A new male giraffe has arrived, as well as a mob of meerkats for the new exhibit at the Lion Building:
Great Plains Zoo welcomes giraffe and meerkats
Great Plains Zoo welcomes giraffe and meerkats
Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History Great Plains Zoo News
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This article states the male lion Simba came from Qatar and has genetic origins in North Africa. He is supposedly recommended to breed with their female and already sired a cub in Detroit. I was under the impression that the AZA had decided to use only the pure P. l. melanochaita lineages in the current breeding population. Does anyone know the story here or what the SSP might be doing?This article has some better images of the indoor and outdoor habitats; I visited the exhibit the other day (I forgot to take picsunfortunately), but the exhibit is pretty good and the dayrooms are quite spacious (and they can connect).
The zoo also announced in a facebook post that 5 meerkats would be arriving soon from another AZA zoo to enter the newly built habitat.
Lions return to the Great Plains Zoo after decades-long absence
Updates from today's visit
. The zoo has acquired a Generic Leopard named Iris, which now rotates with the zoo's resident Snow Leopard Strut
. The former Ball Python exhibit in the Giraffe house now holds a second group of Seba's Short-Tailed Bats
. The King Vulture formerly held in the Primate House now live in the second Red Panda exhibit
. The Komodo Dragon exhibit is now an Indoor Chilean Flamingo exhibit, with the former indoor Flamingo exhibit being emptied and blocked off.
. The Bobcat Exhibit appears to have been converted into a second Red Wolf exhibit, although they may just be rotating.
. The Red-Capped Cardinals and Eclectus Parrots have been phased out, but Yellow Headed and Blue Fronted Amazon Parrots have been brought in in their place.
. Emus Have returned to their former exhibit
. The Penguins are once again confined to their tiny indoor enclosure (Although they are supposed to get a new exhibit when the New Aquarium/Tropical House is constructed).
. The zoo has acquired a Generic Leopard named Iris, which now rotates with the zoo's resident Snow Leopard Strut
. The former Ball Python exhibit in the Giraffe house now holds a second group of Seba's Short-Tailed Bats
. The King Vulture formerly held in the Primate House now live in the second Red Panda exhibit
. The Komodo Dragon exhibit is now an Indoor Chilean Flamingo exhibit, with the former indoor Flamingo exhibit being emptied and blocked off.
. The Bobcat Exhibit appears to have been converted into a second Red Wolf exhibit, although they may just be rotating.
. The Red-Capped Cardinals and Eclectus Parrots have been phased out, but Yellow Headed and Blue Fronted Amazon Parrots have been brought in in their place.
. Emus Have returned to their former exhibit
. The Penguins are once again confined to their tiny indoor enclosure (Although they are supposed to get a new exhibit when the New Aquarium/Tropical House is constructed).
The zoo's Pallas Cat gave birth to a new kitten in July.
The kitten is on exhibit, although shy.
This marks the second Pallas Cat birth at GPZ in 4 years.
1.2K views · 91 reactions | Exciting news from GPZ! Our Pallas’ cat Salkhi welcomed a new kitten in July!! Mom and baby have spent the past several weeks bonding behind the... | By Great Plains Zoo | Facebook
The kitten is on exhibit, although shy.
This marks the second Pallas Cat birth at GPZ in 4 years.
1.2K views · 91 reactions | Exciting news from GPZ! Our Pallas’ cat Salkhi welcomed a new kitten in July!! Mom and baby have spent the past several weeks bonding behind the... | By Great Plains Zoo | Facebook
The Sioux Falls Zoo & Aquarium officially launched their "We Can't Wait!" capital campaign, along with a Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce capital drive to raise $1.3 million.
The zoo and aquarium plans to raise nearly $60 million over the next 1-2 years to build a new aquarium, butterfly rainforest, penguin habitat, giraffe barn, red wolf habitat, and red panda habitat.
