Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo - Births, Deaths and Transfers 2016

I think the name of the baby polar bear will come out on the International Polar Bear Day! (February 27th). The zoo made a post stating that they will be hosting two presentations on Polar Bear Day. First will be Luana Scuillo from York University- she will be sharing research found on wild Polar Bears. The next will be a talk from the Polar Bear Keppers. For memebers it's $5 and non-members $8. Those who register for the presentations have a chance to win a special meet-the-keeper experience at the Polar bear exhibit.
I think that day sounds like an awesome day to do a public name release. In my opinion
 
Sad news to report...

There are no longer two wolf packs... Loki the last of the old pack has died. He passed away March 8th. I'm glad he didn't have to live long alone after Thor and Odin died. For such a social animal he must have been lonely.

Sable Antelope, Millie, had to be put down Mar 5th. She was old so no real surprise there either. However that opens the question of what might happen with the sables. The SSP would like to see Puff Daddy moved. I doubt the zoo will do that and leave Savannah alone for who knows how long. She is 3 years younger than Millie but sables can live for quite awhile past breeding age. Millie was older but not yet ancient by sable terms. Maybe a new female will be sent for Puff now that the space is available. Or maybe Puff will be moved and surplus males will be sent to replace him. Another option is wait Savannah out then bring in new females or send Puff away. If the do that what could replace the sables? I hope we keep them personally. I always find them impressive looking.

The Asian Water Dragon went to Riverview Park and Zoo but has since died.

In brighter news camel related news. We all know Sally is pregnant and due in the spring. Her calf will hopefully be followed in the fall with one from Alice who is now pregnant or at least appears to be so. And young Tilly has been paired with Goober for breeding so she could have a calf sometime next year.
 
It's too bad about Loki, Millie and the water dragon. I didn't realize the zoo had so few sable antelope. I really hope they bring in more because the sable antelope are some of my favourite animals in the savanna.

That's good news about the camels. This year really is the best year for babies at the zoo.
 
Hey 2017 has a ton of potential too if some of the expected arrivals or new arrivals breed too. We have the potential for the first hyena cub born at the zoo ever. Our new female snow leopard will hopefully produce cubs too. The clouded leopards might be ready next year to be more then just good friends. New zebra Lori Anne could potentially breed with Jake though age might be against it. The zoo does have a new red river hog pairing which could still produce this year or next. All of those would be great. New breeding pairs should be created for 6 other species, that I can think of off the top of my head, so long as the intended mate arrives. Plus all other potential breeding pairs the zoo has who for whatever reason have not reproduced.

Don't get me wrong 2016 is fantastic. But 2017 might not be too shabby either. Give me an orang baby or two (I can be hopeful right?), and 3 or 4 mammal species reproducing and I would be very content. Depending on what species I could be moved to thrilled pretty darn easy.
 
So in terms of big attendance draws for the zoo, what are the animals are are looking to breed and hopefully get offspring, either late this year or next year?

-I'm assuming they are going to continue trying to breed the White Rhinos
-I heard they're looking to breed the Sumatran Tigers
-Snow Leopards will be attempted at some point
-Clouded Leopards most likely
-Orangutans are hopeful
-Hyenas are a possibility
-Any chance in another Lynx cub?
-Plus there's the Camel and Zebra

-What's the situation on the Cheetahs? When I last spoke with a Keeper they said their main male breeders (mainly Rafiki) have died out. They were hopeful in getting new genetics from new Cheetahs at a different zoo (either Parc Safari or African Lion Safari), as they received new males from Africa. Although chances or that happening are low.
 
Oh I was really trying to be good and not provide a list... but you ask Cypher so I shall oblige.

Definite births in 2016... besides the rhino and late 2015 babies...
2 camels
1 zebra

Probable 2016...
Kudu - Ramosita has had a calf every year for the past 5 years.
Bison - extremely likely a calf or two

Possible 2016 or 2017 babies...
Babirusa - possible
Clouded Leopard - just entering full maturity so 2017
Orangutan - probably a low shot at 2016 but better for 2017
Tiger - doubtful. 4 years of hoping to get Kemala to cycle and nothing
Red River Hog - new pairing but renos may prevent a 2016 birth
African Otter - being attempted but virtually no shot
Crowned Crane - possible
Kudu - Ramosita will probably have another calf in 2017.
White Rhino - Tom may get one more shot but it might be Tony's turn. Late 2017 at best
Zebra - potential for 2017 foal from Lori Anne but unlikely due to age.
Marabou Stork - recommended and space now that Artie is gone.
Cheetah - potential but seeming unlikely. Bomani with Cleo and Patonga with Mahala
Ostrich - what happens happens
Hyena - 2017 far more likely as clan dynamics need to be settled in 2016.
Lynx - 2016 potentially but would depend on the necropsy results from last years litter. If they died due to a genetic abnormality they may decide Ember and Ryan should not breed.
Golden Lion Tamarin - always a possibility
Wolf - seeing as the pack just moved better odds in 2017
Wombat - both are mature now
Komodo - unlikely Kiki and Kilat don't get along.
Grey Kangaroo - Possible but unlikely as Robbo is getting on in years.
Snow Leopard - at this point best bang for their buck would be to wait for 2017
Camel - Tilly could have a 2017 calf.

