Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2012

The zoo replied back to my facebook posting and said the sitatunga and red river hogs do have access to their outside yards and have been starting to venture out. I'll probably go there tomorrow so I'll see if I can spot them.
 
blospz said:
The zoo replied back to my facebook posting and said the sitatunga and red river hogs do have access to their outside yards and have been starting to venture out. I'll probably go there tomorrow so I'll see if I can spot them.
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Did the zoo mention what exhibits the new species are in? It's nice to see a zoo that is actually acquiring new hoofed species.
 
I was unable to spot the new animals and the exhibits were mostly the same. However, the emu exhibit was empty and the emu moved to an outdoor exhibit by the bird house. My guess us that's the area they will go. Manned wolves are still there.
 
blospz said:
I was unable to spot the new animals and the exhibits were mostly the same. However, the emu exhibit was empty and the emu moved to an outdoor exhibit by the bird house. My guess us that's the area they will go. Manned wolves are still there.
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Weren't Parma Wallabies exhibited with the Emus? Where'd they go? Bird House as well?
 
Updates:
* As mentioned, the emu has moved to the bird section. It looks like they split the cassowary's exhibit in half and the emu has the first section.
* The old emu exhibit was empty, but the signs were not taken down yet. The only other yard where I could think the new animals may go is the smallest cheetah yard (empty during my visit).
* The male red panda has indeed left to breed at Erie Zoo. The female is the only one at the zoo until they find her a new mate. The red ruffed lemur also is down to one. However, they have a stuffed lemur in its exhibit to keep it company.
* The entrance in front of the elephant barn is unblocked. Besides some trucks parked in front of it, guests may have attempted to go right up to the doors. A winding bench has been added to the plaza with big windows looking into the barn. It looks like vegetation will also be added soon. It looks like the only work left is the additional yard. A shading structure was being completed yesterday.
* Rocky, the Whooping Crane has a new mate! I am not sure if it's a female, but since they are rare, I would not be surprised if they are a breeding pair.
* Work was being done to the sea lion pool yesterday. I am not certain what the problem was, but the water was all drained out.
* The small mammal building is slowly getting spruced up thanks to its new curator. There are new, modern graphics on the wall (photos to come) and a couple new animals, another type of mongoose and Geoffrey's tamarin has been added. I am seeing less of repeating exhibits now.
 
blospz said:
Updates:
* As mentioned, the emu has moved to the bird section. It looks like they split the cassowary's exhibit in half and the emu has the first section.
* The old emu exhibit was empty, but the signs were not taken down yet. The only other yard where I could think the new animals may go is the smallest cheetah yard (empty during my visit).
* The male red panda has indeed left to breed at Erie Zoo. The female is the only one at the zoo until they find her a new mate. The red ruffed lemur also is down to one. However, they have a stuffed lemur in its exhibit to keep it company.
* The entrance in front of the elephant barn is unblocked. Besides some trucks parked in front of it, guests may have attempted to go right up to the doors. A winding bench has been added to the plaza with big windows looking into the barn. It looks like vegetation will also be added soon. It looks like the only work left is the additional yard. A shading structure was being completed yesterday.
* Rocky, the Whooping Crane has a new mate! I am not sure if it's a female, but since they are rare, I would not be surprised if they are a breeding pair.
* Work was being done to the sea lion pool yesterday. I am not certain what the problem was, but the water was all drained out.
* The small mammal building is slowly getting spruced up thanks to its new curator. There are new, modern graphics on the wall (photos to come) and a couple new animals, another type of mongoose and Geoffrey's tamarin has been added. I am seeing less of repeating exhibits now.
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Did you see the new vultures in the Addra Gazelle/Scimitar-Horned Oryx exhibit?

What species of mongoose was added and what are the other new animals?
 
Yes, the vultures were in the back corner of the exhibit. Also, I actually saw the manned wolves for once so that's how I knew they were still in that exhibit. Sorry, the new animals were Geoffrey's tamarin and either the banded or dwarf mongoose (whatever one the zoo did no have before).

Another amusing tidbit is we asked a docent at Asia Trail where they sitatunga and red river hogs were located. Of course I expected she probably only knew a certain area of the zoo and because they're new, all the docents might not know about them. But she told us to check for the red river hogs at American Trails.
 
blospz said:
Yes, the vultures were in the back corner of the exhibit. Also, I actually saw the manned wolves for once so that's how I knew they were still in that exhibit. Sorry, the new animals were Geoffrey's tamarin and either the banded or dwarf mongoose (whatever one the zoo did no have before).

Another amusing tidbit is we asked a docent at Asia Trail where they sitatunga and red river hogs were located. Of course I expected she probably only knew a certain area of the zoo and because they're new, all the docents might not know about them. But she told us to check for the red river hogs at American Trails.
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Um ok. That American Trails thing is wierd. The zoo didn't have Dwarf Mongoose before. Does the zoo still have Mexican Wolves or are they just an unlisted subspecies? Sorry for all the constant questions:o
 
Yeah, the docent did not seem knowledgeable about animals at all. Unless maybe they live at Asia Trail.

The Mexican wolves were replaced right before American Trails opened. They were replaced with two gray wolves from the Calgary Zoo. The Calgary Zoo got two of the Smithsonian's zoo lion for a fair trade.
 
blospz said:
Yeah, the docent did not seem knowledgeable about animals at all. Unless maybe they live at Asia Trail.

The Mexican wolves were replaced right before American Trails opened. They were replaced with two gray wolves from the Calgary Zoo. The Calgary Zoo got two of the Smithsonian's zoo lion for a fair trade.
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Aw:(. any idea what subspecies they are?
 
The zoo has a guessing game on their facebook page about one of their animals being pregnant. The clues were during breeding season, a male and female will stay together for a week or two, mating often. Cubs—usually one or two—are born from November to February. -- The same description is under Andean Bears so I am guessing that is the expectant mother. Although, I was hoping more that it was the sloth bear.
 
I have added exhibit updates photos -- however they got uploaded in the Maryland Zoo album. I have contacted an administrator to move them over, since I do not have access to my home computer right now, but you're more than welcome to view them there before the switch/deletion.
 
blospz said:
The zoo has a guessing game on their facebook page about one of their animals being pregnant. The clues were during breeding season, a male and female will stay together for a week or two, mating often. Cubs—usually one or two—are born from November to February. -- The same description is under Andean Bears so I am guessing that is the expectant mother. Although, I was hoping more that it was the sloth bear.
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I agree, Andrew. Seems like Nikki did a solid for Andean Bears, before his passing in August. Andrew, do you know if Chaska, is still at the Zoo?
 
If you read people's guesses, people assume it polar bears and other animals the zoo does not even have anymore.

I am not sure if Chaska is still at the zoo. I finally saw the Andean bear this week, but it was only one, way in the back of the exhibit.
 
blospz said:
If you read people's guesses, people assume it polar bears and other animals the zoo does not even have anymore.

I am not sure if Chaska is still at the zoo. I finally saw the Andean bear this week, but it was only one, way in the back of the exhibit.
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I did. Some of them were ridiculous like the Panda. When Zoos do the Hint Games, it is always an animal in the collection, from what I have seen. Glad you got to see an Andean Bear. Last time I was there, it was still blocked off due to American Trails. But I could see them off in the distance outside of Amazonia.
 
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