Milwaukee County Zoo Milwaukee County Zoo News 2024

I'm curious to see what the final product ends up like, especially with the financial difficulties that Milwaukee has encountered over the past few renovations. If I remember correctly, they mentioned having birds in the building. I wonder if they will still be included or not.

 

I do figure that the new director will be able to talk over the Milwaukee County reps that a local zoo requires good investments into top notch state of the art exhibits if the MCZ is not to lose its standing and visitor appeal over time given the high level of competition in the states around Milwaukee and accredited zoos. He certainly did that with the old pinguin exhibit designs that happen to be sub standard and not the latest quality exhibit it should have been in the first place.

This is part of the old adage that some updating and renovation is okay (especially true in the Milwaukee reign of historical development up to the present). No it is not ..., animal welfare, general well being as well as the quality and quantity of zoo exhibits has really taken a huge step forward and any zoo needs to be well aware of that and invest in its visitor appeal, zoo husbandry and exhibit quality and conservation - education messages can only be transmitted effectively if the general visiting public remains engaged in the zoo and its appeal to them and how it appeals to them to do better on our environment and natural world. Amen!

 

I really looks like some nice concept art for the new rhino exhibit with also good separation area from general public (probably more to protect the inhabitants than visitors ...). I take it this will be the mother with calf indoor exhibit.

At back of house there seems to be the new hippo habitat and indoor exhibit with a viewing area from the other side of the barrier or perhaps even more likely the keeper area....(to the back with those steel barriers).

Is there already some design drawings or concept art for the outdoor rhino and hippo habitats?

 

Today (4/25) the zoo broke ground on Adventure Africa part 3.
Milwaukee County Zoo on Instagram: "Rhinos Return! Today we broke ground on the final stage of Adventure Africa, where guests will be able to view rhinos in a new indoor and outdoor home and hippos in an indoor space. This joint project with the Zoological Society of Milwaukee prioritizes animal care and wellbeing. Thank you Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, Milwaukee County Supervisors, Zoological Society of Milwaukee Board and fundraising co-chairs for joining us to celebrate the return of rhinos! #RhinosReturn #mkezoo"

 

Exciting that they're finally getting a move-on with this project. Further details can be found on the zoo's website: Adventure Africa Phase III - Rhino Habitat - Milwaukee County Zoo

I found these details especially interesting:

The pathway will be separated into two indoor spaces, allowing for a North and South habitat, each with its own entry and viewing area. The North habitat will include a shallow pool so it can be used by rhinos or hippos, while the South habitat will be designed to feature rhinos, red river hogs, or other species yet to be determined. The new indoor spaces for rhinos will enhance the guest experience by providing a more engaging view of the animals — up close and unobstructed.

For the current outdoor West habitat, the existing wall will be removed to become one larger space for the rhinos, tailored to better suit their needs. One of the existing pools will be filled-in to create a zookeeper chat/interaction area — designed for outreach and educational presentations. Plans for a public rhino interaction are being finalized.

 

This is fantastic news. I've been worried for months Adventure Africa would have to be delayed with the penguin reconstruction happening. We're going to have two very improved exhibits coming soon and when they're complete, Milwaukee will be back to housing all four major African megafauna. (Would they be the only ones in the Wisconsin/Illinois/Indiana area?) I love how flexible the new spaces are sounding, too. If all of these promises pan out, then I think Milwaukee has a much brighter future than zoochat might have predicted.

 

Yes, and I think the only other midwestern collections to still hold all four are Saint Louis, Cincinnati and Toledo.

I have a lot of hope for this last phase of Adventure Africa. Rhinos don't have vast space requirements like elephants or necessitate underwater viewing like hippos, so naturally they are easier to design for. It'll be interesting to see what "other species yet to be determined" they end up bringing in, although I do hope they don't bite off more then they can chew in this regard and overstock the complex. Regardless, things are looking up for the zoo with this, the penguins and the revamped entrance all coming in the near future.

 

Kansas City and Sedgwick County also still have all four at the moment.

 

4/27/24 News

• Construction on the Humboldt Penguin exhibit continues. The final product will give the exhibit as much-needed expansion.
• Several birds in the Aviary building were nesting. (Waldrapp Ibis, Inca Terns, Hamerkops, Abdim's Storks, Nicobar Pigeons, and one of the species in the Congo Peafowl exhibit were the most notable. The Crocodile Birds were also quite defensive, with one of them sticking behind the fake termite mound and the other chased the Thick-Knees around.)
• There appears to be a new Japanese Macaque that was born recently. It was clinging tightly to its mother's stomach. If everything goes well, I expect the zoo to announce it soon.
• The viewing balcony for the outdoor gorilla/bonobo exhibits was open, both species were outdoors and were enjoying the weather. (Cannot wait to see if they have new outdoor plans for the bonobos on the new master plan.)
• There is an Eastern Indigo on exhibit in the Reptile and Aquatics Center. (They are in the exhibit that is two over from that large exhibit that has been blocked off forever.)
• The False Water Cobra exhibit is either being constructed or torn down. (I do not recall if they had this species or not, but there was a sign for them!)
• There was a sign posted on the Piranha tank stating: "New Animals Arriving Soon!" Fingers crossed that they get some from Henry Vilas, and then it'll encourage them to renovate that part of the aviary
• As expected, the former Mudskipper/Mangrove and Octopus exhibits were still under construction.
• There was a Brown Swiss calf born yesterday. According to the keepers, they will hand-raise the calf, as it cannot get colostrum from its mother.
• The oryx side of the Pachyderm Mall was blocked off. Both the oryx/hogs were off-exhibit.
• There were no zebras on exhibit anywhere.

 

Of course, Toledo’s rhino is Indian.

 

Interesting article…

What happens when an animal at the Milwaukee County Zoo dies?