Henry Vilas Zoo Henry Vilas Zoo News 2024

A female Red Panda named "Betty" has now been introduced to their male and is now on exhibit. She was transferred to the zoo in March from Lincoln Children's Zoo. She is noted as being the great, great granddaughter of Tarrei, a female that passed away at the zoo in December of 2021.
 
 
4/21/24 Visit Updates
  • The new arboreal perching in the Aardvark exhibit has not been modified since my last visit. It seems that we are just waiting for the new species to be added.
  • The former Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit has been furnished with climbing structures and branches. (The zoo seems to have a lot of extra fire hoses hanging around, so they have been using it as the primary feature in these new arboreal exhibits.)
  • The new Red Panda, Betty, was on exhibit with Bandit and the two of them were having a great time running around and wrestling. I have never seen cuter animals in my entire life.
  • The indoor Aldabra Tortoise exhibit in the Reptile Building is currently being renovated. It said they were moved into the Primate Building due to their indoor space here being too small, so I wonder if they somehow plan on expanding it? (I think if they take out the large guardrails and extend the enclosure in that direction, then add windows rather than open-air viewing, it'll allow them to dramatically increase the space.)
  • The Massasauga exhibit is still empty.
  • The Leaf-Tailed Geckos are back on exhibit. (They were off-exhibit during my last visit.)
  • The former Boa Constrictor exhibit has been converted to house the Rhinoceros Iguana, who was signed, but was off-exhibit.
  • The former Rhinoceros Iguana exhibit has been renovated to house the Boa Constrictor. The lack of arboreal space for the snake was a shame due to how tall the exhibit is. (There are many exhibits in this building that could be renovated to house more interesting species.)
  • The outdoor American Alligator exhibit appears to be getting some renovations, as some of the plants have been removed, and the pool was getting a fresh layer of paint.
  • The former butterfly garden near the Aviary has had its signs removed, and the ground has been torn apart and flattened. I wonder if they plan on adding a smaller exhibit over here? (They may just be building a new butterfly garden as well.)
  • The beginning portion of the Aviary is still incredibly boring. Many of the exhibits are empty, and the exhibits that are there do not contain any interesting species and are quite bland. I am hoping that they renovate this at some point in the future.
  • The arboreal space in the exhibit containing the Toad-Headed Turtles is still empty. It does not appear to have been modified since the macaw was moved. The arboreal space in the larger exhibit next to it is still vacant as well.
  • The former African Penguin exhibit remains untouched. It appears the former beaver plans have fallen through the cracks, as you cannot find any evidence of it on their Facebook anymore either.
 
EsserWarrior said:
4/21/24 Visit Updates
  • The new arboreal perching in the Aardvark exhibit has not been modified since my last visit. It seems that we are just waiting for the new species to be added.
Click to expand...
Arboreal perching, mixed with Aardvark... sounds like perhaps it will be the Greater Galago going on display? Has there been any other suspicions? Are there particular times of day it's easier to see the aardvark?
 
JVM said:
Arboreal perching, mixed with Aardvark... sounds like perhaps it will be the Greater Galago going on display? Has there been any other suspicions? Are there particular times of day it's easier to see the aardvark?
Click to expand...
The Aardvark doesn't really have anywhere to hide out of visitor view, it's always visible.
 
JVM said:
Arboreal perching, mixed with Aardvark... sounds like perhaps it will be the Greater Galago going on display? Has there been any other suspicions? Are there particular times of day it's easier to see the aardvark?
Click to expand...

As @birdsandbats mentioned, the Aardvark is always visible. She prefers to lie in the corner of the exhibit next to the glass. If you are lucky, you may catch her when she is awake!

The Galagos would be the most realistic option at this point if they are still in the collection. I don't know if they would be active in an exhibit that is not dark, but I guess we would find out.

I am also curious to see what they do with the former Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit. It has access to an outdoor exhibit, so maybe they will restrict access to it if the species they are adding is arboreal? (I don't know what plans they have for the Children's Zoo in the future, but it is one of my favorite sections!)
 
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EsserWarrior said:
4/21/24 Visit Updates
  • The new arboreal perching in the Aardvark exhibit has not been modified since my last visit. It seems that we are just waiting for the new species to be added.
  • The former Indian Crested Porcupine exhibit has been furnished with climbing structures and branches. (The zoo seems to have a lot of extra fire hoses hanging around, so they have been using it as the primary feature in these new arboreal exhibits.)
Click to expand...

