Hello from Nebraska

darrenzoophotos

darrenzoophotos

Member
Hello I am from Scottsbluff, Nebraska. We have a small zoo of which I usually go to about everyother week or so just to relax and shoot pictures. I will be sending a few different pictures quite often.
 
Greetings! I just made it up to your zoo for the first time about a month ago, as I have tons of family in the area. I posted a review and some photos if your interested. Hope to get info and updates on it.
 
Hello darrenzoophotos and welcome to ZooChat. KCZooFan recently posted some pictures of the Scottsbluff zoo and we were wondering why the zoo no longer has moose. Can you help solve the mystery of the missing moose?
 
I'll have to do some asking around, but I believe I heard that the moose got sick and died. However that might not be the case not sure, I'll try to find out.
 
Ok today I did some hunting on our local newspaper to find out more information about the Moose. What I found out was that I believe a few years ago the zoo actually had two moose but one of them died (I believe it was a male). So that left only one at the zoo. The Riverside Zoo used to be be a city ran organization and a little over a year ago the zoo was taken over by Riverside Zoo Discovery Center an Non-Profit Organization (Riverside Discovery Center - FAQ) which caused a down size of the zoo.

Here is an article that might explain a little bit more.

LOCAL NEWS
FRI TRANSITION DAY FOR RIVERSIDE ZOO
By John Axtell
Sep 30, 2010 - 8:38:45 PM

The Riverside Zoo in Scottsbluff formally changes from a city operation to part of the new Riverside Discovery Center tomorrow. The Discovery Center partnership also includes the Children's University and Wildlife World.

Zoo Director Kelly Jensen says his staff is ready for the change, and while some "housekeeping issues" will likely come up, he expects a smooth overall transition.

Leaving the city is leading to a smaller zoo in nearly all ways. The budget will be about a third smaller with fewer zoo staffers. Jensen stays on as director with 5 fulltime and 1 parttime keeper

In anticipation of that, the decision was made this summer to reduce the number of animals in the collection to focus on a smaller number of species.

Some 50-to-60 animals were relocated to other zoos, leaving the Riverside with between 120 and 130. Species no longer there included the Pallas cats, mountain lion, sandhill and crown cranes, moose, two chimpanzees and the binturong or bearcat.

.Anne James is executive director of the Riverside Discovery Center. She says plans continue to move forward for a new building at the zoo entrance that would house Wildlife World and the Children's University, but without a date yet for groundbreaking ceremonies.



© Copyright by Double Q Country Radio


Also from talking to some of the zoo staff I think that the moose was lonely beings it lost its mate/friend so they decided to find home for it.

I found out it was given to the New Zoo in WI - {Located 10 miles from downtown Green Bay, WI.}

Hopefully that answers any of the questions about the Moose.

At the time of the change over of the zoo from a city ran organizatio to the Riverside Discovery Center it was being considered to be closed because the city was cutting its yearly budget and that was going to be one of the cuts, so even though it is a small zoo the Discovery Center is continually making it better. Bringing in new animals - Trumpter Swans, Sloth and the Golden Headed Lion Tamarin Monkey Baby that was born at the zoo. They are also fixing up the building and exhibits. Yes it is taking some time to do all of this but I for one am thankful for their efforts because without them the zoo would be another casulity of the economy.
 
darrenzoophotos said:
Ok today I did some hunting on our local newspaper to find out more information about the Moose. What I found out was that I believe a few years ago the zoo actually had two moose but one of them died (I believe it was a male). So that left only one at the zoo. The Riverside Zoo used to be be a city ran organization and a little over a year ago the zoo was taken over by Riverside Zoo Discovery Center an Non-Profit Organization (Riverside Discovery Center - FAQ) which caused a down size of the zoo.

Here is an article that might explain a little bit more.

LOCAL NEWS
FRI TRANSITION DAY FOR RIVERSIDE ZOO
By John Axtell
Sep 30, 2010 - 8:38:45 PM

The Riverside Zoo in Scottsbluff formally changes from a city operation to part of the new Riverside Discovery Center tomorrow. The Discovery Center partnership also includes the Children's University and Wildlife World.

Zoo Director Kelly Jensen says his staff is ready for the change, and while some "housekeeping issues" will likely come up, he expects a smooth overall transition.

Leaving the city is leading to a smaller zoo in nearly all ways. The budget will be about a third smaller with fewer zoo staffers. Jensen stays on as director with 5 fulltime and 1 parttime keeper

In anticipation of that, the decision was made this summer to reduce the number of animals in the collection to focus on a smaller number of species.

Some 50-to-60 animals were relocated to other zoos, leaving the Riverside with between 120 and 130. Species no longer there included the Pallas cats, mountain lion, sandhill and crown cranes, moose, two chimpanzees and the binturong or bearcat.

.Anne James is executive director of the Riverside Discovery Center. She says plans continue to move forward for a new building at the zoo entrance that would house Wildlife World and the Children's University, but without a date yet for groundbreaking ceremonies.



