Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus Zoo Updates for 2009

Yeah, well no official plans - just pyscho thoughts being flung around. Personally, because we tried to get Indians before and it didn't work, I would love to expand the South Side Elephant Yard by enveloping the two rhino yards and extending towards the main path. That would increase that yard from 8,000 sq. ft. to nearly 20,000! As for the lion yards - only god knows. I know they will be revamped but for what species is anyones guess. Personally, I would love to see both Amur Leopards (when we have them we are great at breeding leopards!) and Dholes.

As for hyenas and tapirs: hyenas will probably be in African Savannah and tapirs will definitely be in South America.
 
Like cwenwyn I really appreciate all the information you are providing for us ColumbusZoo001. I go to the Columbus Zoo a lot so it is always fun to have some insider information. I do have a couple questions though. I know there was a East African Plains master plan for the Columbus zoo on pja architects and I was wondering if that was still the current plan or if that was extremely old? Also why doesn't the Columbus zoo breed the ungulates in the North American section such as the moose, bison and pronghorn? I know zoos just aren't about breeding but that is just one species that I have never seen the zoo breed.
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
Yeah, well no official plans - just pyscho thoughts being flung around. Personally, because we tried to get Indians before and it didn't work, I would love to expand the South Side Elephant Yard by enveloping the two rhino yards and extending towards the main path. That would increase that yard from 8,000 sq. ft. to nearly 20,000!
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Are you saying the eastern black rhino are relocating elsewhere (or is it just your private plan here)? Where exactly in the zoo are these getting a new exhibit?
 
Ohiozoos said:
Like cwenwyn I really appreciate all the information you are providing for us ColumbusZoo001. I go to the Columbus Zoo a lot so it is always fun to have some insider information. I do have a couple questions though. I know there was a East African Plains master plan for the Columbus zoo on pja architects and I was wondering if that was still the current plan or if that was extremely old? Also why doesn't the Columbus zoo breed the ungulates in the North American section such as the moose, bison and pronghorn? I know zoos just aren't about breeding but that is just one species that I have never seen the zoo breed.
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The PJA plans that I think your referring to are very old. We dont breed bison, because we only have one - our male died two years ago and he was almost twenty years older than the female. The pronghorn are all castrated and couldn't raise their offspring on their own because most of them are surrogates. We have tried to breed Moose, but it isn't part of an SSP or PMP so it's not a priority.

@Kifaru Bwana - The Black Rhinos will be relocated to the African Savannah once it opens up in a few years. This will be located on a seventy acre plot of land, north of the current zoo and the old Powell Rd.
 
Hey I dont mean to be a Thread Nazi but lets leave this thread to animal updates. Questions about exhibits or animals, or about contruction of Polar Frontier or African Savannah should be directed to the original Columbus Zoo thread.

Great news. We have two healthy Humboldt penguin chicks. We have a great history breeding this species. Plus, these are the first surviving babies of 09 for us! We also recently received many (I think six) female Red Kangaroos, and one of them is pregnant. For those who don't know - we dont breed our kangaroos, we only receive females, who sometimes are pregnant. Finally, Phoebe is due on Sunday! Pray for a girl!
 
1) Phoebe's serum progesterone level was .31 yesterday and is .19 today so the birth is imminent. The keepers are sleeping over tonight just in case. So probably tonight or tomorrow - I dont really want a elephant named Patrick, so hopefully not Tuesday.

2) Penguin chicks are healthy and will be on exhibit within the week. I'll post pictures of them when I see them in the exhibit.

3) The male Red River Hog we were to receive from SDWAP is delayed due to an ear infection. We may opt for another male from a different zoo.

4) Drills Nora and Eschu will probably be leaving within the next few months. The paperwork is done so we are waiting for available transportation.

5) Our North American River Otter pups have now dispersed to different zoos. The male and female have been put back together - time for round two!

6) No news on wolverine kits but she has until April to give birth, if she does at all.

7) Polar Frontier construction is ahead of schedule. Construction on the retaining wall for the Brown Bears is underway and we have started working on the pool for the Polar Bears - check out the new photos!
 
Bald Eagles

I think I remember being told by a zoo volunteer that the two bald eagles were females - the male had died. Any plans on reintroducing a male that you know of?
 
Phoebe is doing ok, she still hasn't given birth, but it could be a few days before the actual birth. About the Bald Eagles, yes they are both female. We probably wont introduce a male for a few years because we stopped breeding once the Bald Eagle was de-listed as endangered nationally and in Ohio.
 
It's been a while since I've made an update. Not much new is going on.

1) Phoebe continues to do well. Birth should be within the week.

2) Penguin Chicks are ok, still not on exhibit yet.

3) Three of the six new female Red Kangaroos are down from Quaratine and the Kangaroo exhibit is open now on certain days.

4) Work is being done to finish an exhibit for Hellbenders in the Reptile House. For those who don't know, we have a large collection of about 40 Eastern Hellbenders we have been raising for two years. A few will go on exhibit within the month.

5) The male Tiger Quoll has been off exhibit for some reason, I'll try and find out tomorrow exactly what's going on.

