They definitely previously had a Toucan in that building so that much is feasible, but I think the sandhill cranes and Eurasian eagle owls would definitely demand entirely new habitats. Could be good additions to Great Bear Wilderness?
Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter pachyderm pro
- Start date
From what I've heard, some of these exhibits are being added in and around the Hamil Family Nature Plaza. This is a part of a larger effort to revitalize the south entrance plaza. Construction for these exhibits will be starting before the end of the year and it's anticipated they will all be complete by the spring.
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This is a strong idea as well. The southern side of the zoo is already the location of most of their bird collection but the center and west side is also an area that has seen some substantial losses in recent years (Reptile House, Bear Grottos, Baboon Island) so it's an area that could use the revitalization.
Even better. This would certainly help with the barren feeling of the south part of the zoo. Honestly a huge welcome change.
GibbonGuy95
Well-Known Member
Was at the zoo today a few species that might be gone now.
-Allen's Swamp Monkey (signage missing)
-Elephant Shrew
-chukwallas (their space was opened up to give more space to Zoey the black footed cat)
Few updates
*Blackfooted cat was active
*Got to see the elusive biturong
*I still didn't see the Ocelot, at this point I think the zookeepers are trying to punk us.
*It was sad seeing Axhi by himself without Jim. Once Axhi goes, what will happen to great bear wilderness as brown bears and polar bears aren't easy to obtain in zoos
*Alejandro the tapir has gotten so big and his stripes are fading
-Allen's Swamp Monkey (signage missing)
-Elephant Shrew
-chukwallas (their space was opened up to give more space to Zoey the black footed cat)
Few updates
*Blackfooted cat was active
*Got to see the elusive biturong
*I still didn't see the Ocelot, at this point I think the zookeepers are trying to punk us.
*It was sad seeing Axhi by himself without Jim. Once Axhi goes, what will happen to great bear wilderness as brown bears and polar bears aren't easy to obtain in zoos
*Alejandro the tapir has gotten so big and his stripes are fading
Brookfield Zoo Visit Report, 10/23/22
This unusually warm Chicago weekend seemed like the perfect time for a zoo visit. Only problem, I wasn't the only one who thought so. After nearly two decades of visiting, I don't think I've ever seen the zoo so crowded. For the first time in years I covered the entire zoo in one go (minus the temporary closed dolphinarium) and after the past week or so of nothing but great news I've been riding a bit of a high as a consequence. However, today I was reminded that the state of the zoo is still far from perfect...
New Arrivals and New Departures:
As @GibbonGuy95 has reported there has been even more reductions in the collection. The Allen’s swamp monkeys are no longer signed in Tropic World, continuing the buildings ever-deteriorating state. Not only that, the pygmy slow loris exhibit is completely empty and signage has been removed so they're probably gone as well. Between all of the phase outs there are only four monkey species left in the whole building which is absurd. Even more disappointingly, the elephant shrews are indeed gone as well and have been replaced by a pair of Home’s hingeback tortoises. This was really saddening to come across this as they were always a personal favorite. Also, the chuckwalla and blue spiny lizards have moved out of Deserts Edge and the black-footed cat exhibit has once again been expanded into the space just like it used to be.
While it stings seeing even more species leaving the collection, there have also been a few additions as well beyond the tortoises in the old elephant shrew enclosure. The sandhill cranes have already arrived ahead of their upcoming exhibit and can be seen at the holding barn tucked away in the zoos northwest corner. They aren't technically on exhibit, but can be seen in an unshowy paddock far in the back. There is also one other interesting pickup from a few weeks ago that hasn't been reported yet: a Mertens’ water monitor which is on display in The Swamp.
Misc Updates:
This unusually warm Chicago weekend seemed like the perfect time for a zoo visit. Only problem, I wasn't the only one who thought so. After nearly two decades of visiting, I don't think I've ever seen the zoo so crowded. For the first time in years I covered the entire zoo in one go (minus the temporary closed dolphinarium) and after the past week or so of nothing but great news I've been riding a bit of a high as a consequence. However, today I was reminded that the state of the zoo is still far from perfect...
