Wagner the Chinstrap penguin is celebrating her 32nd birthday. She is the oldest of her kind in North America. Oldest Chinstrap Penguin In North America Turns 32 -- GALVESTON ISLAND, Texas, Dec. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
New baby rockhopper penguin hatches: Texas Digest: Moody Gardens welcomes baby rockhopper penguin | www.statesman.com
New cotton top tamarin: New Cotton-Top Tamarin at Moody Gardens - Living - Houston Community Newspapers
Sam the California sea lion has arrived from the Utica Zoo. Moody Gardens welcomes Sam the California Sea Lion - Entertainment - Houston Community Newspapers
Male harbor seal Siku, from the Milwaukee County Zoo, has arrived. Moody Gardens welcomes harbor seal Siku to Aquarium Pyramid
Many new arrivals: two giant otter brothers, a prehensile-tailed porcupine birth, and the facility's first ever blue duiker calf. Baby animal arrivals announced at Moody Gardens
I have just uploaded a rather comprehensive set of photos of the Rainforest in the gallery, they are the first images posted in over four years. I will post photos of the Aquarium soon as well. Here are some highlights of the Rainforest: Rainforest - Exterior by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:53 PM Rainforest - View From Tree Top Trail by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Tree Top Trail by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Tree Top Trail by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - White-faced Saki (Free Roaming) by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - South American Pond Exhibit Area by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Mayan Temple Area by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Two Terrariums At Base of Simulated Tree by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Komodo Dragon Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Komodo Dragon Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Blue Duiker and Hornbills Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:53 PM Rainforest - Blue Duiker and Hornbills Exhibit - Blue Duiker by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:53 PM Rainforest - Common Vampire Bat Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Giant River Otter Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Rainforest - Giant River Otter Exhibit by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM Visitor Center - Interior by geomorph posted 7 Jul 2021 at 9:39 PM
Well, @geomorph are you going to type up a review of Moody Gardens? It's a fantastic establishment that is part-zoo, part-aquarium and other than the Giant Otters I think that all of the animal exhibits are indoors. A few years ago the facility had 6 penguin species, 4 sea turtle species and 3 pinniped species...is that still the case? Also, thanks for counting the exhibits in the pyramids (50 in the Rainforest and 29 in the Aquarium) as that's something that I would normally do but I didn't during my 2015 tour.
I never realized until now that Moody Gardens is run by a non-profit. I guess I always assumed this kind of place would be a for-profit institution. I need to plan a trip out to this place. I probably can't do it as a day trip but want to spend a weekend in Houston at some point. Also a red-knobbed imperial pigeon recently hatched according to the gardens twitter.
I won't write a detailed review other than to agree that it is a very nice attraction and I enjoyed both the Rainforest and Aquarium. The only outdoor exhibit is indeed the giant river otter exhibit, although the only viewing areas to see it are all indoors either from the Rainforest or Visitor Center. The Rainforest is comparable to many of the finest indoor rainforest buildings in the country, and has a good variety of species, spaces, and flora. The Aquarium has 5 feature exhibits, 4 of which are viewed from two levels; it could use a greater number of intimate exhibits with a few species each, but those that do exist are nice. There are currently 5 penguin species and 2 pinniped species, but I did not see any sea turtles! Unfortunately the signage for the South Pacific and Caribbean feature exhibits is nearly non-existent, so attempting a species list for the Aquarium is useless. However I will post a Rainforest species list here.
I have just created a new thread with The Rainforest partial species list: Partial List Of Species On Exhibit in The Rainforest 3/31/21 [Moody Gardens] - ZooChat
Meet Duke, a 7-year-old California sea lion making a splash at Galveston’s Moody Gardens They got a new sea lion recently. I have a membership to Moody Gardens and I go fairly regularly. Do you guys want me to try and get photos of something specific next time I'm there? I can confirm that the rainforest exhibit is spectacular. The open rainforest area itself has a lot of free roaming birds and lots of trees for them to hide in. You see something different every time you go, kind of feels like being in a real rainforest, lol.
I would be interested to hear how the butterflies behave when they are on exhibit, have you seen them? It seems like if there were not many, they would get 'lost' visually in that huge space!
They don't have the butterflies in the rainforest pyramid any more any more. The sign is still there though. When they did have the butterflies, they didn't have full roam of the rainforest pyramid. A portion of the rainforest pathway was netted off and you'd go through that.
I have just uploaded a rather comprehensive set of photos of the Aquarium in the gallery, they are the first images posted in over four years. Here are some highlights of the Aquarium: Aquarium - Exterior by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - Pyramid Central Atrium by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - Gulf of Mexico Exhibit - Upper Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - South Atlantic - Penguin Exhibit - Upper Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - South Atlantic - Penguin Exhibit - Lower Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - South Pacific - Main Exhibit - Upper Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - South Pacific - Main Exhibit - Lower Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:12 PM Aquarium - Jellies - Moon Jelly Exhibits by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM Aquarium - North Pacific - Pinniped Exhibit - Upper Level by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM Aquarium - North Pacific - Pinniped Exhibit - Lower Level - California Sea Lion by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM Aquarium - Caribbean - Main Exhibit by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM Aquarium - Caribbean - Main Exhibit by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM Aquarium - Caribbean - Main Exhibit by geomorph posted 12 Jul 2021 at 9:34 PM
Other 2021 News: On April 13th, the zoo announced that (0.0.2+?) humphead cichlids were hatched. Log into Facebook On April 16th, the zoo announced they have acquired a (1.0) giant Pacific octopus named Jasper which is now on exhibit in the North Pacific section of the aquarium. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=512418326445784 On June 21st, the zoo announced that a (1.0) hyacinth macaw named Coby has passed away. Log into Facebook On July 6th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) red-knobbed imperial pigeon was born on June 24th. Log into Facebook ----------------------------------------------------------------------- 2022 News: On January 3rd, the zoo announced that a (1.0) California sea lion named Duke passed away on December 30th, 2021, due to never regaining consciousness following a medical procedure. He was 7 years old. Log into Facebook On January 18th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) chinstrap penguin was hatched. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=708531033866713 On April 13th, the zoo announced that their (1.0) harbor seal named Porter has passed away the week prior at the age of 22. Log into Facebook On May 3rd, the zoo announced that a (0.1) western crowned pigeon has hatched. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1002703987041660 On May 4th, the zoo announced they have acquired a (0.1) California sea lion named Arnette. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1074009946486156 On May 20th, the zoo announced they have acquired a European honeybee colony, which is now on exhibit in the Rainforest Pyramid. Also on May 20th, the zoo announced they have acquired (0.0.6) nurse sharks from the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Washington which are now on exhibit in the Caribbean Tunnel exhibit. Log into Facebook https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=7871535486197798 On June 10th, the zoo announced that their (1.0) giant Pacific octopus named Jasper passed away due to a decline in health in old age. Log into Facebook On July 15th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) chain catshark was hatched. https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=5694151693957864 On August 9th, the zoo announced they have acquired a (0.0.1) black spiny-tailed iguana from U.S. Customs and Border Protection after it was found hidden in container stacks at the Houston Seaport. https://www.facebook.com/moodygardens/photos/a.135646547824/10158922193682825
On November 8th, the zoo announced they acquired (0.2) African spoonbills named Kijiko and Lucia which are now on exhibit. Spoonbills | Meet Kijiko and Lucia! These two female African Spoonbills just arrived from another AZA facility as part of their SSP (Species Survival Plan). They... | By Moody Gardens | Facebook
