Penguin Plunge opens in February, and the $25 million complex will have up to 50 penguins of 4 different species:
Penguins from Scotland readied for move to Calgary Zoo
Penguins from Scotland readied for move to Calgary Zoo
Calgary Zoo Calgary Zoo news 2012-2013
- Thread starter snowleopard
- Start date
New animals having come in/ coming in!
Noteworthy births / hatchings!
Future plans? Renovations?
Noteworthy births / hatchings!
Future plans? Renovations?
Dibatag
Well-Known Member
Today it was -3 and sunny. Not very busy at all.
I will start with the Penguin Plunge. It is basically all completed apart from panting of the outdoor exhibit(that will have to wait till the spring though). The building its self is rather uninspiring, a large flat roofer box with no windows, but i suppose it is the inside that really counts. The outdoor Humbolt exhibit looked quite nice. Includes a waterfall and a fair sized pool, nice pebbly beach, rocky areas and a hilly area yet to be planted. There are large mock rock features surrounding the exhibit. They are nicely made and much better than much of what i have seen in recent years. There is a gift shop and cafe included in this area. The only thing notable about that is a cichlid aquarium. One thing to note are the penguin shipping crates stacked up beside the building, so the Gentoos at least are in the building.
Canadian wilds have had some changes. The Aspen Woodlands was generally demolished to build the penguin plunge. The White-Tailed Deer exhibit is all that remains and it is being renovated. Not much has changed in the rocky mountain area other than the aviary was closed for renovation and there was only one trumpeter swan rather than the usual two. Generally little has changed. There is still only one river otter, the Swift Fox exhibit was empty and the burrowing owls were no where to be found along with the wyoming toads. Only female Caribou were on display, I think that the Bull has been shipped out to the zoo ranch.
Minor changes in Destination Africa. I the savannah house, Jengu the year old male giraffe has shipped out to African Lion Safari in Ontario. The porcupines and meerkats have been split up. The Porcupines are in the centre exhibit and the meerkats remained down the side. Malagasy ground boas, Ball Pythons and Malagasy Giant Hog-Nosed snakes are still on display. The huge rock python was no where to be seen.
In the rainforest all the reptiles have been moved around. All of the terrariums wardens cabin and Gorilla observation hut have been removed apart from one. So Bells Hingeback tortoises, pancake tortoises, fat tailed gecko, chaffer beetles, tomato frogs and reedfish all are off display. Only the Giant Land snails remain. The larger glass fronted reptile exhibit no longer houses white throated monitors, and now has three malagasy tree boas. The bachelor gorilla group was out in the morning and the colobus were off in their smaller side exhibit, but in the afternoon the family group was in and the colobus were free to roam. i could not get close to the old Wild Dog enclosure so I do not know what is going on there. The aviary has had few changes. The Lady Ross Turacos have bred and have a fledgeling. The dik diks were no where to be fund and no where was there a sign saying they are on display. Cape teals, Black ducks yellow and red billed teals were not on exhibit and neither were the ring tailed lemurs.
The Australia Building has been closed. All animals are being sent to accredited facilities or re-homed throughout the zoo.
South America has not changed much. De brazzas were not on display, and the gibbons were not seen and did not have any sign. The Giant Anteaters were very active and the macaws were lots of fun. They were mirroring everything I did. If I jumped, they jumped. If I spun around, they did. It was funny. The old Squirrel Monkey exhibit was all boarded up and there was no sign of life and the coatis were no where to be seen.
In the eurasia section, a pair of Saurus Cranes are in an exhibit between the serow and the Carousel. Muntjacks are living in the old sloth bear exhibit but were off show. The markor are in desperate need of a hoof trim and the single remaining ibex is still hanging in there.
I will post photos soon and if you have any questions I will do my best to answer.
I will start with the Penguin Plunge. It is basically all completed apart from panting of the outdoor exhibit(that will have to wait till the spring though). The building its self is rather uninspiring, a large flat roofer box with no windows, but i suppose it is the inside that really counts. The outdoor Humbolt exhibit looked quite nice. Includes a waterfall and a fair sized pool, nice pebbly beach, rocky areas and a hilly area yet to be planted. There are large mock rock features surrounding the exhibit. They are nicely made and much better than much of what i have seen in recent years. There is a gift shop and cafe included in this area. The only thing notable about that is a cichlid aquarium. One thing to note are the penguin shipping crates stacked up beside the building, so the Gentoos at least are in the building.
