Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2023
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A good start for the new year. With all the news of additional exhibits, let’s hope for a good new year for Brookfield Zoo.
Excited to see what this year brings and what further plans come to light for the future of the zoo. There is supposed to be a new Master Plan released sometime this year, correct?
Indeed. According to @wilson the master plan is slated to be revealed sometime this fall. However, there’s plenty to keep us interested until then. Here’s an updated timeline of projects for this year.
Spring 2023: Completion of macaw perches. Construction begins on bird, turtle, and prairie dog exhibits.
June 2023: Completion of North American aviary, Eurasian eagle owl aviary, toco toucan aviary + indoor toucan exhibit, and native turtle exhibit.
Summer 2023: Completion of Dolphinarium Renovation.
Fall 2023: Completion of prairie dog exhibit and release of new master plan. Also around this time will be the groundbreaking of the Tropic World outdoor extension and Gorilla Center.
Additionally, the long abandoned “nature stage” by the north entrance plaza is being revamped for animal ambassador presentations. There will also be some much needed infrastructure upgrades, repaving the parking lots, and pathway replacements throughout the zoo over the next few months.
And that’s just what we know so far. Hopefully the recently acquired Matschie’s tree kangaroo goes on exhibit at some point and we get at least a few other interesting pick-ups throughout the year. Suffice to say, this is going to be the biggest year for the zoo in over a decade and it appears there is a very bright future ahead.
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Pleistocene891
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What primates will get outdoor access? Will it just be the great apes?
Gorillas, orangutans and the South American monkeys. There’s also talk of potentially mixing some of the African monkeys with the gorillas once they’re outside.
Pleistocene891
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So will tropic world be almost completely empty in the summer? Or are they replacing those primates with other species?
Just because the animals may be given outdoor access doesn't mean they will always use that access. Gorillas in particular are a species that, given the choice, many zoos have noticed their gorillas prefer to stay in their indoor exhibits more often than not. If the zoo does things right, hopefully animals will be given free choice (when it's safe to do so) for which exhibit to be in at a given time. While I understand the concerns some have about all indoor exhibits (even if I don't share all of those concerns), I think a bigger issue is the lack of choice given at certain zoos, and not giving animals access to their whole exhibit when it's safe to do so.
It actually won't be all that different compared to how it is currently. In the Asia room, the gibbons and otters will still be indoors and the zoo has three groups of orangutans that will rotate between the new outdoor enclosure, existing indoor enclosure and off-exhibit areas, meaning there will always be one group indoors. The gorillas are getting a completely new house located directly next to Tropic World, so additional African monkey species are being brought in to fill the current gorilla exhibit. The South American room is the one area that will probably be a bit more quiet in the warmer months, but there will still be the anteater and sloth, plus cotton-top tamarins which should be arriving sometime this year.
This is technically speculative, but I suspect strongly based on the Cotton Top Tamarin returning to the zoo and the anteater's time in Pachyderm House, that some of Tropic World's previous residents will be returning - and a new or returning species seems tentatively confirmed for Africa based in the former gorilla habitat - which should certainly allow activity to renew in South America as well as Africa.
I do think it is a shame that there seems to be no possibility to liven up Asia, as the small size of the otters, and the unsightliness of the orangutan island, the loris having been difficult to see and so forth leave it often feeling like a massive room for only gibbons. Shame they can't mix the gibbons and orangs outside and maybe rotate in langurs or something, but I understand why it isn't feasible.
Trying to cut back on speculation in this thread, hope this isn't too much.
I also expect most of the older residents to return. But that tapirs will likely stay out of the Tropic World, maybe to a new location due to the African Savannah revamp.
Official confirmation that the zoo has sent their remaining slow lorises to Milwaukee. Quite frankly, the exhibit never worked very well in Tropic World so this isn't a terrible loss. Hopefully the replacement will be a nice addition that will better fit the space.
Keep An Eye Out for New Pygmy Slow Lorises - Milwaukee County Zoo
Keep An Eye Out for New Pygmy Slow Lorises - Milwaukee County Zoo
I have to strongly agree. Loris are a favorite of mine and as much as I want to say I'd miss them, that little exhibit in Tropic World is terrible for guest viewing opportunity for any species and I never saw them there.
I don't think the pachyderms will ever return to the building, yeah. I'm frankly a little surprised they put the anteater back in there, it was nice seeing it at the pachyderm building.
Hope, the female polar bear, is back on exhibit today. No cubs
Quite the shame. Perhaps they have to try harder or at worst find a new partner for Hudson.
Corangurilla
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What’s the word on Puzzle the tree kangaroo?
Since I visited Yesterday, I might as well talk about some stuff I noticed during my visit.
- Seems like we're also getting a Seriema exhibit, no clue if they're just moving into feathers and scales, or if they'll also get a new exhibit, but for now, they're just in the exhibit between the desert birds and Honeyeater.
- Looks like the Toucan is staying in Habitat Africa: The Savannah behind the scenes until their exhibit is ready, I noticed them over by the one Klipspringer exhibit that's been empty for quite some time behind a gate
- The Nocturnal side of the Australia Building was closed on my visit, don't know if this means the Tree Kangaroo is gonna be added soon or if it's just renovations
- The Black Footed Cat seems to have access to both parts of the final Deserts Edge enclosure again
- Seems like we're also getting a Seriema exhibit, no clue if they're just moving into feathers and scales, or if they'll also get a new exhibit, but for now, they're just in the exhibit between the desert birds and Honeyeater.
- Looks like the Toucan is staying in Habitat Africa: The Savannah behind the scenes until their exhibit is ready, I noticed them over by the one Klipspringer exhibit that's been empty for quite some time behind a gate
- The Nocturnal side of the Australia Building was closed on my visit, don't know if this means the Tree Kangaroo is gonna be added soon or if it's just renovations
- The Black Footed Cat seems to have access to both parts of the final Deserts Edge enclosure again
Bengal Tiger
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What area of the zoo will these be in?
That's a nice pick-up for the bird collection. That enclosure does seem a tad small for them however and I hope that isn't their permanent accommodation. Considering they haven't been mentioned alongside the other new bird exhibits, I imagine they won't be getting a newly constructed exhibit.
The native bird aviary and turtle exhibit are being built in the Hamill Family Nature Plaza, the existing raven exhibit is being renovated for toucans, and the owl aviary is being built adjacent to the east mall.
Should also mention that when entering the Zoo yesterday, they had a sign up before you enter the park with pictures of species we know they're making exhibits for, and the Seriema was on there, which is part of why I'm unsure if there actually are plans to make an exhibit for them
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