Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo- Births, Deaths, Arrivals and Departures 2013

Bring out the pink!

Baby Giraffe is a Girl! Congratulations Toronto :D

We are happy to announce the birth of a new Masai giraffe at the Toronto Zoo yesterday. Our 23 year old Masai giraffe Twiga gave birth to a baby girl. Our newest member to the Toronto Zoo Family is the offspring of Stripes who passed away September 29, 2012 at the age of 21. This is the 17th Masai giraffe born at the Toronto Zoo. "The Toronto Zoo is part of the Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP) and the birth of this calf is very important to the North American captive population", says our Curator of Mammals, Maria Franke. Our new baby is not currently on exhibit. However mum and daughter are doing great but will remain off display until further notice. We will keep you posted.
 
Nisha said:
Baby Giraffe is a Girl! Congratulations Toronto :D

We are happy to announce the birth of a new Masai giraffe at the Toronto Zoo yesterday. Our 23 year old Masai giraffe Twiga gave birth to a baby girl. Our newest member to the Toronto Zoo Family is the offspring of Stripes who passed away September 29, 2012 at the age of 21. This is the 17th Masai giraffe born at the Toronto Zoo. "The Toronto Zoo is part of the Masai Giraffe Species Survival Plan (SSP) and the birth of this calf is very important to the North American captive population", says our Curator of Mammals, Maria Franke. Our new baby is not currently on exhibit. However mum and daughter are doing great but will remain off display until further notice. We will keep you posted.
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This is amazing news!!! Thanks for sharing it.
It's nice that at the same time the elephants left, a giraffe was born. Hopefully this new baby will push the zoo to start construction on the new giraffe exhibit even sooner.
 
Hey everyone. This is my first post on here, although I've been coming to the forums for a while. I love the Toronto Zoo and visit quite often.

I was there yesterday and manged to find out that 2 Zebras are pregnant.

Also, they breed the Indian Rhinos and are hoping that the female is pregnant. They won't know until at least late November.
 
cypher said:
Hey everyone. This is my first post on here, although I've been coming to the forums for a while. I love the Toronto Zoo and visit quite often.

I was there yesterday and manged to find out that 2 Zebras are pregnant.

Also, they breed the Indian Rhinos and are hoping that the female is pregnant. They won't know until at least late November.
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Welcome to Zoochat Cypher! It's always nice to have another person giving updates from the Toronto Zoo.

I already knew that one of the zebras looked pregnant, but it's amazing that there are actually two! If the babies are born sometime soon, when I get to do my Zookeeper for a Day, I might get to work with baby zebras and a giraffe calf!

I'm glad that the Zoo is trying to breed the Indian rhinos again.

The zoo is doing a great job this year with breeding animals, and hopefully next year we'll see lots of births.
 
Welcome cypher! Glad to have another chatter around with a real love of the zoo.

I hope the baby zebras and rhino would be born for the summer season. More people will be able to enjoy their cuteness then.
 
This is almost symbolic. As the girls leave and end a period of hard times at the zoo, a baby giraffe is born creating a "new start" at the zoo. This can only be good, and hopefully the zoo's future will be a little brighter and less cloudy, and much happier.
 
As I'm sure some of you know, I've been trying to find out what the new marine species in the Americas pavilion are. After lots of research, and help from other Zoochat members, I think I have figured out what all of them are.

Here is what I think the order of exhibits is:
1) Green surf anemone
2) Pacific giant octopus & leather sea star
3) Sailfin sculpin
4) Strawberry anemone
5) Shiner perch & Orange sea pen
 
It's sad to see our elephants leave the zoo, even though it means the zoo can move on and focus on breeding, exciting new exhibits and having pandas for five years. The future should be way more positive. Speaking of the elephants, now that they've left, is it possible that the zoo will become re-accredited by the AZA?
 
GorillaFan15 said:
It's sad to see our elephants leave the zoo, even though it means the zoo can move on and focus on breeding, exciting new exhibits and having pandas for five years. The future should be way more positive. Speaking of the elephants, now that they've left, is it possible that the zoo will become re-accredited by the AZA?
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Nope. The zoo didn't loose its accreditation because of elephants, but because the city council was making animal management decisions. It will take a lot from the Toronto Zoo to convince the AZA that zoo professionals, not politicians, are running the zoo.
 
And the odds of convincing the AZA are quiet low if I've read a motion passed by council is corrctly true and Zoocheck and Bornfree are made part of an adviory panel regarding acquisitions and dispositons not the zoo itself, then I wouldnt blame the AZA for refusing to deal with the zoo at all. If anti zoo elements are involved in decision making it might even be wise for the AZA to cease breeing programs with the zoo so no AZA animals are under the power of the anti zoo faction. Now to be fair I dont know how this panel would work and if the other groups on it will simpy override them in a vote or if they then report to city council who will do what they want based on the advice or what. Letting these people in on anything is wrong though. Why couldnt the city council just have let the zoo try to become independant? Whats the harm in trying? If anything it would have taught the zoo to be more resourceful and self sufficent even if they couldnt ever become fully independent. They would have learned to be less of a drain on the city. Frankily under this council the zoo is screwed in every aspect possible. Im surprised they allowed the pandas. In the next election I hope a lot of these "zoo expert" councillors are voted out of office and people who come in will realize that zoo management is best left in the hand of professionals not elected officals who think they know best.
 
