Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium News 2024

[Smaggledagle]

On April 1st, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.0.1+?) spotted eagle ray which is now on display in the Scott Aquarium in the cownose ray/bonnethead shark mixed-species exhibit.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

 

[MGolka]

Finally got a chance to visit in quite a while and got some little updates at the zoo.

In the Lied Jungle:

• Plumed Basilisk now occupy the exhibit that formerly held Yellow Anaconda.
• The exhibit where the Plumed Basilisk was now is solely Smoky Jungle Frog.
• The frog exhibit on the jungle floor is being renovated and no species are currently on display there.

Over in Asian Highlands:

• Tufted Deer are currently off exhibit as a new night quarters is constructed on the side of the exhibit. This would be to expand the previous night quarters holding.

In the Simmons Aviary:

• Not sure if this was mentioned, but it appears in @DesertTortoise's species list from last August, but can confirm the Pink Backed Pelicans are in the aviary. There were a bunch of them milling around, but the aviary is still closed for the season. These were the ones that survived the bird flu that came through and killed several of them in their spot at the south end of the Koi Lake.

And as always, here are some new photos of the progress of Hubbard Orangutan Forest that is getting closer to opening.

First, work is ongoing on the exhibit signage structure in the form of a gnarled tree with a circular opening for the sign near the elevator top entrance.



Next, the former steep pathway that wrapped around the two previous outdoor enclosures has been removed. This may be a welcome sight for anyone old enough to remember pushing a stroller up these steep paths before the flatter path adjacent to it that also fed to the old Cat Complex.



Speaking of the Cat Complex former site, it appears a new pedestrian access path that is ADA accessible is now in place and connects closer to where the Meadowlark Theater and Children's Trails are located. I presume this is a guest path as it connects right to where the restrooms and the small snack counter by the upper Gorilla entrance are (on right edge of photo). There do seem to be some connections to back of house facilities as well, so we will see in time. Of note, the connection to the main path has been used for construction access only to this point, but there is also a former precedent at that location, there used to be a path that did allow guests to go toward the Cat Complex there and gave you an overlook into the former Bear Canyon.



And lastly, a couple pictures of some of the theming elements that are visible in a couple different spots. First, you can catch a glimpse from inside the gorilla house at the bottom of the larger outdoor exhibit.



Also, if you are lucky, can get a glimpse from up near the elevators near Kingdoms of Night exit.



The way that temple is looking, my excitement level for this complex's renovation is starting to ramp up to 11! Can't wait!

 

[MGolka]

In an email from the zoo, Orangutan Forest is slated to open June 14th, a Friday.

 

[Cat-Man]

Looking forward to seeing this.

 

[Zoo adventures]

Finally got a chance to visit in quite a while and got some little updates at the zoo.

In the Lied Jungle:

• Plumed Basilisk now occupy the exhibit that formerly held Yellow Anaconda.
• The exhibit where the Plumed Basilisk was now is solely Smoky Jungle Frog.
• The frog exhibit on the jungle floor is being renovated and no species are currently on display there.

Over in Asian Highlands:

• Tufted Deer are currently off exhibit as a new night quarters is constructed on the side of the exhibit. This would be to expand the previous night quarters holding.

View attachment 698459

In the Simmons Aviary:

• Not sure if this was mentioned, but it appears in @DesertTortoise's species list from last August, but can confirm the Pink Backed Pelicans are in the aviary. There were a bunch of them milling around, but the aviary is still closed for the season. These were the ones that survived the bird flu that came through and killed several of them in their spot at the south end of the Koi Lake.

And as always, here are some new photos of the progress of Hubbard Orangutan Forest that is getting closer to opening.

First, work is ongoing on the exhibit signage structure in the form of a gnarled tree with a circular opening for the sign near the elevator top entrance.

View attachment 698460

Next, the former steep pathway that wrapped around the two previous outdoor enclosures has been removed. This may be a welcome sight for anyone old enough to remember pushing a stroller up these steep paths before the flatter path adjacent to it that also fed to the old Cat Complex.

View attachment 698461

Speaking of the Cat Complex former site, it appears a new pedestrian access path that is ADA accessible is now in place and connects closer to where the Meadowlark Theater and Children's Trails are located. I presume this is a guest path as it connects right to where the restrooms and the small snack counter by the upper Gorilla entrance are (on right edge of photo). There do seem to be some connections to back of house facilities as well, so we will see in time. Of note, the connection to the main path has been used for construction access only to this point, but there is also a former precedent at that location, there used to be a path that did allow guests to go toward the Cat Complex there and gave you an overlook into the former Bear Canyon.

