Didn't see the walkabout being created as an aviary, and yeah, the plans don't really match up, unless the wombat exhibit (as in the plan its actually 1/3 the size of each Tasmanian devil exhibit) is actually just directly next to the larger Tasmanian devil exhibit with no fence in the middle. Let's just wait and see.
Apparently there is now a sign at the hippo exhibit outlining the short-term plans for the exhibit - the rhinos will be given access to this area too (or one moved in here temporarily?). There is little land space in there, but a decent mud wallow. I don't think the white rhinos are likely to enter the water though.
Interesting. I wonder if someone has a photo of the sign... Do you think that a rhino will be confined to the hippo exhibit or will they somehow give all the rhinos access to the hippo exhibit as well as their own?
Auckland Zoo has just two male rhino, Zambezi (1991) and Inkosi (2002). I don't think they get on great so if they are separated, and rotating being on exhibit and off display in the rhino enclosure, I'd guess one will be confined to the hippo exhibit. There was talk a while back of one of them going to Orana Wildlife Park. I'm not sure if that is still happening.
Update on the new area under construction at the zoo, 'Strangley Beautiful Australia': The zoo hopes to have the new Australian precinct open in time for Christmas, specifically December 17th. I am really excited to check out this new precinct after seeing the Pridelands Escarpment development and how well done that is. Species to be included in the area include giant stick insects, Eastern snake-necked turtles, redback spiders, lace monitors and vibrant Australian birds. Small article about it here: Event information
IMG_3057 by ZooNZ posted 2 Dec 2016 at 6:40 AM I like how there is an advertisement for the Strangely Beautiful Australia on ZooChat right now...
I was just having a look on Studio Hansen Robert's website and it says "Auckland Zoo, South East Asia, website being updated with more information coming soon; anticipated opening 2018" which is surprising because I didn't expect the zoo was aiming for a 2018 opening. A lot earlier than I would have expected... we will see I suppose
Article and video about the new Australian development which opens to the public on Saturday: Auckland Zoo does Australia
Sounds good, although detail on birds are still minimal, with only Red-tailed Black Cockatoos confirmed. The video looks cool, but not much is shown. I'm very keen to see what this new area will look like, the Zoo has not released much info compared with the previous development.
I'm really excited about this development. I heard the Sumatran orangutans were scheduled to arrive in 2017, I'm not sure if that's still the case. I'll be interested to see how many arrive and from what zoos.
Here is another article about the Australian development which includes another video: The most strangely beautiful $3.2m exhibit to open at Auckland Zoo The whole Australian Precinct will eventually be home to more than 23 species and 1200 animals! I am very pleased to hear that a new brolga enclosure will be completed next year because their current one looks very temporary and it is down a little pathway; I was worried that they weren't going to be included in the development. Animals to look out for: • Reptiles: lace monitors (Australia's second largest monitor and one of the world's largest lizards), eastern water dragons and eastern snake-necked turtles. • Invertebrates: Redback spiders, social huntsman spiders, goliath stick insects (Australia's heaviest stick insect), and Gisborne cockroaches. • Amphibians: Green and golden bell frogs • Birds: Red-tailed black cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, king parrots, cockatiels, diamond doves, crested pigeons, musk lorikeets, Rainbow lorikeets, mallee parakeet, spur-winged plover, zebra finches and brolga. • Fish: Three species of rainbow fish • Mammals: Red-necked wallabies, emu, and Tasmanian devils
Will be interesting to see how they do the aviaries - will the species line up in the rainbow lorikeet walk-through be essentially the same, and a second aviary for black cockatoos? Is the old aviary still there and renovated, or has it been completely replaced? Great that they are redoing the brolga enclosure too, would be good to have that connected properly to the rest of the Australian section, with decent viewing too.
I'm not sure if the old aviary is still there and renovated or if it has been replaced as I haven't been back to the zoo in a few months. Hopefully I will be able to make it down to the zoo when the exhibit is open because i'm really interested in how it's going to turn out.
I suspect the figure of 1200 is a journalist typo, probably for 120. In the video this number is not mentioned. Even with invertebrates and fish in there, 1200 animals seems way too high.
Excited to see the new exhibit! The video is a bit confusing, is there 2 seperate aviaries or just one big aviary?
New video tour of the Australian area: Zoo Tales: Strangely Beautiful Australia Tour This video was probably filmed a few days ago because it's obvious the exhibits aren't finsined and they are still working on finishing touches/signage. I am going down to the opening on Saturday so hopefully I will be able to get some photos of the new exhibits and area as whole. I could also put up a small review/walkthrough of it if anyone is interested.
A review and photos would definitely be much appreciated. The video is good, explains the layout much more clearly than any of the others. Lace Monitor exhibit appears to be entirely indoors, and this exhibit appears to follow the trend of several newer exhibits that include significant amounts of visitor shelter. Mixed aviary should be good, there appears to just be the one though, although an additional bird exhibit in the central courtyard for the suphur-crested cockatoo. The mixed aviary will include Eastern Water Dragons and potentially eventually Gouldian finches and the Zoo's flying-foxes, which would certainly be a welcome addition.
The new version of the zoo map shows the layout of the Australian exhibit: Auckland Zoo Map, Read & Download Online | Auckland Zoo© The brolgas are no longer shown. The first exhibit following the Tasmanian devils is the aviary with black cockatoos and snake-necked turtles, with the courtyard where the sulphur-crested cockatoo on the opposite side of the path. The building with the invertebrates and viewing area for lace monitors follows, and then the walkthrough lorikeet aviary takes visitors to the wallaby and emu walkthrough.
