Greenville Zoo Greenville Zoo News
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biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Left the zoo a little while ago. The feeding deck wasn’t open, but I also didn’t make my way to the giraffes until near the end of my visit, so maybe it closed early. The baby red pandas were incredibly active and hammy, but the “baby on board” sign was missing from the bat-eared foxes so I’m assuming the worst happened there :/
In more positive news, there was a new sign in front of the lions showcasing the zoo’s plans to expand their habitat. They’d previously mentioned they were going to incorporate a new small mammal as part of this expansion as well, and now it’s confirmed to be cape porcupine(s)! Not the most exciting species for well-traveled zoo nerds, but I’m also not sure of anywhere else in the state that keeps them off hand.
In more positive news, there was a new sign in front of the lions showcasing the zoo’s plans to expand their habitat. They’d previously mentioned they were going to incorporate a new small mammal as part of this expansion as well, and now it’s confirmed to be cape porcupine(s)! Not the most exciting species for well-traveled zoo nerds, but I’m also not sure of anywhere else in the state that keeps them off hand.
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Riverbanks has no cape porcupines (although they do have Brazilian porcupines), and I'm sure Brookgreen Gardens doesn't either. Obviously, none of the aquariums have them, so your assumption is correct as far as AZA facilities are concerned. So for locals and regional visitors, this is a good addition.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it was mostly the non-AZA places like Hollywild (which upon closer inspection seems to maybe just be doing holiday safari drive-throughs now?), Eudora, or Bee City that I was leaving the door open for since they're very common outside of AZA. Either way, I'm excited, I love porcupines and I probably failed to totally convey that in my initial post. Any new species are exciting, and the lion expansion is more than welcome.
Piece of October 2023 News Not Mentioned:
On October 6th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (1.0) Amur leopard named Jasper to the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona.
Predator Passage | Phoenix Zoo
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On November 14th, it was reported that the Greenville City Council approved construction to upgrade the African plaza area. Upgrades will include the previously mentioned Cape porcupine exhibit, as well as a new lagoon wading pond in the tortoise exhibit, a new ADA access path, and general landscaping. Groundbreaking for the project will start in December.
Greenville approves construction of zoo's African plaza: City Council notes
On December 14th, the zoo announced its name, Theodore.
Greenville Zoo - More than 800 votes were cast in our...
On October 6th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (1.0) Amur leopard named Jasper to the Phoenix Zoo in Arizona.
Predator Passage | Phoenix Zoo
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On November 14th, it was reported that the Greenville City Council approved construction to upgrade the African plaza area. Upgrades will include the previously mentioned Cape porcupine exhibit, as well as a new lagoon wading pond in the tortoise exhibit, a new ADA access path, and general landscaping. Groundbreaking for the project will start in December.
Greenville approves construction of zoo's African plaza: City Council notes
On December 14th, the zoo announced its name, Theodore.
Greenville Zoo - More than 800 votes were cast in our...
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
I noticed he was MIA during my last visit, glad it's for good reason. Hope that means they'll bring in another male to breed with their remaining female soon.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Post-visit notes:
- A new farm area is planned for 2025! If all goes according to plan, it looks like it will be a massive improvement to one of the weakest areas in the zoo, as well as an alright boost to the zoo’s species count. Website: Greenville Zoo Foundation - Farmyard
- The zoo is currently closed throughout the week, and they’re taking good advantage of this time to do some wood renovations. The pier next to the alligator has been expanded further over the Lagoon, and the benches across from the concession stand are being replaced. There’s also a new-looking outdoor holding area connected to the education building, clearly visible through the lemur exhibit - my wife and I had never noticed it before, and I overheard another visitor also say it was new, but I guess I’m not positive if it’s truly new or just newly cleared out. The area for the lion expansion is also very visibly cleared out.
- The female Ruppell’s griffon vulture is nesting, and has an egg. Here’s hoping!
