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Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2017

Discussion in 'United States' started by pachyderm pro, 26 Dec 2016.

  1. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  2. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Made my first visit to the zoo in a while today, quite a few exciting updates today. It was also the grand opening of dino's and dragon's which I give my opinions on below. But first, here are some updates.

    An okapi is due to give birth any day now.

    The mother have son pygmy loris duo have made their debut! Kinda. They are on exhibit, but there is a barrier blocking guests from getting to close, and a wall that dominates most of the glass. However, their are still views into the exhibit, but they are quite the challenge to find.

    The tree pangolin exhibit is finished and male pangolin David has been exploring the exhibit during non-public hours. Signage has also been put up. I uploaded a photo the gallery.

    I can confirm that black rhinos, Nakili and Layla, are sharing the old elephant yard, and seem to get along well as the were resting close to each other during my visit.

    Nan and Hudson have been mating recently.

    Kingfishers recently hatched and are off exhibit
    .
    The giraffe feeding deck has began construction. I uploaded a photo to the gallery. Also, due to the heavy rainfall that has been impacting the Chicago area recently, there is a chance that the date could be delayed instead of its intended Memorial day opening.

    Another feeding experience is on the way, penguins! The area that provided glimpses into the penguins den, is being transformed into penguin experience, supposedly opening late May or early June.

    Dino's and Dragons Opinions:

    Note: I didn't not visit the animatronic section of the exhibit, this is only of the reptile building.

    This temporary exhibit opened today and I had mixed feelings about it. When I walked in there were a handful of children playing in the dino dig box and I noticed quite a lot of terrariums scattered throughout the building. Though the main thing I wanted to see was the komodo dragon exhibit, which is probably the best in the building. It was okay in size and enrichment, though I didn't like how a statue of a male komodo was in the same exhibit. I like how they show the difference between the two, but putting it in the same exhibit is rather tacky to me. Speaking of which, the entire building is rather tacky, including dragon/dino eggs, knight statues and the terrariums designed as middle age castles. It really bugged me when a monitor lizard was in a exhibit with a broken royal throne and multiple fake "treasures" (Rubys and diamonds) littered the floor. Some of the terrariums are too small with not enough privacy, and others were fairly large, and seeing a komodo dragon was very fun to see. Overall, its solid but unspectacular for what it is.

    Phew! The zoo really has quite a lot going on in the month of may between the new exhibits (Loris, pangolin, komodo dragon), breeding (Okapi, black rhino, kingfisher, polar bear), and the new feeding areas (Giraffe, penguin) the zoo has a lot of exciting changes on the way.
     
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  3. gerenuk

    gerenuk Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    There's about 20-30 in private hands within Florida alone.

    Probably because there a none available at this time.
     
  4. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    There are definitely many more Barid's/Malayin tapirs available than lowland. Also, just because there is a place in Florida that has a plentiful amount doesn't mean that the ssp would recommend them to zoos. For example, there is a good amount of forest buffalo in private hands as well, but how many of the species are actually in zoos? 0.
     
  5. drill

    drill Well-Known Member

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    What other reptiles are at the new exhibit besides the Komodo Dragon.
     
  6. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    3 monitor lizard species, Chinese water dragon, bearded dragons and basilisk lizards. There are a good handful that I forgot to note but that's the long short of it.
     
  7. gerenuk

    gerenuk Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    That's not how the SSP works in the US. Zoos dictate their own collection planning. Individual SSP's recommend transfers and breeding, but zoos are not held accountable to these recommendations.
     
  8. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    My point is, there isn't space for more then the 2 tapir species in America. Let the UK focus on lowlands since there is a strong population. Malayin and Barid's are much more plentiful in our country and there is a strong amount in a good amount of zoos.
     
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  9. tigris115

    tigris115 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Has Brookfield ever done anything about the new master plan or no?
     
  10. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Nothing has emerged as of yet.
     
  11. JVM

    JVM Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I imagine they are working on it but not at liberty to divulge details, especially one considers next to nothing on the previous master plan was completed, and even Great Bear Wilderness seems it had to be truncated a little.
     
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  12. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    A litter of 5 Mexican grey wolves were born.

    5 Mexican gray wolf pups born at Brookfield Zoo

    In other news: If my member magazine is correct, the zoo has launched the pangolin care program and male pangolin David is now on exhibit in Habitat Africa! The Forest.

    Giraffe feeding will cost 10$ (Expensive if you ask me!) and go from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM Daily.
     
    Last edited: 9 May 2017
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  13. Grant

    Grant Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    What does launch mean for the care program? Would it be accessible online to the general public?
     
  14. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I used the word as a synonym for "start," apologies for the confusion.
     
  15. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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    ...so what does "started the pangolin care program" mean?
     
  16. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    From the looks of it, it appears that it is a program dedicated to the breeding and education of African white-bellied pangolins.
     
  17. FunkyGibbon

    FunkyGibbon Well-Known Member

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    Much needed in my opinion. Pangolins significantly underperform in most STEM subjects, although they tend to do a little better in the arts, particularly music, where they seem to show an instinctive understanding of scales.
     
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  18. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Oh aren't you clever ;).
     
  19. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    To me, it just reads as the zoo's official announcement that they have pangolins, though they've had them for around a year now.
     
  20. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Perhaps your right, I just quoted what I read in the magazine.