San Diego Zoo List of Species On Exhibit 11-26-13

ericnielsenpdx said:
Thank you so much for the update on one of my favorite collections in the world. It's been about 6 years since I was there but do they no longer have striped hyena, royal antelope and hairy nosed wombats either in the collection or just not on exhibit?
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They had all three on exhibit when I was there in July of this year. From geomorph's list, the Royal Antelope was replaced by the echidna and the hairy nosed wombats were replaced by the tasmanian devils. Geomorph has not posted the "Africa Rocks" list where the striped hyena should be.
 
@FWC- San Diego will never phase out Harpy Eagles. Most of the individual specimens in the United States are owned by San Diego. The pic that geomorph uploaded is definitely a juvenile that was born this year and most likely they have it in the exhibit to learn and get comfortable cause there probably getting ready to send it to another zoo.
 
Thank you for this most intresting list Geomorph ! A lot of species I didn't know they even are still kept in America !
 
Africa Rocks

AFRICA ROCKS: (29 Exhibits)
Composed of a nice exhibit complex called African Kopje and an area of historic small grottoes and cages, this zone occupies the area that was once called Dog and Cat Canyon. In the near future, all of the older exhibits will be demolished to make way for a new exhibit complex tentatively called Africa Rocks. 6 of the grottoes are already empty in anticipation of the major construction to come. This tour will begin at the highest elevation of the canyon that is occupied by African Kopje (it will not be demolished), and then travel down the canyon to Asian Passage; first the left side exhibits, then the right side exhibits.

African Kopje:
This exhibit complex has 9 exhibits, opened in 1986, and was expanded later to include an older yard that was once the first-encountered of the classic yards on this side of the former Horn and Hoof Mesa. When it opened, this complex began my interest in zoo design so it has a special place in my heart!

Aviary:
Madagascar Buttonquail, White-headed Lapwing, Purple-crested Turaco

2 yards:
Southwest African Meerkat (2 exhibits, one is much smaller than the other) (this is a renovated Horn and Hoof Mesa yard)

Aviary:
African Pygmy Falcon

Netted enclosure:
North Chinese Leopard (conflicts geographic theme, was once an aviary)

2 aviaries:
Trumpeter Hornbill, Reichenow’s Helmeted Guineafowl
Golden-breasted Starling, Blue-naped Mousebird, White-headed Buffalo Weaver, Green Woodhoopoe, White-crowned Robin-chat, Amethyst Starling (this was once a small rocky yard for reptiles)

Yard:
Klipspringer, South African Rock Hyrax, Dwarf Mongoose

Aviary:
Bateleur Eagle

Left (East) side of former Dog and Cat Canyon:

5 older cage exhibits:
Siberian Lynx
Snow Leopard
Jaguar
Mountain Lion
Amur Leopard

Right (West) side of Former Dog and Cat Canyon:

2 grottoes: (both are composed of 2 former grottoes whose shared walls were knocked down to make larger exhibits)
New Guinea Singing Dog
Sudanese Striped Hyena

6 grottoes: (all have temporary wood walls in front of their moats blocking access to them until they are demolished)
Empty

2 yards:
Chacoan Peccary (2 exhibits)

5 older small cages: (It would be fascinating to see a list of species that have done time in these historic prisons over the years!)
African Yellow-spotted Rock Hyrax (also known as bush hyrax, I’m fairly sure I have never seen this species before anywhere)
Buerger’s Tree Kangaroo
Fossa
South African Bat-eared Fox
Southern Ratel
 
So the old Africa Wild Dog then Hyena exhibit now houses gerenuks and warthogs? Also, I will miss the royal antelope.
 
JBZBongo, yes that is correct. There is also another Southern gerenuk exhibit in the remaining Horn and Hoof Mesa yards. I understand the warthog was most recently displayed in what is now one of the two adjacent yards for Chacoan peccary in the old Dog and Cat Canyon. I remember in the early 1980's when one of those yards had Chacoan peccary while the other had collared peccary, and at that time no other swine were in the collection.
 
