Some additional updates: The two Humboldt penguin chicks are doing well. They are being hand-raised and will eventually be part of our Animal Ambassador Program. Two female African painted dogs that were born at Brookfield Zoo in 2010, “Lulu” and “Ola”, have returned here from Lincoln Park Zoo. A new male red panda will be arriving from the Kansas City Zoo. He is 2 years old and his name is “Fei Jai”, pronounced fay-jay. A new male sea lion is scheduled to arrive from Oceans of Fun in Milwaukee. His name is “Zeus” and he is 2 years old. He will be here as a companion for “Kanuk” sea lion. He will not be a breeding animal. Zuma, a 25-year-old sea lion, was humanely euthanized this week after he was diagnosed with cancer. Zuma arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 2009 and served as a wonderful animal ambassador by inspiring many guests during his time at Pinniped Point and especially when he met participants of the Backstage Adventure program Flippers & Fins. (I did the Flippers and Fins program twice last year - being up close to him and touching him was an experience I'll never forget).
Thanks for the updates! How many Red pandas does that make? Two or three? That's so cool. I've always wondered what those Backstage Adventure programs are really like, but I've always been too much of a spendthrift for them.
That would make 2. Our previous male, Wally, passed away last year. That left female Beatrix (Possible incorrect spelling) alone.
JVM, the Flippers and Fins backstage adventure is so worth it. I highly recommend you do it if you look into it. So worth the money.
Was Zuma the large sea lion that was in the largest of the pinniped pools? He was with 2 others that were smaller than him. If so I'm really going to miss him.
Any dolphin updates? I'm somewhat surprised a breeding male hasn't not been brought in from the consortium (or what's left of it anyway), or from SW.
As of right now I don't think there are plans to bring in a breeding male. When I talked to the keepers about it last August, they said that they don't want to bring one in while the calves are still being raised by their mothers.
Nan enjoyed her first Chicago snowfall with Hudson yesterday. Blizzard not a problem for Illinois zoo polar bears
Minor Updates from today's visit. While Nan was resting in a corner of the exhibit, Hudson was keeping guard the whole time. It was interesting to watch indeed. The Pygmy slow loris' will make their public debut in mid April. New logs and branches have been added to the upcoming pangolin exhibit. I uploaded a photo to the gallery.
2 river otter pups were born a month ago and are doing well. Young male okapi Corky and Will are soon moving to the Potowatomi Zoo to be a part of their new okapi exhibit.
All I know is that there are at least three of them. I am friends with the bushbaby keeper...if you want maybe I can ask her for more information.
A reindeer was born - the first since 1980. https://www.google.com/amp/chicago....rth-at-brookfield-zoo-just-before-easter/amp/
As of a recent twitter post by the zoo, It looks like Nakili and Layla now share the old elephant yard.