This is an attempt to list every species on exhibit to general admission visitors at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park during my visits on 6-1-15 to 6-3-15. I am arranging the list by the current visitor map and its named zones, some of which have unclear borders. I am including species for which there is a sign on each exhibit; in the case of the field exhibits seen only from the African Tram, I am listing the species in each exhibit that were announced by the driver or observed by me on 4 trips on the ride. I am not including the Asian Savanna exhibits or others only seen on upcharge safaris such as the Caravan Safari or Cart Safari. Since the park is well-known to have many species off-exhibit, this is not intended to be a full account of the collection. Also, species on exhibit are often moved, so some that were there one day may have disappeared from public view the next. This list may be of more interest to those already familiar with the park since I am not arranging the species by animal type. I will list each zone in a separate entry in the thread for clarity. SAFARI BASE CAMP: (12 Exhibits) This zone is the entrance area of the park and occupies about 1/3 of the area formerly known as Nairobi Village (the current Nairobi Village zone is about 1/3 the size it once was, although the features are much the same; Safari Base Camp and Gorilla Forest zones are map name changes carved from the former zone). First small yard next to Wings of Wonder: West African Crowned Crane Bird perch across from first small yard: Salmon-crested Cockatoo Second yard next to Wings of Wonder: Indian Muntjac Bird perch across path from second yard: The sign for this one is actually located at the bird perch across from first small yard, so the birds are probably rotated. Hyacinth Macaw Wings of Wonder walk-through aviary: African Openbill Stork African Spoonbill Bartlett's Bleeding-heart Dove Black-bellied Whistling Duck Elegant Crested Tinamou Emerald Starling Fairy-bluebird Falcated Duck Fawn-breasted Bowerbird Golden-breasted Starling Green Imperial-pigeon Hadada Ibis Himalayan Monal Nicobar Pigeon Northern Purple Roller Ocellated Turkey Red-breasted Merganser Red-crested Turaco Roseate Spoonbill Scarlet Ibis Southern Bald Ibis Storm's Stork Sunbittern Superb Starling Victoria Crowned Pigeon Wattled Starling White-headed Buffalo Weaver White-headed Lapwing White-winged Wood Duck Bird perch in Plant Trader shop: Salmon-crested Cockatoo Animal Ambassador Stage: This is NOT a permanent exhibit, but I did note the education animals that I saw brought out by keepers for informal presentations. Four hours of presentations were given each day at this location so I am sure there are many other species that are brought out that I did not see! American Kestrel Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec Southern Three-banded Armadillo Tawny Frogmouth Large lagoon at top of Congo River Fishing Village waterfall: Chilean Flamingo Crested Screamer Moluccan Radjah Shelduck White-faced Whistling Duck Small lagoon at top of Congo River Fishing Village waterfall: Bar-headed Goose Hawaiian Goose Magpie Goose Red-breasted Goose South African Shelduck Storm's Stork Swan Goose White-faced Whistling Duck (Also saw Black-bellied Whistling Duck) Small yard near top of Congo River Fishing Village: Southwest African Meerkat Small yard behind meerkat: Black Duiker Island yard at Thorntree Terrace dining area: Mountain Coatimundi (Nasuella olivacea, so a more appropriate label may be Western Mountain Coati) Small aviary at Discovery Station: This enclosure was once part of the queue area for boarding the park's former ride, the Wgasa Bushline Monorail. Taveta Golden Weaver
NAIROBI VILLAGE: (25 Exhibits) Nairobi Station: These 12 small exhibits are terrarium-sized to small room-sized and are viewed through glass on the outside of the building also known as the Animal Care Center. Each exhibit contains one species: Unsigned (contained Southwest African Meerkat) Fennec Fox Lesser Hedgehog Tenrec Pancake Tortoise African Bullfrog Blotched Blue-tongued Skink Chinchilla Black Milksnake White's Tree Frog Ball Python Sugar Glider African Grey Parrot In addition, 4 metal roll-up windows can be opened to expose animals temporarily located at the care center, although none were on view or signed while I was there so I am not counting these as exhibits. Nairobi Nursery: These 2 yards adjoin the Petting Kraal. The first is visible across a small moat along Nairobi Walk, the second is visible through several small windows in a fence in the Petting Kraal: Empty (recently contained a young Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and a young Ankole