Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium News 2017

Quite interesting the decision to move her to Pittsburgh, but it will be nice to see an elephant calf again

 

After reading the others it was the right decision

 

Colostrum or not, the prognosis for this poor calf is extremely poor. Elephant calves that have to be handraised from day one almost never survive.
I am very surprised that they moved her to Pittsburgh so quickly - there are many cases where female elephants stared to nurse and care for their calves after initial rejection after a week or even 2. Through moving her, the hope that the mother might still raise her has been killed (premature?) and the future of the calf is more then unsure.

 

Seeni (the mother) was not producing milk, so she wouldn't be able to care for her

 

Many female mammals need a couple of days before the milk production starts. That is not unusual, not even with humans. Giving up after less then one week sounds very strange for me, considering that handraising is usually a death sentence for an elephant calf.

 

I very much agree with this. Honestly, I find the way Pittsburgh handled this to be rather interesting indeed.

They acquired these three cows with full intentions of breeding them, while at the same time knowing one of the cows rejected her first calf. So instead of prepping her by integrating her to a herd environment with young animals to learn with, they leave her in isolation with 3 other calf-less cows and a bull. Surprise of all surprises she rejects her next calf. Honestly, if Pittsburgh was smart they would have either sent her to the zoo or moved one of their breeding cows to the center from the zoo to serve as a role model (on that note, they transferred one of their breeding cows to Oregon in 2014 where their only bull is castrated). No doubt an experienced cow could have helped immensely, especially if Seeni could have witnessed and been present for a birth and calf rearing prior to hers. But nope, instead we get this.

 

If the pittsburgh zoo is free contact, why don't they just bottle feed the baby, and have the baby live with the herd at the same time? Maybe the herd would let the calf join them and be sympathetic and caring to the calf. I don't think it is unheard of for elephants to care for an unrelated calf orphan, but if I am wrong, correct me.

 

The calf is in critical condition, so she needs to be with humans, and she has been introduced to the herd, but the same way Cincinnati did with Fiona

 

Zebras are now sharing the exhibit with the giraffes again, does anyone know the status of the sea otters yet? I might go on Monday

 

Plan Your Visit
They are still on the off-exhibit list.

 

When is coolio scheduled to be on exhibit?

 

End of June is the earliest.

 

I have been told that the final touches are being done to the sea otter exhibit. They should return soon. No exact timeline for Coolio.

 

ZOO UPDATES:
Sea otters off exhibit, but they were filling it up with water.
Coolio's exhibit remains the same.
The sea lion glass viewing was cleaned and the differences are incredible
Canada lynx exhibit now has a sign
Elephant care center closed but you can view the indoor exhibit
Visited Dino exhibit nothing exciting except a couple spray water and there was a fossil dig
Asian forest sign removed
If you are wondering why the turkey exhibit is empty, they escaped (flew out)
The zoo has an elderly female tree kangaroo off exhibit, but I saw her since I now work there
Zoo plans to put wallabies in the turkey exhibit (the turkey exhibit is not small, it is actually a decent sized exhibit, bigger than the red panda exhibit so they should be fine.)

 

Oh and the deer yard will be closed for a while since there is a tree that has to be cut down

 

I have only seen wild turkeys in that exhibit maybe two or three times since 2010. I am happy something is going in that exhibit.

 

Also the beaver now shares an exhibit with a black swan

 

Do you know how soon the zoo plans to put wallabies on exhibit? I will be interest to see when the lowland nyala show up. The final plan is out and one male and three females are slated for Pittsburgh.

 

It is a plan and not 100% ready so i have no idea

 

Article about the elephant-calf :

Pittsburgh Zoo Cares for Preemie Elephant Calf