Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens LA Zoo News 2012

Michael said:
Harapan is located behind the World of Birds Show in a very shaded area. He is very responsive to his keepers.
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I'm assuming still off-show? Do you think he'll ever make it onto public exhibit as it seems to just be 'they've nowhere else to put him'?
 
Right now there is one area he could go in, however the area does not enough shade. Until then, he will remain off display.
 
Michael said:
Right now there is one area he could go in, however the area does not enough shade. Until then, he will remain off display.
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Thanks for clearing that up :) I wondered what the practicalities would be of either a) putting some sort of viewing [if only limited] to the enclosure he's in behind the scenes, b) adding shade structures to the currently unsuitable enclosure to make it suitable or c) introducing some sort of 'behind the scenes' tour to take small groups once or twice a day to see him.

Would Sumatran rhino not generate enough extra revenue to cover the overheads that each of these options would take? Or is that just the zoo nerd in me talking :p
 
While visiting the zoo this past weekend, I noticed two of the Giant Otter pups getting along very well on exhibit with their parents. One lone youngster remains in the zoo nursery.
 
Its unfortunate that an animal as rare as a Sumatran rhino is will not bring people into the zoo. Remember, LA has had several Sumatrans there over the years. Some friends visited Copenhagen in 1970 and saw the only Sumatran in captivity at the time. They were serious zoo buffs and took only 1 photo of Subur. I asked them why, its just another rhino was their reply. Even if people flocked to see him, any extra funding may not stay in the zoo as it is city run and the budget would probably not allow the funds to stay at the zoo.
 
Here is an article about the final ruling on the drawn out court case against the elephant exhibit. The results are mixed (saying the elephants need better care but technically are not abused by the legal definition). Rights Extremists are claiming a victory of sorts. They seem to overlook one key statement of the ruling, however. One of the problems the judge cites is "sexual frustration," meaning Billy is not allowed to breed when he goes into musth. Since the Rights people are strictly no breed and the judge says this is necessary for their welfare, I wonder what they make of that?

Judge assails Los Angeles Zoo's care of elephants - latimes.com
 
This is one of the many things that I disagree with the judge's report:

Their lives are supervised, managed, and controlled by zoo employees who appear to be in the dark about normal and abnormal behavior of elephants, in denial about the physical and emotional difficulties of the elephants they manage and whose lives they control, and under the misconception that the elephants prefer to live their lives in an exhibit with human companions rather than with other elephants. The elephants are hardly, as defendants contend, “thriving.”
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I've had the privilege of seeing the LA Zoo elephant keepers work and this is really disrespectful towards them. I wonder how he came to the conclusion that the keepers, some of which have been working with elephants for decades, are "in the dark" about elephant behaviors...anyways, here is the article where I got the quote: Billy The Elephant Can Stay At LA Zoo, Rules Judge

LA Zoo press release:
Press Room - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
 
mstickmanp said:
This is one of the many things that I disagree with the judge's report:



I've had the privilege of seeing the LA Zoo elephant keepers work and this is really disrespectful towards them. I wonder how he came to the conclusion that the keepers, some of which have been working with elephants for decades, are "in the dark" about elephant behaviors...anyways, here is the article where I got the quote: Billy The Elephant Can Stay At LA Zoo, Rules Judge

LA Zoo press release:
Press Room - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
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That is because the juror is an ignorant twat when it comes to biology, zoology and animal behavior (and so are these so-called animal rightists). This entire issue SHOULD not even have been in the courtroom. A complete waste of taxpayers' monies (... there is so-called delusional hyper democracy for ya).
 
I barely noticed this in the zoo's Press Room page, but in the update of the chimp baby death the zoo mentions that another chimp was born on July 23 to Regina. The update mentions that the introductions to adult males will take longer and the infants won't be introduced to Ripley until they are more mature.

Link: Press Room - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens
 
I also noticed the birth announcement of another baby chimp over a week ago. A happy event after the recent tragic loss of the other baby.
 
The Zoo Commission meeting minutes for August 21 have been posted, here are some highlights:

- Rainforest of the Americas project is 40% complete, and is on schedule to open in April 2013.
- Outgoing animals include: Giant Horned Lizards, Chinese Alligator, and
Komodo Dragons.
- The zoo will be receiving a Bolen's Python for the LAIR.
- The zoo will also be receiving a Keel-billed Toucan for Rainforest of the Americas.
- Serval born at the end of June.
- Female Chimp born, and another female Chimp is pregnant.
- Admission increases have gone into affect.

Link: http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/August2012Minutes.pdf
 
The September 18 Zoo Commission meeting minutes have been posted. Here are the highlights:

-The zoo talks about various reasons why some animals are hand reared in the zoo's nursery. It does mention Gerenuks, which has been asked several times here in Zoochat.
-$154.2 million of $171.8 million has been spent.
-Rainforest of the America's is 45% complete.
-The zoo will discuss what to do with savings from the capital projects. One of the suggestions include a new Jaguar exhibit!
-Outgoing animals include: Roadrunners, Speke's Gazelle, Sumatran Tiger (from Fort Worth to Toronto), Chinese Goral (The Wilds)
-The zoo will be receiving a very valuable Harpy Eagle female.
-Grey Seals have been moved to Sea Life Cliffs.

Link:http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/September2012Minutes.pdf
 
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BeardsleyZooFan said:
If the new jag exhibit plan goes through, would it be placed in Rainforest of The Americas?
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I have no idea, but I doubt it. The zoo's current South America section seems like it will stay intact even after RotA opens, so maybe it will be there. As long as a new exhibit is built then I don't really care where it goes.

If a new Jaguar exhibit is not chosen then I would like for them to use the money to reopen the Koala House or remodel the walk through aviaries to better fit in with RotA.
 
In the new Zoo Commission meeting minutes, there is more talk about what to do with the extra funds that were left from the capital campaigns. The three plans include a new Jaguar exhibit ($3-5 millions), a new picnic/event area behind the Children's Discovery Center ($900,000), or hiring a consultant to develop a new Master Plan ($250,000). It seems that the commission prefers the funds to be used to hire a consultant. I personally don't see how they couldn't be able hire a consultant and build a new Jaguar exhibit considering they have almost $6 million left in uncommitted funds.

Other highlights:
-Talk about zoo governance.
-As of October 2012, Rainforest of the Americas was 48% complete and expected to open in Spring 2013.
-Female Markhor will be sent to the Bronx Zoo
-2 Female gazelle (no species specified) to San Diego Zoo
-2 Gerenuks to Berlin Zoo
-Babirusa piglet born
-Harbor and Grey Seals are now fully integrated in Sea Life Cliffs
-Zoo looking into acquiring new Lions, but will need to modify exhibit first.

LINK: http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/October2012Minutes.pdf
 
2 Gerenuks to Berlin Zoo?????!!!!! Really? No joke, no mistake? (Sorry for my doubts, but this seems to good to be true).
 
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