“Akron Zoo is on track to open its large Pride of Africa lion-centric exhibit next year and expects to start work this year on a new Wild Asia exhibit with a planned opening in 2020, Piekarz said.” Summit County Council gets a bit of Buzz
More must be going into Wild Asia because I assume the article means construction work. They have only mentioned three species: Sumatran tiger, gibbon, and red panda. I cannot see it taking 18 to 24 months for what has been announced. This is not a huge area. It is landlocked expect to the north. Time will tell. The zoo will have to announce it sooner rather than later.
Akron Ohio News - County Council hears update from zoo Finally some more info plus confirmation of Speke’s gazelles.
I was at the zoo today. From what I understand, the species list for Pride of Africa and for Wild Asia could still be in flux. This is why they have not been confirmed in full. Speke's gazelle could still change. It is partially SSP dependent. After all, construction begins soon. Exhibits will need to be finalized for Pride of Africa because it will be construction time. The AZA Ungulate meeting is happening at the AZA mid-year, so maybe the fog will begin to clear soon. I just hope there are more than three species in Pride of Africa (not counting goats). There is 3.6 acres to fill. In Curious Creatures, the new exhibit area now matches the rest of the exhibit. The large exhibit looks done. Thermometer reads 78 degrees. The two smaller exhibits have glass and shelves for tanks to be placed by the windows. I could see the exhibits ready possibly in April at the earliest. Also in Curious Creatures, the flashlight fish exhibit is still offline. In Wild Prairie, there are now gates to the public area at the barn. That area that was dug out now has a Conestoga wagon-themed play structure being built. In Legends of the Wild, the zoo has been planting what appears to be young bamboo in the deer exhibit. Work is still being done by the windows. I believe this may become the musk deer exhibit. The new plantings do not really fit Sika deer. I expect this exhibit could be ready in April. The really odd thing I saw was in the gift shop. The zoo usually has stuffed animals of the species the zoo has in residence. Some of them might look psychedelic, but they still represent residents. I was a bit surprised to see plush cobras. They were black in color. I was just wondering if this was an insight into the future or there was a sale on cobras. Time will tell.
Jobs - Animal Care Supervisor (Aquarium & Herpetology Focus) This job description reveals a little bit on the Curious Creatures additions.
And that really isn’t a bad salary for the role, either! Is that generally in line with what most US zoos tend to pay, or does it vary a lot? That’s definitely around the very top end of UK zoo salaries.
I am not sure about the salary. The previous person in this role is now the Director of Animal Operations and is previously from SeaWorld of Ohio/Six Flags Worlds of Adventure. The zoo’s mammal focus supervisor is from there as well. The zoo got multiple people when the wildlife side of the park closed. The zoo’s Chilean flamingos came from here too.
In case you have not read the page at the link. This is the part I found interesting. It discusses Curious Creatures: The main aquarium gallery currently houses a diverse collection of both tropical and cold water aquatics, including multiple species of jellies, corals, garden eels, giant Pacific Octopus, seahorses, chain dogfish, and electric eels. In its current format this changing gallery also features leaf-cutter ants, naked mole rats, panther chameleons, and turtles. Additional aquatics, insects and reptiles are being added this spring, and opportunities to change exhibits are presented regularly.
Akron Zoo Spring/Summer 2018 Map | ZooChat Confirmed: Musk deer exhibit will replace the Sika deer exhibit. They are adding a pool to the exhibit right now. The Sika deer is currently being held in the newly renovated back area at the Wild Prairie barn. I am not sure where he will be going. Curious Creatures: The larger of the new exhibits has to be a lizard because of how much theming there is in that exhibit. I am guessing the smaller two exhibits will be insects maybe. The exhibits will not be very wide. The former flashlight fish exhibit was filled with water, has a blue light for lighting like the neighboring exhibits. The chain dogfish now have roommates. Seahorses are living with them now and there is about a dozen of them.
Akron's "It's a Wild World Animal Show" will finally be Wednesday to Sunday this summer instead of Tuesday to Saturday.
Now that Musk Deer have replaced the Sika Deer, will the Sika Deer be part of Wild Asia or will they be transferred to another facility?
This is something I am trying to find out. He is currently in the newly renovated holding area behind the barn in Wild Prairie. You can see him through the fence from the Zoo Gardens.
The Hope for the Wild presenting sponsor is unusual for the topic. Akron Zoo Fundraising Events - Attend Our Zoo Fundraisers
What is odd is that a foundation connected to the Giraffe Conservation Foundation is a sponsor for a talk from the Red Panda Network. Leiden is also connected to Cleveland Zoological Society. Akron is planning a Maasai-themed exhibit that as far as anyone knows is not featuring any tall blondes. Leiden Conservation Foundation sponsoring an event at the zoo makes me more curious about Pride of Africa.
Akron Zoo 2017 Annual Report https://www.akronzoo.org/Data/Sites/1/Attachments/2017-annual-report.pdf
