Zoo Miami Zoo Miami News 2023

[PossumRoach]

I got a migraine reading those insanely stupid comments. The tour was originally just to show the kiwi to people until they finished his permament habitat. I hope Zoo Miami doesn't cave and goes through with the public habitat. Kiwi are so few in the US and admittedly this is the only kiwi I can see easily so I am more invested in trying to keep Paora in Zoo Miami. In any case, I hope this blows over faster than Memphis zoo's sitaution with LeLe.

Look, I am not a big fan of how NZ is so conservative with its natural resources that some Kiwis (not all of them) go as low as performing outright cruelty to animals. But I think your statement is taking it too far. There’s also the fact that this encounter could have bothered a nocturnal animal and compromised its welfare. I am sure the zoo may give Paora the “freedom to choose” to participate this encounter and maybe cancel the event if Paora doesn’t feel like participating or if he is sick. But I just think that a visitor encounter is a bit too risky to do with a Kiwi.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Look, I am not a big fan of how NZ is so conservative with its natural resources that some Kiwis (not all of them) go as low as performing outright cruelty to animals. But I think your stick statement is taking it too far. There’s also the fact that this encounter could have bothered a nocturnal animal and compromised its welfare. I am sure the zoo may give Paora the “freedom to choose” to participate this encounter and maybe cancel the event if Paora doesn’t feel like participating or if he is sick. But I just think that a visitor encounter is a bit too risky to do with a Kiwi.

I do see your point, and admittedly I got worked up a bit. Paora defintely has the option to move away if he didn't want to be touched. And I do prefer the idea of him in a nocturnal habitat rather than a tour. I just dislike seeing a zoo I really like get hate and called an animal abuser. The kiwi tour was only meant to be a limited time thing while the habitat was built, but it got delayed to covid, hopefully it gets finished soon and we can hopefully put this tour issue behind us and appreciate Paora in a nice dark habitat

 

[Zoofan15]

I got a migraine reading those insanely stupid comments. The tour was originally just to show the kiwi to people until they finished his permament habitat. I hope Zoo Miami doesn't cave and goes through with the public habitat. Kiwi are so few in the US and admittedly this is the only kiwi I can see easily so I am more invested in trying to keep Paora in Zoo Miami. In any case, I hope this blows over faster than Memphis zoo's sitaution with LeLe.

Look, I am not a big fan of how NZ is so conservative with its natural resources that some Kiwis (not all of them) go as low as performing outright cruelty to animals. But I think your statement is taking it too far. There’s also the fact that this encounter could have bothered a nocturnal animal and compromised its welfare. I am sure the zoo may give Paora the “freedom to choose” to participate this encounter and maybe cancel the event if Paora doesn’t feel like participating or if he is sick. But I just think that a visitor encounter is a bit too risky to do with a Kiwi.

As somebody living in New Zealand, I will say this story has been greatly sensationalised.

The apology statement that says “We have offended the nation of New Zealand” is no doubt appreciated by those who signed the petition, but the majority of New Zealanders haven’t concerned themselves with how an overseas zoo is running an encounter. I’ve interacted with around 50 people since the story broke and not one mentioned it.

For further perspective, 9419 people have signed the petition to date - New Zealand has a population of 5.1 million.

Māori culture places great emphasis on the significance of species like Kiwi and Tuatara as taongas (treasures) and any perception of disrespect has the potential to cause offence. In this case, it’s clear Zoo Miami intended no disrespect and I hope the resolution is one that will satisfy all.

Miami zoo to stop handling Paora the kiwi immediately, or ambassador will quit

 

[TheImmigrant1]

Eh, it’ll die down eventually. Look at Ya Ya from Memphis, people were wailing and crying about sending her home and now that she’s back in China they’ve all suddenly gone quiet. Where’s the Ya Ya fanclub giving 24 hour updates on her “recovery from abuse” and monitoring every bit of her care like they did to Memphis? Nowhere to be found. These people just pretend to give a crap about the newest cute and cuddly animal of the week to have some semblance of a life and take pride in their “heroism” and then move on to the next one. Once again it’s the people who know the least about zoos who have the most to say.

 

[TinoPup]

Eh, it’ll die down eventually. Look at Ya Ya from Memphis, people were wailing and crying about sending her home and now that she’s back in China they’ve all suddenly gone quiet. Where’s the Ya Ya fanclub giving 24 hour updates on her “recovery from abuse” and monitoring every bit of her care like they did to Memphis? Nowhere to be found. These people just pretend to give a crap about the newest cute and cuddly animal of the week to have some semblance of a life and take pride in their “heroism” and then move on to the next one. Once again it’s the people who know the least about zoos who have the most to say.

