Hogle Zoo Hogle Zoo News

Piece of June 2024 News Worth Mentioning:

On June 3rd, the zoo announced they acquired (1.1) Bactrian camels named Terri and Gumby which are on exhibit.

Meet two of our newest residents, Bactrian camels Terri and Gumby! Coming from Nevada, Terri (male, brown) and Gumby (female, white) recently made... | By Utah's Hogle ZooFacebook

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On August 2nd, it was announced that the zoo acquired a (0.1) warthog named Tikiti from the Dallas Zoo in Texas in July.

Goodbye tikiti_Social_01.mp4 | We’ll miss you tons, Tikiti. Tikiti, our one-year-old female warthog, moved to a new home at Utah’s Hogle Zoo last month, following a recommendation... | By Dallas ZooFacebook
 
Update from Today's Visit:

Baby Gorilla:
  • I got to see baby gorilla Addo for the first time today. Mom Pele was keeping him close to her at the back of their indoor habitat. He has been on exhibit for a while this is just the first time I have been in Utah since his birth.
  • It seems that the entire troop has been staying indoors, until Addo is ready to explore the great outdoors.
South Hill Animals:
  • The former bobcat and turkey vulture exhibits on the South Rim are now occupied by the zoo's two red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) (one in each exhibit). This means that the two adjacent 1950's-era cages are empty.
  • There has been no work done on the upper half of the former wolf habitat. This exhibit is now empty (In previous years, radiated tortoises were on display during the summer in this exhibit).
Many changes to the Small Animal Building:

Temperate Zone:
  • The zoo is set to receive 0.2 two-year-old rock hyraxes (Procavia capensis) from the Stone Zoo to breed with zoo's resident 6-year-old male. This will be the first time in over a decade that Hogle Zoo attempts to breed this species. Once this move is finalized, the zoo will have 1.3 rock hyraxes.
  • The young female striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) (just over a year-old) has moved from the Tropics Zone to the Temperate Zone. I imagine she will move over to Wild Utah once she gets a little bigger.
  • Gaia (0.1 black-footed cat (Felis nigripes)) has moved into the former burrowing owl/tortoise exhibit. This habitat was renovated in 2010 specifically for black-footed cat breeding. The AAZK recognized Hogle Zoo with a Certificate of Excellence in Exhibit Renovation Award on 8/26/2010, as this renovation led to the birth of kitten that year. Hopefully Gaia will be successful in this habitat like Sanura, the zoo's former breeding female, was.
  • Pedro (1.0 Linné's two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus)) has moved from the Tropics Zone to the Temperate Zone. His new habitat has plenty of climbing structures, fresh plantings, and a fog machine.
  • An Asian (Malaysian) forest scorpion (Heterometrus spinifer) is on display now in the Temperate Zone.
Tropics Zone:
  • Rocco (1.0 rhinoceros iguana (Cyclura cornuta)) has moved from the Temperate Zone into the former striped skunk habitat in the Tropics Zone.
  • A southern three-banded armadillo (Tolypeutes matacus) is now on display in the Tropics Zone. I believe this is ~perhaps~ animal ambassador Pablo.
  • Geriatric Cape porcupines (Hystrix africaeaustralis) Jack and Blanche have passed away. After a sudden decline in their health it was decided to euthanize Jack (19) on August 3, and Blanche (25) on August 8. Jack and Blanche were longtime residents of the SAB arriving in 2006 and 1999 respectively. The 0.2 Von der Decken's hornbills (Tockus deckeni) who shared the habitat with the porcupines remain.
  • Kilo (1.0 kinkajou (Potos flavus)) now has access to two habitats including the former sloth habitat.
  • The Indian star tortoises (Geochelone elegans) were off-exhibit getting some sunshine outdoors.
Desert Zone:
  • Gambian giant pouched rats (Cricetomys ansorgei) are now on display in the former meerkat/sand cat habitat. The zoo has four individuals but I only saw two on display.
  • A habitat in the Desert Zone is being renovated for Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber). As of June 2024 the colony was at 11 individuals. This species has yet to go on exhibit.
  • The zoo is now home to only one turkey vulture (Cathartes aura).
  • The zoo moved their Gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) to the Sonoran Desert exhibit.
Rainforest Atrium:
  • One of the zoo's rose-ringed parakeets (Psittacula krameri) has passed away. The zoo is left with 0.1 of this species. She is a yellow morph named Lady Amarillo.
  • Despite being unsigned, I saw the leopard tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis) today in the outdoor reptile yard!
Asian Highlands:
  • Male Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) Sylas will be moving to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on a breeding recommendation later this year. He will be paired with Santa Barbara Zoo's female Marta. Sylas was born on 12/25/2022 to sire Dmitri and dam Zeya. Sylas' brother/littermate Jordan moved to the Roosevelt Park Zoo last year. Unfortunately, Jordan's mate Anya died unexpectedly in March of this year. It is unclear if Jordan will be sent to another facility, or if the RPZ will receive another compatible female.
  • Amur leopard pair Zeya and Dmitri have been given another breeding recommendation this year by the GSMP. If successful, this will be their fifth litter.
  • The 0.0.2 snow leopard cubs (Panthera uncia) are not on exhibit yet. My guess is they will make their debut in mid/late September/early October.
  • At 13-years-old, male Pallas's cat (Otocolobus manul) Patenka is the second oldest in human care. Recently he has been experiencing seizures, which he receives an oral medication to mitigate. He has been responding well to this medication. For his comfort, Patenka has access to both his indoor and outdoor spaces, so you may not see him. Patenka is the zoo's only Pallas's cat after Hal's passing in 2023.
 
