Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus Zoo & Aquarium

January Animal Update

Acquisitions:
0.1.0 White Cockatoo - Private Purchase 11/17
1.0.0 Matschie's Tree Kangaroo - Donation from Minnesota 11/19 (Leslie)
2.0.0 Cheetah - Loan Returned from Cincinnati 11/20
0.0.1 Desert Hairy Scorpion - Private Purchase 12/3
0.0.1 Common Emperor Scorpion - Private Purchase 12/3
0.1.0 Anatolian Sheperd Dog - Private Purchase 11/25

Births:
1.0.0 Okapi 11/20 (Mandazi)

Deaths:
0.0.1 Common Emperor Scorpion 11/19
0.1.0 Black Pine Snake 11/17
0.1.0 Red Kangaroo 11/21 (Jondol)
0.0.1 Domestic Rabbit 11/25
1.0.0 Nigerian Dwarf Goat 11/20 (Scooter)
0.0.1 White Mullet 11/13
0.0.1 Green and Black Poison Dart Frog

Dispositions:
1.0.0 Cheetah - Donation to Cincinnati 11/20
1.0.0 African Grey Parrot - Loan Returned to North Dakota Zoo 11/28
0.1.0 Amur Tiger - Loan Transfer to Minnesota Zoo 11/20
1.0.0 Matschie's Tree Kangaroo - Donation to Detroit Zoo (AJ)

Quick Update:

1) Phoebe is doing great! Just a month and a half to go!

2) Unga's baby bonobo, who was born on 8/27 and was named Geri, is a boy! We have changed his name to Jerry.

3) Lion introductions have begun. Asali, a three year old is our recommended breeder. We could have kids as early as May.

4) We have breeding recommendations for Humboldt Penguins Watson/Secunda and Chirriante/Peru. The SSP wants baby penguins who do not have European parents (All of our penguin births so far).
 
Is Colo, the Gorilla female, still alive ? I've seen her in 2005 and she is probably one of the oldest gorillas in captivity. I hope, she's doing well.
 
Is Colo, the Gorilla female, still alive ? I've seen her in 2005 and she is probably one of the oldest gorillas in captivity. I hope, she's doing well.

I was there on September 22 and was told (by a keeper) that she was still alive then. I haven't heard that she's died (and it will be a big deal when she does), so I assume she's still there.
 
Yes Colo is still alive. She is currently the oldest gorilla in captivity. She has some arthritis in her hands and ankles but other than that she is in perfect health. Pretty good for an old lady.

Also, Casode (one of our females) is now off birth control and is permitted to breed with Anakka. Casode isn't part of the Colo bloodline, her parents Pongi and Sunshine were both wild born.
 
She had three kids, Emmy, Toni, and Oscar. She didn't raise any of her own children. Toni is the only surviving kid, and she is here in Columbus.
 
She ahd only only three kids, whats the reason for that ? Was she handraised ,too ? And what happend to her her father, because she stayed in her group, they couldn't breed her witht he own father.
 
She only had three kids because only one male successfully breed with her. The sire of all her kids is Bongo who lived until 1990. The only other male I think they tried to breed her with is Sunshine and while they didnt produce any offspring Sunshine sired seven kids with other females (Lulu, Toni). She was handraised for a few years. I not sure if she was ever introduced to her mom or dad, but I'll look into it.
 
She was handraised for a few years. I not sure if she was ever introduced to her mom or dad, but I'll look into it.

Colo was never actually introduced to either of her parents though as a baby I think she was shown to them sometimes. She was raised in a nursery and then later on with her mate 'Bongo'
 
This is mainly for okapikpr, but for those who don't know the Columbus Zoo also manages a Freshwater Mussel Research and Breeding Facility which is north of the zoo. This is a link to the website and it includes schematics, pictures, records, etc.

Columbus Zoo
 
General Update

Lots of things have happened in the past fews weeks:

1) Our male Red Crowned Crane was killed when he ingested coins that we thrown into the waterfall (the water wasn't running). The female ingested coins as well but they were able to surgically remove them and she is doing well. Just an average day at the zoo for a visitor, see some animals, eat some food, kill an endangered bird . . .

2) Phoebe is on target for an early March birth!

3) Plans are in the works for a new bison(s).

4) The Pallas Cat female might be pregnant, as well as a Mandrill, and a Wolverine.

5) Breeding has occured between three of our adult bonobos as well as our gorillas, our siamang, and our tree kangaroo (who we thought couldn't produce offspring).

6) Our female Tiger Quoll had to be euthanized which leaves the Nocturnal House (after the fishing cat girls leave in mid March) fairly empty. Hopefully we can acquire some more rare species for our Roadhouse.

7) We have the go ahead to breed our Koalas.

8) Our new red river hogs should be here soon, babies should follow.

9) Penguins have laid eggs already, 2 so far.

10) While I dont have solid figures, we broke our attendance record in 2008 with between 1.8 and 1.9 million visitors.

With all these babies and Polar Frontier (if were lucky) 2009 should be a great year for the Columbus Zoo!
 
Thanks for all of the updates from this brilliant zoo! The attendance numbers are highly impressive, but do they include the new waterpark Zoombezi Bay? Also, I loved the Aussie roadhouse and so it is a shame that the fishing cat kittens and quoll will both be gone.
 
Yes they do include Zoombezi Bay, but in a summer survey we learned that most visitors to the waterpark also went to the zoo so for the most part the numbers are accurate.
 
I knew it would be a long shot to have African Elephants. We really want to focus on Asians, and we would rather specialize in one species than manage two. The "real" answer that I was told is long and complicated. We also dont really have the staff to manage both species, because elephant handling requires a great deal of training.

Oh well, we might get them, probably not. I would rather have ten acre antelope paddock with lots of different species, than a ten acre paddock with just African Elephants (Remember there arent that many to go around!)
 
That will save a lot of money, as building an enclosure to keep in a 8,000 pound animal is expensive!
 
What is Phoebe? It was mentioned that her offspring went to Ontario? Is that the Toronto Zoo? And how big is the zoo in acres?
 
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