Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden What's Gnu at the Cincinnati Zoo - 2014
- Thread starter Moebelle
- Start date
Well what happened?
~Thylo
Turns out 5 people already called the lion and hoofstock keepers before our team did. 10 minutes later 7 people (a bit more than needed for just a flightless duck) with nets retrieved the shelduck and was returned without harm. Now my concern goes towards the vulture because I saw it chewing through the burlap, and behind that burlap is the hill leading towards the lion exhibit.
Yes you will see him and he will be there.
As for members in the future are wondering what will happen to him that will ask a question about Harry, please stop making or assumptions or even asking a question about it. I am not allowed to answer. Sorry for sounding rude...
WhiteTiger
Active Member
I spoke with the Sumatran rhino staff in May. They said Harapan will not leave until at least next year, at the earliest. There are many major factors dealing with the future of the species and Harry's future is very uncertain at this point. Dr. Roth was heading back to Indonesia this summer to discuss what to do next. The species has now become, along with the Javan rhino, the most dire endangered mammal species program in the world, largely due to issues in Indonesia and Malaysia and inaction by the Indonesians. As few as 7-10 fertile females are still alive and the Indonesians are doing pretty much nothing, so there is reluctance in sending Harry back without conditions. I have extensive information gained from speaking with the staff that I can share if anyone is interested. But yes, he'll still be there by Labor Day.
For the best experience, if you can afford it, I would strongly recommend the Endangered Excursion behind the scenes tour. This tour is great. First you get to meet the Bactrian camel family (Humphrey the male loves visitors and baby Jack is a little ruffian). Then you meet a pair of red pandas that live off-display in Wildlife Canyon (an elderly female named Liwu who does the paintings in the gift shop and a young male named Homer who's getting ready to head to Japan in a few months), where you can interact with them and get a custom red panda painting. Then finally you get to meet and interact with Harry. Since Harry prefers his barn most days and spends much of his day in there out of public view, this is your only guaranteed chance to see him and the only and potentially last opportunity on earth to interact with one of his species. He is exceptionally sweet and loves his shoulders and jowls rubbed. This tour is well worth the price just to meet Harry and the funds go towards the Sumatran rhino program. Sumatran rhinos are actually the most expensive species of animal to care for in the world, so all funds are greatly appreciated.
For the best experience, if you can afford it, I would strongly recommend the Endangered Excursion behind the scenes tour. This tour is great. First you get to meet the Bactrian camel family (Humphrey the male loves visitors and baby Jack is a little ruffian). Then you meet a pair of red pandas that live off-display in Wildlife Canyon (an elderly female named Liwu who does the paintings in the gift shop and a young male named Homer who's getting ready to head to Japan in a few months), where you can interact with them and get a custom red panda painting. Then finally you get to meet and interact with Harry. Since Harry prefers his barn most days and spends much of his day in there out of public view, this is your only guaranteed chance to see him and the only and potentially last opportunity on earth to interact with one of his species. He is exceptionally sweet and loves his shoulders and jowls rubbed. This tour is well worth the price just to meet Harry and the funds go towards the Sumatran rhino program. Sumatran rhinos are actually the most expensive species of animal to care for in the world, so all funds are greatly appreciated.
I was told a completely different story...
It is entirely fair for you to say you personally cannot answer - but it is not for you to demand people stop wondering or asking in general!
It is entirely fair for you to say you personally cannot answer - but it is not for you to demand people stop wondering or asking in general!
I've had 4 people ask me personally and I already have admins on me about sharing information such as this.
Indeed; as an employee of Cincinatti you should not be sharing any privileged information unless specifically permitted. But it does not mean other users of this site are not allowed to ask *anyone* about the matter - this being my point; blospz asked the thread as a whole and thus you did not need to react as you did 
I suggest you get to the zoo when it first opens and hang around Harapan's enclosure for a little while as he tends to be out or come out around this time of day but goes inside once it starts to get hotter.
~Thylo
The zoo no longer has Double Crested Cormorants
There is now a chain linked, vertically dropped fence as a second entrance barrier in the South American aviary in Wings of the World.
Harapan
Yes please, provided you feel you can share it without breaking confidentialities.
