Oglebay Good Zoo News 2015

[WV Zoo Volunteer]

It would appear that there is no one currently active on the site able to provide frequent updates on the Good Zoo, so I figured I would take up that responsibility.

It looks like the last user of the description, "Mr Okapi" was actually an employee, but he seems to be inactive as of right now.

Although this thread won't likely be very active, due to the zoo's general inactivity in making significant changes or new additions. Not bashing, just speaking from a realistic standpoint. Not a problem with me

Now, I'll just lay down some information about the zoo, to start. For whoever is interested.

The zoo is currently located on 30 acres on Oglebay Park, in Wheeling, West Virginia. It is the only AZA accredited zoological establishment in the state. It was opened in 1977 and named in memory of Phillip Mayer Good. The zoo features a main, multi-level entrance building, containing the Benedum Planetarium, as well as admission, offices, a gift shop, concessions, a model train exhibition, and the zoo's introductory exhibit. The outdoor portion is a loop with several series of exhibits on either side, as well as a playground, a lorikeet landing building, and a barn.

The zoo has 57 species on exhibit, as well as several education animals, and several off-exhibit species. They are listed by exhibit here.

Red or blue indicates a mixed exhibit.


Discovery Center

Meerkat
Egyptian Tortoise
Medicinal Leech
Hellbender
Spotted Turtle
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Dyed Poison Dart Frog
Blue Poison Dart Frog
False Tomato Frog
Scarlet Macaw
Golden Lion Tamarin
Brazilian Three Banded Armadillo
Naked Mole Rat
Blotched Blue Tongue Skink
Tentacle Snake
Panther Chameleon
Gouldian Finch
Burmese Python
California Kingsnake
Jade Headed Buffalo Beetle
Cotton Top Tamarin
Red Footed Tortoise
Panamanian Golden Frog
Mossy Frog
Green Tree Python
Eastern Milk Snake
Sinaloan Milk Snake
Komodo Dragon


Bear and Otter

Andean Bear
Northern River Otter


African Plains

Grevy Zebra
Common Ostrich


Australian Adventure

Rainbow Lorikeet
Goldie Lorikeet
Victoria Crowned Pigeon
Red Kangaroo
Western Grey Kangaroo
Red Necked Wallaby


Painted Dog

African Painted Dog


Lemurs

Mongoose Lemur
Ring Tailed Lemur
Radiated Tortoise


Wetlands

Bald Eagle
Black Swan
Pond Slider
Painted Turtle
Northern Map Turtle


Barn Area

Red Panda
Chinese Goral
Goat
Llama
Chicken
Donkey
Western Honeybee
Barn Owl
Virginia Opossum


I will continue to update the thread when I receive word of any news of current events or future developments. If anybody has any questions about the zoo, feel free to ask.

 

[Coelacanth18]

Welcome to ZooChat Lukose, and thanks for posting the basic info for this backwater zoo that, as far as I know, gets zero publicity on here. I appreciate the species list, and especially like how the mixed-species exhibits are identified through color coding.

Medicinal leech and jade-headed buffalo beetle are interesting invertebrate choices; goral and mongoose lemur are other near-rarities. The rest seems pretty standard for a small zoo.

 

[WV Zoo Volunteer]

Welcome to ZooChat Lukose, and thanks for posting the basic info for this backwater zoo that, as far as I know, gets zero publicity on here. I appreciate the species list, and especially like how the mixed-species exhibits are identified through color coding.

Medicinal leech and jade-headed buffalo beetle are interesting invertebrate choices; goral and mongoose lemur are other near-rarities. The rest seems pretty standard for a small zoo.

Thanks, I appreciate it!

Anyway, I've taken a look at the old master plan for the zoo. It's details are a bit outdated, but the actual changes and additions could still be in effect.

Two parts of the master plan have already been completed; the Australian Adventure exhibit and the Veterinary Hospital. Does this entail the other parts will eventually be completed as well? I'm not sure.

One event described was the development of the Lemur and Wild Dog exhibits into a rainforest themed area, by the looks. The first step would be the renovation by enlargement of the lemur enclosures. Across from them, there will be a boardwalk loop going past an exhibit for gibbons. Farther up the path, the painted dogs would be relocated to another zoo to make room for a renovation of their enclosure, featuring a mixed-species selection of spider monkeys, capybaras, and agoutis.

This was actually started, but cancelled/delayed due to the painted dogs continuing to breed. I think they may have been going to The Wilds.

Another addition is an exhibit in the Barn Area for a colony of either prairie dogs, or pikas.

Additionally, there are plans for an African exhibit, featuring at least two pens for hoofstock, Aldabra tortoises, or ground birds, as well as a separate enclosure for colobus monkeys.

The river otter exhibit is due to be expanded, and the otters replaced with Humboldt penguins, to fit in geographically with the Andean bears. The otters will be moved to a new exhibit in the Wetlands that retains the underwater viewing, but adds natural substrate and plenty of enrichment logs similar to Pittsburgh.

The last mention is of an elevated boardwalk trailing by treetop monkey exhibits, and ending with a trip through a walk-thru aviary.

There's also plans for an extension of the playground, with something called a "Discovery Garden" but pffffft, that's not too important.