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zoocentral said:
  • Geriatric Cape porcupines (Hystrix africaeaustralis) Jack and Blanche have passed away. After a sudden decline in their health it was decided to euthanize Jack (19) on August 3, and Blanche (25) on August 8. Jack and Blanche were longtime residents of the SAB arriving in 2006 and 1999 respectively.
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Do they no longer hold Cape porcupines now?
 
Smaggledagle said:
Do they no longer hold Cape porcupines now?
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The zoo also has a 1.1 sibling pair of Cape porcupines on exhibit at Meerkat Manor. Kesi (male) and Kiwano (female) were born on March 15, 2019 at the Utica Zoo and arrived at Hogle on October 16, 2019. They are genetically valuable within the SSP, so it will be interesting to see if the zoo will try and acquire a breeding recommendation now.
 
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Update from Today's Visit:

The zoo's male nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus), Kirby, has moved from the Desert Zone of the Small Animal Building to the Tropics Zone. He shares an exhibit with the zoo's resident kinkajou, Kilo, in the former sloth habitat. Kirby was born in February 2011.

The zoo's turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) now inhabits Kirby's former habitat in the Desert Zone, leaving the largest habitat in the Desert Zone now unoccupied.
 
Update from Today's Visit:

The outdoor gorilla habitat is undergoing renovations. It looks like the interior walls are being re-plastered. The gorilla troop is still on display inside the Great Apes building.

Small Animal Building Updates - what a busy week it has been in this exhibit!

The 0.2 Von der Decken's hornbills (Tockus deckeni) have moved from the Tropics Zone to the former turkey vulture habitat in the Desert Zone. This habitat in the Desert Zone was most recently renovated in 2016 when Von der Decken's hornbills came into the collection. Renovations included the addition of a nest box for the birds.

Signage for the naked mole-rats has been added to the Desert Zone.

Five common chuckwallas (Sauromalus ater) hatched on 8/22/2024 and are now on display in the Desert Zone. After the zoo's longtime resident male "Luke Skywalker" passed away earlier this year, the female "Leia" was introduced to a new male. Immediately keepers noticed breeding behaviors between the two.
 
zoocentral said:
Five common chuckwallas (Sauromalus ater) hatched on 8/22/2024 and are now on display in the Desert Zone. After the zoo's longtime resident male "Luke Skywalker" passed away earlier this year, the female "Leia" was introduced to a new male. Immediately keepers noticed breeding behaviors between the two.
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Quick correction: The five common chuckwallas hatched between August 22-24.
 
