Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus Zoo and Aquarium News -2016

Amnesiac said:
Have they always had Hawaiian goose in with the flamingos and I just never noticed it or are they new?
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If there are Hawaiian geese on exhibit with the flamingos, they must be relatively new (although it's possible the species was held off exhibit). I'm usually at the zoo several times a month in warmer weather and have never seen the species.
 
I first noticed that there were a pair of nēnē on exhibit with the flamingos in July of this past year.
 
Kudu21 said:
The black spiny-tailed iguana has been moved into the exhibit formerly inhabited by "Dude" the Gran Cayman iguana that passed away last year; a young Grand Cayman iguana has taken up residence in the former spiny-tailed iguana enclosure.
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The young, Cyclura lewisi male came from San Diego.
 
Notes from the Reptile House, as of today:

-Chinese crocodile lizard exhibit in the keeper lab, Dumeril's ground boa, and Panamanian golden frog exhibits are all still closed. The crocodile lizard exhibit is still set up, but the exhibit is empty of animals. The boa and toad exhibits are both completely empty with only the rock work left, minus the water in the frog exhibit.

-The Grand Cayman iguana went off exhibit sometime within the last week. It's exhibit, too, has been stripped, with a "Habitat Closed" sign inside.

-Also sometime between this week and last, the yellow anaconda was moved from the Amazonian turtle exhibit (the first in the series of four floor-to-ceiling turtle tanks) into the former Burmese python exhibit, which had been empty up until this point.

-For the past two weeks, only 1.1 black spiny-tailed iguanas have been on exhibit; prior to last week, there had been 1.2.

Notes from elsewhere within the zoo:

- "Chewy", last year's Amur tiger cub, was taken off exhibit over a week ago. The elderly cougar siblings from North America were moved into his exhibit (one of the former lion exhibits).

I'm sorry that I cannot comment on too much other than the Reptile House at this time, but this is because my weekly visits to the zoo are for research for my university, and my team's research is being conducted within the Reptile House. Every once in awhile, as with the update on "Chewy", we receive updates as a group on the happenings within all areas of the zoo, but this is rare.
 
Irisa, thé Amur tiger, has given birth to 3 cubs. The father is new male Jupiter. Irisa was mother to last years litter, who she abandoned. Fingers-crossed she'll stick with this litter now that shes a mother for a second time.

"BABY ANIMALS! Three Amur tiger cubs were born at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium late last night. Based on observations from a remote camera the triplets appear to be healthy and are nursing in a behind-the-scenes denning area with their mother. This is the second litter of cubs for mom Irisa, who gave birth to a litter last year. Father to this new litter is Jupiter who arrived at the Columbus Zoo in March last year from the Czech Republic. Jupiter’s move to the Columbus Zoo was through a partnership with the European Endangered Species Program and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’s Species Survival Plan in an effort to increase the genetic health and diversity of tigers in human care."

https://www.facebook.com/columbuszoo/photos/pcb.10153523365722106/10153523363287106/?type=3&theater
 
In the recent Beastly Banner newsletter, there is an ad that says Gold Members get the additional perk of Free Admission to the all-new 4-D theater that debuts in 2016. This is the first I am hearing of this attraction, though this addition does not surprise me. I wonder if it will be in a brand new building or if they are re-purposing something else?
 
Amnesiac said:
In the recent Beastly Banner newsletter, there is an ad that says Gold Members get the additional perk of Free Admission to the all-new 4-D theater that debuts in 2016. This is the first I am hearing of this attraction, though this addition does not surprise me. I wonder if it will be in a brand new building or if they are re-purposing something else?
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The zoo's website says that it will be located in the new "Shores Park" and will open May 28th... On my visit on Tuesday the footprint of the old aquarium was fenced off and there were surveyors out... I wonder if this is where it will go?
 
There are a lot of changes coming to the zoo this spring! In addition the Shores Park, featuring the 4D theater, new play area, and café, the zoo is also going about extensive renovations in North America. The former grizzly bear habitat is being renovated for new young American black bears, the sandhill crane exhibit is being renovated for the zoo's bobcats, whose former exhibit is being used to extend and renovate the cougar exhibit. The former black bear exhibit, which recently has housed North American river otters is, too, being renovated to better suit the otters. Pathways in North America will also be widened, with night lighting added throughout.
 
Amnesiac said:
Thanks for the additional updates. There is a rendering of the new Shores Park and some construction pictures here. I find it interesting that no new animals are being added to this area. I always envisioned it as the perfect location for a seal or sea lion exhibit.

