. So much useful space wasted on aging dinosaur sculptures. To make it worse there is the Royal tyrell museum about an hour away. It has an amazing collection of prehistoric animals and is far superior to the prehistoric park.
 
Was at the zoo on the weekend
Antarctic Landing is coming along nicely, although it still has a ways to go
The aspen woods area of the Canadian Wilds Is basically gone as I think they are planning to put a plaza here for the Penguins.

The Giraffe born in February is doing well, and exploring the outside world as spring has finally arrived in Calgary. Also in the savanna building, there has been a single birth of another Red River Hog. This brings the family group up to 6 or 7.

In the Rainforest there has been some rearrangement of the reptiles and invertebrates, but nothing too drastic. The old Wild Dog enclosure is now home to a pair(brother sister?) of RRH, the other two from that litter have been moved I think.
In the aviary a new pair for Ross' touraco have been introduced, two Blue Bellied Rollers have moved over from the savanna and the Ring-tailed Lemurs were no where to be seen.
 
I really do think it's a shame that they tore into one of the nicer parts of Canadian Wilds to build Antarctic Landing, I would have wished to see it take up part of what is now the Prehistoric Park instead.
 
In the decrepit south america house, the sloths and tamarins have been split up, the coatis have moved on, I think the last squirrel monkey may have passed away as her old exhibit was under redevelopment. The De Brazzas monkeys are rotating with the spider monkeys and the gibbons between the tree indoor and two outdoor enclosures.

In Eurasia, the former sloth bear enclosure is now home to a single white stork and a pair of saurus cranes now inhabit the old wild horse paddock.
 
Ituri said:
I really do think it's a shame that they tore into one of the nicer parts of Canadian Wilds to build Antarctic Landing, I would have wished to see it take up part of what is now the Prehistoric Park instead.
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I completely agree, the prehistoric park saw a fair bit of traffic last summer, but with the animatronic dinosaurs gone now, it has fallen silent. So much valuable space wasted. I hope that the aspen woods will be redeveloped a little bit but that may be a bit too optimistic.
 
I'm not sure if this has been posted on here before, but there is a pretty cool two minute preview video of 2012's "Penguin Plunge" on the zoo's website. The complex is costing almost $25 million and the indoor area appears to be similar to the world-class "Penguin & Puffin Coast" at the Saint Louis Zoo as there is very little separation between visitors and birds:

Calgary Zoo - Penguin Plunge
 
the penguin plunge looks amazing!
i have a feeling that the African black footed penguins exhibit is gonna be much better than the Toronto zoo's.
 
@Damian, don't be to quick to judge that, I have seen the exhibit at Toronto, and it provides the penguins with everything they need. However, looked very similar to the old fur seal exhibit in terms of layout.
 
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