Update from Today's Visit:

The Rainforest Atrium in the Small Animal Building is temporarily closed for renovations. From what I could tell (couldn't find anyone to ask), the renovations are for a water/plumbing/pipes issue. Most of the birds from the Atrium have moved to the former cape porcupine/hornbill habitat in the Tropics Zone. A lone superb starling has been moved to the Desert Zone. Since the animals have been relocated, the zoo has set up numerous mouse traps around the Atrium to combat the exhibit's rodent problem.

The naked mole-rats are now on exhibit in the Desert Zone.
 
zoocentral said:
The zoo has announced the arrival of two male Przewalski's horses Equus ferus Nicolai (9) and Ballstein (10) from the Minnesota Zoo. They have already been introduced to the zoo's resident males Dimitri and Mikhail in the High Desert Oasis exhibit.

53 reactions · 4 comments | Meet the newest residents in High Desert Oasis, Mongolian wild horses Nicolai and Ballstein! Nicolai (9) stands out with his bold and confident... | By Utah's Hogle Zoo | Facebook
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Cool fun fact about Nicolai and Ballstein, they were originally slated to be part of a reintroduction effort in Russia! Sadly, COVID delayed the project and then Russia declaring war on Ukraine nixed it.

You can, however still read about what was planned here: Regulations.gov

Just download the file, lots of really interesting stuff in it.

I'm glad to see that Nicolai and Ballstein have finally found a more permanent place to call home. I know that the Minnesota Zoo has really been struggling to find new placements for the Przewalski's horses that were originally slated for the Russia reintroduction.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
Cool fun fact about Nicolai and Ballstein, they were originally slated to be part of a reintroduction effort in Russia! Sadly, COVID delayed the project and then Russia declaring war on Ukraine nixed it.

You can, however still read about what was planned here: Regulations.gov

Just download the file, lots of really interesting stuff in it.

I'm glad to see that Nicolai and Ballstein have finally found a more permanent place to call home. I know that the Minnesota Zoo has really been struggling to find new placements for the Przewalski's horses that were originally slated for the Russia reintroduction.
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I do wish at some point this move may go through. But for the moment it seems highly unlikely for the foreseeable future.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I do wish at some point this move may go through. But for the moment it seems highly unlikely for the foreseeable future.
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The news articles that I've read about how much Minnesota Zoo has struggled to find new placements for the P-Horses originally earmarked for it seem to indicate that it's and truly dead.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
The news articles that I've read about how much Minnesota Zoo has struggled to find new placements for the P-Horses originally earmarked for it seem to indicate that it's and truly dead.
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We do not seem to have these issues in Europe much ..., I wonder why this might be so!

Looking at the Przewalski horse SSP is not exactly making for happy reading.
What is pervasive throughout is the stalling of breeding and a healthy number of foals in the youngest age classes. Even other zoos with bigger groups like NY Bronx, NZP Smithsonian, Columbus The Wilds and San Diego WAP ... breeding has been curtailed severely and few foals are produced through the last 5-7 years.

Alas ...., Przewalski's horses ... right now need IMO high numbers to allow for reintroduction projects to have a good source of founder stock for reintroductions. Whereas, countries like Mongolia, P.R. China possibly can maintain reintroduced populations to exist at sustainable levels and with irregulier support in stochastic events.

Other countries like Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan would benefit from reintroduction of Przewalski's horses. New opportunities for reintroduction projects also do exist in Ukraine, Russia and a few other Slavonic countries.
 
