Woodland Park Zoo Woodland Park Zoo news 2015

snowleopard said:
Banyan Wilds (Malayan Tigers and Sloth Bears) opens on May 2nd and this link has additional details about the upcoming exhibit complex:

Tiger Home Page - Woodland Park Zoo Seattle WA

The elephants are one step closer to leaving for Oklahoma City Zoo:

http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1556

Maned Wolves make their debut next week:

http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1553
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They haven't made an appearance on the zoo map yet, but is it reasonable to assume the Maned Wolves are moving into the enclosure the Cheetahs vacated? And nicely expanding the South American zone.

Looking forward to your thoughts on the bears and tigers exhibit when you visit it SL.
 
How many other roadblocks are there keeping the Elephants from leaving now? Or are their none? Also, is there likely to be an announcement a few days before they leave or could the departure be sprung at any moment?
 
Chai and Bamboo have been diverted to the San Diego Zoo due to inclement weather. They were forced to change their route in Salt Lake City. This will keep them from having to spend an extra day in the crates. They are reported to be in good condition but with muscle stiffness by the SD Zoo vets. They will be allowed to rest in the meantime. It is not yet known how long they will be there. They are in quarantine of course.

OKC Zoo press release:

INCLEMENT WEATHER REROUTES WOODLAND PARK ZOO ELEPHANTS - Oklahoma City Zoo

WPZ Q&A regarding the diversion:

http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1562
 
"Animal Activists" are calling for an "investigation" of the transport of the Elephants. It just goes to show you how hypocritical these people are in my opinion. They weren't calling for an investigation with the way the Toronto Zoo Elephants were transferred. They way I see it they know they have lost this round and want to do everything they can to cause trouble for the zoo.

Animal activists call for investigation into Woodland Park Zoo's | www.kirotv.com
 
Falcosparverius said:
I wouldn't say she reversed her statement, but instead she readdressed it.
Woodland Park Zoo Blog: Elephant update: a letter from Dr. Jane Goodall
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If she issued a statement without adequate analysis of the situation or thought and then issued a new statement contradicting the first, then semantics aside, she backpedaled. She is placing her credibility at stake, which is a terrible shame
Jane Goodall backtracks on elephant sanctuary, says zoo is fine | The Seattle Times
 
The zoo has produced a brand-new map that has many significant changes from the format that had been present for many years. Banyan Wilds (Malayan Tigers and Sloth Bears) is now open to the public and so that zone needed to be added; Maned Wolves are also new; Asian Elephants are gone; and many species have been added to the map along with colour-coded geographic regions. I have a collection of approximately 1,200 zoo maps and I really like the look of the new Woodland Park map. One minor pet peeve is that the zoo still continues to call the Reptile House (with around 40 terrariums of various sizes) a "Day Exhibit". Why not simply "Reptile House"? Other than a solitary tree kangaroo every animal in the building is cold-blooded.

http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1582
 
The elephants have now left San Diego on their way to Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweeping down the plain, according to this update posted on Woodland Park Zoo's Facebook page:

Asian elephants Chai and Bamboo departed San Diego Zoo yesterday evening to continue their journey to Oklahoma City Zoo.

“We are so grateful to San Diego Zoo for providing a comfortable rest stop for Chai and Bamboo while we worked with our colleagues and the animal transport team to line up logistics for the final leg of the journey,” said Dr. Deborah Jensen, Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO.

“Meticulous planning has gone into this transport. With a window of favorable weather, expert transport staff available, and a new route coordinated, Chai and Bamboo are ready to move to their new home and family,” added Jensen.

Accompanied by five Woodland Park Zoo elephant care staff, three veterinarians and six expert animal transport staff, the elephants are traveling in separate, ventilated crates equipped with heating and evaporative cooler units, as well as closed circuit cameras that allow staff to monitor the animals remotely in real time.

The crates were lifted by crane and placed one each on two custom designed flat-bed trucks. The drive is expected to take 25-30 hours, allowing for stops approximately every three hours to check the elephants’ comfort and well-being, and to provide food and refresh water.

At Oklahoma City Zoo, Chai and Bamboo will join a multi-generational herd composed of two young adult females, Asha (20) and sister Chandra (18), and Asha’s daughters, Malee (4) and Achara (5 months). A 47-year-old male, Rex, also lives at Oklahoma City Zoo.