View attachment 698462

And lastly, a couple pictures of some of the theming elements that are visible in a couple different spots. First, you can catch a glimpse from inside the gorilla house at the bottom of the larger outdoor exhibit.

View attachment 698463

Also, if you are lucky, can get a glimpse from up near the elevators near Kingdoms of Night exit.

View attachment 698464

The way that temple is looking, my excitement level for this complex's renovation is starting to ramp up to 11! Can't wait!

Did you see the two Amur tigers? Are they introduced yet? Hoping for baby Sputnik.

 

[MGolka]

Did you see the two Amur tigers? Are they introduced yet? Hoping for baby Sputnik.

I saw one of the two Amur Tigers. I’ve yet to see Omaha have both on exhibit. Typically they have only had one one exhibit at a time. From what I gather, most together time happens behind the scenes, or at the Safari Park which is also off show.

 

[filovirus]

A handful of updates from Facebook since the last post on this thread, with corresponding dates.

April 25: Facebook announced two new resident goats (2.0.0 - both male - am i using the fancy numbering correctly?), Barry and Pongo. Both were born at the Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park.

April 26: Nothing specific posted on the zoo's Facebook about how they fared, but some very devastating tornadoes in Nebraska on this day. Hope any zoochatters in the area are managing okay. I was unable to find any specific news about how the zoo specifically fared... but no news is probably good news. I found one article saying they were accepting donations of browse in the form of fallen branches from the public- a program they seem to have running basically always.

May 6: The Omaha Zoo has a new VP of education, Jocelyn Harrison. From 2020-2024 (and maybe still? It says her current role) she served as lead education program manager.

May 13: Female white-naped crane Moyling has laid two eggs. Unknown if they're fertile or not- if they are, "they will hatch this spring".

 

[wild boar]

(2.0.0 - both male - am i using the fancy numbering correctly?)

You are, yes.

 

[MGolka]

April 26: Nothing specific posted on the zoo's Facebook about how they fared, but some very devastating tornadoes in Nebraska on this day. Hope any zoochatters in the area are managing okay. I was unable to find any specific news about how the zoo specifically fared... but no news is probably good news. I found one article saying they were accepting donations of browse in the form of fallen branches from the public- a program they seem to have running basically always.

The tornadoes hit the west edge and north side of Omaha so the zoo wasn't directly impacted. The one that touched down at the airport went right over downtown and if it had touched down a couple miles south, the zoo may have been in trouble, but thankfully it didn't. There was a lot of damage on the west end of town and in the areas just north of Omaha so there were a lot of downed trees that the zoo usually will take off people's hands in these instances.

 

[filovirus]

The tornadoes hit the west edge and north side of Omaha so the zoo wasn't directly impacted. The one that touched down at the airport went right over downtown and if it had touched down a couple miles south, the zoo may have been in trouble, but thankfully it didn't. There was a lot of damage on the west end of town and in the areas just north of Omaha so there were a lot of downed trees that the zoo usually will take off people's hands in these instances.

Thank you for the confirmation! Really glad to hear the zoo is doing okay. i hope you (from the looks of your location) and your loved ones / any other chatters in the area are managing okay.

 

[Zoo adventures]

Omaha zoo got the award of 2024 Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Award
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

 

[DesertTortoise]

A few small updates from my visit today. May 22, 2024.

Desert Dome

• There is a juvenile inland taipan in one of the tanks last housing Kimberley rock monitor. The monitors are still exhibited nearby.

Kingdoms of the Night

• There was an unsigned three-banded armadillo in the potto and springhare exhibit.
• There are at least two unsigned emerald tree boas on exhibit in the Togo slippery frog tank. The frogs are still present.
• There is a Fly River turtle and another turtle species that I believe to be Heosemys grandis (giant Asian pond turtle), now living in the beaver exhibit. Neither are signed.
• Some sort of podocnemis species (not signed) now resides with the spectacled caiman.

Lied Jungle

• An unsigned pair of white-cheeked turacos are in the black-and-rufous sengi and African pygmy goose exhibit. The violet turacos that formerly were held here are now free-roaming in the jungle, but they are still signed for this exhibit.
• I didn’t see any macaws, and they are no longer signed.
• The painted river terrapins are now in the big South America pond at the end of the canopy walk.
• There are now emerald tree skinks signed with the prehensile-tailed skinks on the forest floor.
• The stingray pond on the forest floor was entirely empty of animals; the signage still remained, however.
• The frogs are back on display at the end of the forest floor trail.
• I had a brief look at a free-roaming azure-winged magpie. I am not sure if it is a new bird, but I had never seen one in here before.