Also, didn't parking for non-members used to be $8? Because this year they've raised it to $10.
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Agreed that it would have been a great area for pinnipeds, disappointed its going to a non animal thing. (My opinion is especially with the prices that raise every year why would you spend more money just to see a movie while you're at the zoo? I don't get it.)

And yes, parking has been raised once again. It now costs 2, non local visitors, 50 dollars to visit. And if I'm not mistaken that makes Columbus the most expensive zoo in Ohio...
 
Loxodonta Cobra said:
I certainly remember hearing and reading about it somewhere.
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Columbus has mentioned a sea lion exhibit at least two different times. Originally, sea lions and diving birds were supposed to be incorporated into the Polar Frontier section (which was, I believe, then referred to as a northern shores extension to North America). These exhibits were cut (perhaps because the Zoo decided to build the brown bear brothers a new exhibit, as I don't believe that was originally part of the plan).

A sea lion exhibit was then later suggested in the extensive new plans revealed prior to the failed permanent levy. At that time, a large sea lion exhibit was slated for the front of the zoo (I believe roughly around the entrance to the small amphitheater.). With the failure of the levy, that exhibit (along with all of the other announced future plans) fell into limbo. Who knows what the future will bring? There has been no announced master plan (the shores park development was not announced until earlier this year, 9 years after the aquarium closed), and Columbus's seemingly constant new development of the past 20+ years has slowed. I would imagine the Zoo is still licking its wounds after the permanent levy went down (the extension of the old levy that passed last year was not accompanied by any promises of future developments) and am hopeful that plans are in the works (perhaps to coincide with a renewal of the current levy or another attempt at a permanent levy).
 
While, I'm sure that everyone, myself included, would have liked to have seen the inclusion of an animal exhibit with these additions to the Shores region, these new additions will only help to increase the zoo's revenue (café and 4D theater) and keep visitors coming through the door (all of the above); they will all be very popular additions with the general public... And honestly, the footprint of the old aquarium would no have provided enough space for an adequate pinniped exhibit, in my opinion; one built on that cite would've been average at best. After opening such an expensive exhibit just two years ago and a failed permanent levy, it makes sense that the zoo would be lying low, with only minor additions at the moment. Not to mention that while they are not building anything extravagant or new, they are currently renovating part of the oldest sections of the zoo and providing these animals with larger and more adequate enclosures, which is always commendable in my opinion, and I doubt any of you would beg to differ. As parts of the zoo are beginning to show their age, I'd much rather see the zoo work to improve the old than to build something brand new.. Especially at this point in time. I think that it will be a little while before we see another landmark project from the Columbus Zoo.
 
Kudu21 said:
While, I'm sure that everyone, myself included, would have liked to have seen the inclusion of an animal exhibit with these additions to the Shores region, these new additions will only help to increase the zoo's revenue (café and 4D theater) and keep visitors coming through the door (all of the above); they will all be very popular additions with the general public... And honestly, the footprint of the old aquarium would no have provided enough space for an adequate pinniped exhibit, in my opinion; one built on that cite would've been average at best. After opening such an expensive exhibit just two years ago and a failed permanent levy, it makes sense that the zoo would be lying low, with only minor additions at the moment. Not to mention that while they are not building anything extravagant or new, they are currently renovating part of the oldest sections of the zoo and providing these animals with larger and more adequate enclosures, which is always commendable in my opinion, and I doubt any of you would beg to differ. As parts of the zoo are beginning to show their age, I'd much rather see the zoo work to improve the old than to build something brand new.. Especially at this point in time. I think that it will be a little while before we see another landmark project from the Columbus Zoo.
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Thanks for a well-reasoned post. I didn't mean my post to suggest a real fault with the Columbus Zoo's direction, merely that the pinniped exhibit has been promised on two separate occasions but seems dead at the moment. I'm glad to see Columbus doing work on one of the oldest sections of the zoo (North America) and would love to see further small improvements to already existing exhibits. The one problem I have is that the pinniped/rocky short part of what is now Polar Frontier, the never-built South American section, and the second phase of Africa were promised in the levy campaigns several levy renewals ago - and while I will (almost certainly) never vote against a zoo levy, it can leave a bit of a bitter taste in one's mouth.

I agree that the footprint of the old aquarium would probably not have worked for a pinniped exhibit of any kind. I personally would have loved to see the penguins get a new exhibit (as their current exhibit is one of the zoo's least effective exhibits and is well in need of refurbishment), but new plans should at least allow the zoo to raise some more healthy revenue (though I'm not sure a cafe is needed, as the congo food court is not far and there are several food stands behind the flamingos).
 
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