Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium 2021 News

Jay Dun said:
The Top of the World project is split into four phases. Phases one and two (The Islands & Jungle Trails) are complete. The next two phases are rumored to be Compass Point and a reptile solarium - both of which are under construction currently. I was told by a zoo employee that the main attraction at Compass Point will be manatees.
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Interesting. I checked google earth and construction was ongoing as of late last year there. The first two phases were fairly disappointing so I am interested to see what happens with these new phases. I would caution though that manatees are fully dependent on the USFWS and who I doubt would work with a non-AZA institution on this. Yes they may be going back towards AZA membership but manatees even then would require many things to fall in place.
 
Have they actually started the physical constriction of Compass Point? Orangutans, komdodo dragons, various herps, and pangolins were also mentioned to be included - although I have reason to be doubtful about that last one. An interesting, if a bit random, hoge poge of species. I don't suppose there is a site plan is there?
 
pachyderm pro said:
Have they actually started the physical constriction of Compass Point? Orangutans, komdodo dragons, various herps, and pangolins were also mentioned to be included - although I have reason to be doubtful about that last one. An interesting, if a bit random, hoge poge of species. I don't suppose there is a site plan is there?
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All the research I just did seems to suggest the answer is kind of. So they put out bids in late 2019 for site work, such as bank stabilization and sloping the land adequately for construction. But they have no as far as I have found done any construction on the site itself (basically we now have a flat site ready to be built on, but that's it). They also haven't done any public fundraising, so I doubt it tbh.

I did find mention of manatee rehabilitation in a grant request though. It also mentioned the areas as "Mountains and Compass Point" with the project overall costing $20 million. I believe orangutans were dropped from these plans years ago, so sadly they'll have to persist in there current area.
 
nczoofan said:
Interesting. I checked google earth and construction was ongoing as of late last year there. The first two phases were fairly disappointing so I am interested to see what happens with these new phases. I would caution though that manatees are fully dependent on the USFWS and who I doubt would work with a non-AZA institution on this. Yes they may be going back towards AZA membership but manatees even then would require many things to fall in place.
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In my personal and professional experience, USFW doesn't care about AZA accreditation. In fact many improvements AZA facilities have attempted to make for USFW managed species have been rejected by USFW. Ever wonder why you never see outdoor Black-footed Ferret enclosures?
 
nczoofan said:
All the research I just did seems to suggest the answer is kind of. So they put out bids in late 2019 for site work, such as bank stabilization and sloping the land adequately for construction. But they have no as far as I have found done any construction on the site itself (basically we now have a flat site ready to be built on, but that's it). They also haven't done any public fundraising, so I doubt it tbh.

I did find mention of manatee rehabilitation in a grant request though. It also mentioned the areas as "Mountains and Compass Point" with the project overall costing $20 million. I believe orangutans were dropped from these plans years ago, so sadly they'll have to persist in there current area.
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To hear the orangutans have been dropped from the plans is depressing. Their exhibit in the trop forest is…lacking.
 
Underground Zoo Fan said:
To hear the orangutans have been dropped from the plans is depressing. Their exhibit in the trop forest is…lacking.
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I do like the design of the "trees" from what I saw on ZooChat. Hot take, all it needs is a newly designed skylight that FLOODS the exhibit with natural sunlight, natural substrate like mulch, and a netted over outdoor exhibit akin to Cheyenne Mountain's current orangutan setup!
 
John Marchwick said:
Director of Roger Williams Park zoo to leave in September

It appears the zoo is getting a new president and CEO
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That'll be great. He has done a nice job at RWPZ and I expect the same at Pittsburgh. Hopefully he can get them focused on getting back into the AZA and re-evaluate the zoos recent developments and maybe invest in a new master plan that looks to address key areas where the zoo can improve (orangutans and elephants (need a bigger exhibit with bull capacity if kept at zoo)).
 
nczoofan said:
That'll be great. He has done a nice job at RWPZ and I expect the same at Pittsburgh. Hopefully he can get them focused on getting back into the AZA and re-evaluate the zoos recent developments and maybe invest in a new master plan that looks to address key areas where the zoo can improve (orangutans and elephants (need a bigger exhibit with bull capacity if kept at zoo)).
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Not sure how much I'd say he's done a "nice job" at Roger Williams. A lot of his decisions have made little sense and left a lot to be desired. For instance:
1. Removing the animals from the Big Backyard plan in exchange for more play structures.
2. Constructing a new kangaroo walkthrough to subsequently remove it only a few years later to build Faces of the Rainforest.
3. Building Faces of the Rainforest, which myself and many other Zoochatters consider one of the worst developments in the zoo history and wastes a lot of space.
4. Making a new masterplan with many questionable parts, such as not providing a replacement for asiatic black bears and not touching the elephant habitat that is too small to house elephants longterm.

I wouldn't get your hopes up if I were you.
 
Zoo has new President and CEO:

New President, CEO takes over Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium

Doctor Jeremy Goodman officially took over as President and CEO at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium on Friday, October 1, and nearly a week into the position he says he has big plans for the zoo in the future.

Dr. Goodman is the eighth Zoo director since the Pittsburgh Zoo opened in 1898, and succeed zoo director Dr. Barbara Baker who retired after 31-years of leadership.

Doctor Goodman said he's already working on a couple of major initiatives at the zoo including regaining accreditation through the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, an accreditation the zoo hasn't had in more than seven years.
 
Does the zoo still have Stuhlmann's Blue Monkeys? According to the gallery, @TinoPup saw them a year ago in December. Are they still there and do they only have a pair or more?
 
TinoPup said:
Yes, they still have blue monkeys, I visited again in August! They have 3.
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Thanks! That's awesome. I may be in the area in December and was hoping they'd still be there. I think they're a AZA phase out species since only they, Omaha, and Kansas city keep them right?
 
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