The zoo is spending $700,000 on a brand-new Galapagos Tortoise exhibit in the former 'Secret Garden' section of the Children's Zoo. The link below contains images of the tortoise building, as well as a map of what appears to be an extensive and impressive new habitat. Same Shells, New Digs: Galapagos Tortoise Habitat Under Construction at OKC Zoo Construction on what will be a massive African project (approximately 11 acres and close to $30 million) will begin later in 2020. Looking at the link for the zoo's map, I believe that the upcoming African zone will be where the pink background is located. Map, Directions & Tips
A little more 2020 excitement for Oklahoma City: Niki the Indian rhino is pregnant and due near the end of the year! Oklahoma City Zoo's Endangered Rhino Is Pregnant!
Below is the species list for the African project. Pulled from the January Meeting Agenda. Giraffe Eland Ostrich Okapi Roan Antelope Zebra Cheetah African Wild Dog Red River Hog or Warthog Pygmy Hippo Flamingo Lemur African Lion (renovation of current exhibit) Dik-Dik "Savanna Birds" Guineafowl Meerkat Naked Mole Rat Reptiles Madagascar Hissing Cockroach Invertebrate's African Cichlids https://assets.speakcdn.com/assets/2294/12220_zoological_trust_agenda_packet.pdf
Thanks for the list @nczoofan and Oklahoma City Zoo continues to quietly and stealthily become one of the very best zoos in the nation. It wasn't that long ago that Sanctuary Asia made its debut and already the focus has shifted to an African complex. On page 8 of the link there is a list of 'Master-Plan Projects' that includes almost $30 million for 'Africa/Savanna/Entry Plaza' and almost $4 million for 'Cheetah & Dog Row'.
A bit lackluster in my opinion. Most those species are already exhibited at the zoo. And especially for a zoo that has a known history of having a phenomenal hoofstock record I would hope more species would be added. Also surprised neither African rhino or common hippo would be added. It is a very large area they are working with. For those that have visited it will take up the Pachy house, Asian hoofstock, current giraffe/okapi/zebra area and the remainder of Dog Row footprints
I'm also a bit disappointed that African rhinos and river hippos are not in the plans. To be fair, however, they already keep and breed Indian rhino, and the new complex will hold pygmy hippos - a species I wasn't sure they'd continue with after Wolee died recently. While it's not the *most* complete African species selection I've seen, it still looks fairly robust.
It is a nice line up just expected more. Similarly happened with the new Asia Section. It's nice but original plan had quite a few more species (sloth bear, gaur, p-horse, asian deer, asian crocodilians, etc.) I have it on good authority that an African rhino species was suppose to be added to the plan when the Black rhino left and they preferred having common hippo return given the history and fame the species has there. I just hope this list doesn't decrease given what happened with the Asia expansion
I also remember orangutan were suppose to get a new exhibit and bonobo were to be added to their current exhibit.
Personally I am disappointed to see Island Life is going. Islands are such unique, diverse, and endangered ecosystems and yet they're rarely given proper coverage by zoos. Island Life is a pretty great house and I'm sad to know it's going in favor of this African exhibit. I am also sad to hear that the Asian deer paddock is to be turned into African exhibits as Asian deer are so rarely exhibited in US zoos apart from muntjac and the current habitat is fantastic. ~Thylo
Is it going though? @snowleopard said the pink area of the map, but it looks to me like it is mostly going in the purple area. And @PSO didn't mention the Island Life building: Additionally, what Asian deer species does OKC keep? They are not shown on the map, and I thought most Asian deer breeding programs had virtually devolved into partnerships between Bronx and SDZSP.