Expedition Madagascar

• The gray mouse lemurs are still signed as being off-display.
• Uroplatus giganteus, signed as giant white-eyed leaf-tailed gecko, is on exhibit with the Henkel’s leaf-tailed geckos.

 

[Smaggledagle]

Piece of April 2024 News Not Mentioned:

On April 20th, it was mentioned that the zoo acquired (3.0) slender-tailed meerkats from the Capron Park Zoo in Massachusetts in late 2023*.

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On June 1st, the zoo announced that a collared brown lemur (believed to be 1.0) was born on April 1st and is on exhibit in Expedition Madagascar. This is the first time the species has been successfully bred at the facility.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

* Information provided by @Kylie on the Capron Park Zoo News thread (Page 9 Post #174).

 

[MGolka]

In the June newsletter from the zoo, they note a couple of interesting things. First, a pair of Bat Eared Foxes were born on May 3rd and it was noted that guests may start to see them in their habitat in the Desert Dome.

The other tidbit I found interesting is the zoo performed its first artificial insemination of their Philippine Crocodiles. Not only is this great for conservation purposes as there are less than 150 of them in the wild, but I was not aware the zoo had more than 1 Philippine croc. They have always had just one on exhibit at a time, and the article explicitly states "our Philippine crocodiles". In addition to preserving the species, the zoo is aiming to learn more about crocodilian reproductive biology.

 

[Pleistocene891]

Does anyone know the exact date the new Orangutan complex will open? I plan on making another trip to Omaha this summer.

 

[pachyderm pro]

Does anyone know the exact date the new Orangutan complex will open? I plan on making another trip to Omaha this summer.

In an email from the zoo, Orangutan Forest is slated to open June 14th, a Friday.

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The zoo’s 38-year-old female southern white rhinoceros “Mashile” will soon move to the Albuquerque BioPark in New Mexico.
Chopper the Rhino moves out of ABQ BioPark

 

[MGolka]

A couple of updates from my visit today:

The Cheetah are off exhibit as a new viewing area is being installed that gets you closer to the actual edge of the exhibit, similar to the one added a couple years back for Indian Rhino. There is additional fencing being added to the top of the rockwork wall on this side the whole length of the enclosure as well presumably to prevent any daring cheetah to jump the fence.



In Expedition: Madagascar, the Gray Mouse Lemur are now on exhibit and what awesome tiny primates they are!

In the Simmons Aviary, it appears that the zoo has acquired a couple of Black-Faced Ibis. I saw at least two, if not more. At first pass, I noticed that they looked a little different than the signed ibis species in here, and so I took a photo from the boardwalk so I could ID them later.

With the renovated Orangutan Forest opening later this week, the Angolan Colobus were back in their exhibit in Gorilla Valley, this exhibit usually had Buff Cheeked Gibbon, Agile Gibbon, or Siamang. I would imagine all those species are in their new exhibits.

Speaking of which, here is the finished entry sign for Orangutan Forest.



And here is the upper area all ready to go for this week. I will be attending an early preview this week and will post some photos.



In the Lied Jungle, I was able to confirm some rare sightings of the Indian Crested Porcupine and a Blue Monkey was visible. So these animals are still present as of today.

As noted, I will be back to the zoo in a couple days to document the opening of Orangutan Forest!

 

[pachyderm pro]

The zoo shared a photo of the lower level of Orangutan Forest on social media. Looks great!

Omaha's Zoo & Aquarium on Instagram: "A little look below the treetops! Hubbard Orangutan Forest reopens to the public this Friday, June 14, at 11 a.m. This also includes access to the Elevator Building, which will take you to the indoor and all-new outdoor habitats of the newly reimagined space, as well as Hubbard Gorilla Valley."

 

[USZOOfan42]

The zoo shared a photo of the lower level of Orangutan Forest on social media. Looks great!

Omaha's Zoo & Aquarium on Instagram: "A little look below the treetops! Hubbard Orangutan Forest reopens to the public this Friday, June 14, at 11 a.m. This also includes access to the Elevator Building, which will take you to the indoor and all-new outdoor habitats of the newly reimagined space, as well as Hubbard Gorilla Valley."

View attachment 708416

Once again Omaha with the mine blowing exhibits!