Nile Hippo Expert
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What would be even better is to come at 7:30, and get to be first in line then after getting in, then rush right over to the pandas.
Smithsonian National Zoo Smithsonian National Zoo News 2023
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I don’t think that will be necessary, but you never know.
I'll be visiting the zoo in February. I wonder how crowdless the zoo will be then and which animals definitely won't be out. At least Spike, the other elephants, primates, small mammals and birds will be viewable indoors!
It's pretty empty in February except for the occasional really nice day when everyone gets outside. But generally speaking, tourism season doesn't start until March/April when spring breaks/school trips start
Are the African hoofstock animals out in February? Was hoping to Yipes the Mountain Zebra and the Lesser Kudu.
Brayden Delashmutt
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Interestingly, when I went in March, there wasn’t a huge crowd around the pandas. Sure it was during the school year, but I expected there to be more. The real struggle was in the small mammal house and reptile house (which I just straight up gave up walking through, it was too packed) that really aren’t built to hold that many people.
I'd say there's a decent chance to see them. DC is pretty temperate, even in the winter other than an occasional snow storm. However it easily can be above 40/50 in February. IDR what the minimum temp to allow for the animals in that exhibit to be outside is, but it's not that high. Granted keep in mind they almost always give them the choice to be inside where it's heated as well in the winter.
Construction starts for Africa Trail this fall - so it'll be dependent on that as well.
Which habitats will they be working on and any chance Grevy's Zebras will be coming back to the collection eventually?
Nile Hippo Expert
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Cheetah, Ostrich, Kudu, Addax, and Hartmann's Mountain Zebra are the animal habitats that they will be working on. I highly doubt Grevy's Zebras will return as long as the Mountain Zebras are there
It's the area labeled "Africa Trail" on the map, formerly Cheetah Conservation Station. The construction is primarily about upgrading everything there - the buildings, hvac, etc. They haven't said much about the species list, but it isn't being done to bring in new species. Cheetahs will definitely be staying. Beyond that, a lot of the animals are on loan, so it could depend on what they're able to bring back once it's done.
KiwiBirb
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The Kudu and Ground Hornbill were already off exhibit as of my visit on Sunday.
Reptile Discovery Center:
A couple of bigger exhibits have replaced some smaller sets. The first exhibit replaced what were the first two exhibits upon entering the building that had held a ridgetail monitor and Iranian fat-tailed gecko. This exhibit had a ridgetail monitor and a shingleback skink.
During my visit this weekend an unsigned Kimberley rock monitor was also on display in this exhibit.
Not to beat a horse to death, but some added details regarding the $2.4 million in renovations to the Panda House and exhibits once they leave in two weeks. Construction is expected to last 8-10 months and include new visitor glass inside the House, new indoor rock work, indoor pools, a smoke detection system, and outdoor cosmetic changes as noted in a previous post.
DC’s pandas are leaving soon. What will happen to their National Zoo exhibit? - WTOP News
I think we all can skip the, "I'd rather see the funds be used for x,y,z" or "what sort of replacements will be exhibited" discussions. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens.
DC’s pandas are leaving soon. What will happen to their National Zoo exhibit? - WTOP News
I think we all can skip the, "I'd rather see the funds be used for x,y,z" or "what sort of replacements will be exhibited" discussions. We'll all just have to wait and see what happens.
GeeZee
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Hopefully they’ll get them back then.
I do feel that some people on these forums do seem to be very anti panda sometimes. I really don’t believe that any Zoo would willingly and knowingly be at a loss because they exhibited a panda and any monies paid for them does go to the CWCA in order to fund nature reserves in Sichuan province, and considering pandas are no longer endangered it would appear that this would be a success?
As Edinburgh is my home zoo with pandas I can only really use comparisons with that, but it’s not just about visitor numbers , a panda is one of the few animals that brings geopolitical benefits - the initial deal when the pandas first came to Edinburgh included £2.6bn worth of contracts to the Scottish economy and 1000s of jobs, which form part of ‘guanxi’ (a bond of trust and mutual cooperation between China and the host country for mutual benefit) and equally the reaction a panda gets in the media and from the general public is unlike any other animal, and as more zoos hand back their pandas this demand will only grow in the west.
I don't think anyone is really anti-panda, some are just more realistic about the situation than others. Right now, the US really doesn't want to be working with the Chinese government on anything.
Spike
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The zoo will try to receive more pandas according to this source.
That's the goal with doing upgrades to the exhibit, yeah...
The pandas are leaving for China today.
Watch Live: The National Zoo pandas are leaving DC for China
Watch Live: The National Zoo pandas are leaving DC for China
Nile Hippo Expert
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Watch the farewell video: https://s.si.edu/3Sv1Smp *** Photo: The Zoo team that cared for the bears on their journey to China posing next to the three specialized travel crates containing Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji. Photo: Keeper Mariel Lally checks on a giant panda inside a travel... - Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
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