Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens Zoo News 2013

mstickmanp said:
Here are some nice vintage photos of the zoo from 1968, just two years after the zoo opened.

Vintage Vacation Photos: Los Angeles Zoo, 1968
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How did you find these photos mstickmanp? These are cool.

The exhibits look really barren compared to today. It is interesting how many animals they have crammed into the cages.

It looks like there were at least 5 jungle cats (?) in this cage: Vintage Vacation Photos: Los Angeles Zoo, 1968
Did people think that they lived in prides like lions?!!!!
 
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@DavidBrown, I was just searching for a photo of the pelican exhibit at the zoo and the site came up on the results.

And yeah, it's crazy how crammed and bare the exhibits were. I'm glad those times are over and the concrete has been replaced in 99% of the exhibits! The only thing I would like the zoo to bring back are the glass fences (seen in jungle cat photo) in the roundhouse exhibits. That would make taking photos a lot easier!
 
The jungle cat exhibit had 22 cats at one time. There was no birth control available and the sexes were seperated. However, one male was accidently left in the enclosure and impregnated all of the females. He was removed and there were never any other babies. The 2 cats are jaguarundis. In the aquatics section notice the Elephant seals. The keeper with the elephant was George French. The 2 tigers behind glass were moved from the old zoo and their names were Henry and Hilda. They produced offspring in that 1/3 of a roundhouse. The snow leopards live there now.
 
Yep, that's how I remember the zoo after its opening in 1966. Concrete floors, very little shade on hot days due to very immature trees and plants, and yes, glass fronted exhibits in the round houses. Notice the zebra exhibit is now the current revamped Okapi/Black Duiker habitat? The current higher walls were put up in the 1970s, due to its then newly arrived first pair of Bongos, and their leaping abilities. Great find Mario! I should try to scan some of the numerous zoo slides I have from the 1980s and '90s. And as for the Jungle Cats, the LA Zoo was a breeding frenzy mecca for them during this era of its existence.
 
Thanks for the information guys! I have some more questions, what current exhibits are the ones shown with the cranes, the kudus, the buffalos, the macaques, and is that an ocelot or margay in the last photo?

The photo with the seal, is that really an elephant seal? It looks like a Gray Seal to me.
 
These photos brought up something I've wondered since the kids and I read "Capyboppy". You probably know but it's a children's book from 1959 about the author's family's experience with a pet capybara. At the end Capyboppy ends up in the LA Zoo living in the hippo enclosure. Anyone seen any pictures from (I presume) the Old Zoo that would featured the real life Capyboppy? Or do any of you folks who were attending the Zoo back in the 60s remember him still being around?
 
The link below contains 10 major projects that have been completed at the Los Angeles Zoo since 1998, and does anyone know when the 11th project (Rainforest of the Americas) is due to open? Will it definitely be later this year or could it possibly be in 2014?

Support Us - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

I wonder what other American zoos have been transformed to such an extent as Los Angeles, as the total cost of the Master Plan must be in the neighbourhood of $200 million or more. The zoo has been vastly improved over the past 15 years, and there are now many very good exhibits, but the only downside is that there are still plenty of 1960's-era enclosures that are scattered around the grounds.
 
No dates for the rain forest have been announced. Based on what I saw on Friday I think that they are at least several months from opening. After they complete the exhibits then obviously they have to move the animals in and make sure they are settled and any bugs with animal care are worked out.

To address your point about rate of change I think that San Diego has been changing at a pace commensurate with LA, but it is a larger zoo so it takes longer. The Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City has undergone major transformation in a relatively short time. It does happen. LA will have a great run after the ROFA is finished, but as you say there is a need for a new batch of projects after it is done to keep the modernization going.



snowleopard said:
The link below contains 10 major projects that have been completed at the Los Angeles Zoo since 1998, and does anyone know when the 11th project (Rainforest of the Americas) is due to open? Will it definitely be later this year or could it possibly be in 2014?

Support Us - Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

I wonder what other American zoos have been transformed to such an extent as Los Angeles, as the total cost of the Master Plan must be in the neighbourhood of $200 million or more. The zoo has been vastly improved over the past 15 years, and there are now many very good exhibits, but the only downside is that there are still plenty of 1960's-era enclosures that are scattered around the grounds.
Click to expand...
 
DavidBrown said:
No dates for the rain forest have been announced. Based on what I saw on Friday I think that they are at least several months from opening. After they complete the exhibits then obviously they have to move the animals in and make sure they are settled and any bugs with animal care are worked out.

To address your point about rate of change I think that San Diego has been changing at a pace commensurate with LA, but it is a larger zoo so it takes longer. The Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City has undergone major transformation in a relatively short time. It does happen. LA will have a great run after the ROFA is finished, but as you say there is a need for a new batch of projects after it is done to keep the modernization going.
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I just hope that there will be money available in order for the modernization to continue. With the city budget problems and the reluctance to privatize the zoo, exhibit renovations will definitely happen, but I doubt anything major like we have seen these last 15 years.
 
The July 16th Zoo Commission meeting minutes have been posted.

Link: http://lazoo.org/about/commission/minutes/July2013Minutes.pdf

Highlights:
- By July 16th the Rainforest of the Americas was 85% complete.
- $160.9 million of the capital campaign have been spent of the $175 million.
- Completion date for ROA is September 30th, and Jaguar exhibit completion date is December 31st. I remember reading that the zoo plans to open ROA before the Jaguar exhibit is finished.
- The zoo will be sending 4 Komodo Dragons to the Bronx Zoo in exchange for 10 Indian Gharials.
- The zoo will receive a pair of Dwarf Caimans.
- The zoo received a pair of Japanese Serow.
- The minutes mention the Sumatran Rhino being sent to the Cincinnati Zoo.
- The fiscal year ended with attendance and revenue below projections.
 
mstickmanp said:
The July 16th Zoo Commission meeting minutes have been posted.

- The zoo will be sending 4 Komodo Dragons to the Bronx Zoo in exchange for 10 Indian Gharials.
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Since when does Bronx have Gharials!? Another endangered herp species they seem to be hiding off-show!

~Thylo:cool:
 
The new zoo map (not the online map) now labels the old Koala House as the Australia House and it mentions it as having Wombat, Echidnas, and Bettongs. The map itself shows the house still closed, but the new label might mean that it might reopen soon.
 
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mstickmanp said:
The new zoo map (not the online map) now labels the old Koala House as the Australia House and it mentions it as having Wombat, Echidnas, and Bettongs. The map itself shows the house still closed, but the new label might mean that it might reopen soon.
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Very exciting. I hope you're right.
 
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