Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Jacksonville Zoo News

Once Tony Vecchio took over the Oregon Zoo there was a record-breaking year for attendance 9 times in 11 years. He has left a booming zoo that seems to open 2 new exhibits every year and has $125 million to spend on the future for a smaller zoo in northern Florida. Was it the weather that made up his mind?:) A fresh challenge that substitutes sunshine for rain?
 
snowleopard said:
Once Tony Vecchio took over the Oregon Zoo there was a record-breaking year for attendance 9 times in 11 years. He has left a booming zoo that seems to open 2 new exhibits every year and has $125 million to spend on the future for a smaller zoo in northern Florida. Was it the weather that made up his mind?:) A fresh challenge that substitutes sunshine for rain?
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I would assume a larger check and around 30 acres of land the zoo acquired he can shape as he wants.
 
I enjoyed my visit to the Jacksonville Zoo in December, and the African and South American areas are excellent. In fact I'd rank it above the Oregon Zoo overall, and I'm sure that with an upcoming Asian area it will get even better. However, Oregon has so much potential. This year there is "Red Ape Reserve" and "Predators of the Serengeti" opening, a possible 150 acre off-site elephant facility, and then $125 million on chimps, polar bears, elephants and other animals. Whoever replaces Tony Vecchio is walking into a golden situation, and the Oregon Zoo pulls in 1.5 million visitors every year.
 
Went to the zoo today....

Rift Valley Aviary has many new inhabitants since my last visit....Pied Crow, Motmots, Rollers, a move away from its traditional African theme....including a Victorian Crowned Pigeon, Muntjac, Boat-billed Heron, and Red-legged Seriema.

Speke's Gazelle have been moved to the Rhino yard along with White-backed Vultures.

And the expanded Gorilla yard with the lone silverback desperately needs water...much of the grass and vegatation of the filled in moat has died or is dying.
 
Is there no zoo that will take the solitary silverback? Are Jacksonville going to keep him for decades until he dies? Is there a plan to bring in more gorillas? Sheesh...haha.
 
snowleopard said:
Is there no zoo that will take the solitary silverback? Are Jacksonville going to keep him for decades until he dies? Is there a plan to bring in more gorillas? Sheesh...haha.
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I know the zoo has plans to expand the Bonobo troop and I believe the eventual plan is to use that yard for the Bonobos. As for the silverback, to my knowledge all of Jacksonville's gorillas are essentially genetic castoffs who won't ever get breeding recommendations. Quito, the gorilla in the large open enclousure, had previously been housed with Rumples on one occasion. That ended when they sent each other to the hospital and then was involved in the death of Ben, one of the other bachelor gorillas. So no, I would say no zoo would want him, unless they were a small zoo just looking to exhibit a gorilla.
 
No zoo that will take the solitary silverback? He is in a zoo. :confused:

Two contracepted females from Chicago are to join Quito in the near future. While Rump and Lash are to remain in a bachelor troop. It is rather difficult to create bachelor troops and it takes lots of trial and error.

As for being genetic castoffs...they just belong to big families. The size of the SSP gorilla population is well over target, so there isnt much room for breeding and more gorillas. Only those with few relatives will be allowed to breed at this time. So some of Jax's males wont be seeing ladies anytime soon and none of them will hear the littel pitter-patter of young gorillas.


Also forgot to mention that Brown Pelicans have been added to the Emerald Forest aviary.
 
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okapikpr said:
No zoo that will take the solitary silverback? He is in a zoo. :confused:

Two contracepted females from Chicago are to join Quito in the near future. While Rump and Lash are to remain in a bachelor troop. It is rather difficult to create bachelor troops and it takes lots of trial and error.

As for being genetic castoffs...they just belong to big families. The size of the SSP gorilla population is well over target, so there isnt much room for breeding and more gorillas. Only those with few relatives will be allowed to breed at this time. So some of Jax's males wont be seeing ladies anytime soon and none of them will hear the littel pitter-patter of young gorillas.


Also forgot to mention that Brown Pelicans have been added to the Emerald Forest aviary.
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I believed SL was asking if hypothetically, the zoo wanted to move Quito. Good to know the zoo is bringing in female gorillas though. Perhaps I was abit harsh with the "Genetic castoff" comment, but I don't see how that didn't sum up the situation.

Forgot to mention, great shots you've added the last few days. You have any info on the status of the Giant Otters the zoo has been trying to get forever from Guyana?
 
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As for being genetic castoffs...they just belong to big families. The size of the SSP gorilla population is well over target, so there isnt much room for breeding and more gorillas. Only those with few relatives will be allowed to breed at this time. So some of Jax's males wont be seeing ladies anytime soon and none of them will hear the littel pitter-patter of young gorillas.


If you guys have to many Gorillas in the USA you could always send a few down under, I am sure some of our zoos without Gorillas would be interested ;)
 
MARK said:
As for being genetic castoffs...they just belong to big families. The size of the SSP gorilla population is well over target, so there isnt much room for breeding and more gorillas. Only those with few relatives will be allowed to breed at this time. So some of Jax's males wont be seeing ladies anytime soon and none of them will hear the littel pitter-patter of young gorillas.


If you guys have to many Gorillas in the USA you could always send a few down under, I am sure some of our zoos without Gorillas would be interested ;)
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Seconded. Werribee, Perth, Mogo and Beerwah are all planning new gorilla exhibits. Send them here!
 
FSBlue said:
Harry the jaguar cub explores larger exhibit space at the Jacksonville zoo | Jacksonville.com

Harry, the zoo's Jaguar cub made his debut in the larger of the two exhibits the other day. Hopefully he doesn't turn out like Salsa (the zoo's black Jaguar) and gets fat eating all the fish in the pond. Also, this hopefully mean's Salsa can go back on public exhibit now that the Temple exhibit has been freed up.
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I was at the zoo on Monday and have up-loaded a picture of Harry on the Gallery.

My first time at this zoo. Really quite nice in very many ways.
 
FSBlue said:
Harry the jaguar cub explores larger exhibit space at the Jacksonville zoo | Jacksonville.com

Harry, the zoo's Jaguar cub made his debut in the larger of the two exhibits the other day. Hopefully he doesn't turn out like Salsa (the zoo's black Jaguar) and gets fat eating all the fish in the pond. Also, this hopefully mean's Salsa can go back on public exhibit now that the Temple exhibit has been freed up.
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The zoo sometimes let her have the exhibit with her sister after hours, once all the vistors left.
 
I know she's been in the Temple exhibit after hours, but that still doesn't solve the issue of her being on exhibit when visitors are present ;).
 
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