This is wondeful news and I can't wait to (Hopefuly, they are always so far away!) see the chicks on my next visit.
An article on Ernie the silverback Western lowland gorilla http://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/27/n...y-is-a-match-made-in-well-cleveland.html?_r=0
Yay, I'm back on zoochat after so many computer problems and personal issues and I am now caught up on the Bronx zoo's news.
Article defending the way the Bronx Zoo keeps it's elephants. (Link was posted on their twitter) - http://m.nydailynews.com/opinion/jim...icle-1.2339759
Visited the zoo today and had a great time. The weather cleared up really nicely and all the exhibits were open and most of the species out. The kudu still didn't show but for the first time I've ever seen the Thomson's Gazelles were up at the front of the enclosure. Also finally saw the Greater Egyptian Jerboa that's avoided me for the better part of a year and a half! The new Children's Zoo is very nice and a lot better than the old one. The enclosures for anteater and pudu, while still on the smaller side, are better and larger than I feared. Some of the reptiles and the squirrel monkeys weren't out since it was still pretty cold but mostly everything showed up. The exhibit now has two Great Horned Owls and it seems they have a Hooded Skunk and not a Striped (based on the lack of black striping on the back). Of course, the lack of black striping down the back could be a result of domestication or subspecies or something. The Alligator Snapping Turtle is now exhibited in the American Alligator enclosure. Does anyone know the subspecies of White-Nosed Coati? They look more like molaris than the nominate (which are the only two we have in captivity afaik). The carcass of World of Darkness was open for Halloween and I walked through it. It was a bit depressing walking through the magnificent structure (which is much larger up close than when viewed from down the hill) and see all the enclosures which once held an array of oddities now left empty with nothing but jack-o-lanterns in them. In World of Reptiles, a pair of Cuvier's Dwarf Caimans have replaced the Nile Crocodile and sprinklers were turned on in the False Gharial enclosures making it appear of though it was raining. I also saw a pair of small geckos on the far back wall of the Northern Caiman Lizard enclosure. The first Snow Leopard enclosure has reopened. The Pygmy Marmosets are unfortunately back in CGF. Also, one of the female gorillas looks extremely pregnant. A male Raggiana Bird-of-Paradise has joined the female in World of Birds. A pair of Malayan Tigers have also gone on-exhibit in Tiger Mountain. Births Wolf's Guenon Southern White-Faced Owl Chilean Flamingo Speckled Rattlesnake Bolivian Grey Titi Frilled Dragon New Arrivals White-Fronted Bee-Eater (World of Birds) Allison's Anole (World of Reptiles) Guinea Turaco (Congo Gorilla Forest) Violaceous Euphonia (World of Birds) Fawn-Breasted Bowerbird (World of Birds) ~Thylo
Also the American Golden Eagle is gone from Birds of Prey, though a pair of Eurasian Eagle-Owls has replaced it. The zoo's pair of Southern White-Faced Owl had two chicks which are on-exhibit next to the eagle-owls. ~Thylo
I was wondering of someone was going to visit soon. Thylacinealive, thanks for the update. I am glad to hear the Malaysian Tigers are back on display and hopefully soon more cubs. Out of everything you updated on hearing that the 1st snow leopard exhibit is finally back open was probably the most exciting. The exhibit had been closed for several years now. Nice to hear some new species (especially the eagle owl and bowerbird) and that the Children's Zoo renovation sounds like it is mostly a success. Couple quick questions: How many komodos were on display? I know it was cool today, but any in the outdoor exhibit? The Cinereous vultures were nesting in June this year. Any word if they had viable offspring? Anything new in Madagascar or Mouse House? Mainly have the mouse lemurs shown up yet and what (if anything) were in the cages outside the Mouse House? Did any species replace the old snapping turtle exhibit within World of reptiles?
No problem. Yes I'm hoping the Malayan Tigers being back out means cubs are hopefully on the horizon. Didn't realize it had been so long! A total of four Snow Leopards were out: one in each of the first two enclosures and a very vocal and active pair in the third. Yeah the bowerbird was especially a big surprise. There was one Komodo Dragon on-exhibit inside and I didn't see any outside. I've never seen any of them outside in fact. And despite the cold the giant tortoises were out. Yeah I saw they were nesting on my last visit (August) and I did check. The female was out of the nest- though stayed very close to it- but I didn't see any chicks. Doesn't necessarily mean there weren't any however. I didn't notice anything new in the Mouse House, no. Except the Fat-Tailed Gerbils were in the kangaroo-rat enclosure. And the only thing in the outside cages were Red Pandas. As for Madagascar! the only thing I noticed is that here was only one Red Ruffed Lemur out and there was a fish that looked a little like the famously absent Marakely in the cichlid pond in the ruffed lemur enclosure. No that enclosure is still closed as are the two end enclosures. The did, however, replace the covers on the windows which had been falling off from old age Two more updates I forgot to mention, Timor Pythons are the species in JungleWorld where the Red-Tailed Green Ratsnake had been and the enclosure with the Roti Island Snake-Necked Turtles and Weber's Sailfin Lizard is open again, though the turtles were missing. ~Thylo
The Extinct Species Graveyard was back up by the Mouse House on Sunday. Does anyone know if this is just for Halloween or if it's a permanent feature? I think it'd be a really great thing to leave up year-round. ~Thylo
The Extinct Animal Graveyard is a part of Boo at the Zoo so it is only out for the month of October. The Queens Zoo has a more permanent Extinct Animal Graveyard. Of note; the WCS website has been completely redesigned and has a new W logo and mission. Very interesting read about the 2020 mission and how it will relate to the zoos and aquarium. No specifics yet; but they talk a lot about a refocus of the collection on endangered species they are working with in the wild. Hmmm...
Shame it's not year-round. Not sure how I feel about the new logo but I'm liking the sound of the 2020 Mission. And they work with quite a few interesting oddities in the wild This just furthers my suspicions that Bronx isn't done with elephants just yet! ~Thylo
This is all fantastic news (except for the pygmy marmoset but what can you do.)! Very excited to hear about the Malayans.(I owe an apology to CGSwans for having doubted him.) When I went in Spring I very much remember there being an exinct species graveyard... Edit: I saw the graveyard by the zoo center, if that helps. Very nice hearing about the Dwarf caiman replacing Nile. The enclosure was way on the short side for the big guy. Odd about the fake rain. And I now have new hopes for the elephants! All in all, it seems the Bronx zoo is moving ahead quite nicely.
The sign simply says "softshell turtle":/ I got photos, though, so I'm sure it'll be identified soon enough ~Thylo
I figure I'd mention - since Thylo said he'd never seen any - that in both of my visits over the summer (on July 8th and August 27th), there was one Komodo dragon on display in the indoor exhibit and one on display in the outdoor exhibit. (*I probably had news worth reporting after both trips, but I've been pretty busy in the time before and after my visits - thus explaining my absence and lack of updates.) Also, Thylo, alluding to your issues identifying that turtle - that's one thing about the Children's Zoo rennovations that I'm not too happy about. Although the signage is nice and colorful and attention-grabbing, it isn't too specific. Sure, the signage may be designed for children, but I figure it wouldn't be too hard to slip the entire species' name onto the sign.
Or at least a scientific name Something for us zoo nerds and I don't think a little Latin will kill the kids By the way, the zoo also now has a little pamphlet guide for all the butterfly species in Butterfly Garden. I can post the species list if anyone wants. ~Thylo