Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Present Happenings

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Hi everyone,
"Jonah" is the male concave-casqued hornbill; he has been living off display since the pair of wrinkleds moved into the horbill aviary in the pavilion. During the summer, he usually lives in an inside/outisde holding behind the gaur, but it is currently occupied by the peafowl from around the zoo. I think he was moved to Malayan Woods to give him some more space until the peafowl go back out on site.
 
So nice to see you back Ungulate :) we missed you

Ahh ok, that would explain alot, thank you :)

Has anything new and exciting been happening at TZ lately?
 
Yes Ungulate so nice to see you back again! :P!

Is there anything new and exciting happening? Did the elephant meeting on the 18th go well?
 
Thanks everyone.
I have been away travelling (in Ethiopia ... a whole other story) for the past month and only started back at work yesterday. I'm still catching up on the news! I've also moved areas and am now in the Australasia pavilion. Haven't heard anything about the elephant meeting yet. But I can confirm that there are TWO tawny frogmouths in the freeflight aviary in Australasia (but I've not done the birds yet, so I can't tell you where they hang out!)
 
I was told earlier in the week that a new web designer has been hired. I'm thrilled! I have been disappointed with the website for some time, and in the spring TZ told me a new designer had been hired so I was expecting big things. Sadly little has changed and what changes were made were basically buried and you had to know where to look to find them! So here's hoping the new designer can create some buzz about the zoo and make people excited to see our new animal additions, exhibits and babies! I want TZ to do well and it kills me that in this day and age the website is uninspiring and out of date.
 
Terrific news indeed! Here's hoping for some more animal related updates. I remember reading in an email many years back that that there were plans on having webcams. Maybe they'll be added to the update :)
 
The suggestions I made for the website include:

- two press rooms - one for non-animal announcements and one for animal announcements

- actual photographs of our animals and exhibits on the main page instead of graphics (why have graphics of a polar bear and a girl - why not have actual photographs of our new bears enjoying their awesome new exhibit)

- cute alert on the main page and not buried such that you have to know where to look for it

- news and photographs about renovations and new exhibits - with the goal to get people excited about things happening at the zoo

I`m conscious of the cost factor, but I truly believe that each of these suggestions are not costly and will help generate buzz about the zoo. I was so disappointed that the date for when the Tundra Exhibit was opening was never put on the website and instead just kept saying it was coming. I only learned of the date from the Collections magazine and from Zoo Chat.
 
Welcome kknudsen to the forum! Glad to have another Toronto Zoo fan!

The two press rooms is a great idea! It will allow for more organization! I also like the idea of putting up info for reno projects this will indeed get people involved and potentially donate to the projects!

However, the cute alert is not buried in the site if you go to the animals page its one of the links under that. I don't think it should be moved from its location.

The polar bear graphics is a marketing theme that the zoo has used which is why it is on the website as well.

What I would like to see changed, especially if they are hiring a web master is new animal information pages. Updated info, and (for the larger more popular species) animal names.

Most of the pictures on the website can also be updated as they haven't been changed for years. The use of an entrance page would also be a better choice.

Other than that I personally like the layout and design of the website but changes must be made!
 
I just noticed when looking at their hours for when I next plan to head to the zoo that (unless its out of date information) it looks like the weekend after the next the zoo is returning to being open till 6.

They also have listed on their site a march break event that same day. I have never really been to the zoo during any of their events, so I was wondering if anyone knew if these tend to just be PR/advertising and such or if there are things planned for them?
 
I don't understand you question? I am probably reading it wrong.

Never mind I get it now...

The zoos hours always extend in March, always right before March Break. So they start the March Break events on the 13th.

BTW, the history section has now been updated! About time! 2005 was a long time ago!
 
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What I meant was is it just something like "Hey, its march break, come to the Zoo!" or do they actually have some special stuff going on for it?
 
I did read it wrong. Sorry.

It is both. Yes it is March Break so come to the zoo and they do have some events going on, extended and more keeper talks, etc. Nothing fancy, or big!
 
I'm on the fenceline with this. I think I'd prefer seeing the existing elephant exhibit turned into an expanded hippo yard or new giraffe exhibit, but maybe a screen featuring AfriCam or WildEarth somewhere in the savannah or pavilion would work.
 
I could understand raising awareness, etc. but spending 15 million on it is way to much maybe 100 000 that's a bit reasonable, the zoo is struggling to raise money now and I believe they should focus on stuff that needs improvement. I am not saying to not do a reno on the elephants but if we chose not to have elephants then ship them and renovate the area to accommodate more species and better exhibits for the hippos. I think that they could add buffalo and leopards in that area!
 
Yeah, that is a bit much money. I'd be one thing if a computer corporation or something pitched in, but not the zoo's entire budget.

Buff and leopards would be awesome. :)
 
The famous toronto zoo without elephants? And interactive-display (who you can have in a museum) instead of them? - What a big shame!!

As far as I know, there is space to build a bigger/new elephant exhibit. Okay, the money is a problem. But all that interactive-bull.... is not for free as well (maybe just cheaper).
So what to do? My opinion is: Let the elephants be there till there is enough money (collectet in benefits-events and other) to built a new exhibit.
 
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