The zoo receives used fire hoses from the local fire department. They have a limited official lifespan so, even if they are in good condition they cannot be used for their original purpose anymore. The lumber and other construction materials are donated by a couple of local companies that donate extra or scrap materials. I know the local power company has a long history of donating labor to help with these types of exhibit renovations as well. For a long time there was a sign about it in the primate house but that might be gone now.

EsserWarrior said:
4/21/24 Visit Updates
  • The indoor Aldabra Tortoise exhibit in the Reptile Building is currently being renovated. It said they were moved into the Primate Building due to their indoor space here being too small, so I wonder if they somehow plan on expanding it? (I think if they take out the large guardrails and extend the enclosure in that direction, then add windows rather than open-air viewing, it'll allow them to dramatically increase the space.)
Click to expand...
I hope they are expanding it as the indoor quarters for the tortoises has always been depressingly small.
 
According to Henry Vilas Zoo’s Instagram, the cause of the Rhinoceros Iguana being moved into the former Boa Constrictor exhibit is due to him having degenerative joint issues, which is currently being treated.

Henry Vilas Zoo on Instagram: "If you have visited the Zoo recently, you may have noticed our rhinoceros iguana, Gojira, was moved to a new space inside the Herpetarium. Gojira is currently under veterinary care. He is dealing with some degenerative joint issues in his left wrist and has some fluid build up in his knee joints. He is on the mend, but still recovering and was moved to a space that he can navigate easier. He is currently sporting a patch on his back that slowly administers pain medication because it can be challenging to give Gojira medication orally. He enjoys eating fruit, but will sometimes leave it if we try to mix in medicine. A patch ensures that he is receiving a consistent dose. We will continue to monitor him closely and provide any follow up care that he needs. We would especially like to highlight the amazing work his primary keeper, John, has done creating a new space for Gojira that allows him to move around easier. John does a fantastic job of creating enriching spaces for our reptiles here at the Zoo!"
 
I made my first visit of the year to Vilas yesterday. I have a lot of notes so will be splitting them into multiple posts. I have pictures but am unable to post media yet.​

Starting with the Aviary and Surrounding Areas​
  • The butterfly garden near the aviary was replanted as part of a public community event a few weeks ago.
  • While I was there a concrete mixer was pouring a small new foundation between the Aviary and the butterfly garden. A zoo staff member who was directing traffic around the area said they are building an outdoor habitat for the macaws to get some fresh air (weather permitting).
  • About an hour later they were finished and I was able to get closer and it appears to be square about 10 -12 feet on each side.
  • Both Capybaras were out snacking on some orange peels. The otters were playing in the shallow pool. The water in both otter pools was quite cloudy.
  • The larger tank near the entrance that previously held at different times a Pueblan Milk Snake and a Matamata Turtle was still empty. There was fairly new LED lighting on that and the Piranha tank.
  • As mentioned by EsserWarrior: Emperor Scorpion, Two-Spotted Assassin Bugs, and Peppered Cockroaches inhabit the 3 labeled “Tree Trunk” tanks all were very bland in design. Of the two unlabeled tanks the one on the left has some sort of yellow and black beetles. The one on the right had land snails (the same unspecified type as in the guest services building with the Animal Ambassadors). These were both (just) a bit more vibrant in design.
  • One of the Animal Care Staff was cleaning in the free flight room on my second time through. I inquired about the lack of birds in the habitats above the large aquariums. They said that they cannot keep birds in those until the vertical wire that forms the barrier is replaced with mesh. I asked if this was a new AZA standard and they no and that they “found the wires aren’t supported well enough.” I figure they either had some escapes or stuck animals. Or perhaps replacement parts are not available for maintenance / repairs of the current barriers.
  • The 2nd largest aquarium now has Yellow-Spotted Amazon River Turtles in addition to the Toad-Headed Turtles. I spotted two both of which appeared to be young females about 4 -5 inches carapace length.
  • The largest aquarium had a sign saying the large Barred Catfish is undergoing veterinary care. A couple scrapes / sores were definitely still healing.
  • I know some Zoo Chatters have lamented the lower number of individual fish in this tank compared to when it first opened. But it is essentially at capacity. The aforementioned Barred AKA Tiger Shovelnose Catfish and the even larger Red-Tail Catfish in there are both very aggressive predatory fish. The display is rounded out by a large Pacu and a Common Plecostomus. All but the Pleco have been there since the exhibit opened and have grown significantly since then. Adding more fish large enough to survive in there would leave it overcrowded.
  • As is typical only a few of the listed species in the free flight area were actually visible.
  • Northern Helmeted Curassow, Blue Crowned Motmot, Chestnut Teal, and Yellow-Rumped Cacique, Blue & Gold Macaw, Hoffman's Two-Toed Sloth, Red-footed Tortoise
  • Black Crake, Red-capped Cardinal, Red-and-Yellow Barbet, Silver-Beaked Tanager, White-Faced Whistling Duck, Black-Crowned Night Heron, Yellow-Crowned Night Heron were not visible.
  • The White-Faced Whistling Ducks were actually visible in the indoor habitat of the flamingos on the other side of the zoo. There was full signage so I expect them to stay there for a while.
  • The sloth as usual chose to sleep in his favorite hanging milk crate instead of one of the multiple real trees or elevated rockworks accessible to him.
 
