Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Births, Deaths and Transfers 2018

Welcome Cowdoy1010! Always nice to have an interested new member!

No clue what new species might arrive in 2019.

I know of no known pregnancies at the moment however active breeding is going on with...
Bleeding Heart Dove
Orangutans (Sekali and Budi to be specific but its hit or miss on the chemistry)
Red River Hogs
Giraffes
White rhino (Tom and Sabi)
Zebras (Jake and Tori but he could breed Lori Anne)
Southern Ground Hornbill
River Otters
Common Marmosets (twins just arrived but they do tend to breed every 6 months)
Jamacian Boa
Massassagua Rattlesnake
Sunbittern
Dusky Gopher Frog
Panamainan Golden Frog
Puerto Rican Crested Toad
Wyoming Toad

Bison
Tur
Trumpeter Swan
Black footed Ferrets
Vancouver Island Marmots
Eastern Loggerhead Shrikes
Blanding's Turtles

Others recommended to breed but not sure on the status of attempts...
Babirusa
Red Billed Blue Magpie
Clouded leopard
Burmese Tortoise
Brown Forest Turtle
Radiated Tortoise
Painted Terrapin
Home’s Hinge Back Tortoise
Madagascar Spider Tortoise
Madagascar Flat Tailed Tortoise
Lynx (there was a cub this spring but no one has mentioned seeing it)
Spoonbill
Sacred Ibis
Wattled Crane
Marabou Stork
Crested Porcupine
Hyena (exceptionally unlikely unless the zoo gets rid of Pinduli and Moja so there is space)
Penguin
Golden Lion Tamarin
Spotted Turtle
Flamingo
Wombat
Grey Kangaroo (new male arrived a few months back)
Sea Eagles
Bactrian Camels

There are more possibilities once expected transfers happen....
Meerkats both arriving and leaving
Kudu male arriving
Cheetah after departure of cubs
Moose male arriving
Pygmy Marmoset male and female arriving, current male Masala has left
Scarlet Ibis males arriving
Saki female still needs to be selected but new mate is a priority
Bettong after departure of former joeys
Komodo Dragon female arrival (FYI Kiki has passed away)
Tree Kangaroo following swap of females between Toronto and another zoo
Snow Leopard after departure of cubs and arrival of new male.
Przewalski's Horse after arrival of 2 females

Thanks for the warm welcome!

I've been visiting the TZ since a young age and it's one of my favorite places in the world. Glad to see that there's lots to look forward to in 2019! Would love to see some additional species added into the mix as well but I do understand that it can be pricey.
 
Not to be crass in saying this, but I'm glad to hear Kiki has passed away. Hopefully this will be the push Toronto needs to get another, viable, female. Kilat is one of only two offspring of his mother, and he's no spring chicken either. Hopefully he gets a lady sooner than later!

Also FWIW, when I visited a month ago, the Dragon that was on display gave the distinct impression of being aged. I know Kilat and Kiki were the same age, but I strongly suspect it was Kiki I saw. The animal was pigeon toed and very slow and labored in its movements, with a strong sag in its back. None of the Komodo's I've worked around have given that impression before, it was something else to see.
 
@Hyak_II, I am right with you on Kiki's passing. She was preventing Kilat from passing on his very valuable genetics. Time is ticking against him now. Kiki was 13 and Kilat is 14. Difference it a female komodos average life expectancy is 12 but a males is nearly 20, not that both genders could live into their 30s.

Prior to her death though there was a plan to swap her out for a different female since she never liked Kilat and never seemed to show any reproductive potential. Heck they had to do MRI's and genetic testing because they were worried she was really a small male.

I couldn't tell you which komodo you saw. Others might be able to confirm which one it was by your description.
 
Thanks LDTZ. I hadn't heard anything about the kitten since hearing of the birth so I wondered if it had survived. Guess with the big babies this summer she's kinda been ignored.
 
The zoo has a new female Arctic Fox named Elsa. For an exhibit that had been boring and empty for so long we now boast three foxes. Not sure if there is any plans or chance breeding is in the future. She's also from Parc Safari where Orage and Tempete came from so they could well be siblings.
 
