Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Discussion thread 2024

Van Beal said:
I’ll likely be making my second trip of the year in the next 2-3 weeks, and though things change, is there anything at least for now that I should take note of that would be different from a trip earlier in the year, around March? Particularly I wanted to know where I can find the galah and red-tailed cockatoo, as well as what has taken residence in Kilat’s old enclosure.
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The red-tailed cockatoo is in the old tree kangaroo habitat in the first room of the Pavillion along with Annie the Echidna and the Bettongs.
The galah is in the following room just to the right of the entrance where the Kookaburras used to be.
And Kilat's old habitat is temporarily home to Nadine the Red-legged Seriema.

As for a non-comprehensive list of changes since March I've noticed visiting every few weeks this summer:
- Indo-Malaya should have gibbons on exhibit in the next week or so
- Bucky the Babirusa is now out in the Indian rhino yard. With Vishnu mostly in his back exhibit and Kiran gone its more a Babirusa house than a Rhino house
- Malayan Woods added a number of inverts in late March (Bush Katydid, Asian Giant Millipede, Malayan Walking Stick, Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Spider)
- Kembali uses the outdoor Orangutan exhibits basically whenever he has access. Stick around Indo if he's on exhibit and you'll more than likely see the new complex in use if you haven't yet
- Charles has a statue now at the top of the new boardwalk
- On that note there's still a whole bunch of 50th themed theming and signage that'll probably still be up
- We have brand new cougars Bowen and Teeka down in the Domain
- Whiptail Lizards are back in Americas after being gone for about a year
- Maybelle the otter is now in exhibit with RJ
- Ted the Turkey Vulture now lives in the old Snowy Owl exhibit in Tundra
- Nigel the Kangaroo Joey is now viewable in the walk-through
- Two new Asian Wild Horse foals can be seen from the Zoomo
- The snow leopard cubs might also be out by the time you visit
- Third Amur tiger exhibit also seems to be almost done - might be open by your visit
- Kids Zoo now has four Domestic Guinea Pigs in the old skunk habitat

Definitely missing a few thing w/rt to pavillion birds/herps but these are the biggest things that come to mind
 
nya~ said:
- Malayan Woods added a number of inverts in late March (Bush Katydid, Asian Giant Millipede, Malayan Walking Stick, Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Spider)
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I did actually see these when I was last at the zoo. Was my first time visiting since they'd reopened Malayan Woods so I was very happy to be back in there.
nya~ said:
- We have brand new cougars Bowen and Teeka down in the Domain
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This makes me hope my parents decide to actually make the trek down to the Domain.
As for the rest, nice to have an actually visible inhabitant in the old Tree-kangaroo space (only ever saw the bettong in the kookaburra space on my last visit, and have still never seen Annie in all my years of visiting), and a shame to lose the kookaburra. Is there any knowledge of the species of gibbon being reintroduced into Indo-Malaya or is that still a mystery?
 
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AJ the TZ Guy said:
With this in mind, and the fact that there's apparently plenty of spots to take a sitdown break, will I probably have an easier time getting up it?
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Was there a few days ago, there are I believe there are four different rest stops, some with two benches, so I think overall improved seating compared to the core woods trail, so hopefully that helps.

Zooer said:
View attachment 726130 This was an interesting one - I guess they are getting more comfortable!
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Oh Kembali, so excited that he was getting so adventurous, but now too far hahah. I am so glad everyone was safe as this could have had a much worse ending.

From what I read on the comments sections of social media it was handled extremely well by the zoo volunteers and staff, and it seems there is film footage from guests, so hopefully they can determine what happened. I am impressed with the news release and how well the zoo handled it.

The downside of this, is what does it mean moving forward. Obviously the exhibit will be closed while figuring it out, but if it is determined he made a leap from a large built in structure or something like that, we may be in for a long wait for a fix. I imagine if a structure needs to be moved, by the time that is determined it will be end of the outdoor orang season, a plan will be developed over the winter, and then construction in the spring to fix it. Not only does this mean we don't get to see them out, but also may put a step back in the other ortangutangs familiarity with it, and also would likely have a hefty price tag.