Thank you for the updates!

The new macaw exhibit is exciting. I am hopeful that they fill it with lots of enrichment and climbing opportunities for them, as they do not have as much to do when they are in the aviary. The new invertebrates and turtles on display is great news, I will have to come and check them out myself soon.

The aviary getting attention - with the new expansions and details being added - is much needed. Fingers-crossed they renovate more of it within the next few years.

You take very detailed notes and find out valuable information from the keepers. I look forward to hearing the rest of your updates!
 
Next, an Overview of Conditions in the Herpetarium and Primate House​
  • The interior of the herpetarium was closed for maintenance. An electrician’s van was parked outside the door.
  • The previously noted resurfacing has been completed on the outdoor alligator pool. It is a synthetic rock coating over the plain concrete that was there before. Both gators were on display outside. Hopefully the next step will be an awning to reduce the glare on the glass. Even with polarized lenses I could not see through it.
  • The Ornate Box Turtles have emerged from hibernation and were visible
  • The Aldabra tortoises were both still in the Primate House, (perhaps their pond will be resurfaced as well). No bandages or other signs of previously mentioned surgeries were present.
  • I have mixed feelings about the current situation with the primate house. It has as dark dreary feel, but that is essentially part of the design. The viewing areas are deliberately kept dark to make it harder for the animals to see the humans and in theory reduce stress levels. This was the prevailing method when the building was constructed though other methods certainly exist now. The tragic history of the buildings original inhabitants likely played into these choices as well. For those who don’t know, the zoo previously held a group of chimpanzees that were rescued from a very abusive “household pet” situation. They had severe psychological trauma, and despite the zoo’s best efforts, their behavior continued to worsen over the years and seemed directly related to the presence of zoo guests. Eventually, the decision was made to transfer them to a nonpublic sanctuary.
  • The big (pun not intended), advantage of the current facility is the size of the habitats. The indoor Ring-Tailed and Black Ruffed Lemur exhibits are likely among the largest in the country for those species and also include decently sized outdoor areas. While the Orangutan habitat is not as large as is ideal it is still larger than many other facilities. Compared to nearby Milwaukee which keeps multiple pairs of Orangutans in separated sections Vilas keeps one pair and their current baby. Compared to each of these assigned sections, the Vilas habitat is about 30% larger in floor space and 50% taller. The extra height in particular gets a lot of use.
  • I imagine that the cost of replacing the building with a “naturalistic standard” and similarly sized habitats would be well outside of the zoo’s foreseeable future budget.
 
