I visited today. The construction in the Patagonian mara exhibit seems to have finished, and it looks like they constructed a few new shelters for the maras. Construction workers were installing the sliding doors between the indoor and outdoor aviaries for the new aviary between the entrance and exist of the orangutan greenhouse (which will house wrinkled hornbill, Sclater's crowned pigeon and common hill myna). Two other construction workers were doing some adjustments to the bridge between the greenhouse and the orangutan island on the restaurant side. I saw a male Edward's pheasant in the mixed Asian aviary near the lions (which already housed Demoiselle crane, Blue peafowl and Asian azure-winged magpie, among others). However the signage for this aviary seemed to be gone, so presumably they are updating it.
One of the birds send to Bulgaria for re-introduction ( together with 2 birds from the Czech Republic ) : Planckendael releases black vultures in Bulgaria
ZooLex has highlighted the Bonobo exhibit as its latest gallery entry: ZooLex Exhibit - Expedition Bonobo
The Antwerp Zoo Foundation, the nature conservation organization of the Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (KMDA in Dutch) which manages Zoo Antwerpen and Zoo Planckendael, and the province of Antwerp (which both zoos are located in) will cooperate to conserve and stimulate biodiversity and protect bonobo habitat in the Lomako-Yokokala nature reserve in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The province will invest 875,850 euro from now until 2025, helping protect up to 362,500 hectares of forest. The project will be co-managed with the location population. HLN article "Provincie investeert 875.850 euro in Congolees natuurreservaat" (2022-10-04) Gazet van Antwerpen article "Antwerp Zoo Foundation ontvangt bijna miljoen euro voor bescherming van belangrijk leefgebied van bonobo’s" (2022-10-04)
A vicuña was born earlier this week, the second cria of Humprey and Emily. https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=816269206171633
Plankendael's male white-cheeked gibbon Paultje died on Monday at the age of 48, having lived at Planckendael since 1997. He was the oldest living male gibbon in a European zoo. The female gibbon Paquita will now stay with the orangutan group consisting of the young male Vilmos and the older female Moni and Karo, who live on the restaurant side of the complex. Earlier this year I saw the gibbon exhibit connected to the exhibit for the orangutan family group, but apparently they have since joined the other group. Zoo Planckendael Facebook post