The cheetah cubs will soon begin to be dispersed. Queenie is on the move soon.
 
@Yi Qi, no clue. I have heard one female was supposed to go back to Parc Safari but could be that is Emarah's future home. But with the arrival of Bakari, Emarah has a potential mate. Toronto might be getting back a female or two from this years litter from Akeelah at Parc Safari as well.

My guess is a home is being sought for Dougie, Flash and Chester. They have no hope for breeding here even if Toronto got back females from Parc Safari. Dad Patonga is the half brother of Cleo and Akeelah so their daughters could never breed with the boys. Given Laini's genetic value the boys might do well in the states as a bachelor group of breeding males.
 
Just thought I would give the year end tally of birth, deaths and transfers I have been able to keep track of this year.


Births

While the list isnt impressively long there were a number of significant births of very popular babies.

1 White Rhino (end of 2016 but let's count him) - Theodore
1 Indian Rhino - Kiran
2 Southern Ground Hornbill - Winter chick DNS and Fall chick
1 Lynx
6 Wolf
Gorilla - Charlie
6 Tur
1 Golden Lion Tamarin
1 Pygmy Hippo - Penelope
5 Jamaican boas
Tentacled snakes
Bleeding heart dove
5 common marmosets (triplets and twins)
Blandings Turtles
Vancover Island Marmots
Black Footed Ferrets
Eastern Loggerhead Shrikes
Massasauga Rattlesnakes
Puerto Rican Crested Toads

Deaths

I think it's been a pretty bad year for the zoo in terms of deaths. Some old age deaths. A few infants that didnt survive. And a few very unexpected deaths among some of the younger animals. Plus a few deaths due to predatory behavior in three unexpected events.

2 Ostrich - Miss Ellie and Orville
1 Southern Ground Hornbill - chick from last winter
2 Bactrian Camel - Alice and Rebecca
2 Mouflon - Dorothy. Peter and Julius
1 Mata Mata - O
1 Bald Eagle - Gronk
2 Egyptian Geese - Annoying and another unnamed.
1 Chamois - Wily
1 Przewalski’s Horse - Taschi
At least 1 Black footed ferret - Donatello
1 Saki Monkey - Tia
2 Tur calves
1 Barbary Sheep - Desiree
1 Siamese Catfish - Big Cat
1 Honeyeater - Bonnie
1 Tahr - Packer
1 Clouded Leopard - Charlotte
Several Nicobar Pigeons
1 Tragopan
Several Crested Partridges
1 Bleeding Heart Dove
2 common marmoset infants, possibly 3
1 sugar glider - jughead
1 Sloth - Bob
1 Komodo - Kiki

Notable Departures

Other than the pandas there wasn't any major transfers out. Just little ones most wouldn't notice.

2 lemurs - Lionel and Lenny to Granby
Eurasian Eagle Owl - Edgar
Giant Pandas - Da Mao, Er Shun, Jia Panpan, and Jia Yueyue to Calgary
Von Deckens Hornbill - Francine to LA
Cheetah - Tika to Vancouver
Pygmy Marmoset - Masala to Moncton

Notable arrivals

There were some nice transfers in this year which should promote breeding.

Turkey Vulture - Ted
6 Bison - all females
Cheetah - Bakari from Washington
Alpaca - Gerald and Reggie
Grey Kangaroo - from Gladys Porter
Plush crested Jay - Silent Bob
Polar bear - Juno from Winnipeg
11 caribou - Daphne, Henna, Mimi, Mitella, Muriel, Rowan, Raven, Hyacinth, Delilah, Meadow, and Rosa
Arctic fox - Elsa
2 Przewalski's horse - Winona and Winnie from Calgary

Generally a good year for the zoo. Hopefully lots to come in 2019.
 
With the new year approaching and a busy couple of days for me, I thought I would get the ball rolling on what we might be able to expect in 2019 in terms of births and transfers. Can't predict deaths but we all know there will be some.

