Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2020

Kevin2342 said:
The zoo now has a new male sea lion on American Trail named Charger. From the zoos website
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Charger arrived 07/09/2020 from the Brookfield Zoo where he was born 06/10/2019. Charger is owned by the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Current Pinnipeds at Smithsonian National Zoo as of end of July 2020:
Gray Seal
RIVA - F - b 12/4/1983
KJYA - F- b 11/16/1990
GUNTHER - M - b 12/26/1991
UNKNOWN NAME - ? - b 01/21/2017

California Sea Lion
SUMMER - F - b 06/16/2005
CALI - F - b 06/23/2005
SIDNEY - F - b 06/13/2009
CHARGER - M - b 06/10/2019
UNKNOWN NAME - F - b 06/23/2019

Harbor Seal
RABBIT - M - b 04/13/2007
 
MidwestFan said:
Charger arrived 07/09/2020 from the Brookfield Zoo where he was born 06/10/2019. Charger is owned by the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Current Pinnipeds at Smithsonian National Zoo as of end of July 2020:
Gray Seal
RIVA - F - b 12/4/1983
KJYA - F- b 11/16/1990
GUNTHER - M - b 12/26/1991
UNKNOWN NAME - ? - b 01/21/2017

California Sea Lion
SUMMER - F - b 06/16/2005
CALI - F - b 06/23/2005
SIDNEY - F - b 06/13/2009
CHARGER - M - b 06/10/2019
UNKNOWN NAME - F - b 06/23/2019

Harbor Seal
RABBIT - M - b 04/13/2007
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Unknown names:
Gray Seal-Birdie
California Sea Lion-Celia
The gray seal you put as Riva is Kara.
 
Does anyone have a guess of the gender of the new panda cub? From the latest update, the Zoo said that the cub weighs just over 2 pounds, and I compared that to Bei Bei at that age from an article in the zoo's Panda News Archive, and it says he was 2.95 pounds around that age, and the same article states Bao Bao was around 2 pounds at that age and Tai Shan was about 2.6 pounds. So by the weight of the cubs, I am guessing that this new cub is going to be a female since its weight is similar to Bao Bao's, what do you guys think?
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Staying on the subject of pandas.Do you know if they will prevent the panda breeding loan from expiring this December now because of the new cub?
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It’s pretty likely that the pandas will stay since there is a new cub, but I’m not 100% sure, it’s possible they may return but it’s not very likely.
 
I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re sent back in December. San Diego lost theirs last year and aren’t getting them back anytime soon; I think a combination of poor Sino-American relations and an unwillingness to continue paying exorbitant sums of money for panda rentals on the part of U.S. zoos will lead the three facilities that still have them to let their deals expire.
 
imaginarius said:
I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re sent back in December. San Diego lost theirs last year and aren’t getting them back anytime soon; I think a combination of poor Sino-American relations and an unwillingness to continue paying exorbitant sums of money for panda rentals on the part of U.S. zoos will lead the three facilities that still have them to let their deals expire.
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In principle there is nothing wrong with the funding model for in situ conservation the Chinese have forged at the international level. I have not at the top of the head the number for PR Chinese own national coffers funding for giant pand conservation, however at this moment will assume it is quite substantial. It is a 2-pronged approach to ensure habitat conservation and extension in a country with a huge human population and its consequent pressures on our landscape and environment. Turning a perceived negative into a rationale positive of thinking outside of the box!

A further not unimportant element in this discourse is and should for ever more be that conservation funding is hopelessly backwards in most, if not all nations as it is not seen as the priority that it is and should be. We spend trillions of dollars on armaments and arming nations with or without war coffers, we spend trillions of dollars on supporting finance, agricultural and industrial sectors without little or no introspection, yet very little money actually ever trickles into in situ or ex situ conservation from national, public engagement or non profit sectors. This needs to change! Zoos are doing their best with in situ support and ex situ awareness, conservation breeding and education as well as performing an admittedly - national - public interest function, yet most Governments continue to dismally fail on substantial and significant Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss and Habitat Destruction measures and funding for these. It is simply inadequate! Would this be my Call to Action on significantly upscaling both zoo and non profit and national funding for biodiversity and habitat conservation, I think YES. AND: It definitely makes economic sustainable sense and secures a future Healthy Planet.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
In principle there is nothing wrong with the funding model for in situ conservation the Chinese have forged at the international level. I have not at the top of the head the number for PR Chinese own national coffers funding for giant pand conservation, however at this moment will assume it is quite substantial. It is a 2-pronged approach to ensure habitat conservation and extension in a country with a huge human population and its consequent pressures on our landscape and environment. Turning a perceived negative into a rationale positive of thinking outside of the box!
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Except, the deal doesn't actually work this way :p The money is claimed to all be for conservation but how much actually goes towards it? And at the cost of $1million per year, it's quit the charge and not exactly what I'd call a "funding model"

Austin the Sengi said:
Staying on the subject of pandas.Do you know if they will prevent the panda breeding loan from expiring this December now because of the new cub?
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As @TinoPup says, it likely depends heavily on the election, but given the current relations between the US and China I'd imagine the pandas will be leaving even if only a short period once December hits regardless. China does not care that there is a new cub.

~Thylo
 
There are rumours circling around that the zoo is planning on getting a new elephant cow and her offspring and the cow may or may not be pregnant. This would make a lot of sense as they now have more space after the passing of A+S and the herd is now in the process of intros of being all together. Would be really cool to see two brand new (and eventually three if the cow is pregnant) elephants within the next year
 
Nolie Thornell said:
There are rumours circling around that the zoo is planning on getting a new elephant cow and her offspring and the cow may or may not be pregnant. This would make a lot of sense as they now have more space after the passing of A+S and the herd is now in the process of intros of being all together. Would be really cool to see two brand new (and eventually three if the cow is pregnant) elephants within the next year
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If this is true where do you think the elephants would come from?
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Except, the deal doesn't actually work this way :p The money is claimed to all be for conservation but how much actually goes towards it? And at the cost of $1million per year, it's quite the charge and not exactly what I'd call a "funding model"

~Thylo
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From my understanding, the zoo has already negotiated an extension on their panda loan. Political situations have virtually no impact on their Panda negotiations. I've heard from keepers who work at SDZ that their situation in San Diego was also not quite political either. I actually think I touched on this in a previous post.


Nolie Thornell said:
There are rumors circling around that the zoo is planning on getting a new elephant cow and her offspring, and the cow may or may not be pregnant. This would make a lot of sense as they now have more space after the passing of A+S and the herd is now in the process of intros of being altogether. Would be really cool to see two brand new (and eventually three if the cow is pregnant) elephants within the next year
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Might I ask where you heard this information, out of curiosity of course? This is the first I am hearing of this and I'm there quite a bit. I must say its exciting to hear though. But Intros have been going on for years now, however, are happening more frequently now from what I've seen on my visits. I have only seen 4 of the 5 together at a time though, with Swarna typically in yard 4 while the others have yard 2 and the ECC.
 
If the elephant rumor is true they would only be coming from one of two places
 
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