I read an article (again with Google translate) that says in May of this year a catwalk is about to open with lions and tiger. It isn't clear to me if this is part of the Orientarium that is openend early as lions were never part of the design
Some time ago, I have read a press article about Orientarium. Opening is postponed to second quarter of year 2021. And its first 3 elephants should come from Netherlands and France. I´ve asked elsewhere but without success. Does anyone know what exact animals they will get (bulls, cows)?
Lodz announced that they will receive next year a female malayan sun bear from Czech Republic and a male from Netherlands (I suppose Burges'Zoo). Also, a new video of the elephant indoor in Orientarium is available : https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=3705064746182095
In this article Budowa Orientarium w łódzkim zoo. NOWE ZDJĘCIA. Trwa aranżacja pomieszczeń dla zwierząt. Wiadomo już, kiedy otwarcie it is said that the building will open next june. Morover : - we learnd that four orangutans will come from Switzerland, France and Germany, - it confirms the info gave by @Jana about the elephants. - there will be binturongs, Visayan warty pigs and Bali mynas. In another article it was written that anoas will be hold in the Orientarium.
It is speculation, but the elephant group at Rotterdam zoo has been split into two. Since there is rivalry within the group. I could imagine with the news that the elephants are coming from the Netherlands, the two separated ones in Rotterdam might move to Lodz.
Naing Thein from Copenhagen Zoo is due to move to Lodz in the spring. He is to become the head of a group of young bulls. We'll see if they just stay with the bulls or get the cows.
There are no experienced elephant keepers in Łódź, so I doubt that they will get females quickly. First they have to exercise with the young males.
Lodz has at least one experienced elephant keeper. I´ve just seen a tv program of local Polish station and it contained an interview with a person who worked at least 5 years at Prague zoo with elephants and in Wroclaw in the past too. Must have jumped ship in recent weeks. The first bull Alexander is visible for visitors since today in its outside pen. Yoe Ma and Fahim are expected in the middle or end of September. Opening date for Orientarium is still not set, but tentatively should be in October 2021.
I'm so glad he moved to Łódź Zoo. Thanks to this, it will be possible to create a family group faster.
After long waiting, Orientarium finally opened doors. I see in FB that the first days were huge success and the Polish public is very excited to see the newest "Mega" exhibit in Europe. I waited few weeks, skipped the first crowds and visited yesterday. Some knowledgeable people, expressed some disappointment already, but I decided to see first hand and will try to summarise my thoughts here. As the most people here knows, with the Orientarium, Lodz are trying to replicate the Wroclaw's huge success after introduction of the Africarium. Wroclaw is much more than the Africarium and have very strong traditions, but with plans to breed Asian Elephants and Sumatran Orangutans, the Lodz's project looks more than ambitious. I don't want to sound negative, but my first impression is not "Mind-blowing". I understand that the building is open prematurely, because it needs to generete money as fast as possible and I like the conference venue as a source of income. What I'm not entirely sure is - are Lodz going to be able to modify this building good enough and to ensure "success" for years to come. The reason for my scepticism is called "concrete". The Orientarium starts with the biggest in Europe Elephant indoor hall with futuristic roof and a swimming pool . The bathing show is a huge attraction for the public, but the hall is not filled with many enrichments, yet. Again, the biggest Asian Elephant on the continent, the one tusker Alexander share the space with one young male. Then the road pass through narrow passage dedicated to Celebes Island with Buddhist temple decor. The two exhibits here hold Lion-tailed Macaque and strange mix of Anoa, Asian Small-clawed Otter, Philippine porcupine and Red junglefowl. The Anoas and the Otters have access to a small paddock outside. Next attraction is the mandatory Shark/Corral reef tunnel with few aquariums in addition. This place is, of course young, needs more time and spieces and can offer memorable moments in the future. There is a one very cool