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Dallas Zoo Dallas Zoo News 2016

Discussion in 'United States' started by cleusk, 8 Jan 2016.

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  1. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Did I miss any news items: lesser flamingo chicks …!
    How many? Born this year?
     
  2. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Four chicks hatched in January. They're already nearly as big as their parents.
     
  3. ctfctf7

    ctfctf7 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Does anyone know where in the zoo the new hippo exhibit will be located at? I guess in terms of location relative to the africa section and Giants of the Savanna.
     
  4. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The okapi habitat is being changed. All the new habitats will be located right around where the okapi habitat was.
     
  5. ctfctf7

    ctfctf7 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    In addition to hippos, what is included in "all the new habitats"?
     
  6. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  7. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  8. Arizona Docent

    Arizona Docent Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Dallas Zoo is already the best zoo in the southwest (as I stated in my book on southwest zoos). The hippo addition will make it even better. And I am very glad the monorail was overhauled and not scrapped as Minnesota Zoo did.
     
  9. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I am also very glad the monorail was overhauled (didn't live in Texas before it closed). I wish more zoos would implement some sort of ride for viewing animals (preferably with on-foot viewing as well).
     
  10. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Official announcement about the kudu in the savanna, from the zoo's Facebook page:
     
  11. Trowaman

    Trowaman Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    So, with Kudu replacing the impala, where are the impala now?
     
  12. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    When I asked, they said they were moved to another facility.
     
  13. GraysonDP

    GraysonDP Well-Known Member

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    Why can't they keep the impala with the kudu?
     
  14. ctfctf7

    ctfctf7 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    I think it was because the zebras were bullying the impala. The kudu are larger so I'm sure there will be less conflict between the 2
     
  15. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    That is correct. As far as I know, the zebra and kudu still aren't together. I'll check on my next visit, hopefully next weekend. On my most recent visit, the kudu were a no-show. The signage has yet to be updated for the kudu, it still said Impala.
     
  16. wensleydale

    wensleydale Well-Known Member

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  17. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Six African spoonbills have hatched to three pairs of parents. The Dallas Zoo has welcomed more spoonbill chicks this past year than any other AZA institution.
     
  18. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Notes and stuff from today:

    Not sure if I mentioned it last time, but the American alligator exhibit (ghosts from the bayou) has been netted over. Presumably a safety precaution, but I haven't heard of any accidents with it.

    Finally cornered a staff member in the herpetarium. The zoo actually has four (3.1) perentie monitors. Currently, two of the males are rotating into the same area as the female (hopes for breeding) while one male remains on exhibit.

    The Texas horned lizards will soon be going on exhibit in the exhibit to the right of the western diamondback rattlesnake. The exhibit is currently empty, but desert themed.

    The Jackson's chameleon is off exhibit.

    The map has been updated- now the crane exhibit is shown on it, as well as the logo for the monorail.

    Obi the mandrill turned two a while ago. I keep seeing him with Saffron, his mother, but it's been ages since I've seen the foster father. Speaking of the mandrills, the pair of spur winged geese now sharing their habitat is two males named Rufus and Reggie.

    There are two exhibits in the queue to the monorail. One is home to a pair of blue crane, west African black crowned crane, and Rüppel's vulture (didn't see vulture). The other is home to a pair of white storks.

    There have been a few changes to Primate Place. Firstly, the saki monkeys were nowhere to be found, but I saw (for the first time) five titi monkeys. My best guess is they rotate and I just got unlucky. The second (and much more exciting, for me anyways) change is the Diana and Mona monkeys being taken off exhibit. In their place was one third of the American population of spectacled langurs! I was unsure if Dallas still had the species, but I saw all five.

    The monorail, rather than being themed after habitats (I.e. River, mountain, etc.) is now themed after countries and geographic regions (such as great Rift Valley, Kenya, Sahara desert).

    The Asian small clawed otters were mating, would be nice to see pups.

    The pizza in the restaurant in Zoo North has changed for the 2nd time in a year or so. It's now a square.

    With the addition of white storks, and if you look hard enough on the monorail, seven stork species can be seen at the zoo.
    Wood stork- flamingo pond
    Abdim's stork- forest aviary
    Saddlebill stork- stork aviary
    Marabou stork- gorilla trail and monorail
    White stork- monorail queue
    Black stork- animal encounters stage at 10:00 and 4:00
    Yellow-billed stork- look ahead of the first car of the monorail and there is an aviary with at least three. You go right past it but since you can't look behind you, it is impossible to see the aviary unless you look ahead or behind the monorail.

    The kudu are still rotating with the zebra in GotS and only two elephants are on exhibit at a time (probably the other two get introduced to the new herd).

    No savanna flight for some reason today. The sign was taken out of the area where it normally occurs.

    My call for correct geographical position in the zoo has been answered. The blue cranes have been moved from where they were near the koalas. The red crowned cranes got moved to where the blue cranes had been. Still not quite right, but better. Perhaps we could hope for brolgas? :p
     
  19. ctfctf7

    ctfctf7 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Zoo's impala herd was relocated to the Caldwell Zoo according to the Caldwell Zoo's recent Facebook status.
     
  20. jayjds2

    jayjds2 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Information for the member magazine:
    -The hippo habitat itself will indeed be 3.5 acres. The adjoining okapi and friends habitat doesn't count towards that.
    -the Aldabra tortoises are moving in with the lemurs
    -the crane habitat mysteries resolved: the two habitats near the koalas and Tigers will hold red crowned crane (already present) and white naped crane (arriving this summer)
    -Asian brown tortoises will be brought to the zoo when it's warmer. They will be stationed on the other side of the path from the colobus monkey exhibit in Primate Place (it seems this area is becoming more and more Asian). They were confiscated after being imported illegally, given to the care of the Turtle Survival Alliance, which asked the zoo to care for them. The exhibit has existed empty for a while. Breeding is a priority.
    -the spectacled langurs: the zoo owned 1.1 Rama (m) and Marti (f), and received 0.3 Melaka, Taha Dara, and Jelek from the Philadelphia Zoo. Goes along with converting the area to Asian.