ZOO Antwerpen Zoo Antwerpen News 2025

About the Macaroni penguins, they probably remain out of sight. There are spaces the penguins can access to go behind the scenes and remain off-show. The Macaroni penguins often remain in one of these off show chamber's. Or so I've been told by keepers. So I wouldn't panic just yet.
 
Today I saw photos in the "den antwaarpse dierentuin" Facebook group indicating that the Dalmatian pelicans have temporarily moved into the pinniped exhibit, presumably because of the construction work to transform the former hippopotamus exhibit in a pygmy hippo facility.
 
KevinB said:
  • I saw a little parade of keepers carrying, as far as I saw, carrying four juvenile ostriches, roughly Demoiselle crane sized, from the rhinoceros/zebra exhibit towards the Egyptian temple. I did not see where they came from or went, and I don't know where these ostriches will go either. There was a camera crew with them, presumably for Flemish commercial TV station VTM's series "Het Echte Leven in de Zoo".
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Today a photo was posted in the "Fans Zoo van Antwerpen" Facebook group showing at least three young ostriches in the separation paddock on the savanna aviary side of the Egyptian Temple, so it seems to ostriches will eventually be introduced into the savanna exhibit and will be using the stables in the Egyptian Temple that were unused for quite a while.
 
Lots of updates:
  • The female Hamerkop has passed away, but they are already looking for a new mate.
  • The Seal pool needs to be deeper so changes will still be made.
  • The Pygmy Hippo pool will in contrast have to be raised due to them not going as deep as Common Hippos. (The indoor large pool seems to be split in two)
  • One of the Chinese Mergansers is breeding therefore the glass won't be cleaned for a while to give them the needed rest.
  • The Lone Hispanolian Rhinoceros Iguana seems to have left the collection (signage was also removed).
  • The arrival of a Dik-dik seems to have taken place as I saw 2 of them (the recent son and a new female).
  • I saw 2 fledglings of Amethyst Starling.
And now the most exciting news: The Hippo house is intended to house a species of Flying Fox.
 
Six-year old western lowland gorilla Thandie has suffered a double leg fracture. Tomorrow she will undergo surgery at a veterinary clinic by an experienced orthopedic surgeon to set and repair the fracture, after which she will return to the ape house. She will have to wear a cast for three to six weeks and will be reunited with the group later on. During her recovery social contact, based on monitoring of her health, will be important.

https://www.gva.be/binnenland/goril...e-zoo-en-moet-weken-in-het-gips/69838319.html
 
KevinB said:
Six-year old western lowland gorilla Thandie has suffered a double leg fracture. Tomorrow she will undergo surgery at a veterinary clinic by an experienced orthopedic surgeon to set and repair the fracture, after which she will return to the ape house. She will have to wear a cast for three to six weeks and will be reunited with the group later on. During her recovery social contact, based on monitoring of her health, will be important.

https://www.gva.be/binnenland/goril...e-zoo-en-moet-weken-in-het-gips/69838319.html
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Surgery went well, Thandie has gotten through the anesthesia well. She has been given an extra strong cast laced with cayenne pepper to deter her from messing with the cast. For the time being Thandie will be kept off-show, together with her mother Mayani.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=482478364929186

https://www.gva.be/binnenland/waaro...kZPWi41JYGH6N8kRXw_aem_DW-UFR-MIvkerWy8hiS8Og
 
An update of the park:

  • There were 3 Wonga Pigeons in the aviary with the Blue-faced Honeyeaters and Swift Parrots, there was also at least one in the bird house.
  • A Black and White Laughing Trush was born and is already quite big.
  • Round-eared Sengis are returning, the enclosure has already been enhanced for the new inhabitants. (See media)
  • The Barbary Striped grass Mouse enclosure is once again being changed.
  • I saw some baby Pied Avocets. (about 3 or 4)
  • One of the Hamlyn’s Monkeys entered the main Gorilla indoors and I saw no aggression, which is a good sign.
  • The White-lipped Tree Frog have been replaced by Common Tree Frogs.
  • There was signage of the Yellow-crowned Bishop in the winter garden.
  • The works on the Pygmy hippo enclosure are progressing quite well, with woodchirp already being added.
  • At least one Blue-crowned Laughingtrush was born in the bird house
 
An update on gorilla Thandie
  • Her cast is changed regularly and she is being closely followed up by the vet
  • The cayenne pepper doesn't seem to work very well to detract Thandie from the cast and is no longer used
  • She has been returned to the group and since that was done she has felt better, eaten better and is messing with the cast far less, she gets around fairly well using her arms for support and her mother Mayani is keeping an eye on her and defending her from others bullying her

