San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo News 2015

Arizona Docent said:
@ Shellheart - Pure blooded African leopards are virtually nonexistent in USA. There may be two or three at most. A lot of non-AZA zoos identify their cats as African leopards when in fact they are just generic leopards of no pure subspecies lineage. If San Diego really wants one, I am sure they could import one from a rescue facility or even zoo in Africa. However I am still not convinced that will happen.
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We'll either get a "generic" leopard or an African leopard. Either way I don't think the San Diego Zoo would drastically cheapen themselves so much to try to pass off an Amur Leopard as something it's not..........But then again I think of the "mountain coatis" at the Safari Park and get worried.
 
Hyak_II said:
California Academy of Sciences also had/possibly still has Striped Catsharks in with their African Penguins.
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The ones in the concept art resemble leopard sharks if that's anything to go by. If the concept art is accurate,does anybody know the disposition of leopard sharks and how likely they'd be to eat a penguin?
 
zooboy28 said:
Ok. Can't think of any in Australia off the top of my head, unless they are very small species. In outdoor exhibits as this one will be?
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The New York Aquarium has the mix in an outdoor enclosure. Sealife Manly is the Australian aquarium where I've seen penguins and sharks together.
 
zooboy28 said:
I didn't know the black leopards were only Asian....
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they aren't. Melanistic leopards are well-documented from Mt Kenya in the Aberdares, and also in the Ethiopian Highlands. It isn't even difficult finding photos of ones online from Mt Kenya.

However they are not common (probably on par with black servals, which are more obvious because they are more active by day) and no black leopard in captivity could be claimed to be African.
 
Chlidonias said:
they aren't. Melanistic leopards are well-documented from Mt Kenya in the Aberdares, and also in the Ethiopian Highlands. It isn't even difficult finding photos of ones online from Mt Kenya.

However they are not common (probably on par with black servals, which are more obvious because they are more active by day) and no black leopard in captivity could be claimed to be African.
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Are servals actually more obvious and active during the day than leopards? To my knowledge, both species are primarily crepuscular/nocturnal hunters, and in my (admittedly limited experience) in Africa, I've found it far easier to see leopards (at night or during the day) than servals (obviously, size is a major factor). Regardless, black servals may be still be more obvious, if only because melanism appears to be more common in servals than in African leopards.

As to the issue of African leopards, anyone know whether Columbus Zoo's African leopard is actually a verified African? The Zoo had two sisters when the African forest section opened; one has since died, but the remaining female is still around. Regardless of her pedigree, Columbus appears to be one of the few American zoos still holding two leopard subspecies (as there are two Amur leopards exhibited in what was the top floor of the sun bear's indoor quarters).
 
zoomaniac said:
The New York Aquarium also shows small sharks (Triakis, if I remember correctly) with Jackass (African) Penguins.
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When I visited last year, while they did have some large bass in with the penguins, there were not any shark species.

~Thylo:cool:
 
Chlidonias said:
However they are not common (probably on par with black servals, which are more obvious because they are more active by day) and no black leopard in captivity could be claimed to be African.
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Incorrect, as it happens; there is a melanistic individual at Heythrop Zoo which is of known wildcaught origin.
 
Hi folks

I have the intention to visit San Diego Zoo (again) in Spring 2016. After checking the zoo map, it looks as if the kopje exhibit as well as the wombat exhibt across the Koalas are not open to the public because of construction of Africa Rocks.

Are those exhibits completely hidden behind construction walls or are visitors able to see the animals - specially the wombats and the klippspringers?

Thank you very much in advance for a reply.
 
I just went today and unfortunately you are unable to see the wombat or the klipspringer.
 
That's a pity (and a little annoying). Anyway: Thank you very much for your reply, Betsy!
 
betsy said:
I just went today and unfortunately you are unable to see the wombat or the klipspringer.
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Was viewing of the exhibit at least accessible? I remember going a couple weeks ago and you could still see on the bus side.

The tree kangaroo exhibits and camel yard were completely demoed when I went, as was the ramp where the previous Parma wallaby yard was.
 
has there been anymore news in terms of confirmed exhibits for the Africa Rocks showcase? namely whether or not a spotted hyena exhibit is still in the plans. I'm just wondering if they put anything up on the construction walls or if anyone has heard anything else in terms of confirmed species?
 
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