They haven't gone quiet, they've moved on to attacking Smithsonian and Atlanta.

 

[Birdsage]

I first heard of a kiwi-related incident in Florida yesterday from a video. I didn’t really “watch” it, but I only had to see the thumbnail, title, and a comment from a NZer (something like “it was a mistake to gift our kiwi to Zoo Miami”) to realize that some unfounded and rather brainless concerns were being raised by the zoologically uninformed about an interaction involving a kiwi that happened to take place in the US. First NZ’s super-strict no-export policy on native wildlife, now this?
I now search “Miami kiwi” on the forum and find that it’s just as I suspected.

 

[TheImmigrant1]

I first heard of a kiwi-related incident in Florida yesterday from a video. I didn’t really “watch” it, but I only had to see the thumbnail, title, and a comment from a NZer (something like “it was a mistake to gift our kiwi to Zoo Miami”) to realize that some unfounded and rather brainless concerns were being raised by the zoologically uninformed about an interaction involving a kiwi that happened to take place in the US. First NZ’s super-strict no-export policy on native wildlife, now this?
I now search “Miami kiwi” on the forum and find that it’s just as I suspected.

For the record I do think that the kiwi encounter wasn’t the best idea ever, but it definitely wasn’t done maliciously nor is it abuse like these people claim. Zoo Miami just wanted a way for guests to see this illusive and rare bird instead of it being a species the zoo has but doesn’t display (Houston’s Attwater’s Prairie Chickens come to mind), while they were building a better and more suitable enclosure for it. So many people in these comments cry abuse and ask “Why didn’t you build it an enclosure for the 3 years you’ve had it??!”. Oh man, who knows? Maybe there was some worldwide pandemic for the past 3 years which complicated any sort of construction projects, but that never happened, right?
These are mostly “Zoos Bad” bandwagoners who joined the outrage simply because they don’t like zoos though. Most comments I’ve seen from NZers present it as more of a cultural issue feeling that Pāora wasn’t being respected the way they’d like, such as saying that in NZ kiwis aren’t touched and only admired from afar, or that they must be in total darkness 24/7 etc. Either way this movement is an incredible exaggeration, Zoo Miami learned their lesson, apologized, and took action, no Pāora will not be “going home” (especially seeing as he was born in Florida, and sending him to NZ is not only a biosecurity risk but also would be incredibly stressful.) nor is he being abused. After this I’m positive Zoo Miami will be treating him like a king. No amount of comments and petitions will change that. There’s no need to insult each other’s cultures or countries over something this easy to fix.

 

[Zoofan15]

Details on new kiwi exhibit:

Zoo Miami to turn gift shop into kiwi exhibit for Paora, following mistreatment

The exhibit will have laminated glass, with a 20% VLT black tint – which would reduce light into the enclosure by 80%.

Inside Paora’s new home, the new lighting system will have adjustable brightness, with the ability to change light colour down to red (2200k), which kiwi can’t see. The ground for the enclosure will be filled with deep soil and then covered with leaf litter. Paora will also have access to a small pool, which will be around 6 inches deep.

His new home will be across from a snake enclosure, which is also being made as part of the renovations.


Source: Zoo Miami

 

[SusScrofa]

Updates from short visit:

• Confirming Black Rhinoceros is back on exhibit and that Asian River Life is still opened and unchanged.
• The exhibit that held Vulturine Guineafowl is now holding a Serval, though I didn't see it. Servals were previously only able to be seen in show. The fowl are now being held in enclosed area within Wings Of Asia, unsure what long-term plan for them is.
• Jamaican Boa FINALLY made it to collection, but its in the entry terrariums by Amazon & Beyond instead of the exhibit in the aquarium where it was signed as coming soon. That exhibit holds a Boa Constrictor now.
• Axolotl exhibit there is fully furnished but did not see any inhabitants yet.
• Amazon walkthrough aviary now has unsigned quails, probably Gambel's Quail but possibly California ones, couldn't make 100% identification.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Announced on Facebook, the zoo received a female Matschie's Tree Kangaroo named Poppy from Kansas City Zoo as she has been matched by the SSP to be a mate for Banyon, the zoo's male.

Zoo Miami

 

[JurassicMax]

Recently 4 female axolotls were put on display in the Flooded Forest Building (“Amazon and Beyond” exhibit). There are 2 albinos (pink/white skin with pink eyes) & 2 leucistic (white skin with dark eyes) individuals.

Source:
Instagram of Zoo Miami (22/07/2023)

 

[Smaggledagle]

Other 2023 News:

On June 13th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.1) Jamaican iguana named Paulette to the Cameron Park Zoo in Texas.