Births
I know of no current pregnancies at the moment but there are some sure thing births that we can almost always expect. There have also been some moves which should increase the odds of births as well as some moves that should be coming that will open up breeding opportunities.

Most likely
Blandings Turtles
Vancouver Island Marmots
Black Footed Ferrets - several new pairings are coming following some transfers
Eastern Loggerheaded Shrikes
Massassagua Rattlesnakes
Bison
Tur - there's always a chance

Higher odds
Zebra - if already pregnant
Red River Hog - they are finally mating
Cheetah - only if most if not all of the quints leave this winter or should be leaving to homes soon.
Southern Ground Hornbill - despite 6 chicks they are a genetically valuable pair.
Giraffe - if pregnant but odds are now higher Mstari will be pregnant sometime this year.
Bleeding Heart Dove
River Otter - RJ and Talise did enjoy each other a lot last winter.
Common Marmoset - Why they are breeding them still baffles me.They should be phased out.
Golden Lion Tamarin
Sunbittern
Plush Crested Jay
Grey Kangaroo - new breeding male
Pygmy Marmoset - pending arrival and bonding

Longer shots
Indian rhino - based on Kiran's conception Asha could be pregnant or get pregnant with #3
White rhino - Sabi has been bred to Tom but no word
Orang - just don't think Budi is mature enough to get the job done
Marabou Stork - not sure why this genetically valuable pair isn't being bred
African Penguin - some would need to go to free up space
Bactrian Camel - Ziggy is still a little young but Tilly is old enough, plus long pregnancy.
Przewalski's Horse - only if breeding began almost immediately after arrival.
Red Panda - SSP doesn't think Ralphie will breed given his age
Wolf - Unlikely given the 6 pups are still there but possible.
Wombat - So long and nothing.
Tree Kangaroo - Unlikely given the upcoming transfer but still possible.
African Spoonbill - dont seem interested in breeding them
Sacred Ibis - see above
Various Asian turtles and tortoises
Babirusa - nothing seems to be happening there

No Longer Possible
Just thought I would add in a category of the species we know are now out of the running.
Sumatran Tiger - Kemala has been deemed a non breeder
Clouded Leopard - Mingma and Pavarti are a genetically undesirable pairing, cousins, duh SSP.
Lions - Makali is spayed like Lemon now.
Sloth - Bob's dead but they were really a long shot.
Ostrich - Orville's dead
Komodo - pending arrival of a new female
Sea Eagle - An egg was laid last year but it was eaten by a coon so no idea if it was fertile. They are still young.
Crested Porcupine - genetically valuable pairing but the zoo is considering getting a different species for that exhibit hence the long shot.

Transfers In
Female Tree Kangaroo
Female Komodo
Male Kudu
Male Black footed ferrets
Male Scarlet Ibis
Ostrich - I would think they will try to get Eunice company
Male Snow Leopard - coming in from Metro Richmond and breeding will begin again.
Meerkats - some sort of breeding swap
Pgymy Marmosets - Breeding pair arriving

Transfers Out
Tree Kangaroo - Nokopo
Various cheetah
Zebra - Leia and Rey should go
Indian Rhino - Nandu (might wait til late fall and move both boys together)
White Rhino - With Tom as a proven sire there is no real need for Tony so its possible to free up space for Teddy.
6 Penguins - Edmonton is supposed to take a group
Polar bears - hopefully homes are found for Hudson and Humphrey
Wolf pups
Clouded Leopard - rumor has it Safari Niagra is working on a clouded leopard exhibit so Charlotte would be perfect
Snow leopards - homes have been chosen for Mylo and Kita
Meerkats - to facilitate breeding
Bettongs
Bleeding heart doves - any chicks
Eagle Owl - Edgar they want out of Eagle owls
Warthog - if breeding is wanted the boys would have to go
Hyena - I keep hoping Echo will not be wasted and Moja and Pinduli will leave!!!!!!!!! That or the SSP will smarten up and take Kanzi away from Toronto so she's not wasted.

It will be interesting to see if there is a big birth this year with none expected at the moment to my knowledge. It might be a really quiet year after three or four really big ones.
 
Back
Top