The "Nocturnal Building" hasn't used a reverse light-cycle since before COVID. At this point it's just a generic, un-themed building (not that there's necessarily anything wrong with that).
Capron Park Zoo Capron Park Zoo News
- Thread starter BeardsleyZooFan
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That's wrong. The system was being used on my recent visit.
Glad to hear they've finally returned to it, then! Was it both the animal exhibits and visitor pathways darkened, or only the latter?
The visitor space and the enclosures were dark. I'm not entirely sure how bright the enclosures are with the night setting in use, but the normal lights definitely weren't on.
@Neil chace have you visited recently?
Does anyone know what the scientific name for this specimen, Mo, is? He was referred to as a 'Sumatran water monitor', a name I'm not familiar with.
No, 2022 was actually the first year in my life where I didn't visit Capron Park Zoo, and I haven't had the chance to visit yet this year. October or November of 2021 was my most recent visit.
Varanus salvator
According to socials, Vicki the sloth bear will be moving to the National Zoo at the end of the month for a breeding recommendation. It’s bittersweet news, as watching her was one my favorite parts of the whole zoo.
The zoo has a new baby Hoffmann's two-toed sloth.
This is from Facebook:
"Capron Park Zoo is thrilled to announce the arrival of a bouncing baby Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni). Keepers found the infant snuggled up and nursing mom, Narisa, while dad, Ollie, watched closely from nearby. Keepers and veterinary staff will be monitoring mom and the pup closely to ensure their well-being, especially in these early days. Narisa has excellent mothering skills, so we hope this baby will grow big and strong with minimal intervention, but we are ready to provide support if needed. If you’re lucky, you might get a peak of the zoo’s newest and arguably cutest resident tucked under Narisa’s arm in the sloth exhibit"
This is from Facebook:
"Capron Park Zoo is thrilled to announce the arrival of a bouncing baby Hoffmann’s Two-Toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni). Keepers found the infant snuggled up and nursing mom, Narisa, while dad, Ollie, watched closely from nearby. Keepers and veterinary staff will be monitoring mom and the pup closely to ensure their well-being, especially in these early days. Narisa has excellent mothering skills, so we hope this baby will grow big and strong with minimal intervention, but we are ready to provide support if needed. If you’re lucky, you might get a peak of the zoo’s newest and arguably cutest resident tucked under Narisa’s arm in the sloth exhibit"
The zoo has a new map! The new map is not perfect, but I think it is still a major improvement over the old one.
The new map (from the website):
The old map (gross!):
The new map (from the website):
The old map (gross!):
Honestly? I think I like the design of the old map better than the new map. It at least showed all the exhibits on it, and some of the labels on the new map are a little hard to read. That said, the map did need an update since the old one was no longer completely accurate (red pandas have been at the zoo for seven years now and old map still doesn't list them!) On another note, the new map lists a monitor on it, did they get a new one following the passing of Moe? I also notice the Nocturnal Building has been re-named "Capron Education Center" on the new map.The zoo has a new map! The new map is not perfect, but I think it is still a major improvement over the old one.
The new map (from the website):
The old map (gross!):
I like the new map more because it is more polished and less pixelated, and also because it uses logos to communicate information in a way that is more quickly scannable without having to completely rely on reading the key at the bottom of the page. One issue that I do have with both maps is that they show the zoo at an angle-- I think using a top-down bird's eye view would be much nicer. For instance, on both maps, the row of outdoor exhibits attached to the Sadler Building is mostly obscured, but if the maps used a bird's eye view those exhibits would be easier to see.
I don't know about the monitor, but I was hoping to visit this weekend so I will update you if I end up going. It's interesting to see the new name of the Nocturnal Building, as it hasn't really been used for all nocturnal animals in a while.
I visited Capron yesterday for an hour and a half and I posted photos of the new zoo entrance and the new Blue Fronted Amazon Parrots in the gallery. Here are a few news updates:
- On Friday @Neil chace inquired about whether the zoo has a new monitor lizard. On my visit the former monitor exhibit was closed off for construction/maintenance, so they might not be getting a new animal until renovations are complete.
- Several exhibits in the old nocturnal house are still empty, but signs were posted which said: “This building is under transition as we improve and upgrade our animal habitats and guest spaces. Stay tuned for a new experience!”. I am looking forward to whatever comes next.
- The Sloth Bear exhibit was empty, which may mean that Vicki the Sloth Bear has already left for DC (she was due to depart at the end of September).
- On Friday @Neil chace inquired about whether the zoo has a new monitor lizard. On my visit the former monitor exhibit was closed off for construction/maintenance, so they might not be getting a new animal until renovations are complete.
- Several exhibits in the old nocturnal house are still empty, but signs were posted which said: “This building is under transition as we improve and upgrade our animal habitats and guest spaces. Stay tuned for a new experience!”. I am looking forward to whatever comes next.
- The Sloth Bear exhibit was empty, which may mean that Vicki the Sloth Bear has already left for DC (she was due to depart at the end of September).
On October 4th, the zoo announced that the sloth passed away.
Capron Park Zoo - It is with great sadness that Capron...