ConcernedThirdParty said:
Next, an Overview of Conditions in the Herpetarium and Primate House​
  • The interior of the herpetarium was closed for maintenance. An electrician’s van was parked outside the door.
  • The previously noted resurfacing has been completed on the outdoor alligator pool. It is a synthetic rock coating over the plain concrete that was there before. Both gators were on display outside. Hopefully the next step will be an awning to reduce the glare on the glass. Even with polarized lenses I could not see through it.
  • The Ornate Box Turtles have emerged from hibernation and were visible
  • The Aldabra tortoises were both still in the Primate House, (perhaps their pond will be resurfaced as well). No bandages or other signs of previously mentioned surgeries were present.
  • I have mixed feelings about the current situation with the primate house. It has as dark dreary feel, but that is essentially part of the design. The viewing areas are deliberately kept dark to make it harder for the animals to see the humans and in theory reduce stress levels. This was the prevailing method when the building was constructed though other methods certainly exist now. The tragic history of the buildings original inhabitants likely played into these choices as well. For those who don’t know, the zoo previously held a group of chimpanzees that were rescued from a very abusive “household pet” situation. They had severe psychological trauma, and despite the zoo’s best efforts, their behavior continued to worsen over the years and seemed directly related to the presence of zoo guests. Eventually, the decision was made to transfer them to a nonpublic sanctuary.
  • The big (pun not intended), advantage of the current facility is the size of the habitats. The indoor Ring-Tailed and Black Ruffed Lemur exhibits are likely among the largest in the country for those species and also include decently sized outdoor areas. While the Orangutan habitat is not as large as is ideal it is still larger than many other facilities. Compared to nearby Milwaukee which keeps multiple pairs of Orangutans in separated sections Vilas keeps one pair and their current baby. Compared to each of these assigned sections, the Vilas habitat is about 30% larger in floor space and 50% taller. The extra height in particular gets a lot of use.
  • I imagine that the cost of replacing the building with a “naturalistic standard” and similarly sized habitats would be well outside of the zoo’s foreseeable future budget.
Click to expand...

If I can recall the former master plan correctly, the zoo had plans to build a new building next to the orangutan exhibit that would include new viewing into their exhibit. I am unsure if this also included a renovation to their outdoor exhibit, but eventually seeing a refurbishment of the Primate House would be great.

In my opinion, the zoo needs to find a way to exhibit the two lemur species better. Each time I visit, I see the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs on display while the Ring-Tailed Lemurs are nowhere to be seen. The Rock Hyrax seem to have control of the former Colobus exhibit, but I would not be surprised if they are breeding the two new females to their existing male. Once the offspring are born, however, I'd love to see the lemurs have access to the two indoor and outdoor exhibits and be rotated throughout the day.

I think the education display space in the back of the building could be redone or changed to something else. From all the times I have visited, I believe I have only been back there once or twice. I never see the public back there either.

The Herpetarium has had a lot of attention these last few years. The Discovery Center side has been permanently closed to the public, which is a shame. The Eastern Massasauga exhibit has been closed for months, and the Aldabra Tortoise exhibit is being renovated. With the Rhinoceros Iguana and Boa Constrictor exhibits being flipped, I wonder if they plan on doing any other changes afterward.
 
Regarding The Hoofstock / Large Animal Loop and the Children’s Zoo​
  • The Guinea Fowl and Turkey were off exhibit and the Bactrian Camel was in their place. The wooden shelters in the camel exhibit were actively being repainted while I was there so I am sure this is only temporary. I really hope this area gets a proper upgrade as part of the new giraffe complex.
  • Only one Alpaca was visible and had definitely not received his spring shearing yet. Alpaca wool is one of the warmest and most expensive fibers on the planet. Last I heard, the wool from Vilas’s Alpacas gets donated to a local group that knits it into sweaters for the homeless.
  • The Alpacas are an unfortunate example of an animal that got downgraded as part of the zoo’s “upgrades”. Their previous yard was part of what is now the Arctic Passage and was much larger.
  • The Somali Wild Ass seem to have shrunk from its original size. This could be from: deaths, transfers, or simply being off exhibit.
  • In the children’s zoo the space that had that ridiculous “gold panning” attraction is still empty.
  • In a first for me, the Aardvark was awake and moving around. It was digging around and seemed to be trying to decide the best place to nap like a dog on the couch.
  • All arboreal décor has been removed from the Aardvark habitat and is being set up in former Indian Crested Porcupine Habitat which has full signage for Galagoes / Bushbabies. No animals were inside though and the furnishings do not seem to be complete yet.
  • The Barn Owl is still in the habitat closest to the red barn. There was another bird in the farther habitat. Possibly a barred owl, but there was no signage and that exhibit is only properly viewable from the train which I didn’t go on.
  • Noting of particular note with the rhinos or big cats. I do think the current “Edge of Africa” plan is horribly misguided. I will make an in-depth post on this topic at a later date.
 