Obviously the remaining Sumatran Rhinos are a politically sensitive issue, but at the same time (IMO) people should be entitled to be kept informed of developments as far as possible. And as now the only Zoo representative of his species, Harapan's future naturally evokes a lot of interest too, not only for local Cincinatti Zoo-goers but elsewhere in the World too.
Yes please, provided you feel you can share it without breaking confidentialities.
Obviously the remaining Sumatran Rhinos are a politically sensitive issue, but at the same time (IMO) people should be entitled to be kept informed of developments as far as possible. And as now the only Zoo representative of his species, Harapan's future naturally evokes a lot of interest too, not only for local Cincinatti Zoo-goers but elsewhere in the World too.
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The baby gorilla is named Mondika. If its a boy he will be called Mondo. If its a girl Mona. The baby is now on display with the group.
Eight DAY Old Gorilla Makes Public Debut – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
Eight DAY Old Gorilla Makes Public Debut – The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden
WhiteTiger
Active Member
Ok. Well since I’m not a staff member I’ll convey what I learned. This post is quite lengthy, condensed as much as I could from several pages of notes. I was told in May that Harry wasn’t expected to leave anytime too soon, as there are many issues in the way of his leaving. Even if it is decided that he be sent to S.E. Asia as quickly as possible, it would take about a year for permits and training before he would be allowed to leave. The zoo isn’t eager to just give him up either, for various reasons.
There are dramatically increasing risks of tropical diseases, natural disasters, and poaching back in Indonesia and Malaysia. With both Way Kembas and BORA in Sabah having their resources strained it is unknown how they will handle these rising threats. In addition, the Indonesians have not been doing the proper job of breeding and maintaining the animals, and in my opinion have not been cooperative partners. Despite Cincinnati sending them their breeding bull Andalas, producing the calf Andatu, helping build and maintain the facility at Way Kembas, and constantly funneling resources to them to run the facility, the Indonesians are resisting calls from experts and won’t cooperate on many issues.
They are refusing to exchange any more animals with the US or Malaysia (do not expect political cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia on the matter). This is vital because as many animals as possible must be brought into captivity to manage the population to prevent swift extinction. Cincinnati Zoo in particular has the best facilities and experience and should remain a breeding center. The Indonesians also are not rushing to obtain any more animals from the wild/park at the urgently necessary rate, including females to potentially pair up with Harry. Plus they are refusing to breed any of their current females even though time is quickly running out. The two fertile females at Way Kembas should both have had two calves by now, but one is still nursing a two year old grown calf and the other, the zoo fears, will become infested with ovarian tumors soon due to lack of breeding. Fear of inbreeding is moot at this point with so few surviving animals left and most animals likely inbred or inbreeding already. The Indonesian philosophy is one of “do nothing and whatever happens is ok” rather than intervene or take risks. With this species rapidly dying out, this is the wrong attitude to have, so the US is trying to get more Western scientists to the facility to better manage the surviving rhinos. With up to 70-80% of females possibly infertile, there could be as few as 5-10 fertile females left alive.
The zoo would like assurances that Harry will breed as soon as possible after he arrives and that better management will be undertaken. It is also not known whether Harry is also a carrier of the same hemochromatosis that killed his mother and sister, or if it only passed down the female line in his family. In addition, the zoo would like to keep a Sumatran rhino in the US as an ambassador to get people interested in the species. It is hoped this would help preservation efforts since 99% of people have never seen or heard of a Sumatran rhino before. It is one of the two most critical mammal conservation programs in the world at the moment, so the zoo needs as much fundraising and publicity as possible to keep the program alive. I hope they hold on to him for as long as possible, since the situation back in Indonesia isn’t good at the moment. If he leaves, the species will become relegated to the same fate as the poorly managed Javan rhino population – surviving in only one tiny, remote location at risk of disease, natural disasters, and poachers; impossible to properly manage or study by scientists; and restricted from the rest of the world to ever see again.
