It makes me not want to go when they require masks indoors
Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter MKE Zoo guy
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Honestly, that’s the biggest gripe I here and see about the zoo right now. It’s not that exhibits are empty or the prices are too high, it’s that when covid numbers rise they institute the mask policy for indoor areas and that drives people away.
What kind of buildings are they requiring masks for? The zoo's top priority needs to be the well-being of the animals, which means if COVID numbers are high, a zoo would be irresponsible to not use masks or other precautions in exhibits of high-risk animals (especially if they are free-roaming or in close proximity with a non-glass barrier)
I don't know if they still are but they used to
The numbers are high, and the zoo posted on there social media that masks are required within buildings. That is where a lot of flack for the masks have been coming from. Yes they do have a responsibility for the safety and care for the animals but it’s not even a policy that they enforce. They have masks when you walk into buildings but almost no one is wearing them. It’s just the messaging that they put out there that is keeping people away. It would be a different story if they enforced it but they don’t do it’s become a lighting ride issue with no bite to it. Which is disappointing because it’s causing issues for guests and putting the animals at risk.
Even as someone who really prefers not to wear masks indoors, I understand the precautions the zoo is taking here. The primate and small mammal houses have older ventilation systems which are shared by the guests and the animals. Considering those buildings have the most at-risk inhabitants, it makes complete sense why the zoo would want to require them in those areas. It's an annoyance, but I get it and It isn't going to discourage me from visiting at all. I'll even go as far to say I think it's a little silly that some people are boycotting the zoo as a result of this and again this is coming from a guy who really doesn't like to wear masks anymore.
I'd rather wear a mask than not be allowed in those buildings when I visit, though!
RhinoHippoElephantGiraffe
Well-Known Member
I agree with you on being to wear a mask if you want to visit a building at a zoo. I'd rather wear one and be in there than not be allowed in at all.
According to the zoo's website, the aviary has re-opened and the penguins are back on-exhibit.
Fantastic
Was just there the other day and can confirm that all the birds are back on display and the aviary is back open!
I was at the zoo today too, but I found that there is actually one bird species that is still being kept off-exhibit for bird flu - the Red-tailed Hawk.
Various updates from my visit today, I don't think most of these have been reported on yet:
-The Jewel Box exhibit in the aviary is currently completely empty.
-Lots of species have been moved around in the aviary. Probably the most notable is that Spotted Whistling-Duck have moved from the Guam Exhibit to the Wetland Hall (free-flight room).
-Two Inca Terns have hatched.
-"Blue-crowned Motmot", Northern Helmeted Curassow, and Green Aracari are all new additions to the aviary.
-Turquoise Tanager, White-crested Laughingthrush, and Red-and-yellow Barbet are all back on-exhibit after being gone for a while.
-Yes, it seems the Cotton-top Tamarins in Primates of the World have moved in with the Goeldi's Monkeys. The Wattled Curassow is now gone. A sign promised a new primate species moving into the former tamarin exhibit soon.
-Nearly all of the exhibit around the Animal Encounters Barn in the Family Farm are now empty, strangely. The only species that still remain there are Domestic Rabbit and Groundhog. Red-tailed Hawk was signed in an unfurnished cage with a sign saying it was off-exhibit for bird flu.
-The Domestic Pigs are possibly gone from the zoo. They were not signed or seen, but the enclosure did contain clean water, which I do not think keepers would be providing to an empty exhibit. Strangely enough a few signs were taken down for inhabited enclosures in parts of the Family Farm.
-There's a new exhibit for African Spurred Tortoises in the space between the yaks and the camels.
-Red River Hogs are now signed in the African Forest yard in Adventure Africa. Perhaps the plan is to move them there soon?
-The badgers appear to be gone, with their exhibit standing empty, however the water feature is still running so perhaps the sign was just removed?
-There is an exhibit on the nocturnal side of the Small Mammals building that is unsigned and completely darkened but appears to be inhabited.
-The springhare appears to be gone.
-The Fly River Turtle is "temporarily off exhibit"
-The Desert Spiny Lizard appears to be gone.
