San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo News 2021

After my long first day in San Diego, here is a brief summary of the new exhibits, Hummingbird Habitat and Komodo Kingdom. The star attraction between both is clearly the Habitat over the Kingdom, a bit of surprise to me that guests seemed to enjoy it more but completely understandable in my opinion and my takeaway as well. Currently the Habitat has 17 species of birds, 3 being hummingbirds and expected to increase to 20 species total over time from my multiple talks with docents. There is a queue to get in and does require a mask to be on the entire time, most of the zoo is now considered mask free with some exceptions. Here are the species of birds signed in the Habitat:

Emerald Hummingbird*

Costa’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Purple Honeycreeper

Green Honeycreeper

Violaceous Euphonia

Turquoise Tanager

Black Necked Tanager

Swallow Tanager

Golden Collared Manakin

Green Backed Trogon

Spangled Cotinga

Opal Rumped Tanager

Paradise Tanager

Screaming Piha

Pompadour Cotinga

Wattled Jacana

The reason I placed an asterisk next to one of the hummingbirds is because the signage is either wrong or perhaps they haven’t yet been truly introduced to the Habitat. Based on the scientific name, it said an Amazalia Hummingbird was the one in question as it read Emerald Hummingbird. I’ll uploads a few photos before midnight, I drained my batteries and I need to charge one up in the meantime. There is max occupancy in the Habitat of 32 guests, although at times it seemed a few more extra people at times

As for the Kingdom, while it didn’t blow me away compared to the Habitat, it did look remarkable and it looked better in person than the photos posted on news article. It’s split into 3 different exhibits, each a different region of their native homeland. 2 Komodos are currently on display and the zoo is hopeful they breed soon since they’re an SSP recommendation from what I was told. It’s the less busy of the 2 new exhibits but still a job well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And a good tip, the Habitat closes at 5 PM while the Kingdom is open until closing time which currently is 6 PM.

Please be patient with me in regards to uploading photos, I want to post the best samples I got and I feel complete exhausted after a previous night of little sleep :( I hope this informed you all, will be visiting again tomorrow before my return to LA!
 
Last edited:
Julio C Castro said:
After my long first day in San Diego, here is a brief summary of the new exhibits, Hummingbird Habitat and Komodo Kingdom. The star attraction between both is clearly the Habitat over the Kingdom, a bit of surprise to me that guests seemed to enjoy it more but completely understandable in my opinion and my takeaway as well. Currently the Habitat has 17 species of birds, 3 being hummingbirds and expected to increase to 20 species total over time from my multiple talks with docents. There is a queue to get in and does require a mask to be on the entire time, most of the zoo is now considered mask free with some exceptions. Here are the species of birds signed in the Habitat:

Emerald Hummingbird*

Costa’s Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird

Purple Honeycreeper

Green Honeycreeper

Violaceous Euphonia

Turquoise Tanager

Black Necked Tanager

Swallow Tanager

Golden Collared Manakin

Green Backed Trogon

Spangled Cotinga

Opal Rumped Tanager

Paradise Tanager

Screaming Piha

Pompadour Cotinga

Wattled Jacana

The reason I placed an asterisk next to one of the hummingbirds is because the signage is either wrong or perhaps they haven’t yet been truly introduced to the Habitat. Based on the scientific name, it said an Amazalia Hummingbird was the one in question as it read Emerald Hummingbird. I’ll uploads a few photos before midnight, I drained my batteries and I need to charge one up in the meantime. There is max occupancy in the Habitat of 32 guests, although at times it seemed a few more extra people at times

As for the Kingdom, while it didn’t blow me away compared to the Habitat, it did look remarkable and it looked better in person than the photos posted on news article. It’s split into 3 different exhibits, each a different region of their native homeland. 2 Komodos are currently on display and the zoo is hopeful they breed soon since they’re an SSP recommendation from what I was told. It’s the less busy of the 2 new exhibits but still a job well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it. And a good tip, the Habitat closes at 5 PM while the Kingdom is open until closing time which currently is 6 PM.

Please be patient with me in regards to uploading photos, I want to post the best samples I got and I feel complete exhausted after a previous night of little sleep :( I hope this informed you all, will be visiting again tomorrow before my return to LA!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the report! That's a pretty nice species list, Wattled Jacana is a surprise indeed!
 
Great Argus said:
Thanks for the report! That's a pretty nice species list, Wattled Jacana is a surprise indeed!
Click to expand...
I plan to do a full review hopefully next week, going in depth with both exhibits since this is my first time ever visiting a brand new exhibit and excited to do so :) the jacanas weren’t present during my first visit but came out for the repeat ones throughout the day. I’m hyped but drained after today :oops::D
 
Sorry for repeating myself but would you know what is going to be in the old Komodo Dragon habitat?
 
Julio C Castro said:
As for the Kingdom, while it didn’t blow me away compared to the Habitat, it did look remarkable and it looked better in person than the photos posted on news article. It’s split into 3 different exhibits, each a different region of their native homeland. 2 Komodos are currently on display and the zoo is hopeful they breed soon since they’re an SSP recommendation from what I was told. It’s the less busy of the 2 new exhibits but still a job well done and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Click to expand...

