Some news updates from Burgers' Zoo which have been communicated by them: - 2 female Blue Ground Doves have been released in the Mangrove, the White-winged Doves were removed (there is still a large group of them in the Desert though). They hope to add males in the near future. - 2 Roan Antelope, 2 Hog Deer and a Swamp Wallaby were born - Both the Madagascar Crested Ibises and the Violaceous Euphonias have started making a nest. Both species only arrived last year. The Cinereous Vultures have also laid an egg. This is a proven breeding pair, but the last couple of years no young were born. - 100 Sea Urchins (Mespilia globulus) bred in London were released in the coral reef tank - Behind the scenes a small group of Mangrove Killifish (Kryptolebias marmoratus), they hope to breed a larger group of them and release them in the crab enclosure in the Mangrove. - The Four-eyed Fish won't return to the Mangrove due to an infection - In the bird house the Red-winged Parakeet is gone, they only had 1 male remaining anyway. One of the Chimpanzees is apparently pregnant, with a young expected in the Summer, this is most likely an accident as the only pure W-African male was supposed to be infertile and the 3 hybrid males aren't allowed to breed... A new young male should still arrive in the near future.
This is not news, but I liked it and I think some on here would also enjoy it, so I'm sharing it. The men behind the Dutch Zoo Inside Podcast posted a video on YouTube today with footage from Burgers' Zoo in the 1980's. Pretty much all that is recognizable today from these images is the chimpanzee colony.
Lovely = thank you. Exactly as I remember one of my favourite zoos when I first visited and entered through the old 'street' entrance. I never went on the safari, but visited Blijdorp and Wassenaar around the same time. All have VERY fond memories along with the hospitality and friendliness of the Dutch.
I missed its hey-day of course, when it dominated Dutch TV in much the same way that London did in the ZooTime days, and Chester does here now. It had been a truly enormous collection, and one of the World's major zoos. I visited as a tourist when the wonderful tropical halls (the World's largest if I remember correctly) were still full, and once during the strange period just before it closed after a tiny amount expansion under a complicated partial ownership change. This failed of course, and the site was moth-balled, and some of it can be seen on-line. I have had the honour of looking around the site since on visits to Yan and Hanneke Louwman, when some of its buildings were used for quarantine and their private collection. It is a surreal and melancholy experience... This link might be interesting: Dierenpark Wassenaar | Zoohistory.jouwweb.nl
Recent births include Meerkats and 2 more Spotted Eagle Rays, since 2009 a total of 64 Eagle Rays have been born in Burgers', making them the world's most successful breeder of this species For everyone who misses the zoo, they have made a number of movies where they just film an enclosure for >2 hours without any comments. The most recent one features the coral reef, but movies also exist for the Fiddler Crabs, Sun Bears and the Savannah:
Burgers' Zoo got permission from the local security council to open again. They are now preparing for re-opening, but no date has been specified yet.
The zoo opens again on May 19, for everyone who can obtain a reservation through a (not online yet) booking system. On their youtube channel they have uploaded a video of a bird feeding spot, which they claim is in the Bush. But on closer inspection it must be the old bird house behind the scenes, given some of the species that pass the camera: Red-legged Honeycreeper, Painted Bunting, Red Cardinal, White-Eyes. It is still an interesting look into an area we would otherwise not see, where they keep extra breeding pairs of some species, but which also acts as a holding area for extra individuals.
You sure? Considering to my knowledge they do have a behind the scenes area in the Bush itself that keeps some animals, like the ants for example.
If it really were the Bush one would have heard Red-whiskered Bulbuls and Screaming Piha, additionally I don't think the Bush would have such walls (with radiators).
Fair point. Honestly I do see them have this. In the back area, which is to my knowledge right near the caiman exhibit, which may then also further explain the absence of screaming piha noises. I still believe that is the Bush due to knowing they do have a area like this there. Though I do think the possibility it is actually the old birdhouse, is of course still there.
Spotted a female Argus Pheasant in the Bush today. The caiman from the bush has temportarly been moved to the Rimba and has claimed one half of the Water Monitor enclosure.
Very happy i could visit the zoo today. In general i think the test opening went well. Although queues might start to form with the more popular animals on busier days. During the lockdown in several areas they have started some larger maintenance works. Most notably the construction works for the new coffee corner at the entrance are well on its way. And the renovation of the paths in the Bush and building of the serre for the Bush restaurant. Here still lots seems to need to be done. Although im glad they have started. Does anyone know which part of the original terrace in the Bush will be used for the serre? I heard talk off only the upper part but have confirmation. And what the other parts of the terrace will be used for?