Audrey Otto-Pepper, COO of SFZA shared that there will be a $350,000 gallon shark tunnel exhibit, a coral gallery, a jellyfish and octopus gallery, and a new Humboldt penguin exhibit with a deeper pool, underwater viewing, and a sand play area adjacent to the penguin glass.
The zoo also announced that they will expand on the current education with multiple new classrooms and a marine-education themed classroom, allowing them to serve as much as 4x as many students.
In addition to the $25 million pledged from the T. Denny Sanford, the zoo also announced that it's raised an additional $2 million on Tuesday from the Seeds for Success Foundation.
News story: Great Plains Zoo, Butterfly House Aquarium gifted $2M for expansion
Zoo campaign webpage: A Campaign for ReZOOvenation | Sioux Falls, SD | Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History
The zoo and aquarium plans to raise nearly $60 million over the next 1-2 years to build a new aquarium, butterfly rainforest, penguin habitat, giraffe barn, red wolf habitat, and red panda habitat.
Audrey Otto-Pepper, COO of SFZA shared that there will be a $350,000 gallon shark tunnel exhibit, a coral gallery, a jellyfish and octopus gallery, and a new Humboldt penguin exhibit with a deeper pool, underwater viewing, and a sand play area adjacent to the penguin glass.
The zoo also announced that they will expand on the current education with multiple new classrooms and a marine-education themed classroom, allowing them to serve as much as 4x as many students.
In addition to the $25 million pledged from the T. Denny Sanford, the zoo also announced that it's raised an additional $2 million on Tuesday from the Seeds for Success Foundation.
News story: Great Plains Zoo, Butterfly House Aquarium gifted $2M for expansion
Zoo campaign webpage: A Campaign for ReZOOvenation | Sioux Falls, SD | Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History
Attachments
Piece of June 2024 News Worth Mentioning:
On June 18th, the zoo announced that they renovated the outdoor Australian aviary exhibit to protect its inhabitants from avian influenza.
29K views · 362 reactions | The birds are back! After modifications were made to their outdoor exhibit to protect them from avian influenza, our birds have returned to their... | By Great Plains Zoo | Facebook
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On November 21st, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) snow leopard named Denali from the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee in September which is now on exhibit.
Great Plains Zoo
On June 18th, the zoo announced that they renovated the outdoor Australian aviary exhibit to protect its inhabitants from avian influenza.
29K views · 362 reactions | The birds are back! After modifications were made to their outdoor exhibit to protect them from avian influenza, our birds have returned to their... | By Great Plains Zoo | Facebook
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On November 21st, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) snow leopard named Denali from the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee in September which is now on exhibit.
Great Plains Zoo
On December 18th, it was reported that 5 institutions are looking to acquire some, if not the majority, of the Brockhouse collection, which has over 150 specimens. Those institutions and how many taxidermied animals they want include:
Grand Rapids Public Museum in Michigan (13 specimens)
Institute for Natural History Arts in New Jersey (28 specimens)
Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University in Connecticut (9 specimens)
The Oddities Museum in George (all specimens)
University of Notre Dame Museum of Biodiversity in Indiana (117 specimens)
A resolution draft over where the specimens will end up was presented at a city council meeting (who has the final say) on January 17th, 2025. On February 4th, it was reported that the majority of the collection would be gifted to the Museum of Biodiversity at Notre Dame, with other specimens going to the Institute for Natural History Arts and The Oddities Museum respectively, which will be decided with a vote enabling the move on February 11th.
Brockhouse collection at Great Plains Zoo could be headed to Notre Dame
Delbridge Family Gives Blessing To Move Zoo Collection Out
On February 6th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) African wild dog named Seahorse passed away at age 8 due to a decline in health caused by severe seizures.
Great Plains Zoo
How unfortunate that they have had to let go of the Brockhouse Collection from the Natural History Museum! Can this really be replaced by something else?
The plan is to use the old Delbridge Museum building as the new Aquarium/Butterfly House.
Allright, thanks for the feedback! Are there no significant historical issues with the name brand Delbridge and the legacy / donation of objects to the Museum by the erstwhile owner?