New roommates! Perry, our male Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei), has lived in the large outdoor exhibit next to the herpetarium for a few years. Last... | By Cameron Park Zoo | Facebook

On July 11th, it was announced that the zoo acquired (0.0.2) tiger ratsnakes from the Los Angeles Zoo in California.

https://lazoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Animal-Transaction-Commission-Report-July-2023.pdf

On July 20th, it was mentioned that the zoo transferred a (0.1) Sumatran tiger named Ndari to the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas.*

On July 22nd, it was reported that the zoo transferred a (0.1) spotted hyena named Maxi to the Rolling Hills Zoo in Kansas.

Zoo Welcomes Hyena

*Information provided by user @Nisha on the North American Sumatran Tiger Population thread.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Other 2023 News:

On June 13th, it was announced that the zoo transferred a (0.1) Jamaican iguana named Paulette to the Cameron Park Zoo in Texas.

New roommates! Perry, our male Jamaican iguana (Cyclura collei), has lived in the large outdoor exhibit next to the herpetarium for a few years. Last... | By Cameron Park Zoo | Facebook

On July 11th, it was announced that the zoo acquired (0.0.2) tiger ratsnakes from the Los Angeles Zoo in California.

https://lazoo.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Animal-Transaction-Commission-Report-July-2023.pdf

On July 20th, it was mentioned that the zoo transferred a (0.1) Sumatran tiger named Ndari to the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas.*

On July 22nd, it was reported that the zoo transferred a (0.1) spotted hyena named Maxi to the Rolling Hills Zoo in Kansas.

Zoo Welcomes Hyena

*Information provided by user @Nisha on the North American Sumatran Tiger Population thread.

How many hyenas does Zoo Miami have no then?

 

[red river hog]

The zoo made the decision to euthanize their female Black-necked Stork due to health issues related to old age such as blindness and disorientation. She was the oldest Black-necked Stork in captivity, estimated at over 50 years old.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

The zoo made the decision to euthanize their female Black-necked Stork due to health issues related to old age such as blindness and disorientation. She was the oldest Black-necked Stork in captivity, estimated at over 50 years old.

she was the last Black-Necked Stork in the US right? A shame to not only lose a beautiful bird but another species lost from the continent

 

[PossumRoach]

According to ZooTierliste five male Jamaican iguanas have been sent to Frankfurt Zoo in Germany.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

It was announced that Zoo Miami will be receiving a male Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat on loan from the Los Angeles Zoo with the intent on breeding them.

https://lazoo.org/wp-content/upload...ion-Report-Animal-Transaction-August-2023.pdf

 

[Zoofan15]

Cheetah cub arrives:

Four-month-old cheetah will be making public appearances at Zoo Miami – NBC 6 South Florida

A four month old male named Winston has arrived from the Wildlife Safari in Winston, Oregon.

The cub will be participating in the zoo’s ambassador programme.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

A female Addra Gazelle Calf was born!

Zoo Miami - Yesterday afternoon, a critically endangered...

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Updates from my visit:

• The Harpy Eagle and curassow habitat was blocked off, apparently they are doing roadwork.
• New signage is in the south america aviary, the previously mentioned quails are indeed Gambel's Quails, the new list is changed to Blue Ground Dove, Silver-Beaked Tanager, Blue-Grey Tanager, Turquoise Tanager, Mourning Dove, Troupial, Gambel's Quail, Hilarie's Sideneck Turtle, and Common Cuban Slider(Trachemys decussata) have been added aswell(and a unsigned mystery small bird with a black head and orange neck was also there but the only photo i got was blurry)
• The Wings of Asia Aviary is completely closed, I assume for building the Kiwi enclosure
• The former Somali Wild Ass habitat which was turned into a Grevy's Zebra habitat is empty once again, they are redoing the rockwork for new inhabitants and the zebras are in with the giraffes.
• The Malabar Wolf Fish habitat was also empty but still signed
• I don't know if this is new, but the Lorikeet Aviary now has Sunset and Marigold's Lorikeets in addition to Rainbow and Coconut Lorikeets(and the rosellas)
• Signage has been removed from the Black-Necked Stork habitat, such a shame to lose this species from the continent.
• The Siamangs are gone, the entire island is signed for White-Cheeked Gibbon now
• The Mona Coqui Frogs are gone
• I saw a few species I haven't seen before in the saki monkey habitat, namely Amazonian Motmot, White-Winged Dove, Yellow-Rumped Cacique, Central American River Turtle, Guira Cuckoo, and Grey-Necked Woodraill, I saw all but the last 2.