Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium News 2023

[MGolka]

Went to Late Night at the Zoo last night and really only have some updates from Kingdoms of Night. Always enjoy getting to take it in with the lights on. Seems word has gotten out that this is the must see part while doing this after hour event, the place was almost one continuous stream of people at 10 pm.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the Tammar Wallaby and Short Beaked Echidna signs were the most noticeable omissions of the new signage, but fear not! There is now a sign with both of them in the Australia portion. Glad to see that they will continue to have them for the time being.

While I did see a Potto on exhibit in the Africa exhibits, there is no longer a sign for them.

The most noticeable change in here, and sure to be a welcome one, is that in the last month or so, about a foot of mulch substrate has been added to the Aardvark exhibit to give them something to dig in. With them off exhibit last night, who knows, it might have been very recent. Lot easier to notice with the lights on.



Also, for those of you that like to get a glimpse into zoo history, I have uploaded a bunch of photos from some releases the zoo gave me in 2003 while I attended a summer camp during high school in which we got to go behind the scenes of the Lied Jungle, Aquarium, and Desert Dome. It was part of a STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Math) camp. Part of the folder of information they gave us was the Spring 2003 ZooPrints newsletter commemorating the opening of Kingdoms of the Night, tons of various flyers (I did not post all of them), and a bunch of fact sheets. @snowleopard I believe you will be interested in some of those fact sheets as you have kept track of some of what is in those for a long time! I found these while going through a drawer of stuff and happily moved them to my zoo map/history scrapbook for safe keeping moving forward. Enjoy those old documents at your leisure!

Old Zoo Documents

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

Went to Late Night at the Zoo last night and really only have some updates from Kingdoms of Night. Always enjoy getting to take it in with the lights on. Seems word has gotten out that this is the must see part while doing this after hour event, the place was almost one continuous stream of people at 10 pm.

In an earlier post, I mentioned that the Tammar Wallaby and Short Beaked Echidna signs were the most noticeable omissions of the new signage, but fear not! There is now a sign with both of them in the Australia portion. Glad to see that they will continue to have them for the time being.

While I did see a Potto on exhibit in the Africa exhibits, there is no longer a sign for them.

The most noticeable change in here, and sure to be a welcome one, is that in the last month or so, about a foot of mulch substrate has been added to the Aardvark exhibit to give them something to dig in. With them off exhibit last night, who knows, it might have been very recent. Lot easier to notice with the lights on.

View attachment 636526

Also, for those of you that like to get a glimpse into zoo history, I have uploaded a bunch of photos from some releases the zoo gave me in 2003 while I attended a summer camp during high school in which we got to go behind the scenes of the Lied Jungle, Aquarium, and Desert Dome. It was part of a STEM (Science,Technology, Engineering, Math) camp. Part of the folder of information they gave us was the Spring 2003 ZooPrints newsletter commemorating the opening of Kingdoms of the Night, tons of various flyers (I did not post all of them), and a bunch of fact sheets. @snowleopard I believe you will be interested in some of those fact sheets as you have kept track of some of what is in those for a long time! I found these while going through a drawer of stuff and happily moved them to my zoo map/history scrapbook for safe keeping moving forward. Enjoy those old documents at your leisure!

Old Zoo Documents

Last time I went to KON, I seem to remember the potto being moved into the Aardvark area? Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to recall the signage being moved there

 

[MonkeyBat]

Last time I went to KON, I seem to remember the potto being moved into the Aardvark area? Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to recall the signage being moved there

My last visit last weekend they were in that side exhibit with the springhaas where the galagos used to be

 

[MGolka]

Last time I went to KON, I seem to remember the potto being moved into the Aardvark area? Maybe I'm wrong but I seem to recall the signage being moved there

That's where I saw the Potto. Keep in mind that these two exhibits are connected to anything that has the ability to climb. The only two signs above the Aardvark exhibit were the Northern Greater Galago and the Aardvark.

 

[pachyderm pro]

For the first time in over three years, the lower level of Lied Jungle is open.

 

[MGolka]

After the photos by @Brayden Delashmutt in the gallery and @pachyderm pro's post, I figured I would try and make some time to get down to the lower level of the Lied Jungle to check in after THREE years(!) of this being closed.

Turns out.... not a lot changed what so ever...

