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Brookfield Zoo Brookfield Zoo News 2017

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

  1. JVM

    JVM Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    After a visit today, with little new to report here - although highlights included some better-than-usual glimpses at the Clouded Leopard (first since it changed habitats) the Orangutans, as well as the Baird's Tapir. Tropic World's Sloth was also very active, moving so quickly over guests that many expressed surprise that a sloth could move at such a pace at all. Both pygmy hippos were outside, one in the mud and one in the water, and I've almost never seen both at once. Between my two visits this year, I've covered basically everything again.

    Dinos and Dragons (Review)


    I also stopped by Dinos & Dragons - obviously, the concept of animatronic dinosaurs (and now further, dragons) in a zoological setting is inherently problematic, and I would not recommend someone who can't stand the concept to bother, when Brookfield has so much else to see, but I do think it is one of the best executions of the concept that is possible without abandoning it altogether. I think it does a relatively nice job of trying to wave the connections between dragons and dinosaurs, as well as dragons and modern reptiles, and had some less common facts about those connections. I was impressed they mentioned the "Scrotum" specimen that became Megalosaurus, for example, in an attraction obviously geared towards attracting outside families with children. The educators I spoke with outside the exhibit were very intelligent about dinosaurs and made for a fun ten minutes of chatting before some child guests arrived.

    The animal habitats aren't worth a special visit from a serious zoo-goer - I appreciated a focus on lizard species, including some smaller iguanas, a legless lizard, and some monitors, but half of the species were visible elsewhere in the zoo. The star is, of course, a juvenile Komodo Dragon, who is simultaneously more and less fascinating for their (her?) smaller age, compared to the Shedd Aquarium's previous display of a full-grown adult. I would hope Brookfield can add this species to it's permanent collection in the future, should they ever fully re-design Reptiles and Birds and/or Feathers and Scales.

    The Future of Aardvarks

    I stopped by three Brookfield Zoo staff members by an information kiosk on the way out and asked about the future of aardvarks, a species I always loved visiting here. They were aware the zoo no longer had aardvarks, and specifically recalled the youngster that had been brought up, but had no idea why they were no longer there, or whether the zoo planned to bring the species back or alter the habitat. I appreciated their response even if they didn't have full answers.

    I hope the species manages to return to the zoo in the future.

    Autism Accommodations

    I also wanted to report we had a relative along with autism, so I took the opportunity to document the zoo's accommodations, which were given some press attention a year or two ago. We were offered a sticker, designed to alert guests and the trained zoo staff of their condition, along with headphones to prevent audio over-stimulation, and a simplified 'Zoo Guide' that included a map and picture cards, which are standard in facilities for individuals with non-verbal forms of autism. Said relative got very good use of the head phones and mostly enjoyed his visit, from what I could tell, but took no interest in the guide book, and tried to remove his sticker.

    A Minor Loose End

    Next time someone is at Brookfield, I would appreciate to be informed on the status of Woof-field Gift Shop, by Reptiles and Birds. On my last visit, it looked like it had been closed down for good, but today, we didn't get the chance to stop by that area. I have a suspicion it's just gone. I had a few more questions but said relative had lost his patience at this point so I focused on the aardvarks.
     
  2. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    A wombat joey was born, but has yet to have emerged from the pouch.

    Maggie, a newly arrived kirk's dik-dik, is now on exhibit with resident male, captain.

    The upcoming lowland tapirs will be sourced from a facility in Florida.

    I finally saw the pangolin awake! He was moving all around the exhibit which was a real treat to see. I uploaded some decent photos to the gallery.
     
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  3. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The sea lion pups are now out on exhibit.

    A male black mangabey was born on July 4th.

    One or both of the female African painted dogs may be pregnant. If they are, they are due in the fall.

    Nan the polar bear is now living solo once again.

    A green tree python is now in the Reptiles and Birds building.

    Sloth bears Hani and Kartik mated this morning. Here's hoping for a cub or two this winter!
     
  4. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  5. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The sea lion pups have been named. Arie's male pup is named Taylor, Josephine's female pup has been named Lucy.
     
  6. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Made it back from a visit to the zoo, and more than ever, a lot of animals were more active than I ever seen them. Gorillas were climbing all over the exhibit, clouded leopard was right up against the mesh, sea lion pups were all over mom, rhinos were romping everywhere, and even the pangolin was climbing all over the exhibit, and I even got some decent photos that are uploaded to the gallery.

    The News:

    Wombats off exhibit do to birth of a joey

    Gerenuk also off exhibit do to introduction between the 2 dik-dik's

    A royal antelope is now on exhibit in Habitat Africa! The Forest
     
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  7. drill

    drill Well-Known Member

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    From where did the Antelope come from?
     
  8. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It has been living at the zoo for years and was presumably born there.
     
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  9. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  10. Milwaukee Man

    Milwaukee Man Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  11. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    3 rock hyrax were born August 16

    A Schmidt s red-tailed guenon was born August 8

    The Woof-field gift shop has recently closed

    Peafowl chicks were born

    3 new videos will go up on my YouTube channel over the next week

    For those interested in viewing an active Pangolin, visit the exhibit between 3:30 and 4:00. all three times I saw him active were between those times
     
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  12. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Thanks for the tip, will keep that in mind during one of my upcoming BZ visits.

    Another update: Banda, an older female harbor seal, recently passed away. Sterling, also a female, is now the zoo's only harbor seal.
     
  13. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    A prehensile-tailed skink now replaces where the green crested basilisks used to be in the Reptiles and Birds building.
     
  14. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Cockatiels are now on exhibit in the parakeet aviary.
     
  15. Milwaukee Man

    Milwaukee Man Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  16. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Pilgrim, an adult female African crested porcupine that resided at The Fragile Desert building for years, has passed away.
     
  17. pachyderm pro

    pachyderm pro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Was she the only one of her specimen left at the zoo?
     
  18. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    As far as I know, there is a ambassador African crested porcupine named Norman.
     
  19. Moebelle

    Moebelle Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Just finished my exhausting fourth visit to my second favorite zoo. I'm now heading up to Milwaukee but unfortunately I will not visit the zoo. In regards to walkthrough footage, I had my all time greatest shots - the best example is footage of the baby wombat. In the far future you there will be videos of Australia, The Savannah, my take on the Great Bear Wilderness, Feathers and Scales, The Swamp, both Fragile Forests, Big Cats, and a tour of the dolphin complex, including the presentation - and the amazing Tropic World. In these you'll notice a major change in the quality.
     
    Last edited: 6 Oct 2017
  20. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The three emus from Hamill Family Wild Encounters will move/have already moved to Australia House.
     
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