I don't see the zoo getting reaccredited by the AZA anytime soon for all of the reasons posted above. Hopefully the Toronto Zoo will still be allowed to keep all of its animals that are on loan from other zoos.

If anyone is interested to see the elephants on their journey, the PAWS Facebook page has plenty of pictures. The girls seem to be doing well for now.
 
I agree 100% arcticwolf. Its the end of a horrible chapter in the zoos history and I say good ridence to it. Now we can all refocus our attention to the good times the zoo will hopefully have in the post elephant era. And it all started with that precious very big baby. Hopefully she is strong and healthy and will become the focus of rebuilding for the zoo which will intern bring its own joys.

We have our baby giraffe who will be a founding member of our new herd no doubt. Theres the potential baby zebras who will also delight visitors. Theres Charles and Ngozi's little one due in a couple of months, who if also a female will be part of the troops post Charles rebuilding. Theres the potential that Asha and Vishnu will finally become parents. Theres the ever present possiblity of more penguin chicks, capybara, golden lion tamarins, moose, bison, and ring tailed lemurs. Theres the hope Nikita will deliver her first litter sometime soon and prove to be a better mother than her sister... fingers crossed. There's a chance they might breed the babirusa again with Muna being grown. Theres potential breeding for the red pandas. Theres a slight possiblity the white lions could breed... but Fintan might be a little too young still. Theres the fact we have a new prehensile tailed porcupine male to breed with Nicole and a new Saki male who might though less likely breed with Kowa. And lets not forget that we have all got our fingers crossed for the potential arrival of the biggest rock star the zoo might ever see... baby panda. Geeze if we get even half of these babies thats going to make for an amazing summer next year. Might another summer of cute be in order? Maybe.

And thats not even taking into account opening of the Eurasian Wilds. The conversion of the elephant exhibit and barn. And the potential that work could begin on an outdoor orang yard.

Gotta believe 2014 will be better than 2013 or 2012 (I did like the summer of cute though).
 
Finally I have read an article from a news paper which allows a keeper to tell their side of the story! This is the balance the whole fight needed from the start. THe keepers never should have been gagged by the city. Im sure if they could have talked they could have swayed people to their side.

And I know I wanted to move on a few minutes ago but I thought I would just point out an insult that Barker threw at all of us.

“We are just elated at this moment,” said Mr. Barker by phone. “This is one of the most gratifying campaigns I’ve ever been involved with simply because the Toronto Zoo made it so difficult for so long. They put every possible obstacle in our path. I have no respect for anyone associated with that zoo.”

Supporters ?elated? as Toronto Zoo elephants reach California sanctuary - The Globe and Mail

You dont have any respect for those of us associated with the zoo? Thats fine Bob I have completely and utterly lost respect for you. Im sorry I ever watched the show that gave you the money to buy the elephants. How disgusting of him to talk down to all of us who love and support our zoo. I might not have agreed with him before... I might not have liked his tactics... I may have called him a lot of nasty names privately to my friends when defending the zoo... but where in the world does he get off judging all of those associated with the zoo? Where does he get off insulting everyone who works at the zoo? Everyone who is a member of the zoo? Everyone who donates to the zoo? Everyone who goes to the zoo? I used to think he was a nice person with some very different beliefs than my own but now I just think hes... well my mother always said if you cant say anything nice dont say anything at all... so I wont. Its sad how even though hes won he feels the need to grind salt in the keepers wounds time and time again.

Where is a class act like Betty White who loves animals but doesnt bash zoos when we need her? Man we should have got her to buy our elephants and send them south. Why didnt I think of that before?

Ok now Im done and I wont read another article on the elephants because I makes me so mad. I want to go back to being happy, hopeful TZfan. Come on 2014!
 
I'm gonna miss them, but I'm glad the animals arrived safety.

In terms of the zoo continuing forward, anyone know what the plan is for the elephant area? What are they going to do with the space?
 
The elephants exhibit is to be converted for the giraffes. Some adaptations need to be made to to the barn, stalls removed and rejigged, and indoor exhibit for winter viewing created. The outdoor yard will be converted to be more giraffe friendly, grassy, ect. I dont know if they will get both the upper and lower yards though. A new herd will be brought in and our current giraffes will move over. The designs have been done or are being completed as we speak. Reno is schedualed to begin as soon as possible in 2014.

Also benefitting will be the hippos who might get some if not the whole lower yard. A new barn will be built for them with indoor viewing for the winter and a breeding pair added. Perhaps even underwater viewing but thats 10 years down the line so it might never happen. I choose to be hopeful about that.
 
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