Yeah, its unfortunate but I'm not sure why there is such a difference in longevity for the two species.
Roger Williams Park Zoo Roger Williams Park Zoo News 2022
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Yeah, its unfortunate but I'm not sure why there is such a difference in longevity for the two species.
I may be missing it somewhere on Zoochat, but how did you learn of the takin death?
Huh, that death must have gone unreported on zoochat, but yeah, Harlee, the zoo's male takin, passed away back in the spring. He was at the zoo for almost a decade and was very old for a takin. That's why any time you've visited the zoo over the summer/fall the only takin you would've seen are the two girls.
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Zoo receives $1.5 million to bring back penguins:
Roger Williams Park Zoo receives $1.5M to bring back penguin exhibit | ABC6
The zoo’s penguin exhibit has been inactive for 10 years.
Roger Williams Park Zoo receives $1.5M to bring back penguin exhibit | ABC6
The zoo’s penguin exhibit has been inactive for 10 years.
Wow, this announcement brings so many questions:
- What is the budget of the new exhibit? If $1.5 milllion is the full budget, then that is pretty low.
- Where will the new exhibit be? Will it be by the entrance as has been planned since the 2015 Masterplan? Or have plans since changed? Maybe it will be a rejuvenation of the old seal pool, instead?
- No matter where the penguin exhibit goes, it seems the MP priorities have at least changed somewhat (which is not surprising). The zoo originally planned to construct a new Reptile House and Education Center before working on an aquatics area with penguins, sea lions, and shore birds.
- I see this as competition with the Franklin Park Zoo, as they are both New England big city zoos planning on constructing penguin exhibits in the next several years.
PercideRolo
Well-Known Member
Photo in linc show seal exhibit.
Ah! That makes a lot of sense, given the size of the donation. The text of the article didn't specify, so I didn't realize at first.
The short of it is a new filtration system and new holding. The penguins'll basically use the old seal habitat, though I assume they might touch up the rockwork a tad.
The picture does show Stacey Johnson, the zoo director standing with the check in the seal exhibit. This would be a very good location for the penguin exhibit, as it currently sits empty and the exhibit would be rather costly to tear down- penguins could utilize the exhibit rather well as it currently stands, and it'd be unique and cool having that deep of a pool in a penguin exhibit, much deeper underwater viewing than Mystic offers. The big question in my opinion is what species of penguin the zoo will receive. Africans may be the best thematic choice, as the exhibit borders the giraffe habitat, but it might be nice to see a third penguin species make an appearance in New England- either humboldts returning or getting magellanics. Or, since it's my personal favorite penguin species, I'd like to see some little blue penguins make a New England come-back! I'm assuming though that it'll be one of these three species, not one of the colder-weather ones.
In regards to the MP Priorities (and specifically the desperately needed new Ed Center), as reported earlier there was a bond issue on the Rhode Island ballot that would give the zoo funding for the new education center. This bond has officially passed, so we will be seeing a new education center as well as penguins in the coming years, both of which I'm definitely excited for.
Sources for Rhode Island Question 3 Zoo Education Center:
Rhode Island Question 3 Election Results: Issue Environmental and Recreational Bonds
RI ballot Question 3 would raise money for environmental projects
PercideRolo
Well-Known Member
Make pool smaller still using window. Lot of penguin exhibit have tent top now. Money probably spent there and makeup for rocks.
Netting over the exhibit is actually an idea that should be seriously considered, especially if breeding is in the future. I know the zoo has received visits in recent years from wild bald eagles, and I wouldn't put it past a bald eagle to fly off with a penguin chick, so netting it in for protection would be a good idea. One thing I'd like to see also is if a second species is incorporated in with the penguins, such as the cormorants that used to live with them back in the day. If they get humboldts again, maybe pull a Philadelphia and add in some steamer ducks? Or maybe mix African penguins with cape shelducks?
Is the pool big enough for aquatic life (i.e. leopard shark/African penguin exhibit at San Diego?)
It's a fairly large pool, so I suppose, but I'm not sure how good of an idea leopard sharks (or other fish that could be mixed with penguins) outside in New England is- as San Diego is no where near as cold as it can get in Providence!
PercideRolo
Well-Known Member
Would nice if allowed hill facing giraffe for nesting. Better than rock floor. Less of pit tank feel.
Philly didn't shrink their old polar bear pool for when they moved their penguins in. All they really did was knock down one of the glass walls, build a path into the habitat with a wooden fence, modify some rockwork on land for nesting burrows and that was that.
Per an e-mail to the zoo's mailing list today (members, supporters, etc.), the zoo is fundraising for some improvements to the zebra/wildebeest/watusi exhibit. While it doesn't appear like these will be substantial changes to the visitor experience, the e-mail mentions greater visibility and accessibility, habitat fence repair, tree protection, holding yard coverings, and outdoor radiant heaters. The heaters may be the most notable part of this, as it may allow the ungulates to remain outside in colder weather, making winter visits to the zoo more enjoyable.
So the current projects for the zoo are:
1. renovations to the zebra/wildebeest/watusi enclosure
2. a new giraffe feeding platform
3. transforming the empty seal enclosure into an enclosure for penguins of an unknown species
4. a new education center that was approved by Rhode Island voters on November eighth
I personally hope that the location of the new education center is down by Hasbro's Big Backyard so that other enclosures are not removed.
1. renovations to the zebra/wildebeest/watusi enclosure
2. a new giraffe feeding platform
3. transforming the empty seal enclosure into an enclosure for penguins of an unknown species
4. a new education center that was approved by Rhode Island voters on November eighth
I personally hope that the location of the new education center is down by Hasbro's Big Backyard so that other enclosures are not removed.
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As shown in the 2016 masterplan, the new education center will be between the main entrance and big backyard- mostly taking up unused space. Plus, building a new education center, regardless of where, will open up the old education center as future exhibit space, possibly a reptile house as per the masterplan. I know part of the appeal with the new education center is that in terms of logistics, they want it somewhere with an exterior entrance- which will make arrival/departure for education programs significantly easier.