So if the seals are gone, where are the ones that are on exhibit? Were they transferred or did they pass of old age? I would love sea otters, but since there's already river otters, I would prefer a pinniped species for more diversity. I would think if it's a pinniped it would likely be California sea lions. I don't think arctic pinnipeds like crab-eating seals, walruses, or ringed seals are common in captivity, so that's unlikely.
I think they originally wanted the emus to be free roaming, and I think it just wasn't working so they were sent to another zoo with more space for them.
I don't know if I mentioned this before, but I believe that had a whole group of colobus monkeys ready to go (I think they would have been in what's now the lemur exhibit), but the monkeys came to the zoo with a worm or parasite that the zoos couldn't get rid of, so they didn't work out. I talked to the gorilla keeper during the summer before the pandemic went full swing, and if I recall right, he said that another species being exhibited with the gorillas (like the drills or Diana monkey) was unplanned and not likely (at least at that moment). Although two or three mandrills wouldn't be an issue and would have enough space I'd think.
I also hope they don't get rid of the watering hole space to make a new lion exhibit. The lions have a large, grassy exhibit already, and there's room to expand their exhibit to the right where that unused picnic area sits. Although the lion exhibit they have now was built with snow leopards in mind, so if we lose the eland and maybe some vultures and gain snow leopards, I'm fine with that. A docent said the ostrich would be very likely moved into the zebra and wildebeest yard, but I think the AZA might be looking to reduce the eland population, and I think the Brad and Clover are up there in years, so who knows about the eland.
I really hope the new director is better. I absolutely love the Detroit Zoo and the recent push for better exhibits and animal welfare, but it is feeling somewhat empty.
Lastly, here are some pictures of the newly renovated water monitor exhibit in the HRCC. I like the water monitor, but based on my judgements at least, the exhibit seems to have some good potential for Komodo dragons or crocodilians (the zoo does participate in the Siamese crocodile SSP if I recall right). The exhibit goes right up to the glass on the front of the building so you can look in and see the monitor, as well as a new pool, heating lamps, and more space. I don't think the expansion effected the other reptile species adjacent to the monitor exhibit.
what a huge disappointment the gibbons are gone.
