Charles Paddock Zoo Charles Paddock Zoo News

Director Alan Baker, who worked at Charles Paddock Zoo for 23 years, has retired. Dr. Cynthia Springfield is the new Director, and this will be the 5th zoo she has worked at in her career. (It's common for many zoo professionals to bounce around from zoo to zoo)

City of Atascadero announces new zoo director of Charles Paddock Zoo

Other than a modern, excellent Red Panda exhibit, which cost one million dollars and opened in 2019, I'm not sure if the zoo has opened a brand-new animal exhibit since the 1980s. Alan Baker was quoted as saying that in an old article. Charles Paddock Zoo has renovated and remodeled a bunch of existing enclosures, but there's been nothing new and with annual attendance hovering around 80,000 it's been a struggle financially. This zoo desperately needs an injection of funding or perhaps a local tax bond. Several newspaper articles (in 2011) stated that the zoo required a $30 million Master Plan overhaul, but it's been more than a dozen years since then and an expensive renovation is a pipedream at the moment.

Other than a Tiger (in an outdated, ghastly exhibit), the zoo has focused on smaller creatures and the staff has done an admirable job remaining AZA accredited on only 5 acres. But it's easy to see why attendance has remained the same for 20 years, as there's not a big draw to encourage visitors. Likely the only reason the zoo even exists is that there's no other zoo around for vast distances.

Zoo map:

Zoo%20Map%20updated%20Mar%202023.jpg
 
Milwaukee Man said:
With a new director comes plans for the future. A couple highlights include a new toucan exhibit and bringing California condors to Charles Paddock.

https://www.ksby.com/atascadero/new-zoo-director-shares-plans-for-charles-paddock-zoo
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I am quite excited that with a new forward thinking director and newly hired curator things are moving. I do hope the community and local county chip in (a county tax / bye law for the Zoo development)!

Can You reproduce the article somehow bc we over in Europe et al are prevented from reading it.
(PLEASE NOTE: Those communications have now pretty much been in place for 5-6 years, I find it ... well a frigging nightmare.... to open and transparant reporting)
 
Coelacanth18 said:
One notable update from my recent visit: the walk-through aviary is currently closed for renovations. Not sure for how long.
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Update on their Instagram from this past weekend: the aviary has already reopened. It was being renovated to accommodate the zoo's Southern Screamer, who previously lived in an open-topped exhibit with the flamingos.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
One notable update from my recent visit: the walk-through aviary is currently closed for renovations. Not sure for how long.
Click to expand...

Did you have a chance to see the new hyacinth macaw and toucan exhibit? If so, what did you think of it? What is your overall opinion of the state of this zoo?
 
DavidBrown said:
Did you have a chance to see the new hyacinth macaw and toucan exhibit? If so, what did you think of it? What is your overall opinion of the state of this zoo?
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I did, haven't had a chance to upload the photos yet but I will soon. They are basic cages, pretty similar to the zoo's existing enclosures but a bit roomier than some of the older ones.

It feels to me like the zoo is very slowly and steadily upgrading where they can. There hasn't been any significant exhibit changes since the Red Panda exhibit opened in 2019, but a small number of new, decently furnished cages have been built; a couple of older, smaller cages have been dismantled; and the animal-to-exhibit size ratio has been ticking up favorably - old fisher exhibit now has aracaris, old King Vulture exhibit now has a curassow, marmosets and Great Horned Owl have both been moved to roomier cages since last year. There's been some species changes, both gains and losses. Overall it is still very similar to my first visits years ago.

On a side note - and unsurprisingly - the new spider monkey babies are very entertaining and endearing to watch.
 
Here’s concept art from about a year ago that was used to help fundraise a new Madagascar exhibit. The designs were made by RRM Design Group and includes Sifakas, Red Ruffed Lemur, Dwarf Lemur, Fossa, Bats, Crested Coua, Madagascar Teal, Madagascar Quail, Radiated Tortoise, Spider Tortoise, Chameleon, and Golden Mantella.
RRM Design Group on Instagram: "Our team is excited to share the newest work they have completed through our Draws for a Cause program! These visualizations are to help aid the non-profit Friends of the Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero as part of their fundraising effort for their new Madagascar exhibit. The Charles Paddock Zoo is dedicated to the conservation of local and exotic species. The renders show the exhibit entrance highlighting the Lemurs, the playful Cave of Wonders featuring the smaller animals of Madagascar, and an overall illustrative site plan. #RRM #RRMDesign #drawsforacause"
 
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