San Diego Zoo forest buffalo

Ituri

Ituri

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
I've seen several descriptions of Ituri Forest lately that omit the forest buffalo. Are they gone too?
 
Based on the data trail that I can find, there are no forest buffalo left in San Diego ... most were transferred to the Lowry Park Zoo in 2006 (where several have since died), and some have been sent on to Safari Wild (the somewhat associated but not really so place).
 
Oops, I lied. There is (at least) one female buffalo left at the zoo - a 31 year old female. Based on Flickr images, she appears to still be in Ituri:
Chomping on Flickr - Photo Sharing!
04.20.2008-073 on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

Perhaps Snowleopard or another recent visitor can enlighten us?
When she dies, I'm not sure what the zoo will do. Would they try to move okapi in? Duikers would probably hide along the front retaining wall, and red river hogs would not be good for the trees!
 
Well, there's always Bongo too. But it would be cool to see their zoo's Okapi collection expanded. White Oak needs a little more competition and San Diego Zoo has a very valuable male that needs to diversify his genes.
 
It's kind of a lousy yard for anything really. I've never been a big fan of that particular enclosure.
 
The forest buffalo sign was up in the Ituri Forest, and so I'm fairly confident that there must be a least one specimen on display.
 
I believe the majority of the buffalo departed in May 2006 ... hence the numerous specimens in the February photograph. In the second photo, the pool in the background is for the spotted-necked otters; compared to the rest of their water space, it is relatively deeper, and it is the only part with underwater viewing. (I wonder if the swamp monkeys ever swim in this pool? I've seen them swimming in the water on the other side of the path, but to have underwater monkey viewing would be fantastic!)
 
There is a buffalo in the exhibit. Just saw them recently. Also a forest hog and red river hog that are friends. They were running around the exhibit like they were having the best time ever. The swamp monkeys were watching them and the two young monkeys started getting crazy too! :)
 
Buffalo + forest hog + red river hog + swamp monkeys?
Very cool combination, if I read that correctly!
Thanks for the update.
 
I was there recently and can confirm that there is a forest buffalo in the exhibit. At one time I think there were numerous poles between the upper hoofstock part of the exhibit and the lower waterfall part of the exhibit, but these are all removed. The buffalo shares the exhibit with red river hog, Western forest hog, and Allens swamp monkey.
 
Now all we need is the execution of the okapi's hideous chainlink fence and were all good :)
 
Do you mean a fence in front of the okapi or at the side? There was no fence in front when I was there.
 
The side, seperating the hippos and okapis

There are much better containment options than the ugly chain link fence they have there now
 
lechweoryx, see my thread 'review of elephant odyssey' for a detailed description of the horn and hoof mesa enclosures still existing, at the bottom of the second paragraph.
 
Anyone sure if there are any forest buffalo bulls left? The ISIS website says there are four females in America but I know there are more but not much. It does say San Diego has 3 females but I'm not sure whether this is updated info? Micanopy Zoological Preserve a private facility shows on its website that is at least has one probably a cow and Safari Wild shows one as well. Not sure of the status of Lowry Park and whether they still have some or not.
 
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