Made my first visit of the year and first semi-full visit in over a year, though a number of habitats had to be skipped.
Relevant to News
- I noticed all of the signs around the entrances for guests no longer reference an upcharge for Hamill Family Play Zoo; it is not mentioned among attractions even where Butterflies is specifically referenced as a seasonal exhibit. Most of these signs do still include Wild Encounters. I wouldn't be surprised if the upcharge returns over the summer for the Koalas but I do wonder if the zoo intends to remove the upcharge permanently in the future.
- Regarding the Tropic World additions, when viewing from the bison exhibit in Great Bear Wilderness, you can get a great look at the structure where it is much less covered from guests.
Minor Mysteries
- I finally found the European White Stork exhibit, which I'd read about last year and thought I'd never seen before... but I've actually seen it before, some years ago, recognized the enclosure, but either ignored it for missing the storks or it had been unsigned.
- The Beer Garden was closed and not even taped off, so I approached the former Ridge habitat and took several photographs even though it is now quite overgrown. I mention often that this exhibit was not advertised or acknowledged by the early 2000s despite still holding animals for at least another decade, so I only encountered it directly once. It also appeared there was an additional exhibit, possibly smaller cages, fenced off to the right of it?
- There appeared to be another small enclosure next to the bison habitat mostly hidden in foliage. I assume it was a place for the bison to have some privacy? I've never noticed it before.
- There appears to be a small structure towards the southern side of Tropic World near the exit -- does anyone know what this is? It looks like it uses some kind of fencing but it also looks way too small or loose to hold animals, so I'm not sure what it is.
(Willing to provide photos for these.)
Pointless Questions
- It would be interesting to create a list of every snake present at the zoo and in which exhibit they were held. I swear there were a few duplicates too, such as the Paupan olive python being held at I believe both Reptiles and Birds as well as the Swamp.
- Is there any specific reason the Boat-billed heron and Sunbittern aviary is separate from the other birds in the Swamp building? I know I've seen both of these species in mixed aviaries at Milwaukee and Lincoln Park respectively; is there an incompatibility I should know?
- Does anyone else think the fencing off Great Bear Wilderness at sections is pointless at this point? It makes the area a little more confusing to pass through in my opinion, since some of the sections open into the rest of the zoo and some try to force you along a path.
- The spider monkey and capuchin are rotated, right?
- Are there still South American lungfish in the Swamp?
- Has the South American Marketplace by the Living Coast always been a seasonal building?
- Did the penguin exhibit at the Living Coast reopen post-renovations mentioned around the holidays? Anything noticeable?
Trip Report
- The Pallas' Cat looked to be wedged between two rocks within it's exhibit, and seemed like it liked being there.
- Seeing eight active sea lions at once across two viewing windows was an absolute treat for every guest who was there. I really think pinniped exhibits benefit from higher populations - no matter what was happening at least one animal was visible, often three at one time.
- This was my second sloth bear sighting in two years, which is fantastic as I'm pretty sure for a decade I never saw them. They're becoming much more of a favorite of mine these days.
- Wow, the picnic area behind Safari Grill looks like it faces a good amount of unused space! Reminded me of the story of the scrapped North American Panorama...
- The aviaries are still separate in the Swamp, but I did catch my first real glimpse of the zoo's new flamingos. I think the Swamp is actually my favorite bird spot in the entire zoo.
- This might be my first time seeing the squirrel monkeys knowing what species they were... and I can't blame my past self, they were so far away that I probably couldn't have identified them without looking for them knowingly. One of the black-handed spider monkeys was much closer to guests than any of the other monkeys and swinging along. Seeing Tropic World South America active reminded me Tropic World still has strength sometimes.
