Looking back on 2021

DesertRhino150

DesertRhino150

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Now that we are approaching the end of the year, I figure a thread like this could be good. Three categories:

1. Your personal zoo visit highlight

2. Favourite piece of zoo news

3. Biggest disappointment

As an added bonus, is there anything you are planning or looking forward to next year?
 
1. Your personal zoo visit highlight

Seeing a newly born Eurasian red deer fawn at Forestia in June and seeing a whole rabbit feeding of Tasmanian devils at Planckendael just a couple of weeks ago.

2. Favorite piece of zoo news

The orangutan project and new antelope house project at Planckendael going ahead. Let's hope there won't be further delays. Also seeing the Inca terns return to the South American aviary at Planckendael.

3. Biggest disappointment

Covid continuing to be a massive issue and 2021 not really being much better or different than 2020 (and it looks like 2022 won't be any better either, if not even worse). Covid is still a Sword of Damocles above society in general and above the future of zoos, and to be honest, with the new omicron variant I have great difficulty being even a little bit hopeful.
 
1. Getting to see the platypus at SDZSP!! I also am very happy I got to see the giant eland herd there before they were sent away/moved bts.

2. The birth of baby Asian elephant Winnie at the Houston Zoo. She’s truly a special elephant calf for both the Houston Zoo, as she’s second generation and born via AI, and the north american population in general since she’s female.

3. The fact that another year has gone by with no news or indications that the Asian Savanna at SDZSP will be accessible to the public without an extra fee. There have been rumors of an Asian Savanna tram for years. But with the park moving forward with the elephant expansion/renovation, I don’t think we’ll be getting any Asian tram updates anytime soon…
 
1. Your personal zoo visit highlight

Finally seeing Lion brothers Brutus and Titus awake, I have never seen Lions awake before in zoo

2. Favorite piece of zoo news

The confirmed pregnancies of 9 elephants across the world

African Elephant

0.1 Kiki 2004-00-00 (Henry Doorly Zoo) Due in February 2022
0.1 Tika (Tusker x Sabie) 2007-07-13 (Wuppertal Zoo) Due in Autumn 2022
0.1 Claire 2008-00-00 (Henry Doorly Zoo) Due in February 2022

Asian Elephant

0.1 Dokkoon 1993-00-00 (Melbourne Zoo) Due in 2022 or 2023
0.1 Asha (Onyx x Connie) 1995-02-02 (Oklahoma City Zoo) Due in late January to early February 2022
0.1 Num Oi 2001-00-00 (Melbourne Zoo) Due in 2022 or 2023
0.1 Swe Zin (Radza x Htoo Kin Aye) 2007-08-08 (Wildlands Adventure Zoo) Due in late 2022 or early 2023
0.1 Mali (Bong Su x Dokkoon) 2010-01-16 (Melbourne Zoo) Due in 2022 or 2023
0.1 Faya (Timber x Bangka) 2010-07-20 (Rotterdam Zoo) Due in 2023

3. Biggest disappointment

One of my cousins was sent back home with a inflamed appendices, but luckily she was treated and is doing much better
 
1. Your personal zoo visit highlight

Possibly the fact that I actually had the chance to finally see a living elephant shrew/sengi species with my own eyes. More specifically, one of the (currently) four individual Black-and-Rufous Sengis (Rhynchocyon petersi) at the Bronx Zoo.


2. Favorite piece of zoo news

Simply due to the fact that Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park has had three successfully conceived white rhino calves that were all born within the last thirteen months, and also due to the fact that I was able enough to be one of the few people here on ZooChat who had actively reported about each of their dates of birth, along with the naming reveal for each (or at least, most) of the calves as well:

1.0 Ranger 2020-10-25 (Dugan x Kendi)
1.0. Mylo 2021-09-08 (Dugan x Jao)
0.1 * 2021-11-02 (Dugan x Lola) (*currently unnamed)


3. Biggest disappointment

Probably the time that I actually had, and later tested positive for Covid back in late September. However, ten days later on a positive note, I was more than happy enough to finally visit the Duke Lemur Center for the first time, mainly to participate in their Mission Madagascar gala, as a somewhat simple relief from what I had only just embraced before, (don’t worry, I did manage to get an in-home test prior the trip, and was later tested negative not long afterward).
 
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1. A goodbye visit to Bristol, complete with my first view of the kowaris.