“We are excited to have these two new members join our family,” said Dwight Lawson, Ph.D., OKC Zoo executive director/CEO. “This journey has always been about the best care possible for Chai and Bamboo. We’ve witnessed an incredible collaboration of three Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited zoos, which kept the well-being of Chai and Bamboo at the forefront of their transition.”

Upon arriving, Chai and Bamboo will walk out of their travel crates into the barn where they will enter standard quarantine for 30 days—standard procedure for any newly arrived animal at an accredited zoo. During the quarantine period, the elephants will have access to two stalls inside the barn and one exhibit outdoor yard, and will be able to see, hear and smell the other elephants. Woodland Park Zoo keepers will spend as much time as necessary with Chai and Bamboo to help ease their transition.

Oklahoma City Zoo has expertise in integrating herds and will follow a plan that socializes Chai and Bamboo with the herd in incremental steps, following the cues of the animals.

“Female Asian elephants naturally live in multi-generational herds in the wild,” explained Jensen. “It’ll take some time for Chai and Bamboo to fully settle in, but once they do, the family of elephants at Oklahoma City Zoo will offer an enriching social life for them.”

Thank you for your continued support, friends. Updates will be forthcoming and more information can be found at Elephant News - Woodland Park Zoo Seattle WA.
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snowleopard said:
The zoo has produced a brand-new map that has many significant changes from the format that had been present for many years. Banyan Wilds (Malayan Tigers and Sloth Bears) is now open to the public and so that zone needed to be added; Maned Wolves are also new; Asian Elephants are gone; and many species have been added to the map along with colour-coded geographic regions. I have a collection of approximately 1,200 zoo maps and I really like the look of the new Woodland Park map. One minor pet peeve is that the zoo still continues to call the Reptile House (with around 40 terrariums of various sizes) a "Day Exhibit". Why not simply "Reptile House"? Other than a solitary tree kangaroo every animal in the building is cold-blooded.

http://www.zoo.org/document.doc?id=1582
Click to expand...

Its not a bad map, but the colours are a bit strong. I quite like the idea of geography-based colours, they work well, for example, on Auckland Zoo's map, but here they overwhelm it a bit. Apart from that it is a great map.

What was the Maned Wolf exhibit like? Had they changed the yard at all from when it held Cheetah?
 
zooboy28 said:
Its not a bad map, but the colours are a bit strong. I quite like the idea of geography-based colours, they work well, for example, on Auckland Zoo's map, but here they overwhelm it a bit. Apart from that it is a great map.

What was the Maned Wolf exhibit like? Had they changed the yard at all from when it held Cheetah?
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The yard that briefly held Cheetahs is identical in appearance but now hosting a mother/son pairing of Maned Wolves.
 
I posted a review of Banyan Wilds on this link:

http://www.zoochat.com/22/banyan-wilds-review-409892/

I was obviously disappointed with the new exhibit complex and due to the fact that the 2-acre zone cost $20 million and was a two-year phased project expectations were high. Others have sent me private messages agreeing that while the Malayan Tiger exhibit has its nice elements, overall the entire area is a tad disappointing.

It is important to remember that Woodland Park's glory days of the late 1970's and early 1990's continued through the 2000's. The decade of 2000 to 2010 saw the opening of Dragons of Komodo (2000), African Village (2001), African Wild Dogs (2002), the superb Jaguar Cove (2003), Willawong Station (2005), the $10 million indoor play area Zoomazium (2006), Historic Carousel (2006), Flamingos (2008), an award-winning Humboldt Penguin exhibit (2009) and an awesome new west entrance with many visitor amenities (2010). That was a terrific decade for the zoo.

Since then one could argue that Woodland Park has lost its mojo, right around the same time of the economic crisis. Temporary summer displays of animatronic dinosaurs (2011) and elderly cheetahs (2014) were boring; the year of 2012 saw Visayan Warty Pigs, Kune kune pigs and Warthogs added although technically none of the animals were in brand-new exhibits; and the Banyan Wilds complex with its birds, otters, bears and tigers is simply adequate. Cool species like Red-Flanked Duikers, Sun Bears and African Wild Dogs have been lost, plus the Nocturnal House closed down (2010) and the Asian Elephants left this year.

I have no idea what the zoo has planned for the future but the several acres that made up the Asian Elephant Forest will have to be repurposed for either Indian Rhinos or several other Asian animals. The long-awaited Asian Highlands loop to complement the Northern Trail section of the zoo would cost an absolute fortune. What will be next?
 
Nina, a 47 year old gorilla has died..she leaves 4 surviving offspring all with silverback Pete.
 
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