Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Developments 2023
- Thread starter cypher
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hyena142
Well-Known Member
The zoo has posted about the outdoor orang exhibit on their Instagram, including some really cool new pictures. Still no official date but the fact that they've started talking about it on the main zoo social is a good sign they'll make the end of June like they've been talking about
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hyena142
Well-Known Member
@Flixox101 They'll add some netting soon so the orangs don't climb out and make a run for it and hopefully that'll make it a little less metal and distracting
For those interested, the Board Meeting Agenda for the next meeting on June 13th is up. Link below.
Agenda Item History 2023.ZB4.1
Couple interesting notes upon first glance:
There will be a presentation for “Wildlife Health: Science and Practice Across Zoos and Wild Spaces”.
There’s a 2022 guest Survey report that’s pretty interesting to go through. I shows compares of the survey to the 2021 results.
Agenda Item History 2023.ZB4.1
Couple interesting notes upon first glance:
There will be a presentation for “Wildlife Health: Science and Practice Across Zoos and Wild Spaces”.
There’s a 2022 guest Survey report that’s pretty interesting to go through. I shows compares of the survey to the 2021 results.
Due to all the wildfire smoke, June 8th the zoo is reducing hours and limiting time animals, staff and volunteers are outside to limit exposure to all the smoke. The zoo is suggesting anyone who has scheduled a visit consider rescheduling or wearing a mask. Good on the zoo for taking safety precautions. That smoke is nasty.
Quick update from the Board meeting today.
-AIRS (American Institute Rhino Science) has been running a program into monitoring the White Rhino's health. Rhino's will be wearing fit-bits to monitor movement throughout the exhibit and other metrics to give an indication on their well-being.
-New Bat exhibit opening October. Not said where.
-Ton of maintenance done to the infrastructure, both visible and non-visible.
-They'll be updating the retail system over the summer.
-Victoria Day weekend saw attendance numbers not seen since the Giant Panda arrival.
-Outdoor Orangutan habitat to open in the next few weeks. Puppe, Kembali, and Budi have looked outside for the first time. Not clear if they've been outside. Also, sounds like they used the opportunity to shoot a commercial for the occasion
-AIRS (American Institute Rhino Science) has been running a program into monitoring the White Rhino's health. Rhino's will be wearing fit-bits to monitor movement throughout the exhibit and other metrics to give an indication on their well-being.
-New Bat exhibit opening October. Not said where.
-Ton of maintenance done to the infrastructure, both visible and non-visible.
-They'll be updating the retail system over the summer.
-Victoria Day weekend saw attendance numbers not seen since the Giant Panda arrival.
-Outdoor Orangutan habitat to open in the next few weeks. Puppe, Kembali, and Budi have looked outside for the first time. Not clear if they've been outside. Also, sounds like they used the opportunity to shoot a commercial for the occasion
@cypher that is a good summary. Less relevant, but still fun, facts I picked up also included:
- The TZ was home to an orphan black bear cub for a couple days before he moved on to a more appropriate rehab home (with the aim to get him back into the wild)
- Conservation efforts 1) Vancouver Marmot pups were born 2) eastern loggerhead shrikes are nesting 3) massasauga rattlesnakes sperm collection was completed 3) 55 blanding turtles were/are being released into the Rouge Valley
- The TZ was home to an orphan black bear cub for a couple days before he moved on to a more appropriate rehab home (with the aim to get him back into the wild)
- Conservation efforts 1) Vancouver Marmot pups were born 2) eastern loggerhead shrikes are nesting 3) massasauga rattlesnakes sperm collection was completed 3) 55 blanding turtles were/are being released into the Rouge Valley
hyena142
Well-Known Member
I have to imagine the bat exhibit will be somewhere in Americas, there's lots of potential space in there for one. If they moved the plush-crested jays or the spectacled owl somewhere they can use those exhibits for bats. If it is Americas and not just an easier place to see the African ones I wonder which species we'll get
I expected Puppe and Budi to be the first two orangs to go outside so no surprise there, I wonder if they'll test run it a bit before letting Sekali and Wali out there since Wali's still pretty little. I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say the week of the 25th might be our magic date, they'll definitely want it open for the Canada Day crowds especially if the Victoria Day crowds exceeded expectations
I expected Puppe and Budi to be the first two orangs to go outside so no surprise there, I wonder if they'll test run it a bit before letting Sekali and Wali out there since Wali's still pretty little. I'm gonna take a stab in the dark and say the week of the 25th might be our magic date, they'll definitely want it open for the Canada Day crowds especially if the Victoria Day crowds exceeded expectations
First orang out will probably be one of the boys. Kembali or Budi being younger and likely more adventurous. I would love it if it was Puppe though. But she is an old girl who might not be as into the change. I can see them holding back with Sekali and Wali to let the others test it out before risking the money maker. Also I can see them holding back Ramai if they suspect she is pregnant. She's also the pesky one in the group so let the others test before you let the devil out to cause mayhem. Jingga is a wild card. Depends who she is with socially when she would be allowed out.
My guess for the new bat exhibit might be a very small one in the old porc exhibit by the fish. Its dark. Its small but native bat species arent that big. Just keep a few on hand not a big colony.
My guess for the new bat exhibit might be a very small one in the old porc exhibit by the fish. Its dark. Its small but native bat species arent that big. Just keep a few on hand not a big colony.
AZA inspectors will be arriving for the zoo's accreditation inspection June 14th. I would wish the zoo luck but they don't need it this time. The zoo has improved vastly under Dolf's leadership since they last inspected. All the new paving, signage, the boardwalk, completely transformed bathrooms, spruced up exhibits and retrofitting for the birds throughout the zoo to combat avian flu but with great execution not just good enough work, improved enrichment, ongoing large projects like the Amur tigers and nearly complete orang outdoor, they are sure to impress. Is the zoo perfect? Heck no. But the zoo has come a long way since last time and clearly is determined to knock off the problem areas as fast as it can but with quality in mind too. If any of the inspectors were the same ones visiting last time they should appreciate how far the zoo has come, especially during such difficult times (between 3 years of covid and now 2 years of avian flu). When I think about how much the zoo has changed I am excited for the future of the zoo. Now that's a statement 10 years ago I never thought I would say.