The biggest changes were cosmetic and for the most part right at the start in the lower level lobby. What was once inhabited by some cool interpretive displays discussing medicinal value that rainforests provide and other cultural educational materials, is now run of the mill sterile graphics.



Some new photos of the Lied Jungles inhabitants now adorn the wall opposite the entry/exits to the jungle itself.



The biggest omission down here in my opinion is that the restrooms have been removed from down here. Now visitors get to stare at the blank wall and lonely door. This space seems to be the next area to be full of strollers, as is the case with the upstairs entryway where the campsite was cleared out. Today, on a fairly busy Friday, was prime stroller parking.



Like above, the entry/exit into the jungle portion has this type of rubber curtains draped over the openings.



Once you get into the jungle itself, as mentioned, not a ton of changes. The first exhibit however is now occupied by Prehensile Tailed Skink, which the zoo has an abundance of. The skink replaces a Central American Tiger Rat Snake.

In my earlier post about the changes to the upper level, the White Crested Laughingthrush that are no longer with the Luzon Bleeding Heart Doves are now free-flying in the jungle. The pair of them were happily lounging near one of the Occellate Stingray ponds as you enter the lower level jungle.

The pond still has the species: Occellate River Stingray, Green Severum, Plecostomus, and Mata Mata.

As noted in an earlier post, there was a bunch of foliage cleared from the bank of the White Handed Gibbon island near the Philippine Croc exhibit, and it seems as it was done not only to possibly clean up some dense overgrowth, but to provide guests on the trail with a pretty cool view of the gibbon exhibit. It makes them seem way up in the branches as you view them from the lower walkway.



Aside from all the viewing windows into the exhibits with water features, the last terrarium on the ground floor still has Asian Black Spine Toads, Bornean Eared Toads, and Solomon Island Eyelash Frogs.

For the very little that changed over three years, it is astounding to me that it remained closed for so long. I understand that workers had the whole bottom to move around and fix stuff down here, but even when the jungle was open for long periods of time the last couple of years, there was no major work on any of the trails themselves that would have taken vast amounts of time. It would have been very noticeable if they did. Most of the refurbishment work they did on the major exhibits in here, workers accessed from other places than the trails. I'm pretty sure that the graphics in the lower lobby were changed the same time the upper ones were, which would have been in the time from January to June of 2023. But regardless, the lower level is finally back open and order restored.

One last note about the lower level, the exit to the outside is currently blocked off for construction. Presumably this is to remove the staircase immediately outside the doors and make the pathway ADA accessible.

 

[moose&moosey]

My wife and I are going to Omaha in a couple of weeks for the weekend and we are really looking forward to going to this zoo! I was wondering if there is a updated species list for this zoo and if the Simmons Aviary is open again yet? Also if anyone has any must sees or advice on what can't be missed there please let us know. Thank you!

 

[birdsandbats]

My wife and I are going to Omaha in a couple of weeks for the weekend and we are really looking forward to going to this zoo! I was wondering if there is a updated species list for this zoo and if the Simmons Aviary is open again yet? Also if anyone has any must sees or advice on what can't be missed there please let us know. Thank you!

This list from 2021 is the most recent species list available.

According to the zoo's website, the Simmons Aviary is open.

 

[moose&moosey]

This list from 2021 is the most recent species list available.

According to the zoo's website, the Simmons Aviary is open.

Thank you for replying! We're really looking forward to our visit!

 

[MGolka]

My wife and I are going to Omaha in a couple of weeks for the weekend and we are really looking forward to going to this zoo! I was wondering if there is a updated species list for this zoo and if the Simmons Aviary is open again yet? Also if anyone has any must sees or advice on what can't be missed there please let us know. Thank you!

I hope you enjoy your time here, really I would say take your time and don't really miss anything! Really the only things I feel like you wouldn't miss much from not doing would be the Bird Show and the Children's Adventure Trails. While neat for youngsters or just cool to see play areas, not much in the way of animal exhibits in there that you can't see anywhere else.

Kingdoms of the Night is a can't miss. In @Coelacanth18's thread on Herps, there was a spotlight of very rare Australian venomous snakes that you can't really see anywhere else in the AZA. These would all be in the first cave in the Desert Dome. There are a bunch of rarities between both Desert Dome and Kingdoms of the Night with Bush Hyrax, herps, African Wild Cat, Togo Slippery Frog, Potto, just to name a few of the them. There are lots more.

