YOUR 2019

ThylacineAlive said:
Wasn't an option unfortunately. It's alright, though, I managed to see the Southern Luzon Giant Cloud Rats, which were the real lifer :p ;)

~Thylo
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That was one of my other favorite moments of the year, that I couldn't quite put my finger on when making my post! Seeing the Northern Luzon Giant Cloud Rats out of their nesting box and walking around, grooming, etc. :)
 
Great Argus said:
3. Missing the Laysan Albatross presentation at MBA despite my best efforts. Also Tentacles being closed so several unusual species were offshow, much to my chagrin...
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This reminds me, meeting a Laysan Albatross was definitely one of my highlights, as well asthe Tentacles exhibit. Such a shame you missed out. Hopefully you'll get it next time!
 
ZooBinh said:
This reminds me, meeting a Laysan Albatross was definitely one of my highlights, as well asthe Tentacles exhibit. Such a shame you missed out. Hopefully you'll get it next time!
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Yeah, I seriously tried for the Albatross... watched the time closely and was early to the stated area, but never showed... then I was told the talk was somewhere else when i asked shortly thereafter. Going to ask when i first get there next time, lesson learned. :p

Yeah, I knew Tentacles was closed when I was going to visit, but as the aquarium was not the primary reason for the trip (although a planned and important part of it) I didn't let it dampen things. :)
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT
As has been noted already, Zoohistorica was as enjoyable as ever, and Nuremberg an excellent host. Meeting @snowleopard in the Netherlands and ‘doing’ some zoos together was great fun. But the personal highlight was seeing the continued development of Hamerton, which is now by far the UK’s most interesting zoo.

2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS
The new species and enclosures at Hamerton. The continued development of Paira Diaza and Beauval. And the publication of @snowleopard and @Tim Brown ’s excellent USA book.

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
On a personal level, visiting Munich Zoo with @devilfish, @Tim Brown and others - and experiencing the most relentless of downpours. It simply didn’t stop! Less solipsistically, the closure of London Zoo’s aquarium was, by a distance, the worst UK zoo news.
 
1. Finally going to visit the Philadelphia Zoo and getting to meet my friend who works there in person. Wonderful zoo and wonderful person.

2. Yeah it's the platypus.

3. Having to cancel a trip to Bronx due to a sinus infection that led to an ear infection. Sahar, the Lincoln Park male lion, dying was also very upsetting.
 
1. Not so much a visit... More so "employment". Since September, I've been on placement/an internship at Paignton Zoo conducting research. It started with Edwards's pheasants, and then moved onto giraffe. More recently however, I've been able to help with some of the collection planning (inputting data, nothing exciting) which is obviously super cool! So overall, Paignton has been my zoo highlight.

2. Like others, I have some news that I'm unable to reveal... but I was VERY happy when I heard it :p

3. I didn't manage to reach my target of visiting 40 zoos over the year... Sadly, due to various circumstances (car troubles), I fell a little short :eek:
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT
Visiting Pairi Daiza again for the first time in 5 years and seeing all the exciting and sometimes over the top developments, seeing quite a few rare and some new species and all over having a pretty great time during my two-day visit to Pairi Daiza as well as getting a huge load of photos.

I got some pretty good photos at zoos this year that were well-received.

My discovery of Dierenpark Zie-Zoo, a very nice small zoo that is still in full development.

2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS
The new bonobo building at Zoo Planckendael and the flamingo aviary at GaiaZoo I would call highlights in terms of new developments.

In terms of births some I personally loved and would like to mention are the giant panda twins at Pairi Daiza (I did not see them), okapis at Rotterdam (not seen) and Antwerp (seen) and a greater Vasa parrot at Pakawi Park/Olmense Zoo (seen).

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The closure of the jubilee complex at Zoo Antwerpen for total renovation that included the closure and forever loss of the Nocturama and a few of my favorite species being moved out and taken out of the collection. I'm not hugely happy about what it planned for the jubilee complex either (open sea lion exhibit, snow leopards and tigers) as I feel the choices that were made were motivated a bit too much by commercial concerns in the short term and not enough by long-term considerations that matter to small city zoos.

I had some negative experiences at my local zoo, Zoo Planckendael, and I also made some mistakes that saw me miss out on meeting Snowleopard there in July. I have not visited Planckendael since but I still hope to mend the damage. I am planning to visit again soon, hopefully this coming weekend.

I did not meet my goal of doing at least one zoo visit every month of 2019, as I did not visit any zoos since Pairi Daiza in early October. I however do still hope to perhaps visit Antwerpen and/or Planckendael in the coming days.
 
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1. PERSONAL ZOO HIGHLIGHT
Photographing two very young (approx 6 week old) ocelot kittens at El Paso Zoo.

2. FAVORITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS
Confirmation that Reid Park Zoo will add a four acre Asia expansion that will include a new tiger exhibit and (for the first time) a fishing cat exhibit.

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The underwhelming and ridiculously overpriced cheetah run at Animal Ark (whose staff are disappointingly rude/sarcastic).
 
PERSONAL ZOO HIGHLIGHT(S)
My first visit to Prague, with a veteran of many previous visits. What. A. Zoo. Plzen, also visited on the same trip, was no slouch either.

Zoohistorica 2019 was the best of the four I have,so far, attended. Nuremberg Zoo is great/lovely in itself (Dung Beetles House a favourite) but the the whole weekend (best ice breaker yet, talk by director, meal/auction and city itself) was superb.

FAVOURITE PIECE OF NEWS
I can't think of anything in particular but it's great to witness such an overall vibrant/growing zoo scene (new zoos, new exhibits, new species, ever-increasing visitor numbers, new books) pretty unscathed by anti-zoo sentiments.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The sad, though seemingly inevitable closure of London Zoo's aquarium (the zoo seems to fade a little each year with more than a step back matching any steps forward). Also disappointed by the failure of "Manchester Zoo" to match it's initial bluster with any perceivable, material, momentum. These disappointments, though, pale in comparison with the magnitude of highlights and general good/improving health of the zoo scene.
 
1. PERSONAL ZOO VISIT HIGHLIGHT
Seeing the little Polar bear cub in Berlin

2. FAVOURITE PIECE OF ZOO NEWS
Not so much news, but the actual opening of the Wild Place bear woods area.

3. BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT
The past four months generally, especially my relatively underwhelming trip in to Germany.
 
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