San Diego Zoo San Diego Zoo News 2025

Kudu21

Kudu21

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
Starting off the year with some updates from my most recent visit to the Zoo!

Reptile Walk:
-Work continues on refurbishing assorted terrariums across the complex. A new semi-aquatic terrarium has opened for river vine snakes.

Lost Forest:
-The silvery lutungs are currently off-exhibit.

-The Southeast Asian carnivorous plants display in the old coconut crab exhibit in Tiger Trail was short lived. It has already been dismantled.

Africa Rocks:
-The serval that was in the Kopje exhibit passed away, so that exhibit is currently empty.

Asian Passage:
-There is currently maintenance work happening in the female giant panda exhibit, so she is currently off-exhibit.

-The Andean condor pair in Eagle Canyon have moved next door into the former ornate hawk-eagle aviary. Their former aviary next to the Steller's sea-eagles is now empty.

Northern Frontier:
-A new lesser kudu calf was born right before the start of the year, and it is now on exhibit with the rest of the herd and the Speke's gazelles in the upper corner of the old Horn & Hoof Mesa area.

-The black-billed magpie in the cage to the left of the old reindeer exhibit in Polar Bear Plunge has been taken off-exhibit.

-A single male falcated duck is now in the Tundra Aviary with the handful of native songbirds. The rest of the former waterfowl from this exhibit remain in the exhibit along Bear Canyon.

-The female bontebok barn was closed up, and the exhibit was empty. Hopefully there will be calves soon!

-The maned wolf holding looks complete, and I could catch a passing whiff of their distinctive scent... Hopefully this means they will be on exhibit soon!

Elephant Odyssey:
-Construction on the main pool is complete, and the boys were back in that yard.

-The male capybara that was moved into the guanaco/llama exhibit now has access to the full exhibit with the two remaining Camelids.
 
To add on to the updates:
- According to the guides on the Bus Tour, Bear Canyon is a quiet zone due to a Sloth Bear cub being born recently. They also stated that it would be another couple months until the cub will be on habitat with mom.
- The Zoo is also expecting 3 Masai Giraffe calves and an Okapi calf with the Okapi calf expected to be born in the near future.
 
RJB Wildlife said:
To add on to the updates:
- According to the guides on the Bus Tour, Bear Canyon is a quiet zone due to a Sloth Bear cub being born recently. They also stated that it would be another couple months until the cub will be on habitat with mom.
- The Zoo is also expecting 3 Masai Giraffe calves and an Okapi calf with the Okapi calf expected to be born in the near future.
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I would also like to add that the male Masai Giraffe, Chifu, was brought over from the Sacramento Zoo sometime last year so the Giraffes currently expecting will be for several months based on their 15-18 month gestation.
 
RJB Wildlife said:
To add on to the updates:
- According to the guides on the Bus Tour, Bear Canyon is a quiet zone due to a Sloth Bear cub being born recently. They also stated that it would be another couple months until the cub will be on habitat with mom.
- The Zoo is also expecting 3 Masai Giraffe calves and an Okapi calf with the Okapi calf expected to be born in the near future.
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Congratulations to Shala and Kartick
 
A couple updates from the Zoo:
- The Bonteboks are off habitat for breeding. Both habitats are being worked on with the males looking complete with new rock planters and secondary barrier, the females habitat hasn’t been touched yet.
- The Caracal is back in Wildlife Explorers Basecamp in the former Binturong habitat.
- The former Aye-Aye and primate habitats are being torn down and demolished, unknown what is replacing them if anything.
- A pair of Bearded Barbet are now in Polar Bear Plunge where the Black-Billed Magpie used to be.
 
RJB Wildlife said:
- The former Aye-Aye and primate habitats are being torn down and demolished, unknown what is replacing them if anything.
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Hallelujah! These ghastly cages have been a stain on what is one of the world’s best zoos for decades, and it’s about time they finally meet the bulldozer! I’m not even upset the Aye-Ayes wont’t be visible anymore, as they were never on exhibit anyways. I’m interested to see what will replace these exhibits, or if the area will be left vacant until the rumored Asian Passage overhaul begins construction (if that project actually happens).
 
Dhole dude said:
Hallelujah! These ghastly cages have been a stain on what is on of the world’s best zoos for decades, and it’s about time they finally meet the bulldozer! I’m not really upset the Aye-Ayes wont’t be visible anymore, as they were never on exhibit anyways. I’m interested to see what will replace these exhibits, or if the area will be left vacant until the rumored Asian Passage overhaul begins construction (if that project actually happens).
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We’re about 1-2 years from that project taking place depending on how long it takes Elephant Valley to be completed.
 
Regardless of when the Asian Passage redevelopment takes place, as it seems increasingly likely that will be the zoo's next major project, the demolition of those monkey cages is exciting in itself and long overdue. Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but I sincerely hope the zoo will take this opportunity to build a proper nocturnal house for the aye-ayes. It doesn't seem like the originally planned location in Africa Rocks is still available, but surely there is somewhere in the zoo were that could happen.
 
pachyderm pro said:
Regardless of when the Asian Passage redevelopment takes place, as it seems increasingly likely that will be the zoo's next major project, the demolition of those monkey cages is exciting in itself and long overdue. Perhaps this is wishful thinking, but I sincerely hope the zoo will take this opportunity to build a proper nocturnal house for the aye-ayes. It doesn't seem like the originally planned location in Africa Rocks is still available, but surely there is somewhere in the zoo were that could happen.
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One would hope they would also redevelop the whole area including the Urban Jungle next door too. This would give sufficient space for a whole new complex.
 
I wouldn't hold my breath on a nocturnal exhibit for aye-ayes. The zoo has generally not gone the indoor exhibit route due to climate, and I find it unlikely they would go to such effort for a secretive species most people aren't aware they even have.
 
Great Argus said:
I wouldn't hold my breath on a nocturnal exhibit for aye-ayes. The zoo has generally not gone the indoor exhibit route due to climate, and I find it unlikely they would go to such effort for a secretive species most people aren't aware they even have.
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At the same time - Wildlife Explorers Basecamp (specifically Cool Critters), the old Kiwi House, and over at the Safari Park, the platypus and Rodrigues flying fox exhibits.
 
StoppableSan said:
At the same time - Wildlife Explorers Basecamp (specifically Cool Critters), the old Kiwi House, and over at the Safari Park, the platypus and Rodrigues flying fox exhibits.
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I said generally, not none. It's possible they might but I find it highly unlikely. The platypus easily stands alone, and the bat exhibit was empty of visitors on my visit. The Kiwi house is long closed to the public, and Cool Critters was designed to be a second herp house of sorts. Indoor exhibits just aren't really San Diego's thing.
 
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