Gladys Porter Zoo Gladys Porter Zoo News

As I was looking at the news today, they were talking about the Hurricane that hit Texas and Mexico. In the map it showed that the middle of the hurricane was on Brownsville, Texas. I hope the animals at zoo were housed properly because they could lose a lot of them if they make a mistake.

here are some links from the news:
NBC 23 TV - Local - Video - Gladys Porter Zoo Ready for Dolly

Gladys Porter Zoo Ready for Dolly | KVEO 23 TV- News, Sports, and Community Events - NBC - Brownsville, Texas | Local

 

Yup, the eye of the storm passes just over Brownsville. Gladys Porter Zoo might be hard hit. We will have to wait and see.

Anyhow, if the levee breaks we will have some major flooding in the Rio Grande Valley .... too! You folks out there should be seriously concerned about global warming and climate change. Hurricanes in the Carib are becoming more frequent, more violent and more destructive in the last decade.

I hate to think what might happen if another major population center is hit like what happened to New Orleans (and where the Bush administration seriously failed its inner city black folks ... and missed out on calling for special disaster zone measures).

Have any of you by any chance already done a review of Gladys Porter?

 

so does anyone have any news on the zoo? I've searched, but I haven't found anything.

 

Last I heard they only lost one cockatiel, so seems they escaped harm.

 

The Herp Department at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, TX has a pretty cool blog describing the comings and goings of their animal collection. Indluding pictures of hatchling Galapagos Tortoise and Cobras! Check it out:

Gladys Porter Zoo Department of Herpetology

 

A new article at ShowMe Elephants regarding Ruth, an elephant born at Six Flags Wild Safari, previously housed at the Gladys Porter Zoo and now residing at the Milwaukee Zoo.

>> "Studbook Mysteries - Ruth/Kenna" at ShowMe Elephants

 

The zoo is finally going ahead with plans to build a $2.6 million aquatic center, and there is also a $2.2 million education center that will be built this year:

Zoo to highlight local species with new aquatic center | brownsville, zoo, center - Brownsville Herald

 

Glad to see them building something new. When I was there just over a month ago, it looked like the zoo had not been changed or upgraded at all since it first opened in the early 1970's.

 

The zoo is now 40 years old! What is truly remarkable, and I know this from first-hand knowledge as I visited the zoo in 2010, is just how much of the zoo was built in the 1970's. I'd hazard a guess that perhaps 80% of the current enclosures are from that era, and while the exhibitry is hit-and-miss everyone who loves zoos realizes that it is the extraordinary amount of rarities that have been kept there through the decades that makes the zoo a must-see. Another highlight is seeing the gorillas that like to cannonball into their watery moat!

Gladys Porter Zoo invites public to 40th birthday party | public, birthday, zoo - TheMonitor.com

 

A pair of Orinoco crocodile are coming to the zoo from a collection in Canada.

Critically Endangered Orinoco Crocodiles Coming to Gladys Porter Zoo -- BROWNSVILLE, Texas, Oct. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

And what i presume is their current home (linked in the article)

 

One of the best crocodilian zoos just got better. That's at least 6 species now.

 

Gladys Porter Zoo has Saltwater crocodile, Mindoro crocodile, Cuban crocodile, Orinoco crocodile, American alligator (an indoor and outdoor enclosure) and Cuvier's dwarf caiman. An impressive list, but I can't wait to visit St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park in Florida next summer to see all 23 species of crocodilian. That is extraordinary.

 

I originally posted this in the General forum, but it seems here is more appropriate.

I have been researching Sumatran Orangutans for some time and I am looking to make contact with anyone who may have memories and/or photographs of working with or visiting this animal.

It is believed he was a capture from the wild, and spent time at Monroe(1962-1965), Omaha(1965-1983), and Brownsville zoo(1983- death in 1992).

My interest is not wholly centered around his fairly well known continual escapes but any stories that anyone has are very welcome regardless of content.

Also if anyone has any old photographs of him I would be incredibly grateful if you could share them, nothing will be used in any publication without consent.

Thanks all.

 

The zoo is offering to let the name choice of a baby gorilla go out to the highest bidder.
Zoo puts baby gorilla?s moniker up for bid - Brownsville Herald: Local News

 

God bless us: Orphaned baby seals 'Tiny,' 'Tim' find zoo home in Brownsville - The Monitor: Local News

 

As jusko88 mentioned on another Gladys Porter Zoo thread, two harbor seals made their debut recently.
A female Western Lowland Gorilla was born on January 29th.
Gladys Porter Zoo

 

Unfortuantely, the mother gorilla showed a lack of maternal interest in the baby, so the infant will be transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo.
Gorilla born at Gladys Porter to be moved to Cincinnati Zoo - Valley Morning Star : Local News

 

The aquarium building is behind schedule due to a delay from the company building the tanks. New anticipated opening is June 2013.

New aquatic center awaits marine tanks - Brownsville Herald: Local News

 

Rare Pygmy Hippo Baby Debuts at Gladys Porter Zoo - ZooBorns

 

Red brocket deer born at the Gladys Porter Zoo :
Little Brocket Deer Arrives at Gladys Porter Zoo - ZooBorns