Philadelphia Zoo Philadelphia Zoo News 2024

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Things I noticed on my visit today. Others here might know more:
  • The Victorian crowned pigeon chick has grown very nicely! Having taken on most of Wings of Asia for the winter, the walkthrough rainforest was the highlight of my trip.
  • Across from the cheetahs is a mixed aviary of turkey vultures, crested caracara, and a common raven. If it works...
  • The southern ground hornbills are on exhibit in the former maned wolf habitat. Their former cage now holds hooded vultures.
  • Quite a few empty spaces in the reptile house. Hopefully presages a return of venomous snakes. There's also a new crocodilian of some kind coming in to replace the West African crocodiles. Abrazzo was the only tortoise outside; the rest were still indoors.
  • The Gouldian finches are gone from the indoor portion of Kid ZooU, and another elephant shrew enclosure is set to replace them.
  • Most of Big Cat Falls, except the main lion and tiger yards on opposite ends of the loop, is closed for renovations, as is the Monkey Junction viewing area (though you can still very easily see the colobus monkeys currently in there).
  • Like others, I thought Spiders Alive was a pretty solid attraction despite only being able to spot about half of the inhabitants.
  • $5.50 for a bottle of lemonade. Come on.
 
Antimony96 said:
Things I noticed on my visit today. Others here might know more:
  • The Victorian crowned pigeon chick has grown very nicely! Having taken on most of Wings of Asia for the winter, the walkthrough rainforest was the highlight of my trip.
  • Across from the cheetahs is a mixed aviary of turkey vultures, crested caracara, and a common raven. If it works...
  • The southern ground hornbills are on exhibit in the former maned wolf habitat. Their former cage now holds hooded vultures.
  • Quite a few empty spaces in the reptile house. Hopefully presages a return of venomous snakes. There's also a new crocodilian of some kind coming in to replace the West African crocodiles. Abrazzo was the only tortoise outside; the rest were still indoors.
  • The Gouldian finches are gone from the indoor portion of Kid ZooU, and another elephant shrew enclosure is set to replace them.
  • Most of Big Cat Falls, except the main lion and tiger yards on opposite ends of the loop, is closed for renovations, as is the Monkey Junction viewing area (though you can still very easily see the colobus monkeys currently in there).
  • Like others, I thought Spiders Alive was a pretty solid attraction despite only being able to spot about half of the inhabitants.
  • $5.50 for a bottle of lemonade. Come on.
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Also, the spider monkeys are expected to be moved to the primate preserve where the Coquerel's previously lived. Those guys were in turn moved inside to the habitat next to the nocturnal one and across from the gibbons.
 
I went to the zoo today, saw Marcy the snow leopard as today was her public debut. She's from the Rosamind Griffond Zoo from Syracuse, New York. There are a lot of amphibians in the Reptile House, including red salamanders, Vietnamese mossy frogs, American toad, and some others. The only venomous snake that was there was a common garter snake (the sign was visible but the snake was hidden in the exhibit).
 
3 Pieces of Late 2023 News Not Mentioned:
On September 28th, the zoo announced that their (0.1) Arapawa goat named Sage passed away at age 17 due to a decline in health caused by old age.

Philadelphia Zoo

On November 17th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.0.1) sunbittern to the St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida.

St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park

On December 12th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (1.0) Bali myna to the Los Angeles Zoo in California.

https://lazoo.org/wp-content/upload...3-Animal-Transaction-Report-December-2023.pdf

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On April 30th, the zoo announced they will be transferring (2.0) sloth bears Harper and Kelce to the Lee Richardson Zoo in Kansas sometime in late spring/early summer.

TRADE ALERT: KELCE & HARPER HEADED TO... We have some bittersweet news to share: our one-and-a-half-year-old sloth bear cubs Kelce and Harper will be... | By Philadelphia ZooFacebook
 
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Saw someone's pictures from the zoo, there is a blue-crowned laughingthrush and a black and yellow bird at the McNeil Avian Center. I am not sure what the black and yellow bird is though.
 
Nile Hippo Expert said:
Today marks 150 years since the Philadelphia Zoo opened, and it was the first zoo in the USA!
The Philadelphia Zoo celebrates 150th anniversary as the first zoo in America
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An interesting claim that Philadelphia has long made, especially given that:
Roger Williams Park Zoo celebrated its 150th birthday in 2022: Roger Williams Park Zoo Celebrates Its 150TH Birthday
Lincoln Park Zoo celebrated its 150th birthday in 2018: Lincoln Park Zoo turns 150: How a small gift led to one of the best free zoos in the country – Chicago Tribune
 
Nile Hippo Expert said:
Patty has been moved to the Louisville Zoo in Kentucky. According to the population thread, she was moved because she did not get along with her troop-mates in Philly.
Louisville Zoo welcomes new 11-year-old gorilla, Patty
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I remember seeing her before they officially announced her arrival and chatting with some of the docents at her enclosure. They mentioned her introduction was intense and she was clearly making herself very small in the group back then. I wish her the best in Kentucky. She is very sweet
 
Antimony96 said:
Things I noticed on my visit today. Others here might know more:
  • The southern ground hornbills are on exhibit in the former maned wolf habitat. Their former cage now holds hooded vultures.
  • Quite a few empty spaces in the reptile house. Hopefully presages a return of venomous snakes. There's also a new crocodilian of some kind coming in to replace the West African crocodiles. Abrazzo was the only tortoise outside; the rest were still indoors.
Click to expand...
Excited about the hooded vultures! African vultures surely need more conservation attention from the zoo community. Well done Philly Zoo.

As for the Galapagos giant tortoise: Do any Philly regulars know what the current situation is with breeding Abrazzo with both females Mommy and Little Girl? Any information on their work with getting both females to breed with Abruzzo, lay fertile eggs and have a chance to hatch Galapagos tortoise for the second time in history...! Any takers???
 
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