ZOO Antwerpen on Instagram: "Hoe gaat het met gorilla Thandie? Thandie krijgt regelmatig een nieuwe gips aangepast door dierenarts Jonas voor stevige ondersteuning, bescherming van de breuk en zo volgt hij haar wonde aandachtig op. De cayennepeper blijft achterwege, want die smaakt blijkbaar toch niet zo slecht om Thandie af te leiden van de gips. ️ Sinds Thandie bij de groep zit, blijft ze veel beter van het gipsverband. Ze eet goed en voelt zich merkelijk beter. Ze heeft zelfs al met Vizazi gespeeld. Ze gebruikt haar armen als krukken om zich zo te verplaatsen. Mama Mayani heeft haar goed in het oog en verdedigt haar tegen plagerijen van de anderen. Elk beetje geluk helpt, dus gaf Jonas Thandie nog wat extra mee, zoals je in het filmpje ziet. Veel beterschap Thandie! En veel goede moed voor onze verzorgers die zich intensief inzetten voor haar herstel. #ZOOantwerpen #gorilla"
 
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Small update:
  • The Radiated Tortoise group has been reduced to 2 individuals.
  • The fish (don't remember which one) who lived with the Seahorses has been removed
  • 5 Crested Partridges have hatched
  • Sunbittern is nesting
  • Cinnamon ground-dove is nesting
  • A Yellow-billed Stork has hatched
  • The indoor of the Pygmy Hippos seems to be almost finished as there is already planting inside and it appears birds will also live here as I saw a White-headed buffalo-weaver inside.
 
There was an article about the rebuilding of the jubilee complex published today, although there is not that much concrete or conclusive information in it. The article mentions their architects are going back to the drawing board because the cost of building materials has increased by 30 procent since Covid. At the earliest building work will resume after the summer. They still hope to complete the new complex by the end of 2027.

Hopefully this will give them the chance to rethink some elements of the project, like wanting to get two more big cat species.

https://www.gva.be/regio/antwerpen/...et-jubileumcomplex-te-heropenen/74769309.html

At the Laafsekikkers it was mentioned that the pygmy hippopotamus house, besides white-headed buffalo weavers, also houses white-crested turacos and that the fruit bats now kept in this house are straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum).
 
KevinB said:
There was an article about the rebuilding of the jubilee complex published today, although there is not that much concrete or conclusive information in it. The article mentions their architects are going back to the drawing board because the cost of building materials has increased by 30 procent since Covid. At the earliest building work will resume after the summer. They still hope to complete the new complex by the end of 2027.

Hopefully this will give them the chance to rethink some elements of the project, like wanting to get two more big cat species.

https://www.gva.be/regio/antwerpen/...et-jubileumcomplex-te-heropenen/74769309.html

At the Laafsekikkers it was mentioned that the pygmy hippopotamus house, besides white-headed buffalo weavers, also houses white-crested turacos and that the fruit bats now kept in this house are straw-coloured fruit bats (Eidolon helvum).
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What was the plan again?

- Siberian tigers
- Snow leopards
- Andean bears
- Spider monkeys
- An indoor water space

Correct me if I’m wrong.

If I were the zoo they should stay with snow leopards only and look for a smaller species than Siberian tigers that require less space depending on the law, striped hyenas or African wild dogs for example.
 
MClaeys said:
What was the plan again?

- Siberian tigers
- Snow leopards
- Andean bears
- Spider monkeys
- An indoor water space

Correct me if I’m wrong.

If I were the zoo they should stay with snow leopards only and look for a smaller species than Siberian tigers that require less space depending on the law, striped hyenas or African wild dogs for example.
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You got everything from the last plans, except the callitrichids/small South American monkeys where the red pandas used to be.

Personally I would like to see the snow leopards and the spectacled bears, and perhaps a small of medium cat species like Pallas's cats or clouded leopards, and the primates.
 
KevinB said:
You got everything from the last plans, except the callitrichids/small South American monkeys where the red pandas used to be.

Personally I would like to see the snow leopards and the spectacled bears, and perhaps a small of medium cat species like Pallas's cats or clouded leopards, and the primates.
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Right, I forgot about the smaller monkeys on the spot of the red pandas.

Well, I should say also the Andean bears and monkeys, what will we get for the water space? Sea turtles? Sharks? Other fish?
 
MClaeys said:
Right, I forgot about the smaller monkeys on the spot of the red pandas.

Well, I should say also the Andean bears and monkeys, what will we get for the water space? Sea turtles? Sharks? Other fish?
Click to expand...

Personally I wouldn't mind for the water space to be scrapped entirely to save on costs. But if it is included I would go for sharks and/or South American freshwater mega fish.
 
Perseus6 said:
Personally I would like a night house building and manatees. I think if they want tigers Sumatran are the way to go. Outside primate enclosures are also important. But personal preference.
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Bringing back the Nocturama would be really nice, although in my opinion that could also be done where the small monkey house is now, and that will probably be the next big project the zoo will need to tackle after the jubilee complex rebuilding.
 
Personally, I'd like this zone to focus on carnivores that live in the mountains, so it would be home to snow panthers and red pandas, which would represent the Himalayas, and spectacled bears with spider monkeys, which would represent the Andes. I would remove the aquatic area to cut costs and build an aviary for vultures instead.
 
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