Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Future Developments 2013

Thanks for sharing these articles TZFan. It's interesting how the zoo is making more money than they expected even though they didn't get as many visitors as they wanted. The second article was pretty funny. I never realized how dangerous the zoo was! :D:D
 
Hey with regards to money, everyone needs their own little Da Mao and Er Shun. Theres also all the shirts, hats, trinkets ect. They are great little money makers. My money is on a cub next year would make the zoo even more than his or her parents. Everyone will need to see the cutie.

I cant even believe some of these people reported their stupidity. I still dont want to ruin the joy for others but man people are accident prone. The great news is no animal related accidents for the public! Unfortunately theres still the poor keeper who got bit by the rattlesnake.
 
Ok more things I've learned from the zoos capital funding report.

The renos to the elephant building and enclosure will begin in 2014. No exact date. This will be done to rectify accreditation concerns from 2007. Should help us regain AZA approval when we resubmit. All designs are done.

The giraffe house will be demolished in favour of a new concrete structure and upgrades will be made to the yard(s) for holding breeding animals and surplus animals. They will bring in a new hoofed species. No mention of what.

The health center overhaul is still being worked out but should be worked on 2014-2017. New operating rooms, animal holding and labs will be key.

The orangs ares still being considered. The indoor space will be improved first to simulate the boreno/sumatran rainforest to better stimulate them. An outdoor exhibit will follow in the area the guar inhabit. They will be featured on the zoomobile tour. A design will follow a feasiblity report in 2018 with construction starting perhaps later that year or in 2019. The outdoor exhibit will likely be privately funded to free funds up for other projects.

There are plans for a brand new outdoor exhibit for the gorillas which will extend to the family center. Mesh and wire will be replaced with glass or a moat. Design might begin in 2019 with construction in 2020.

A new breeding facility will be considered in 2020-2021. It mentions specific consderation of hoofstock.

The hippos will either get a massive upgrades or a total redo with breeding, management, winter housing and guest viewing being key considerations. The house will be moved closer to the exhibit. Massive upgrades will be included inside because the hippos need to keep active during the winter and restraints will be needed for medical procedures. Additional stalls and outdoor yards will be needed for breeding and surplus animals. The most tantilizing possiblity is they actually mention underwater viewing!!! I know what they say now and what actually happens tends to differ widely but I prefer to dream. Indoor winter viewing is also a consideration. Unfortunately the hippos are further back on the list with design in 2021 and construction in 2022-2023. But realistically they are probably hoping in 10 years we might be down to just one hippo or none. That would make the massive changes they are hoping for more feasible.

General buildings, pavilions and bridges are all undergoing updating to replace whats necessary.

2014 the invertebrate house will be demolised for a new necropsy wing for the health center. The invertabrates it sounds like will still be in that area but a the new wing will be there too.

The main gate aviary will be replaced with a new exhibit as it currently doesnt meet standards. No details.

For guests there will be increased focus on helping those with disablities. That means changes and upgrades to a number of things.

They will be looking for outside funding for the orangs outdoor, Canadian wilds, entrance referbishment, Tropical Americas, Centre for Sustainable Life and Learning, Rouge River Interpretive Centre, and Ride and Revenue Development.

The entrance will have major referbishment in 2015-2016. They knock the entrance for every reason we do. It is just boring and dated, it can be ineffiecent, its unmemberable, facilities inside are only ok, ect. They want to wow us both coming in and out, improve entrance and relocate shops to nail us for every penny possible.

The Canadian Wilds is schedualed to begin in 2015-2018. Its focus will be on the animals of the boreal forest and woodlands. Key features will be an orientation centre, beaver exhibit, moose exhibit, otter exhibit and zoomobile drivethrough for an elk bison exhibit. Odd the grizzlies, cougars, and eagles arent mentioned as they are the areas apex predators right now. I would hope these few exhibits wouldnt be it.

As we all know with the removal of North American animals from the Americas Pavilion it will become home to Tropical creatures. No deals were given other than to say estimates will be made and assessed between 2018 and 2020.

A new educational building is expected with environmental and social responsiblity being the focus. But with the funds needed from outside its 2020-2022 dates could be off.

2023 should bring a safari jeep ride to Africa. Bring it on.

There is a reoccuring theme throughout. Whenever available they want to build green energy into their buildings and become more green.

A new masterplan is to be developed in 2014-2015 to replace the 1990 plans, so everything is subject to change either for the good or bad.

