Calgary Zoo Calgary Zoo News 2014

The zoo has said on facebook that the Komodo Dragons havent arrived yet but they expect them to be on display by the end of the month. Sounds like they will be arriving shortly.

The rhinos are expected to arrive over the summer.
 
TZFan said:
The zoo has said on facebook that the Komodo Dragons havent arrived yet but they expect them to be on display by the end of the month. Sounds like they will be arriving shortly.

The rhinos are expected to arrive over the summer.
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Any idea from which locations and which rhinos are due to arrive?
There was … a rather inexplicable signaling of European stock …? :confused:
 
The zoos facebook commentor said that they aren't revealing that information right now because thing can always change. People asked for arrival dates, where they were coming from, who was coming, that sort of stuff and basically we will tell you later was the answer.
 
TZFan said:
The zoos facebook commentor said that they aren't revealing that information right now because thing can always change. People asked for arrival dates, where they were coming from, who was coming, that sort of stuff and basically we will tell you later was the answer.
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I can fully understand that …! Animal transfers are fraught with paperwork, diplomacy, building work at home, animals having to face a transport / training sessions. You name it …. I can wait and see till summer!!! :D
 
Dont forget to add in the bonus of keeping those things quiet until just before they arrive or debut to get the maximum amount of excitement from the average person.

I forgot some asked how many are coming. The safe answer would likely be a breeding pair but perhaps they have space for more and can get more than one surplus female.

If they are indeed European stock they will be incredibly valuable to the breeding program.
 
TZFan said:
Huge news for the zoo, Dr. Jake Vassey will be leaving the zoo once the elephants have departed. He's got a new post in Europe.

Zoo parting ways with celebrated animal care director

In lesser news the zoo is hosting a diaper donation event this weekend. Donate packages of diapers and get a break on admission.

Zoo plays host to diaper donation event on Mother's Day | CTV Calgary News
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Interesting news - I am sure that someone with his proven skills and experience will be a great addition to whichever collection he is joining.
 
I stopped by the zoo today, spent the entire day. Found out some interesting information, saw a few interesting things too. It was nice to see the three elephant girls before they leave (they'll probably be here for about 2 more weeks)

Got some semi-decent pictures as well :D
 
Well there's a few things I can't talk about quite yet ;)

However, I did get some info about the modifications that will occur to house the rhinos, I saw the Komodo dragon enclosures, and also found out some interesting things about the hippos and Sparkies pregnancy, as well as some interesting things that happened with the penguins during the flood.
 
Ok now I want to know more. Based on the things you mentioned learning about can you talk about them. Particularily the hippos and Sparky's pregnancy... please dont tell me they let them breed again. It's irresponsible letting a grandmother and grandson mate, especially when they are considered unworthy to breed even to other unrelated animals because of gaps in their family tree.
 
Talk about them I can! No, they don't plan on breeding them again.

Basically what happened, was they though Sparky was infertile. They gave her a certain kind of birth control a long time ago that coated her eggs in a gel so that sperm couldn't enter them. They thought it had coated all of her eggs. (she mentioned they kind of wanted Foggy and Sparky to breed, but they never did) While with Lobi she was still one one type of birth control, just to be safe.

However, after many years, they figure she finally expelled all of the gel covered eggs, and is now ovulating with healthy eggs that can accept sperm again, so even though she was on BC at the time she still got pregnant.

Currently, she is on two new different types of birth control, one is an injection and she keeper didn't specify what the other was. Sufficient to say they don't want her getting preggo again. Additionally, they didn't even know she was pregnant until she expelled the two stillborns. It was a complete surprise for them.
 
Oh good you had me worried. I did know the first breeding was accidental. A second pregnancy so close to the first would be harder to believe was accidental. Dont rule out breeding though. Hippos are notoriously hard to prevent breeding in. They can put females on birth control and still end up with babies. Some females it just doesnt work for. Its a big risk they run keeping a related male and female. And apparently castrating the names is incredibly difficult as well for a variety of reasons. I read an interesting article about it at some point.

On the one hand Im sure the zoo was thrilled the babies were stillborn because they would have been stuck with them for life in all likelihood. If your interested read up on Hippos in Canada.

http://www.zoochat.com/223/hippos-canada-347299/

That should explain why it will be nearly impossible to place calves.

Yet on the other hand the zoo would have really benefitted from surviving twin hippo calves. Visitors would have gone insane for one baby hippo forget two. It would have helped them a fair bit in recouping losses from last summer. Over all though its better that they didnt make it. Imagine being stuck with non breeding hippos for the next 50 years... wait I dont have to imagine, Toronto has its own non breeding hippos.
 
Mountain Goats Shannon and Yukon welcomed twin kids. They are on display, Check them out on facebook.
 
TZFan said:
It's official now, Calgary is elephantless. The girls began their jounrey to Washington May 20th. The trip should take several days. Whilte its sad for Calgarians they can look forward to the summer arrival of the Greater One Horned Rhinos now.
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Which means the departure of Dr Veasey for Europe is not too far away either.....
 
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