Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens LA Zoo News 2011

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mstickmanp

mstickmanp

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I went to the zoo today and was lucky enough to see Billy's first day in the Cambodia yard. This happened right before zoo opened so it made the experience even better. This was also Billy's first day going in a deep pool in a long time. He was very interested in all the new smells and surroundings, but when he saw the pool he ran towards it and went in.

I also saw the Chinese Water Deer in the Crane exhibit. Hopefully this means that the zoo will be mixing both species in the future.

As I was leaving the zoo I also noticed that the Great Curassows are now in with the Scarlet Macaw and the Crested Oropendola.
 
Blackduiker said:
Were the girls out, and did you take any photographs?
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I found out later that day that the girls were in the India/China yard. I did not take any photos as I was at the zoo volunteering. I also I didn't have any time to go to the other side to take the photos.
 
Today the Zoo Commission Meeting minutes for Dec. 21 was posted in the zoo's website. Here are the highlights:

-Zoo will be receiving a female Francois Langur (didn't mention from where).
-Five female Chacoan Peccaries will be sent to Knoxville Zoo.
-Male Japanese Serow will be sent to zoo in Germany (did not mention which zoo).
-Black Bear death (which explains why only one bear was on exhibit last time I went), and Koala death
-There is now 150 billboard throughout the city featuring Elephants of Asia.
-San Diego Zoo paid for billboards near the 10 and 110 freeways congratulating the LA Zoo on the opening of EOA.
-LAIR! is 42% complete
-New parking lot is now complete.

EDIT: I also forgot to mention that 9 Giant Horned Lizards hatched at the zoo, which is a first in North America. Link: http://lazoo.org/about/press/0111/0120gianthornedlizards.html
 
Blackduiker said:
I commented on the Giant Horned Lizards hatching on your Facebook page Mario. Thanks for all the updates.
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Actually, I just saw and you commented on the LA Zoo's page and not mine. I'm sharing something posted by the LA Zoo which is why this happened.
 
Very happy with Francois langur (finally a breeding group in the erstwhile envisaged golden monkey exhibit) + the horned lizards.

Cannot wait till when the A. yniphora go on to breed?
(if they still have those confiscees)
 
mstickmanp said:
I don't think the zoo has them any more. I remember back in 2008 the Honolulu Zoo had one male, but ISIS doesn't show it anymore.
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This pertains to a highly publicised confiscation in the late 2010's.
I believe LA Zoo was the repository.

The Honolulu individual is a female and alas sterile ... / so non-reproductive. They did breed there once or twice in the distant past.

With all the confiscations and illegals vis a vis the Astrochelys species (both yniphora and radiata) in S.E. Asia I do think we should throw our reservations aside, confiscate them vigourously and try and breed them in captivity and allow offspring back onto Madagascar.
 
The annual snow days will be this weekend, Feb 5-6, 2011. Although I went the last two years, I will not be going this time. Look forward to great pics from the ZooChatters out there.
 
The monthly Zoo Commission meeting minutes for January 28 were posted, so here are some of the highlights:

-The zoo is thinking of implementing a parking fee.
-To date, $138.5 million of the $172 million bond budget had been spent.
-The LAIR is 48% complete and is expected to be completed by July of this year.
-Transaction for the Chinese Giant Salamander has been approved.
-Zoo will be receiving one male koala in exchange for Komodo hatchlings.
-USFWS have asked the Zoo to assist with recent confiscations and as a result have acquired mossy leaf tail geckos and leaf chameleons. I also heard of other reptiles (not allowed to say species) that were also confiscated that will eventually be exhibited in the new LAIR. I'm not sure if the geckos and chameleons will also be exhibited in the LAIR.
-The zoo received a female Steenbok and will receive a male for breeding. This is interesting considering the Steenboks are in the phase out list...
-Sir Elton John purchased an animal from the new Moss Family Conservation Carousel.
-The biggest news is that the Komodo Dragon pair has once again bred with the female laying 24 eggs!
-Zoo attendance was below projections for the month of December, but was about 100,000 above projections for the month of January!
-Jack Hannah filmed at the zoo for a segment in his show.

Link: http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/January2011Minutes.pdf
 
Parking fee is interesting - not sure what to make of that one. I am surprised that they would be allowed to do it considering the zoo is inside a city park. I can tell you people would never go for parking fees at any attraction in Arizona - to the best of my knowledge there is not one single tourist attraction (including zoos) anywhere in our state that charges for parking. Same for New Mexico I am pretty sure.

But elsewhere, it seems to be more accepted, including southern California. Part of me is in favor of it only for the reason that it may encourage people to carpool and bus to the zoo more. But there is also a chance that it could make people decide not to go to the zoo and thus backfire.

Of course I assume parking would still be free for members, unlike the San Diego Safari Park (which is the biggest ripoff in the zoo industry - I mean charging members parking, not the Park itself).
 
Blackduiker

They could have a huge battle on their hands with parking fees. This was tried throughout Griffith Park some years ago, it was argued down as going against Mr. Griffith's stipulation that entry to the park must always remain free to the general public. I can imagine zoo membership and attendance numbers having dropped considerably during December, being that it was our wettest December, with over 10 inches, since the 1800s. And the Komodos breeding and laying eggs could become a welcome annual event. Thanks for sharing Mario.
 
Well, the Zoo Commission meeting minutes from February 15 have been posted and there are some exciting news!

-The zoo received some new animals through confiscations including 4 Leaf Tailed Geckos, 5 Leaf Chameleons, and 4 Philippine Gray's monitors. All will be exhibited in the LAIR when it opens. Two of the 5 chameleons died, but laid eggs before they died.
-Fennec fox litter are on loan to the Living Desert and St. Louis Zoo.
-The zoo will be receiving a female Bornean Orangutan from Busch Gardens Tampa.
-One of the zoo's female Bornean Orangutan is pregnant and is due in about 7 months.
-Cape Griffin Vulture hatched

Link: http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/February2011Minutes.pdf
 
Well, on my most recent visit to the zoo I once again failed to have any sighting of the Panay Cloud Rats. But since I've yet to view the Royal Antelopes after their being on exhibit for some time now, I know it's just a matter of time and patience.

Also in the same section of the Children's Zoo, I noticed that the remaining aged female Lesser Asian Civet is no longer on exhibit, and I'd imagine deceased. The exhibit space has also been totally cleared. This was possibly the last remaining specimen in captivity.
 
The latest issue of ZooView is out, GLAZA's quarterly magazine. An excellent edition covering the new Elephants of Asia and Asian Elephants in general. One of the best issues I've read in years.
 
I was at the zoo today and there is a new big horn lamb. Cute as a button. Also the male and female babirusa were back together and the juvenile was in the side yard. The male was following the female around everywhere hoping to make more babies. :o
 
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