Date: May 25, 2019
Each bullet indicates an enclosure. Species that were seen are marked in bold, unseen species are in regular text. Species that were seen but unsigned are marked in italics. I have made notes comparing the lineup and organization to my previous trip in July 2015, about 4 years prior.
Total Species (by signage or sight): 59
Mammals: 16
Birds: 12
Reptiles: 22
Amphibians: 4
Fish: 0
Invertebrates: 5
Pens Between New and Old Entrance
Bald Eagle
Red Wolf (pen significantly reduced in size from 2015)
Outside Pens and Cage Between Entrance and Herp Building
Pen: Chilean Flamingo, American White Pelican
Pen: Red-necked Wallaby, Emu
Pen: Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Cage: Ring-tailed Lemur
Roundhouse Gazebo along path to Herp Building, 2 cages, 2 pens (1 empty)
Pen: empty (formerly contained Capybara)
Pen: Guinea Pig
Cage: Linne's Two-toed Sloth (C. didactylus)
Cage: Golden Lion Tamarin (formerly contained Barn Owl)
South American Loop between Entrance and Herp Building
Cage: Laughing Kookaburra (forrmerly contained Golden Lion Tamarin)
Adjoining Cage: Toco Toucan (used to be small walk-through aviary with a few species, including Kookaburra, pheasants and Cattle Egret, now only toucans separated from visitors by mesh)
Cage: Spider Monkey (species unknown) (forrmerly home to Coati)
Cage: Black Howler Monkey (1.2.1) (formerly home to Spider Monkeys)
Former Cage home to Lady Ross's Turaco now gone
Pen Outside Herp Building
Leopard Tortoise, 1 unsigned tortoise species
Herp Building (contained almost 50% of species in zoo)
Naked Mole Rat
Argus Monitor
Blue Tree Monitor
Leopard Gecko
Egg-eating Snake (Dasypeltis fasciata)
European Glass Lizard
Painted Turtle
Desert Rosy Boa
Red-eyed Crocodile Skink
Pueblan Milk Snake
Tentacled Snake
Ornate Horned Frog
African House Snake
Woma Python
Honduran Milk Snake
Three-toed Amphiuma
Solomon Islands Leaf Frog
Northern Map Turtle
Axolotl
Blood Python
Green Tree Python
Burmese Python
Boa Constrictor
Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula
Chilean Rosehair Tarantula
Gooty Sapphire Tarantula (2 adjoining cages, new species since 2015)
Asian Forest Scorpion
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
At least 2 empty and unsigned enclosures: a long vertical one (previous inhabitant unknown) and a large open-topped exhibit with low glass wall (previous inhabitant: Rhinoceros Iguana)
Pens Between Herp Building and Petting Zoo
Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk (don't remember this from last visit, not sure if missed or new since 2015)
Plains Zebra
Cheetah
Bactrian Camel
Empty (used to contain White-tailed Deer)
Aquatic Exhibit Between Row of Pens and Petting Zoo
Humboldt Penguin
Row of Pens Between Entrance and Petting Zoo, across from Lawn
Gray Crowned Crane (formerly also held unsigned turtle)
Chinese Tufted Deer
American Alligator
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Meerkat
Cages Next to Petting Zoo
Eastern Screech Owl
Red Panda
Red Panda
Lady Ross's Turaco (was under construction in 2015)
Overall the zoo has seen a downsize in species from 4 years ago, with a couple of enclosures sitting empty, the loss of a small walk-through aviary (although none of its inhabitants were rare or noteworthy), and a few empty exhibits in the Herp Building where all or nearly all used to be occupied. Besides a new cage for turacos, no new exhibits or enclosures have been constructed, and the net gain is zero because the old turaco cage was torn down rather than repurposed. The red wolf exhibit was also significantly reduced in size due to the construction of a fenced-off gravel road leading through the woods down to the lake. However, the addition of Gooty Sapphire Tarantulas was a surprise, although frustratingly I could not find one in either cage (there was spider silk, so they are definitely present). It took me 1 hour to view the facility with minimal backtracking, but it can be done in less (I spent time watching the young howler and playing with the friendly turacos). Entry fee was $7, which for today's rates is reasonable.
I will post photos that I took in the Media gallery as well, including their new map.