Northern Frontier

NORTHERN FRONTIER: (25 Exhibits)
This zone is composed of some older exhibits, including the remainder of the area formerly known as Horn and Hoof Mesa (the majority of that former area was demolished to make room for the zone called Elephant Odyssey) and a newer exhibit complex called Polar Bear Plunge. This tour will start at the top of the moving walkway that ascends from Asian Passage in the canyon below, and follow the bus tour road through the former Horn and Hoof Mesa down a hill, then circle back up to Polar Bear Plunge.

The remains of the former Horn and Hoof Mesa:

3 yards on right side of bus tour road, near Skyfari West station:
Empty (signs said animals temporarily off-exhibit)

7 yards on left side of bus tour road:
Maned “Wolf” (quotes are theirs on the sign), Giant Anteater
Cuvier’s Gazelle
Southern Gerenuk
Empty (under renovation)
Empty (under renovation)
Lesser Kudu, Speke’s Gazelle
Grevy’s Zebra

8 older bird aviaries: (these are on the side of the road that once went down to the now-closed Goat Canyon)
Polynesian Scrubfowl, White-rumped Shama, Collared Imperial Pigeon
Mountain Peacock-pheasant, Crested Coua, Rueppell’s White-crowned Shrike
Orange-bellied Fruit-dove, Collared Finchbill, White-naped Pheasant Pigeon, Blue-crowned Laughingthrush, Chinese Hwamei
Kagu, Superb Bird-of-paradise
Papuan Mountain-pigeon
Magpie Robin, Hooded Pitta, Jambu Fruit-dove
Reeve’s Pheasant, Dollarbird, Pied Imperial Pigeon
Ross’ Turaco, White-rumped Shama

Polar Bear Plunge:
This fine exhibit complex has 7 exhibits and its educational graphics and elements were updated a few years ago.

Walk-through aviary:
Ruff, Smew, Bufflehead, Harlequin Duck, Long-tailed Duck

2 waterfowl lagoons:
Red-breasted Goose, Canvasback, Redhead, Eurasian Wigeon, Northern Pintail
Emperor Goose, Mallard, Northern Ruddy Duck, Ring-necked Duck, American Wood Duck

2 cages:
Raccoon
Arctic Fox

Hillside yard:
Siberian Reindeer

Bear exhibit:
Polar Bear
 
JBZBongo, I am not sure about those species but I think the renovations of the exhibits they might have been in are short projects, I understand they are making adjustments to the front walls of several exhibits.
 
Elephant Odyssey

ELEPHANT ODYSSEY: (17 EXHIBITS)
This zone is composed entirely of one controversial (by zoo standards) exhibit complex that opened in 2009. It replaced the majority of the former area known as Horn and Hoof Mesa. Its theme is an exploration of the extinct animals of Southern California, interpreted through living examples of their descendants or similar animals. The complex is a long path that can be entered at either end, but this tour will start at the end closest to the top of the moving walkway that ascends from Asian Passage in the canyon below.

Small yard:
Two-toed Tree Sloth

2 netted enclosures:
African Lion
Jaguar

3 elephant exhibit yards:
African Bush Elephant, Asian Elephant

Yard surrounded by elephant exhibit yard:
Guanaco, Baird’s Tapir, Capybara, Black Spur-winged Goose

Aviary:
Secretary Bird, Black-billed Magpie

4 insect and arachnid terrariums:
Sunburst Diving Beetle
Giant Weevil
Mexican Fireleg Tarantula
North American Dung Beetle

Stream yard:
Coast Range Newt, Western Fence Lizard, Pacific Pond Turtle, Side-blotched Lizard, Western Skink, Pacific Chorus Frog, Western Toad

2 yards at far end of elephant exhibit:
Pronghorn, Dromedary Camel
Burro, Domestic Horse

Snake exhibit:
Southwestern Speckled Rattlesnake, Red Diamond Rattlesnake, Southern Pacific Rattlesnake

Aviary:
California Condor
 
Summary

SUMMARY:

By my count, the total number of exhibits currently at the San Diego Zoo is: 369

By my count, the total number of species in permanent exhibits is: 561
The number of species I counted can be broken down into the following categories:
Mammals: 115
Birds: 281
Reptiles: 115
Amphibians: 16
Fish: 11
Insects and Arachnids: 23
 
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for a supposedly "world-class" zoo I am amazed at the low numbers of amphibians, fish and invertebrates! What is the reason for that?
 
