National Zoo of South Africa Pretoria Zoo news

vogelcommando

vogelcommando

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Article about a Large spotted genet :
Baby Genet Returned to Health at National Zoo of South Africa

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This Large-spotted Genet named Nora has been experiencing a human mother’s nurturing for the past three weeks at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa. She arrived at three weeks of age after having been cared for by two other volunteers in Mokopane. It is believed that Nora, then only a few days old, was snatched up by an owl, but managed to get away. Injured when found, she was immediately treated. She was brought to the zoo in Pretoria about three weeks ago and has been cared for by their vet nurse Sr Marilise Meyer, her adopted human mother.

Marilise says Nora’s tiny little teeth have started to come out and she has started eating a few insects along with the specially formulated milk that she drinks. She is curious and likes to explore her surroundings - and that sometimes includes Marilise's desk! There was another female Genet at the Center so Nora got to keep company with her.

Genets are dispersed throughout Africa and are found across a variety of habitats that have dense vegetation—including woodlands, savannas, and forests. Adults weigh about 4.5 pounds, are about 20 inches long, and live about 8 years in the wild. Due to human population growth and expanding communities, some Genets have adapted to areas where people have settled. The animals have begun to hunt the poultry raised by folks there, causing people to kill them in retaliation.

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Photo Credit: National Zoological Gardens of South Africa

Nora has now been sent to the Free Me Rehabilitation Centre in Johannesburg where she will be introduced to another female with the aim of rehabilitation and eventual release into the Waterberg area.
Source : Zooborns
 
Allot has happened since this thread has started, Considering I cannot cover everything, only the major events of the last 3 years will be posted now:
1. Willie the Koala passed away at the ripe age of 13, He was the last of his kind at the Zoo and the former koala exhibit has been empty ever since.
2. The last Kodiak Bear at the zoo has passed, also leaving it's exhibit empty.
3. The Maned Wolfs exhibit was no where to be seen, the fence was demolished and the exhibit was overgrown.
4. Three Capybaras arrived from the Netherlands October of last year, they now occupy the former lemur Island, The lemurs have moved to the old red panda exhibit.
5. The last Patas monkey has moved from it's large enclosure next to the drills to a rather small cage in the primate rows.
6. The last female Sichuan Takin has died and the exhibit is now occupied by Sable Antelope.
 
4 Bobcats have been residing behind the scenes at Pretoria Zoo since last year after being confiscated from an illegal import, once all paperwork for the animals has been arranged, they will go on display.

DSC_7448.jpg


(credit: BIODIVERSITY PROTECTION: More than just a zoo — how Pretoria’s National Zoological Gardens is evolving)
 
Jana said:
What is origin of the wolves? Are they kept regularly in zoos in SA?
Click to expand...
They are indeed quite common here among private holders and zoos.
There is a small population of pure Canadian but the rest of them tend to be mixed.
I do not know where Pretoria’s animals are from. I will update you once I find out.
 
Several new animals have arrived the past week at the zoo.

Additional animals of species already at the zoo:

Burchell’s Zebra (Equus quagga)
Cape Eland (Taurotragus oryx oryx)
Common Ostrich (Struthio camelus)
Alligator (Alligator Mississippiensis)
Wattled Crane (Bugeranus carunculatus)

New species:

Palmnut Vulture (Gypohierax angolensis)
Bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus)

An interesting fact, the zoo now keeps four suid species.
 
Excitement Around the Pretoria Zoo!

After visiting the zoo with Nix on 03/03/2024 it is clear that the zoos #improvingforyou campaign is not to be taken lightly.

SANBI took over the management of the zoo in 2018 and in 2022 started renovating the zoo.
The progress timeline so far:

Complete
In Progress​
2022:
  1. Parking Lot
2023:
  1. 5 Bathrooms throughout the zoo got renovated
  2. Northern Hoofstock:
    • Walkway restoration
  3. Reptile Park:
    • Renovations
    • Walkway renovations
    • New species
  4. Southern Ground Hornbill Aviaries: (At the back of the zoo)
    • 3 Aviaries got entirely rebuilt
  5. Aquarium:
    • Renovations to marine tanks
2024:
  1. Monkey Row 1:
    • Probably planned, not started yet
  2. Monkey Row 2:
    • New mesh (Higher than before!)
    • Possible backstage viewing, new doors (had it historically, but not in recent years)
  3. Raptor Aviary Row 1:
    • New mesh (Higher than before!)
  4. Raptor Aviary Row 2:
    • New mesh (Higher than before!)
    • New species
  5. Parrot Aviary Renovations: (Species not moved back in yet)
    • New mesh
    • Repainted
    • New perches
  6. Owl Aviary Row:
    • New curved mesh roof
  7. Small Round Enclosure in "New Area": (Just the areas official name lol)
    • New mesh
  8. Stormy Bay:
    • New Cape Fur Seal night rooms (planning on getting more individuals)
    • New indoor African Penguin Exhibit (Zoo currently has 17 in reptile area, planning on getting 36 more)
    • General renovations
    • Second story (underground) finally planned to be open to guests! (This means underwater viewing for Cape Fur Seal and African Penguin!)
  9. White Rhino Enclosure:
    • New night rooms (Has railings on roof, possible new guest lookout and new path)
  10. Old Seal Enclosure:
    • Conversion to Otter sp. enclosure
    • New night rooms? (or other building)
    • New raised platform for viewing!
  11. New Incinerator near PPC Sundial:
    • (Not exciting, but good to see that the zoo infrastructure is also upgrading)
  12. Farm Yard:
    • Nguni enclosure renovations
    • Waterfowl aviary (Domestic Swan Goose, Greylag Goose and Black-necked Swan)
  13. Baboon Row: (2 out of 5 complete)
    • New mesh
    • Large renovations
  14. General Infrastructure:
    • Most kiosks and other buildings had minor renovations
  15. Kodiak Bear Enclosure:
    • Overhanging trees got trimmed
    • New climbing frames being built

Along with the renovations the zoo has also acquired quite a few new species and individual animals in the past few years since SANBI took over:
  1. Capybara
  2. Bennett's Wallaby
  3. Cape Fur Seal
  4. Nile Crocodile
  5. Grey Wolf (Most likely mixed with dogs)
  6. Wild Boar
  7. African Lion
  8. Veiled Chameleon
  9. Cape Cobra
  10. Angolan Coral Snake
  11. American Alligator
  12. Buff Cheeked Gibbon (Male from France)
  13. Burchell's Zebra
  14. Cape Eland
  15. Palm Nut Vulture
  16. Wattled Crane
  17. Common Ostrich
  18. Bush Pig
  19. Blue Crane
  20. Madagascan Giant Day Gecko
I am bound to have missed some things, but this should give you all a general idea of how things are going at the zoo.

The famous cable way and giant aviary at the zoo are both still out of order, but I suspect that the zoo will wait till all the other renovations are finished before getting the cable cars back in order. The cable cars will attract a lot of visitors and right now about 30-40% of the zoo is being renovated resulting in a lot of animals not being on display. The zoo also looks a bit like a mess due to the large amounts of construction going on.​
 
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When I messaged the zoo about a month ago they said they had four, but couldn’t give any more information. I’ve only heard about Abshalom and Moti as you’ve said— not exactly a species appropriate social grouping.
 
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