San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo news 2016

Our beloved orangutan, Janey, had to be euthanized yesterday. She had been struggling with respiratory difficulties. During her exam her heart stopped twice and they had to let her go. She will be missed.
 
jayjds2 said:
A South African vervet monkey was born in April.
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The San Diego Zoo has South African vervet monkeys?!! I don't knew that. Is this species kept behind the scenes (and supposed to be exhibited in the future African Rocks area)?
 
zoomaniac said:
The San Diego Zoo has South African vervet monkeys?!! I don't knew that. Is this species kept behind the scenes (and supposed to be exhibited in the future African Rocks area)?
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Yes, yes, and yes. Unless the plans change for African Rocks (which according to some people, is happening frequently, but I can't find any evidence online), they will be exhibited. Of course, it seems foolish not to do so when they have the species breeding already.
 
Sammy the hyacinth macaw passed away June 26th. A female Sichuan takin named Hsi Hsi, Chinese for "playful monkey", was recently born.
 
Ituri,
I do not know the answer to your question or have any insider information, but it is fun to guess! I think the new bridge will be from the former Bird and Primate Mesa (now Lost Forest) to the former Horn and Hoof Mesa (now Northern Frontier and Elephant Odyssey) rather than to the former Elephant Mesa (now Urban Jungle); otherwise it seems they would be taking the residents of Asian Passage off exhibit in that canyon below rather than the residents of Panda Canyon.

My guess is that the bridge is considered to be a great alternative to link visitors more directly to Elephant Odyssey as well as Panda Canyon and the new Africa Rocks when it opens, especially for those who need transportation to get there (even though the new Africa Rocks will have paths that conform to the maximum gradient allowed for ADA access, it will be a long twisting route as is the current Owens Aviary to Fern Canyon to Asian Passage route). This is why I think there will be a wide landing on the bridge where it meets a group of elevators in a tower to descend to the interface of Panda Canyon and Africa Rocks, thereby providing much faster access to one of the most visited parts of the zoo.
More specifically, I observed on my visit a few months ago that they had carved out a large flat area of the hillside behind Hua Mei Café as part of the massive grading effort for Africa Rocks construction. I believe this is where the elevator tower would be located, with access from the back of the Hua Mei Café outdoor dining terrace or in back of the café building. I believe the bridge would originate in Lost Forest just off Treetops Way (the wide path from the Bus Tour ticket booth to the Treetops Café/Albert's); it would probably be just past the small aviaries (and perhaps require the demolition of the small cluster of them closest to Treetops). It would span a large segment of the canyon, above the Panda Gift Shop and slightly to the side of the Giant panda off-exhibit yards until it reaches the landing and elevator tower; then it would make an angle to span a shorter segment to land at the entrance path of Elephant Odyssey, either where the rock outcrop sign is currently in front of the Fossil Portal or a tighter angle to where the entrance path from Park Way begins next to the maned wolf exhibit.

If I am mistaken about the inclusion of an elevator tower (and they made no mention of it in their announcement, just a bridge) then I would guess it could be a single-span bridge from Treetops Way between the small bird aviaries and Treetops Café, spanning over the canyon directly above the Panda Research Station Building, and landing at the Elephant Odyssey entry path from Park Way next to the maned wolf exhibit.
 
A very interesting guess Geomorph! If I find out anything I will report back.
 
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