- After several years, I finally had the chance to watch the pangolin feeding today! We waited around for probably too long, noticing her in her bucket only when she wiggled slightly in her sleep, but the feeding took place at 3:30PM -- moments before we were about to give up, a keeper showed. It seemed to take the pangolin a moment to react but not long later she was climbing around her habitat actively and eventually curling her tail around a branch while trying to reach treats. She moved fairly quickly once active and was really fun to watch! They do fit their clumsy image at times as she repeatedly had to stretch to hold her grip on the hanging treat. I hope to see this again but without knowing the time it can be a bit of a commitment, especially since today the building's other residents were fairly withdrawn.
- The new, double-length Reticulated Python exhibit at Reptiles and Birds is great.
- I did view the new Macaw tree perches but reached the 'Parrot House' off Sweetie Bird too late in the day to go inside, so I just looked through the windows and observed some of the macaws being handled by keepers and taken to I assume their night enclosures... technically I can take Hycanith Macaw off my bucket list, I suppose? I'm still not fond of parrot on stick habitats but look forward to seeing the animals.
- The new turtle habitats at Hamill Family Nature Plaza look great, can't wait to see the turtles move to there from the Swamp, and maybe the zoo can then combine those last two turtle exhibits in the building.
- I've also been harsher on the Binturong exhibit than I recall, which I think could make a great primate habitat actually, and the former Loris/current Fruit Dove habitat, which looks surprising decent for the birds and the lighting helps it pop. I miss loris as a species but as for this specific habitat, the dove are the better choice.
- While we're at it, I think I legitimately misremembered an additional couple terrariums in Habitat Africa! The Forest which do not exist. Don't ask me how I managed this.
- They should really remove the signs referencing Black mangabey and Allen's Swamp Monkey at Tropic World unless they intend to eventually re-acquire these species.
- The male and female tapir are in the same enclosure again.
What Was Missed?
- No luck with the Black and Rufous Sengi, Arabian Sand Cat, Tufted Capuchin, Screaming Hairy Armadillo, and the new bear cubs!
- Also missed at their exhibits today: Mexican Gray Wolves, Brown Bear in general, Polar Bear, Pygmy Hippo, Angolan Colobus, Giant Anteater, Clouded Leopard, Prevost Squirrel, Red River Hog, Yellow-backed Duiker, Emu, Grey Kangaroo, Sloth, Small Spotted Genet, Cape Porcupine, Dik-Dik...
- Did not visit: The Living Coast, Feathers and Scales interior, Australia House interior, the south side of Pachyderm House, Hamill Family Wild Encounters, Habitat Africa! The Kopje building, technically the Seven Seas for obvious reasons
- (I could have probably done two or three of these more if not for the extra time spent on the pangolin feeding and a misunderstanding with a family member causing me to rush to the gates at the wrong time.)
Pointless Observations: Hamill Family Play Zoo
I've obviously spoken some about Hamill Family Play Zoo this week, and I feel I've been harsh about it. The building is honestly much bigger than I find myself remembering, owing to the fact I don't enter the garden and play areas and the large mock rock "Zooscape" in the middle taking up a lot of room. I am not the sort of zoochatter to find play areas pointless and juvenile -- but just as a fact by not entering them, the building feels much more small and cramped than it is. If you asked me yesterday how much space the lemurs have, and how much viewing space there is, I'd have guessed half as many feet as are really there, I'm certain of it. The herp corner remains especially charming and the staff-led activites are a major part of what makes this exhibit special. I do wish the armadillo was moved to a more visible enclosure, and I wish the python was maybe elsewhere, though better here than nowhere. While this is still a space I think could use some improvement animal-wise, it's a much better exhibit than I remember. It helped there were lots of happy, excited children there today
- I considered that the toucan-sereima might be visible today since it was above fifty degrees out, but they were not visible and signage suggested viewing Poe the Raven at Wild Encounters.
- The larger exhibit in the Zooscape is still being used for an art piece without any current animals.
- The white ball python is my favorite besides the armadillo. I could see why this cute snake was chosen for the children's zoo.
I assume this means the lemurs will take up the current binturong exhibit for as long as the koalas are there.