© Copyright by Double Q Country Radio


Also from talking to some of the zoo staff I think that the moose was lonely beings it lost its mate/friend so they decided to find home for it.

I found out it was given to the New Zoo in WI - {Located 10 miles from downtown Green Bay, WI.}

Hopefully that answers any of the questions about the Moose.

At the time of the change over of the zoo from a city ran organizatio to the Riverside Discovery Center it was being considered to be closed because the city was cutting its yearly budget and that was going to be one of the cuts, so even though it is a small zoo the Discovery Center is continually making it better. Bringing in new animals - Trumpter Swans, Sloth and the Golden Headed Lion Tamarin Monkey Baby that was born at the zoo. They are also fixing up the building and exhibits. Yes it is taking some time to do all of this but I for one am thankful for their efforts because without them the zoo would be another casulity of the economy.
Click to expand...

Thanks for this! Sure answers the moose question :( as well as many others. One more question, if you don't mind; what species are held in the aviary, the building with the spider monkeys outsidade, and the building with the big cats outside. All three were closed on my visit.
 
Well let's start with the aviary. As of this time the aviary is closed and what birds that was kept in there that remained after the Discovery Center took over was transfered to the area right next to the Rainforest Discovery Center. I have not talked to any of the zoo personal about what they are planning on doing with it. Hopefully they will do any repairs that they deem necessary and will transfer the birds back to that aviary because it used to be a nice area to go through and see the birds in a natural setting. The building with the big cats right now is being worked on. The door that leads into the building from the tiger side has a Meerkat area. Beside the Meerkat area was an area they kept the Waldrapp Ibis, Taveta Golden Weavers and Fisher's Lovebird along with a couple of African Crested Porcupines. Then as you down the building to the otherside towards the Lions, they have a few African fish in an small aquarium and next to them they have a couple of snakes - Carpet Python & a Ball Python. Then you have the indoor area for the Chimpanzees.

Then in the building that is by the Spider Monkey Cages have two areas one for the Spider Monkeys and another area for the Eastern black-and-white colobus - or as you called them the mantled guereza. [Now for a question for you is a Mantled Guereza and the Eastern Black-and-White Colobus the same animal? From what I am seeing it is but was curious if you know if there is a difference?] Then when you walk down past the Black-and-White Colobus cage and look to the back area of the bilding there is a cage for Scooter our other Spider Monkey. This is a kind of sad story about Scooter, the owner of Scooter alway kept the monkey in a very small cage which caused him to eventually to be permanently bent over. Because he was never around other monkeys until he was an adult he is very antisocial so has a cage all his own. (well send pictures of monkey and sign to site soon.)

Also is there a limit on pictures that you can upload per day?
 
Thanks much for the information darren. The mystery of the missing moose has been solved.
 
darrenzoophotos said:
Well let's start with the aviary. As of this time the aviary is closed and what birds that was kept in there that remained after the Discovery Center took over was transfered to the area right next to the Rainforest Discovery Center. I have not talked to any of the zoo personal about what they are planning on doing with it. Hopefully they will do any repairs that they deem necessary and will transfer the birds back to that aviary because it used to be a nice area to go through and see the birds in a natural setting. The building with the big cats right now is being worked on. The door that leads into the building from the tiger side has a Meerkat area. Beside the Meerkat area was an area they kept the Waldrapp Ibis, Taveta Golden Weavers and Fisher's Lovebird along with a couple of African Crested Porcupines. Then as you down the building to the otherside towards the Lions, they have a few African fish in an small aquarium and next to them they have a couple of snakes - Carpet Python & a Ball Python. Then you have the indoor area for the Chimpanzees.

Then in the building that is by the Spider Monkey Cages have two areas one for the Spider Monkeys and another area for the Eastern black-and-white colobus - or as you called them the mantled guereza. [Now for a question for you is a Mantled Guereza and the Eastern Black-and-White Colobus the same animal? From what I am seeing it is but was curious if you know if there is a difference?] Then when you walk down past the Black-and-White Colobus cage and look to the back area of the bilding there is a cage for Scooter our other Spider Monkey. This is a kind of sad story about Scooter, the owner of Scooter alway kept the monkey in a very small cage which caused him to eventually to be permanently bent over. Because he was never around other monkeys until he was an adult he is very antisocial so has a cage all his own. (well send pictures of monkey and sign to site soon.)

Also is there a limit on pictures that you can upload per day?
Click to expand...

Thanks once again for the detailed answers. It seems I didn't really miss anything too great, but I'd still have liked to see it. Sad about Scooter, I hate seeing primates in private hands.

And yes, mantled guereza is the same as eastern black-and-white-colobus. I've used both common names, but the Latin name is Colobus guereza. As for the photos, no limit (though I'd suggest being thoughtful in your uploads), but it seems to have been down for a week or so, at least for me.

Thanks again!:D
 
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