thing, tho. One can see the machine room over the aquarium tanks, trough the second level corridor. The last hall welcomes you to the "Sunda Islands" and content the indoor quarters of Sumatran Orangutan, Red-cheeked Gibbon, Javan Lutung, and Sun Bears. The Primates are not introduced to their outdoor enclosures, yet, but I understood that Orangutans and Gibons will share space outside. Not sure, about the Lutungs. The other excibits are Javan Chevrotain/Binturong and pond with underwater viewing for the biggest(5,15m) Tomistoma in Europe - the legendary Kraken and his 3 times smaller lady. In my opinion this is the point, where Lodz needed to put more creativity. The place pretends to be one of the best representations of South-east Asia, but without any big trees...I haven't seen any free-flyng birds, either. The initial project looked like Rainforest, but there are only some plants and vases with palms. It's intresting to see, how this area will develop in the future. Exiting the building you can pass by Golden Jackal exhibit, easy to miss. And then starts the outdoor round. I can easily accept and understand the lack of species or speciemes at this stage, but it's hard for me to comprehend why the wooden paths and glass barriers from the intial project are replaced by concrete walls with electric wire on the top... Now the visitors see Visian Warthy Pigs guarded by 4 meter concrete and electricity. Yes, the species will change, and Orangutans will enter, but almost all outdoor area, even big part of the three Elephant yards is surrounded by walls.There is very interesting plans to mix the Elephants with different Asian ungulates in the future. The Gray Langur (not seen) exhibit is a nice exception and will be very popular place, I believe. There is a way to go until the things settle down and projects like this are never-ending, so let's hope for the best. For us as a Zoo lovers is important that the broad public continues to visit zoos and even if some of the biggest and best enclosures are imperfect they drag families' and kids' attention. If the Lodz's Elephant herd support the future of this species in captivity, I will be more than happy. Overall I had pleasant day at Lodz and want to mention Asian Lion, Amur Tiger, Bush Dog, Pygmy Hippo and the Ring-tailed Vontsira exhibits. Oh yes, and the herd of 9 Lesser Kudus
Not entirely complete, but I can try INDOOR First part Indian zone Entirely dedicated to the South-East Asian Elephants. There are few spieces in the Elephant pool from South-east Asia including Giant carp. Second part Celebes Island Lion-tailed Macaque Anoa/ Asian Small-clawed Otter/ Philippine porcupine/ Red junglefowl. Third part Shark Tunnel Ocellated Eagle Ray, Golden Trevally, Harlequin Sweetlips, Orbicular Batfish, Shark Ray, Stellate Puffer, Giant Guitarfish, Sandbar Shark, Giant Grouper, Zebra Shark, Great Barracuda, Blacktip Reef Shark, Indo-pacific Tarpon, Yellowmargin Triggerfish, Humpback red snapper, Scrawled Filefish Aquarium Bird Wrasse, Orange-lined Triggerfish, Papuan Toby, Quoyi Parrotfish, Blue Triggerfish, Indian Triggerfish, Pink tail Triggerfish, Threadfin Butterflyfish, Valentine's Sharpnose Puffer, Clown Triggerfish, Moon Wrasse, Clark's Anemonefish Saddle-back Clownfish, Doublebar Rabbit fish, Sailfin Snapper, Banggai Cardinalfish, Striped Blenny, Chinamanfish There are more than one unsigned species here, so this list is not complete. In a addition there are four small terrariums with insects on the side. Fourth part Sunda Islands Tomistoma, Hoven's Carp, Jerdon's Baril, Tinfoil Barb, Blackspot Barb, Moonlight Gourami, Bala Shark Sumatran Orangutan Red-cheeked Gibon Javan Lutung Binturong, Javan Chevrotain Sun Bear Small aquarium, but I don't have spices information. According to the zoo website, should be some free flying birds, as well, but I haven't seen any signs or bird. OUTDOOR Golden Jackal Sun Bear Second exhibit supposed to have Clouded Leopards, but Lodz couldn't accuaire the species. There are two birds as a place holders now. Hymalayan Monal and White-naped Crane Visian Warty Pigs most likely going out, when the Orangutans and Gibons start using the exhibit. Sumatran Orangutan, Red-cheeked Gibon Gray Langur Anoa/ Asian Small-clawed Otter African Penguin cost Three Elephant outdoor exhibits. There are plans to mix the Mesopotamian Fallow Deer (most likely) with the Elephants. According to the zoo website, they will have Bali myna, Cattle egret, King quail, Green imperial pigeon and Bulbul.
