Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2025

Black Footed Beast

Black Footed Beast

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Recently visited Milwaukee to renew my Zoo Pass, and have a few changes I noticed
- Frilled Lizards have moved into the old Black Tree Monitor Exhibit, I saw two of them
- Congo Peafowl are not currently on Exhibit at the aviary, not sure if they're just behind the scenes
Looking forward to seeing the last part of Adventure Africa this year, building seems like it's coming along well
 
Black Footed Beast said:
Recently visited Milwaukee to renew my Zoo Pass, and have a few changes I noticed
- Frilled Lizards have moved into the old Black Tree Monitor Exhibit, I saw two of them
- Congo Peafowl are not currently on Exhibit at the aviary, not sure if they're just behind the scenes
Looking forward to seeing the last part of Adventure Africa this year, building seems like it's coming along well
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Same here! I am really looking forward to rhinos and hippos - Adventure Africa coming up this year. Even secretly .... holding hope for a post update on the elephant habitat at some point soon!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Same here! I am really looking forward to rhinos and hippos - Adventure Africa coming up this year. Even secretly .... holding hope for a post update on the elephant habitat at some point soon!
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What post update on the elephant habitat?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
TBH: I still think it remains a little underwhelming where animal enrichment and the bare surface area is concerned .... Even my small hometown zoo does have a rather challenging elephant habitat for both the matriarchal herd as well as any visiting breeding bulls.
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I 100% agree with you, though the likelihood of it happening within the next 10 years is small I believe. Looking at where they are looking to spend their money in the next 5 years, they are pivoting away from Africa and looking elsewhere at the zoo.

The first phase of Adventure Africa, which included the elephants, was behind schedule, funding diverted away from it, and basically just got the exhibit up so they wouldn’t loose the elephants. I hope with Brookfield Zoo in Chicago looking to bring back elephants, that Milwaukee will realize that they need to adjust their own exhibit. Though I’m not holding my breath, unless a new mandate comes out will Milwaukee adjust that exhibit.
 
@MKE Zoo guy, thanks for your update.

I am quite excited that after the completion of Phase 3-Adventure Africa management is already looking at other areas within the zoo. It almost seems that the new direction of the zoo and staff have almost at the swing of a batsman managed to change the vibe from stagnant "standstill" trying to stay with the times to fast forward and attempting to make MKZ an essential need to go destination.

What are the next projects for other parts of the zoo that are likely to come into focus now?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
What are the next projects for other parts of the zoo that are likely to come into focus now?
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A new main entrance is the next project in the pipeline following the new rhino/hippo house. Other developments that have been discussed include a rainforest house and renovations to the primate building. The zoo was/is working on a new master plan, but no additional details are available at the moment.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
@MKE Zoo guy, thanks for your update.

I am quite excited that after the completion of Phase 3-Adventure Africa management is already looking at other areas within the zoo. It almost seems that the new direction of the zoo and staff have almost at the swing of a batsman managed to change the vibe from stagnant "standstill" trying to stay with the times to fast forward and attempting to make MKZ an essential need to go destination.

What are the next projects for other parts of the zoo that are likely to come into focus now?
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In addition to everything @pachyderm pro covered, the new zoo director has suggested a new small mammal building may be fast tracked due to the conditions of the existing building. This was an offhand remark, nothing formal.
 
To follow up -- I previously hesitated to post this publicly as the article was paywalled but as it has been over a year and a half, I think posting a snippet is OK.

Following completion of the Adventure Africa campaign, Morris said he wants to look at the small mammals building. He believes this building would not be a renovation project but rather a complete replacement. The small mammals building currently does not have enough holding spaces for the animals, and some of the infrastructure of the building is wearing to a point where doors cannot be shut.

"The bats, which are housed in the small mammals building, also do not have enough space to perform natural behaviors of flying. When we talk about modern zoological standards, we’re not just talking about new exhibitry. You can do modern animal care and husbandry in older facilities if the facilities will accommodate it. What we’re looking for is the animal to have choice and control over its environment," Morris said.

Morris said one possibility for the future of the small mammals exhibit is creating a new facility that would accommodate both small mammals and aquatic animals, which are now housed in the aquatic and reptile building."
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JVM said:
In addition to everything @pachyderm pro covered, the new zoo director has suggested a new small mammal building may be fast tracked due to the conditions of the existing building. This was an offhand remark, nothing formal.
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I don’t think that the small mammals building is being fast tracked. Small mammals is probably being incorporated into rainforest building, just by understanding where the zoo is requesting money for the next 5 years. Small mammals isn’t going to be a stand alone building, it’s going to be incorporated into other projects across the zoo.
 
MKE Zoo guy said:
I don’t think that the small mammals building is being fast tracked. Small mammals is probably being incorporated into rainforest building, just by understanding where the zoo is requesting money for the next 5 years. Small mammals isn’t going to be a stand alone building, it’s going to be incorporated into other projects across the zoo.
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I did notice the contradiction when the funding request for a rainforest building came out, so I think you are correct as to the final product. I was trying to describe Morris' comments that I later quoted and I think it's an accurate description of the quote based on the first two sentences.
 
A
JVM said:
I did notice the contradiction when the funding request for a rainforest building came out, so I think you are correct as to the final product. I was trying to describe Morris' comments that I later quoted and I think it's an accurate description of the quote based on the first two sentences.
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I believe you because I also read the same thing at the time. We were also suppose to get an updated master plan last spring but since then they’ve gone quiet for most of the future projects. I think they are trying to lay low for a bit because with the extra money they had to request for the penguins as well as the large amount for the rhinos, the county is less then happy with the zoo right now. So hopefully after rhino exhibit is done we start seeing projects again.
 
MKE Zoo guy said:
A

I believe you because I also read the same thing at the time. We were also suppose to get an updated master plan last spring but since then they’ve gone quiet for most of the future projects. I think they are trying to lay low for a bit because with the extra money they had to request for the penguins as well as the large amount for the rhinos, the county is less then happy with the zoo right now. So hopefully after rhino exhibit is done we start seeing projects again.
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Well to put it plainly ... that may be ... but the zoo should be very critical of the lack of support and financial leeway in the last 20-25 years to make the zoo future proof (which they could have done years and even decades ago). The current and new director and his team have the guts and gall to call out the Counties and the Municipality for not providing sufficient funding for zoo exhibits that are obsolete, deficiënt or even lacking in any basics - currently regarded as state-of-the-art zoo exhibit standards by AZA and others - on accomodation and animal welfare/well-being and now trying to do catch up with the rest of the AZA accredited community. IMO the Counties and Municipality have only themselves to blame and should reflect on their own stagnant and unsupportive behavior/attitude towards their own City Zoo and the role it could/should play in modern day US society and provide both a service for local zoo visitors, regionally and be an advocate and effective communicator for ex-situ/in-situ conservation and public awareness for One Healthy Planet ....

Well my 50 cents of fame there ....for ya!
(End of Sermon and Cursory Advocate-Ship)
 
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