Cattle) Unsigned (I saw Red River Hog) Petting Kraal: Gone are the days when this yard contained exotic hoofstock for petting. Now it contains: Domesticated Goats (including Pygmy Goat, Nubian Goat, and Boer Goat) Bats: One of only a handful of indoor exhibits at the park, this house is entered by visitors to view a room behind harp wire containing: Rodrigues Fruit Bat Smaller yard between Nairobi Walk and Lagoon Loop: Cavendish's Dik-dik Larger yard between Nairobi Walk and Lagoon Loop: Red River Hog Yard viewed from boardwalk on Mombasa Lagoon: Eastern Yellow-backed Duiker Small aviary on edge of Mombasa Lagoon: Malay Great Argus Pheasant Red-knobbed Hornbill Mombasa Lagoon: This large lake at the heart of Nairobi Village is a waterfowl paradise; the inhabitants can utilize its watery expanse as well as two small islands, several boulder and twig perches, and its shoreline as well as the surrounding walkways of Lagoon Loop. In fact, much of the perimeter is not contained so most of the waterfowl could be considered free-ranging in the village, although pinioned. Numerous species of native wild waterfowl also enjoy the scenic setting, but the official captive species are: African Darter Bar-headed Goose Common Shelduck Coscoroba Swan Mandarin Duck Orinoco Goose Pink-backed Pelican Red-crested Pochard South African Shelduck Swan Goose White-breasted Cormorant White-faced Whistling Duck Island in Mombasa Lagoon near Mombasa Cooker dining area: Since one species of impressive waterfowl seems to be confined to one of the islands in Mombasa Lagoon, I will consider it a separate exhibit although any of the other species can visit: Shoebill Stork Lorikeet Landing: This is a large walk-through aviary for feeding nectar to: Rainbow Lorikeet 2 small adjoining aviaries near Hidden Jungle: The first contains: Congo Peafowl Great Blue Turaco The second contains: Bearded Barbet Madagascar Crested Ibis Marbled Teal Red-billed Pintail
GORILLA FOREST: (21 Exhibits) Hidden Jungle: This complex consists of an entry cave with exhibits for reptiles and amphibians and invertebrates followed by two large walk-through aviaries contained in a tall temperature-controlled glassed-in greenhouse with barrel-vaulted roofs. The aviaries are the location for the park's annual temporary Butterfly Jungle exhibit. The cave features 17 tiny-sized to small-sized wall terrariums, each containing one species: White-eyed Assassin Bug Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Emperor Scorpion Tropical Girdled Lizard Angolan Python Empty African Giant Millipede Golden Mantella Madagascar Tree Boa Mali Uromastyx Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Banded Velvet Gecko Horned Baboon Tarantula Fort Hall Baboon Tarantula Mombassa Golden Starburst Tarantula Empty Emperor Scorpion The first walk-though aviary contains: African Fire-finch African Pygmy Goose Beautiful Sunbird Black-cheeked Lovebird Blue-capped Cordon-bleu Lavender Waxbill Long-tailed Paradise-whydah Magpie Mannikin Melba Finch Northern Red Bishop Pin-tailed Whydah Pink Pigeon Purple Grenadier Red-crested Turaco Speckled Mousebird The second walk-through aviary contains: Abdim's Stork Black Heron Eastern Hammerkop Green Woodhoopoe Hottentot Teal Long-toed Lapwing Old World Comb Duck Red-capped Cardinal Reichenow's Helmeted Guineafowl Ross's Turaco Speckled Mousebird Superb Starling White-headed Buffalo Weaver Yellow-crowned Gonolek Yellow-crowned Robin-chat Small aviary near Gorilla exhibit: White-fronted Bee-eater Gorilla Exhibit: Western Lowland Gorilla Benbough Amphitheater: This is NOT a permanent exhibit, but I did note the species I saw during the Frequent Flyers bird show, which features free-flight performers as well as a few token mammals (who do not fly): African Grey Parrot Andean Condor Cockatoo (not sure which species...Galah?) East African Crowned Crane Eurasian Eagle Owl Ferruginous Hawk Green-winged Macaw Lanner Falcon Rat (not sure which species...Norway?) Reichenow's Helmeted Guineafowl Red River Hog Sacred Ibis Scarlet Ibis Scarlet Macaw Secretary Bird Victoria Crowned Pigeon Vulturine Guineafowl Yellow-billed Hornbill Animal Encounter near Benbough Theater: This is NOT a permanent exhibit, but I did see an informal keeper presentation here featuring: Domestic Dog South African Cheetah
