Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden News From the Cincinnati Zoo 2011 #1

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Cat Canyon has really been quite a mystery. No plans have been released or even hinted about. However, the plans for the African Savannah call for a new cheetah exhibit, which would mean that the cheetahs would be leaving their grotto in Tiger Canyon. So perhaps Cat Canyon will not open until 2013 because they are waiting for another phase of the African Savannah to open first. When I was at the zoo about a month ago, there was construction/destruction going on where the African Savannah will be located.
 
They should close down Lemur Lookout and renovate the whole area as a neo-tropical reptile exhibit. There should be enough space for them to come up with some excellent plans.
 
Kudu21 said:
Cat Canyon has really been quite a mystery. No plans have been released or even hinted about. However, the plans for the African Savannah call for a new cheetah exhibit, which would mean that the cheetahs would be leaving their grotto in Tiger Canyon. So perhaps Cat Canyon will not open until 2013 because they are waiting for another phase of the African Savannah to open first. When I was at the zoo about a month ago, there was construction/destruction going on where the African Savannah will be located.
Click to expand...

What will come up in this phase of the African Savannah renovations?
Any siting plans avaiable at all?
 
That was just speculation, but when the plans for the African Savannah were released the plans called for the next phase to include exhibits for cheetahs, hoofed animals, and possibly something else to open in 2011, which probably isn't going to happen. With this phase being pushed back due to Night Hunters, it would fall into line before the opening of Cat Canyon in 2013. Allowing for enough time for renovation without the cheetahs.

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2010/05/28/cheetah.pdf
There's the plan for the African Savannah.
 
The plan promises to be something ...!!!

I assume that as it stands in terms of new African Savannah:
giraffe and flamingo exhibits have been completed (phase 1/1)
hence, cheetah and mixed hoofstock exhibit being phase 2/1?

Any concept/angle on the mixed hoofstock exhibit species assemblage?
Which of the current Cincinnati hoofstock will go in there?

As for cheetah: I do hope they do lotsa interpretation work and zoo immersion since this is such an iconic species for Cincinnati's conservation work in situ.
 
If I remember correctly, the phases were to be as follows:

Phase 1- Giraffe & Flamingo exhibits, Cheetah Encounter (Completed)
Phase 2- Hoofstock, Cheetah, Aviary, Wild Dogs (?)
Phase 3- Kopje, Baboons, Restaurant
Phase 4- Hippos

Things might have changed in the past year, but that's what the original plans were.

The hoofstock species are really up in the air.The zoo's director mentioned zebras, elands, and ostriches in a press release, but other than that not much has been said. I've heard rumors about lesser kudu, kori bustards, bontebok, and impala, but of course, those are just rumors. As far as the zoo's current hoofstock, the only species I can see moving over are the Grevy's Zebras and perhaps the Slender-horned Gazelles.

I have to agree. With all that the zoo has done with cheetahs, you would think that they could come up with a very interesting and informational exhibit for them.
 
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some small info on the Tiger Canyon Renovation from the Cincinnati Business Courier

The Ohio Cultural Facilities Commission approved $4.35 million in new state spending for two Hamilton County projects at its quarterly meeting Wednesday.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Gardens will receive $1.5 million to renovate its Cat Canyon exhibit. A three-acre exhibit area, scheduled to open summer 2012, will include three grottoes, multiple viewing decks and interactive displays on large predators.
 
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Well this says summer 2012 while the other source said 2013. Hopefully it will be the earlier date. This says three grottoes, which is what they have now, so it sounds like the actual animal exhibits will be essentially the same. Just different viewing platforms and graphics?
 
I wonder if the "three-acre area" is the whole Cat Canyon area or the renovated Tiger Canyon? I'm assuming it's the whole Cat Canyon area. As it stands now, ther is no way Tiger Canyon is three acres in size. Besides that, that's the way it sounds. Hopefully the grottos will still receive a major facelift. In fact, I'd love to see some of the species switch grottos. The Malayan tigers have the smallest of the three grottos, and I'd love to see them move to the larger cheetah or white tiger grottos.

I was reading the new Night Hunters press release on the zoo's website and it says that the cougar exhibit will open next month, and Tiger Canyon will close in August for phase II of the construction of the Cat Canyon project.
 
I visited the new exhibit today and I felt like it did not live up to the hype. Yes, the place looked new but it was just recycled cat house exhibits. Some of the smaller animals, like the vampire bats were barely visible because they had so much space to hide. The aardwolf was not visible at all. The large open space was nice and it was the most lit up area in the entire building, but it was at the end. It felt like a really cheap exhibit that spent more time and money focusing on the murals then the animals themselves.
 
Sorry to hear that NH was a disappointment. I was between going to Cincinnati and Louisville today, and it looks like Louisville wins out. My biggest concern for NH was that it would be nothing more than the Cat House with less felines, some Nocturnal House residents thrown in, and a few new layers of paint. I'm still going to check it out in a week or so.
 