Each bullet indicates an enclosure. Species that were seen are marked in bold, unseen species are in regular text. Species that were seen but unsigned are marked in italics. I have made notes comparing the lineup and organization to my previous trip in July 2015, about 4 years prior.
Total Species (by signage or sight): 59
Mammals: 16
Birds: 12
Reptiles: 22
Amphibians: 4
Fish: 0
Invertebrates: 5
Pens Between New and Old Entrance
Bald Eagle
Red Wolf (pen significantly reduced in size from 2015)
Outside Pens and Cage Between Entrance and Herp Building
Pen: Chilean Flamingo, American White Pelican
Pen: Red-necked Wallaby, Emu
Pen: Galapagos Giant Tortoise
Cage: Ring-tailed Lemur
Roundhouse Gazebo along path to Herp Building, 2 cages, 2 pens (1 empty)
Pen: empty (formerly contained Capybara)
Pen: Guinea Pig
Cage: Linne's Two-toed Sloth (C. didactylus)
Cage: Golden Lion Tamarin (formerly contained Barn Owl)
South American Loop between Entrance and Herp Building
Cage: Laughing Kookaburra (forrmerly contained Golden Lion Tamarin)
Adjoining Cage: Toco Toucan (used to be small walk-through aviary with a few species, including Kookaburra, pheasants and Cattle Egret, now only toucans separated from visitors by mesh)
Cage: Spider Monkey (species unknown) (forrmerly home to Coati)
Cage: Black Howler Monkey (1.2.1) (formerly home to Spider Monkeys)
Former Cage home to Lady Ross's Turaco now gone
Pen Outside Herp Building
Leopard Tortoise, 1 unsigned tortoise species
Herp Building (contained almost 50% of species in zoo)
Naked Mole Rat
Argus Monitor
Blue Tree Monitor
Leopard Gecko
Egg-eating Snake (Dasypeltis fasciata)
European Glass Lizard
Painted Turtle
Desert Rosy Boa
Red-eyed Crocodile Skink
Pueblan Milk Snake
Tentacled Snake
Ornate Horned Frog
African House Snake
Woma Python
Honduran Milk Snake
Three-toed Amphiuma
Solomon Islands Leaf Frog
Northern Map Turtle
Axolotl
Blood Python
Green Tree Python
Burmese Python
Boa Constrictor
Mexican Red-kneed Tarantula
Chilean Rosehair Tarantula
Gooty Sapphire Tarantula (2 adjoining cages, new species since 2015)
Asian Forest Scorpion
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
At least 2 empty and unsigned enclosures: a long vertical one (previous inhabitant unknown) and a large open-topped exhibit with low glass wall (previous inhabitant: Rhinoceros Iguana)
Pens Between Herp Building and Petting Zoo
Turkey Vulture, Red-tailed Hawk (don't remember this from last visit, not sure if missed or new since 2015)
Plains Zebra
Cheetah
Bactrian Camel
Empty (used to contain White-tailed Deer)
Aquatic Exhibit Between Row of Pens and Petting Zoo
Humboldt Penguin
Row of Pens Between Entrance and Petting Zoo, across from Lawn
Gray Crowned Crane (formerly also held unsigned turtle)
Chinese Tufted Deer
American Alligator
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Meerkat
Cages Next to Petting Zoo
Eastern Screech Owl
Red Panda
Red Panda
Lady Ross's Turaco (was under construction in 2015)
Overall the zoo has seen a downsize in species from 4 years ago, with a couple of enclosures sitting empty, the loss of a small walk-through aviary (although none of its inhabitants were rare or noteworthy), and a few empty exhibits in the Herp Building where all or nearly all used to be occupied. Besides a new cage for turacos, no new exhibits or enclosures have been constructed, and the net gain is zero because the old turaco cage was torn down rather than repurposed. The red wolf exhibit was also significantly reduced in size due to the construction of a fenced-off gravel road leading through the woods down to the lake. However, the addition of Gooty Sapphire Tarantulas was a surprise, although frustratingly I could not find one in either cage (there was spider silk, so they are definitely present). It took me 1 hour to view the facility with minimal backtracking, but it can be done in less (I spent time watching the young howler and playing with the friendly turacos). Entry fee was $7, which for today's rates is reasonable.
I will post photos that I took in the Media gallery as well, including their new map.
