Buttonwood Park Zoo Buttonwood Park Zoo News

One of the zoo's male Harbor Seals, Sandy, died today, December 5th.
Sandy the harbor seal dead at 33 | SouthCoastToday.com
The zoo has announced plans to enhance the Asian Elephant exhibit.
Plan to Enhance Asian Elephant Habitat - Buttonwood Park Zoo
The following article gives a brief statement that the female elephants the zoo currently has won't be replaced by other elephants when they die, but instead by rhinos or giraffes.
Mayor seeks $43 million capital improvement program | SouthCoastToday.com

 

Two new Bufflehead Ducks are on exhibit in the Aquatics Building.

 

Poor elephant Ruth accidentally ended up outside today sometime between 5-7am because keepers forgot to padlock the barn doors and she opened them. Normally this wouldnt be a problem but the frigid temps and blizzard in the area right now meant she was exposed to temperatures she never should have been out in. They've warmed her with heating blankets and heaters and have put her on antibiotics as a precaution. They are worried about possible frostbite but she seems to be doing ok. Hopefully she wasnt out long enough to harm her.

Zoo officials monitoring Ruth after escape into the cold | SouthCoastToday.com

 

The zoo was just granted AZA membership.

Buttonwood Park Zoo granted national accreditation | SouthCoastToday.com

 

North American River Otter pups were born on March 19th.
Zoo Announces Birth of Two North American River Otter Pups - Buttonwood Park Zoo

 

The recently closed New Bedford Ocean Explorium will move its programs and exhibits to the Buttonwood Park Zoo.
Ocean Explorium moving to Buttonwood Park Zoo | SouthCoastToday.com

 

A male Coyote named Cody was rescued from Minnesota in July, and is now on exhibit. In addition, a 1 and a half year old female Canada Lynx named Sylvie has gone on exhibit after arriving from the Montreal Biodome.

 

A blind female red fox kit was taken in after her mother was killed. She will join the animal ambassador program.

Blind, Orphaned Red Fox Kit at Buttonwood Park Zoo - ZooBorns

 

More about the elephants, and why some feel they should live out their lives at the Zoo.

Report: Elephants should stay at New Bedford zoo - News - southcoasttoday.com - New Bedford, MA

 

Had heard that the Elephant exhibit had been expanded and decided to pay a visit on our way to our Cape House. Good time to let the kids and dogs "stretch", as well. The renovation was $600,000 and encompasses the area opposite the trench pool and area behind Black Bear holding. The cows use the former service area that has new gates to access the new area. There are trees (existing), new shade structure and a boulder barrier. The boulder barrier keeps them from getting close to the trench pool wall. It's not a huge improvement. Yes, trees, grass and mud wallows. It is slightly smaller than the current stone dust paddock. It's okay, not great. Viewing is through Telephone poles and stainless cabling. The bison paddock and horse and pony areas are still larger than what the elephant cows have access to. Next up is a barn renovation. Not expansion, but mechanicals, gates and so forth. The barn is small (2,400sf) and no indoor viewing. The cows looked good. Playing in mud, no head bobbing or sway. Eating browse and flinging mud at each other. It was hot and humid today (95°F & 90% humidity). Spending that much to add access to a new area, visitor path and viewing areas, was it worth it? Maybe. If they had made the viewing area semi-circled, and gave them access to more area behind Black Bear, would have been nicer. Like typical zoos, need to keep the humans happy, heh.

 

Buttonwood Park Zoo to undergo $22M renovation plan | WJAR

 

https://www.bpzoo.org/master-plan/

 

Three river otter pups were born.

Meet Buttonwood Park Zoo's 3 new furry, adorable otter babies

 

New exhibit:

Buttonwood Park Zoo to introduce ‘Rainforests, Rivers and Reefs’ exhibit

Does this place have still have a black skimmer? They haven't answered my email and that would be the only reason I want to go.

 

Three otter pups, Lucky, Clover and Shamrock, were born to parents Dani and Donut in March. They are now on display.

Otter pups make their debut at Buttonwood Park Zoo

 

Bernardo, the Zoo’s first sloth, arrived.

Buttonwood Park Zoo welcomes Bernardo the sloth

 

Female American bison Grace has died.

Grace, Buttonwood Park Zoo's 19-year-old bison, dies at 19

 

She had a good life, dear old girl.

 

Does anyone regularly visit this zoo, or live close enough to pay a visit? I'd love to know the species lists for the new primate exhibits, as they appear to be unique mixes of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish. I can see all the new species on their website, but not who's housed together.

 

There are 4 different main exhibits with monkeys plus several tanks with fish. There are 3 on the left and one on the right. I will start with the one on the right it has Cotton-top Tamarin, Green Basilisk, North American Ruddy Duck, Big-headed Amazon River Turtle, Freshwater Stingray along with 3 species of fish.The cotton tops were off exhibit on my last visit.
The first exhibit on the left has Sun Conure, Bare-eyed Pigeon, Ringed Teal, Silver Teal, Yellow-billed Pintail, Yellow-spotted Amazon River Turtle, Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth, Golden-headed Lion Tamarin, Pygmy Marmoset, Red-sided Pacu, 2 species of catfish and several species of cichlids. A sign is still up for a Striped Gar but it is deceased.
In the next exhibit there is Peruvian Pigeon, African Pygmy Goose, Argentine Ruddy Duck, Cotton Pygmy Goose, Guira Cuckoo, Matamata Turtle, along with various species of tetras. The Goeldi's Monkeys are normally in this exhibit but on my last visit they were off exhibit and the Emperor Tamarins were there, though they are signed for the next exhibit. This was my first time seeing the Emperor Tamarins here as they have been off exhibit recently. The Goeldi's Monkey recently had a baby so that might be why they were off view. In the last monkey exhibit there is Hawk-headed Parrot, Montezuma Quail, Green Aracari, Crested Quail-Dove, Southern Lapwing, Yellow-footed Tortoise and Bolivian Gray Titi Monkey.