Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus Zoo News - 2012

Kudu21

Kudu21

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I figured that a new thread should be started for the new year.

Not really news, but here's another video of the zoo's new elephant, Hank.

Shoot, the prefix didn't save for some reason. If a moderator could please fix that! :)
 
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Hi Folks,

I have been away from Ohio since April, I was wondering if any of you have any information on Columbus' plans for their Orangutans?

Willie was an incredible animal and is no doubt sorely missed since his passing, is the zoo actively seeking a replacement or might Sally and Tara be going elsewhere?

I always had issue with the lack of winter viewing for the Orangs at Columbus, it was the one major shortfall that detracted from my visits being that they were always my favorites! Willie in particular was without doubt the most charismatic animal I have ever spent time with.

If anyone can shed any light on the future plans for them or their enclosure It'd be appreciated.
 
We agree 100 percent on the design flaw(lack of indoor viewing) for orangutan in Columbus.However being that it was just built in 2004 I would not count on any change to the current exhibit anytime soon.As far as the orangutan are concerned ISIS currently lists 1.2 Sumatran Orangutan on hand and we have no info about further transactions.If you would like we make frequent visits to C- bus and could try to get more info on them.

Team Tapir
 
I agree that the lack of indoor viewing is a major drawback.

@Team Tapir- ISIS is out of date, as there are now just two females, Tara and Sally, left at the zoo. Willy, the zoo's male, died last year.

@Fisi- I have not heard any plans for the Orangutans in the wake of Willy's death. It will be interesting to see what happens.

In other news, Barbara, a 29-year-old Bald Eagle, died at the zoo yesterday. Her keepers found her unresponsive with an irregular heart beat. Tests showed that she had an enlarged heart.
 
Not only is there no indoor viewing but there are literally days when you don't see them at all(even on nice sunny days).From about the early 90's to the present the zoo has really transformed itself into a world class zoo.Amongst all of the exhibits built during this time the Orangutan exhibit is certainly the most disapointing.

Team Tapir
 
Potential Orangutan Improvements

There is room to expand and add a winter viewing area, if the Children's Playground was removed. (See photo)
 
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Themeatically, it would be difficult to add indoor Orangutan viewing without major changes. The Orangutan bedrooms are actually in the Gorilla building, connected by a swing-away chute crossing a service road. A new Orangutan-exclusive building would have to be built, or indoor Orangutan viewing would have to be done as a (confusing) part of African Forest.

Does anyone have experience with the interior layout of the Gorilla building? I know that the original Ape House has been expanded several times but still exists at the heart of the current building, but I'd be interested to know how much the configuration has changed over the years.
 
In this plan, a new Orangutan Indoor Building is constructed. The Yellow Line represents an artistic mural of an African Village. The Orange is the Night Enclosure.
 
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Chimps at the Columbus Zoo?

zooguy5 said:
In this plan, a new Orangutan Indoor Building is constructed. The Yellow Line represents an artistic mural of an African Village. The Orange is the Night Enclosure.
Click to expand...

Or the zoo could add Chimps!
 
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The zoo has a new Humboldt Penguin chick, and it has just started to come out of the nest box.
 
Upon opening Polar Frontier in 2010 the Columbus Zoo built a energy effient solar house with the help of students from the University of Ohio State.It was set up where the former timberwolf exhibit once sat.The house is now being disasembled to make way for what staff has informed us is later going to become the entrance to the African Savannah.Multiple zoo sources has confirmed that phase one is to include Giraffes,Zebras and Lions.

The North American Aviary is now open for the season with several new speicies bringing the total number of species in the aviary to 38.

Team Tapir
 
Thanks for the update Team Tapir.

It'll be a little odd having to go through North America to get to Safari Africa and having Safari Africa's entrance right next to the entrance of Polar Frontier, but there really isn't any other solution due to the location of the land Safari Africa will be located on.

There is no surprise that the first phase is planned to include giraffes, zebras, and lions, as the zoo gets asked about the lack of giraffes and zebras constantly on their Facebook page.

I'm really looking forward to what Safari Africa has in store, and hopefully we will be seeing more updates on the project before too long.
 
STINGRAY BAY NEW SUMMER 2012@COLUMBUS ZOO

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nBCTpc6MxRg" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Is this going to be in the Manatee Tank?does anybody know more about this exhibit? new species of stingray or are they getting rid of the manatees for this or are they building a new tank? thks matt
 
No, no, no. Stingray Bay is definitely not taking the place of Manatee Coast. Stingray Bay will be located in the Animal Encounters Village in Jungle Jack's Landing.
 
Ah, that's why I didn't see anything of it when I was at the zoo Friday. I was wondering what was going on with that.
 
The Zoos two female Orangatans are currently off exhibit because one of them has a respiratory problem and the zoo feels that the other does not want to be out in the exhibit alone therefore they are leaving them both behind the scenes for the time being.When both are healthy Columbus is planning on moving them elsewhere and bringing in a group of at least two and possibly four new apes.

Columbus has received 4 Snowy owls from a zoo in Europe and are planning on exhibiting them somewhere in Polar Frontier.

According to multiple staff members work on the African Savannah appears to be picking up pace.Columbus has already started to acquire some of its animals for the exhibit housing them at the nearby Wilds.

Team Tapir
 
team tapir said:
According to multiple staff members work on the African Savannah appears to be picking up pace.Columbus has already started to acquire some of its animals for the exhibit housing them at the nearby Wilds.
Click to expand...

Did anybody say what the actual species were? I don't think there has been a definite list released yet.
 
Ohiozoos said:
Did anybody say what the actual species were? I don't think there has been a definite list released yet.
Click to expand...

Giraffes and Zebras are the confirmed species for the African Savannah.Giraffes being the species mentioned to be already at the Wilds.We are sure they'll be several other species included in phase 1 (probably hoofstock) but nothing else has yet to be confirmed.

Team Tapir
 
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