Potential for 2017 if the mate arrives
Pygmy Hippo - female hopefully will arrive from France
Warthog - if Lucy's 4 piglets go and a new mate arrives but that's an if.
Kudu - a second female is supposed to arrive to breed with Owen
Cheetah - new female from San Diego. Potential for a male or sperm from Parc Safari.
Penguin - this goes the other way. Grown chicks need to leave to free space.
Saki - female should arrive from Granby
River otter - male should be coming from Buffalo
Tree Kangaroo - if a replacement for Harrington arrives
Bettong - if the zoo replaces Tucker and places the grown joeys
Kookaburra - hopefully a male will be sourced as Karee is the most valuable female.
Red Panda - only if a suitable mate for Ralphie can be found so far no luck

Purely hypothetical on this but they could try breeding the polar bears again in 2017 but swap Inukshuk out for Assiniboine's Storm. Storm is just entering maturity and is wild born. Would give him a chance to breed while they wait for Assiniboine's females to mature in another 3 or so years. Unlikely they will give him up though and really Aurora shouldn't breed.
 
The AZA is actually meeting this weekend (March 19-21) to discussion Accreditation Applicants, Toronto Zoo included. The AZA has already been to the zoo during the 2015 fall to go through and check everything out. Hopefully the zoo will receive an answer by next week.
 
It is highly likely the zoo will be accepted back in the AZA shortly. They would not have gone to the effort and expense to apply if they were not virtually certain they would receive their membership back. Plus it helps that some of the biggest concerns from the last AZA inspection have been dealt with... the Amur tiger exhibit, the snow leopard exhibit, the elephant exhibit and number of elephants (no elephants no problem), the giraffe house, and the health center being some of their biggest concerns in the past. I'm certain the inspection has a new list of things that must be done before the next inspection 5 years down the line but that's why the master plan is being developed. The domain and probably the orangs will top that list as both were concerns before. I hope the AZA releases some kind of document on what the zoo is doing well and where it needs to improve. That would be an interesting doc to see. The board meeting docs might reveal those things too when it discusses accreditation after acceptance. Next meeting is April 7th so we should hear something either way by that point I would think.
 
A more detailed description than we have seen about the insemination of Er Shun, the birth of the cubs and their team:

It takes a village: How Canada got its first native-born pandas

The Animal Behaviorist mentioned - after observing the pandas before the pregnancy then watching hours of them every day for his research project, what does he do on his lunch break? Goes over and watches the Red Pandas!
 
Was at the zoo yesterday, nice day for it, and the crowds weren't too bad;
-Stood in line for maybe 10 minutes total to see the Panda cubs, arrived at the zoo at about 9:30, they we're both asleep, Da Mao eating
-Saw both of the younger wombats out, however on the sign post, the wallabies sign was removed (only the echidna and wombats were up)
-There was a single snow goose out on the main exhibit, with a pair in the old Arctic fox enclosure
-Barn Owl was off display for exhibit maintenance as per the sign in the enclosure
-The construction at the African restaurant is coming along, appears that they are expanding the covered outdoor area
-The Crested Porcupine enclosure has had some of the low brush removed, it opened up the space a lot
-Lemon has a shave spot on her front right leg, possible spot for a catheter to be placed, is it possible she's had a medical procedure?
-There are three adult Spoonbills and two younglings (greyish white in colour, a few inches shorter then the adults) in with the Ibis and Egyptian Geese
-There is an Chinese Big Headed Turtle in the former Boelen's python in the Malayan Woods, I'll post pictures sometime this week
EDIT:
-Nile Monitor is also on exhibit. Found him hidden in the back right corner
 
Last edited:
It sounds like you had a nice day at the zoo Sealife357. Thanks for sharing all of these updates. I'm especially excited about the spoonbills and the Chinese big headed turtle, which I wasn't expecting at all! It's easily one of my favourite turtle species, so I'm really happy that there's now one at the zoo.
 
I have three Bennett's on my list but I know one of the males had already died. I just don't know which one so I have left it. So there should be two left.
 
There is a decent chance at some more babies in the coming weeks. Wolves Chinook and Dora bred over the winter and supposedly she's looking rather plump and has taken to the den. It will be still some time before we know if there are pups. If pups come its no big surprise because with the young pack moving up to Tundra Trek we all knew there would be high hopes of pups. Fingers crossed. 2016 just might get a little cuter just when we all began to wonder if it was even possible.
 
Bactrian Camels - the bad news - Sally had a miscarriage two weeks ago and will probably not be bred again. Rebecca will not be bred again. Alice is still expecting about October, but she did reabsorb her last pregnancy. The good news is a female younger than Jozy has arrived from Granby Zoo and finishes quarantine this week. Jozy cannot breed with their only male Goober but the zoo hopes to have another young male by the time she and the new one are ready to breed.

Rhino calf - I learned the details of the naming contest and it sounds good. I will leave the details to the zoo announcement in a couple of weeks. They expect to have it finished in time for the May holiday weekend. Please, everyone vote for the V name. Grandfather Vinu was the first TZ male and Vishnu is his son, so it seems baby V . . . would be a good tradition. Also sounds more like a rhino to me than the other two names I heard.
 
That sucks Rebecca and Sally are now unable to breed due to bad pregnancy results. Hopefully Alice has better results. And there is Tilly who can and has been paired with Goober for breeding. It is nice that Jozy and the Granby female will be our future breeders. Fingers crossed the bad news from the past couple of years is over.

No worries Mr. Wrinkly I am all on board with the V name. Could be the most terrible name on the face of the earth and I will vote for it. I would love it if the V trend continued for 3 generations of Toronto Indian Rhinos. Several others I have talked to are on board. They were the minute it was a boy and I pointed that out to them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top