The exhibit, to my knowledge, is going to encompass the purple and pink areas apart from the Herpetarium. I believe Island Life is going, and that's why a new giant tortoise enclosure is being built when a great one in a better themed area already exists. I could be wrong, though. OKC kept Pere David's Deer and Indian Hog Deer as of my May 2019 visit, though they were on their last hog deer. Many Asian deer programs have become Bronx-San Diego programs, but if they are to be maintained long-term they need more participants than that. As for the map, the deer are where the blank spot is in the purple section of the map between the railroad and the ostriches. They railroad goes through the deer paddock actually iirc. ~Thylo
Here is the zoo's map: Map, Directions & Tips The zoo has been modernizing for the past 25 years and I believe that Oklahoma City Zoo has made great strides in that time. Great EscApe, Cat Forest and Lion Overlook all opened in the 1990s, with the outstanding Oklahoma Trails in 2007, the Children's Zoo in 2010 and Asian Elephant Habitat in 2011. Sanctuary Asia opened in 2018 and now a $30 million African zone and a $4 million overhaul of Cat & Dog Row are in the near future. That means the pink and purple sections on the zoo's map will look dramatically renovated and Island Life will likely be no more...or at least look much different. I copied and pasted this from the zoo's Galapagos Tortoise press release: "Their current habitat at Island Life will be going away when construction begins on the Zoo’s next major project bringing its African species together. Construction on that project is tentatively scheduled to begin in mid-2020." Here is an article from 2019 talking about the zoo's many projects that are planned for the next decade: https://www.usnews.com/news/best-st...y-zoo-may-get-70m-in-renovations-new-exhibits
That really is a shame, then. Isn't OKC the most successful Aldabra breeder in the country? What other species will be lost from that complex? Shame about the deer as well. At least Pere David's deer are better distributed than other species, and are occasionally included to new Asian complexes (Omaha, for instance). Can't say much for the hog deer, but if other zoos aren't interested in keeping them I'm not surprised OKC isn't either.
OKC only has Galapagos tortoises in Island Life if I'm not mistaken. This is still significant, however, because the zoo has the only non-mixed group known of vandenburghi outside of the Galapagos themselves. Coquis, mantellas, San Esteban Chuckwalla, Arakan Forest Turtle, Impressed Tortoise, and Spotted Whistling-Duck are other rarities the zoo keeps in Island Life. ~Thylo
It's interesting for me to cast my mind back to my only visit to this zoo in the summer of 2008. 'Wild Dog Drive' had the following 8 species: Cheetah, Spotted Hyena, Mexican Wolf, Maned Wolf, African Wild Dog, Black-backed Jackal, Bat-eared Fox and Bush Dog. The 'African Savannah' had, amongst other species, Okapi, Nile Lechwe and Yellow-backed Duiker. There were 9 feline species in the 'Cat Forest/Lion Overlook' section of the zoo. The zoo also had Asian Elephants, Black Rhinos, Greater One-horned Rhinos, 3 species of great ape, and 'Hoofstock Row' with species such as Greater Kudu, Somali Wild Ass, Sable Antelope, Gerenuk and Bontebok. 'Deer Ravine' held the following 5 species: Pere David's Deer, Sika Deer, Tufted Deer, Hog Deer and Chinese Goral.
A few points: The exhibit will not take up the whole pink and purple area. The herpetarium as was previously mentioned, will not be touched. As well the exhibit will only reach as far as the current giraffe barn according to documents (will be used for smaller hoofstock). Leaving a good 5 or 6 acres undeveloped for future exhibits. The zoos messaging on the dog and cat row remodel has been confusing. Originally I believe the zoo planned to renovate that area for cheetah and wild dog breeding, but now it appears that area will be off-show. Instead the cheetah and wild dog are planned to be on exhibits on the south side of the exhibit. Rhino were initially considered for the complex, but have obviously been dropped from the design now. Hippos were never discussed in any of the meetings or plans, just pygmy hippos. One of the big discussions around the pygmy hippos was keeping the cost of filtration low. I'd imagine common hippo would greater increase the budget of this project. Considering the exhibit is going to bidding now, I doubt the basic species list will change much. Asia was in the conceptual stage still when its collection was downsized. Plus the recession was still hurting the nation, and therefore delayed it. Personally, the changes did downsize the collection, yet I am happy with the end result as the elephants have a massive exhibit, that can support a growing herd. Some of the earlier plans (now altered):
Yes, I remember that now. I think I got OKC and Tulsa mixed up, knowing that one of them breeds the only vandenburghi tortoises while the other breeds a lot of Aldabras. It's also a shame to see hyenas nixed from the current plan compared to a previous one.
Oklahoma City Zoo reopened to members today and will reopen to the general public on May 7. Guests will be restricted to a modified pathway that views the majority of exhibits and the overall number of guests per day will be limited: Coronavirus in Oklahoma: OKC Zoo to reopen next week with Outdoor Safari Walk