One easy place to miss if not familiar with the zoo is the Expedition Madagascar building, the biggest draw here is seeing very active Aye-Aye. Lighting is similar to Kingdoms of the Night, but the pair in there move about quite a bit.

Otherwise all the other exhibits are very high quality and you don't want to miss them.

The Skyfari and Train can offer you a couple of views you can't get from a walking path, so keep that in mind if you want some unique vantage points.

Hope it helps and have a good time!

 

[TinoPup]

My wife and I are going to Omaha in a couple of weeks for the weekend and we are really looking forward to going to this zoo! I was wondering if there is a updated species list for this zoo and if the Simmons Aviary is open again yet? Also if anyone has any must sees or advice on what can't be missed there please let us know. Thank you!

The springhaas! They are ADORABLE and Omaha is now the only holder in the USA.

 

[birdsandbats]

and Omaha is now the only holder in the USA.

That's news to me! Really unfortunate, a super fun species.

 

[TinoPup]

That's news to me! Really unfortunate, a super fun species.

Yeah I've found one private holder that still has one animal, that's it; there used to be a few breeders. The couple of other zoos that held them at the time I visited Omaha (2018?) all no longer have them.

 

[birdsandbats]

I created this revised species list using the 2021 species list as a base. My wife and I will be visiting on August 5th (and possibly 6th).

Shoutout to birdsandbats for creating the original!

Please let me know if I need to make modifications or changes!

The list is by exhibit area and in alphabetical order.

Lied Jungle

o African Bullfrog

o African Pygmy Goose

o Arapaima

o Asian Small-clawed Otter

o Baer's Pochard

o Black Howler Monkey

o Black-and-rufous Elephant Shrew

o Black-headed Spider Monkey

o Blood Python

o Blue Poison Dart Frog

o Blue-and-yellow Macaw

o Boyd's Forest Dragon

o Cichlids (Assorted)

o Collared Tree Lizard

o Common Squirrel Monkey

o Eurasian Eagle-Owl

o Francois' Langur

o Green Basilisk

o Green-and-black Poison Dart Frog

o Home's Hinge-backed Tortoise

o Hourglass Frog

o Indian Crested Porcupine

o Lowland Paca

o Luzon Bleeding-Heart

o Magnificent Tree Frog

o Malayan Tapir

o Nile Softshell Turtle

o Panamanian Golden Frog

o Pygmy Hippopotamus

o Red-backed Bearded Saki

o Red-bellied Pacu

o Redtail Catfish

o Silvery Gibbon

o Smoky Jungle Frog

o Smooth-sided Toad

o Solomon Island Eyelash Frog

o Spotted-necked Otter

o Violaceous Turaco

o White-blotched River Stingray

o White-crested Laughingthrush

o White-faced Whistling-Duck

o White-handed Gibbon

o Wolf's Guenon

o Yellow Anaconda

o Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle



v Free Roaming

o Black Crake

o Blue-crowned Motmot

o Blue-gray Tanager

o Crested Oropendola

o Egyptian Fruit Bat

o Gray-capped Emerald Dove

o Green Imperial-Pigeon

o Hadada Ibis

o Hammerkop

o Indian Flying Fox

o Javan Pond-Heron

o Nicobar Pigeon

o Pied Imperial-Pigeon

o Sunbittern

o Western Crowned-Pigeon

Desert Dome

v Namib Desert

o African Wildcat

o Bat-eared Fox

o Black Mamba

o Blacksmith Plover

o Cape Cobra

o Cape Coral Cobra

o Cichlids (Assorted)

