Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Columbus zoo news 2011

Again a new thread for a new year.
Starting of with the hatching of a kiwi chick.

Rare Kiwi Bird Hatched At Columbus Zoo | WBNS-10TV, Central Ohio News

 

Oh how exciting! I knew that an egg had been laid, but I hadn't heard that it hatched. Congratulations to the Roadhouse Staff

 

It would be amazing if Pheobe became pregnant right before Coco died... A guy can dream can't he!

 

If your dreaming why not dream that Miami's two Asians were transfered to Columbus?

In other news, according to the zoo's Facebook page the African Savannah is planned for a 2014 opening! This is the newest news on the African Savannah we've received in quite some time. Hopefully we'll be getting some more info soon.

 

What good dream But now they have three! Nellie, Maude, and Dhalip.

 

Or three then Miami seems to be such a nice zoo, too bad information about it isn't updated as frequently on ZooChat as it is with other zoos.

On the topic of elephants, I wonder what will happen with the herd now that Coco is gone. They're left with just two cows and two young bulls, and of of which, Bodhi, will more than likely not be at the zoo for much longer. I know that they had been looking for a new home for him.

 

Hopefully the zoo will aquire another female to meet the AZA's minimum.
Also they will hopefully go into an AI program.
As for Bhodi, I think he is probably going to be going to Denver in 2012 (but there is also D.C. and OKC)

 

Yes, all three of those places were being discussed as future homes for Bodhi. I haven't heard anything about it recently though.

 

On the penultimate day of my class at the zoo (about three weeks ago), they started doing a survey about the new exhibit. What would you like to see in the exhibit? What do you think of when you think of Africa? Stuff like that.

I got kind of frustrated at the people in the class who insist on picture Africa like this rather than this. The tribal Maasai imagery got mentioned as potential artistic theme for the exhibit, but I would absolutely love if the zoo opted for a more modern portrayal of the region rather than relying on such stereotypes.

Anyhow, pet peeves aside, I heard they'll be giving this survey to people at COSI, but I don't know when. If you're in the Columbus area and feeling like doing something other than that zoo, give COSI a chance and you might end up helping the zoo by proxy.

 

The zoo recently experience the birth of four Turkmenian Markhor kids, which are now on exhibit. Pictures of two of the kids can be found on the zoo's Facebook wall.

 

I might have some ideas too seeing that I have quite a bit of conservation field experience in E.Africa ... But as far as Massai is concerned they are to stay on the land ... it aint a stereotype.

 

The Columbus Zoo will be taking in these orphaned Moose calves from the Alaska Zoo later this summer

 

Quoted so that the video will show. The zoo hopes to receive the calves within the next few weeks.

 

We were told by a keeper that plans are being finalized on the new african savannah and that construction could possibly begin sometime this year.

Team Tapir

 

Is there anything in the works for the grassy area where the Aquatic Complex used to be? It's prime real estate in the landlocked Shores region, right along the main walkway between the entry paths to Manatee Coast and Discovery Reef. Since they tore down the aquarium, I've thought a seal or mixed pinniped exhibit would look great there.

 

This is very exciting news! I have been anticipating the African Savannah for years now, so it's great to hear that the ball is starting to roll on the project. I have seen three or four plans for the exhibit over the years and all of them would have made wonderful exhibit complexes. Though I don't prefer the idea of a DAK Kilamanjaro Safari style "ride" that one of them had, as I would rather be able to spend time and view the animals at my leisure. However, that same plan called for a mixed species exhibit for Nile Hippopotamuses and a species of savannah baboon. It'll be very interesting to see what the zoo will decide on and what the exhibit will look like!

@PREMiERdrum- I have not heard of any plans for that area of the zoo, though I agree that it is currently quite a waste of space. A pinniped exhibit would be very nice, especially since the pinniped exhibit was dropped from the plans for Polar Frontier. (The original plan for Polar Frontier called for Polar Bears, Alaskan Brown Bears, Arctic Foxes, Caribou, Dall Sheep, a mixed pinniped exhibit, and a walk-through sea bird aviary)

 

On the African Savannah project... Which land is being used for it? I've been Google-Earthing the zoo's unused property, and can't figure out a sensible way to connect it to the rest of the park.

 

I've added a picture to the gallery that shows where the African Savannah was originally planned to be It may not show exactly how the African Savannah will be layed out, but that sector of the zoo's land is the only sector big enough to fit the exhibit.

 

That's what I thought. It will be very interesting to see how they tie the region in with the rest of the park. The most direct route would be to extend a path up the service road at the entrance to Polar Frontier, north and under Powell Rd. However, Polar Frontier itself is a sub-region of North America, whose guest paths are already too narrow to handle guest flow.

I could see a new pathway being constructed along the east side of the Pachyderm building, north and east on the backside of North America, eventually passing under Powell Rd and into the new region. However, that would be one heck of a hike, and there isn't currently room to add smaller placemaking attractions along the path, which would be one way to alleviate the long walk.