I've used this source, the official webpage for the Minnesota Bison Conservation Herd, before. "Annual genetic testing of the Minnesota conservation herd has found it to have approximately two percent cattle DNA."
Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Como Park Zoo News
- Thread starter Milwaukee Man
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Thanks for your response and the various info sources for the largely free of cattle genes herds. Personally, I am happy with this development and that conservation authorities attempt to maintain the gene pools as pure as possible. By all accounts there is little validity nor to be gained from cattle these genes in the wild plains bison populations.
The national wildlife authorities/FWS/First Nations management groups strategy is a bit similar to gene pool/founder stock strategies adopted with the Asiatic wild horse / Przewalski horse where there is an A-line and a B-line (one line with contribution of a domestic/Mongolian horse breed and one line without any of it). Something similar is true for European Bison / Visent/Wisent (one line with contribution of 1.0 Caucasus Wisent founder in it and the other without any Caucacus bloodline but the Eurasian grouping).
On January 4th, 2024, it was mentioned that the zoo acquired (0.0.2+?) domestic reindeer from the Minnesota Zoo in Minnesota in the summer of 2023*.
*Information from @Dhole dude in the Minnesota Zoo News 2023 thread.
*Information from @Dhole dude in the Minnesota Zoo News 2023 thread.
On January 16th, 2024, the zoo announced that a (0.1) lowland nyala was born on January 6th. This is the first time in the facility's history that the species has successfully bred.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory
Brayden Delashmutt
Well-Known Member
Do we know what species is to be held in the flex habitat?
Given it's labeled as a flex habitat, the zoo itself probably doesn't even know.
The labeling and placement of the enclosure implies it'll be able to be utilized by either tigers or snow leopards.
Are the new cat and wolf exhibit plans a complete tear-down and replacement of the existing exhibits, or are they retaining some of the existing infrastructure?
It would have to be a full teardown if the design images were followed. That being said, no funding has been secured so right now what ultimately happens is pure speculation.
Brayden Delashmutt
Well-Known Member
Interesting. I'd like to see wild dogs or hyenas at Como or Minnisota, so I'd be thrilled if either of them were added to this area
Minnesota actually used to have Striped Hyena on exhibit in the Tropics Trail around when it opened, but that hasn’t been that case for many decades. I doubt either species will be added to either zoo, though, considering Minnesota’s outdoor exhibits are almost entirely focused on temperate animals, while como doesn’t really have the space to accommodate either species (although it’s theoretically doable).
Wisp O' Mist
Well-Known Member
You aren't quite correct about the modern day situation regarding Przewalski's horses, friend.
While historically, yes, there were two subpopulations that were kept separate, that hasn't been the case since 2005 in American zoos. Longer still, for European zoos.
The Munich (U.S.) line was long upheld as the "pure" line. Although, amusingly, that almost certainly was never actually the case, given that one of the founders of it [18 (Bijsk 8), if you're curious] is now generally accepted as having been a Przewalski's/Domestic Horse hybrid. Lol.
And then to add insult to injury, genetic testing conducted in 2003 revealed that Askania Nova had accidentally added in more domesticated horse blood to the line!
You see, back in the 1970's, Askania Nova bred both Heck horses (Bred-back "Tarpans") & Przewalski's horses.
Via running them together as one herd during the breeding season!
Now, while Askania Nova had both sexes of P-Horse, they only had Heck horse mares. So all of the Heck foals were being sired by P-Horse stallions. All well and good right? No Heck stallions around to sire "impure" foals on the P-Horse mares after all.
So, naturally, what happened instead was that Askania Nova staff lost track of what foals were purebreds, and which ones were crossbreds. The end result? Multiple Przewalski's/Domestic Horse crosses being entered into the P-Horse studbook throughout the 1970's.
Thirty-something years was thought to be a little... late to mix the mistakes that had been made when the truth finally came out, so I suspect that's why the zoo world seemed to just, collectively shrug it's shoulders. Given that the decision to merge the two P-Horse subpopulations together was quietly made afterwards and all, lol.
It just tickles me to death that the Old Prague line, long dismissed as being "impure" just because a single Mongolian breed mare contributed to it [Via giving birth to a colt sired by a Przewalski's horse stallion. Said colt went on to sire a legacy of foals upon Przewalski's mares]... ended up having less domesticated horse blood in it than the supposedly "pure" Munich (U.S.) line did!
I love irony.
("Purity" is overrated and "purebreeding" is an entirely human concept anyway. Animals are not particularly picky, and the species barrier is crossed not infrequently in nature.)
