Are the giant panda exhibits going to be made from scratch? I'd heard that possibly the old Amur tiger exhibit would be renovated to host the black-and-white bears.
You are correct that the tiger exhibit is going to be turned into the panda exhibit, and I'm pretty sure that the old stingray bay area will be turned into a giant panda interpretive centre. The amur tiger has been moved to the sumatran tiger exhibit, and is going to be sent out soon, so the zoo can bring in a female sumatran tiger to breed with the male.
Would make more sense to me (as far as climate) to have amur tigers in Toronto than sumatran tigers.
Interesting that they can still get sumatran tigers and giant pandas now that they are on a temporary ban from AZA membership. (Or has that decision been changed and I am not aware of it?)
I'm pretty sure that the Sumatran tigers do well in Toronto. When I visit in cold weather, they are normally on exhibit. I also know that before the zoo's old male and female passed away, they had cubs.
I'm pretty sure that the Sumatran tigers do well in Toronto. When I visit in cold weather, they are normally on exhibit. I also know that before the zoo's old male and female passed away, they had cubs.
The former Amur tiger exhibit is being renovated/re-built to house the Giant Pandas. The blue tarp in the distance in the photo is covering either a cave or pool structure in the exhibit as at least one of those features was being re-built. Just in front of that is a concrete viewing window for 1 of the 2 outdoor enclosures. The construction in the foreground is for either a snack bar, washroom or retail shop, all of which are being added to the Eurasia section.
Once the Pandas leave, the Zoo plans on bringing Amur tigers back into their collection and into the newly renovated exhibit.
Arcticwolf is correct. The Zoo is not currently AZA accredited and has (conditional?) CAZA accreditation. The accreditation issue has to do with governance problems, not animal problems. Unaccredited zoos are still able to participate in SSPs if they apply as an unaccredited institution and can receive animals from zoos willing to loan (which of course not all are)