I've heard both good and bad things about the exhibit, but yesterday was opening night and I'm sure it was too crowded to really enjoy the exhibit to its fullest potentional, plus the animals probably aren't completely comfortable with their new surroundings yet. I'm going to give Night Hunters the benefit of the doubt and wait a few more weeks to visit in order for the crowds to die down a little and for the animals to become more comfortable with their surroundings.
 
Hi, I'm new. I went to the Night Hunters exhibit and liked it. They didn't really mess with the old Cat House layout too much - aside from putting the entrance at the former exit and vice versa. The animals who crossed over from the nocturnal house had HUGE new exhibits!! The fennec foxes and bearcat didn't seem to know what to do with all the new space they aquired. The cats were pretty much in the same spaces they always occupied... only dark now. Overall I liked it.. it was kind of neat having the cats and nocturnal animals together. I was very disappointed that the aardwolf neglected to make an appearance.

I'm wondering what happened to the sugar gliders. They're not listed on the zoo's website and they didn't make the cut to the Night Hunters exhibit. Anyone know what happened to them? And what's up with the aye-aye suddenly appearing on the website? Those things are freaky and I want to see one in person!
 
Hello dpatters28, and welcome to ZooChat :) I'm glad that you enjoyed Night Hunters! I've heard mixed reviews, so it's always nice to hear that someone liked it :)

The zoo did not have sugar gliders, however, they did have feather-tailed gliders in the Night House. The feather-tailed gliders are still listed on their website, but I do not know what there plans are for that species.

The aye-ayes are a very exciting new addition to the zoo! From what I have heard, the aye-ayes can be found in the African building in Jungle Trails.
 
They had sugar gliders in the nocturnal house. It was right between the bearcat and fennec fox exhibit. They were put in with the screaming hairy amadillo towards the end of the nocturnal's house tenure. Not that it really matters.... if I want to see a sugar glider all I need to do is look to the left. I'm just curious if they became a casualty of the new Night Hunters exhibit or if they will be put somewhere else.

And thanks for the welcome! :D
 
Hm...I do not remember the zoo have Sugar Gliders recently. I was just at the zoo on April 18th and before that on November 21st and both times I only saw Feather-tailed Gliders. I'm pretty sure you must have gotten the two species confused as the Feather-tailed Gliders were exactly were you described the Sugar Gliders as being. Either way, the Feather-tailed Gliders are on the zoo's website, but they are not in Night Hunters. Perhaps they took the place of the Pygmy Slow Loris in the Asian building of Jungle Trails?
 
I go the the at least once a month (I love it there). The feather-tail gliders were in the corner next to the sloth exhibit. It was like when you went around that circle, they were on the back wall. The sugar gliders were before you go to that round corner. Sorry, I'm really not trying to be argumentative, but I know that zoo like the back of my hand. They could hire me as a tour guide. :) The sugar gliders were never listed on the website either.. so I tend to wonder if they were just a temporary exhibit while the Night Hunters house was being perfected.

I went today (again) and saw where the aye-aye is, but didn't actually see him. The exhibit is HUGE, and as I understand it they're pretty small critters so it would be easy to miss.
 
Excuse me then :P I was a little confused as to which exhibits you were talking about, but still, I never saw the Sugar Gliders on either of those two visits. I had no idea that they even had them, which suprises me as I always try to take note of any species change. My sincere apologies! That said, I bet they must have been a temporary exhibit. I can't really see why the Cincinnati Zoo would invest in such a common species both and zoos and as pets. Especially when they already exhibit the rarer Feather-tailed Gliders.

I also did not see the Aye-Aye on my last visit, but yes, its exhibit is very large for such a small creature, though I'm glad they gave the Aye-Aye one of those exhibits instead of one of the smaller ones like the ones for Pottos and Galagos.

Again, my sincere apologies, I had never seen the Sugar Gliders on exhibit nor had I heard that they had them so I had no idea!
 
Please don't apologize. As I said, I own two sugar gliders so I don't even know why I'm so worried if they're at the zoo or not. I guess I just thought it was cool I had a "zoo" animal. I was sort of wondering if they were go into Jungle Trails (they're native to Australia AND Indonesia afterall) where the Pygmy Slow Loris used to be, since they have one at the new Night Hunters exhibit now. Oh well, I don't think the zoo ever gets "rid" of any animals, they just go behind the scenes. For that matter, where is the opaki??? I know they have them, I wonder why they aren't on display.

I'm sure I'll be back there before long. I really want to see the aardwolf and the aye-aye. Hopefully next time I go they'll be more interested in showing off. LOL! I did the the baby galago today. SOOOOO cute!!!!!!
 
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