Construction began on a new exhibit called Texas Wetlands, set to open in 2019. The Houston Zoo is under construction for new exhibit
2019? Wow, that's gonna take a little longer than I imagined. Figured it would be the equivalent of laying down a new skin on the lake and redoing Cypress Circle. Sounds more ambitious than I anticipated. Hopefully when this restaurant is refurbed they can get started on the swapping of Macaw Cafe with the sea lion exhibit and bring in the penguins. Oh, re the Wetlands, an inside source has told me it will include: Alligators, crane exhibit, eagle exhibit, and a boardwalk connecting it all. Along with the new restaurant. So for those who missed Texas Wetlands that got destroyed when the elephants expanded, sounds like it's coming back in a bigger way, maybe with the alligator gar and alligator snapping turtles too.
In the last news thread, somebody mentioned that two elephants were pregnant, Shanthi has since given birth, but is Tess pregnant?
Based on the following photos, there is a possibility that Tess may be pregnant. Source: Long Vlog at the BIG Houston Zoo - YouTube 6:09 - 6:27 Tess & Tupelo (foreground), Thai (background) 6:40 - 7:00 Shanti (two weeks prior to delivery) 7:20 - 7:40 Tess & Tupelo (foreground), Thai (background) If Tess is pregnant, the Houston Zoo has made no official announcement on the pregnancy and it would appear that Tess is somewhere between her first and second trimester of pregnancy. Since Tess had a miscarriage in June of 2014 and Shanti’s pregnancy was publicized one month prior to her delivery, there is a possibility that the Houston Zoo is withholding this information until Tess is late into her pregnancy. If anyone can obtain information on the potential pregnancy of Tess, that would be greatly appreciated.
I'm the one who originally put it out there. My information is based on someone who works with the zoo in a fundraising capacity and does some exhibit design work. You would be correct, the zoo does not want to announce anything until it's a certainty. Houston has lost too many elephant calves in its past, it's a very sensitive public relations thing.
And in doing so, absolutely soil upon any percieved trust gained from whatever source that news is found out from. Which is exactly why it should not be talked about casually on a public zoo forum.
Houston Zoo: Texas Wetlands | Interpretive Experience Planning and Design This company doing some design work for the exhibit also says it will have those species. Wonder where they're gonna get the whooping cranes from? I don't think they have any right now, right? Anyway, I'm always happy to see zoos putting focus on local environments and wildlife.
Via Twitter, the Houston Zoo is unveiling their plans for their centennial today. No one is posting the plans online yet, but it is 3 new biome exhibits: -Texas Wetlands (will open first, already under construction and will have American Alligators, Bald Eagles, and Whooping Cranes) -Pantanal (Only an image of a Howler monkey shown, Jaguars shown elsewhere. Speculation: Redo of their existing South American animals of Capybara, Tapir, Anteaters, Maned Wolves, and Rhea). -Galapgos (Sea Lions shown on some images. Speculation: I'd expect penguins) There are also images of Orangutans shown on the centennial header. The Orang exhibit may be getting a refresh as well? Stay tuned for news. Tweet: Gov. Craig Hlavaty (I-Texas) on Twitter
Full website is up: Houston Zoo Centennial Campaign Includes an overlay of the full master plan. Hope no one really like Wortham World of Primates, the Cat and Bear row, and Natural Encounters.
Texas Wetlands (2019), Pantanal: Trail of the Jaguar (2020), Ancient Relatives (2021) and Galapagos (2022) all represent new areas as the zoo is transferred into biomes. It is amazing to think that almost 50% of the zoo will be developed in the next 4 years....WOW! A whopping $150 million will be spent and that is only in the next 4 years and during Phase 1 of the plan. In the past decade there has already been tremendous development: chimpanzees, giraffes, rhinos, Gorillas of the African Forest, a renovated Kipp Aquarium, a brand-new 'Bug House', etc. Now with the next 4 years seeing a long list of construction projects, Houston Zoo will be a serious contender for one of the very best zoos in the nation.
There was an attempted child abduction at the zoo. HPD investigating after attempted abduction of 6-year-old at Houston Zoo
Is there word yet as to the sea lion species that will be on exhibit? Will they be California sea lions or Galapagos?
I think it is safe to assume California, considering the zoo already has the species and the Galápagos one is more or less impossible to obtain for a number of reasons.
Similar to how Alaskan Grizzlies are in a Russian exhibit complex (built by the same guy, Lee Ehmke). They are representative species.
That is what I thought was the case, but a part of me was hoping for a novel species of pinniped. It will be great to see an exhibit devoted to the Galapagos though. Thanks for the response!
