Detroit Zoo Detroit Zoo Review

I've been recently researching about the Detroit zoo and I've been curious about the gorilla and drill exhibit. From what I know gorillas (especially silverbacks) can be extremely territorial and it would be possible that they could feel like they are being threatened and attack so does anyone know why the exhibit is being shared?

I don't know but they usually have a docent there, so next time I visit I'll ask. If I can find out an answer I'll post it. I haven't heard anything about this being a problem but I may have missed something.
 
I don't know but they usually have a docent there, so next time I visit I'll ask. If I can find out an answer I'll post it. I haven't heard anything about this being a problem but I may have missed something.
That's good to hear thank you
 
Just some observations from a visit last week (no pictures, because I only had a very long lens with me):

- the river otter exhibit is closed and fenced/tarped off for renovation/expansion

- nothing is happening with the tiger exhibit yet

- about a dozen extremely tall trees have been planted in the giraffe enclosure

- the stone wall between the aardvark and warthog exhibits has been removed, the entire area graded, and I saw at least one aardvark “tube” set in the former warthog area, so it appears the entire area may be going to be dedicated to the aardvarks

- the prairie dog exhibit is still closed, but all the dirt has been replaced and new sod is in place

- the large unused, grassy area across the path from the horse corral has been fenced off with the same fencing that currently surrounds the horses; I can’t imagine what will be happening there

- the Rainforest Immersion Gallery inside the Amphibian Center is closed and is apparently going to be renovated as a larger space for the Japanese Salamanders; per a docent, it may be fall before it is finished/started?; Homer, the sloth, has been moved to the old meerkat exhibit behind the lion enclosure, and a Southern African Python is now also on display in that same building

- the outdoor aviary between the lions and the sloth exhibit now houses two Kookaburras; the Curassow and the Blue-bellied Roller that were there last year are no longer in that exhibit

- I’ve only ever noticed one Siamese Crocodile in the reptile house before, but now I see two, and the glass wall between their area and the Water Monitor area has been removed and the Water Monitor is no longer on display

- Davey, the Binturong, died last fall

- there used to be two, but now there is only one Bald Eagle on display, and now only one is mentioned on their website

- there used to be two, but now there is only one Przewalski’s Horse on display, and now only one is mentioned on their website

- their website used to mention 18 kangaroos; now they state there are 17

- one seal died; there are now only 4

- the older wolverine died last summer; only Anna is left, though I haven’t seen her the last several times I visited

- the two Tree Kangaroos are no longer listed on their website, though I did see one of them in the exhibit last week

- last fall, the male Red Panda was moved into the Lemur display; now the lemurs are back in their exhibit, I’ve only seen two of the Red Pandas in their area, and the male is no longer listed on their website

- the website continues to list four zebras, but I’ve only ever seen three in the exhibit

- very large evergreen trees have been added to the Japanese Macaque and Grizzly Bear exhibits (not planted trees, but trees that have been cut down from other areas)

- lots of sprucing up is taking place…replacing broken fencing, mulching, scrubbing of water holes, etc.; things look nice!

That’s all for now.
 
Just some observations from a visit last week (no pictures, because I only had a very long lens with me):

- the river otter exhibit is closed and fenced/tarped off for renovation/expansion

- nothing is happening with the tiger exhibit yet

- about a dozen extremely tall trees have been planted in the giraffe enclosure

- the stone wall between the aardvark and warthog exhibits has been removed, the entire area graded, and I saw at least one aardvark “tube” set in the former warthog area, so it appears the entire area may be going to be dedicated to the aardvarks

- the prairie dog exhibit is still closed, but all the dirt has been replaced and new sod is in place

- the large unused, grassy area across the path from the horse corral has been fenced off with the same fencing that currently surrounds the horses; I can’t imagine what will be happening there

- the Rainforest Immersion Gallery inside the Amphibian Center is closed and is apparently going to be renovated as a larger space for the Japanese Salamanders; per a docent, it may be fall before it is finished/started?; Homer, the sloth, has been moved to the old meerkat exhibit behind the lion enclosure, and a Southern African Python is now also on display in that same building

- the outdoor aviary between the lions and the sloth exhibit now houses two Kookaburras; the Curassow and the Blue-bellied Roller that were there last year are no longer in that exhibit

- I’ve only ever noticed one Siamese Crocodile in the reptile house before, but now I see two, and the glass wall between their area and the Water Monitor area has been removed and the Water Monitor is no longer on display

- Davey, the Binturong, died last fall

- there used to be two, but now there is only one Bald Eagle on display, and now only one is mentioned on their website

- there used to be two, but now there is only one Przewalski’s Horse on display, and now only one is mentioned on their website

- their website used to mention 18 kangaroos; now they state there are 17

- one seal died; there are now only 4

- the older wolverine died last summer; only Anna is left, though I haven’t seen her the last several times I visited

- the two Tree Kangaroos are no longer listed on their website, though I did see one of them in the exhibit last week

- last fall, the male Red Panda was moved into the Lemur display; now the lemurs are back in their exhibit, I’ve only seen two of the Red Pandas in their area, and the male is no longer listed on their website

- the website continues to list four zebras, but I’ve only ever seen three in the exhibit

- very large evergreen trees have been added to the Japanese Macaque and Grizzly Bear exhibits (not planted trees, but trees that have been cut down from other areas)

- lots of sprucing up is taking place…replacing broken fencing, mulching, scrubbing of water holes, etc.; things look nice!

That’s all for now.
Hi Miss Gulch,

Thanks for the long list of updates. Are white-lipped deer on exhibit anymore? If I recall correctly, they were in the same exhibit as the Przewalski's horse.

Thanks!
 
Isn't the zoo over 100 acres though, much larger than many zoos that have kept elephants? And besides that decision I really like Ron Kagan a lot. Does he believe that no zoo should keep elephants or did he make the decision just that it wasn't right for his zoo? One thing is for sure- the zoo would have a lot less hoofstock paddocks if it kept elephants.

It is listed as 125 acres. I don't know if that includes the parking lots. But if you take a look at a map, you'll see there wasn't much room to expand the elephant exhibit. The bear dens could use upgrading.
 
I just added a few pictures of the newly expanded North American River Otter exhibit from my visit yesterday. Please excuse the dark edges from my lens hood; I wanted to retain as much of the images as possible.
 
Small update from yesterday's visit:

1) One of the two drills died last week.

2) We have another camel and yesterday was her first day out in the exhibit. From the signage: "Welcome our newest arrival, Rusi, a female Bactrian camel born at 11:40 p.m. on July 31, 2017, to parents Suren and Rusty."
 
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