I got this list of birds in the Tropical Encounters exhibit from a zookeeper. She said that there might have been a few species she forgot.
saffron finch - very large numbers
sunbittern - one male and one female
blue-gray tanager - three-or-four (genders unspecified)
rufous-crowned tanager - one male and one female
silver-beaked tanager - one female
Venezuelan troupial - one female
green honeycreeper - one male and one female
blue dacnis - one male and one female
croaking ground dove - three (genders unspecified)
saffron finch - very large numbers
sunbittern - one male and one female
blue-gray tanager - three-or-four (genders unspecified)
rufous-crowned tanager - one male and one female
silver-beaked tanager - one female
Venezuelan troupial - one female
green honeycreeper - one male and one female
blue dacnis - one male and one female
croaking ground dove - three (genders unspecified)
Unfortunately, the zoo's male nyala, Stanley, passed away on January 28, presumably due to complications from oral surgery. The calf he sired born on January 6 (previously reported on this thread) has been named Meadow to honor her late sire, because Stanley means "stony meadow."
Baby Nyala Now Has A Name: Meadow - Como Zoo Conservatory
Dall sheep Sunny gave birth to a kid on March 31 (Easter). They are visible in the public space now.
Como Welcomes Baby Dall Sheep! - Como Zoo Conservatory
Baby Nyala Now Has A Name: Meadow - Como Zoo Conservatory
Dall sheep Sunny gave birth to a kid on March 31 (Easter). They are visible in the public space now.
Como Welcomes Baby Dall Sheep! - Como Zoo Conservatory
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filovirus
Well-Known Member
Uncertain how welcome this news is since it pertains to the conservatory and not the zoo, but it's interesting in any case.
Currently the conservatory is waiting for their Corpse Flower, named Horace, to bloom. This will be his first bloom in 7 years and he's due to bloom on or around May 19th. There are fewer than 1k of these flowers in the wild and they bloom for only a few days at a time- 2 or 3 days.
Pinch Your Nose, Our Corpse Flower is About to Bloom! - Como Zoo Conservatory
You can view a livestream of Horace, too. Currently pretty unexciting...
Currently the conservatory is waiting for their Corpse Flower, named Horace, to bloom. This will be his first bloom in 7 years and he's due to bloom on or around May 19th. There are fewer than 1k of these flowers in the wild and they bloom for only a few days at a time- 2 or 3 days.
Pinch Your Nose, Our Corpse Flower is About to Bloom! - Como Zoo Conservatory
You can view a livestream of Horace, too. Currently pretty unexciting...
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filovirus
Well-Known Member
November of 2023 saw the approval of a 1% sales tax in St. Paul to fund ~1 billion USD in road and park improvements. It's expected to bring in $31.4 million dollars this year.
One project expected to be funded this year is the installation of a "new geothermal heating unit at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, beginning with the primates exhibit". Estimated at 7mil in costs.
Source
I haven't been in a while (last week's visit was cancelled last-minute) so I can't attest to the quality of their heating (and I certainly can't attest to the source or sustainability of it), but yay for renewable energy!
One project expected to be funded this year is the installation of a "new geothermal heating unit at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory, beginning with the primates exhibit". Estimated at 7mil in costs.
Source
I haven't been in a while (last week's visit was cancelled last-minute) so I can't attest to the quality of their heating (and I certainly can't attest to the source or sustainability of it), but yay for renewable energy!
filovirus
Well-Known Member
Horace hasn't bloomed quite yet, but he's getting close, the tips of his outer petals starting to turn that distinct maroon. Go gophers?
You can watch the livestream here. He's expected to bloom in the next 24-48 hours. Again, this isn't an animal... but it feels like huge news. He's been growing for seven years and some of these flowers only bloom once every few decades- and only for one or two days at a time.
You can watch the livestream here. He's expected to bloom in the next 24-48 hours. Again, this isn't an animal... but it feels like huge news. He's been growing for seven years and some of these flowers only bloom once every few decades- and only for one or two days at a time.
Please mention the species and not just the name in news thread posts.
For others, this is referring to the Titan Arum.
Piece of April 2024 News Worth Mentioning:
On April 4th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) helmeted guineafowl named Rocket passed away at age 18 due to an inoperable tumor.
Also on April 4th, the zoo announced that their (1.0) pixie frog named Rupert passed away at age 7.
Como Friends
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On June 12th, the zoo announced that 2+? green honeycreepers hatched which are now on display in the Tropical Encounters building.
Como Friends
On April 4th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) helmeted guineafowl named Rocket passed away at age 18 due to an inoperable tumor.
Also on April 4th, the zoo announced that their (1.0) pixie frog named Rupert passed away at age 7.
Como Friends
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On June 12th, the zoo announced that 2+? green honeycreepers hatched which are now on display in the Tropical Encounters building.
Como Friends
On June 30th, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) gray seal named Medusa from the Aquarium of Niagara in New York which is on display in the Como Harbor exhibit.
Como Friends
Como Friends