o Common Dwarf Mongoose

o Giant Plated Lizard

o Helmeted Marsh Terrapin

o Klipspringer

o Namibian Sand Gecko

o Nile Softshell Turtle

o Puff Adder

o White-headed Buffalo Weaver

o Zebra Spitting Cobra



v Red Center

o Brown Tree Snake

o Centralian Python

o Collett's Snake

o Cunningham's Skink

o Eastern Pilbara Spiny-tailed Skink

o Inland Taipan

o Kimberley Rock Monitor

o King Brown

o Lace Monitor

o Laughing Kookaburra

o Masked Lapwing

o Mediterranean Gecko

o Perentie

o Rough-scaled Death Adder

o Rough-scaled Python

o Tawny Frogmouth


v Sonoran Desert

o Arizona Black Rattlesnake

o Baja Blue Rock Lizard

o Bobcat

o Burrowing Owl

o Cantil Viper

o Collared Peccary

o Common Chuckwalla

o Common Collared Lizard

o Eastern Screech-Owl

o Giant Mexican Horned Lizard

o Greater Roadrunner

o Mexican Beaded Lizard

o Mexican Spiny-tailed Iguana

o Mottled Rock Rattlesnake

o Ocelot

o Redtail Splitfin

o Santa Catalina Island Rattlesnake

o Sidewinder

o Sonoran Box Turtle

o Spiny-tailed Iguana

o Swift Fox

o Turkey Vulture

o Western Diamondback

o White-nosed Coati


v Free Roaming

o Australian Wood Duck

o Cape Teal

o Cape Thick-Knee

o Chestnut Teal

o Chestnut Weaver

o Cinnamon Teal

o Gambel's Quail

o Hooded Oriole

o Hottentot Teal

o Northern Red Bishop

o Salvadori's Weaver

o Scott's Oriole

o Southern Red Bishop

o Speckled Mousebird

o Star Finch

o White-winged Dove

o Yellow-billed Duck

o Yellow-crowned Bishop

Mahoney Kingdoms of the Night

o Aardvark

o African Brush-tailed Porcupine

o Alligator Gar

o Alligator Snapping Turtle

o Amazon Milk Frog

o American Alligator

o American Beaver

o American Bullfrog

o American Crocodile

o Banded Knob-tailed Gecko

o Common Snapping Turtle

o Common Vampire Bat

o Corn Snake

o Eastern Indigo Snake

o Eastern Tiger Salamander

o Egyptian Fruit Bat

o Florida Softshell Turtle

o Fly River Turtle

o Fossa

o Freshwater Crocodile

o Great Indian Flying Fox

o Greater Bulldog Bat

o Greater Bushbaby

o Greater Spear-nosed Bat

o Green Tree Python

o Haitian Boa

o Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth

o Jamaican Boa

o Krefft's River Turtle

o Lake Titicaca Frog

o Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox

o Longnose Gar

o Magnificent Tree Frog

o Mexican Blind Cave Fish

o Mexican Leaf Frog

o N. Australian Snake-necked Turtle

o Naked Mole-Rat

o Nine-banded Armadillo

o Painted Turtle

o Pink-bellied Side-necked Turtle

o Potto

o Prehensile-tailed Porcupine

o Red-rumped Agouti

o River Cooter

o Ruwenzori Long-haired Fruit Bat

o Screaming Hairy Armadillo

o Seba's Short-tailed Bat

o Short-beaked Echidna

o South African Springhaas

o Southern Three-banded Armadillo

o Spectacled Caiman

o Tammar Wallaby

o Woma Python

o Yellow-blotched Map Turtle

Bay Family Children's Adventure Trails

o Black-tailed Prairie Dog

o Domestic Budgerigar

o Domestic Goat

Owen Sea Lion Shores

o California Sea Lion

o Harbor Seal

Simmons Aviary

o American Flamingo

o Bar-headed Goose

o Black Crowned Crane

o Black-necked Swan

o Blue-winged Teal

o Cattle Egret

o Chiloe Wigeon

o Cinnamon Teal

o Hadada Ibis

o Hammerkop

o Inca Tern

o Mandarin Duck

o Marbled Teal

o Northern Shoveler

o Red-crested Pochard

o Redhead

o Ringed Teal

o Roseate Spoonbill

o Rosybill Pochard

o Ruddy Shelduck

o Scarlet Ibis

o Straw-necked Ibis

o Waldrapp Ibis

o White Stork

Hubbard Expedition Madagascar

o Aye-Aye

o Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur

o Blue-legged Mantella

o Climbing Mantella

o Collared Lemur

o Common Brown Lemur

o Crested Coua

o Flat-tailed Tortoise

o Fossa

o Giant Day Gecko

o Giant Jumping Rat

o Golden Mantella

o Gray Mouse Lemur

o Green Mantella

o Henkel's Leaf-tailed Gecko

o Lesser Vasa Parrot

o Madagascar Ground Boa

o Madagascar Plated Lizard

o Madagascar Reed Frog

o Madagascar Spiny-tailed Iguana

o Malagasy Cichlids (Assorted)

