Short video of the 2 black and rufous sengi-young :
ZOO Antwerpen Antwerp zoo
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From another forum: the bird house is now open again after over a month of closure due to construction, new species in here are blue-crowned laughingthrush and Emei Shan liocichla (both new to the collection) and an Egyptian plover (presumably the one formerly held with the great blue turacos, Fischer's turacos, Congo peafowl and superb starlings).
Other changes are new interior decorations (mainly plants) of the exhibits themselves, and a few additional information signs. I'll go to the zoo soon to find out more and check out the changes myself!
In other news of which I'm not sure it has been mentioned: the zoo now has both a Nubian and Senegal flapshell turtle, the former in the reptile house and the latter was in the aquarium for a very short time period, but seems to have disappeared now again.
Other changes are new interior decorations (mainly plants) of the exhibits themselves, and a few additional information signs. I'll go to the zoo soon to find out more and check out the changes myself!
In other news of which I'm not sure it has been mentioned: the zoo now has both a Nubian and Senegal flapshell turtle, the former in the reptile house and the latter was in the aquarium for a very short time period, but seems to have disappeared now again.
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Just came back from the zoo (mainly for the bird house changes), and honestly for having been closed for 1,5 months (perhaps even more) the changes are fairly minimal; no real construction at all, only new plants here and there and a few species that switched exhibits. New species within the house and surrounding aviaries are Egyptian plover, Emei Shan liocichla, blue-crowned laughingthrush and Edward's pheasant.
Species that left are red-tailed laughingthrush, king quail, yellow-knobbed curassow, pheasant-pigeon and guira cuckoo.
4 species gained vs 5 lost is not a bad trade-off, certainly not when all new species are as nice as they are, but nonetheles it's sad to lose the curassow (they now only have 1 cracid species on-show, whereas 5-10 years ago they probably had one of the biggest collections in Europe) and Guira cuckoo (definitely a very interesting species that really made that aviary come to life).
Species that left are red-tailed laughingthrush, king quail, yellow-knobbed curassow, pheasant-pigeon and guira cuckoo.
4 species gained vs 5 lost is not a bad trade-off, certainly not when all new species are as nice as they are, but nonetheles it's sad to lose the curassow (they now only have 1 cracid species on-show, whereas 5-10 years ago they probably had one of the biggest collections in Europe) and Guira cuckoo (definitely a very interesting species that really made that aviary come to life).
Since that last post, there have been a few more species added to the bird house; red-flanked lorikeet, chestnut-backed thrush, crested guineafowl and most notably jungle bush quail, a very rare species in European zoos. That means the overall trade-off has been 8 species gained compared to 5 species lost, which I can definitely live with!
The buffalo aviary bird line-up has been changed again, with the hooded vulture leaving and two male Rüppell's vultures taking his place. The exhibit is becoming more beautiful every day as foliage continues to spread, I've uploaded a picture of the current situation when it comes to plants in the gallery, containing a full species list of that aviary in the description.
I also saw Amahoro outdoors for the first time ever! I've seen a few pictures of her outside before, but this is the first time I've seen it personally.
The buffalo aviary bird line-up has been changed again, with the hooded vulture leaving and two male Rüppell's vultures taking his place. The exhibit is becoming more beautiful every day as foliage continues to spread, I've uploaded a picture of the current situation when it comes to plants in the gallery, containing a full species list of that aviary in the description.
I also saw Amahoro outdoors for the first time ever! I've seen a few pictures of her outside before, but this is the first time I've seen it personally.
Below some news from my latest vist.
- Spectacled bear Zamora has given birth to a cub, and it can sometimes be seen outdoors. This is only the second successful reproduction of this species in Belgium. (About five years ago the new cub's brother Oberon was born.)
- A slender loris was born in the Nocturama.
- Species that are no longer on exhibit are Java mouse deer, burrowing owl (aviary now inhabited by blue-crested laughingthrushes) and golden poison frog. New on exhibit are at least five Amazon milk frogs.
- The black-winged stilts have been moved to the Europe aviary of the bird house. In the educational hall, new education has been placed.
- Several birds are nesting, such as a chestnut-backed thrush, a hadada ibis and some pied avocets.
- Spectacled bear Zamora has given birth to a cub, and it can sometimes be seen outdoors. This is only the second successful reproduction of this species in Belgium. (About five years ago the new cub's brother Oberon was born.)
- A slender loris was born in the Nocturama.
- Species that are no longer on exhibit are Java mouse deer, burrowing owl (aviary now inhabited by blue-crested laughingthrushes) and golden poison frog. New on exhibit are at least five Amazon milk frogs.
