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Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Pittsburgh Zoo News 2014

Discussion in 'United States' started by TigerValley98, 8 Jan 2014.

  1. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The zoo has notified me that the new cheetah exhibit opening date will be announced on social media soon. They also said that for Giraffe and Zebra Overlooks. What the overlooks will look like exactly, I do not know.
     
  2. Milwaukee Man

    Milwaukee Man Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  3. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  4. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The zoo’s new zebras have been named Spencer and Penelope.
     
  5. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Proposed changes to the Heth's Run Valley could affect the zoo's parking. The Heth's Run Bridge is currently under renovation next to the zoo's parking lot. The detour runs through the corner of the zoo's parking lot.

    Heth's Run Valley Slated for Major Facelift | 90.5 WESA
     
  6. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  7. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The zoo has announced on Facebook that the newly renovated cheetah exhibit is now open as of today.

    YouTube Video:
    See Spots at the Zoo - YouTube
     
  8. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  9. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  10. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  11. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  12. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Cheetahs are out

    (Pittsburgh) (July 2014)—Seeing spots this summer? A condition only remedied by visiting the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium and meeting our new cheetahs as they make their debut.

    “I think we are just as excited as our visitors to see these magnificent animals out in their new yard,” says Dr. Barbara Baker, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium. “There will be plenty of activity as our young charismatic males and females, two of each, join our more mature cat, Purdy, and explore, play, chase each other, and tumble around in the yard.”

    Cheetahs are critically endangered in the wild with an estimated 9,000 to 12,000 remaining. Lack of genetic variation for mating, human-wildlife conflicts, disease, and high mortality rates all contribute to the animal’s decreasing population.

    “Cheetahs at the Zoo is a great opportunity to educate our visitors,” says Dr. Baker. “Working together today to protect and conserve this animal will ensure its survival into the future.”

    The Zoo’s young cheetahs are especially valuable as their genetics have not been previously introduced into the North American population and the Zoo hopes breeding will take place in the future to help to revitalize the cheetah populations in zoos around the country.

    Cheetahs are beautiful cats with golden coats that are covered with small black spots. They have unique tear stripes that run from the corners of their eyes to the side of their noses.

    Cheetahs are the fastest land animal with bodies that are built for speed. Their long, thin bodies and powerful legs have the ability to reach over 60 miles per hour in just three seconds. Their tails acts as rudders, steering the body through quick turns as the cat closes in on prey. When running a cheetah is able to cover up to 22 feet in one stride.

    The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium thanks John L. Miclot, Cathy Rinchetti, and family for their generous support of our cheetah conservation work.

    More information about the Zoo’s cheetahs:


    Ajamu (Male): Widest face and has a small nick on right side of face in the tear stripe.
    Name meaning: “fights for what he wants.”

    Ramses: (Male): has the darkest and widest tear stripes.
    Name meaning: “Begotten by the Sun.”

    Nalah: (Female):
    Wider, darker tear stripes than Zola.
    Naming meaning: “Successful, beloved honeybee.”

    Zola: (Female):
    Tear stripe on left side of her nose curls into a comma shape, three distinct stripes on the end of her tail.
    Name meaning: “Quiet, tranquil, productive”.


    Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
     
  13. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  14. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Zebras are Back

    (Pittsburgh) (August 2014)— It is a black and white affair at the African Savanna this year as the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium welcomes back zebras. With generous help from the Vein Institute of Pittsburgh, this wonderful species will be available for all in the community to enjoy.

    Our two new zebras, Spencer and Penelope or “Penny” for short, are Grant’s zebras, a somewhat common species of zebras found mostly in the African Savanna. Although both are around one-year-old, they already weigh over 300 pounds each.

    For the next week, the zebras will be alternating time in the yard with the giraffes. The zebras will be in the yard from 9:30 a.m. to noon and the giraffes will be on exhibit for the remainder of the day. “We are giving them time to acclimate to their new yard and then we will introduce the giraffes and zebras together,” says Dr. Barbara Baker, President & CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium.

    The yard was recently transformed into a larger space to accommodate both species. “We are very excited to once again have zebras back at the Zoo,” says Dr. Baker. “Our zebras have always been a favorite animal with our visitors. So when we were contacted about two young zebras being available, we jumped at the opportunity.”

    Zebra stripes are more than just decorative coloring for the species. Each zebra species is identified by its own distinctive stripe pattern and each individual zebra wears his or her own characteristic pattern. The combination of black and white also provides the perfect camouflage for zebras to hide in the tall grasses of the savanna. Penny has a beautiful black-and-white braided pattern down her tail while Spencer is more of a brown-and-white stripe combination.

    Zebras exhibit a blend of personalities, showing a range of strong and spirited one minute to standoffish and vulnerable the next. They communicate with each other through different facial expressions and sounds such as braying, barking, or soft snorts. Different emotions are depicted through ear position, eye size, and baring teeth. Within the zebra herd, grooming is an opportunity for the zebras to bond. They use their teeth to nibble or bite each other’s fur to remove long hair and ticks while at the same time providing a good back scratch.

    Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium
     
  15. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Zebras Return to the Pittsburgh Zoo
    By Michael Lynch

    After a six-year absence, zebras have returned to the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.

    Penny and Spencer grazed and trotted their way around the new African Overlook exhibit for just the third time this morning. The pair of Grant’s zebras will eventually share their habitat with the giraffes, but for now, the animals are taking turns getting used to the environment.

    Ken Kaemmerer, the curator of mammals at the zoo, said the animals have taken a liking to their new digs.

    “They’ve acclimated very quickly, which has been a pleasant surprise,” Kaemmerer said. “And right now what we’re doing is we’re allowing the zebras to get acclimated to learn the boundaries of the exhibit.”

    Spencer, who was born in Eighty Four, Pa., is the younger of the two. At about eight-months-old, his stripes have a slight brown tint that will fade as he matures. Penny is originally from Texas. At about one year old, her stripes are darker and more defined, according to Kaemmerer.

    When the zoo sent the previous zebras away in 2008, expansion began on the African Overlook exhibit with hopes that the animals could one day return and coexist with the giraffes.

    “We just decided that in an intervening period, we wanted to make some dramatic new changes to the giraffe exhibit that would better enable us to have both giraffe and zebra,” Kaemmerer said.

    As part of the renovations, crews added a path that circles nearly the entire exhibit, allowing visitors to get a full view of the animals.

    “You can get so much closer now to both the zebra and giraffe,” Kaemmerer said. “It’s like they’re almost standing within your space just about 10 or 12 feet away.”

    Grant’s zebras are one of the smallest and most common species. Kaemmerer said Penny and Spencer already weigh about 300 pounds each and should only grow another one to two inches.

    The zebras are currently on display from 9:30 a.m. to noon and are expected to become a permanent fixture by next week.

    Zebras Return to the Pittsburgh Zoo | 90.5 WESA
     
  16. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Safari Restaurant will remain open during the new restaurant construction next door. It will be removed later.
     
  17. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  18. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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  19. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium has released a YouTube video discussing the zoo’s Top of the World expansion.

     
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  20. TigerValley98

    TigerValley98 Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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