o Malagasy Hognose Snake

o Mongoose Lemur

o Radiated Tortoise

o Red Ruffed Lemur

o Ring-tailed Lemur

o Straw-colored Fruit Bat

Asian Highlands

o Amur Tiger

o Chinese Goral

o Indian Rhinoceros

o Pere David's Deer

o Red Panda

o Reeve's Muntjac

o Sloth Bear

o Snow Leopard

o Takin

o Tufted Deer

o White-naped Crane

Lagoon

o Black-handed Spider Monkey

o Egyptian Goose

o Koi

Scott African Grasslands

o Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

o African Elephant

o African Lion

o African Red-billed Hornbill

o African Spurred Tortoise

o Blue Crane

o Bongo

o Cape Thick-Knee

o Cheetah

o Common Ostrich

o Golden-breasted Starling

o Grant's Zebra

o Impala

o Kenyan Crested Guineafowl

o Klipspringer

o Koi

o Leopard Tortoise

o Lesser Kudu

o Meerkat

o Okapi

o Pink-backed Pelican

o Reticulated Giraffe

o Rock Hyrax

o Sable Antelope

o Southern White Rhinoceros

o White Stork

o White-throated Monitor

o Yellow-backed Duiker

Garden of the Senses

o Blue-and-yellow Macaw

o Blue-fronted Amazon

o Eclectus Parrot

o Hyacinth Macaw

o Military Macaw

o Red-crowned Parrot

o Scarlet Macaw

o Sulphur-crested Cockatoo

o Yellow-headed Amazon

B.G. Butterfly & Insect Pavilion

v Walk-through Butterfly Wing

o Cydno Longwing

o False Zebra Longwing

o Monarch

o Pink Cattleheart

o Postman

o Rusty-tipped Page

o Small Postman

o Tiger Longwing


v Insect Pavilion

o African Giant Millipede

o Banded-legged Golden Orb-web Spider

o Black Beauty Stick Insect

o Black Soldier Fly

o Blue Death-feigning Beetle

o Blue-crowned Laughingthrush

o Brazilian White-kneed Tarantula

o Bush Cricket

o Common Carrion Beetle

o Common Emperor Scorpion

o Common Pill Woodlouse

o Crested Wood-Partridge

o Death's Head Cockroach

o Derby's Flower Beetle

o Dragon-headed Katydid

o Eastern Lubber Grasshopper

o Elephant Beetle

o Giant Prickly Stick Insect

o Giant Water Bug

o Hercules Beetle

o Indian Domino Cockroach

o Jungle Nymph

o Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

o Mexican Fireleg Tarantula

o Mexican Golden Red-rump Tarantula

o Orange-spotted Roach

o Peacock Tarantula

o Saffron Finch

o Tanzanian Whipspider

o Whitespot Assassin Bug

o Yellow-belly Flower Beetle

Hubbard Orangutan Forest

o Bornean Orangutan

o Francois' Langur

o Siamang Gibbon

Hubbard Gorilla Valley

o Abyssinian Ground Hornbill

o Blue-winged Goose

o African Spurred Tortoise

o Black Crowned Crane

o Cape Teal

o Cattle Egret

o Colobus Monkey

o Western Lowland Gorilla

o White Stork

o White-faced Duck

Suzanne and Walter Scott Aquarium

o African Moony

o Atlantic Puffin

o Banggai Cardinalfish

o Barred Flagtail

o Bat Star

o Bee Shrimp

o Bigbelly Seahorse

o Black Durgon Trigger

o Black Rockfish

o Black Surfperch

o Blacksaddle Filefish

o Blue Caribbean Tang

o Blue Rockfish

o Blue Star Leopard Wrasse

o Blue Tang

o Blue-green Chromis

o Blue-striped Grunt

o Bluestreak Cleaner Wrasse

o Bonnethead Shark

o Bristletail Filefish

o Brown Chromis

o Brown Rockfish

o California Moray

o California Scorpionfish

o California Sheephead

o Cardinal Tetra

o Clarkii Clownfish

o Clown Tang

o Common Murre

o Convict Tang

