A female White Rhino, Gertude, passed away.
San Antonio Zoo Loses Gertrude, White Rhino: Austinist
San Antonio Zoo Loses Gertrude, White Rhino: Austinist
San Antonio Zoo San Antonio Zoo News 2013
- Thread starter BeardsleyZooFan
- Start date
San Antonio Zoo will be phasing out their Lesser Flamingo flock.
Elephant, 59, dies at San Antonio Zoo - San Antonio Express-News
With only one elephant left, does the zoo plan to phase them out?
With only one elephant left, does the zoo plan to phase them out?
It's all speculative at this point, but yes, hopefully Lucky will find a new home. She's a difficult animal, with several behavioral problems, so re homing her could prove difficult.
There's an article in the San Antonio Express News today about Lucky. There's some talk of moving her, but it sounds like they're afraid that the move will be unhealthy or traumatizing for her.
It doesn't sound like they're planning on phasing elephants out, either. The article mentions they want to expand the elephant yard and barn, then get some African elephants.
Here's the article:
S.A. Zoo Evaluates the Future of its Sole Elephant
It doesn't sound like they're planning on phasing elephants out, either. The article mentions they want to expand the elephant yard and barn, then get some African elephants.
Here's the article:
S.A. Zoo Evaluates the Future of its Sole Elephant
Sad news. But I would still appreciate the stop of keeping Asian Elephants in San Antonio Zoo, as long as they (re)start with keeping African Elephants.
The last ones would be a good replenishment to the megafauna in San Antonio Zoo, who is already concentrated on African Animals (and are - afaik - in general not as sensible to the heavy solar radiation as Asian Elephants are). The only problem could be the lack of space (as long as they don't wanna phase out other big mammals). On the other hand, there is maybe no need to keep a breeding herd (and a bull), so a smaller exhibit for 3 elderly African Elephant cows or an exhibit for only young surplus bulls would be sufficent. (Imo in both cases a renovation/modernisation of the old enclosure is necessary).
The last ones would be a good replenishment to the megafauna in San Antonio Zoo, who is already concentrated on African Animals (and are - afaik - in general not as sensible to the heavy solar radiation as Asian Elephants are). The only problem could be the lack of space (as long as they don't wanna phase out other big mammals). On the other hand, there is maybe no need to keep a breeding herd (and a bull), so a smaller exhibit for 3 elderly African Elephant cows or an exhibit for only young surplus bulls would be sufficent. (Imo in both cases a renovation/modernisation of the old enclosure is necessary).
Encouraging news.
What is to happen on the black rhino front?
A new breeding pair to set forth the tradition?
What is to happen on the black rhino front?
A new breeding pair to set forth the tradition?
Zoomaniac: I agree. It would be very nice to see them modernize the elephant exhibit. I know it would cost a lot (a lot more than they could afford, I'm afraid), but I think if they were to demolish the elephant house they have now, combine the land used for the present elephant exhibit with what is now the zebra/topi/ostrich exhibit, and build a newer elephant house closer to the back part of the latter exhibit, they'd have a nice start.
Kifaru: The zoo now only exhibits white rhinos. I'm not sure what became of the black rhinos. I was very sorry to see them gone, as I haven't seen them in many of the zoos I've visited. But now the white rhinos have more room.
Kifaru: The zoo now only exhibits white rhinos. I'm not sure what became of the black rhinos. I was very sorry to see them gone, as I haven't seen them in many of the zoos I've visited. But now the white rhinos have more room.
I don't care what's nice. I care about what's morally acceptable and legally acceptable by the AZA. Standards are put down to be met and this zoo is falling terribly short of meeting the standards of elephants exhibition. I'm not against keeping elephants in zoos, Houston, Oklahoma City, and especially Dallas have all done fine things of late. Fort Worth is large enough of a yard, even if the quality aint so good. Tiny little Cameron Park has done well with their small landscape. What San Antonio has is deplorable by what we the paying public should find to be acceptable.
My last trip was in November,and I was very pleased with how clean the zoo appeared from the past, serious work had been done to the gibbons at the entrance and the lions and tigers grottos even looked like they had been improved. The work for their zoo square of whatever they're calling it for their 100 year anniversary seems modern, even rift valley was closed for improvements. The elephant yard still stuck out like a sore thumb as something too small and baren for even one creature. It needs to be shut down until they do something as you suggest and combine with the giraffe/zebra/topi exhibit.