All information is posted at the zoo boards webpage from the city.

http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.ZB24.3
 
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According to the Zoos facebook page Rick Mercer was just there for a segment. Guess you will have to look for it on his show. I like how the zoo is trying to reach out to TV land more often. First the CEO is on Undercover boss canada, then on the Amazing Race Canada now this. Great way to make everyone forget about the elephant bad publicity.
 
Even though I knew most of the zoo's plans that you posted, it was still interesting to read so thanks for sharing it.

When you mention the invertebrate house, what does that mean? Is there an off exhibit building just for invertebrates?

I'm surprised that the main gate exhibit will be replaced. I thought the zoo would have either just put a different species in it or demolish it since it seems so out of place.

I also find it odd that the Canadian predators weren't mentioned in the plans, especially the grizzlies. I can't picture a Canadian exhibit without them.

Overall I'm really excited for the zoo's future. Some of my least favourite exhibits at the zoo will be renovated (gorilla outdoors, orangutans) and hopefully some interesting new species will be added (whatever species replaces the giraffe). I'm also very happy that the entrance and health centre will be replaced.
 
arcticwolf said:
When you mention the invertebrate house, what does that mean? Is there an off exhibit building just for invertebrates?
Click to expand...

Within the health centre, there are different areas for different types of animals that are either injured, sick, surplus or involved in research. One of those spaces is the invertebrate house. I also know that there is a reptile and amphibian lab and fish lab, in addition to the quaratine wing and holding space for larger species (birds and mammals)
 
I knew that there were reptile and fish wings in the health centre and I assumed that there was an invertebrate wing too, but when it was called the invertebrate house it made me think that there was a separate building in the zoo that was just for invertebrates. Thanks for clearing things up for me.
 
Ya I wondered the same thing when I read it. I really had no idea if it was a seperate building too or if it was a wing and they just used another name for it. If even a fraction of the things happen on schedual that will be great.
 
After reading the document again but much more carefully, I have a few more questions and comments about it.

It says that the new giraffe exhibit will allow other species to be mixed in with them. Does anyone have any idea what species they would be. I would personally like to see gazelles and ostriches mixed with the giraffes. Also the document says there will be eye level viewing with the giraffes. Does this mean there might be a giraffe feeding opportunity?

Even though the renovations to the indoor orangutan exhibit probably won't be completed until 2019, the outdoor exhibit might be finished by 2015! Out of all the exhibits mentioned in the zoo's future plans, the orangutan outdoor exhibit is the one that I'm most excited about.
 
I dont know any more than you about these things but they are excellent questions.

It would be nice to see a mixed species exhibit for the giraffes and I have long wanted to feed a giraffe. We probably have to wait until the construction bid process begins like we did with the Eurasia plans. Im guessing once the elephants are gone plans will be finalized and bids will start to go out. They cant afford to have that big exhibit empty long and given our giraffes ages they must realized that a new herd is needed for social reasons sooner rather than later. It would be awesome to see the ostriches move too. Thats a big exhibit that could be better used for more hoofstock.

The outdoor orang exhibit I think might not be done so soon. Like it says they are relying on outside funding. If they can get a sponsor it could be soon. If not they wont have the funds to build until someone can be found. I hope that when they do get around to the indoor exhibit the whole pavilion will get a remodel. I've long thought it looks tired and dated, even more so once the African pavilion got its upgrade.

The most exciting plan for me is the hipps. Yes I have to wait a long time but I love the hippos. I would love to see babies. And underwater viewing... dont even get me started. Im glad they are looking at some of the African spaces that werent updated when the savannah opened.

I personally wonder what they will do to create the jeep safari in Africa. I dont think they really know at the moment but will they need to make significant exhibit changes.
 
This Sunday the zoo will be celebrating International Red Panda Day. There will be special keeper talks at the red panda exhibit where visitors will be allowed to see the red pandas for the first time since Eurasia closed. It will also be the only chance to see them until spring. I actually might be going to the zoo this Sunday and now I want to go even more!
 
Oh if you do go take tons of pics for us. I love the red pandas. Have since the first time I saw them as a kid and thought they were red raccoons. Ok so I wasnt the smartest kid but I was cute.
 
If I end up going I'll be sure to get plenty of pictures. Right now the only reason that I won't go to the zoo is if my mom doesn't want to drive me there since it's about a 40 minute drive from my house. Now that I know I can see the red pandas on Sunday I'm going to try to convince her even more to take me.
 
If it helps add in that it will be your last chance to see the elephants.
 
Two bit of news. First the biogas plant fueled by zoo poo is back on the table.