- I’m not 100% sure this is new, but it wasn’t on my list before today - there were giant Madagascar day geckos in Ektopia along with the spider tortoises. I often skip Ektopia, though, so it’s entirely possible they’ve been around for a while and I’ve just never spotted them or something.
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Torgos
Well-Known Member
Sorry to burst your vulture bubble but Greenville has two females
But pleased toi hear they are getting new farm area.
It must be new; I saw nothing like what you're describing during my May 2022 visit. I have a picture of the lemur exhibit with the background clearly visible and all I see is a wooden retaining wall and dense foliage; no sign of an additional enclosure.
They had Giant Day Geckos (Phelsuma grandis) back in May 2022, so definitely not a new addition. However, they were signed as Phelsuma m. grandis during my visit. Not sure if that's been updated since (the species was elevated from subspecies status in 2007).
Persephone
Well-Known Member
A new farm would be pretty minor at any other zoo but tbh I'm happy Greenville is getting something. Anything. And llamas could work well with the hill the zoo is based on.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
That’s kind of what I figured, but I do have to wonder how I missed it previously. It actually was signed as Phelsuma grandis, so I guess they actually have updated the signage sometime since then.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Just noticed via the Oklahoma City Zoo thread that they just recently received two male bat-eared foxes from Greenville. I was under the impression Greenville had a breeding pair (they got a “baby on board” sign on their exhibit at the same time the red pandas did, which was later silently removed), so what’s up with this? Does Greenville no longer have bat-eared foxes?
https://twitter.com/okczoo/status/1759658159566696820
https://twitter.com/okczoo/status/1759658159566696820
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Got clarification from the Zoo via Facebook: turns out they actually did have two kits born last year, and those were the two that were sent to Oklahoma. I never actually saw the kits, so I assumed the worst when the sign was taken down. Guess they were just being raised behind the scenes, probably? Either way, this seems like the best outcome - the kits are healthy, and Greenville still has foxes.
Piece of February 2024 News Not Mentioned:
On February 12th, the zoo announced that the red pandas were named Cricket and Mushu.
Greenville Zoo
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On March 15th, the zoo announced that they built a new exhibit for their "venomous snakes" which is now open to the public in the Ektopia building.
Greenville Zoo
On February 12th, the zoo announced that the red pandas were named Cricket and Mushu.
Greenville Zoo
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On March 15th, the zoo announced that they built a new exhibit for their "venomous snakes" which is now open to the public in the Ektopia building.
Greenville Zoo
On March 26th, the zoo announced that their (1.0) African lion named Saied passed away at age 15 due to irreversible, rapid degenerative joint disease and spinal neurological issues.
Greenville Zoo
Greenville Zoo
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Pretty bummed about that. I imagine his brother probably won’t be long to follow him, unfortunately. It's a shame he didn’t get to see the upcoming expanded enclosure.
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
The zoo got some new knight anoles last week
Greenville Zoo
More excitingly for me at least, it looks like our porcupine is in!
Greenville Zoo on Instagram: "QUILL you look at that? Special delivery at the @greenvillezoo! "
Greenville Zoo
More excitingly for me at least, it looks like our porcupine is in!
Greenville Zoo on Instagram: "QUILL you look at that? Special delivery at the @greenvillezoo! "
biggest_dreamer
Well-Known Member
Post-visit notes:
- The anteater seems to be potentially gone. Its signage was removed, and the southern screamers have been moved in with the rheas. ("Look! The ostriches have babies!")
- The chickens were also MIA. It’s possible they were just off exhibit, but he insides of their coop are visible and there was no sign of them in there. Their signage was still there, at least.
- Speaking of signage, the zoo has a lot of brand new ones, which has been greatly overdue. They’re no longer advertising an alligator snapping turtle that has been gone for I believe years now. Annoyingly, they haven’t done anything with the signs that still say there are two species of orangutan, or show a lion attacking a cape buffalo while calling it a wildebeest.
- Bat-eared foxes were off exhibit, but signed as such. Knight anoles were on exhibit. The lion expansion is well underway.