Detroit Zoo Detroit Zoo News 2024

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Update from today’s visit:
• African Rock Python has moved to reptile house
• Red Panda cubs can be out (not seen)
• Ape renovation of outside looks quite promising
• Mousebirds are gone from lemur indoors
• Aardvarks seen!
• Sea Otters seen!
• Baby Gorilla starting to move
• Male Lion is in quarantine, not sure when out
• Rhea, Cranes, Domestics etc will be in discovery trails
• Tree Kangaroo will unlikely go on habitat again, showed signs of stress when on habitat
• Old rock python has been gutted to the core with just rocks remaining and no lights
• Old mousebird aviary has no signage
• Sloth Bear habitat has climbing structure and looks pretty good
• African Clawed Frog habitat is receiving renovation
 
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Also, will post media later (tomorrow or next day). I didn’t get any photos of the construction. Is there any idea for what could go in the rock python or mouse bird habitats?
 
"What is going into the rock python exhibit?" is a legitimate question (it's easy to imagine other birds/small arboreal mammals in the mousebird exhibit). It's a pretty uniquely shaped space, and then there's the issue of fitting in with a building with bats and sloths. I want to think small bats (eg vampire), but there probably isn't enough space. I want to think a small rodent or other mammal (eg flying squirrel, sugar glider, hedgehog, exotic mouse), but they don't really "hang out".
 
Maybe the hangout will get renovated soon for a new species and the bats and sloth will move to discovery trails. I find it really odd how the rock python was moved, it would have made more since if it passed. Since the exhibit has been fully gutted out, I’d expect something totally unexpected or like you mentioned @AlmightyKingPrawn. As for the mouse bird aviary, it still is heavily planted and no changes besides removed signage and no inhabitants. I’d expect it to be either destroyed, remain empty or gain a new animal like the kookaburra as @MIZOOenthusiast070128 mentioned. Would a few lemurs work? I didn’t see the red ruffed lemurs on my last visit so I think it could be a possibility. Also, let’s just hope these exhibits don’t remain abandoned and later to be forgotten like the penguinariun, prairie dogs, formerly sloth bear, the mess of the old SA area, and the old lion tailed macaque habitat.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
Visited recently, the cassowary will have its own area in part of the Australian area. The pelicans will have a new habitat inside the aardvark but on the way to the outback. Asked a worker about tree kangaroo and animals in the kid zone and she said there will be llamas and stingrays. She said tree roo is old and will stay in its habitat.


Edit: Anything known for after kid zone? I heard something about expanding Asia.
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USZOOfan42 said:
Forget to mention the rheas and other birds and farm animals were saw behind flamingos and camels. There was also new holding areas in the watering hole.
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This aged like fine wine ;). Happy that none of these plans feel through and the volunteer was that vocal! Hopeful nothing falls threw and we see Asia next!
 
If Detroit does do a new Asian area, it would be super exciting, even if it’s just the addition of a new sloth bear habitat (because really, I’m not sure how much else they’d have room for?).
 
evilmonkey239 said:
If Detroit does do a new Asian area, it would be super exciting, even if it’s just the addition of a new sloth bear habitat (because really, I’m not sure how much else they’d have room for?).
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Seems like they have the room for sloth bears, and much more. They could use the event space, part of the event space, red panda picnic site, the area behind the tigers and monkeys and the monkey habitat. Even the camel habitat could be used.
 
Has anyone been to the zoo since the sloth bear went out on exhibit, and if so, did you see him? I might go this Friday and I want to know whether or not I have a good chance of seeing him, since he’s presumably still getting acclimated to his new enclosure. It also looks like it’s going to be on the colder side on Friday, are captive sloth bears generally very tolerant of chilly weather?
 
evilmonkey239 said:
Has anyone been to the zoo since the sloth bear went out on exhibit, and if so, did you see him? I might go this Friday and I want to know whether or not I have a good chance of seeing him, since he’s presumably still getting acclimated to his new enclosure. It also looks like it’s going to be on the colder side on Friday, are captive sloth bears generally very tolerant of chilly weather?
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I haven't seen him yet but I have heard he is almost always viewable.
 