New Arrivals and New Departures:
As @GibbonGuy95 has reported there has been even more reductions in the collection. The Allen’s swamp monkeys are no longer signed in Tropic World, continuing the buildings ever-deteriorating state. Not only that, the pygmy slow loris exhibit is completely empty and signage has been removed so they're probably gone as well. Between all of the phase outs there are only four monkey species left in the whole building which is absurd. Even more disappointingly, the elephant shrews are indeed gone as well and have been replaced by a pair of Home’s hingeback tortoises. This was really saddening to come across this as they were always a personal favorite. Also, the chuckwalla and blue spiny lizards have moved out of Deserts Edge and the black-footed cat exhibit has once again been expanded into the space just like it used to be.
While it stings seeing even more species leaving the collection, there have also been a few additions as well beyond the tortoises in the old elephant shrew enclosure. The sandhill cranes have already arrived ahead of their upcoming exhibit and can be seen at the holding barn tucked away in the zoos northwest corner. They aren't technically on exhibit, but can be seen in an unshowy paddock far in the back. There is also one other interesting pickup from a few weeks ago that hasn't been reported yet: a Mertens’ water monitor which is on display in The Swamp.
Misc Updates:
- Klipspringers are once again signed in the gerenuk paddock after being absent for a while now.
- I only saw three giraffes outside today, did we lose one recently?
- The wooden nest box in the pangolin exhibit has been replaced by a see-through nesting area which will definitely give guests a much better chance of seeing it even if its sleeping.
- The back half of the gorilla viewing has once again been blocked off.
- Puzzle the tree kangaroo has arrived and is in quarantine. Still no indication where she will end up being exhibited.
- The pangolin seems to be getting more generous with its active hours. I went through the African Forest building twice three hours apart and there it was awake both times. Always a treat to see it in action.
- Hudson the polar bear was lying on his back, rolling around in the grass and tossing a fish-shaped toy up in the air, which may be the most active I've ever seen him.
- The gorillas were being tossed lettuce and gathering atop the peak of their exhibit to catch it from a keeper. One caught the lettuce like it was a ball in mid-air which was pretty cool to see.
- Locked eyes with a clouded leopard just a few feet away from me, which was super awesome.
- Saw the sloth bears for the first time in what feels like years. They really are an awesome species and I hope the zoo finds a way to fit them into their long term plans.
- I really am curious what the zoo has in store with the dolphinarium renovations. The are being extremely ambiguous with this whole project with signs teasing an "exciting and enhanced space for our guests and dolphins." However, I'm not sure how much they are going to be able to do without moving the dolphins all together (which at this point is pretty much a non-starter). I'm going to keep my expectations low, so I'm predicting this will mostly just be aesthetic improvements along with some necessary maintenance. Would be very happy to be proven wrong.
- After taking a good look at the former kookaburra exhibit, I've changed my original stance on if this would be a suitable place for Puzzle. The space is way smaller than I recalled and wouldn't fit a tree kangaroo very well. I think it's far more likely she'll be placed with the bats which would be much roomier. However, I still feel that wouldn't be ideal in the long run so I'm really not sure where she will end up.
- The removal of the swamp monkeys and pygmy slow loris continues to make Tropic World an even more frustrating building. There are now only seven primate species remaining: gorillas, orangutans, gibbons, colobus monkeys, red-tailed guenons, spider monkeys and squirrel monkeys. There are no more than two primate species per exhibit now which is crazy to think about considering how this exhibit was intended to work. I thought it couldn't get any worse after the tamarins and marmosets unexplainably left, yet here we are. I really don't know what's going on and it's extraordinary baffling. In all honestly, I really don't mind the slow loris being gone. That exhibit never really worked in Tropic World with most of it having to be covered up by wooden panels to keep the light out. As long as the replacement is interesting, this won't be too bad of a loss.
- Still, those outdoor exhibits can't come soon enough. The AZA job listing posted earlier stated that, "The new facilities will provide an opportunity for collection development." This gives me a glimpse of hope that at least a few more primates will be added, but I guess were just going to have to trust the process here.