The zoo's single brush-tailed bettong passed away recently. This is certainly very sad news so I feel bad for the keepers and everyone that new him personally.
quote from Facebook:
“After thriving long past his expected lifespan, Elton, the beloved brush-tailed bettong, has finally laid his head to rest. He was found curled up in his bed, as though he was sleeping, and diagnostics showed he had passed of old-age related disease. In the wild these animals typically live from 6-8 years and the staff at Capron Park Zoo has been grateful for each and every one of the 14 years he has given us. Being the nocturnal and somewhat elusive creature he was, it was a special treat to catch him hopping around his exhibit and enjoying his favorite snack, peanuts.”
quote from Facebook:
“After thriving long past his expected lifespan, Elton, the beloved brush-tailed bettong, has finally laid his head to rest. He was found curled up in his bed, as though he was sleeping, and diagnostics showed he had passed of old-age related disease. In the wild these animals typically live from 6-8 years and the staff at Capron Park Zoo has been grateful for each and every one of the 14 years he has given us. Being the nocturnal and somewhat elusive creature he was, it was a special treat to catch him hopping around his exhibit and enjoying his favorite snack, peanuts.”
A Nile monitor called Ripley can now be seen by the public. She apparently has some spinal issues that are being watched by the animal care teams. It looks like she is in the old monitor enclosure.
An excerpt from the announcement on Facebook:
"Ripley is a unique individual who has some abnormalities in her spine. This causes her to perform some interesting behaviors such as head rolls. The zoo’s animal care team are keeping a close eye on her to make sure she stays healthy and safe!"
An excerpt from the announcement on Facebook:
"Ripley is a unique individual who has some abnormalities in her spine. This causes her to perform some interesting behaviors such as head rolls. The zoo’s animal care team are keeping a close eye on her to make sure she stays healthy and safe!"
I visited today for the first time since 2021, and noticed a few things:
- Much of the signage around the zoo has been updated, which is definitely a welcome change! The new signage is much more visually attractive, in my opinion. There are also additional directional signage and other types of signs too, so this aspect of the zoo visit is a positive change.
- The kangaroo exhibit certainly seems empty with only the single kangaroo left and Cupcake the emu. I'm curious to see what the future of this space holds.
- Likewise, having the empty bear exhibit is a big loss at the moment. It doesn't look like much work has been done on the exhibit, but I'll be curious to see what new addition gains that exhibit. Hopefully it'll be another sloth bear, but I'm always game for new additions too.
- It was so weird seeing a Reeve's muntjac back in the old warty pig exhibit, as this is what was housed there prior to the acquisition of warty pigs. Doesn't look like much has changed other than planting of grass and removal of some of the wood platforms.
- Some of the Rodrigues fruit bats, along with the Indian flying fox, have moved back into the Rainforest. I don't know why, but my guess is that it is to control breeding and/or the social dynamics.
- The Nocturnal building (or whatever they are calling it now) has received a new floor, which looks and feels nice. The new porcupine is absolutely adorable, but it was odd seeing half the exhibits as empty. Since my last time at the zoo, every single resident of the building has since either passed away or left, with instead the chinchillas moving onto exhibit and two of the exhibits being filled with new residents.
- The green tree python is off exhibit.
- The blue-winged kookaburra was not on exhibit, and signage was removed. No clue if it passed away or if it was moved off exhibit for some reason, but that's another empty exhibit to watch out for.
- Speaking of Rainforest, it seems a lot emptier than I remembered it. I only saw two Nicobar pigeons (not sure if they lost one or if it was a no-show), I only saw one beautiful fruit dove, only two red-footed tortoises on exhibit (I assume the female was moved off-exhibit to prevent breeding), and no sign of any crested wood partridges (those were always a popular, noticeable part of the exhibit). The removal of the Victorian crowned pigeons a few years ago is also still felt, as they were always a very noticeable bird too. The building is certainly feeling a need for new animals, though.
- The new nile monitor exhibit looks really great! The zoo added a lot of nice new climbing structures, and also added multiple types of natural substrate. The lack of natural substrate was always the weakest part of the old exhibit, so seeing some added was really nice.
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The zoo has a new director, John Wright, who was most recently the director of Spring River Zoo in New Mexico, and has fired the assistant and interim director Brenda Young (reason unknown).
Source: New director of Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro to focus on raising revenue, attracting more visitors
Wright plans to use "storytelling" to "fundamentally change the zoo" as a way to bring in new guests, and he would like to "get famous people to tell the stories, like Jane Goodall". That's about how much detail the article gives about Wright's plans for the zoo, so it'll be interesting to see moving forward what this means for the zoo's future trajectory.
Source: New director of Capron Park Zoo in Attleboro to focus on raising revenue, attracting more visitors
Wright plans to use "storytelling" to "fundamentally change the zoo" as a way to bring in new guests, and he would like to "get famous people to tell the stories, like Jane Goodall". That's about how much detail the article gives about Wright's plans for the zoo, so it'll be interesting to see moving forward what this means for the zoo's future trajectory.
Is working at 10 different facilities (including Capron) normal for someone in the zoo industry in 30+ years? That with the statement provided above strikes me as curious.