Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park News 2024

[Smaggledagle]

Spoiler: Rehabilitation News

On January 30th, it was reported that the facility is constructing 2 new pools to rehabilitate rescued manatees which will be finished by June.

Additional manatee pools to be built at Zoo Tampa

On January 31st, the zoo announced they rehabilitated and released (0.0.2) Florida manatees named Burrger and Vamo back into the wild.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

On February 15th, the zoo announced they rehabilitated and released (0.3) Florida manatees named Calliope, Piccolina, and Soleil back into the wild.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

On January 9th, it was announced that the zoo transferred (7.11) Malayan flying foxes to the San Antonio Zoo in Texas.

San Antonio Zoo

On February 14th, it was mentioned that a (1.0) Malayan tiger named Mata passed away on February 13th*.

On a facebook post, the zoo announced that stingrays are officially returning to the zoo this year! The new Stingray Shores exhibit is set to open Fall 2023.

登录 Facebook | Facebook

On February 29th, it was reported that the zoo opened the Stingray Shores exhibit to the public which features cownose rays and southern stingrays in a 30,000-gallon pool.

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/...ray-shores-a-new-interactive-stingray-habitat

On March 3rd, the zoo announced that (0.0.8+) Panamanian golden frogs hatched.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

*Information given by @Robyn Graham on the North American Malayan tiger Population thread (Page 4 Post #72).

 

[SwampDonkey]

*Information given by @Robyn Graham on the North American Malayan tiger Population thread (Page 4 Post #72).

I would not use this as a news source, it has not been confirmed by the zoo publicly and we don't know Robyn's source for the information.

 

[Smaggledagle]

I would not use this as a news source, it has not been confirmed by the zoo publicly and we don't know Robyn's source for the information.

Exactly my point but I figured just in case it would be posted here so no one else spreads misinfo if it turns out to be not true.

 

[Smaggledagle]

Additional information from the zoo's website:

AUSTRALIA - COMING SPRING 2024
We are excited to announce that construction is starting for our new realm, Australia! The completely re-imagined family area will feature:

• New ride: Aussie Trek (presented by Outback) features opportunities for parents and their kids to go on a safari and learn about Australia’s unique wildlife.
• Expanded splash pad and play areas: The Billabong Splash Pad (made possible by Bank of America) features new water elements offering more opportunities for guests of all ages to cool off in the Florida sun!
• New bar: Boomerang Bar will have guests coming back again and again for refreshing cocktails and beverages.
• Remodeled restaurant: The Outpost, Grab & Go Market is the perfect place for guests to get a quick bite to eat while in the land down under.
• New family restroom: The Lil’ Joey Family Stop (presented by TGH Children’s Hospital) provides parents and nursing moms a private place to tend to small children.
• New animal experiences: Guests will enjoy expanded wallaby viewing and the opportunity to get up-close during our new wallaby Signature Animal Encounter!
• Returning Favorites: The area’s popular attractions return with a refreshed new look and endless opportunities for fun; Tasmanian Tiger Coaster, Boomer’s Flying Bananas, Koala Clubhouse, Down Under Retail Shop, Straya’s Bird Sanctuary (aviary), and Sydney Station (barnyard).

On March 8th, the zoo announced that the Australia area is now open to the public.

ZooTampa at Lowry Park

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

Four-year-old Southern White Rhinoceros Kayin is being crate trained for a move to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay happening in the next few weeks on a breeding recommendation as I was told by a rhino keeper at Lowry Park when I visited today.

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

Four-year-old Southern White Rhinoceros Kayin is being crate trained for a move to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay happening in the next few weeks on a breeding recommendation as I was told by a rhino keeper at Lowry Park when I visited today.

Oh and also, I forgot to mention that I also learned from the same keeper that one of their other female rhinos, Alake, is pregnant and is due this spring!

 

[SwampDonkey]

Four-year-old Southern White Rhinoceros Kayin is being crate trained for a move to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay happening in the next few weeks on a breeding recommendation as I was told by a rhino keeper at Lowry Park when I visited today.

Did you make it into the renovated Australia area by any chance?

