Trip Report, 2-5-23
News
- There were employees and/or docents at many exhibits today. I explicitly heard one of them mention this was part of expanded safety precautions after the recent events in Dallas. Some of these individuals are not trained to the specific exhibits they are assigned and admitted as such, but they were all helpful and passionate people, as you would expect.
- The first exhibit in the McCormick Bird House is empty, the animals are off-exhibit, and the signage has been removed.
- The bahelor gorilla troop is off-exhibit at the moment. The family troop was acting strangely; at one point, the silverback and the other gorillas chased a particular individual into one corner of the indoor exhibit, near guests, and exhibited aggressive behavior including teeth-baring, while the cornered gorilla seemed to cry. There was no injury though. It was quite a spectacle for visitors, and a zoo staff member was present.
- One of the younger penguins looked to be at adult size but still has a lot of gray feathers. It tried to mate with another penguin.
- Black Tree Monitor have either returned or never left; they are no longer listed on the zoo's website so I thought they had left.
- Yes, the Golden Silk Spider is back as previously reported.
Animal Activity
- In December, many animals from warmer regions were still on outdoor exhibit; almost none of those were out today; the lions, painted dogs, plains zebra, rhinoceros, kangaroo, peccary, and flamingo were all off-display most/all of this visit, and the giraffes, gorillas, and chimpanzee were indoors. The red river hog, white-cheeked gibbon, ostrich, African penguin, camel and Grevy's zebra were outside, however, alongside the species from cold regions.
- The Children's Zoo was very active today -- both black bears and both wolves were outside, with the former coming up to the glass for quite a while. I've seen both species once before here, but it really felt like the first time again today. The otter exhibit is still drained and no sign of the beavers, but lots of kids were playing on the new treehouse.
- Both polar bears were out and together, and spent a while eating lettuce as well as in their cooling cave. A lot of guests ran between multiple glass windows to view the animals and it was different seeing them together. This was my first time seeing activity there since it opened and the exhibit is growing on me more. Seeing the bears together made me more hopeful for future breeding, they seemed comfortable with each other.
- African Journey's first rainforest atrium was full of activity - one of the diana monkeys kept trying to play with a specific toy, meanwhile one of the Spoonbills ate in front of me and flew over my head twice. An Abdim's stork also flew over my head twice. This is one of my favorite spots in the zoo now and all three animals really stole the show for me.
- Also in African Journey, one of the meerkats had an round item stuck on its head and spent several minutes trying to get the item off, rolling around, contorting itself, bumping its head into things to try to loosen it. A concerned guest approached a keeper who quickly helped the 'pinata' off the animal's head and indicated this has happened before.
- The free-flight aviary in McCormick Bird House was very active with the nicobar pigeons perching near visitors, the Hamerkop repeatedly flying from the corner ledge then returning to it, the Bali Myna hanging around in the back, an inca tern on an exit sign. I found it almost overwhelming. It really helps you appreciate the diversity of bird life. Shorelines and Guam also remain highlight of the building.
- Small Mammal-Reptile House had an active and exciting gaboon viper but I also saw Kevin and Namiko today! It's been a long time since I've seen otters. One of the otters, I'm assuming Kevin, seemed a little uncomfortable with the exhibit and spent a period perched in the second part vocalizing squeaky, while Namiko played in the water before she went by him. I look forward to seeing them bond further. Also spotted the saki monkey for the first time, although viewing for that exhibit is difficult. I'm really shocked they have two-level viewing for the room but the arboreal primates seem further away from that section. A guest seemed to see the Puerto Rican parrots but I could not find them. Still feels odd without the cavy.
- The chimpanzees were doing multiple activities. Hank was laying down as if trying to sleep but seemed awake, which made for an entertaining photograph. Two others were digging in their habitat. Another was in a hammock and a fifth was just beyond view.
- The francois langurs were much more active than December, but one of the was also behaving aggressive towards visitors, with lots of teeth-baring through the glass.
- The eastern black and white colobus monkeys did not seem to be on display today, and the pygmy slow loris may have been off as well, did not see it while I was close by.
- The moholi bush baby is so shy, both visits it seemed to be around, and then retreated when guests came by.
Stray Observations
- There was a good number of families out, a lot for a winter visit but not enough to choke anything out. A lot of parents were reading signs to their kids and exhibiting basic or above basic knowledge. It was really different to see the zoo's educational role in action like this as opposed to people glancing at an animal name and moving on.
- I passed by Macaque Forest three or four times and it hit me that this is the new Baboon Island, really. You can pass by the exhibit and one of the macaques is always doing something, there's so many of them and they seem quite comfortable by the glass and around people. The species and exhibit have grown on me immensely over the years.
- I think McCormick Bird House could use a new signage scheme, personally. While it has some very good messaging about birds as a group, I do wish it included a little more about the species on-exhibit.
- The website says the Gift Shop remains open until 5PM but it was closed before 4:30PM today. It closed early on my last visit too but I thought that was a result of Holiday Magic scheduling.
Double misses between both winter visits: Aardvark, Red Panda, Canada Lynx, North American River Otter, Beaver, Crowned Lemur, Golden-Headed Lion Tamarin, Puerto Rican Parrot, Guam Rail, Sunbittern, Allen's Swamp Monkey, Eastern Screech Owl, debatably Red Kangaroo, Chacoan Peccary, Patagonian Cavy?