AFRICAN WOODS: (7 Exhibits) Lemur Walk: This large walk-through enclosure is closer to Nairobi Village and its higher elevation, but the map implies it is considered part of African Woods. It is composed of a wood-and-wire structure similar to a large aviary and contains: Ring-tailed Lemur African Woods yards: These 6 adjoining yards range from medium-sized to large-sized and were originally built as the upper section of the Heart of Africa exhibit complex. The current map has dropped the original name of the complex and split it into two zones: African Woods and African Outpost. It is interesting that Columbus Zoo's new African exhibit complex is called Heart of Africa now that this one is not! The yards of African Woods, in order as the trail descends in elevation, are: First yard: Bontebok Second (very large) yard: Eastern Giant Eland Sudan Red-fronted Gazelle Third yard: Hooded Vulture South African Shelduck Western Egyptian Vulture Fourth yard: Demoiselle Crane Kori Bustard Southern Gerenuk Western Red-flanked Duiker Fifth yard: East African Crowned Crane Sixth yard: Okapi
AFRICAN OUTPOST: (9 Exhibits) This zone continues the lower half of the former Heart of Africa exhibit complex, in a counter-clockwise direction around the lake at its center. The Jameson Research Island's small yard and interpretive center's aquarium appear to be abandoned as exhibits, no signs were visible. Medium-sized yard: European White Stork Kori Bustard Secretary Bird Medium-sized yard: Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Medium-sized yard: South African Bat-eared Fox Southern Warthog 2-Island exhibit connected by ropes: Kikuyu Colobus Small shallow islands on left side of lake boardwalk: Lesser Flamingo Small shallow islands on right side of lake boardwalk: Abdim's Stork African Sacred Ibis (Also saw East African Crowned Crane) Long narrow yard : South African Cheetah Waterfall yard: Abdim's Stork East African Sitatunga Kori Bustard Southern Steenbok West African Crowned Crane Yellow-billed Stork Yard surrounded by Africa Tram roadway, adjacent to station: Lowland Nyala (no sign found but animals clearly visible)
Wow,first the zoo now the Safari Park. I applaud your efforts,this has got to be quite time consuming. Will you be including the Asian Plains exhibits as well?
A very interesting list so far; the layout seems as though it would be helpful for any visiting enthusiasts. Is this the right scientific name?
Shellheart, It is time-consuming for sure! Don't forget that zoochat member sandiegomaster posted this same thread theme for the park at the beginning of 2014 so you can have fun comparing the differences of the last year-and-a-half! I will not be posting a list of Asian Savanna field exhibit species since I did not buy one of the additional-charge safaris that are required to visit that area =(.
devilfish and jbnbsn99, I have a picture of the identification sign on my camera but I cannot upload it onto this computer currently. It says: "Mountain Coatimundi Nasuella olivacea Location High in the Andes Mountains north of Peru, South America Half Pints Mountain coatis are half the size of their cousins, weighing just 3 pounds (1.5 kilograms) when full grown. High Life These coatis live in the cloud forests and treeless paramos of the Andes Mountains. The climate is tropical, but the high altitude is challenging." There was another informational sign nearby in the shape of the continent and now I'm kicking myself for not taking a closeup picture of it too!
these are the coatis at the Safari Park: Coati | San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Curious Coatis Show Off Agility at San Diego Zoo Safari Park Clearly not mountain coatis, despite what the sign may have said. (These two zoo articles do not call them mountain coatis, by the way).
This is giving me an idea for an education session at the AZA Conference titled, "You Don't Have Mountain Coatis."
then you will be faced with a rebuttal entitled "Yes we do - the private pet keeper we bought them off told us so!"
Remarkable that the two arguably leading zoos organizations in North America now both have fallen in the "mountain coati" trap. First Central Park (part of WCS), now San Diego. Presumably both tricked by the so-called "mountain coatis" kept, bred and sold by some private keepers. The coatis in Chlidonias link aren't South American coatis of race montana either, but the standard South American coatis seen at many zoos. Compare these (misleadingly called "mountain coati" too, but here just the South American coati race). Not too long ago Rick J uploaded an excellent photo of the real mountain coati at Bioparque la Reserva in Colombia and as far as I know still the only place that has kept this species in recent years. Regardless, big thumbs up to geomorph for this work. Very nice to get all these details for the Safari Park, similar to what you did some time ago for the zoo.
Oh yeah,I'll definitely need to check that out! And I figured as much. I personally have never seen the Asian Savanna myself,I'm wondering if it's worth the extra charge.