I do think the addition of an Aquarium cum Butterfly House will be a welcome complimentary draw for both visitors and the zoo as a representative animal collection.
Imo, the zoo wanted to get rid of the Delbridge animals because it would be cheaper to use the existing building for an aquarium than to construct a new one.
Their rationale for not wanting to keep the collection is that visitors aren't interested in it, citing that visitors allegedly spend about 7 minutes in the museum on average.
However, considering that the average time spent at a single zoo exhibit is 45 seconds to a few minutes, that's actually not that bad given the fact that the museum dioramas haven't been renovated (not even the interpretive signs) in over 30 years.
The bright side is that the new aquarium should be excellent, however, I wish the zoo didn't treat the situation as an 'either-or' with the museum and the aquarium.
The zoo announced that its Red Wolf pack will be temporarily moving into the African Wild Dog habitat while the Wolves' habitat is being expanded.
The African Wild Dogs are also being temporarily moved to the South Lion yard.
In the post, they mentioned that they are still working with Amahle and Simba, their female and male lions respectively, on cohabitation.
They also reiterated that over the next few years, the Humboldt Penguins will have a new habitat in the future aquarium, and that a new exhibit-adjacent, mixed-species Giraffe yard will be built.
Great Plains Zoo
The African Wild Dogs are also being temporarily moved to the South Lion yard.
In the post, they mentioned that they are still working with Amahle and Simba, their female and male lions respectively, on cohabitation.
They also reiterated that over the next few years, the Humboldt Penguins will have a new habitat in the future aquarium, and that a new exhibit-adjacent, mixed-species Giraffe yard will be built.
Great Plains Zoo
On April 14th, the zoo announced they transferred a (0.1) red wolf named Ajana to the Northeastern Wisconsin Zoo & Adventure Park in Wisconsin.
Great Plains Zoo
Great Plains Zoo
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
A Humboldt Penguin chick was born on March 30th.
Great Plains Zoo welcomes penguin chick
Great Plains Zoo welcomes penguin chick
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
A snow leopard cub was born to Strut and Denali on May 23rd. The gender of the cub is currently unknown.
https://pigeon605.com/snow-leopard-cub-born-at-great-plains-zoo/
https://pigeon605.com/snow-leopard-cub-born-at-great-plains-zoo/
Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
A first of its kind partnership, members of the zoo can visit the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park for free and vice versa...
despite being 1,700 miles apart.
Great Plains Zoo announces free San Diego Zoo visits for members
despite being 1,700 miles apart.
Great Plains Zoo announces free San Diego Zoo visits for members
I mean, it's hardly new territory given AZA reciprocal membership. Just unusual as San Diego rarely participates in the reciprocal system. The distance between the two means a lot of people probably won't avail themselves of the opportunity anyway.
The Snow leopard cub has been sexed as female:
0.1 Unnamed (May 23, 2025) Strut x Denali
Snow leopard cub gender revealed at Great Plains Zoo
Zoo staff said Mom and baby will make their public debut, hopefully, by the end of the summer.
0.1 Unnamed (May 23, 2025) Strut x Denali
Snow leopard cub gender revealed at Great Plains Zoo
Zoo staff said Mom and baby will make their public debut, hopefully, by the end of the summer.
The zoo's master plan was officially approved by the city council, and the updated layouts of the aquarium, butterfly house and education center were publicized.
Zoo CEO Becky DeWitz announced during the meeting that there would be no public touch tanks in the aquarium (a departure from previous plans), but that there would be supervised marine animal interactions in the marine biology-equipped classroom.
https://amv.siouxfalls.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=4086&doctype=2
Zoo CEO Becky DeWitz announced during the meeting that there would be no public touch tanks in the aquarium (a departure from previous plans), but that there would be supervised marine animal interactions in the marine biology-equipped classroom.
https://amv.siouxfalls.gov/OnBaseAgendaOnline/Meetings/ViewMeeting?id=4086&doctype=2
