A new era for Riverbanks Zoo is unveiled | Local News | The State Riverbanks Zoo, which has increased in popularity to the extent that over 1 million annual visitors has become the norm, unveiled a grand set of plans for the near future. There has been $32 million in public funding approved for the zoo, and $20 million of that will go towards a new entrance plaza, gift shop, California sea lion complex and several other odds n' ends related to those endeavours. A 2-acre Children's Garden and new exhibits for grizzly bears and Hamadryas baboons are also part of the future.
The zoo is offering free admission to federal employees during the shutdown as long as they show their ID. Pretty nice of them. Riverbanks Zoo offers free admission to federal workers | GoUpstate.com
Here is exciting news for anyone who collects zoo history books: Book uses history, photos to cover Riverbanks Zoo’s first 40 years | Living | The State
I just spent a couple of evenings reading the 40th anniversary history book on Riverbanks Zoo, and at $17 U.S. the paperback version is well worth purchasing. The zoo had the youngest serving director back in the mid-1970's, and Palmer "Satch" Krantz is still leading the way almost 40 years later and he is now the longest serving zoo director in the United States. With over one million annual visitors year after year Riverbanks is actually one of the most popular 35 zoos in the country and per capita (based on its local population) it probably cracks the top 10. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Riverbanks-Zoo-Garden-Forty-Years/dp/1611173116/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1393778817&sr=1-1&keywords=riverbanks+zoo]Riverbanks Zoo and Garden: Forty Wild Years: Palmer "Satch" Krantz, Monique Blanchette Jacobs, Jim Maddy: 9781611173116: Amazon.com: Books[/ame] The zoo has at several points in its history undergone dramatic change in a short period of time, had a number of years of stagnancy, and then once again seen rejuvenation and renewal. There was a flurry of activity when the zoo opened in 1974, and to this day there are 5 grottoes, a siamang island and some small mammal exhibits that date from that time period. There followed 6 years of extreme financial hardship and not a lot of changes until the late 1980's. At that point the huge ARC (Aquarium-Reptile Complex) opened, along with a new entrance, gift shop and family farm. Incredibly, the zoo's attendance almost doubled in the space of 3 years! The Botanical Garden opened in 1995 but in the decade of the 1990's there was not much in the way of animal additions. Then the period of calm came to a close as the zoo spent almost $20 million on a new entrance, Lemur Island, Bird Conservation Center, Birdhouse, Ndoki Forest (elephants, gorillas, meerkats) and other odds n' ends. Since 2002 there has been a dozen years of relative silence in terms of grand new animal exhibits, but all that is about to change as a $36 million bond issue will see yet another entrance expansion, an increase in parking, a gift shop renewal and a spectacular new sea lion habitat with underwater viewing. Future redevelopment of the 1970's-era grottoes are next on the list and while I would not agree whatsoever with the authors that Riverbanks is a "great" zoo, it is a solid one that is steadily getting better with a bright future and invaluable community support.
COLUMBIA: Buildings near Riverbanks Zoo torn down as renovation project continues | Local News | The State
That is a rather interesting, and typical, timeline of how zoos grow and redevelop. Years of building support and fundraising followed by improvements (always influenced by what will fuel the next round of growth), followed by building support for the next improvements. It has taken forty years to get back to renovate the oldest parts of the zoo!
Thanks for posting. I like the notion of designing the seal/sea lion habitat with Pier 39 in San Francisco in mind, and the new entrance will be an impressive addition to a zoo that continually receives one million visitors each and every year. Also, this is the first time I've seen mention of an otter exhibit to be adjacent to the grizzly bear enclosure near the entrance.
The zoos last original resident, a flamingo, has died. She was at least 45 years old. Last of Riverbanks Zoo's Original Animals Dies
Butch and Sundance, grizzlies, are headed to Tulsa for the next year while renos are done to their and the otters exhibits. Riverbanks Zoo Grizzlies Being Relocated
A ton of other changes are happening besides the grizzlies reno. Hyenas and Howler monkeys are leaving the collection. The babbons are moving into the hyena exhibit so their exhibit can be added to the grizzly and otter space. The lemurs are going in the howler exhibit to make room for the sea lions. The alligator is being temporarily moved to Florida while his exhibit gets a reno. The restaurant is getting massive upgrades. The gates are being redone. And there has been a giraffe swap with Glenda coming in and Bruce going out. COLUMBIA: Construction leads to lineup changes at Riverbanks Zoo | Local News | Rock Hill Herald Online
A family troop of gorillas will be replacing the current bachelor troop, which will be moving to Houston for the opening of their new exhibit. Bachelor group to be replaced by gorilla family at Riverbanks | State News | MyrtleBeachOnline.com
The zoo's koala joey has begun to emerge from mom Lottie's pouch. 7 months after birth, Riverbanks Zoo guests see baby koala - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina
http://www.riverbanks.org/plan-your...eekly/weekly_progress_photos_rbz_04-03-15.pdf Photos of progress on the new entrance and guest amenities. Shows the Grizzly and Otter exhibit progress. Grizzly is small and still has that Milwaukee-look. They are also working on Seal and Sea Lion Phase II. Coming along fast.
The grizzly and otter exhibits are now open. Grizzly Bear and River Otter exhibits to open at Riverbanks Zoo - wistv.com - Columbia, South Carolina
I'll admit, I'm not too crazy about the grizzly bear exhibit. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like a lot of concrete and dirt in a kind of small area. But, maybe there's more to the exhibit than what the pictures show. The otter habitat I think looks pretty nice on the other hand with plenty of grass and underwater viewing areas. Anyway, here's an article about next year's return of the sea lions. Sea Lions are returning to Riverbanks Zoo - FOX Carolina 21