- The black-winged stilts have been moved to the Europe aviary of the bird house. In the educational hall, new education has been placed.
- Several birds are nesting, such as a chestnut-backed thrush, a hadada ibis and some pied avocets.
Zoo Antwerpen: female gorilla Mayani is expecting a baby!
LINK: Laaglandgorilla Mayani in blijde verwachting
LINK: Laaglandgorilla Mayani in blijde verwachting
The baby spectacled bear born at Antwerp Zoo on February 16th 2018 is female and (after a vote by the public on Facebook) has been named Tinka.
It’s a girl! En ze kreeg een prachtige naam! Welkom brilbeertje Tinka!
I was at Antwerp Zoo earlier this month and saw her. Very cute, and definitely a big attraction for the public.
It’s a girl! En ze kreeg een prachtige naam! Welkom brilbeertje Tinka!
I was at Antwerp Zoo earlier this month and saw her. Very cute, and definitely a big attraction for the public.
Some small news I collected during my most recent visit to Zoo Antwerpen, on Sunday August 19th, 2018 and which I believe has not been previously shared in this topic.
- A mantled colobus was born on the 6th of June, according to the keeper's whiteboard in the publicly visible Monkey House kitchen.
- According to the same whiteboard a Goeldi's marmoset was born May 25th.
- There have been some exhibit moves and swaps in the Monkey House. On the left side of the building, as seen from the entrance, the Hamlyn's monkeys are visible to the public again and have moved into the enclosure formerly housing the mantled colobus. The mantled colobus now live in the former Colombian black spider monkey enclosure. Next to the colobusenclosure one cage is still empty. In between an enclosure holding golden lion tamarins, Geoffroy's marmosets and a Southern tamandua and the Hamlyn's monkeys two rather small cages house ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs.
On the opposite side of the building the two male black lemurs, recently house in the enclosure now holding the colobus, have moved into the former Hamlyn's monkey enclosure. The Colombian black spider monkeys occupy the former Crested black macaque exhibit. The latter species was moved to Planckendael.
- A second litter of black and rufous sengi in less than a year was born somewhere earlier this year.
- Hoopoes are now kept in both the wader bird aviary at the Rotunda building and in the Mediterranean-themed aviary outside the Bird House. The black-winged stilts seem to have moved from the wader bird aviary to the Mediterranean aviary.
- The chestnust-backed thrushes in the Asian aviary inside the Bird House seem to be attempting to nest.
- Two Von der Decken's hornbills have hatched. They are now fully grown but still living with their parents.
- A Rüppell's vulture has been placed in the savanna aviary for reasons unknown to me.
- Two Hartmann's mountain zebra foals were born this year.
I have posted some pictures to document these in the Zoo Antwerpen gallery.
ZOO Antwerpen | ZooChat
- A mantled colobus was born on the 6th of June, according to the keeper's whiteboard in the publicly visible Monkey House kitchen.
- According to the same whiteboard a Goeldi's marmoset was born May 25th.
- There have been some exhibit moves and swaps in the Monkey House. On the left side of the building, as seen from the entrance, the Hamlyn's monkeys are visible to the public again and have moved into the enclosure formerly housing the mantled colobus. The mantled colobus now live in the former Colombian black spider monkey enclosure. Next to the colobusenclosure one cage is still empty. In between an enclosure holding golden lion tamarins, Geoffroy's marmosets and a Southern tamandua and the Hamlyn's monkeys two rather small cages house ring-tailed and red ruffed lemurs.
On the opposite side of the building the two male black lemurs, recently house in the enclosure now holding the colobus, have moved into the former Hamlyn's monkey enclosure. The Colombian black spider monkeys occupy the former Crested black macaque exhibit. The latter species was moved to Planckendael.
- A second litter of black and rufous sengi in less than a year was born somewhere earlier this year.
- Hoopoes are now kept in both the wader bird aviary at the Rotunda building and in the Mediterranean-themed aviary outside the Bird House. The black-winged stilts seem to have moved from the wader bird aviary to the Mediterranean aviary.
- The chestnust-backed thrushes in the Asian aviary inside the Bird House seem to be attempting to nest.
- Two Von der Decken's hornbills have hatched. They are now fully grown but still living with their parents.
- A Rüppell's vulture has been placed in the savanna aviary for reasons unknown to me.
- Two Hartmann's mountain zebra foals were born this year.
I have posted some pictures to document these in the Zoo Antwerpen gallery.