2. Chester getting Coquerel’s sifakas a couple of weeks before my visit.

3. Not seeing said sifakas, nor anything else in the Madagascar area! :mad:
 
1. My first ever visit to Pécs, where I had the pleasure to meet the zoo's education leader who is quasi the second most important person in the zoo. She is a really nice woman:) The zoo was a bit disappointing, but its aquarium-terrarium complex definitely worth the visit.
2. Persian leopards born in Budapest Zoo:)
3. Biggest disappointment is probably the issue of Budapest Zoo's Biodome. For further info visit Budapest Zoo news threads, either the one about 2021 and the former one.
I'd like to visit Schönbrunn next year.
 
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1. Managed to see all the species (IUCN) of Ungulates in Europe, and especially the "last" 5 - the Ethiopian Klipspringer, Slender-horned Gazelle, Mountain Anoa, Brown Brocket Deer and Red Hartebeest.
-Marsh Mongoose at Plzen

2. Pangolins coming to Prague. Marbled Cat at Cornwall. The new Coquerel's Sifakas in Europe.

3. The new lockdawn ! Personally: missed Dortmund and Osnabrück zoos, due to flight cancellation. Bighorn sheep left Arnhem.
 
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1. Even though I visited Paradise Wildlife Park for the first time in August, it would probably be at Colchester zoo either when I had a mandrill keeper shadowing experience and unexpectedly had a good view of the recently born warthog piglets in May, when I finally got to see the (long awaited by me)new orangutans on the zoos 58th birthday, or when I had my giraffe keeper shadowing in August.

2. This would most probably be the confirmation on the 14th May that Mali and Tatau, a mother and daughter pair of Bornean orangutans, had completed their move from Paignton to Colchester zoo. They had arrived in early February 2021 after the news that they would be coming to Colchester zoo had been announced on the 2nd March 2020. (This was before lockdown, and them being announced was the perfect birthday news for me!)

3. There hasn't been that many things to disappoint me this year that have happened, (what would annoy me more is things that haven't happened). For me, perhaps selfishly, it would probably be finding out that Mali and Tatau were related to Tiga, Colchester's resident male (I probably should have seen this coming given Tiga arrived from Twycross zoo in 2009) thus there probably wouldn't be any breeding of orangs at Colchester through these individuals.

All in all, I can't wait to see what construction developments, and developments within the animal collection take place in 2022 at CZ. Personally I hope there are developments with the African elephant herd. I also can't wait to see all of the new enclosures that may be opening at Paradise Wildlife Park.
 
1. Seeing a White rumped shama in Helsinki zoos Africasia house and at the same time taking a picture with three bird species (White rumped shama, Mindanao bleeding heart, Crested partridge)

2. Mishmi takins returning to Helsinki zoo after seven years of absences

3. Not being able to properly view the Urials at Helsinki zoo before they all left.
 
1 My first visit to Highland Wildlife Park in September. Although I had heard and seen a lot about it, it was even more impressive than I had expected.

2 Indian Sloth Bears arriving at a free zoo less than an hours drive away in November (Johnson's of Old Hurst).
Possibly this almost equalled the arrival of the Coquerel's Sifaka at Chester (seeing those last month was my 2nd best highlight had I posted it above)

3. Biggest Disappointment

Possibly the loss of the last Asian Golden Cat in the UK at Thrigby recently, it has always been my highlight species there.

Obviously the pandemic has continued to make travel abroad difficult, so I am disappointed not to have got to a zoo outside the UK again this year.
 
1. My first visit to Whipsnade in years, or returning to Exmoor unexpectedly and seeing active Fanalokas! My first ever Hausa Genet and Zorilla were also pretty nice as well...

2. Sloth Bears at Johnson's was prety big, now I need a return visit before too long.

3. Not being able to visit a zoo for the first four months of the year sucked, the sad state of Bristol Zoo now, and an honorary mention to the Ratels still not being on-show when I visited Exmoor.

Next year I've got tentative plans for Blackpool and Wild Discovery, as well as more concrete plans for Johnson's, Linton, and Shepreth after the festive period.
 
1. Your personal zoo visit highlight
Can't choose between my first view of the doucs in Beauval (long waited but a species I already saw in Cologne) and my return in Réserve Africaine de Sigean (since I was a child) with the discovery of the outstanding african walkthrough aviary (a true jewel)

2. Favourite piece of zoo news
As a pig lover the two new babirusa pigglets born in Cerza are a real delight and a small light in the species developpment in Europe. But on the other hand the confirmation of the arrival of okapis and cassowaries in Branfere is a very good news and creates a great expectation.

