Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Jacksonville Zoo News

A female giraffe calf was born over the weekend.

Zoo welcomes baby giraffe

 

The zoo added a Yellow-backed Duiker to the collection, I saw him in holding by the bongo yard. The Stanley crane pair has moved to the okapi yard, as well.

 

An Angolan colobus monkey was born at the zoo.

Jacksonville Zoo welcomes baby monkey

 

A Magellanic penguin chick hatched on June 3rd.
Magellanic penguin chick hatches at the Jacksonville Zoo | jacksonville.com

 

A male giraffe calf has been born.

Jacksonville Zoo announces birth of tallest giraffe ever born at the zoo | jacksonville.com

 

Another article about the Reticulated giraffe birth :
Tallest Giraffe Calf Ever for Jacksonville Zoo - ZooBorns

 

Magellanic penguin hatched at Jacksonville :
Cool Chick Hatches at Jacksonville Zoo - ZooBorns

 

The chick got a name :

The Coolest of Chicks Gets a Name - ZooBorns

 

Bonobo baby born:

Endangered bonobo born at Jacksonville Zoo

 

What year was the elephant exhibit built

 

Another article about the Bonobo-baby :
First Photos of Baby Bonobo - ZooBorns

 

African Loop
Completed in 1998 and originally named “the Plains of East Africa”, the loop is a 1,400 foot boardwalk that winds through a series of enclosures for African animals. The complex’s history goes back to the 1970s when the zoo created a large open expanse called “Wildlife Safari” to house various ungulates, including wildebeest, llama, gemsbok, zebra, and fallow deer (c. 1973 zoo map). At the time, the zoo’s railroad ran through the yard as well.

By the 1980s, the railroad had been rerouted, a large boardwalk was constructed out into the yard’s interior, and the area renamed “African Veldt”. The area’s collection had also expanded to include Greater Kudu, White Rhinoceros, and Eland.

The early 1990s arrived with a new masterplan and the redevelopment of this area. The first project was a one acre lion exhibit called “Mahali Pa Simba” (1993), followed by an expanded boardwalk, a new elephant barn, and new enclosures for cheetah, crocodile, warthog, rhino, and cape buffalo (1996). Further additions included a giraffe/zebra exhibit (1997) and Seronera Overlook (1998). In 1998, the entire area covered 20 acres and housed about 30% of the zoo’s animal collection.

The area expanded in 2005 with the opening of Savanna Blooms garden and Giraffe Overlook exhibit.

 

First Angolan colous born at Jacksonville :
Angolan Colobus Baby Is a First for Jacksonville Zoo - ZooBorns

 

A female black bear will make her debut next month - along with a newly renovated and expanded home!

GMJ reveals the newest member of the Jax Zoo family! | Firstcoastnews.com

 

Zoo welcomes its one millionth visitor | Jacksonville News, Sports and Entertainment | jacksonville.com

 

Male mandrill, Rafiki, has been put down just months after his youngest daughter arrived.

Jacksonville Zoo mourns death of Mandrill Rafiki

 

Jacksonville zoo prepares for new Great Apes exhibit | Jacksonville News, Sports and Entertainment | jacksonville.com

 

Some updates/news from today's visit:
- A bontebok now live in the large savanna with white rhinos, greater kudus, ostriches and birds.
- Yellow-backed duikers now lives with the bongos.
- The zoo is looking into bringing a younger female African elephant to launch a breeding program.
- The Great Apes section will be renovated so that gorillas will live in a refurbished exhibit encompassing the current gorilla and bonobo exhibits. Bonobos will be getting a new exhibit around the site of the current lemur exhibit, lemurs will get a new exhibit and siamang will be moved to a new location.
- Flamingos live in the former Nile crocodile exhibit.
- And the most noteworthy and strangest news- colobus monkeys and ring-tailed/black and white ruffed lemurs now share the SAME exhibit!

 

Wattled crane adoption :

Jacksonville Zoo's Cranes Raise Adopted Chick

 

The zoo recently discovered that female gorilla, Kambuka, is deaf which is posing some difficulties in her being accepted by her group.

Jacksonville Zoo Officials Helping Deaf Gorilla Become A Mom