For the next few weeks, there will be some days when the beaver, Shiloh, will be in the otter exhibit instead of the otters, Curly and Moe. Parks crews are working diligently to finish the permanent home for beavers, but until then they will be rotating in to the otter exhibit. While beaver and otters do live in the same area in the wild, Shiloh and the otters don't get along well in the same space.
An article on the zoo's water filtration system. It's very unique and sustainable; and the article mentions that other larger zoos wish they had something like it! Sustainable filtration system set to save water, time at Ochsner Park Zoo
Construction has begun on future beaver exhibit (north end of old deer yard) and the pond. Over the next 3 weeks, the beaver pond will be constructed along with another natural water treatment system, dens and landscaping. New fencing will be installed next month and in the next 6 weeks or so, the zoo hopes Shiloh and Finn will be moved into their new beaver home.
The beaver exhibit continues to progress. Parks crew have completed the base of the pool. Also the parks, forestry, civic center, and streets staff have teamed up to lay the sod for the new prairie water treatment system that will naturally filter the beaver and otter exhibit water features. The zoo hopes to have the beavers outside by the end of the month. On a more sad note, Bubbles, the skunk passed away. She had kidney disease and her quality of life had been lowering for a few months.
The beavers are finally out in their new habitat! There will be some landscaping done in the spring, but Shiloh and Finn finally have a permanent exhibit to call home. Judging from the pictures on facebook the exhibit looks decent, the pool seems a bit on the small side but it is sufficient. There are now beavers on exhibit in Wisconsin!
Edmond the zoo's male Canadian lynx recently passed away from a seizure. He had been receiving medication for about 4 years and had occasional seizures before his last one. A new male named Logan has arrived as a breeding recommendation for the female, Lyncoln. They get along well, and the zoo is hoping for breeding.
The zoo has announced its new Arctic Fox named Apollo. Unfortunately the old arctic fox, Ghost, passed away over the winter. Apollo arrived in November from a rescue center in northern Illinois where he was found. It's suspected that he is a former pet who someone let loose in northern Illinois because he's very people-friendly, almost like a dog.
Updates from my visit yesterday: The zoo seems to have a huge problem with people jumping the fences and going in with the animals. There was a sign saying someone got bit by a goat doing this a few days ago, and while I was there a boy jumped the fence and picked up the tortoise. I saw the new beaver habitat. It's okay. The Sulcata also has a new enclosure next to it. It is an improvement over the old one, I think. It looks like the old deer exhibit is being split up into 3 enclosures - the current beaver exhibit, the future emu exhibit, and one other one. The donkey has been moved to the Llama yard. 3 Domestic Goats were born. I saw the otter pool for the first time, it looks very nice. At least one Black-tailed Prairie Dog was born. The zoo will build a new owl building called the "Owl Education Center". No Monarch caterpillar exhibit this year.
Having been there a couple of times over the past few years, I think it is a very nice, small, zoo. None of the exhibits are what one might expect from a zoo this size (2 acres total) and they have a surprisingly diverse collection of species compared to many other smaller zoos. Definitely worth a visit.
From the zoo's facebook page, the zoo has received two male emus from the Brookfield Zoo! They are named Charlie and Blue, and their exhibit is part of the former deer exhibit.
I went to the zoo today and saw the Emus! The exhibit is find the one of the two was very active. It seems there is room for one for exhibit on the former deer enclosure footprint... Also, a Rose-ringed Parakeet and a Cockatiel now share an exhibit near the deer/eagle/goose/crane exhibit.
I went to the zoo a few days ago! I uploaded several pictures to the Ochsner Park Zoo gallery. The emu exhibit is basic, but it is a good size for 2 emus (you can be very close to them). The new beaver exhibit is so-so in my opinion. I think a bigger pool would have been better, but it isn't terrible. Some newer, nicer grass would also make the exhibit look a little nicer, but still okay overall.
Two very tough losses for the zoo occurred this week: 22 year old Black Bear named Berry-Boo/Sassy, and 16 year old Montana the wolf. Berry-Boo had lived at the zoo since 1998, and Montana lived there since 2011. The zoo now has just a lone wolf, Apache, who is showing signs of grieving so he will be receiving special attention from staff. The zoo is looking into getting some new black bears, and possible "buddies" for Apache. Side note: having recently visited the zoo and seeing both of these animals on my visit a little over 2 weeks ago, the news of the passing of the Black Bear isn't surprising. She looked tired during my visit and was having a tough time getting up from laying down.
The exhibit was rebuilt in 2005. While it's no spectacle like Brookfield's Great Bear Wilderness exhibits, I think its decent, especially considering the size and budget of the zoo. They may make modifications to the exhibit, but I expect them to get more bears if they become available. As of now the exhibit is only home to an Arctic Fox.
I would say the exhibit is a little on the small side as far as black bear exhibits go but it is certainly suitable. I'm honestly amazed they could get Berry-Boo to be okay with foxes to begin with, I would guess they might not get any more bears if they plan to keep the foxes.