Canadian wilds have had some changes. The Aspen Woodlands was generally demolished to build the penguin plunge. The White-Tailed Deer exhibit is all that remains and it is being renovated. Not much has changed in the rocky mountain area other than the aviary was closed for renovation and there was only one trumpeter swan rather than the usual two. Generally little has changed. There is still only one river otter, the Swift Fox exhibit was empty and the burrowing owls were no where to be found along with the wyoming toads. Only female Caribou were on display, I think that the Bull has been shipped out to the zoo ranch.
Minor changes in Destination Africa. I the savannah house, Jengu the year old male giraffe has shipped out to African Lion Safari in Ontario. The porcupines and meerkats have been split up. The Porcupines are in the centre exhibit and the meerkats remained down the side. Malagasy ground boas, Ball Pythons and Malagasy Giant Hog-Nosed snakes are still on display. The huge rock python was no where to be seen.
In the rainforest all the reptiles have been moved around. All of the terrariums wardens cabin and Gorilla observation hut have been removed apart from one. So Bells Hingeback tortoises, pancake tortoises, fat tailed gecko, chaffer beetles, tomato frogs and reedfish all are off display. Only the Giant Land snails remain. The larger glass fronted reptile exhibit no longer houses white throated monitors, and now has three malagasy tree boas. The bachelor gorilla group was out in the morning and the colobus were off in their smaller side exhibit, but in the afternoon the family group was in and the colobus were free to roam. i could not get close to the old Wild Dog enclosure so I do not know what is going on there. The aviary has had few changes. The Lady Ross Turacos have bred and have a fledgeling. The dik diks were no where to be fund and no where was there a sign saying they are on display. Cape teals, Black ducks yellow and red billed teals were not on exhibit and neither were the ring tailed lemurs.
The Australia Building has been closed. All animals are being sent to accredited facilities or re-homed throughout the zoo.
South America has not changed much. De brazzas were not on display, and the gibbons were not seen and did not have any sign. The Giant Anteaters were very active and the macaws were lots of fun. They were mirroring everything I did. If I jumped, they jumped. If I spun around, they did. It was funny. The old Squirrel Monkey exhibit was all boarded up and there was no sign of life and the coatis were no where to be seen.
In the eurasia section, a pair of Saurus Cranes are in an exhibit between the serow and the Carousel. Muntjacks are living in the old sloth bear exhibit but were off show. The markor are in desperate need of a hoof trim and the single remaining ibex is still hanging in there.
I will post photos soon and if you have any questions I will do my best to answer.
gorgeousingray
Well-Known Member
The zoo has announced it will be closing its elephant exhibit.
The bull spike born in and still owned by Zoo Miami will be moved in the near future. While Maharani is pregnant and due in February 2013. She is to be transferred in 4-5 years with the other two cows Kamala (Maharani's mother) and Swarna. The reason for the move is that the climate and space in Calgary isn't sufficient for the growing herd. The zoo clearly stated that the animals would be transferred to a facility that is a part of breeding programs, with space, and will allow the herd to remain together and breed (minus spike of course)
Facilities that I could see them being transferred:
-Oklahoma City zoo
-Smithsonian National zoo
-Portland zoo
-National Elephant center
The bull spike born in and still owned by Zoo Miami will be moved in the near future. While Maharani is pregnant and due in February 2013. She is to be transferred in 4-5 years with the other two cows Kamala (Maharani's mother) and Swarna. The reason for the move is that the climate and space in Calgary isn't sufficient for the growing herd. The zoo clearly stated that the animals would be transferred to a facility that is a part of breeding programs, with space, and will allow the herd to remain together and breed (minus spike of course)
Facilities that I could see them being transferred:
-Oklahoma City zoo
-Smithsonian National zoo
-Portland zoo
-National Elephant center
Elephants at Calgary Zoo to be relocated - Calgary - CBC News
I think that this is great news, as at least 6 months of the year the temperature hovers around 4 degrees Celsius or less in Calgary and that is far too cold for Asian elephants. Also, the elephant exhibit is adequate at the moment but long-term it is far too small for a growing herd. The shocking thing is that within a relatively short period of time the two largest and most popular zoos in the world's second largest nation will have zero elephants. Toronto Zoo receives 1.3 million annual visitors, and Calgary Zoo (with a much smaller metropolitan population) receives 1.2 million annual visitors and soon neither zoo will have elephants to showcase to the public.