Toronto Zoo biogas plant hopes to raise millions through community bonds | Toronto Star

Secondly and probably most sadly city council refuses to let the zoo govern itself. They refused the plan for the zoo to privatize claiming they couldnt become indendent in 10 years like planned. They told the zoo to seek help from the province and to work to see if they can be included in the Rouge Valley Urban national park to get federal funding. The zoo was also instructed to set up its own charitable organization to help raise funds for the zoo. They claim they are leaving the control of acquistions and dispositions in the hands of the zoo but I highly doublt the AZA will find this reassuring if the zoo it trying to get accreditited again. Once a meddler always a meddler. They wont be fooled by words. Looks like the zoo is in no better shape then it was before the proposal.

I didnt read all of what was posted in the councils agenda I got bored before I was too far in so their might be more.

Agenda Item History - 2013.EX34.7
 
TZFan said:
Secondly and probably most sadly city council refuses to let the zoo govern itself. They refused the plan for the zoo to privatize claiming they couldnt become indendent in 10 years like planned. They told the zoo to seek help from the province and to work to see if they can be included in the Rouge Valley Urban national park to get federal funding. The zoo was also instructed to set up its own charitable organization to help raise funds for the zoo. They claim they are leaving the control of acquistions and dispositions in the hands of the zoo but I highly doublt the AZA will find this reassuring if the zoo it trying to get accreditited again. Once a meddler always a meddler. They wont be fooled by words. Looks like the zoo is in no better shape then it was before the proposal.

I didnt read all of what was posted in the councils agenda I got bored before I was too far in so their might be more.

Agenda Item History - 2013.EX34.7
Click to expand...

This is actually being debated by city council right now and no decision has been made yet. What you posted is what the City Manager is recommending, but who knows what the outcome will be after city council gets involved.
 
Thanks for the correction I actually got the link through an article that made it sound like a done deal so I just skim read the recommendation until I got bored. Hopefully then the city will ignore the recommendation and let the zoo start working towards independance because best case scenario they make a success of it and the city can totally free those funds for other things. Worst case scenario is they fail but learn how to make more money themselves and can therefore rely less on city funds. If they totally and utterly fail then the zoo can just go straight back to the city and they are no futhter behind than right now.
 
Its interesting to think what might have been for our elephant program had Tantor lived. The herd was just beginning to produce calves. Sure in the first and only 4 we had 2 died but 2 lived. Thika and Tumpe have had long lives, though Tumpe is now dead and was calfless as well. Imagine what could have been with more calves arriving and living. The calves would have been huge draws. Tantor would have eventually been replaced by a younger breeding bull so his daughters could breed and as descenants of wild born elephants been enormously vaulable to the North American population. Our young bulls would have been sought after breeders. With a multigenerational herd, even with the 4 deaths in 4 years the zoo and the city likely wouldnt have wanted to end the program. It would have made sense to invest in a huge new exhibit and winter barn. And even if they did decide to end things a breeding herd wouldnt have gone to a sancturary. Its easy to send away old nonbreeding females to any place. A herd that is contributing to the population of elephants would be harder to "retire."

Wouldnt it have been great to have had more calves? To grow up with them (well I kind of did Im not much older then Thika but we didnt really start going to the zoo until my younger brother had the stamina to come along on foot so I dont know if I ever even saw a young calf). It would have been cool to watch them grow and become mothers and fathers themselves. Down the line watch as they became grandmothers. Thika is old enough to have grandcalves.

But alas fate dealt the elephant program a cruel blow when Tantor died. What could have been...

I wish our beloved girls well on their journey and hope that they can enjoy many peaceful years together at PAWS.

The only good coming from this painful goodbye is that we can look forward to many happy hellos as our giraffe breeding program gets rebooted and younger animals come in and breeding brings us hopefully many new healthy calves to enjoy in the years to come. And down the line even more additions will come when thanks to the departure of the girls a new hoofstock species arrives bringing many new faces and the hippo breeding program finally gets in gear after, by that point, 30 or more years. The future will be exciting.
 
The Toronto Zoo has had an interesting history with elephants and it's really sad that after so many years, it's finally coming to and end. I just hope the girls will be happy in their new home.

At least I'll get to say one last goodbye to them when I visit the zoo tomorrow, and hopefully I'll get some good pictures so I always remember them. Even though it'll be sad seeing elephants for the last time in Toronto, I can't wait to say hello to the red pandas which haven't been on exhibit since Eurasia closed. If there's anything that you guys want me to find out or get pictures of, just tell me and I'll try my best.
 
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