Micke Grove Zoo Micke Grove Zoo news

I visited the zoo yesterday and wrote a brief review (including a full species list) on the thread "Snowleopard's 2017 Road Trip". I also uploaded exactly 30 photos into the gallery.
 
Has anybody visited the Micke Grove Zoo recently or know what is going on there? When I last visited in 2017 the snow leopard exhibit construction was essentially abandoned. It did not seem like the zoo was making much forward progress with change, although they still have a very nice lemur exhibit and some other decent small animal exhibits.
 
Has anybody visited the Micke Grove Zoo recently or know what is going on there? When I last visited in 2017 the snow leopard exhibit construction was essentially abandoned. It did not seem like the zoo was making much forward progress with change, although they still have a very nice lemur exhibit and some other decent small animal exhibits.

I have never been, even though it's one of the closer zoos to me, but I do remember talking to a very nice family from Lodi I randomly met. They mentioned the zoo and lamented how there were none of the large , charismatic exotic animals left at the zoo.

Not that I think Micke Grove should go that route 100% from what I have seen of pictures; I actually think a focus on smaller, but still charismatic and unique, smaller exotic and native wildlife would be refreshing, especially given Sacramento Zoo to the north is planning on becoming a much bigger zoo with hippos, gorillas, and a couple of large African savanna habitats.
 
News since February 1st, 2019:

On June 17, 2019, the zoo announced the death of a (1.0) 17-year-old yellow-knobbed curassow named Bomber. He passed away on June 12th.

Micke Grove Zoo

On March 5th, 2020, the zoo announced that they have acquired a (0.1) curly hair tarantula named Mabel. She is a part of the animal ambassador program.

Micke Grove Zoo

On May 20th, the zoo announced the death of their (1.0) 24-year-old Australian blue-tongued skink named Sammy. He was a part of the animal ambassador program.

Micke Grove Zoo

On September 22nd, it was reported that an attorney from Lodi is suing the county of San Joaquin on behalf of the Micke Grove Zoological Society, citing that said county has done nothing to implement a new agreement with the zoo.

Group of volunteers want SJ's Micke Grove Zoo returned to its former glory

On October 26th, the zoo announced that they have acquired a (1.0) striped skunk from a rehabilitation center in San Diego.

Micke Grove Zoo

On February 3rd, 2021, the zoo announced that their Virginia opossum is now on exhibit.

Micke Grove Zoo

On February 27th, the zoo announced the deaths of a black-and-white ruffed lemur (named Berenti), a giant day gecko (named Gus), a cottontop tamarin (named Dolly), and a Wied's marmoset (named Ziggy). All of the animals died between a 6-month period in 2020.

Micke Grove Zoo

On April 15th, the zoo announced that their Waldrapp ibises have laid 3 eggs. On May 9th, it was announced that all 3 eggs hatched successfully.

Micke Grove Zoo
Micke Grove Zoo

On May 21st, the zoo announced that their other cottontop tamarin and Wied's marmoset have been introduced to each other after their partners passed away.

New Friends
 
Has anybody visited the Micke Grove Zoo recently or know what is going on there? When I last visited in 2017 the snow leopard exhibit construction was essentially abandoned.

Didn't seem to be any progress on it when I visited this summer, and the snow leopard is still in its original enclosure.
 
Thanks for the update. What was your overall review of the zoo? Did you find anything worth seeing there?

Funny enough, I thought I had written up a species list and review but apparently I never did. I'll probably get around to doing that in the next month or two, but as a more brief and immediate answer: it was alright. I was already birding in the area and so was only ~30 minutes from the zoo; it also netted me a few species for the North America challenge.

It's a very small zoo and reminded me a lot of Charles Paddock, which you and I have both visited as well. Not a very large or unusual species lineup, although the Western Pond Turtles, Kuhl's Marmosets, Vasa Parrots, and Pudu were all nice to see. I liked the lemur island and small Mediterranean aviary as well, where I picked up a new bird (European Roller). Otherwise it's mostly just a small collection of cages that I suspect won't be that memorable after more time has passed. I think I stretched my time there to an hour by watching the ibis flock and a keeper training the marmosets for a little while, but otherwise I could easily have finished in 30-45 minutes.
 
On December 6th, It was reported that the zoo has reached a settlement with the county and will be renovating the lemur island and den, the Mediterranean aviary, and the reptile and amphibian exhibits. Curiously though, the renovations won't start until 2026. As of right now, there are currently water and electrical renovations happening.

Improvements coming to Micke Grove Zoo in Lodi after settlement between county, zoological society

On December 17th, the zoo announced that it is looking to seek accreditation with the ZAA and they hope to apply for an application by July 2022. Other updates include a new security system that was installed at the zoo, renovations to the filtration system in Lemur Island (starting in February 2022 and completed in April), renovations on the duck and turtle pond (will be finished in December 2021), redesigning of the zoo's website (completed by July 2022) and an online merchandise store (completed by summer 2023), and start making room for food vendors (start in March 2022, completed by 2023). The zoo will also start the second phase of its electrical system, which will be completed by June 2022.

Micke Grove Zoo outlines 5-year plan, to apply for new accreditation
 
2022 News:

On February 4th, the zoo announced that a (1.0) Waldrapp ibis named Hugh, a (0.0.1) spider monkey (species not specified) named Stormy, an (0.0.1) iguana (species not specified) named Diablo, a (0.1) Wied's marmoset named Miss Pepe, a (0.0.1) red-tailed hawk named Lima, and a (0.0.1) black-and-white ruffed lemur named Lokobe have all passed away in 2021.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=630576491489659

On April 28th, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) black-and-white ruffed lemur from an unspecified facility in South Dakota in 2021.

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On September 1st, the zoo announced they have acquired a (1.0) turkey vulture named Humphrey from the California Department of Fish & Wildlife. He is on exhibit with the zoo's other (1.0) turkey vulture named Clyde.

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