Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Pittsburgh Zoo and Aquarium News 2023

When did Pittsburgh get tomistoma? I know they had gharial not too long ago

Depends how long ago "not too long ago" was ;) Within the last ~4 years they've only had unsigned tomistoma.
 
There is a list at the link below that might help. See the bottom of the webpage.

Learn: Animals | Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium
Thank you. Yes I have seen that, but I was hoping for something with more specifics.

What specifics are you looking for? Other than the aquarium and the herps in World of Discovery, that's a complete list. You can find photos of all herp and fish tanks in the media gallery here.
 
The zoo has begun working on their master plan. First is some reorganization and improvements to Kids Kingdom.

The aviary has been renovated and a building added. It is now the Australian Aviary. Four species (blue crowned pigeon, masked lapwing, crested pigeon, and wonga pigeon) are on exhibit. More to come as the summer progresses.

The alpaca area is now the new Wallaby Walkabout featuring red kangaroos and Bennett's wallabies.

The alpacas have relocated to the former goat area from what I understand.

The new goat area is the former kangaroo exhibit. Nigerian dwarf goats and Valais blacknose sheep will be exhibited there.
 
The zoo has begun working on their master plan. First is some reorganization and improvements to Kids Kingdom.

The aviary has been renovated and a building added. It is now the Australian Aviary. Four species (blue crowned pigeon, masked lapwing, crested pigeon, and wonga pigeon) are on exhibit. More to come as the summer progresses.

The alpaca area is now the new Wallaby Walkabout featuring red kangaroos and Bennett's wallabies.

The alpacas have relocated to the former goat area from what I understand.

The new goat area is the former kangaroo exhibit. Nigerian dwarf goats and Valais blacknose sheep will be exhibited there.

Thanks for the update. Where is the aviary? I'm not recalling one. Wonga pigeon is nice!

I'm not seeing the point in switching the livestock and macropods around. You said kangaroos, plural, so I take it there's finally more than one now?

I doubt they're pure Valais, there's very few in the USA, the first ones were only imported in 2018 (I went to a sheep show specifically to see them).
 
Thanks for the update. Where is the aviary? I'm not recalling one. Wonga pigeon is nice!

I'm not seeing the point in switching the livestock and macropods around. You said kangaroos, plural, so I take it there's finally more than one now?

I doubt they're pure Valais, there's very few in the USA, the first ones were only imported in 2018 (I went to a sheep show specifically to see them).

The aviary is along the path in Kids Kingdom after the skunks and before the new kangaroo yard.
 
Where the owl and chickens were?

I made a map that is a rough estimate where things should be. See attached. The chickens are not on it because I just realized where they must be.
 

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The zoo has begun working on their master plan. First is some reorganization and improvements to Kids Kingdom.

The aviary has been renovated and a building added. It is now the Australian Aviary. Four species (blue crowned pigeon, masked lapwing, crested pigeon, and wonga pigeon) are on exhibit. More to come as the summer progresses.

The alpaca area is now the new Wallaby Walkabout featuring red kangaroos and Bennett's wallabies.

The alpacas have relocated to the former goat area from what I understand.

The new goat area is the former kangaroo exhibit. Nigerian dwarf goats and Valais blacknose sheep will be exhibited there.
I’m a volunteer there in their teen program, there’s a sign up in front of the former turkey/chicken/wallaby habitat saying bald eagles will be arriving in the fall
 
June/July 2023 News Not Mentioned:

On July 5th, the zoo announced they acquired (0.0.2) domestic sheep (breed not specified) named Elvis and Prince which are now on exhibit in the Kids Kingdom area.

Have you met our new sheep, Elvis and Prince? They can be found in Kids Kingdom! | By Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium | Facebook

On June 5th, the zoo announced that (0.0.2) more lowland nyala were born in March and April respectively.

Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium

On July 8th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.1) ocelot named Soona to the Mesker Park Zoo in Indiana in June.

Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden
 
So. The AZA annual conference announcement is out, and Pittsburgh is one of six zoos that isn't specified to have gained or been denied accreditation. The other five are Brookfield, Miller Park, Peoria, Pueblo, and Maryland Zoo at Baltimore. I think this means that the can is getting kicked down the road while they have the chance to make changes, but that's just based on what I've seen before with Greenville. Maybe someone with more inside knowledge has a better understanding of what's going on with those six facilities.
 
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So. The AZA annual conference announcement is out, and Pittsburgh is one of six zoos that isn't specified to have gained or been denied accreditation. The other five are Brookfield, Miller Park, Peoria, Pueblo, and Maryland Zoo at Baltimore. I think this means that the can is getting kicked down the road while they have the chance to make changes, but that's just based on what I've seen before with Greenville. Maybe someone with more inside knowledge has a better understanding of what's going on with those six facilities.
As far as I know, Pittsburgh will always be denied accreditation so long as they continue to have open contact with elephants. At least that's been AZA's position up until now. Maybe they've loosened their stance, but I can't foresee that happening, so perhaps Pittsburgh has made the appropriate steps in their program.
 
According to the zoo newsletter, the zoo has completed their master plan for the next 20 years. A new giraffe barn and a larger giraffe yard, the entry village rethemed to South America with habitats, and a state-of-the-art multi-level Bornean orangutan habitat. The South America area will include relocated anteaters and flamingos and add tamarins and macaws. The new giraffe area will include indoor viewing.
 
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