I just heard from the zoo. The bird habitat is still in the final design phase.
Akron Zoo Akron Zoo News 2024
- Thread starter TigerValley98
- Start date
From the zoo's website:
The Aviary is closed for maintenance.
The lower tiger habitat is closed for maintenance. Our two tigers, Eko and Sumini, are rotating time in the upper habitat.
The Aviary is closed for maintenance.
The lower tiger habitat is closed for maintenance. Our two tigers, Eko and Sumini, are rotating time in the upper habitat.
The zoo has started their summer hours, 10am - 5pm
Correction. They start May 1st.
New Animal Hospital Information. To Be Completed By 3rd Quarter 2026.
Request for Qualifications | Akron Zoo
Request for Qualifications | Akron Zoo
Does this mean they're moving the hospital across the street to the newer work area they built last year? Or will this 2nd hospital be somewhere in the zoo?
The aviary in Grizzly Ridge is closed for maintenance according to the zoo's website.
From my understanding, I think this is going up near Zoo Gardens on property northwest of the zoo. By the Saferstein Towers I.
From the zoo's Facebook-
Our red-winged blackbird family is back and has once again made the Akron Zoo their home. Male blackbirds are very protective of their nest and young, and they will defend their territory. They might swoop down at someone, or even try to make contact. Out of an abundance of safety and to allow the family their space, we have closed the big hill connecting Carousel Plaza and Grizzly Ridge until further notice. Guests are able to use the pathway through Wild Asia as a detour.
Red-winged blackbirds are federally protected and we look to respect their space. Thank you for your understanding!
Our red-winged blackbird family is back and has once again made the Akron Zoo their home. Male blackbirds are very protective of their nest and young, and they will defend their territory. They might swoop down at someone, or even try to make contact. Out of an abundance of safety and to allow the family their space, we have closed the big hill connecting Carousel Plaza and Grizzly Ridge until further notice. Guests are able to use the pathway through Wild Asia as a detour.
Red-winged blackbirds are federally protected and we look to respect their space. Thank you for your understanding!
Are guests still able to purchase tickets at the gate? I might go to Akron this week and dont have the plan-ahead account
Yes, they are still selling tickets at the zoo.
Not sure if this has been posted here, but there's an RFP FAQ for Pride of Africa Phase II on the zoo's website. Here's the link. Some of the more interesting points:
- AZP estimates the acreage of the land identified and available for the Africa Expansion project to be about 17 acres.
-AZP anticipates the main habitat to be a mixed species “savanna”. Giraffe being the only mandatory species. Other taxa and species that have been discussed include: hoofstock, avian, and small mammals, with the small mammals such as meerkat being in a separate habitat.
-AZP has budgeted $21 million for the construction of the Africa Expansion project.
-AZP anticipates the maximum herd size to be 11 or 12 giraffe.
Rough layout for Phase II:
- AZP estimates the acreage of the land identified and available for the Africa Expansion project to be about 17 acres.
-AZP anticipates the main habitat to be a mixed species “savanna”. Giraffe being the only mandatory species. Other taxa and species that have been discussed include: hoofstock, avian, and small mammals, with the small mammals such as meerkat being in a separate habitat.
-AZP has budgeted $21 million for the construction of the Africa Expansion project.
-AZP anticipates the maximum herd size to be 11 or 12 giraffe.
Rough layout for Phase II:
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Spent roughly 2 hours at Akron today. Here's what was new/interesting:
- Fruit Bats and Snowy Owls were both no show.
- There's a barrier set up about 10 feet in front of the Snow Leopard exhibit.
- Tai Lung, the elderly Snow Leopard, was out for a bit in the morning. Haven't seen him for a while.
- Finally saw Jasper the smaller Komodo Dragon. The size difference between him and Padar is staggering.
- Spoke to an employee about Africa II and the new bird exhibit in Asia. Bird exhibit could be built later this year. Africa II will be 2028 at the earliest.