I think that this is great news, as at least 6 months of the year the temperature hovers around 4 degrees Celsius or less in Calgary and that is far too cold for Asian elephants. Also, the elephant exhibit is adequate at the moment but long-term it is far too small for a growing herd. The shocking thing is that within a relatively short period of time the two largest and most popular zoos in the world's second largest nation will have zero elephants. Toronto Zoo receives 1.3 million annual visitors, and Calgary Zoo (with a much smaller metropolitan population) receives 1.2 million annual visitors and soon neither zoo will have elephants to showcase to the public.
Blondie
Well-Known Member
Zoogoer2000
Well-Known Member
I really hope this does not become another Toronto incident, and that they get to keep their accreditation
It shouldn't. They intend to send them to AZA facilities. Also there is no meddling City Council in this situation.
If I was a betting man, Columbus will end up with the cows and Syracuse will get Spike as a future replacement for Indy. National will hopefully be importing, OKC just got Rex and will be more concerned with impregnating Chandra and Asha again, Portland maybe but unlikely, I would think L.A. or San Diego would be better choices and hopefully TNEC never gets any elephants, quite frankly its a waste of money and resources.
New Lions
I was looking at the National Zoo's website and it was announced there that 2 of their young male lions Aslan and Baruti will be moving to Calgary in the next month or so to start a pride of their own. If the two year old males turn out to be as handsome as their father Luke, Calgary Zoo will be very lucky.
Updates From the Zoo's Lion Keepers: Growing up - National Zoo| FONZ
I was looking at the National Zoo's website and it was announced there that 2 of their young male lions Aslan and Baruti will be moving to Calgary in the next month or so to start a pride of their own. If the two year old males turn out to be as handsome as their father Luke, Calgary Zoo will be very lucky.
Updates From the Zoo's Lion Keepers: Growing up - National Zoo| FONZ
Foggy the hippo was humanely euthanized.
Calgary Zoo?s Foggy the hippo dies | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Calgary Zoo?s Foggy the hippo dies | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Today I uploaded about 180 photos from Calgary Zoo, and I'm just announcing that on this thread so that they don't all get lost in the shuffle. The brand-new, $24.5 million Penguin Plunge complex is included in the photo record.
The zoo has a new male hippo. He's 6 and has been brought in to be Sparky's new mate (although based on the AZA hippo studbook december 2011 hes on a no breeding recommendation as is Sparky due to their only partially known pedigree). The article I read said that he has no name and they are calling him ghost but he does have a name Alcide, from his previous home at Granby Zoo. Also according to the recommendation for Calgary in 2011 they suggest a second non breeding female be brought in but that probably changed with Foggy's death since Alcide was supposed to stay in Granby.
New hippo takes up residence at Calgary Zoo
http://www.aza.org/uploadedfiles/An...Plans/HippopotamusRiverYellowSSP2011Final.pdf
New hippo takes up residence at Calgary Zoo
http://www.aza.org/uploadedfiles/An...Plans/HippopotamusRiverYellowSSP2011Final.pdf
Looks like Penguin Plunge will be expecting a new addition. King penguin Asa has laid an egg and appears to be caring for it well. In 50-60 days Calgary could be celebrating the hatching of its first penguin.
http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/anegg.pdf
http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/anegg.pdf
Zoogoer2000
Well-Known Member
Alcide has lived at Calgary Zoo before and is (I think) Sparkey's grandson. He was at Calgary temporarily a few years ago, whilst the Granby Hippo exhibit underwent renovations. Some may remember him as "Splash", which he was renamed during that time.
Intersting. I really dont know anything about Calgary Zoos animals. I had just read the artical and thought others on here who live around Calgary would like to know they had a new hippo to see. I looked on their website and they didnt mention they were to be mates but they also didn't mention he was her grandson or that he had visited before if that is the case. Funny to ignore that if people might have a previous attachement to him. Now I dont know anything about hippo reproduction but is Sparky too old to reproduce? If they are related wouldnt that be a concern? Or do they have hippo birth control?
http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/hippo-arrival.pdf
http://www.calgaryzoo.org/images/stories/pdf/news/hippo-arrival.pdf