AFRICAN PLAINS: (13 Exhibits) This zone is the one viewed almost entirely on the Africa Tram (approx. 25-30 minute ride) for general admission visitors. Since there are no identification signs for the field exhibits (except a partial list for one, see the zone called 'The Grove' later), this list is definitely not complete. The Africa Tram driver/announcer identifies species as they are seen and typically does not mention those that are not seen or those that are difficult to see/overshadowed by a larger group of a species that may be of greater interest. The following list is grouped by each field exhibit as they are encountered on the tram ride, and the species are those that the driver pointed out/mentioned or I saw during 4 rides on my visit. Yard surrounded by Africa Tram roadway, adjacent to station: this is the one with Lowland Nyala that the map considers part of African Outpost, so I am not including it as an exhibit here. Long narrow yard: this one contains South African Cheetah and is also part of African Outpost according to the map, so I am not including it as an exhibit here. East Africa field exhibit: Cape Buffalo East African Crowned Crane East African Sitatunga Fringe-eared Oryx Grant's Gazelle Kenya Impala Lake Victoria Defassa Waterbuck Marabou Stork Nile Lechwe Rothschild's Giraffe Southern White Rhinoceros Thomson's Gazelle Yellow-billed Stork Lakeshore exhibit: This exhibit does have an identification sign for pedestrians at a distant viewing area along the boardwalk in African Outpost: Greater Flamingo Former Black Rhinoceros field exhibit: This one will be renovated to hold Southern White Rhinoceros. It is currently: Empty South Africa field exhibit: Abyssinian Ground Hornbill Black Rhinoceros (confined to a boma, probably due to its former exhibit being empty, so this species is probably not intended to be in the main field exhibit here) Cape Buffalo Dalmatian Pelican Ellipsen Waterbuck Gemsbok Masai Giraffe Northern White Rhinoceros (only 1) Ostrich Patterson's Eland Pink-backed Pelican Sable Antelope Springbok Southern White Rhinoceros (only 1) White-bearded Gnu Large field exhibit on right side of tram, briefly seen: For most of the early years this exhibit contained Przewalski's Horse, but now contains: Ankole Cattle (bachelor) Grevy's Zebra Nile Lechwe (bachelors) White-bearded Gnu (bachelor) Small marsh exhibit on right side of tram: Goliath Heron Western Ruppell's Vulture Yellow-billed Stork Field exhibit adjoining the small marsh exhibit on right side of tram: Nubian Soemmerring's Gazelle Field exhibit on right side of tram, below the Mountain exhibit: Somali Wild Ass Mountain exhibit: The tram does not travel near this steep rocky outcrop but it can be seen in the distance; the exhibit was not announced on my rides but one driver I talked to later said that the inhabitants remaining are: Barbary Sheep (bachelors) Field exhibit on lower (left) side of lake bridge: This exhibit had been described in the past as 'Central Africa' but I heard no mention of it this time. Greater Kudu Roan Antelope Uganda Kob Field exhibit on upper (right) side of lake bridge: All four trips on the ride yielded no identifications for this exhibit. I spoke with a driver later and confirmed that the waterfowl can cross under the bridge between the two field exhibits here, and that a few species I knew had been here in the past were still here: Dalmatian Pelican Red Lechwe Sudan Red-fronted Gazelle Field exhibit on left side of tram: For many years this exhibit held Greater Kudu to separate them from the rest of the South Africa field exhibit inhabitants, then for many years it held Grevy's Zebra. It now contains: Barbary Sheep North Africa field exhibit: Ankole Cattle Addax Barbary Red Deer Bontebok (bachelor) Scimitar-horned Oryx Sudan Red-fronted Gazelle (bachelor) Lion Camp: this exhibit for African Lion is shown on the map as being in its own zone, so I am not including it as an exhibit here.
THE GROVE: (0 Exhibits) There are no exhibits in this zone, but it features Kilima Point, a viewpoint next to the huge East Africa field exhibit of the African Plains seen on the Africa Tram ride. It also allows views to the distant huge North Africa field exhibit of the African Plains seen on the same ride. In addition, the Asian Savanna field exhibits can be seen in the distance which are only viewed closely by some of the upcharge Caravan Safaris, Cart Safaris, and Flightline Safari. I spotted Javan Banteng, Indian Gaur, Przewalski's Horse (in their own large field exhibit), and a few species of deer and sheep. Kilima Point does have identification signs for some of the animals in the adjacent East Africa field exhibit: East African Crowned Crane East African Sitatunga Fringe-eared Oryx Giraffe (no subspecies identified, but from Africa Tram ride they are Rothschild's) Grant's Gazelle Kenya Impala Lake Victoria Defassa Waterbuck Marabou Stork Nile Lechwe Southern White Rhinoceros Thomson's Gazelle Yellow-billed Stork
ELEPHANT VALLEY: (1 Exhibit) This large exhibit is actually two yards that can be joined through a gated passage, plus a small yard within Tembo Stadium (for elephant demonstrations although none were presented during my visit). African Elephant
TIGER TRAIL: (3 Exhibits) This is the newest exhibit complex at the park, opened in 2014. All 3 exhibits contain: Sumatran Tiger