Update from Today's Visit:

High Desert Oasis:
  • Construction crews were in the west yard (kopje habitat) to till the dirt - something they do regularly as part of their geriatric rhino care program. It also looked like some fence work was being done as well.
  • All four Przewalski's horses (Equus ferus przewalskii) were out in the east yard today. I saw many behaviors including kicking and biting, indicating the horses are figuring out their new dynamic and hierarchy.
  • One-year-old male Hartmann's mountain zebras (Equus zebra hartmannae) Malcom (Scooby X Poppy) and Wallace (Scooby X Ziva) have moved from the African Savanna down to High Desert Oasis. They have joined the bachelor herd with Corkeey (Scooby X Poppy), Scooby (former breeding male), and Dakota (future breeding male). The establishment of this bachelor herd has been an important goal for the SSP. By November of 2024, the SSP had a goal to create three bachelor specific holding spaces within AZA. Hogle Zoo is one of three zoos to have already completed this setup with an additional AZA facility ready to receive bachelor males (4 bachelor groups in total). This push for bachelor grouping allows young, non-breeding males to be placed within the AZA faster, freeing up more breeding space for this vulnerable subspecies.
Small Animal Building:

Rainforest Atrium - renovations have been completed in the atrium. These include:
  • The draining of one of the three pools in the habitat to provide more land space for the resident tortoises and birds.
  • A new "bridge" or animal crossing across the guest pathway allowing the tortoises more space during the winter.
  • A LOT of new plantings - both in the ground (including two new trees) as well as along the lava rock walls. Most of the plantings are tropical species including orchids and ferns.
  • New wood fences within the habitat to prevent the tortoises from eating the plantings and to give the birds some more privacy. A section of fencing has also been created to prevent guests from being able to touch the tortoises.
  • New chain curtains at both entrances of the habitat to prevent birds from flying out.
  • A new vestibule for new birds to acclimate to the space before being released. (This may be a USDA requirement since birds are now included, but I am not sure).
  • New hose hookups for all three sections of the habitat.
Aldabra giant tortoise Aldabrachelys gigantea
Radiated tortoise Astrochelys radiata
Leopard tortoise Stigmochelys pardalis
Vietnam pheasant Lophura edwardsi
Red junglefowl Gallus gallus
Spur-winged lapwing Vanellus spinosus
Roseate spoonbill Platalea ajaja

My opinion on the Rainforest Atrium renovations....
  • While it is nice to see this habitat get some TLC, I cannot help but feel it is lipstick on a pig. These renovations would have been quite costly (all the new plantings and waterwork) but did not do a great deal in improving animal welfare or guest aesthetics. Unfortunately, I think the money they dumped into this project only points to the Small Animal Building demolition/renovation being put on the backburner for even longer now. This is disappointing because the space does not allow for the functions of a modern zoo exhibit (e.g. participating in SSP programs). The SAB has a soft place in my heart, I appreciate its concept and would have loved to see it in its prime. However, it is slowly losing its charm and uniqueness. Hodge podge projects like this will not save it, and I believe it is time to use this space in the zoo for something new and innovative.
Temperate Zone
  • With the tortoises having moved indoors for the winter, a new exhibit has been designated for the zoo's Berlandier's (Texas) tortoise (Gopherus berlandieri). This individual formerly shared a habitat with the zoo's burrowing owls (moved to Wild Utah) which is now occupied by Gaia the black-footed cat.
  • A new species can be found in the Temperate Zone: Argentinean horned frog (Ceratophrys ornata).
Tropics Zone
  • Some of the birds who were moved from the Rainforest Atrium and into the former cape porcupine habitat appear to be staying in the Tropics Zone permanently.
Speckled mousebird Colius striatus
Pied imperial pigeon Ducula bicolor
Superb starling Lamprotornis superbus
Rose-ringed parakeet Alexandrinus krameri

Desert Zone
  • The Mojave desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) have moved indoors for the winter in the Sonoran Desert habitat.
Asian Highlands:
  • Habitats 2 and 5 are both currently unoccupied. Habitat 2 is empty as the zoo's last Pallas's cat passed away. Habitat 5 is undergoing renovations including a new shelter and shifting door at the top of the habitat (near South Rim).
  • Not really news but... the snow leopard cubs might be the cutest things I have ever seen. They are on display in habitat 1 (the maternity yard).
Other Zoo News:
  • The last three 1950's era cages have been removed from zoo grounds. One was located outside of the Small Animal Building, and the other two were on the South Rim. See link for reference: Golden Pheasant Exhibit - ZooChat
 
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