Akron Zoo Akron Zoo News 2012

Drawings look spectacular! Always nice to see zoos invest time and education on their own native wildlife. Kudos!
 
Sad news. Many of the zoo's Japanese koi died after the storm the other night. The cause of death is still be investigated.
 
The exhibits look very good, and the otter element with the slide seems to be like Aquatica's Commerson Dolphin experience. I might check out Akron and other Ohio zoos one day.
 
Both the plans and the renderings look great and I know it will be a fantastic addition to a zoo which has come a LONG way in the last 15-years. That said, comparing the 'final plan' to the ambitious first blueprint that also included black bears, coyotes and an aviary that 'bisected' the two entry areas/levels, I cannot say I'm not a little disappointed they weren't able to stick to some of the original ideas.
 
Cool...absolutely!
Unique...well there are a great many such otter experiences around.

But still cool

In 65 Zoos/Aquariums we have nver seen a kids slide that runs right through the otter pool.We have seen plenty of zoos with tunnels and popup bubbles but no slides like this.Could you give some examples of an otter exhibit with a similar feature?

Team Tapir
 
I know St. Louis has one as well.
 
I know St. Louis has one as well.

Now thats one that we have visited several times but do not recall that feature.It certainly can be tough sometimes recalling individuals zoo exhibits at multiple zoos.No doubt the otter slide is a sweet feature.

Team Tapir
 
Snow Leopard Cubs Naming Contest

On May 14, the Akron Zoo welcomed two snow leopard cubs for the first time. The cubs are healthy and thriving as proud mother Shanti raises them. The cubs will be making their first appearance on exhibit sometime in August. Before making that appearance, the two boys need a name. That is where you come in! A list of five names was created by our keepers and now we need you to vote. Choose two out of the five names listed below and fill out the required information to enter the Snow Leopard Cubs Naming Contest.

The list of names, along with the meanings and pronunciations are provided here:

Choose the name for cub #1:
Tai (tie)- meaning “mountain” in Mongolic language (short for Altai Mountains- a range in Central Asia which means “Golden Mountain”)
Layan (LAY-an)- short for Himalayan Mountains, also means gentle and soft
Raj (r ah j)- meaning “king” or “rule,” origin is Indian (Sanskrit)- it goes along with the legend “Snow Leopard Rules the Animals” about how the snow leopard became king
Kovo (cove-O)- meaning “strong,” origin is Indian
Sabu (SAH-boo)- Tibetan word for snow leopard

Choose the name for cub #2:
Tai (tie)- meaning “mountain” in Mongolic language (short for Altai Mountains- a range in Central Asia which means “Golden Mountain”)
Layan (LAY-an)- short for Himalayan Mountains, also means gentle and soft
Raj (r ah j)- meaning “king” or “rule,” origin is Indian (Sanskrit)- it goes along with the legend “Snow Leopard Rules the Animals” about how the snow leopard became king
Kovo (cove-O)- meaning “strong,” origin is Indian
Sabu (SAH-boo)- Tibetan word for snow leopard

The two names with the most votes will become the snow leopard cubs’ names. Everyone who voted for the two winning names will be entered into a drawing and one winner will be randomly selected to win a sponsorship of the cubs for one year.

Cubs Naming Contest
 
The snow leopard cubs that were born at the Akron Zoo on May 14, 2012 and their mom Shanti. The cubs will be on exhibit starting Aug. 13, 2012 with limited hours. The zoo is running a naming contest for the cubs from Aug. 10 - 20, 2012. For more information visit AkronZoo.org or visit the zoo's Facebook or Twitter accounts.

Note: On the 13th, they will be out from 10:15am to 10:45am. Their time on exhibit will be extended as they grow up.

 
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GRIZZLY RIDGE FINAL PLAN

Below is the final plan for Grizzly Ridge at the Akron Zoo. They have a slideshow on the television next to the Komodo Kingdom Cafe entrance. It still has the aviary, the bald eagle exhibit, the grizzly bear exhibit, the river otter exhibit, and the red wolf exhibit. The coyote exhibit and the small mammal Woodland Creature Encounters area on the Cabin Porch of the otter building has returned in the final plan. The only exhibit that got removed now from the original plan is the black bear exhibit. Keesha and Balawat believe that the zoo only has room for two black-colored bears on exhibit and that is them. They are diva sloth bears after all.

Grizzly_Ridge_-_Facebook.JPG


http://www.zoochat.com/1214/grizzly-ridge-final-plan-283909/
 
The Grizzly Ridge construction area looks to be graded to what the elevations will be for the exhibit.

Anyone going to see the snow leopard cubs please not. They will be in the jaguar exhibit when they are out. The snow leopard exhibit and the Himalayan tahr exhibits are closed for new glass installation and other upgrades. These exhibits are probably at least a week or so to reopening at the earliest. This will continue with other exhibits as they replace glass throughout the zoo (especially the large cat and bear exhibits).

The second pair of white storks are still in quarantine in the former gibbon exhibit.

No signs of the aviary and the day gecko exhibits opening soon, but the zoo hopes to have them open by the fall.
 
I asked the zoo about the Small Mammal/Woodland Creature Encounters area that will be in Grizzly Ridge for some clarification. Below is there response:

That area will be an exhibit that rotates that is usually a small woodland creature. So one day it may be a skunk and the next day it could be an opossum. Across from that are there will be a presentation area that the education dept. will use to do animal presentations.
 
Re: Final Plan - I like it! Not quite as ambitious as the original blueprint they first posted, but (I believe) a significant upgrade from the second plan I saw. Sad they could not incorporate the black bears again, but I like the return of the coyote enclosure and the aviary. Very nice...
 
Re: Final Plan - I like it! Not quite as ambitious as the original blueprint they first posted, but (I believe) a significant upgrade from the second plan I saw. Sad they could not incorporate the black bears again, but I like the return of the coyote enclosure and the aviary. Very nice...

The only thing missing from the original plan now is the black bear exhibit, but I believe, as a longtime member of the zoo, that the exhibit needed to be scrapped to allow the coyotes, the red wolves, and the bald eagles to have nicer and larger exhibits. I never saw how the original eagle exhibit was to hold at least six of them. I also could not see how the original wolf and coyote exhibits would have been that big because of their unusual shape. If the zoo was to add a third bear species on exhibit I would want it to be sun bears because of the zoo's history in having them. I really miss Ringo and not being able to see Muffin on-exhibit makes me sad. I say hi to her every time I pass the hospital even though she probably cannot hear me.
 
Off the top of my head, I know the original plan also held a raccoon enclosure with an "interactive" feature as well. I've seen a few smaller, but well-constructed raccoon exhibits and am sure they could still "tuck one in" with taking away much from their latest 'final' plan. I know one of the blueprint incarnations also looked like the aviary was situated so you could actually "by-pass" the bulk of the Grizzly Ridge complex, if you wanted to. With all due respect to their recently-refurbished "Farmland" area, even with my kids, I've found it to be one of the weaker parts of the park and would've been happy with the opportunity to lap Grizzly Ridge without retracing my steps and/or forcing an exit via Farmland, the Gardens, etc.
 
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