o Copper Rockfish

o Copperbanded Butterflyfish

o Coral Banded Shrimp

o Cottonwick Grunt

o Cownose Ray

o Cuban Hogfish

o Derasa Giant Clam

o Desjardini Sailfin Tang

o Diana's Hogfish

o Double Saddle Butterflyfish

o Dragon Moray

o Epaulette Shark

o Flagtail Prochilodus

o Flame Angelfish

o Forktail Blenny

o Foxface Rabbitfish

o Foxfish

o French Angelfish

o Garibaldi

o Gentoo Penguin

o Globefish

o Green Moray

o Hamlet

o Harlequin Tuskfish

o Horn Shark

o Huchti Anthias

o Japanese Giant Spider Crab

o Kelp Bass

o King Penguin

o Kuhl's Muskray

o Lamarek Angelfish

o Lambchop Rasbora

o Longhorn Cowfish

o Longnose Butterflyfish

o Longspine Snipefish

o Lookdown

o Lyretail Anthias

o Macaroni Penguin

o Maculosus Angelfish

o Magpie Morwong

o Majestic Angelfish

o Masked Angelfish

o Matanbei Angelfish

o Midnight Snapper

o Moorish Idol

o Mustard Tang

o Mystery Wrasse

o Needlefish

o Ocean Whitefish

o Ochre Star

o Old Wife

o Oriental Sweetlips

o Ornate Cowfish

o Pajama Cardinalfish

o Palometa

o Panda Eel

o Percula Clownfish

o Pike Cichlid

o Pineconefish

o Pink-skunk Clownfish

o Pistol Shrimp

o Porcupine Crab

o Porcupinefish

o Porkfish

o Powder Blue Surgeonfish

o Purple Anthias

o Purple Sea Urchin

o Purple Tang

o Pyramid Butterflyfish

o Quillback Rockfish

o Raccoon Butterflyfish

o Red Sea Urchin

o Red-bellied Pacu

o Red-bellied Piranha

o Redtail Catfish

o Ripsaw Catfish

o Sailfin Tang

o Schooling Bannerfish

o Shaw's Cowfish

o Shiner Surfperch

o Smallmouth Grunt

o Snowflake Moray

o Solar Boxfish

o Southern Rockhopper Penguin

o Spanish Grunt

o Spanish Hogfish

o Spotted Garden Eel

o Spotted Ratfish

o Springeri Damselfish

o Stocky Anthias

o Striped Blenny

o Striped Surfperch

o Stripey

o Sunburst Anthias

o Sunflower Sea Star

o Toco Toucan

o Tufted Puffin

o Turban Snail

o Tuxedo Sea Urchin

o Unicorn Tang

o Walleye Surfperch

o Whitespotted Bamboo Shark

o Wolf Eel

o Yellow Tang

o Yellowtail Coris

o Yellowtail Damselfish

o Zebra Mantis Shrimp


v Tunnel Tank

o Black Grouper

o Crevalle Jack

o Green Sea Turtle

o Horse-eye Jack

o Loggerhead Sea Turtle

o Moon Jelly

o Nurse Shark

o Ornate Wobbegong

o Queensland Grouper

o Red Grouper

o Sandbar Shark

o South American Sea Nettle

o Southern Stingray

o Spotted Wobbegong

o Tarpon

o Tassled Wobbegong

o Upside-down Jellyfish

o West Africa Sea Nettle

o West Coast Sea Nettle

o Zebra Shark


v Touch Pool

o Aggregating Anemone

o Bat Star

o Bay Star

o California Spot Prawn

o Chain Dogfish

o Giant Plumose Anemone

o Green Surf Anemone

o Kelp Perch

o Ochre Star

o Strawberry Anemone

o Stubby Rose Anemone,

o Wolf Eel

Considering how many tiny changes are made to zoo collections regularly, you should really not post species lists unless they are from an actual visit.

 

[Omaha92]

4th baby elephant has arrived.

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium announced the birth of its fourth elephant calf Tuesday, in a press release.

Jayei, the matriarch of the African elephant herd at about 30 years old, gave birth to a female calf at 6:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 6.