When I was at the zoo Friday a giraffe was in a trailer and they drove away. Very weird to see an animal transfer of that size during zoo hours.
I was at the zoo today too! Ha. Small world. Though I was also there yesterday. Definitely way busier today than it was yesterday.
I have unfortunately not been too good lately at mentioning changes. The mertens’s water monitor has been in The Swamp since at least this past June, and I noticed the elephant shrews were removed from the collection about a month or two ago.
A female white-bellied pangolin named Kara was recently introduced to the exhibit, most likely within the last week. The reason behind the see-through nest box is because a keeper told me and the other guests that she likes to sleep in buckets and keepers wanted guests to have a good look at her.
It has roughly been about 6 years since I last saw an Allen’s swamp monkey at BZ, so it’s definitely not surprising that they’ve removed signage.
I have unfortunately not been too good lately at mentioning changes. The mertens’s water monitor has been in The Swamp since at least this past June, and I noticed the elephant shrews were removed from the collection about a month or two ago.
A female white-bellied pangolin named Kara was recently introduced to the exhibit, most likely within the last week. The reason behind the see-through nest box is because a keeper told me and the other guests that she likes to sleep in buckets and keepers wanted guests to have a good look at her.
It has roughly been about 6 years since I last saw an Allen’s swamp monkey at BZ, so it’s definitely not surprising that they’ve removed signage.
With the layout of the exhibits, it would not work out that well. The previously occupied pygmy slow loris exhibit is far too small for her.
We should have a Brookfield Zoo meetup at some point since there's a few good, dedicated BZ nerds here. It would be a nice way to have a new experience at the zoo!
Has anyone here seen the ocelot? Seems like an infamous no-show. I'd heard the cats in that habitat love hiding under the bridge, even when it was a caracal.
I imagine the zoo will obtain more brown bears and if either species becomes an issue, perhaps grizzly bears or even black bears as replacements. If I recall zoos don't breed any of these because they can become available from the wild when problem bears need new homes? It's not hard to imagine grizzlies replacing Axhi but it is weird to imagine Brookfield without polar bears.
Puzzle is a better fit with the bats once I saw they were compatible in the historical footage but the former kookaburra exhibit should really be used for something. It feels like such a weird blank spot in the building. I'd also really like to see The Ridge (the unmarked Dall Sheep / Ibex graveyard) turned into something again. I hate those spaces that are very obviously former exhibits.
I remember seeing one of the signs in Tropic World depicting macaques and mandrills a while ago; I have since been reminded of it formerly housing mangaebeys and I often recall Esmeralda. We've lost quite a few species there. Shame about the loris as I never had the chance to see it active in my last several visits and I enjoy prosimians, though I agree the exhibit was subpar. I am wondering if Tropic World is being minimized to as few species as possible for ease of renovations which, once complete, could see the re-introduction of some species to the improved space? That's what I am hoping for anyway.
I used to love Tropic World so I hate to keep coming down so hard on it but it is such an utter shadow of itself. It is an improvement in the welfare of the pachyderms and anteaters to be elsewhere, for the apes to be moved outside, obviously without disagreeing, but I miss how much of the selling point of the exhibit at one point was the idea of being constantly surrounded with a wide variety of active animals and an attempted illusion of a real rainforest. The lack of animals in recent years only draws more attention to how artificial the environment is since you have to search so many concrete trees for signs of life.
It also wouldn't be such a bad thing if Brookfield divested a primate species or two elsewhere in the zoo than in Tropic World, much more so with the loss of Baboon Island.
Do they have a different arrangement for the animals' winter quarters now? I definitely won't mind it going if it makes for a good exhibit space and the animals are fine but I forgot it was there a little bit so now I'm curious.
No insider info here but I feel the elephant shrew may still be present but off-display. I've almost never seen them out but I know they celebrated Newt's birthday on social media earlier this year. It's possible he passed, the species has a short life expectancy, but the recent focus made me wonder.