Chlidonias said:
for a supposedly "world-class" zoo I am amazed at the low numbers of amphibians, fish and invertebrates! What is the reason for that?
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One interesting fact about San Diego Zoo is that it is almost entirely outdoors and open to the elements. There isn't any traditional indoor building of any kind (rainforest, aquarium, nocturnal house, etc) and 95% of the zoo is in the gorgeous sunshine that graces that part of the world. There is a Reptile House but visitors never go indoors and instead the animals are seen via outdoor walkways. The Insect House in the Children's Zoo was only recently built but it is very tiny and can be seen in probably 15 minutes or less. Any other covered areas are very slight and totally in contrast to many other zoos around the world that have a series of all-indoor exhibits. For example, Toronto Zoo in Canada has a series of pavilions where the vast number of species are located, but many other zoos (Omaha, Frankfurt, etc) have huge buildings containing animals.
 
Chlidonias said:
for a supposedly "world-class" zoo I am amazed at the low numbers of amphibians, fish and invertebrates! What is the reason for that?
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Zoos in regions with great weather year-round do not tend to focus on buildings to exhibit animals. Therefore, most of these zoos tend to lack smaller animals that require such housing.
 
I was mainly surprised at the low numbers of amphibians given that they have so many reptiles. I do find it odd that they don't have an Aquarium building though. Did they ever have an Aquarium at the zoo, because it seems like a big oversight historically for a zoo dedicated to being massive, even if they are concentrating on outdoor exhibits.
 
Chlidonias said:
I was mainly surprised at the low numbers of amphibians given that they have so many reptiles. I do find it odd that they don't have an Aquarium building though. Did they ever have an Aquarium at the zoo, because it seems like a big oversight historically for a zoo dedicated to being massive, even if they are concentrating on outdoor exhibits.
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Is there a real need for an aquarium when you have Sea World at the other end of town?
 
I am going to print this and put it with my zoo memorabilia. Thank you so much!
 
Awesome list geomorph, making me even keener to visit.

Just to point out a couple of surprising (to me) omissions from the list (although these might be held off-display) - lemurs and tamarins.

And no NZ species listed anywhere either!
 
gerenuk said:
Is there a real need for an aquarium when you have Sea World at the other end of town?
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well how old is San Diego Zoo and how old is Sea World? You can't use the current existence of the latter to explain the lack of an aquarium at the zoo when it hasn't been there anywhere near as long. I'm not saying the zoo should or shouldn't have this or that, I just personally think the huge discrepancy is weird for a zoo that prides itself on its size and scope.


(Just as an aside, without wanting to drag the thread in a different direction, does the Bronx Zoo have an aquarium?)
 
Chlidonias said:
(Just as an aside, without wanting to drag the thread in a different direction, does the Bronx Zoo have an aquarium?)
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Bronx Zoo also does not have an aquarium but there are many buildings with a long list of all-indoor exhibits at that zoo. San Diego is quite different from almost all of the other major American zoos in that everything is out in the open.

@zooboy28: San Diego is currently preparing a new exhibit complex in its "Africa Rocks" zone that will see the addition of at least 6-7 species of lemur to the zoo. Also, the Safari Park just opened a new walk-through ring-tailed lemur exhibit and so lemurs will soon be everywhere at both facilities. Still no word on what will happen to the Kiwis and Tuataras that are presumably all still off-exhibit at the zoo.

San Diego Zoo = opened in 1916
SeaWorld San Diego = opened in 1964
San Diego Zoo Safari Park = opened in 1972
 
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