News From the Cincinnati Zoo 2011 #1 » Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden

06-05-2011

The cougars are about nine months old

06-05-2011

Will the new puma and snow leopard exhibits open at the same time as Night Hunters? Or are they open now? (If not, how can they be advertising that people can see the pumas in ZooBabies, which already started May 1?).

06-05-2011

I was wondering about that myself. Originally the cougar exhibit was supposed to open with Night Hunters and the snow leopard exhibit was going to open later on in the summer. However, last I heard they were off schedule and the cougar exhibit is going to open with the snow leopard exhibit later this summer. I'll have to ask to find out for sure though.

06-05-2011

I believe the cougars will be on display in the cheetah encounter yard - much like Tommy and Nia have been in past years as they will be involved in the show this summer.

07-05-2011

I guess the cougars could be displayed there until the exhibit is completed, but as far as the demostration goes the Night Hunters blog says the cougar demonstration will take place in the cougar exhibit.

Also, not only are the Stellar's Sea Eagles nesting, but so are the Andean Condors!

12-05-2011

The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s 47-year-old Nocturnal House will be closing its doors to the public, With the opening of the new Night Hunters exhibit on May 21, the last day to experience the Zoo’s Nocturnal House will be Sunday, May 15.

some history on the building from the website
Nocturnal House at the Cincinnati Zoo Says Goodnight - The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

12-05-2011

Under Construction: Night Hunters XVII | Cincinnati Zoo Blog

We have 10 days to go until I have to change the title of my posts to “Night Hunters Opens!”

The aardwolves have moved into their new home. , there is also a picture of the new entrance posted, and a picture of the Bearcat exhibit from far away posted on the blog, under the The Horticulture team is bringing in natural materials for the animal exhibits. caption

Construction has begun of the outdoor cougar exhibit that will open later this summer.

12-05-2011

Let's see how long we'll be left to speculate about what will be done with the vacant Nocturnal House. I'd love to see the area become home to a new reptile building or a neotropical exhibit.

14-05-2011

It'll be interesting to see how they utilize the Nocturnal House building. It's not the largest building, so they're really going to be limited in what they can do. Either of those would be great additions to the zoo. We really need a new reptile house and "Dragons" exhibit is right next door. Also, the only thing close to a neotropical display at the zoo is the "Discover Forest", which, as far as animals go, is rather disappointing. Not to mention that the coatimundis, cacomistles, three species of armadillos, sloths, and the two species of douroucoulis are not on the list of species for Night Hunters and therefor would not be on display.

14-05-2011

I just saw that photo and caption on their latest blog entry. I assume this means the cougar exhibit will open first (July or August) and the snow leopard exhibit has been pushed further back.

I am also curious about what exactly the Cat Canyon addition is that is supposed to open in 2013. At first I thought they were going to completely redo Cat Canyon, but now it sounds like it will stay as is and the new part is the cougar and snow leopard connecting that canyon with the new night hunters. But that will be done before 2013, so I don't really know what is going on. Any ideas?

15-05-2011

Cat Canyon has really been quite a mystery. No plans have been released or even hinted about. However, the plans for the African Savannah call for a new cheetah exhibit, which would mean that the cheetahs would be leaving their grotto in Tiger Canyon. So perhaps Cat Canyon will not open until 2013 because they are waiting for another phase of the African Savannah to open first. When I was at the zoo about a month ago, there was construction/destruction going on where the African Savannah will be located.

15-05-2011

They should close down Lemur Lookout and renovate the whole area as a neo-tropical reptile exhibit. There should be enough space for them to come up with some excellent plans.

15-05-2011

What will come up in this phase of the African Savannah renovations?
Any siting plans avaiable at all?

15-05-2011

That was just speculation, but when the plans for the African Savannah were released the plans called for the next phase to include exhibits for cheetahs, hoofed animals, and possibly something else to open in 2011, which probably isn't going to happen. With this phase being pushed back due to Night Hunters, it would fall into line before the opening of Cat Canyon in 2013. Allowing for enough time for renovation without the cheetahs.

http://www.enquirer.com/editions/2010/05/28/cheetah.pdf
There's the plan for the African Savannah.

15-05-2011

The plan promises to be something ...!!!

I assume that as it stands in terms of new African Savannah:
giraffe and flamingo exhibits have been completed (phase 1/1)
hence, cheetah and mixed hoofstock exhibit being phase 2/1?

Any concept/angle on the mixed hoofstock exhibit species assemblage?
Which of the current Cincinnati hoofstock will go in there?

As for cheetah: I do hope they do lotsa interpretation work and zoo immersion since this is such an iconic species for Cincinnati's conservation work in situ.