Fresno Chaffee Zoo Fresno Chaffee Zoo News 2024

Some updates from my visit a couple weeks ago:

- There is now a small flock of White-breasted Woodswallows in the Australasia aviary.
- There is also now a male-female pair of Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise in the small aviary by the flamingos and stingrays.
- In addition to the juveniles at the new conservation center, an adult Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard is on display in the Reptile House (in addition to some reshuffling of species since my visit last year).
- The female babirusa were out in their exhibit, but unfortunately I did not see the tapirs.
- The wildebeest seem to be gone - no visual, no signage, and not on recent USDA report.
- Half of the Rainforest Aviary was blocked off from foot traffic; IIRC the signs said that it was for avian flu protection.

Will try to upload some photos this week if I can; I have already updated Zootierliste entries for my visit.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
- The wildebeest seem to be gone - no visual, no signage, and not on recent USDA report.
Click to expand...

I can confirm the the zoo no longer holds wildebeest. They departed the zoo around the same time that the slender horned gazelles were moved from the elephant savannas over to the giraffe and rhino savannas in preparation for the arrival of the elephant calves. I heard that there were some temperament issues with the wildebeest. I also heard that the zoo was wanting to facilitate more breeding programs on the savanna and the departure of the wildebeest would benefit the herd dynamics in that regard as well.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
Some updates from my visit a couple weeks ago:

- There is now a small flock of White-breasted Woodswallows in the Australasia aviary.
- There is also now a male-female pair of Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise in the small aviary by the flamingos and stingrays.
- In addition to the juveniles at the new conservation center, an adult Blunt-nosed Leopard Lizard is on display in the Reptile House (in addition to some reshuffling of species since my visit last year).
- The female babirusa were out in their exhibit, but unfortunately I did not see the tapirs.
- The wildebeest seem to be gone - no visual, no signage, and not on recent USDA report.
- Half of the Rainforest Aviary was blocked off from foot traffic; IIRC the signs said that it was for avian flu protection.

Will try to upload some photos this week if I can; I have already updated Zootierliste entries for my visit.
Click to expand...
If you want to see the tapirs you should see them when the zoo opens as they come out in the morning before being switched with the babirusa. Also, I don't know if you caught this, but I was told that the pink backed pelicans were moved off the savannah exhibit as they were interacting with the geese too much which might cause them to get the bird flu and aren't there till further notice.
 
Coelacanth18 said:
- The wildebeest seem to be gone - no visual, no signage, and not on recent USDA report.
Click to expand...

Does anyone know where they will be transferred to and if another species will take their place?


ChaffeeZooFan said:
I can confirm the the zoo no longer holds wildebeest. They departed the zoo around the same time that the slender horned gazelles were moved from the elephant savannas over to the giraffe and rhino savannas in preparation for the arrival of the elephant calves. I heard that there were some temperament issues with the wildebeest. I also heard that the zoo was wanting to facilitate more breeding programs on the savanna and the departure of the wildebeest would benefit the herd dynamics in that regard as well.
Click to expand...

It was nice seeing another animal interacting with the African savanna elephants, and I understand why that decision was made.

So if they're focusing on breeding their current stock, does that mean they'll add more species already present, i.e. add an additional rhino, kudu, impala, or eland (from what I recall, they had a lone bull, so unless he's geriatric, maybe not the eland)?

I haven't visited since October 2024 when I wanted to get pictures of the two baby elephant boys.
 
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