Oakland Zoo Issues, Problems, and the Future

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

I decided to make a new thread talking about Oakland zoo's problems and what will happen to the zoo in the future. One issue I have noticed is that there is no actual plan after the opening of California trail. I've contacted the zoo via email and social media with no response asking the same question, "What is the zoo's plan after the opening of California trail". Mind you that the zoo has responded to other questions before so this was a bit unusual. I concluded that they're A.) Trying to come up with a plan or B.) They don't have an actual plan. This is a little concerning seeing as how California trail opens in about 5 weeks. They are most likely trying to make a new master plan and that will be released maybe after a year or earlier so this is just a minor problem and I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

The real issue is the lack of breeding success at the zoo. Of course the zoo has had breeding success with other animals. The river otters have had 6 litters since 2011 which is very nice for a zoo such as Oakland. The zoo has also had 8 Hamadryas baboon babies in a span of four years, another success for the zoo. There is also the breeding of the Yellow-Legged frogs and the Puerto Rico toads which is all done out of public view. The zoo does have breeding success, but there are animals at the zoo who could actually use this success. Cotton top tamarins are critically endangered, chimpanzees are endangered, etc. It's like the zoo is only focused on education (which is important) and getting surplus animals. All the bats are male, All the lions are male, the elephants had offspring in the past but that didn't turn out well and the zoo is not bringing in another young female or male to help with breeding (which is understandable but still). All siamangs are male, all tamarins are female, etc. Even the lesser flamingoes, animals that breed regularly at every zoo don't produce any offspring (or at least none that I've seen. This lack of breeding from some of the zoo's biggest attractions can be solved by importing animals to breed. But the zoo doesn't do that. Instead it waste valuable space for more rare animals to animals that are neutered and have no genetic value (Please note that although I'm happy that the tigers have a forever home, it would be better if the zoo had other animals producing offspring so that the tigers don't feel like a waste of breeding potential with Sumatran or Malayan tigers.



I love my zoo and i think what they have done so far is amazing, but I feel like they should be able to do more in the global scale of things. If they become more involved with breeding programs nationwide and produce a nice master plan, I think the zoo will become better. There are of course other issues at the zoo but I'll leave that to the rest of you.

 

[FBBird]

I decided to make a new thread talking about Oakland zoo's problems and what will happen to the zoo in the future. One issue I have noticed is that there is no actual plan after the opening of California trail. I've contacted the zoo via email and social media with no response asking the same question, "What is the zoo's plan after the opening of California trail". Mind you that the zoo has responded to other questions before so this was a bit unusual. I concluded that they're A.) Trying to come up with a plan or B.) They don't have an actual plan. This is a little concerning seeing as how California trail opens in about 5 weeks. They are most likely trying to make a new master plan and that will be released maybe after a year or earlier so this is just a minor problem and I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

The real issue is the lack of breeding success at the zoo. Of course the zoo has had breeding success with other animals. The river otters have had 6 litters since 2011 which is very nice for a zoo such as Oakland. The zoo has also had 8 Hamadryas baboon babies in a span of four years, another success for the zoo. There is also the breeding of the Yellow-Legged frogs and the Puerto Rico toads which is all done out of public view. The zoo does have breeding success, but there are animals at the zoo who could actually use this success. Cotton top tamarins are critically endangered, chimpanzees are endangered, etc. It's like the zoo is only focused on education (which is important) and getting surplus animals. All the bats are male, All the lions are male, the elephants had offspring in the past but that didn't turn out well and the zoo is not bringing in another young female or male to help with breeding (which is understandable but still). All siamangs are male, all tamarins are female, etc. Even the lesser flamingoes, animals that breed regularly at every zoo don't produce any offspring (or at least none that I've seen. This lack of breeding from some of the zoo's biggest attractions can be solved by importing animals to breed. But the zoo doesn't do that. Instead it waste valuable space for more rare animals to animals that are neutered and have no genetic value (Please note that although I'm happy that the tigers have a forever home, it would be better if the zoo had other animals producing offspring so that the tigers don't feel like a waste of breeding potential with Sumatran or Malayan tigers.