-The Ornate Box Turtle has been replaced by two Spider Tortoises.
-The ostrich appears to be gone.
-A sign promised a Green Anaconda would soon be joining the Red-tailed Boa exhibit in the AARC.
-The Jewel Box exhibit in the aviary is currently completely empty.
-Lots of species have been moved around in the aviary. Probably the most notable is that Spotted Whistling-Duck have moved from the Guam Exhibit to the Wetland Hall (free-flight room).
-Two Inca Terns have hatched.
-"Blue-crowned Motmot", Northern Helmeted Curassow, and Green Aracari are all new additions to the aviary.
-Turquoise Tanager, White-crested Laughingthrush, and Red-and-yellow Barbet are all back on-exhibit after being gone for a while.
-Yes, it seems the Cotton-top Tamarins in Primates of the World have moved in with the Goeldi's Monkeys. The Wattled Curassow is now gone. A sign promised a new primate species moving into the former tamarin exhibit soon.
-Nearly all of the exhibit around the Animal Encounters Barn in the Family Farm are now empty, strangely. The only species that still remain there are Domestic Rabbit and Groundhog. Red-tailed Hawk was signed in an unfurnished cage with a sign saying it was off-exhibit for bird flu.
-The Domestic Pigs are possibly gone from the zoo. They were not signed or seen, but the enclosure did contain clean water, which I do not think keepers would be providing to an empty exhibit. Strangely enough a few signs were taken down for inhabited enclosures in parts of the Family Farm.
-There's a new exhibit for African Spurred Tortoises in the space between the yaks and the camels.
-Red River Hogs are now signed in the African Forest yard in Adventure Africa. Perhaps the plan is to move them there soon?
-The badgers appear to be gone, with their exhibit standing empty, however the water feature is still running so perhaps the sign was just removed?
-There is an exhibit on the nocturnal side of the Small Mammals building that is unsigned and completely darkened but appears to be inhabited.
-The springhare appears to be gone.
-The Fly River Turtle is "temporarily off exhibit"
-The Desert Spiny Lizard appears to be gone.
-The Ornate Box Turtle has been replaced by two Spider Tortoises.
-The ostrich appears to be gone.
-A sign promised a Green Anaconda would soon be joining the Red-tailed Boa exhibit in the AARC.
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Was there a similar sign in the empty mandrill exhibit as well?
They still have a male named Oscar. The zoo just posted a photo of him on their Instagram earlier today with a #heisreal in the caption.
I think one has already been moved there. I believe the plan is the keep the pair in their current exhibit and have the one by itself in the forest paddock.
Now that is disappointing to hear. The springhare, potto and bushbaby enclosure one was one of the most dynamic exhibits in the zoo and now they're just down to the latter.
Nope.
Well, they removed the sign then, for some reason.They still have a male named Oscar. The zoo just posted a photo of him on their Instagram earlier today with a #heisreal in the caption.
I didn't realize the zoo had more than two. I didn't see the hog in the Forest Yard but there's plenty of places it could have hidden.
Definitely the former highlight of the increasingly-disappointing Small Mammals house.
I forgot to mention it but the chevrotains appear to be gone as well, as well the Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle and Marabou Stork. The turtle was the oldest known individual so that's to be expected, but I wonder what happened to the chevrotains and stork?
It'd be a shame to see the zoo lose the chevrotains.
Corangurilla
Well-Known Member
Onassis was a Giant Amazon River Turtle, not a Yellow-spotted. She wasn’t there when I visited in March, so I think it’s safe to assume that she passed on.
The Marabou was mentioned in the article introducing the female Kudu in June, so their death/departure appears to be recent.
No idea about the Chevrotains (shame, I never saw them on either of my visits).
Keep in mind it's mind it's always possible that the species that "appear to be gone" have just gone off-exhibit and/or had their signage removed, as evidenced by the badger.
Just a quick follow up on this, the zoo has plans in place that if they do have a large deficit like what is being projected, they will be able to cover the cost and have a net zero deficit. Though the zoo may be having a hard time at the moment, it’s in a healthy place to make adjustments to cover the costs.