6) We are looking to expand our avian collection. It's spring so our Migratory Songbird Aviary will be packed with dozens of new birds for rehabilitation. We are also looking to acquire more birds for both the Australian and African aviaries. In fact, four Nicobar Pigeons should arrive in a few weeks for the Roadhouse Aviary.

I'll get a better update tomorrow, so if I learn anything new I'll post it. Watch this thread for the elephant birth, and feel free to post the second anyone knows about it - it could be in the middle of the night when I'm asleep or at school.
 
No news

Assuming no news is good news and Phoebe is still healthy and not in any distress... Is she isolated right now?
 
cwenwyn said:
Assuming no news is good news and Phoebe is still healthy and not in any distress... Is she isolated right now?
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Only at night - during the day she is with Connie until the birth. The have stopped giving the girls outdoor access though, and are doing the walk in the morning and leaving them in the gang room until about three. Bodhi or Coco will be in the North Yard the next few days and of course Africans in South Side.
 
Why is Phoebe seperated from Bodhi? He is still so young. In Emmen, all calves incl. the males stay in the herd when new calves are born and that works just fine. I personally think it is cruel to seperate such a young elephant from his mother just because she is due to give birth again...
 
Bodhi is maturing really fast and is already going through musth. He is becoming more and more independent from Phoebe therefore it isn't really necessary for them to always be with each other. If he had not matured as quickly it would be a different story.
 
Musth?? A 4-5 year old calf?? Have you seen yourself that he really showed MUSTH symptoms? I have huge problems believing this and I`d really appreciate more info. Thanks!
 
@ Yassa: A normal five year old male would weigh around 3,000 lbs and be about five feet tall. Bodhi weighs 5,000 lbs, is seven feet tall, and has six inch tusks. He is definitely going into musth. Obviously males normally do this when their 12 or 13 but we think because his father started when he was 6.5, that must be why he started when he was 3. If he wasn't going into musth he would still be with Phoebe and Connie. Another reason we know he is going into musth is that Phoebe and Connie became aggressive towards Bodhi - just like in the wild, they would drive him out of the natal group when he is starting to mature. If he wasn't going into musth then yes it would be very cruel, but he is definitely maturing at a much faster pace. We also think he has viable sperm already. Check out the Columbus Zoo gallery - there is a photo of him that was taken Sunday.
 
Phoebe Gave birth

I just wanted to say that I just recieved an email from the Columbus Zoo saying that Phoebe gave birth at 2:35 pm today. She gave birth to a baby boy and it stood within minutes. It really didn't mention further information except that Phoebe and her calf will be off exhibit for a while so they can bond.
 
It's a boy!

I've been scooped! :)

Just got home from a visit to the zoo (pictures and visit report to come) and indeed we have a new little boy! :) I know the keepers were hoping for a girl, but I'm sure they will be excited for the new arrival anyway.

I was in the elephant area around noon and Connie and Phoebe were outside. Connie was lying down, flaked out and Phoebe looked completely relaxed and was poking about and scratching against the big logs. Right before I left, Phoebe also laid down and was just relaxing in the intermittent sun. I talked to Susan (docent?) and she had been on baby watch the night before and had actually called folks in because she thought the birth was imminent. Phoebe had been restless and had trouble getting comfortable. She said at one point she was lying down and stuck her whole leg straight up...

I left the elephant area to continue my visit and was over in the kangaroo area a couple hours later when I heard a keeper there say to another keeper that they had closed off access to the elephant area as Phoebe had gone into labor. She didn't know much more, except that they were discouraging all zoo employees and volunteers from heading over there.

Before I left, i wanted to stop by my two favorite animals - the tiger and the otters - so I headed over to the Asia Quest and they had indeed closed the gates on the path to the elephant house and yard and had personnel there. I went up to one of the ladies and said I understood congratulations were going to be in order? She smiled and replied that yes, the baby was here! :D She told me it was a little boy and I was disappointed for a fraction of a fraction of a second it wasn't a girl. :) She told me that Phoebe went into labor there in yard with Connie and they didn't really have time to get her inside. This was around 3 pm or so - I imagine it must have happened not too long after I saw her! She also told me momma and baby were healthy and fine as far as she knew and the little one was up and moving.

I visited the tiger, who was playing and vocalizing and really being awesome, and headed over to the otters. On the way, I came across some folks who were peering through the still sparse trees and realized they could see into the elephant yard! Sure enough, at quite a distance (too far for my camera to take a decent picture) I could see Connie and Phoebe and both seemed calm and collected. Couldn't see the baby, but I could see several keepers as well. As we stood there, some zoo folks who knew the ladies I had joined came by and said they got a little closer but were stopped before they got too close and were told the boy was healthy and had nursed and been measured and all looked good!

I went and saw my otters (my otters!!!! :) ), and on the way back stopped to peer at the elephants again. Again I saw Phoebe and Connie and finally my patience paid off and I got to see keepers coaxing Phoebe and the baby back to the building. They had a yellow strap underneath the calf, I am guessing to help stabilize him on the walk and in the mud. They were going very slowly and Phoebe followed but didn't seem anxious or possessive.

Why is a few seconds glimpse at a distance through trees of a newborn elephant so exciting to me??!!! :)
 
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