“We have been anticipating the birth of Jayei’s calf,” said Sarah Armstrong, the Zoo’s elephant manager, in a press release. “She is our most experienced mom and was pivotal in the successful births of our first three calves to first-time moms.”

At this time, the Elephant Family Quarters will remain closed to the public. However, guests may see mom with her calf and the herd in their outdoor yard, as they will have access to the area.

The father of the calf is 22-year-old Callee. He came to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium in 2019 and this summer, was relocated to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas, per the recommendation of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ African Elephant Species Survival Plan.

“This birth is also a celebration of hope for African elephants,” said Dr. Luis Padilla, president and CEO, in a press release. “We are fortunate to have a multigenerational, socially complex African elephant herd with four calves, which is unique to the United States. To see them thrive triggers such strong emotional connections to this species and inspires us to take action to conserve them. We are proud of the incredible and talented team who cares for them, and we are thrilled to share this unique experience with our community.”

 

[pachyderm pro]

A male bongo calf was born on July 7th and is now on exhibit in African Grasslands.

Omaha's Zoo & Aquarium on Instagram: "We’re all ears! Because we have more exciting news and well, we just are… Mia, our 11-year-old eastern mountain bongo, gave birth to her very first calf, a male, on Friday, July 7. The calf can now be seen exploring with mom and our other adult females, Macie and her daughter Gemini, in the Scott African Grasslands. While they are one of the largest forest-dwelling antelopes in the world, their population is among the smallest and most critically endangered. Due to habitat loss and deforestation, only about 100 or so eastern mountain bongos remain in the montane rainforests of central Kenya. Our Zoo partners with The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Bongo Species Survival Plan. The group works closely with the International Bongo Foundation to promote and facilitate bongo conservation in Kenya, with an emphasis on reintroduction efforts to Mount Kenya. This dedicated group began working with The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy in 2004 to manage and maintain a bongo herd that originated from the U.S. zoo population. Along with the herds from Kenya, they form the foundation of the reintroduction program. #SavingSpecies"

 

[Brayden Delashmutt]

A male bongo calf was born on July 7th and is now on exhibit in African Grasslands.

Omaha's Zoo & Aquarium on Instagram: "We’re all ears! Because we have more exciting news and well, we just are… Mia, our 11-year-old eastern mountain bongo, gave birth to her very first calf, a male, on Friday, July 7. The calf can now be seen exploring with mom and our other adult females, Macie and her daughter Gemini, in the Scott African Grasslands. While they are one of the largest forest-dwelling antelopes in the world, their population is among the smallest and most critically endangered. Due to habitat loss and deforestation, only about 100 or so eastern mountain bongos remain in the montane rainforests of central Kenya. Our Zoo partners with The Association of Zoos and Aquariums' Bongo Species Survival Plan. The group works closely with the International Bongo Foundation to promote and facilitate bongo conservation in Kenya, with an emphasis on reintroduction efforts to Mount Kenya. This dedicated group began working with The Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy in 2004 to manage and maintain a bongo herd that originated from the U.S. zoo population. Along with the herds from Kenya, they form the foundation of the reintroduction program. #SavingSpecies"

So excited to visit! Will send pictures here.

 

[SwampDonkey]

According to Facebook, Brian the Indian rhinoceros will be leaving Columbus Zoo for Omaha in the "fall" 2023. They did not say if the AZA will replace him with another rhino or not.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=671996618291305&set=a.357093403114963

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

According to Facebook, Brian the Indian rhinoceros will be leaving Columbus Zoo for Omaha in the "fall" 2023. They did not say if the AZA will replace him with another rhino or not.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=671996618291305&set=a.357093403114963

That probably makes Marshall’s pending move to LA a sure thing!

 

[Elena]

That probably makes Marshall’s pending move to LA a sure thing!

From the 6/20/23 Minutes of Hearing for the Los Angeles Zoo Commission meeting:

"Expected Rhino has not yet arrived, as he did not cooperate when loading at his current Zoo in Nebraska. A second attempt was made however we will now have to wait until the hauler has availability"

The Minutes of Hearing for the LA Zoo Commission meeting on 7/18/23 noted:

"Rhino has not yet arrived from Nebraska; the Zoo is now waiting on availability of the transportation company."

He'll be moving to LA, it's just a question of when the move actually takes place.