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The zoo announced today that they rescued a 1.0 adult manatee named Arthur from Crystal River in Citrus County on January 17th.
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

 

[Austin the Sengi]

Recently, the zoo announced the birth of a currently unnamed (0.1*) Malayan tapir that was born overnight on March 26th, to parents (1.0) Albert and (0.1) Ubi.

{*Edit}

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

some notes from my visit

• the new Australia "expansion" is honestly a disappointment, the Birds, Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby and Koala habitats have no changes but the Malayan Flying Foxes, Palm Cockatoo,and Fijian Banded Iguana are gone. the flying fox exhibit is still visible but there is no path to get to it.
• Apparently the zoo is trying to breed the elephants, during the tour they mentioned you will sometimes see the male in with the females getting to "know" his girlfriends
• the Silvery-Cheeked Hornbills were nesting in the Shoebill exhibit, the Shoebills themselves were displaying and courting each other, its really cool to hear their beak clapping in real life!
• the Taractic Hornbills were mating, they are a pain to photograph but it was cool to see
• for an old bear, the Sun Bear was super active and very noisy banging her enrichment around.
• The aquarium in the Florida section has Dwarf Seahorse again.
• as expected the baby tapir is not outside yet.
• the former Great Indian Hornbill exhibit now has Trumpeter Hornbills, also the zoo no longer has Bearded Barbet.
• The Malayan Tiger and first Red Wolf habitats were off exhibit(the sandhill cranes were moved into the first red wolf habitat), the Nyala and Bay Duiker habitat was being expanded so they were off exhibit.
• The stingray area looked nice, I didn't do the experience though as I believe its an upcharge.
• Not news, but the baby Komodos were adorable!

i might be forgetting some stuff, but this was all the major stuff I believe I wanted to say.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

some notes from my visit

• the new Australia "expansion" is honestly a disappointment, the Birds, Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby and Koala habitats have no changes but the Malayan Flying Foxes, Palm Cockatoo,and Fijian Banded Iguana are gone. the flying fox exhibit is still visible but there is no path to get to it.
• Apparently the zoo is trying to breed the elephants, during the tour they mentioned you will sometimes see the male in with the females getting to "know" his girlfriends
• the Silvery-Cheeked Hornbills were nesting in the Shoebill exhibit, the Shoebills themselves were displaying and courting each other, its really cool to hear their beak clapping in real life!
• the Taractic Hornbills were mating, they are a pain to photograph but it was cool to see
• for an old bear, the Sun Bear was super active and very noisy banging her enrichment around.
• The aquarium in the Florida section has Dwarf Seahorse again.
• as expected the baby tapir is not outside yet.
• the former Great Indian Hornbill exhibit now has Trumpeter Hornbills, also the zoo no longer has Bearded Barbet.
• The Malayan Tiger and first Red Wolf habitats were off exhibit(the sandhill cranes were moved into the first red wolf habitat), the Nyala and Bay Duiker habitat was being expanded so they were off exhibit.
• The stingray area looked nice, I didn't do the experience though as I believe its an upcharge.
• Not news, but the baby Komodos were adorable!

i might be forgetting some stuff, but this was all the major stuff I believe I wanted to say.

i knew i forgot something! all signage for Mandrill are gone, there are still climbing frames in the habitat though.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

some notes from my visit

• the new Australia "expansion" is honestly a disappointment, the Birds, Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby and Koala habitats have no changes but the Malayan Flying Foxes, Palm Cockatoo,and Fijian Banded Iguana are gone. the flying fox exhibit is still visible but there is no path to get to it.
• Apparently the zoo is trying to breed the elephants, during the tour they mentioned you will sometimes see the male in with the females getting to "know" his girlfriends
• the Silvery-Cheeked Hornbills were nesting in the Shoebill exhibit, the Shoebills themselves were displaying and courting each other, its really cool to hear their beak clapping in real life!
• the Taractic Hornbills were mating, they are a pain to photograph but it was cool to see
• for an old bear, the Sun Bear was super active and very noisy banging her enrichment around.
• The aquarium in the Florida section has Dwarf Seahorse again.
• as expected the baby tapir is not outside yet.
• the former Great Indian Hornbill exhibit now has Trumpeter Hornbills, also the zoo no longer has Bearded Barbet.
• The Malayan Tiger and first Red Wolf habitats were off exhibit(the sandhill cranes were moved into the first red wolf habitat), the Nyala and Bay Duiker habitat was being expanded so they were off exhibit.
• The stingray area looked nice, I didn't do the experience though as I believe its an upcharge.
• Not news, but the baby Komodos were adorable!

i might be forgetting some stuff, but this was all the major stuff I believe I wanted to say.

