Thank you so much for the detailed report Thylacine Alive! I haven't had a chance to get to the Bronx Zoo this year so it was great to hear there have been some changes and new species. Just some quick questions on the new species: 1) The birds listed as new- were they in the World of Birds or Aquatic Bird Building? 2) In Madagascar- were the collared lemurs out or labeled? Was anything in the old gecko exhibit in the Nocturnal section (I swear I saw a mouse lemur in there last year)? 3) The goliath spider exhibit is in what building? I only know the radiated tortoise in Madagascar and did not know they were displayed near a currassow. 4) The Mouse House renovations is good to hear; last year many of the diurnal exhibits were empty. Are the elephant shew and armadillo exhibits in that section? Were you able to see them? Are the Golden Headed Lion Tamarins still in there? Anything in the cages outside the Mouse House? 5) In the final enclosures in the World of Reptiles- I guess they replaced the South American exhibit (with the dwarf caimen and large turtles) and the Alligator Snapping turtle with new species (including a bird species?). Did you see any difference in the exhibit from the old ones (if you can remember). Was the exhibit next to the Caimen Lizard (aquatic exhibit) still empty? 6) It is great they are using the small space where the Indian farm houses are for an exhibit- and hopefully the Muntjac will be easier to see. Also great to hear about new babies! 7) Were the penguin chicks in the WOB Nursery? 8) I am actually happy to hear about a Burger Joint at the Baboon Reserve. One of the Zoo faults is a limited variety of food--maybe the Asian eating area could switch to actual Asian food options?
1) The Bruce's Green Pigeon, Grosbeak Starling, and Indian Pygmy Goose were in World of Birds. The oystercatcher, Baer's Pochard, and Snowy Egrets were in the Aquatic Bird House. The Brown Pelican was in the little pond past Birds of Prey and behind the Children's Zoo. The Chestnut-Backed Thrush was in World of Reptiles. The unknown collared dove and teal were in the Butterfly Garden. 2) The Collared Lemurs were indeed out. That enclosure is still empty unfortunately. 3) Oops! Meant to say Red-Footed Tortoise not Radiated The tortoise is mixed with the curassows and the tarantula is in a small terrarium in the lower right directly next to the enclosure. 4) I saw both the elephant-shrews (a pair) and the armadillo (only saw one, not sure how many there are). The elephant-shrews are in the enclosure the Golden-Headed Lion Tamarins were in and they are now gone. The armadillo was in the old Fennec Fox enclosure directly next to the cloud rats. Nothing outside in the cages. 5) Well the South American enclosure still holds the very large Arrau River Turtles that were previously exhibited. The dwarf caiman was shortly moved next to the False Gharials but that's where the Chinese Alligator is now. The snapping turtle is now with the alligators in the Children's Zoo I believe, and that enclosure is now for the two batagur species and Chestnut-Backed Thrushes. Bornean River Turtles are also labelled but I only saw one in Jungle World. From memory the enclosures used to be very concrete and bare, now they're covered in greenery, logs, and such and look quite nice. That enclosure is indeed still empty. 7) The penguins were indeed in the WOB nursery, as well the capercaillie chicks. The crane chick was on-exhibit with the adults, however. ~Thylo
The zoo now claims to have 5 baby gorillas. I only recall hearing about four, so has their been a new birth? ~Thylo
The five babies they are referring to are Mjukuu, Mizani, Kamara, Mokonzi and Kidogo Njemba, all in Ernie's group So the group is made up of: Ernie the silverback Julia and her daughter Mjukuu Tuti and her son Mizani Layla and her daughter Kamara Kumi and her son Mokonzi Suki and her son Kidogo Njemba
The zoo has yet another NA porcupine baby: https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160609/belmont/photos-bronx-zoo-has-adorable-new-baby-porcupine
Got the Member newsletter yesterday. It was talking about the 3 lemur births and mentioned that there are 6 lemurs in the Madagascar exhibit. One of them being Gray Mouse Lemur...
Does anyone have any idea what's on the Bronx Zoo's master plan and what major exhibits are coming in the near future?
I don't think the zoo has a public master plan. Probably doesn't have anything too big planned either. ~Thylo
There have been rumors of new exhibit or at least areas of the zoo for development; however nothing concrete yet. I know the "African Safari" area would be next, but there is very little information about what that exhibit would look like. I think after the New York Aquarium Shark exhibit finishes (early next year), the focus will return to opening a major exhibit at the Bronx Zoo. I do wish they had a public Master Plan.
The African Plains area is already excellent so I'd much rather see a new exhibit for polar bears or elephants (let's pray).
I'd say it could definitely go for a bit of a refurbishment. Many of the enclosures are excellent but the Lion is too small, as is the indoor giraffe. Not to mention a large portion of it currently sits abandoned. Unfortunately I think the days of the zoo keeping Polar Bears are numbered. Tundra is pretty old now and it's not guaranteed he'd even live to see a new enclosure completed. Pretty slim chances of the zoo getting a new animals, too, unless breeding picks up. As for elephants the zoo still hasn't publicly retracted their plans to go out of them once the current animals die afaik. However, I really can't see them going out of them permanently due to how active they are in elephant conservation. I don't see a new elephant complex coming for a long time, however. ~Thylo
I'd love to see hippos, jaguars and/or orangutans come to the zoo. Also a new penguin exhibit would be nice.
It's good but I would like to see an Arctic themed one. Also a possible way I see for the zoo to update its elephant facilities in a cheaper way would be to combine all the habitats in Wild Asia and make them one huge exhibit for elephants. It would mean sacrificing the greatest Asian hoofstock collection around but I really don't see how visitors could be enticed to pay for the attraction without elephants.
But the zoo doesn't have Antarctic penguin species One downside to the zoo being part of an integrated system of zoos and the aquarium is that they won't really cover what the other collections cover. Central Park already has a good enclosure for Antarctic penguins so Bronx won't bother with one. Same really Jaguars are unlikely, Queens already covers South America. Droves of visitors are already paying for monorail tickets ~Thylo