I love my zoo and i think what they have done so far is amazing, but I feel like they should be able to do more in the global scale of things. If they become more involved with breeding programs nationwide and produce a nice master plan, I think the zoo will become better. There are of course other issues at the zoo but I'll leave that to the rest of you.

I don't think Lesser Flamingos are particularly free breeders.

 

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

I don't think Lesser Flamingos are particularly free breeders.

My mistake, I assumed that the species was similar with other flamingo species with breeding after reading about other zoos having success breeding them. After reading an article talking about Fort Worth’s flamingo babies, I learned about how hard the species is to breed in captivity. My apologies.

 

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

Sorry to revive a dead thread but I now have a new idea of what Oakland should fix.

1.) Chimpanzee exhibit. Although it offers climbing opportunities it is too small for seven individuals. A new exhibit is definitely needed or at least a renovation.

2.) Oakland zoo has a few empty exhibits now, especially in the rainforest section of the zoo. Would be a shame to see some of the space wasted (besides the old gibbon exhibit for which I know could still be Nikko’s home). Thoughts on what they could add? I’m referring to the handful of empty terrariums in the rainforest section, the newly empty gibbon exhibit, and the might as well be empty muntjac exhibit.

Once they figure that out then maybe make a master plan that corresponds to all of this.

 

[Arizona Docent]

Holding surplus animals (such as an all male lion pride) does contribute to the overall population. It allows other zoos that are set up as breeding facilities to continue to breed. If Oakland didn't take them, they might be forced to stay at their facility of origin and prevent that facility from breeding more generations. The AZA and their breeding programs (SSP and PMP) work collectively and the only way it works is if some zoos agree to be holding facilities, especially for bachelor males (I mean many species, not just lions). If it is any consolation, they do plan to breed the wolves.

As for future plans, I imagine as you say they are working on a master plan. When I was there in the summer and got a sneak preview of the soon-to-open California Trail, I only had half an hour to run through the old part of the zoo. I was not impressed with what I saw, but I hope California Trail will give them the boost they need to improve the older sections.

 

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

Holding surplus animals (such as an all male lion pride) does contribute to the overall population. It allows other zoos that are set up as breeding facilities to continue to breed. If Oakland didn't take them, they might be forced to stay at their facility of origin and prevent that facility from breeding more generations. The AZA and their breeding programs (SSP and PMP) work collectively and the only way it works is if some zoos agree to be holding facilities, especially for bachelor males (I mean many species, not just lions). If it is any consolation, they do plan to breed the wolves.

As for future plans, I imagine as you say they are working on a master plan. When I was there in the summer and got a sneak preview of the soon-to-open California Trail, I only had half an hour to run through the old part of the zoo. I was not impressed with what I saw, but I hope California Trail will give them the boost they need to improve the older sections.

Thanks @Arizona Docent. I never really thought about it that way. I guess Oakland really does help in breeding programs in their own way. Nevertheless I would still like to see at least a gibbon breeding program now that there is an empty exhibit. Maybe they could get involved in breeding programs that’s are seeing less success?

The zoo has answered nearly all my questions except when it pertains towards the idea of a master plan. They are most likely planning something but are probably on the brainstorming stage as California trail only opened almost half a year ago. Then again the land that the zoo could use is not a lot so if they do come up with something it’s not surprising that it’s taking time. They could do something on the zoo meadow since there are so many parks, play structures, etc at the zoo.

Any ideas what could go in the currently empty exhibits? The muntjac exhibit would probably not house muntjacs after a few years so what would be in there? And the rainforest terrariums that used to house Taiwan beauty snakes and chameleons? What about the old macaw exhibit? The gibbon exhibit is a bit of a no brainer, either Nikko returns or they bring in new gibbons (the later is most likely based on Nikko’s social behavior). I feel like I still have a lot of questions that are still unanswered both with me and the zoo itself.