- Wild Turkeys were in the Snowy Owl habitat
- The Barn Owl shelter was blocked off (I was told due to a hornets nest)
That is a huge area to the south of Pride of Africa and Grizzly Ridge ...!
I would not mind seeing more detailed design plans for the extension area!
2028 sounds right. The hospital comes first. That will probably be 2026.
They just revealed more information about the hospital today. From the zoo's Facebook-
Providing our animals with top-notch veterinary care is one of our top priorities here at the Akron Zoo, so we're excited to share that we will be building a new animal hospital!
The hospital will be 11,949 square feet and will include a state-of-the-art surgery suite, intensive care unit and specialized spaces for different species, including birds, hoofstock, primates and large carnivores. The new hospital will be located behind the Landon & Cynthia Knight Pride of Africa area. Construction will begin in 2025, with a 2026 opening.
Recently, the Akron Zoo was selected to receive $2 million from State of Ohio House Bill 2 for the new hospital.
"The funds from the State of Ohio allow us to build the kind of medical facility that can best meet the needs of our animals as the zoo continues to grow,” said Doug Piekarz, president & CEO at the Akron Zoo. “We are grateful to the Summit County delegation for their mentorship and continued support.”
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From the zoo's Facebook-
The blood work results are back for our snowy owlet, and we can now reveal the sex of the little one as...
It's a girl! Her name is Anori, which means "wind" in Greenlandic. Greenland is a popular breeding location for snowy owls.
Anori, who hatched on June 5, remains indoors in a private area under the diligent care of her parents, Frost and Cirrus. Once the summer heat begins to decrease, she will make her public debut in the snowy owl habitat. Stay tuned!
The blood work results are back for our snowy owlet, and we can now reveal the sex of the little one as...
It's a girl! Her name is Anori, which means "wind" in Greenlandic. Greenland is a popular breeding location for snowy owls.
Anori, who hatched on June 5, remains indoors in a private area under the diligent care of her parents, Frost and Cirrus. Once the summer heat begins to decrease, she will make her public debut in the snowy owl habitat. Stay tuned!
From the zoo's Facebook - A second (0.1.0) Humboldt Penguin chick has hatched.
Surprise! We have had a second penguin chick hatch here at the Akron Zoo this season! Meet Calida (pronounced cah-lee-duh).
Penguin couple Pedro and Anchovetta (Chovie) welcomed a late-season arrival on June 27. The female chick's name means "warm" in Spanish in honor of Humboldt penguins being a warm-weathered penguin species.
Calida is doing well under the care of her parents. She will soon begin weaning from her parents, and once she can eat on her own, has molted all her downy feathers and has passed her swim tests, she will be able to join the penguin colony on habitat.
Calida is the 21st penguin chick to hatch at the Akron Zoo, and she is the second chick for Pedro and Chovie. The duo previous welcomed Xiomara in 2021, who remains a part of our penguin colony.
You can meet our other penguin chick to hatch this year, Tercera, in the penguin habitat daily!
: Keeper Mallory
Surprise! We have had a second penguin chick hatch here at the Akron Zoo this season! Meet Calida (pronounced cah-lee-duh).
Penguin couple Pedro and Anchovetta (Chovie) welcomed a late-season arrival on June 27. The female chick's name means "warm" in Spanish in honor of Humboldt penguins being a warm-weathered penguin species.
Calida is doing well under the care of her parents. She will soon begin weaning from her parents, and once she can eat on her own, has molted all her downy feathers and has passed her swim tests, she will be able to join the penguin colony on habitat.
Calida is the 21st penguin chick to hatch at the Akron Zoo, and she is the second chick for Pedro and Chovie. The duo previous welcomed Xiomara in 2021, who remains a part of our penguin colony.
You can meet our other penguin chick to hatch this year, Tercera, in the penguin habitat daily!
: Keeper Mallory
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