Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Cleveland Metroparks Zoo News 2021

"Cleveland Metroparks Zoo today announced the birth of two Amur tiger cubs, the first tigers born in Cleveland in 20 years.
The cubs, a male and female, were born overnight between December 24 and December 25, and are being hand-reared by a special team of Animal Care experts behind-the-scenes at the Zoo’s Sarah Allison Steffee Center for Zoological Medicine."

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=475696307153814

A full press release is available here.

 

Amazing news!

 

Any word on the renovation of the Rainforest dome?

 

I thought the dome replacement was completed last year

 

https://www.clevelandzoosociety.org/z/2020/08/18/iconic-rainforest-dome-roof-replaced

 

Does anyone know what happened to two of the takins? There is only one left.

 

Here's an intriguing development: a Malayan tiger cub from the Tulsa Zoo has joined Cleveland's Amur cubs to form "a social group of endangered tigers."

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=273409270804907

I've never heard of such a thing, but I'm not a world zoo traveler so maybe this is more common than I realize.

A full press release is available on the CMZ website.

 

It is not common, but not unheard of in US zoos. Most recently a Sumatran tiger from National Zoo went to San Diego to be raised with a Bengal (likely crossbred) tiger cub.

In 2012, a Malayan cub from Tulsa went to Point Defiance in Washington to be raised with a Sumatran cub.

There may be other examples, but those are two that I recall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news...b-will-grow-up-with-another-cub-in-san-diego/

Tiger Buddies Bond at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

 

I didn’t know the Tulsa zoo had a tiger cub born there recently. I’m surprised they didn’t make an announcement about it

 

It’s not an uncommon at all as it changes their rearing status from hand raised to peer raised and allows them to develop essential social skills.

Perth Zoo had a rejected newborn Sumatran tiger cub in 2008 (the sole survivor of a litter of four). At six weeks of age, they flew her to Dreamworld, where she was socialised with their newborn litter of Sumatran tiger cubs; and several adult generic ‘Bengal’ tigers (all of which had full human contact).

As a result, this tigress (Sali) is social with people; but has the social skills to interact with other tigers. In 2012, she was sent to Hamilton Zoo and successfully reared a litter of cubs after being introduced to a male.

 

The Rainforest will reopen next Tuesday, March 2. It'll be the first chance for the public to see the new geodesic dome from the inside.

The release also names several "new" animals displayed inside:

• A female binturong,
• Several new bird species including Northern orioles, Blue-headed doves, Golden-crested mynahs and a Red-crested turaco
• An expanded Asian small-clawed otter family (pups born last fall)
• Panamanian golden frogs

The RainForest at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo Reopens March 2 | Cleveland Metroparks

 

I'm very excited about the addition of the binturong! Does anyone know where this female came from? I'm guessing either from Roger Williams Park Zoo or Nashville Zoo.

 

If anyone else was interested, the female binturong is Jenna from the Potter Park zoo and born at the Brookfield Zoo a few years ago.

 

I can not confirm but I was told by volunteers at the zoo the other two Takins died from complications due to injuries from in fighting. These incidents happened at different times.
Again, I can not confirm this is true but I find it strange when zoos tell us about births,
new arrivals or when an animal is sent to a different facility for breeding purposes but they are
not transparent about the death or movement of all animals. I realize it is not good press but
a lot of zoo visitors are curious when animals are missing.

 

Successful hysterectomy on a 46 year old Western lowland gorilla:

Gorilla hysterectomy: Medical experts at Cleveland Clinc, Zoo perform 'life-changing' surgery

 

That's not something you hear and see every day. . .

 

I’ve found a couple of examples online. Philadelphia Zoo performed the same procedure in 2005; and Hogle Zoo in 2008.

Within the Australasian region, it’s been done for reasons of reproductive control (as short term contraception and sterilisation has been known to fail) to prevent hybrid orangutans from breeding.

 

The trio of tiger cubs have made their public debut:

Tiger cubs trio makes public debut at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (photos)

 

The Metroparks Board and the zoo were discussing the zoo’s master plan today.

https://www.clevelandmetroparks.com...e844d6/05-ZooCampusPlan_Work-Session.pdf.ashx

 

I don't get how the orangutan expansion would work - would they add a transfer chute themed like a fallen tree for the orangs to traverse from habitat A to habitat B? And will this and the nearby gorilla habitat be all indoors with ETFE roofing or will they have outdoor spaces?