I don't know what will be part of it and what won't, however the unused parts will be planted and somewhat given back to the jungle in a way.
Visited Burgers' yesterday as one of the first official post-lockdown visitors. There is a gigantic army of volunteers throughout the zoo making sure rules are followed and to aid confused visitors. Almost areas are open for visitors, which is nice. A large part of the paths have been converted to one way, with the exceptions of a few major routes. Overall routes are logically and clear and it was easy to social distance. Only at popular animals with limited viewing options, there was a bit of a crowd. Most of the zoo was pleasantly uncrowded. It seems as if they can handle higher capacity soon. Some notes from my visit: - The Bird House is slowly being emptied. The Hyacint Macaws have now left and the Kea are using the extra space. The second Roadrunner pair is also gone, their aviary is now merged with the one of the Trumpeters (of which a third bird arrived) and the Inca Jays. The second Gould's Amadine aviary is also empty. The Argus Pheasants have been moved to the Bush (we also saw the male) an the Satyr Tragopan have now taken their place. Orange-fronted Fruit-doves have taken the place of the Superb Fruit Dove pair in the Scissor-billed Starling aviary (2 males are still in another aviary). - The female Manatee is still separated, she had lost weight, but is now getting better again. The calf is doing fine. I managed to spot one of the new Ground Doves in the Mangrove as well. The Indigo Bunting is also very visible now, being in breeding plumage and having a favourite calling spot above the covered Crab viewing area. - 2 Forest Reindeer were born and I managed to see a Binturong shortly after opening. There are two Zebra Shark eggs in the Shark tank, it looked as if they had been there for a while already, so are probably infertile. - They have been using the past months to do some maintenance, a large part of the Bush is currently inaccessible with the old terrace completely gone and other paths under construction. There is also some maintenance going on in the coral reef tank with stones being re-attached to the underllying skeleton. - Rose-bellied Buntinges are everywhere now. I noticed many in the Bush, as well as individuals free-ranging in the Desert and inside the small canyon aviary. It is also interesting to see that the Hornbills in the Bush are now also using trees much closer to the ground and are unscared of visitors (though they keep their distance). The area you mention is far too close to the roof and does not have such walls, the area behind the caymans is a plant nursery, there is a small aviary behind the Aardvarks, but again to close to the roof. The final reason why it can't be this Bush is that it starts raining during the day in the video, long after food has been placed, it doesn't rain during the day in the Bush...
If that very nice video was taken in the Bush then it almost has to be in some kind of back area as there is nothing recognizable in the background. That said, why would they say something was filmed in the Bush when it wasn't? And personally I think this area looks surprisingly lush for something behind-the-scenes. I have never seen an off-show bird area fully planted like a tropical house during any of the behind-the-scenes tours I've taken at several zoos. Is there any news on what they plan to do with this house yet and whether it will remain a bird area? I do think that this area needs a major modernization, but personally I really hope they will do something cool with birds there. Also, a male Argus pheasant in the Bush sounds pretty impressive.
Looking at the species seen in the video, and the sound. Then you can 100% say that this is not in the bush and that it is a BTS area. No idea why they would call it the bush though, maybe they didnt film in the bush because there might have been a lot of noise from the construction. And it is burgers, so a BTS like that isn't too unexpected. They also use it for breeding, considering this is the place where their offshow catbirds are kept at, which produced offspring 2 years ago iirc. You can also see their new pair of pheasant-pigeons, (Atleast 1 of the birds is new iirc)
Socorro doves have been again succesfull at the Desert - young about 2 weeks on the video ) : https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=194628791617303
A first Dutch breeding: Madagascar Crested Ibis. With a bit of luck you can see a/the (?) chick on the nest from behind the waterfall. Burgers' has only been keeping this species since one year.
Quite some work going on in the Bush currently with the whole former terrace and the roads leading to it gone. Part of the old terrace will become a conservatory so the birds aren't fed by visitors anymore. The first of the new paths has also already been laid, but the majority is still unchanged. For those who are interested, I have uploaded a series of pictures to the gallery to show how much the Mangrove has matured over the past 3 years. Off-course it will take another few years for the vegetation to grow to the desired level, but the difference with the first year is very stark. Burgers' Zoo - ZooChat