EsserWarrior said:
If I can recall the former master plan correctly, the zoo had plans to build a new building next to the orangutan exhibit that would include new viewing into their exhibit. I am unsure if this also included a renovation to their outdoor exhibit, but eventually seeing a refurbishment of the Primate House would be great.
Click to expand...
I think that plan was quite a while ago and was likely put on indefinite hold.
EsserWarrior said:
In my opinion, the zoo needs to find a way to exhibit the two lemur species better. Each time I visit, I see the Black-and-White Ruffed Lemurs on display while the Ring-Tailed Lemurs are nowhere to be seen. The Rock Hyrax seem to have control of the former Colobus exhibit, but I would not be surprised if they are breeding the two new females to their existing male. Once the offspring are born, however, I'd love to see the lemurs have access to the two indoor and outdoor exhibits and be rotated throughout the day.
Click to expand...
What you're describing is already mostly happening. The two lemur species do switch off time in the outdoor yard. The Ring-Tails are nearly always viewable in the center habitat when not outside. I did not see the Hyraxes this time but they are frequently do share the space directly with the lemurs. When they were around, the Colobuses were on exhibit in the same space and time as the lemurs.
EsserWarrior said:
The Herpetarium has had a lot of attention these last few years. The Discovery Center side has been permanently closed to the public, which is a shame. The Eastern Massasauga exhibit has been closed for months, and the Aldabra Tortoise exhibit is being renovated. With the Rhinoceros Iguana and Boa Constrictor exhibits being flipped, I wonder if they plan on doing any other changes afterward.
Click to expand...
I Agree those upgrades have been desperately needed. Though the zoo's execution seems poorly planned. I am also similarly irritated the the Discovery Center and Red Barn are no longer open to the public.
 
ConcernedThirdParty said:
I think that plan was quite a while ago and was likely put on indefinite hold.

What you're describing is already mostly happening. The two lemur species do switch off time in the outdoor yard. The Ring-Tails are nearly always viewable in the center habitat when not outside. I did not see the Hyraxes this time but they are frequently do share the space directly with the lemurs. When they were around, the Colobuses were on exhibit in the same space and time as the lemurs.

I Agree those upgrades have been desperately needed. Though the zoo's execution seems poorly planned. I am also similarly irritated the the Discovery Center and Red Barn are no longer open to the public.
Click to expand...

I miss the Ring-Tailed Lemurs each time I visit! I visit between 8-12 times a year, and I never seem to catch them :p I will be curious to see how they change the zoo once the construction of the new giraffe area is complete. I am assuming they will finish it off with the new rhino exhibit?

I am curious to see your opinions on the "Edge of Africa" plans. The original plans had the barn and exhibit being around the area where the current rhino exhibit is, with the new rhino exhibit being where the wild asses currently are. I am curious to see if they will stick with these plans, but the zoo did respond to a comment I asked and stated that the rhinoceros will be moved out when they begin construction.

According to a website that was linked not long ago, they also plan on throwing up a new penguin and tiger/lion exhibit complex as well. I wonder if the penguins will be located on the same site, or if they will move them down into the designated African area?
 
My Last Few Notes on My May 15th Visit​
  • As noted in my earlier post the White-Faced Whistling Ducks are now in the Flamingo Building. A new viewing platform has also been added to the other side of the Flamingo yard connected to the seating area for the nearby concessions.
  • The zoo now has at least three North American Porcupines and were all very active and enjoying their breakfast.
  • The only other new development seems to be the installation of a tree farm / propagation area in the space behind / between the bison yard and the herpetarium.
  • I will be making a stand-alone post about some aspects of the zoo’s history (since this is a news thread and history is not news).
 
EsserWarrior said:
I miss the Ring-Tailed Lemurs each time I visit! I visit between 8-12 times a year, and I never seem to catch them :p I will be curious to see how they change the zoo once the construction of the new giraffe area is complete. I am assuming they will finish it off with the new rhino exhibit?
Click to expand...
While I do often “see” them, they are usually (including this time) barely visible sleeping near the top of the exhibit. As I mentioned earlier the height of Vilas’ lemur habitats is one of its biggest advantages over other facilities in terms of animal welfare. It does leave the visitor experience lacking however. That is why most newer primate facilities have the viewing areas near the tops of the exhibits, so you can view them where they are most comfortable.
 
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