3. Biggest disappointment
Here no choice to do : the newly opened Ecozonia was really disapppointing. There are few animals to see and the visitor experience is nothing good. Only good point : the three dholes large natural enclosures were a highlight.

4. Extra ball
Wood love to return to one of the three best european countries for zoo nerds (in my opinion) : UK, Germany or Czech Republic (with my preference to the third one).
 
1) Personal zoo visit highlight : visiting Plzen Zoo in October. @Jana made this possible for me and once again : many, many thanks for this Jana ! A lot of new and / or rare species and surtainly worth a re-visit !
2) Favorite piece of zoo news : birth of an African elephant at Ouwehands - Rhenen - only the second birth of this species in the Netherlands.
3 ) Biggest disappointment : missing a number of my bucket-list species during my Czech zoo-trip:
- Borneo earless monitor at Prague Zoo ( Indonesian house closed because of renovation work )
- Tail-spot butterflyfish at Morsky svet - Prague ( species not longer kept at this aquarium )
- several lizard-species, small mammals and birds at Plzen Zoo ( zoo simply to big to find all animals in one day )
 
1. My first ever visit to Omaha

2. Pangolins going back on exhibit at Brookfield.

EDIT: And a new director at Detroit, hopefully they won't get rid of species for no reason.

3. Getting to visit Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, but not getting to see the whole place.
 
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1. Your Personal Zoo Visit Highlight

Easy, visiting Omaha for the first time this past August. A zoo that shattered my sky high expectations around every turn and became my new all time favorite. Honorable mention to photographing the shoebills at Tampa earlier in the Spring and the opening of the Pepper Family Wildlife Center at Lincoln Park.

2. Favorite Piece of Zoo News

The appointment of a new director and master plan in the works for Brookfield. It's something I've known about for a while but finally hearing some official confirmation from the zoo is something I've been dying to hear.

3. Biggest Disappointment

It was the pangolins at Brookfield being pulled off exhibit without explanation. However, luckily they just returned to public view a few weeks ago so that cancels out. The rapid resurgence of covid cases and the new variants that have come up are undoubtably the biggest personal disappointment to put it lightly, and zoo wise I'd have to say not being able to make it to Saint Louis - although I very likely will this next year.
 
1. Your Personal Zoo Highlight:

Seeing the only known pair of White-throated Snapping Turtles currently in captivity at Alexandra Park Zoo. Absolute privilege to see such a little-known endangered species with a declining population. Other highlights included seeing my first Caracals at Darling Downs Zoo, my first Hyacinth Macaws at Snakes Downunder which I never thought I’d ever see in a Queensland zoo and Sumatran Elephants at Australia Zoo.

Not exactly zoo-related but I need to mention that 2021 was the year that marked a huge increase in my wildlife watching. As of today, I’ve seen 40+ bird lifers, three new mammals and a few new reptiles for 2021. Lots of firsts including wild Black-necked Storks, Emus, Regent Bowerbirds, Painted Button-quails, Northern Brown Bandicoots, Short-eared Brushtail Possums, Topknot Pigeons, Pacific Emerald Doves, Burton’s Legless Lizards and Richmond Birdwing Butterflies are the outstanding ones that stick in my memory. All within my local area.

2. Favourite Piece of Zoo News:

All the news that came out of my favourite zoo, Darling Downs Zoo which is Australia’s version of Hamerton. The Caracals from the UK which bred within months of their arrival, the Sri Lankan Leopards arriving from Spain and the Maned Wolves producing two pups for the first time. Lots of new birds for the zoo including Reeve's Pheasant, Swinhoe's Pheasant and Pacific Baza.

3. Biggest Disappointment:

Rockhampton Zoo had a pretty awful year. A chimp stillbirth, the last Lion-tailed Macaques in Australasia died and the zoo was forced to euthanise their entire population of birds in their walkthrough aviary due to a salmonella outbreak. Losses included one of the few Superb Lyrebirds in captivity and lots of personal favourites like Royal Spoonbills and Rose-crowned Fruit Doves.

4. Added bonus, is there anything you are planning or looking forward to next year?

Hopefully some bovid imports will start coming into Australia following the completion of the import risk analysis - allowing the first imports in decades for several antelope species. The continual growth of my local zoos as well - gibbons for Wildlife HQ and all the wonderful developments at Darling Downs Zoo. Perhaps D'Aguilar Wildlife can finally open by 2022; I'll wait with bated breath .
 
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