I'll give them credit too. Makes me wonder why they couldn't find space outside Africa Rocks for another Amur Leopard exhibit. Possibly next to birds of prey and above the current leopard exhibit. This exhibit could have been used for an African leopard breeding space since they are a vulnerable species, or maybe for another type of species.
San Diego Zoo New "Africa Rocks" complex at San Diego Zoo
- Thread starter DavidBrown
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I'll give them credit too. Makes me wonder why they couldn't find space outside Africa Rocks for another Amur Leopard exhibit. Possibly next to birds of prey and above the current leopard exhibit. This exhibit could have been used for an African leopard breeding space since they are a vulnerable species, or maybe for another type of species.
Well they did - it is where they are now "Asian Cats" which opened a couple years ago as a breeding center for Amur leopards and snow leopards. Or do you mean a third exhibit besides that one and the Africa Rocks one?
While many of us ZooChatters would love to see a pure African leopard, from a practical standpoint what would be the point? A leopard is a leopard to the general public and Amur leopards are critically endangered while African leopards are not.
AD, the species'range reductions over much of its potential habitat in Africa corresponds to reductions in prey base and are currently (well 2008 like ..) scored as between 30 - 50%. For some regions like West or East Africa these reductions have been far more dramatic. Alas, in my view the 2008 overall assessment at just the species level has been far too general and is hopelessly out of date for individual sited populations (and actually policy-like can downplay the actual level of threat for individual leopard populations both in Africa and in Asia.
A further constricting problem here is that in my opinion the subspecies question and designation for the African leopards followed by some gene buffs and sponsored by the listing authority on the basis of little site evidence nor sufficient sampling of individual population to justify for just one African leopard subspecies is too simplistic by a few miles at least ...!
I think it's pretty sad that every one of the leopard's ~10+ subspecies are threatened, but zoos in North America have only mustered up enough space to manage one... and even that one is of inadequate size and requires a high level of international cooperation.
I believe JM means placing it in one of these places instead of in Africa Rocks,possibly due to the geographic clashing. How many Amur Leopards does the zoo hold now? Is there an attempt for one breeding pair in AC and AR?
There are 1.1 Amur leopards. (And 1.2 snow leopards if you're curious about how much space is used in Asian leopards.)
sooty mangabey
Well-Known Member
I very much like this tee-shirt, promoting the opening of Africa Rocks - a bit more imaginative than is the norm! Africa Rocks Adult Concert T-Shirt
Well the t-shirt definitely is "unique." I guess if you were a hippie in the 60's you will like it, but it's not to my tastes.
(edit - I am not implying sooty mangabey was or was not a hippie, just saying the styling reminds me of 60's psychadellic shirts and posters)
(edit - I am not implying sooty mangabey was or was not a hippie, just saying the styling reminds me of 60's psychadellic shirts and posters)
zooboy28
Well-Known Member
The line-up on the back is very clever and appealing!
Looking at that shirt,I think it's kind of amusing that both geographic "errors" in Africa Rocks are leopard-related. Neither Amur Leopards nor Leopard Sharks are African animals. On an unrelated note I'm so thankful for the return of the Bateleur Eagle. What a beautiful species. Does anyone know what other US zoos exhibit it?
To be fair, San Diego hasn't exactly been known for being completely geographically correct.
I mean, just look at Urban Jungle.
I have seen a pair of bateleur eagles in a nice large aviary at San Antonio Zoo (at the top of Africa Rift next to the viewing platform). I do not know if they are still there.
Urban Jungle makes no attempt at geographical accuracy. Africa Rocks, however, specifies "Africa" in its name.
Fair point, but remember when their were caracals and red pandas in Northern Frontier?
They were still there last summer
As of my last visit in April, they still live in the aviary, they even had marabou storks in with them, but they have since moved to the Savannah with Giraffes.
Interesting. How is San Antonio as a whole? I've heard it's not the best quality zoo,but their bird collection is fantastic. Would that be an accurate assessment for anyone who's been there?
It's a valid question, but I think you should post that question in the San Antonio forum and keep this thread to the topic at hand, which is the new exhibit at San Diego.
The_UltimateBea
Well-Known Member
Since the nocturnal building was cut, does anyone know what the hunte building will be used for. Right now that whole are just seems like an odd gap.
The_UltimateBea
Well-Known Member
*area