Yes! That's awesome! I've always wondered when the merge would happen, will look forward to visit the park after the constructions are done. On a sad note though, it's sad that they're removing the mountain zebras, they were a very good asset to their collection in my opinion. And the only one in the Netherlands! Have there been any hints to where they will be going? Will they stay without our little country or will they leave our country and go elsewhere in Europe?
I do agree that the mountain zebras are a loss, but I understand their reasoning. I did check out the responses on Facebook and they did say that the zebras are leaving their collection "for now", so maybe there are possibilities to re-acquire them at some point during future developments. I only saw a single zebra during my last visit in October 2018, so I think they have already relocated at least part of their small herd. They didn't give any information on where they moved the zebras to. That said, as far as Hartmann mountain zebras goes: Zoo Antwerpen in Belgium does have them in their collection as well.
Oh? I didn't know they had only 1 left. Yes, it does make sense then to continue the collection without zebras. They do still rock a good ungulate collection for their African exhibit. Hopefully at some point zebras will return to their collection, whether they will be a (sub)species of the plains zebra, which would be more likely as those are the easier zebra species to combine with other ungulates to my knowledge, or mountain zebras.
GaiaZoo shared a clip on YouTube showing the start of the changes at the park needed to acquire the giant group of greater flamingos. As far as I can tell the video shows adaptations being made to the former cheetah exhibit so it can house the African wild dog pack who will be moving there.
The African wild dog pack has been moved to the former cheetah exhibit. A specially constructed tunnel was used to allow the dogs to walk themselves to their new home, as the clip below, posted by GaiaZoo, shows. The tunnel is presumably what was shown being built in the previous clip.
Here are two recent construction updates GaiaZoo recently shared from the ungoing construction of the aviary that will house the very large greater flamingo group. On Facebook they recently commented the exhibit is supposed be opened this coming June. I visited GaiaZoo on March 30th and the construction site for the aviary looked quite impressive - it's going to be a very large aviary. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=324166551813633 https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2290952207857040 Also, four meerkats born. GaiaZOO The meerkat exhibit on the "kopje" next to the savanna exhibit that holds the breeding group was recently expanded, however unfortunately at the expense of the rock hyrax, which appear to have left GaiaZoo.
Construction update of the flamingo aviary. GaiaZOO BouwDagBoek 2019 - GaiaZOO (Photos under "Aanleg flamingoverblijf").
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2164192383694830 Another construction update. Aviary nets are going up for the flamingo aviary. The project is really taking shape now. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=467006390537862 Artist's impression of what the flamingo aviary will be like. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2331706310402236 And as little extra: a video of the training of the blue-and-yellow macaws in the alien species aviary.
The greater flamingo flock has arrived at GaiaZoo and has been released into the now finished new aviary, which is set to be officially opened on June 6th. The video below is rather enjoyable to watch.
Female giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) born at GaiaZoo last weekend. Announcement was made today and a short clip showing the birth was posted. According to comments made by visitors and fan to the post the baby can already be seen - if you're lucky, as according to the zoo the baby still often stays hidden under her mother's tail. This is the second giant anteater to be born in the Netherlands this year, as Zoo Parc Overloon also had a birth with this species recently. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=434911124014430
This is fantastic - thanks for sharing! Where did they acquire such a large number of flamingoes from? And are there any plans to keep any other bird species in this aviary? A dozen or so wing-clipped birds in a small pond won't look quite so impressive in comparison to this....
They took over the group from Walsrode. There are Cattle egret, Hadada ibis, Hamerkop and African comb duck in the aviary as well. So not really special species, but typical African sounds .
Last weekend a Red howler was born at GaiaPark, the first Howler born at Gaia . Also for the mother it was the first time she gave birth.
My first visit to GaiaPark today. It's a really cool park, with a lot of good enclosures. I love the way the park seems connected with the forest in it : not a lot of big buildings, enclosures embeded in vegetation and a lot of wooden logs used everywhere. The new flamingo aviary is a bit ugly : I know that vegetation will grow in it, but the house of birds isn't hidden at all for the moment. But this was a cool discovery, no regrets at all !
In Oct. 2 lions ( 1-1 ) were born at GaiaPark : https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2445874082337134
New species in the new Flamingo-aviary : 4 Abdim storks. From other species new specimens were recieved to enlarge the existing groups : -Hadada ibis 1-1 -Falvous whistling duck 0-6 -Cattle egret 0-6 -European flamingo 0-0-55
What is the small animal on the map below the wolves? It looks a lot like an echidna (obviously not). I can't really remember, but I think it might have been raccoons?
