Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Future Developments 2009 #1

AFRICAN RESTAURANT REFURBISHMENT
Just adding it because it is very interesting!
The design begun in fall of 2007 and construction will being in fall 2008. The scope of work for this project, involves enclosing a part of the outdoor patio with a themed seasonal structure. The roof structure is composed of transparent acrylic panels and wood trellis work. The patio is enclosed on all sides with patterned fabric panels.

 

Neat!

I remember reading the tenders on Toronto.ca some time ago and there were plans on building a formicarium in the Americas pavilion.

 

What is that?

 

It's a special display for ant colonies where you can see their activities underground I wanted one when I was little but I think my mom didn't like the idea of ants being in the house

 

Ungulate in this movie (link below) it was mentioned that the zoo was going to artificially inseminate Thika. It is a video that was posted December 18, 2008. Is this true and what is your thaught about it?
YouTube - Toronto Zoo's Adopt An Animal Program

 

If its true,it could boost attendance

 

Unfortunately, while the video may have been posted in 2008, it was actually created several years ago (Thika turned 28 this past October). At the time it was made, we were definitely planning to try breeding Thika. However, just as she was almost trained for the procedure, the elephant TAG put the recommended "cap" on first-time breeding at 25 years of age. Although considerable time and energy had gone into the training, the zoo decided not to take the risk. Our herd is now considered post-reproductive.

 

That is to bad, it is a shame really that they stopped it but for health and other reasons I could understand. It woukdbe amazing to have a elephant calf born at the zoo it would bring in many visitors. One thing that the zoo should do is bring in Koalas again as people from around Canada would come to see them. Any new news Unglulate on anything at the zoo, the tundra, animals, elephants? Im sure this winter is killing us all!

 

As you can imagine, it is a very quiet time of year at the zoo right now. No new births to report that I can think of, and unfortunately we have lost a few animals, including Tom the greater kudu and Rabbit the spotted hyena.

The pygmy hippos Abou and Harvey have been introduced in the main exhibit, but I don't think there has been any breeding activity. Ngozi the gorilla may be pregnant (but the tests have been a bit contradictory).

I'm not aware of the status of the tundra exhibit, although we will hopefully be receiving a pair of Arctic foxes in the near future from Winnipeg.

Koalas will likely not be returning to the zoo for some time; they visited in 1996 and again in 2002 ...

 

Very sorry to heard about the animals, are there plans for aquiring more hyenas or are they being phased out? I think there are 2 left right? Hope there is another baby gorilla soon! Hope the pygmys will breed soon too! (they are my favorite animal)

 

Awww, I'm sorry to hear about Rabbit and Tom Was Tom that really big Kudu? They were among my favorite animals at the zoo, I can never have just one favorite. I remember seeing Rabbit on December 23rd and I thought it was going to be the last time I would see her. I'll be sure to include them in the memorial video I've been working on.

Here's hoping for another baby gorilla and a Pygmy Hippo!

 

Hmm, in october the hoofs of tom didn't look well. Had this something to do with it?

 

I have been bored over that last hour so I decided to lurk around some websites. One was the Toronto Zoo. I have found that the Austrilasian Pavilion and the new polar bear house has a green roof and that Stingray bay is comming back with bamboo and nurse sharks, and horeshoe crabs.
There is also a short description of the Tundra, no opening date yet though!
Here are the links:
Toronto Zoo > Specials Events
Toronto Zoo > Conservation

 

Meaghan, at this point I think your video should include

John and Jane the dholes
Serena and Damien the Jaguars
Patsy and Tequila the Elephant
Bull and Yeki the Rhinos
Dinding and Abbie the Orangutans
Winnie, Nelson and Chinny the Fur Seal
Kunik the Polar Bear
Indira the Rhino
Rabbit the Hyena
Draka the Komodo Dragon

 

Has anyone gone to the zoo? Any updates or pics on the Tundra Trek, very anxious about it and I haven't been to the zoo since last summer x3

 

The pictures that I last put in the gallery of the Tundra is what it looks like today. The only diffrence is that the polar bear house has a roof on it now and they are starting to remove the dirt pile in the old llama exhibit to start construction on the new reindeer exhibit. Nothing much has changed. I am looking at going in Feb. and I will take pictures then because I haven't in a while.

 

Awesome, looking forward to it. Thanks ^^

 

Found a picture of how the polar bear exhibit looks like so far

http://tinyurl.com/d5sbpz

 

OMG TY It looks better than piles of dirt on the ground xD, So are are those glasses fences and the cliff backdrop one of the exhibits?

 

Yes. That is the old exhibit refurbished. That is one exhibit.