Gladys Porter Zoo Gladys Porter Zoo News

Kifaru Bwana said:
Any news on their rarer herp collection?
The crocs and the giant tortoises?
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The Orinico pair were mixed on my visit. As well one of the Cuban crocodile exhibits had what looked like a nest mound behind the bamboo. I didn't see the Philippine crocodile, but saw a single saltwater crocodile next door. IDK much about the giant tortoises. They did have 2 exhibits though, one for juveniles and one for adults.
 
nczoofan said:
The Orinico pair were mixed on my visit. As well one of the Cuban crocodile exhibits had what looked like a nest mound behind the bamboo. I didn't see the Philippine crocodile, but saw a single saltwater crocodile next door. IDK much about the giant tortoises. They did have 2 exhibits though, one for juveniles and one for adults.
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Not a lot of people seem to know about the great conservation work some of their departments are doing. They have one of the few successful Galapagos giant tortoise breeding projects and that from the outset of the program and well before. They work primarily with Volcan Darwin Chelonoidis microphyes. On your next visit maybe you can have a look around.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Not a lot of people seem to know about the great conservation work some of their departments are doing. They have one of the few successful Galapagos giant tortoise breeding projects and that from the outset of the program and well before. They work primarily with Volcan Darwin Chelonoidis microphyes. On your next visit maybe you can have a look around.
Click to expand...

TBH the zoos signage is so dated. That was one of my major issues. I wish they would update some of it to actually talk about their conservation work, because doing some research it is pretty amazing given their size and location. The zoo definitely has an outsized role in many SSP's especially for hoof stock and crocodilians.

I will say though I was rather rushed so I didn't read too many signs. As well I didn't want to hold up the flow in socially distanced spaces like the aquarium. But I know they do a lot of work with sea turtles as well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Also just found the below video about conservation the zoo recently published. Seems my assumption of a nest mound in the Cuban Crocodile exhibit was correct as the zoo included video of removing the eggs from the nest :)

 
The zoo has welcomed two male Nurse sharks - a first for the zoo:

Gladys Porter Zoo welcomes two sharks, asks public to help choose their names | KVEO-TV

For the first time since opening, Gladys Porter Zoo welcomed two 5 feet long nurse sharks.

The male sharks arrived from the Mississippi Aquarium and now live in the zoo’s 30,000 Gulf of Mexico tank in the Russell Aquatic Ecology Center.

The zoo is asking the public’s help to name the sharks by voting on the following names:

–Oscar
–Fred
–Silver
–Hercules
–Poseidon
–Butch
–Sundance
 
Zoofan15 said:
The zoo has welcomed two male Nurse sharks - a first for the zoo:

Gladys Porter Zoo welcomes two sharks, asks public to help choose their names | KVEO-TV

For the first time since opening, Gladys Porter Zoo welcomed two 5 feet long nurse sharks.

The male sharks arrived from the Mississippi Aquarium and now live in the zoo’s 30,000 Gulf of Mexico tank in the Russell Aquatic Ecology Center.

The zoo is asking the public’s help to name the sharks by voting on the following names:

–Oscar
–Fred
–Silver
–Hercules
–Poseidon
–Butch
–Sundance
Click to expand...

They were on exhibit when I visited the other day. Didn’t realize how new they are.
 
The enclosure signed for brocket deer on the map during my visit held Red-Flanked Duiker as well, and the brocket were actually near the macaws. I don't think the zoo has any anymore sadly, and I believe they've just lost their Guatemalan Howler only a few weeks ago.

What was in the walkthrough aviary near the Galapagos tortoises? Anything?

~Thylo
 
Death of Stingrays due to suspected electrical malfunction:

From the zoo’s social media:

Zoo staff are devastated to share the news of the tragic passing of their group of stingrays residing at Stingray Landing at the Russell Aquatic Ecology Center. The group consisted of Atlantic rays, cownose rays, Southern rays and yellow rays.

The loss was noted by the morning shift of aquarists early in the day on January 14.

Though a thorough investigation is underway, the preliminary assessment is that an electrical issue failed to trigger the emergency back-up system designed to prevent loss of critical life support for these aquatic animals. The life support system provides oxygen, filtration and removal of organic waste. Thankfully, the other tanks in the aquarium were not affected.

At present, the veterinary staff at the Zoo is conducting necropsies on the animals to determine the exact cause of death.
 
Other news in 2021:

On April 3rd, the zoo announced they have rehabilitated a (0.0.1) red-tailed hawk who had lost most of its feathers in a fire.

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On May 25th, the zoo announced that (0.0.2) Grant zebras were born.

Zebra Babies

On June 1st, the zoo announced that their southern ground hornbills have moved from bts to an exhibit across from the Orinoco crocodiles.

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On June 11th, the zoo announced that a (0.1) reticulated giraffe was born in April and made her public debut on June 10th.

Baby Giraffe

On June 29th, the zoo announced the genders of the southern cassowaries born in late May as (2.1). On August 8th, the zoo officially revealed their names; Tobin, Powell, and Heath.

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On July 7th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) tiger (species not specified) named Noj passed away at age 13 due to a rapid decline in health.

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On July 15th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) dromedary camel and a (1.0) reticulated giraffe were born and made their public debut.

New Babies Make Their Debut

On August 24th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) blue crane has hatched on August 23rd.

Stanley Crane Chick

On August 25th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) carpet python was born.

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On October 21st, the zoo announced that (0.0.2) Grand Cayman blue iguanas were born on October 9th.

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On November 6th, the zoo announced they have acquired a (0.1) bushmaster viper (species not specified) and is now on exhibit in the herpaterium building.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1031752214327638
 
On April 27th, the zoo announced that a (0.1) western lowland gorilla named Martha passed away on April 26th due to multiple organ abnormalities. She was 32 years old.

Martha
 
(Sorry for the poor post formatting, I'm not a frequent forum user)

Hello! I used to visit Gladys Porter Zoo a lot between 2009-2014, and I remember there being a distinct map style they used that I can't find anywhere on the internet. It was black and white, vertical like a brochure. It showed a (pen?) drawing of the zoo, and instead of a labeled list of animals, it just showed their oversized heads in each of their exhibits. The picture I've attached is the closest I could find. It has the drawings on animals in their enclosures and I think different animal icons on the side is accurate. It wasn't in color though. If anybody has a picture I would love to see it!
zoomap_nws_sm.png
 
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