ZOO Antwerpen | ZooChat
I won't be doing a Pairi Daiza style review of the Antwerp Zoo, but I have just uploaded a whole series of overview and enclosure photos: ZOO Antwerpen | ZooChat
I hadn't been to Antwerp for 7 years and the transformation this place has gone through is extraordinary. Antwerp may very well be the best 19th century zoo in Europe, the gardens have always been lovely, but many of the renovations are also very tasteful, while bringing enclosures up to modern standards as well. I have my reservations about how well some of the newer developments will hold up in terms of future visions on space for animals. But for now there is little to strongly dislike, except the raptor cages, small primate house and the enclosures for Jaguar and Amur leopard. Fortunately most of the pain points will be gone soon.
One part I particularly liked was the Aquarium renovation, the main hall may not be as grand as the aquarium in Artis, but the Reef aquarium is absolutely fantastic. I was also impressed by the Buffalo aviary, it was bigger than expected and it is fantastic to see Hornbills actually flying. The buffalo enclosure itself was relatively modestly sized but not too small, though I am not sure how well it works when there are tensions in the group...
The Ape enclosures were somewhat of a disappointment, with surprisingly little structure for a netted enclosure and very open enclosures with views from all sides... It wasn't very surprising most gorillas stayed in the more covered former "outdoor" enclosure. For the chimps they have a really good facility now with at least 7 connected compartments, so lots of places to get out of each others way.
All the new developments have not really made the collection suffer that much. In terms of small mammals the collection has certainly improved in recent years. In terms of the birds the near complete reduction of the Cracid collection is somewhat saddening, as is the loss of the Great blue turaco. But the bird collection is still a good size, with quite some rarities.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Antwerp, but good company helps as well
I hadn't been to Antwerp for 7 years and the transformation this place has gone through is extraordinary. Antwerp may very well be the best 19th century zoo in Europe, the gardens have always been lovely, but many of the renovations are also very tasteful, while bringing enclosures up to modern standards as well. I have my reservations about how well some of the newer developments will hold up in terms of future visions on space for animals. But for now there is little to strongly dislike, except the raptor cages, small primate house and the enclosures for Jaguar and Amur leopard. Fortunately most of the pain points will be gone soon.
One part I particularly liked was the Aquarium renovation, the main hall may not be as grand as the aquarium in Artis, but the Reef aquarium is absolutely fantastic. I was also impressed by the Buffalo aviary, it was bigger than expected and it is fantastic to see Hornbills actually flying. The buffalo enclosure itself was relatively modestly sized but not too small, though I am not sure how well it works when there are tensions in the group...
The Ape enclosures were somewhat of a disappointment, with surprisingly little structure for a netted enclosure and very open enclosures with views from all sides... It wasn't very surprising most gorillas stayed in the more covered former "outdoor" enclosure. For the chimps they have a really good facility now with at least 7 connected compartments, so lots of places to get out of each others way.
All the new developments have not really made the collection suffer that much. In terms of small mammals the collection has certainly improved in recent years. In terms of the birds the near complete reduction of the Cracid collection is somewhat saddening, as is the loss of the Great blue turaco. But the bird collection is still a good size, with quite some rarities.
All in all I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Antwerp, but good company helps as well
Video of the first Western lowland gorilla born at Antwerp 
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Male Andean bear Gladstone died at Antwerp at an age of 28 years 
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Zoo Antwerpen has rescued of a shipment of 132 bichirs from Cameroon that got stranded at Zaventem/Brussels airport. The shipment was apparently legal but got stranded due to administrative issues and was surrendered by the owner, after which the Zoo and the animal welfare authorities decided the animals would be best off being taken care of at Antwerp Zoo, because the conditions were getting critically unsuitable in their transport bags (and 12 fish unfortunately had already perished at the airport).
The animals are now being taken care of in quarantaine tanks at Antwerp Zoo and will eventually be rehomed at various zoos and aquaria in Europe through Antwerp's network. Antwerp said they expect to keep about ten of the fish in their own collection.
As far as I can tell from the videos and images shared and from a little googling, it appears the fish are Polypterus senegalensis.
More information (in Dutch) can be found in the explanation section underneath the video on Youtube. I transcribed the most key bits in English above.
The animals are now being taken care of in quarantaine tanks at Antwerp Zoo and will eventually be rehomed at various zoos and aquaria in Europe through Antwerp's network. Antwerp said they expect to keep about ten of the fish in their own collection.
As far as I can tell from the videos and images shared and from a little googling, it appears the fish are Polypterus senegalensis.
More information (in Dutch) can be found in the explanation section underneath the video on Youtube. I transcribed the most key bits in English above.
Special lamps should improve king penguin breeding results :
The Brussels Times - Antwerp ZOO encourages mating of penguins with a special light effect
The Brussels Times - Antwerp ZOO encourages mating of penguins with a special light effect