In my opinion, if Indonesia continues to resist exchanging any new breeding animals with Cincinnati for now, the zoo should demand at least one tumor infested/infertile female to be sent to the zoo. Two are currently taking up much needed space and resources at Sabah and one at Way Kembas. Cincinnati would be the best location for any of them, where they could be more properly and thoroughly studied, or even looked at for potential re-fertilization. A handicapped infertile female in Borneo named Putung would be a perfect candidate, as the zoo could also help care for her with her missing foot.
There are dramatically increasing risks of tropical diseases, natural disasters, and poaching back in Indonesia and Malaysia. With both Way Kembas and BORA in Sabah having their resources strained it is unknown how they will handle these rising threats. In addition, the Indonesians have not been doing the proper job of breeding and maintaining the animals, and in my opinion have not been cooperative partners. Despite Cincinnati sending them their breeding bull Andalas, producing the calf Andatu, helping build and maintain the facility at Way Kembas, and constantly funneling resources to them to run the facility, the Indonesians are resisting calls from experts and won’t cooperate on many issues.
They are refusing to exchange any more animals with the US or Malaysia (do not expect political cooperation between Indonesia and Malaysia on the matter). This is vital because as many animals as possible must be brought into captivity to manage the population to prevent swift extinction. Cincinnati Zoo in particular has the best facilities and experience and should remain a breeding center. The Indonesians also are not rushing to obtain any more animals from the wild/park at the urgently necessary rate, including females to potentially pair up with Harry. Plus they are refusing to breed any of their current females even though time is quickly running out. The two fertile females at Way Kembas should both have had two calves by now, but one is still nursing a two year old grown calf and the other, the zoo fears, will become infested with ovarian tumors soon due to lack of breeding. Fear of inbreeding is moot at this point with so few surviving animals left and most animals likely inbred or inbreeding already. The Indonesian philosophy is one of “do nothing and whatever happens is ok” rather than intervene or take risks. With this species rapidly dying out, this is the wrong attitude to have, so the US is trying to get more Western scientists to the facility to better manage the surviving rhinos. With up to 70-80% of females possibly infertile, there could be as few as 5-10 fertile females left alive.
The zoo would like assurances that Harry will breed as soon as possible after he arrives and that better management will be undertaken. It is also not known whether Harry is also a carrier of the same hemochromatosis that killed his mother and sister, or if it only passed down the female line in his family. In addition, the zoo would like to keep a Sumatran rhino in the US as an ambassador to get people interested in the species. It is hoped this would help preservation efforts since 99% of people have never seen or heard of a Sumatran rhino before. It is one of the two most critical mammal conservation programs in the world at the moment, so the zoo needs as much fundraising and publicity as possible to keep the program alive. I hope they hold on to him for as long as possible, since the situation back in Indonesia isn’t good at the moment. If he leaves, the species will become relegated to the same fate as the poorly managed Javan rhino population – surviving in only one tiny, remote location at risk of disease, natural disasters, and poachers; impossible to properly manage or study by scientists; and restricted from the rest of the world to ever see again.
In my opinion, if Indonesia continues to resist exchanging any new breeding animals with Cincinnati for now, the zoo should demand at least one tumor infested/infertile female to be sent to the zoo. Two are currently taking up much needed space and resources at Sabah and one at Way Kembas. Cincinnati would be the best location for any of them, where they could be more properly and thoroughly studied, or even looked at for potential re-fertilization. A handicapped infertile female in Borneo named Putung would be a perfect candidate, as the zoo could also help care for her with her missing foot.
Many thanks for this clear and concise update as reported to yourself. I have a much clearer picture now of why Cincinnati may hold on to Harapan longterm, if that is in fact, what happens.
Has there been any explanation/suggestion why the second younger female (Rosa) at Way Kambas has not become pregnant so far? Is she being mated or is that not happening either?
Has there been any explanation/suggestion why the second younger female (Rosa) at Way Kambas has not become pregnant so far? Is she being mated or is that not happening either?
Consider this - each rhino at Way Kambas has 2 keepers that feed, care, follow, observe their rhinos every day/night. Sumatran rhino breeding can be somewhat violent, depending on the observer or resulting injuries.
So put yourself in the place of those keepers. If one your rhino dies, you no longer have a job to help support your family. And it may be a long time before you can find another job. Would you be willing to take risks with your rhinos that could lead, in the keeper's view, to their demise?