Nice to see them invest alot of resources in the hornbills and that success is plentiful!

Secondly, looking forward that Tampa LP has finally made the long term a reality with putting the bull elephant in with the cows. I do hope that he will manage over the coming 24 months to get some of the cow elephants Mbali and Matjeka pregnant. Sdudla is related to the youngest, females Mpuni (born 2012) and Mavi (born 2013). Did you see who were on paddock with Sdudla or do the cows move to him?

 

[SwampDonkey]

some notes from my visit

• the new Australia "expansion" is honestly a disappointment, the Birds, Yellow-Footed Rock Wallaby and Koala habitats have no changes but the Malayan Flying Foxes, Palm Cockatoo,and Fijian Banded Iguana are gone. the flying fox exhibit is still visible but there is no path to get to it.

Thanks for that update, I have been intending on getting over there, maybe I won't rush it now.

• the former Great Indian Hornbill exhibit now has Trumpeter Hornbills, also the zoo no longer has Bearded Barbet.

Interesting, I wonder where the ground hornbills were moved to, that is what was in there most recently.

the Nyala and Bay Duiker habitat was being expanded so they were off exhibit.

Nice to hear they are adding some space for them. Is it that space just to the right? I think most recently it had marabou storks?

i knew i forgot something! all signage for Mandrill are gone, there are still climbing frames in the habitat though.

Honestly, that mandrill habitat is really one of the worst in Primate World. A smaller monkey would be a better fit. I would not mind the patas monkeys being moved there so they would be on exhibit to see without being on the safari ride.

 

[PSO]

Mandrills have left the collection. Their exhibit and red tailed guenons wil be used as space for the zoos ambassador animals.

Lowry has been trying to breed their elephants for a while now

 

[SwampDonkey]

Mandrills have left the collection. Their exhibit and red tailed guenons will be used as space for the zoos ambassador animals.

Really? Can you let us know which animals? That is a real disappointment, if I am honest. The guenons were fun animals, although the mandrill habitat was outdated.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Thanks for that update, I have been intending on getting over there, maybe I won't rush it now.

Interesting, I wonder where the ground hornbills were moved to, that is what was in there most recently.

Nice to hear they are adding some space for them. Is it that space just to the right? I think most recently it had marabou storks?

Honestly, that mandrill habitat is really one of the worst in Primate World. A smaller monkey would be a better fit. I would not mind the patas monkeys being moved there so they would be on exhibit to see without being on the safari ride.

The marabou were also off display, but the construction seemed to be extending the habitat at the back of the exhibit.

Interesting to hear about the plans for the Mandrill habitat, the Schmidt's Red-Tailed Guenons were still in their habitat though, if they move them too hopefully they can find another spot at the zoo for them

 

[SwampDonkey]

The marabou were also off display, but the construction seemed to be extending the habitat at the back of the exhibit.

Interesting. The last few times that I have seen the storks they were off in that back paddock on the safari ride, disappointingly.

 

[King of Komodo Dragons]

Interesting. The last few times that I have seen the storks they were off in that back paddock on the safari ride, disappointingly.

there was a marabou stork in a small sectioned off area when I did the safari ride(I wanted to see the Martial Eagle but we didn't do that route) I imagine they moved the marabou mainly due avoid noise from the construction stressing them out.

 

[PSO]

Guenon are leaving for another zoo.
It sounds like the mandrill/guenon will have rotational species

 

[SwampDonkey]

That is disappointing. I know it is good to get the ambassadors out as much as possible, but it just feels like such a waste for the spaces and a departure for the focus of "primate world".