Calgary Zoo Calgary Zoo news 2012-2013

TeamTapir223 said:
Never realized that the Calgary Zoo is actually on an island.While usually this would seem kind of cool for a zoo this terrible flooding is a major drawback.Does any one know if there is a history of flooding at the Calgary Zoo ?

Team Tapir223
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The link below contains an interactive map of the zoo, and the bottom half is an island that contains the South American, Eurasian and African animal zones. There is a single pedestrian bridge (that is wide enough for zoo vehicles) that connects the island to the mainland.

Calgary Zoo - Plan Your Visit
 
I dont know what they will have to move either. I think their biggest risks, carnivores, would be high on the list if their exhibits have been seriously compromised. Then again there are the sensitive animals who will do best in homes that are built right, proper sized, ect who might also need to be moved quickly just so they can start to return to normal life even if its at another zoo. I dont know much about their breeding ranch but some of their animals could be housed there. Its probably their top choice for relocation for as many animals as possible.

I feel for the keepers. The horrible choices they had to make. I just hope the giraffes pull through because the guilt their keepers would feel about having been forced to leave them behind would be huge, though completely unnecessary. A giraffe is tall. It can survive above the water a lot longer than the small meerkats. But still it has to be hard on them to know the animals they love have such a grim outlook because they couldnt get to them soon enough.

It really sounds like it could have been much much worse. The destruction might prove a good opportunity though to get a jump start on some of their redevelopment. With some areas probably wiped nearly clear they will have to rebuild and why not start some of their 20 year plan projects if they do. Why just kock down some post flood exhibits in 5-10 years? Money must be flooding in from donations so that can help pay for new exhibits earlier than expected. Could be their one silver lining.
 
Heres another snap shot of the courage of the keepers. It didnt dawn on me when I read earlier articles but the staff trying to save the giraffes not only had to contend with the danger of the panicked giraffes but free ranging hippos, the most dangerous animal in all of Africa. They had to swim through the water with the hippos who must have been scared themselves. I cant even begin to explain how much I respect these people.

Calgary zookeepers risked lives to rescue giraffes, round up hippo - The Globe and Mail
 
More good news and some bad news from the zoo.

Ill go bad first so we can end on a high note. 25 cichlids were found dead (so far the other 100 are suriviving). The rest of the 12 piranhas died. Thats tacked on to the previous losses.

However good news is here. The giraffes have stablized so the prognosis is improving for them. Key habitats have been found to be structurally sound. Animals are being returned to their homes or comparable ones Snow leopards, red pandas, muntjac, emu, macaques, peccaries and red river hogs and alpacas have all gone home. Theres probably more of the smaller species too.

Next they will focus on the lions and tigers returning home.

Sounds like things are starting to work out.

Calgary Zoo discovers more dead fish, but says cleanup going well | Globalnews.ca
 
The Calgary Zoo has just announced that they will begin re-opening on July 31 (http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/zoo_reopening.pdf). The first sections to re-open are the areas that were not flooded (Penguin Plunge, Canadian Wilds and Prehistoric Park). They don't expect to be completely re-opened until November. 40 buildings were damaged in the flood and they estimate $50 million in damage was done, plus a loss of $10 million in summer revenue. With that said, it is pretty incredible that only 4 peacocks, a pot-bellied pig and fish died.
 
Heres an update from the zoos facebook page...


We're sad to let you know that our South America building, one of the oldest buildings at the zoo, was so severely damaged by the flood that it's not worth fixing. As a result, we're going to have to relocate the animals that made their home there.

Our President and CEO, Dr. Clément Lanthier, explains:

“Sadly this means we have to quickly find new homes for the 34 individual animals representing 11 species that were housed in this building.We know people will be sad that these animals are leaving us, but we need to think of their welfare and we simply can’t provide for their long-term needs in the foreseeable future.”

While exact locations are being finalized, the zoo expects the animals to begin moving within the next two weeks. These animals include:
• 2 Hyacinth macaws
• 7 Yellow-headed Amazon parrots
• 2 Prehensile-tailed porcupines
• 2 Two-toed sloths
• 2 Giant anteaters
• 2 Andean condors
• 5 Goeldi's monkeys
• 3 Cotton-topped tamarins
• 2 White-handed gibbons
• 4 Black-handed spider monkeys
• 3 Debrazza monkeys

Prior to the flood, the zoo was looking for new homes for several other animals which will bring the total of animals to be moved to 45 individuals representing 15 species.

Dr. Lanthier concludes that "this is the sad reality that we face – the Calgary Zoo has been forever changed by the flood on June 21st, but with the support of our community, we will eventually be able to replace these ruined facilities and create a new Calgary Zoo that is even better than before."

Personally I hope Toronto can take in some of the animals. I'd love to see giant anteaters. But realistically we could probably take in the sloths, pocupines, gibbons and spider monkeys as we already have facilities designed for the species. I just dont know about the space. There was already a recommendation for a spider monkey mix up with Toronto so they might be the most likely to come.
 
This tragedy at the zoo seems so horrible for the staff and animals. I hope the animals get sent to good zoos as opposed to some of canadas other zoos. This totally reminds me of what happened to the New York Aquarium during hurricane sandy. That recoverys opening in phases like this zoo through 2016. Also we originally supposed to know to which zoo the elephants would be sent. I guess that has been delayed until after this crisis.
 
TZFan said:
• 2 Giant anteaters
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With some trades in the past, it would be nice if they were relocated to the Smithsonian National Zoo. I'd like to see anteaters actually roaming the exhibit for once. Although I doubt they have enough holding area. I do hope all these families find new homes soon!
 
I think most of the animals at least for the time being would be able to be moved out quickly to other zoos like Toronto, Granby, Edmonton, Vancouver and the Biodome. I'd prefer as many of them as possible come to Toronto.
 
I am shocked Toronto has not stepped up to take some animals
 
Me too. We have the facilities to take on the bulk of the animals. And I think if we had offered to take the animals in we would have been the perfered choice as the largest zoo in the country and one of the finest. I can see some going to Assiniboine but I had guessed many would be headed for Toronto. If we didnt even offer I would be sorely disappointed in Toronto.
 
Today we must announced that plans are underway for our male Asian elephant Ganesh – or Spike, as he is affectionately known – to make his new home at Busch Gardens® Tampa in Tampa, Florida.

In April 2012, we announced our intention to relocate our Asian elephants. This decision was and still is based on their long-term welfare needs that will be better served by being part of a larger social group and at a facility with more year-round space.

Our President and CEO, Clément Lanthier, has this message for our community: “We know that the departure of our elephants will be a difficult day for many of our staff, keepers, volunteers and our community at large. Although we know Spike is going to receive excellent care at Busch Gardens, we will miss him when he’s the first to leave. He has been an important part of our zoo family for more than 20 years.”

Spike has been at the Calgary Zoo since late 1992 on extended loan from Miami Zoo, after Hurricane Andrew had damaged a large part of the their facility.

He was moved to the Calgary Zoo on the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Asian Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP). The AZA has also sanctioned Spike’s relocation to Busch Gardens.
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full press release
 
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