Los Angeles Zoo & Botanical Gardens Los Angeles Zoo News 2019

Thank you Great Argus, I’m glad I’ve met so many cool people on here and I love being part of this community!

 

DON'T. You are among friends here. All of us have made mistakes in our posts.

 

Thank you DavidBrown, I want to be better and am thankful I met so many awesome people on here. It feels amazing to be one you all and want just do my part for the community!

 

Latest animal transactions: https://www.lazoo.org/wp-new/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/09.2019-Animal-Transactions.pdf

August Meeting minutes: https://www.lazoo.org/wp-new/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Aug-2019-Commission-Minutes-FINAL.pdf

 

How many Giant Otter does the zoo have? It sounds like they are simply moving them around the zoo?

Also the transactions confirm the death of a male Red Uakari...

 

From my last visit this Monday, I saw 3 individuals in the ROTA exhibit and 2 to 3 more in their older exhibit in South America section. I will try to go tomorrow to confirm the total that are visible or see if a keeper knows whom is willing to say.

 

I believe the three otters being sent to Florida are the three living in the South American exhibit. It's not an ideal enclosure for them and the zoo would like to utilize it for something else and only have otters in the ROTA exhibit.

 

Based on my visit today, I saw 2 otters in the ROTA exhibit and 3 at the South America exhibit. Although there are usually 3 in ROTA, it’s the dominant male and female as well as one their offspring. I think coelacanth18 hit it on the the head about what’s going.

 

Oh no He was looking rough. I'm gonna miss that species terribly when they're gone

 

Since I'm a General volunteer there, I'll give out the changes going on.
First Question
Since the Zoo is receiving a pair of Black Red-tailed Cockatoos since it's one of the animals in the Vision Plan, where do you think they'll be put on display in, maybe the Upper Australian Aviary?

Second Question
In one of the zoo, commissions mentioned a parakeet feeding area coming soon possibly Budgierars and maybe Cockatiels and other Australian birds might be added, maybe in the former gift shop area by the nocturnal house?

Third Question
Any progress in the former Ibex exhibit converting into a Cape vulture Enclosure with Wattled Cranes and possibly small African antelopes or tortoises, and one of the vulture deaths might be associated with cranes though they say storks and I didn't know they had storks maybe when the exhibit opens?

 

I’m visiting tomorrow. Anybody know where the Uakari’s and the Mountain Tapir are kept? Any other gems I should look out for?

 

The uakaris are in RotA near the middle; look for a building and enclosure a little ways off the path between the mixed bird and howler/paca exhibits (and on the same side of path as them).

The mountain tapirs are in the old South American area, directly across from the food pavilion and nearby the giant anteater, squirrel monkeys, and snow leopard; they should show up on your zoo map.

Make sure to check out the harpy eagles! The viewing pavilion for their aviary can only be accessed by walking towards the main aviary and taking a narrow concrete path off to the left. You should see this on the map as well.

 

The uakaris are not easy to see, and my experience was that although I did see them, I didn't see them sufficiently well to see any detail, nor to be content in claiming I'd seen them. Certainly no photographs.

The mountain tapirs on the other hand were much easier to view.

Great tip on the harpy eagles. I wandered along the high path to the top of their aviary not really knowing what was down there.. great surprise!

Despite LA not always getting the best reviews, I enjoyed a visit there very much, and that visit was well worth the effort.

 

Latest animal transactions: https://www.lazoo.org/wp-new/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/10.2019-Animal-Transactions.pdf

September meeting mintutes: https://www.lazoo.org/wp-new/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Sep-2019-Commission-Minutes-FINAL.pdf
With some talks about the master plan!

 

Note that there is one uakari left mixed with another species, so many sure it's the actual uakari you're looking at!

~Thylo

 

As a few people mentioned already, the red uakari can be hard to see due to how the exhibit was built especially if not tall. I’m able to peer over the fence easily and I’d say if you want your best chance to see the uakari, arrive early to the zoo. I see her around that time doing her normal laps close to the front of the exhibit, I’ve only been so lucky to get a few pics of her and most are okay at best haha The mountain tapir is easier to spot in the South America area as others mentioned but will retreat to their night quarters if it gets too hot so keep that in mind I try to visit the LA Zoo once a week at least!

 

Thank you for your help guys. I finally got four species off my bucket list at LA Zoo. Two of the Echidna were extremely active all afternoon. I couldn’t believe my luck after I missed them at Toronto, Bronx, Tierpark and Budapest this year. It took two trips but I also managed to see the Tasmanian Devil.

The Uakari enclosure is actually relatively well signposted considering its location, it’s almost an off show exhibit which you shouldn’t see, as Julio mentioned, you need to peer through or over the fence to get a look. I wasn’t expecting any luck but right at the last minute, before I was about to give up one (I believe sole?) individual came out and was quite active for a good ten minutes or so.

The one disappointment was the Mountain Tapir. I did manage to catch a glimpse of one in the house through the bushes but I’m tempted to say I shouldn’t really count it. What is the future of this species, and how many does LA zoo have?

 

I would say that counts They and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado are the only zoos left that have them in North America. LA had a few of them recently, but I don't know the exact number left now. Unfortunately, there is no breeding and the population will dwindle to zero in the next several years.

 

I’m glad you were able to see most of the species you wanted to see! I don’t know for sure for the mountain tapirs but as far as I’m aware, the individuals we have may be too old to breed. I’ve seen 2 confirmed individuals so far, a possible 3rd in their resting area. One mountain tapir is currently housed in the old Indian Rhino exhibit next to the hippos. The other specimen, possibly more than 1, are in their old enclosure in the South America exhibit as might’ve saw

 

How many are left at Cheyenne Mountain?