Seneca Park Zoo Seneca Park Zoo News

9-month-old female giraffe calf Pippi will leave the zoo for another facility next month, the zoo announced via Facebook today.
We are both excited and sad to share that Pippi, one of our Masai giraffes born right here at Seneca Park Zoo last year, will soon be leaving to join another zoo family. This move is an AZA's Species Survival Plan (SSP) recommendation to ensure the long-term sustainability of giraffes. While it’s hard to say goodbye, we’re excited for her bright future and know she’ll continue to thrive in her new home.
Pippi, born on December 14th, 2023 to Iggy and Parker, has grown into a healthy, energetic giraffe. She was affectionately named for her unruly ossicones, reminiscent of the iconic Pippi Longstocking!
Before Pippi leaves next month, we invite our community to come and wish her well.
 
The Zoo announced their Phase 2, $100 million dollar entrance and tropical building expansion. The new complex will feature a forest, tropical islands, and a 150,000-gallon Pacific reef tank. The anticipated species for the exhibit include orangutans, lemurs, Komodo dragons, clouded leopards, jellyfish, mud skippers, and blacktip reef sharks.

The renderings looks quite stunning and look forward to see how this project progresses. There was no timeline provided for construction.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/around-town/new-details-revealed-for-seneca-park-zoo-capital-project/
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
The Zoo announced their Phase 2, $100 million dollar entrance and tropical building expansion. The new complex will feature a forest, tropical islands, and a 150,000-gallon Pacific reef tank. The anticipated species for the exhibit include orangutans, lemurs, Komodo dragons, clouded leopards, jellyfish, mud skippers, and blacktip reef sharks.

The renderings looks quite stunning and look forward to see how this project progresses. There was no timeline provided for construction.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/around-town/new-details-revealed-for-seneca-park-zoo-capital-project/
Click to expand...
This looks like a very insane future plan!
 
NAIB Volunteer said:
The Zoo announced their Phase 2, $100 million dollar entrance and tropical building expansion. The new complex will feature a forest, tropical islands, and a 150,000-gallon Pacific reef tank. The anticipated species for the exhibit include orangutans, lemurs, Komodo dragons, clouded leopards, jellyfish, mud skippers, and blacktip reef sharks.

The renderings looks quite stunning and look forward to see how this project progresses. There was no timeline provided for construction.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/around-town/new-details-revealed-for-seneca-park-zoo-capital-project/
Click to expand...
I was just wondering what the status of this development was and it looks outstanding. It's been decades since a major new rainforest house opened in an American zoo, at least one at this scale. I particularly like the way the indoor and outdoor exhibits weave together so you'll never go too long without seeing animals no matter the season. In general, the emphasis on outdoor access for nearly all of the mammals is excellent to see. Some very inspired species choices as well. Throw in some vivaria between the larger enclosures and you could have something really amazing.

Renderings from the article:

be8da11d-900b-4c4d-9c39-55600324c358-SPZTropicsDaytime.png

5297934e-06dd-4780-9693-a875d06ff3bb-SPZTropicsValley.PNG

252ad09e-3894-46cc-a3eb-612e75dc8c63-SPZTropicsAnticipatedSpecies.PNG


And here's a fly-through video:

 
Piece of July 2024 News Not Mentioned:
Nile Hippo Expert said:
The cub is a boy.
Monroe County, NY - Endangered Red Panda Cub Born at Seneca Park Zoo Is Male
Click to expand...

On July 26th, the zoo announced they named the red panda Teddy Graham.

80K views · 2.1K reactions | It’s a Boy! Seneca Park Zoo Veterinarian, Dr. Chris McKinney, shares, "He is definitely a boy. Both eyes are now open, and he is growing fast. The... | By Seneca Park Zoo | Facebook

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On January 16th, the zoo announced they hired Bob Lee as their new Superintendent, who has previously worked in leadership positions at the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington D.C. and the Oregon Zoo in Oregon respectively.

Seneca Park Zoo

NAIB Volunteer said:
The Zoo announced their Phase 2, $100 million dollar entrance and tropical building expansion. The new complex will feature a forest, tropical islands, and a 150,000-gallon Pacific reef tank. The anticipated species for the exhibit include orangutans, lemurs, Komodo dragons, clouded leopards, jellyfish, mud skippers, and blacktip reef sharks.

The renderings looks quite stunning and look forward to see how this project progresses. There was no timeline provided for construction.

https://www.rochesterfirst.com/around-town/new-details-revealed-for-seneca-park-zoo-capital-project/
Click to expand...

On February 11th, it was reported that the original design plans for the expansion were scrapped when costs went from $270,000 to $8 million and the only contractor interested in construction's bid went $50 million over budget, costing taxpayers over $6.7 million in the course of a decade. On February 12th, it was reported that the Monroe County legislature voted to approve a new $6.7 million contract with design consultant CambridgeSeven on February 11th, of which most of the site engineering was retained from the previous failed plans.

https://www.whec.com/top-news/news1...expansion-design-county-aims-to-avoid-repeat/
https://www.democratandchronicle.co...habitat-design-flops-due-to-cost/78418321007/

Also on February 11th, it was reported that due to avian influenza, the zoo limited outdoor access for their penguins as well as stopped feeding their big cats raw chicken.

https://www.whec.com/top-news/seneca-park-zoo-takes-precautions-against-bird-flu/

On February 14th, the zoo announced they transferred a (1.0) Nepalese red panda named Willie to another unspecified facility.

Seneca Park Zoo
 
snowleopard said:
It's interesting to see how many zoos, science centers and other family-friendly attractions are building playgrounds that are nature-based. I've seen a few of them where the area is literally made up of logs, rocks, huge boulders and sometimes a tiny stream trickling through the middle. The trend is a welcome one because it allows kids to explore without any clear instructions...they can discover things as if they were in the wild. :p
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I love Seeing more naturalistic playgrounds because it is no where near the eyesore of those plastic ones
 
iluvwhales said:
I think cloudies and binturongs would be fantastic for SPZ, but I will accept people's critique of space fair. If they actually are going for a Southeast Asia theme, then why exhibit Chinese alligators if not because they are commonly kept? Tomistomas, Siamese crocodile, or even a saltie if they can get their hands on one would be more fitting. I still am not fond of the idea of an aquarium in this building (it would mean more space for the leopards and binturongs). That said, if the final product appears to do right by whatever they bring in and they find a coherent way to tie it to the tropics, then I'll take my words with mustard on top if you know what I mean.
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I think Choosing Chinese Alligators makes sense because of their small size
 
On April 23rd, the zoo announced they transferred a (0.1) Chinese red panda named Asha and a (0.1?) Nepalese red panda named Teddy Graham to the Ross Park Zoo in New York* and the Santa Barbara Zoo in California, respectively.
Seneca Park Zoo
Santa Barbara Zoo

* Information comes from a comment in the Seneca Park Zoo link.
 
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1.0 California sea lion Gunnison was returned to the Denver Zoo on May 31, 2025.

Gunnison was born at the Denver Zoo on June 11th, 2015 to parents Luci and Nick. He was transferred to the Seneca Park Zoo on August 21st, 2023 to facilitate reconstruction of Denver's sea lion habitat.
 
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