San Antonio has to make a choice and soon. Outside of age, I see no reason not transfer the remaining elephant to Oklahoma City to be in one their multiple unfilled yards.
The San Antonio Zoo is celebrating the birth of two monkeys in the past month.
Howler monkeys Sophie and Inti became new parents on April 13, and three days later, a Goeldi's monkey was born to another primate couple.
S.A. Zoo welcomes newborn monkeys - San Antonio Express-News
Howler monkeys Sophie and Inti became new parents on April 13, and three days later, a Goeldi's monkey was born to another primate couple.
S.A. Zoo welcomes newborn monkeys - San Antonio Express-News
A two headed turtle hatched at the zoo June 18th.
SA Zoo's newest addition: 2-headed turtle | News - Home
SA Zoo's newest addition: 2-headed turtle | News - Home
Another article about the two-headed turtle :
Meet Thelma... and Louise, the Baby Two-headed Texas River Cooter - ZooBorns
Meet Thelma... and Louise, the Baby Two-headed Texas River Cooter - ZooBorns
(Observations from my visit yesterday. Photos to be posted within the next week.)
Capybara exhibit is having work done and capys are temporarily moved. Construction cranes were behind the exhibit, not really inside it, so I am not sure if they are just working on the water mains or they are extending the exhibit back further. Sign at malayan tapir pool said capys are there also, but I only saw the tapir.
Construction is proceeding on the Zootenial Plaza.
The much advertised two headed texas cooter is on exhibit with its fellow hatchlings in the aquarium building.
The former black rhino yard (below the white rhino yard) is still under construction. It was that way on my last visit almost two years ago, so I do not know what the holdup is.
And now for the real shocker (at least it was a complete surprise to me). The African Rift Aviary and adjacent black footed cat exhibit have been completely demolished! It has been landscaped with agaves and appears it will just be an attractive hillside with no animal exhibits. It actually looks pretty good - you would never know there used to be an aviary there - and considering the sorry state of that old wierd aviary this seems to be an improvement. A single black footed cat is now on exhibit in the small cat grottoes.
The raptor aviary at the top of African Rift Valley now has andean condors instead of bateleur eagles. And the formerly empty small grotto at the very top of African Rift Valley now has a pair of bat eared foxes.
Capybara exhibit is having work done and capys are temporarily moved. Construction cranes were behind the exhibit, not really inside it, so I am not sure if they are just working on the water mains or they are extending the exhibit back further. Sign at malayan tapir pool said capys are there also, but I only saw the tapir.
Construction is proceeding on the Zootenial Plaza.
The much advertised two headed texas cooter is on exhibit with its fellow hatchlings in the aquarium building.
The former black rhino yard (below the white rhino yard) is still under construction. It was that way on my last visit almost two years ago, so I do not know what the holdup is.
And now for the real shocker (at least it was a complete surprise to me). The African Rift Aviary and adjacent black footed cat exhibit have been completely demolished! It has been landscaped with agaves and appears it will just be an attractive hillside with no animal exhibits. It actually looks pretty good - you would never know there used to be an aviary there - and considering the sorry state of that old wierd aviary this seems to be an improvement. A single black footed cat is now on exhibit in the small cat grottoes.
The raptor aviary at the top of African Rift Valley now has andean condors instead of bateleur eagles. And the formerly empty small grotto at the very top of African Rift Valley now has a pair of bat eared foxes.
TheOnlineZoo
Well-Known Member
So does this mean that the area past the cheetahs has been reopened? When I was there a few months ago, there was a big traffic jam because everyone had to U-turn at the cheetahs and backtrack, but there was no sign to warn about this. I was there two weeks ago, but I didn't go into the Africa exhibit that time.
If it's open, then I have to go back soon. I've only seen one bat-eared fox, and that was 9 years ago. I've seen a few exhibits for them since, but the foxes were not visible. I will miss the eagles, too. I always thought they were cool.
Yes, you can now walk through where the aviary used to be to continue on to the addax, lions, etc. The path that used to go through the aviary is now just a regular path.
I will miss the eagles too. Not only do they look cool, but they are from Africa and this is the Africa Rift Valley. What are South American condors doing there?
I will miss the eagles too. Not only do they look cool, but they are from Africa and this is the Africa Rift Valley. What are South American condors doing there?