Has anyone here seen the ocelot? Seems like an infamous no-show. I'd heard the cats in that habitat love hiding under the bridge, even when it was a caracal.
I imagine the zoo will obtain more brown bears and if either species becomes an issue, perhaps grizzly bears or even black bears as replacements. If I recall zoos don't breed any of these because they can become available from the wild when problem bears need new homes? It's not hard to imagine grizzlies replacing Axhi but it is weird to imagine Brookfield without polar bears.
I don't follow the dolphins well -- what's this about not keeping them all together? I'd love to know that story. I imagine it'll be mild aesthetics or bts stuff only but I'd love to see a total aesthetic refresh of the dolphinarium. The underwater viewing area could really use something extra to the larger space.
Puzzle is a better fit with the bats once I saw they were compatible in the historical footage but the former kookaburra exhibit should really be used for something. It feels like such a weird blank spot in the building. I'd also really like to see The Ridge (the unmarked Dall Sheep / Ibex graveyard) turned into something again. I hate those spaces that are very obviously former exhibits.
I remember seeing one of the signs in Tropic World depicting macaques and mandrills a while ago; I have since been reminded of it formerly housing mangaebeys and I often recall Esmeralda. We've lost quite a few species there. Shame about the loris as I never had the chance to see it active in my last several visits and I enjoy prosimians, though I agree the exhibit was subpar. I am wondering if Tropic World is being minimized to as few species as possible for ease of renovations which, once complete, could see the re-introduction of some species to the improved space? That's what I am hoping for anyway.
I used to love Tropic World so I hate to keep coming down so hard on it but it is such an utter shadow of itself. It is an improvement in the welfare of the pachyderms and anteaters to be elsewhere, for the apes to be moved outside, obviously without disagreeing, but I miss how much of the selling point of the exhibit at one point was the idea of being constantly surrounded with a wide variety of active animals and an attempted illusion of a real rainforest. The lack of animals in recent years only draws more attention to how artificial the environment is since you have to search so many concrete trees for signs of life.
It also wouldn't be such a bad thing if Brookfield divested a primate species or two elsewhere in the zoo than in Tropic World, much more so with the loss of Baboon Island.
Excellent news about the new pangolin, look forward to seeing her soon. It sounds like she will be more active than the previous resident and the nest box at least ensures visibility.
Not sure where you got the idea that brown bears are difficult to acquire, but this is not true. They're a rather easy animal to, as evidenced by the sheer number of zoos keeping the species. Every year there are some orphaned/rescued bears in need of placement that would be available for Brookfield to acquire.
Corangurilla
Well-Known Member
I think they mean actual Alaskan Brown Bears (as in, not Grizzlies).
Okay, that makes a little more sense. I was thinking of Brown bears as in the overarching species, Ursus arctos.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
I saw the ocelot during my first trip to the zoo back at the start of September. I wanted to make one final round past the sloth bears and the Desert just before closing because so many species were inactive the first time, and luckily both the bears and, somehow, every species inside the Desert was at least visible if not active. The ocelot was curled up in a nook in the cliff, and I almost didn't notice it. I had to do a good bit of scanning before I picked up on it. It clearly did not want to be seen.
Also interesting to hear that the binturong is considered elusive. I know the species in general is incredibly tough to get a good look at, but Brookfield's was hands down the most active one I've ever seen.
Honestly, it was just about as perfect of a zoo trip as I could ask for (especially with Lincoln Park as corollary the next day). So many species I'd never seen before in my corner of the southeast, and the only notable no-shows were the gerenuks, elephant shrew, and Allen's swamp monkey, and now it sounds like those latter two may have already been gone by that point.
Also interesting to hear that the binturong is considered elusive. I know the species in general is incredibly tough to get a good look at, but Brookfield's was hands down the most active one I've ever seen.
Honestly, it was just about as perfect of a zoo trip as I could ask for (especially with Lincoln Park as corollary the next day). So many species I'd never seen before in my corner of the southeast, and the only notable no-shows were the gerenuks, elephant shrew, and Allen's swamp monkey, and now it sounds like those latter two may have already been gone by that point.
