learned a few new things yesterday - new to me anyway: Cheetahs - there are 12 or 13 now (the keeper was counting them in her head). Three older ones are leaving soon for another zoo. Three young ones have arrived and are in the Health Centre - one male and two females. Two other older ones are in the HC and will probably be euthanized because of health problems - mentioned by her and others recently: FIPS, renal failure, problems with an infected paw - don't know what is correct. Ring-tailed Lemurs - hadn't heard anything about them but saw two babies yesterday, or at least parts of them in the pile of adults. I counted 11 adults but some were roaming and the pile was always moving. Blue-bellied Roller - while watching the meerkats' excitement over the woodchuck moving around outside their window (!) I heard the whoosh of wings above me but there are no free-flying birds in that section - finally found it up near the roof - a beautiful roller! Searched out a keeper who said it is the only one and they've had it about a year. Palapan Peacock Pheasant - forget if I mentioned I found last week there is a pair - had not seen the female before and didn't get a good picture - yet.
It's great that new young cheetahs have arrived. I really hope that we will see baby cheetahs sometime soon. It's too bad that some of the older cheetahs will have to be euthanized though. I'm also really happy about the blue bellied roller. I remember the zoo used to have them in the free flight area close to the gorillas, but I haven't seen one in a long time. I'll have to look more carefully next time I'm at the zoo.
The twin baby lemurs, born to Lucy, were announced on the Zoo's Facebook page sometime around the March Break. Mr. Wrinkley, you did a good job counting, as there are 11 adults and 2 babies in the group. The blue-bellied roller has been living in that section of the Pavilion for several years now and can often be seen on a perch (part of the window opening mechanism) near the roof line when you are at either the softshell turtle or meerkat exhibits. The story I heard from a keeper is that it used to live in the free flight aviary, but escaped and after several attempts to catch it, the keepers gave up. There was another roller that lived on the gorilla side of the pavilion after it escaped from the aviary, but I haven't seen that one in over two years. I am also happy to hear that the Zoo is bringing in new cheetahs, as I believe only 1 of their females (Mahala) is young enough to breed. I am going to take a guess and say that at least some of these new cheetahs are coming from African Lion Safari and may be ones that were out on loan. The cheetahs that I believe are currently at the Zoo are: Onyx, Zeke, Bomani, Mya, Pinki, Shamwari, Zoey 2, and Mahala, with Onyx, Zeke and Mya all being 10+ years old. Cheetahs at African Lion Safari that I believe belong to Toronto include Rafiki, Jamoccha, and Emma, plus potentially 4 offspring born to Rafiki and Emma.
Lemurs - counted about five times and took the most common total! Roller - the keeper said this one was only there about a year but who knows. It was where you said part of the time but was also much lower, in foliage where I got pictures of parts of it. Cheetah - the three females who were out yesterday are the ones leaving - that was Zoey, Mya, and ? - don't know the third so didn't put that in. The keeper said they were going somewhere "down east". Emma is one of the new ones and it's good to learn she is a proven breeder. Hopefully Rafiki came too. Keeper didn't remember the other two names.
I was at the zoo today and witnessed a keeper feeding with the cheetahs. I believe the 3rd cheetah's name was Pinky, unless the cheetahs on display differ day by day and we saw different cheetahs. I also saw pandas for the first time today, and they are quite a bit smaller in person. Er shun was doing somersaults in her indoor enclosure, and Da Mao was pacing in a corner of the outdoor exhibit. I also noticed that the free flight section of the Australasia pavillion seemed really empty, I only saw 1-2 birds. I also wondered why the Pygmy hippo pool was nearly drained. The water in the pool was only up to the hippo's legs.
Hippos - one was doing laps in the pool yesterday - got out for a poop and went right back in. Cheetahs - they aren't always the same, but since the other two were it probably was also Pinky yesterday. Australasia - they have lost a number of birds in the last year for various reasons but they have at least 20 birds in there by my count. Kookaburra, New Zealand Shoveler, Green-winged Dove, Tawny Frogmouth, Victoria Crowned Pigeon, Blue-faced Honeyeater, Little Pied Cormorant, Crested Pigeon, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo. Most of them should have been out and were the last time I was in there, April 11. The only one I did not see was the duck, but I wasn't looking for it.
I'm glad 3 new or returing cheetahs have arrived. We could use some new breeders. Based on the info I read in their SSP I would say its almost a certainty they came from African Lion Safari because the genetic values of our cheetahs possible pairings was mixed with African Lion Safaris. They had a couple of nice choices for us in terms of genetic value. All of our current cheetah combos were considered poor or deteramental to the population. At first I thought the three out going cheetahs would be a straight up swap with African Lion Safari to keep their numbers up but if they are going south east thats the wrong direction. It's sad 2 of them are nearing the end of the line... not surprising though given the post reproductive age of many of them. I feel for their keepers. It will be the best decision for the cheetahs but a hard one on those who love them.
Well, I had to work Friday and Saturday, but I was off today. So I went to the zoo. It was great, as most the animals were out. White Rhinos and Porcupine were the only African animals that weren't out. And the Giraffes were only out at the Giraffe House, not the main yard. I was surprised to see the Hippos out, although their pool was empty. Probably still to cold from them to go in the water outdoors. Also, the Zebra mothers and babies weren't out. Not sure if they've been on exhibit yet. I did notice that they brought in an excavator in to start construction on the old elephant exhibit. Good to see that they're starting that soon. Also, a bettong has been put back in the Tree Kangaroo exhibit. Not sure if its the female or male, but they've made a nest for themselves in the far corner of the exhibit, behind a log. They've also reopened the path to the Mayan Temple Ruins, with only the Spider Monkey's and Jaguars on exhibit. The Macaws, Flamingos, and Capybara are still off exhibit.
It's nice to know that one of the bettongs is back on exhibit. I'll be at the zoo tomorrow for my first day of work as a volunteer. I don't know if I'll have time to walk around though.
I think we have 3 bettongs actually. Two females and a male. The older female isn't to be breeding if I remember right.
Great to know the Bettong will be out! Have gone so long without seeing it in the Wallaby enclosure I thought they were transferred to a different zoo!
There are only two Brush-tailed Bettongs, a male and female, unless they have acquired another in the last two weeks. TZ4LIFE - welcome to the TZ forums. I noticed the thread you started and your other comments. May I suggest you look back through recent postings? They cover the possibilities for Eurasia you asked about and info. about other things you may have an interest in. All "to the best of our knowledge" of course.
Welcome to zoochat TZ4LIFE! It's great that there are so many Toronto Zoo fans to talk to on this website.
TZ4LIFE the bettongs moved from the wallaby exhibit to the tree kangaroo exhibit several months ago. The fact you were looking for them in the wrong exhibit would explain it. They should probably have put up signs for a couple of months. The SSP had us listed for three. Unless one left.
Also, the Wombats have access to the outside section. I watched them run around exploring the area. They were quite fond of the out doors, especially the female. It's getting harder to tell which one is male and female, as they both seem to have the same scratchy looking fur pattern on their backs. The only for sure way of telling them apart is that the female is larger than the male.
You know in all the years I have visited I have never seen a wombat or anything else for that matter in that outdoor yard! Great to know Arthur and Matilba like it. Perhaps there is hope yet that I will eventually catch something out there.
I found some video of the lemur twins and the gorillas. Toronto Zoo Babies | Watch News Videos Online
Today I volunteered for my first time at the zoo and it was pretty fun. I also got some time to walk around the zoo but all of the things I saw have already been posted by cypher.