How does the exhibit quality of the new SDZ Komodo exhibit compare with the LA Zoo's Komodo dragon complex?
 
African Grey said:
Sorry for repeating myself but would you know what is going to be in the old Komodo Dragon habitat?
Click to expand...
I didn’t get to ask today but can ask tomorrow, I got a bit too excited today :oops: But based on the location of where it used to be in relation to the Kingdom, it seems as if the middle exhibit and their off-exhibit area which is the sandy beach exhibit appears to be in place of where the previous Komodo dragon exhibit was at. I will ask tomorrow to verify for sure though!
 
DavidBrown said:
How does the exhibit quality of the new SDZ Komodo exhibit compare with the LA Zoo's Komodo dragon complex?
Click to expand...
I very much enjoy it more so than the LA one, I still like the LA one a lot but this one has the different regions represented and can be much closer to the komodos compared to LA. It certainly is leaning on the sustainability factor with its design based on my discussions with docents and a keeper.
 
@African Grey to answer your question from before, the original Komodo Habitat is indeed in the same area where the new one was built so it had been demolished. I was not too familiar since the only time I saw the Komodo exhibit was a teen more than 10 years ago and didn’t see even when I became a member in late 2019 :oops:
 
Last edited:
Just received an email regarding their “going back to normal” phase. As of June 15th, no health screens or masks will be required but recommended for those who aren't vaccinated. The Bus Tour will begin again and individual rates for special experiences will also be reinstated, no group rates needed for tours.
 
Last edited:
I visited the zoo yesterday and noticed an Indian Rhino at Urban Jungle and I’m guessing they recently acquired the individual since they just sent Parvesh (their last GOHR) to Fort Worth. Does anyone know where they got this new rhino from?
 
Animals R AMAZING! said:
I visited the zoo yesterday and noticed an Indian Rhino at Urban Jungle and I’m guessing they recently acquired the individual since they just sent Parvesh (their last GOHR) to Fort Worth. Does anyone know where they got this new rhino from?
Click to expand...
SDZ regularly provides a display and non breeding accommodation for bachelor male rhinos. The new rhino is either a former WAP resident or a bull needing a move from another zoo.
 
I went to the zoo this weekend and these are a couple updates:
  • There's a new female Malayan Tiger named Batari in the exhibit next to the sloth bears. I'm not sure where she is from but she is a sibling of the zoo's 3 male tigers and is only temporarily staying here.
  • One of the two sloth bear brothers (I think Deemak) was recently transferred to the National Zoo in DC.
  • There's a new young male red panda named Lucas, and he came from the Cincinnati Zoo. I wish the zoo could get a female and start breeding, I think they currently have 3 males.
  • There's a new female naked-nosed wombat named Belle in the exhibit right next to the Tasmanian Devils.
  • There are a bunch of young babirusa piglets now, it's great to see that the zoo is having so much success breeding this species!
  • There is also a new male Cavendish's dik-dik calf, and he has been named Kiungo meaning spice in Swahili.
  • Auggie, the male Andean Bear cub, has been weaned and separated from his mom Alba. Hopefully, Alba is reintroduced to Turbo and we will have another cub or two soon!
  • Taiyari, the young female Baird's tapir calf, was moved to another zoo on a breeding recommendation recently.
  • And lastly, there are two new red river hog piglets! I'm not sure about the genders, but I think they are both females.
 
Animals R AMAZING! said:
I went to the zoo this weekend and these are a couple updates:
  • There's a new female Malayan Tiger named Batari in the exhibit next to the sloth bears. I'm not sure where she is from but she is a sibling of the zoo's 3 male tigers and is only temporarily staying here.
  • One of the two sloth bear brothers (I think Deemak) was recently transferred to the National Zoo in DC.
  • There's a new young male red panda named Lucas, and he came from the Cincinnati Zoo. I wish the zoo could get a female and start breeding, I think they currently have 3 males.
  • There's a new female naked-nosed wombat named Belle in the exhibit right next to the Tasmanian Devils.
  • There are a bunch of young babirusa piglets now, it's great to see that the zoo is having so much success breeding this species!
  • There is also a new male Cavendish's dik-dik calf, and he has been named Kiungo meaning spice in Swahili.
  • Auggie, the male Andean Bear cub, has been weaned and separated from his mom Alba. Hopefully, Alba is reintroduced to Turbo and we will have another cub or two soon!
  • Taiyari, the young female Baird's tapir calf, was moved to another zoo on a breeding recommendation recently.
  • And lastly, there are two new red river hog piglets! I'm not sure about the genders, but I think they are both females.
Click to expand...

Batari was born at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in January 2014 but moved to San Diego from the Exotic Feline Breeding Compound in Rosamond, California where she had been living since October 2015. She's a littermate to Cinta and Berani and Connor's younger sister.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top