Azamat Shackleford said:
Decided to visit yesterday. I unfortunately did not see the sloth bear on exhibit; interestingly though, I saw a white-naped crane in one of the holding pens over in the flamingo area. Never recalled Detroit having this species in awhile
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I don't think sloth bears are too hardy when it comes to cold weather, not like brown and polar bears
 
I visited on Friday and here are some points of note:

  1. To my disappointment, the sloth bear was not visible on any of the three times I passed by his enclosure, though given how cold and snowy it was that day I can’t say I was surprised.
  2. A few tropical animals were, to my surprise, outside, though. I saw three female red kangaroos hanging out near the entrance to their holding area, and two eland and an ostrich just chilling (no pun intended) in their shared habitat.
  3. Two animals I expected to see but didn’t were the red pandas and polar bears; none appeared to be on exhibit at the moment (I know it’s denning season for their polar bear sow at least).
  4. Most of the other “cold weather” animals I did see though, including a pair of very active wolverines! After dark, I also saw one of the beavers, on which was only the second occasion (the first was also during WildLights).
  5. It was my first time visiting The Hideway and saw the lemurs inside; seeing Lenny snuggled up next to one of the ring-tails was a bit heartwarming.
Overall, a solid visit, got some good photos I’ll hopefully be able to share in a few days. As previously mentioned I unfortunately didn’t see the bear that kind of prompted the trip in the first place, but I look forward to seeing him whenever I visit next spring/summer (assuming he doesn’t get some kind of horrible, fatal disease between now and then or whatever).:confused:
 
Azamat Shackleford said:
Decided to visit yesterday. I unfortunately did not see the sloth bear on exhibit; interestingly though, I saw a white-naped crane in one of the holding pens over in the flamingo area. Never recalled Detroit having this species in awhile
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Where in the flamingo habitat was it mixed, was it the rhea pen? Also, was it signed?
evilmonkey239 said:
I visited on Friday and here are some points of note:

  1. To my disappointment, the sloth bear was not visible on any of the three times I passed by his enclosure, though given how cold and snowy it was that day I can’t say I was surprised.
  2. A few tropical animals were, to my surprise, outside, though. I saw three female red kangaroos hanging out near the entrance to their holding area, and two eland and an ostrich just chilling (no pun intended) in their shared habitat.
  3. Two animals I expected to see but didn’t were the red pandas and polar bears; none appeared to be on exhibit at the moment (I know it’s denning season for their polar bear sow at least).
  4. Most of the other “cold weather” animals I did see though, including a pair of very active wolverines! After dark, I also saw one of the beavers, on which was only the second occasion (the first was also during WildLights).
  5. It was my first time visiting The Hideway and saw the lemurs inside; seeing Lenny snuggled up next to one of the ring-tails was a bit heartwarming.
Overall, a solid visit, got some good photos I’ll hopefully be able to share in a few days. As previously mentioned I unfortunately didn’t see the bear that kind of prompted the trip in the first place, but I look forward to seeing him whenever I visit next spring/summer (assuming he doesn’t get some kind of horrible, fatal disease between now and then or whatever).:confused:
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When I visited last winter, I saw all three eland in 12 degrees! Congrats on seeing the beaver! Proof it exists. Was the old mousebird aviary still empty?
 
For anyone who has been to Detroit Zoo recently and is familiar with their birds: I've noticed that there are ~10 species in the free-flight aviary that remain unlisted in Zootierliste, based on USDA reports and recent species lists/updates on the forum. Is there doubt as to whether a lot of those birds are present, and would anyone who has seen them recently be willing to add them? It's common for a couple or few holdings to get left off, but this seemed like a high number for one building at a well-visited zoo.

For reference I'm referring to: the tanagers, the starlings, the Green Heron, the bulbul, the robin and the Oriole Warbler.
 
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