Time will tell, thankfully everyone including Kembali is safe.
 
I will say it once again, I am just so impressed with the transparency we are seeing from the zoo. Constant updates it is pretty impressive.

This is a bit better than I was hoping honestly. I think this maybe something that won't need a huge fix (i.e. moving towers). Hopefully a change with the platforms, or the hot-wires can help, and we can get them back out side soon!
 
I find Kembali making a break for it super interesting that he's gotten that brave. When I was at the zoo the last week of July and chatted with a zookeeper while watching Puppe, he was saying she had been the bravest as she's the only one who'd been outside as the only one not born at TZ. That they'd kinda used her exploring to show the others that it was safe to do so. Clearly Kembali has long surpassed his initial caution LOL.
 
Honestly he made some fast progress, interestingly it was the O-line out front that got him confident, then he became much more confident with the outdoor area after. I think they have started doing some times with one in the outdoor yard, and Kembali with access to the courtyard tower near the outdoor, hopefully to encourage others.

Also if any of them were going to make an escape it makes sense for it to be Kembali based on his personality.
 
Visited the Zoo last week and noticed a few odd things in the African Rainforest pavillion that I'm curious about.

- All the signage for the pavillion's birds (minus the waterfowl) was removed. Didn't seem like anything was free flight and neither of the two aviaries had anything in them. I thought I saw two birds in the Fruit Bat exhibit (Look liked Hammerkop but I'm not great at identifying), but I couldn't find any of the others (Black Crake, Violet Turaco, White-vented Bulbul) anywhere.

- Couldn't find any mention of this on the forum but at the back of the Multi-faith prayer room in the old Caves and Burrows exhibit there's a tank signed for Aba aba. I couldn't find anything in the tank but it was pretty dark. The water filtration was running and given its public facing I assumed something was in the tank, but I was under the impression Aba aba was phased out years ago. It's probably just an old tank that they haven't bothered to address given how out of the way it was but it struck me as odd.

Anyone have any information on either of these things? They're kinda confounding me
 
nya~ said:
- Couldn't find any mention of this on the forum but at the back of the Multi-faith prayer room in the old Caves and Burrows exhibit there's a tank signed for Aba aba. I couldn't find anything in the tank but it was pretty dark. The water filtration was running and given its public facing I assumed something was in the tank, but I was under the impression Aba aba was phased out years ago. It's probably just an old tank that they haven't bothered to address given how out of the way it was but it struck me as odd.
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Yeah that was there when I last visited in May, (although I can't quite recall if the tanks filtration was running at the time,) but the signage was there and no Aba aba. Definitely a result of the zoos focus being elsewhere, or something to keep around in case they ever make a devoted multi-faith prayer room building somewhere and want to use the space again.
 
Has anyone done either the savanna safari or the guardians of gorillas behind the scenes experiences? Considering doing one of them when I am at the zoo this week for my moms birthday.
 
BovidBabe said:
Has anyone done either the savanna safari or the guardians of gorillas behind the scenes experiences? Considering doing one of them when I am at the zoo this week for my moms birthday.
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Haven't but also in the market to do an encounter soon, so would love to hear what you end up doing!
 
BovidBabe said:
Has anyone done either the savanna safari or the guardians of gorillas behind the scenes experiences? Considering doing one of them when I am at the zoo this week for my moms birthday.
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My brother did the gorillas experience, he said it was pretty fun. He got to see some of the behind the scenes area, and had an exclusive keeper talk/feeding on the keeper only side of the outdoor habitat.
 
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What is this visual on the zoo map? What does this even mean? I think the Jane logo is supposed to be for the Jane Goodall Institute, but what's with the girl on the bee? The greenhouse?
 
Madadad said:
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What is this visual on the zoo map? What does this even mean? I think the Jane logo is supposed to be for the Jane Goodall Institute, but what's with the girl on the bee? The greenhouse?
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I believe it's a promotion for the Apple TV+ show Jane that premiered last year.

I didn't play super close attention but in the plaza between the Wildlife Health Centre and the Admin building there's some stuff set up including a large bee statue.
 
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