It appears that they are moving one of the grizzly bear(s) into the former polar bear exhibit.
Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter MKE Zoo guy
- Start date
-
- Tags
- milwaukee
Not a surprising move, although it does mean that there will now be three exhibits with brown/grizzly bears. Still, it's better than a big empty exhibit; and it will be cool to get the opportunity to see a grizzly bear underwater.
What is Milwaukee's current bear population? I remember as a kid they were at least four species - grizzly, polar, am black, asiatic black, I'd swear there was a fifth but nothing coming to mind. I know we sadly lost the Asiatic black bear and Snow Lilly passed, is there still a black bear?
Corangurilla
Well-Known Member
Thank you for such a fast response!
I hope they are able to diversify the bear collection at some time again in the future, even though I know it is likely difficult.
I think Andean Bear would be an interesting addition to the collection. Not sure where they would go, though.
I’m not sure that they would want to diversify their bear collection since there is so many bear enclosures and that space could be used for other species. Maybe for the short term but long term with Alaska Gold Coast coming up, they may want to only have one type/maybe two (if they can get polar bears (but we all know how few of those are at the moment)).
I heard several years ago somewhere that zoos can no longer receive new polar bears unless they update their bear exhibits. Not sure how true that statement is, but I'd bet Milwaukee won't have polar bears for a long while.
The Red Ruffed Lemurs have left the Small Mammal building and have moved into the former cottontop tamarin exhibit in Primates of the World:
Red-Ruffed Lemurs Are on the Move | Milwaukee County Zoo
It's nice that they'll be in a slightly larger and more natural-looking enclosure, but they won't have any access to the outdoors anymore. I thought maybe they would go into the old mandrill enclosure, which to my knowledge is still empty.
Red-Ruffed Lemurs Are on the Move | Milwaukee County Zoo
It's nice that they'll be in a slightly larger and more natural-looking enclosure, but they won't have any access to the outdoors anymore. I thought maybe they would go into the old mandrill enclosure, which to my knowledge is still empty.
After the last phase of adventure Africa they are looking to move on to Alaskan coast. During the next phase the polar bear area would be getting an extensive redo, this making milwaukee eligible to have polar bears again. However that was a few years ago and previous leadership so not sure if things changed since then.
I suggested it because they had so many bear enclosures. What other species do you think could be housed there instead? (Genuinely asking)
Zoos can't receive more Polar Bears because there aren't enough Polar Bears to go around.
You’re good! The new Alaskan area would have similar animals that currently resided, the list isn’t complete per se because things can change and especially with a new director but currently they are aiming for the following animals based on if there’s availability of them of course…
Caribou
Brown Bears
Sea lions
Sea otters
Polar bears
I've wanted this for some time now
Does that mean they're going to add a larger species into that enclosure? That means it would have to be something bigger than a lemur, but smaller than a mandrill...
I'd also love to see sea lions and sea otters on exhibit! They need to put moose back on exhibit too!
I've heard that moose, elk and wolves are also being considered for the Alaskan exhibit, likely because the Wild Woods exhibit concept is being scrapped. Polar bears are definitely not happening at this point, which is probably for the best.
They were installing some additional branches in there during my last visit. There are plenty of medium-sized primates that could take up the space, but my personal hope: Coquerel's sifaka.Does that mean they're going to add a larger species into that enclosure? That means it would have to be something bigger than a lemur, but smaller than a mandrill...
That would be AMAZING.
Silvered Leaf Langurs, or even some sort of Old World primate would be fun too.
Lar Gibbons would be my preference
Thank you for further clarifying. I should have remembered this. I completely forgot they used to have grizzlies and Alaskan brown until you mentioned it! Crazy to think we're down to just one species now. I feel like I really failed to appreciate the diversity of Milwaukee's bear collection until after my last visit.
I misunderstood you -- I thought you were suggesting there were species that would fit the current, existing bear habitats before the renovations take place.
A new North America area with some combination of bears, caribou, moose, elk, wolves, seals, sea lions or otters would be a good addition to the zoo. They have plenty of room to accomplish something along those lines and I hope they stay ambitious and really aim for a world-class area. I'd love to see something that surpasses Great Bear Wilderness.
That's all after Adventure Africa Ph3, right?
Forgive me, I've not had the pleasure to visit Milwaukee in seven years now -- did the mandrill leave or simply be rotated to another exhibit? Ditto for the Cotton-tops. I know they've built some outdoor exhibit and moved things around but no primates have left in the last decade or two have they?