Zoo Atlanta Zoo Atlanta 2014-2016

Gorillas return.

I read that the two young silverback Gorillas that have been held at the private Dewar Sanctuary/Facility for the last two years have been returned to the Zoo.

Atlanta Zoo issued a statement recently saying they were no longer going to be involved with the Dewar set-up and so the males would return to Atlanta, which apparently has now happened..

Does anyone know the reason behind this?
 
As a member of Zoo Atlanta, I just received the following email. Apparently the Zoo will be taking over the current Cyclorama building, which will lead to an expansion of the Zoo's African savanna and a new elephant facility. In addition, the Zoo will be removing the old administration building (administrative offices will be moved to the Cyclorama building) and constructing a new entrance plaza.

Great news! We wanted you to be among the first to know about some very exciting developments for Zoo Atlanta. Today, our President and CEO, Raymond B. King, participated in a press conference with Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Sheffield Hale, President and CEO of the Atlanta History Center, to discuss plans for a new life for the Atlanta Cyclorama building and its invaluable historical contents. I’m thrilled to share that Zoo Atlanta is an instrumental part of those plans.

During the press conference, it was jointly announced that the Cyclorama painting “The Battle of Atlanta,” the locomotive “Texas,” and the museum’s other Civil War artifacts will be moving to the Atlanta History Center, and ownership of the building will be transferred to Zoo Atlanta.

The building, which was completed in 1921, is a historic treasure we look forward to preserving and enhancing. It’s 93 years old, and as you might imagine, it will require significant renovations, including updates for City Code and ADA requirements. Throughout that process, its fantastic historic character and distinctive architectural appeal will be kept intact.

So what does this mean for your Zoo? The potential positive implications are practically limitless, but here are a few of the big-picture additions you can expect:

· A world-class event space: Imagine a special events venue that’s a head and shoulders above the rest – quite literally – because one of the largest mammals on Earth has just casually strolled by. This venue will offer an intimacy and wildlife viewing experience that will make it a destination all its own. Thanks to this project, our African savanna is going to be growing, and we’ll be able to watch our elephants roaming an expanded savanna from a gathering place like no other in the city.

· Collaborative workspaces: We’ll be able to move our administrative staff into new work environments in the renovated 1921 building.

· Continuing a successful public/private partnership: You’ll be glad to hear that the City of Atlanta has agreed to address our significant parking challenges resulting from the success we have and will be experiencing.

· A grand entry plaza: You know Zoo Atlanta is a destination worth getting excited about, and we want everyone else to know it too. Our 1960s-era Administration Building will be removed, and we can all look forward to a revitalized entry plaza that’s fitting of the unique charm and beauty of our historic Grant Park neighborhood.

· State-of-the-art elephant facility: Our African savanna is going to be growing as a part of this project, giving us the opportunity to meet crucial goals for our ongoing stewardship of these extraordinary animals.

What about our Master Plan? We’ll be developing a new Master Plan that factors in this property, but we’re also in the fortunate position of having many of the objectives of our existing Master Plan addressed by this transfer – in a shorter amount of time and/or at a reduced cost.

How much will all this cost, and how long will it take? We won’t know the exact costs until we’ve finalized plans and undertaken the appropriate cost analysis, but we do know that the revitalization of the building will require tens of millions in philanthropic investment. We will be embarking on a new capital campaign shortly, riding on the momentum of our recently completed campaign for our new amphibian and reptile experience. There are multiple variables which could impact our construction timeline, but right now, our best estimate for project completion is 2018.

We are truly at the cornerstone of a brand-new era for Zoo Atlanta. Whether you’ve been a Member for decades, or have been with us for only a few months, you know that there’s a difference between the words “good” and “great.” We’re on our way to “great” now, and each new corner we turn is a result of your support.

Thanks for being part of the Zoo Atlanta family. There’s never been a better time to be part of our story! Thanks for all you do to tell that story, broadly and often.

We look forward to sharing additional updates as our plans take shape. Stay tuned!
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I am very happy that the zoo will be expanding its elephant exhibit. While the current exhibit looks nice enough from a guest perspective, it is very small by modern standards (about 1/4 acre) The zoo does a lot to exercise its elephants, but I feel like a much larger habitat is needed as soon as possible!
Curious to see what happens to the flamingo exhibit and parakeet aviary, as these two things would be directly in the way of expanding the savannah yards down to the cyclorama building.
 
The new reptile building is coming along nicely. A quick pop-in to see a friend working on the fifty-five plus exhibits was nice. If you like MOLA at FW Zoo the same companies that worked on it are working here as well. Everything looks great and LSS are coming together. Only things that bugged me are the bird stickers on the atrium glass. They prevent birds from flying into them, but cast shadows. Lastly, Gharial are not included at this time.
 
kiang said:
What a truly awful name, surely they could have found something a little more positive and inspiring!!!
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Indeed, a hot contender for the 'Worst Name for a Reptile House' prize.
Also, according to the press release "The $18 million exhibit houses about 100 animals representing more than 70 species" - which, if true, would mean the majority of species are held as singletons (with no chance of breeding). I suspect this is either an error, or that much of the zoo's herp collection will still be off-show & isn't included in these figures.
 
With Slimy Scaly Spectacular opening tomorrow it was nice to walk through with my contractor and zoo friend. The exhibitry and theming is fantastic! Some exhibits offer multi-dimensional views into other exhibits making it flow seamless that the multiple species enclosures are one. I did not care for the screen displays. I'm not going to stand there and wait to find out information. I'd rather watch the animals. There's plenty of graphics on the walls and in rocks, trees, etc. The thirty foot tall waterfall crashing into the rhombifer pool is a soothing sound and can be heard throughout the building. One of the things this complex has also done is allowed for another viewing area into Gorilla Habitat #4. There were plenty of gorillas in the 5 habitats to keep it interesting. The varied habitats and different family and bachelor groups make this my favorite display of gorillas. There was also a designer from a local firm who has done work with ZA previously walking around. I picked their brain a bit. Besides the Cyclorama and Savanna expansion, if all pans out, this densely packed Zoo will only get better.
 
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