San Diego Zoo Safari Park Platypus at San Diego Zoo Safari Park

For whatever it's worth, ZIMS database does not list any platypuses in San Diego as of today. Usually animals kept behind the scenes are still listed in ZIMS, unless the zoo hasn't updated their records yet.

 

IF they have indeed arrived and are behind the scenes, it wouldn't surprise me if the zoo kept them as low profile as possible for some time in case something happened to one of it/them. That's normal protocol typically anyway. Less public upset, especially for such a high profile animal as platypus.

 

That's what I'd imagine they're doing, keep them for at least several months before even announcing, especially with how they tend to be hard to keep in captivity.

 

Meaning as soon as I leave Southern California for school they’ll be announced. Great.

I think we should remain skeptical till at least a second source hints at it.

 

Sorry to discourage you, but:

Duck-billed platypus | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants

 

Well they wouldn’t have them on their site until after they are announced would they?

 

Oh wait, somewhere here has a trip to SoCal (well, and NoCal, but that's irrelevant for now...) in late June...

 

I wouldn't count on it! That said, what part of N. Cal?

 

Except that ZIMS is a management tool not a public database, and it would be a serious breach of protocol, one I would be very surprised San Diego Zoo of all zoos would breach. Having said that I think they do have the ability to deny access to some records.

 

Someone DM'd me about the details so il try and recall what I heard. As I understand she was working the ticket checking area at the bus stop place in order to gain work experience to become a full keeper. I didnt talk to her as long as I would have liked but she said that they were almost certainly getting platypus and said that the word out was that they may already be behind the scenes and that they were keeping it on the down low, not a straight "they are already behind the scenes" but a suggestion that we are at or nearing that point.

Obviously not as in the know as I would have liked but it strongly suggests that the transfer is still happening. It also makes sense that they would want to keep it under wraps until they were sure of their survival, if they widely publicized this landmark species at the "World Famous SDZ" and then it died it wouldn't look good.

On the other hand there is also plenty of stuff to suggest it hasnt happened yet so who knows...

 

With all due respect, this does start to sound like the kind of schoolyard and online fan group gossip that makes the round whenever a new movie, book, game etc. is rumoured to be published. ^^
The source is usually a "cousin's friend's neighbour's uncle's haircutter's daughter's boyfriend's stepfather's drinking buddy, who heard it through the grapevine", and all too often, the hype has no real or a far less spectular background. And it wouldn't be the first time a zoo used the rumour mill to its advantage - like Grzimek and his "white" elephant, back in the days.

 

I know for sure that there will be San Jose/Monterey, and I think there's also Sacramento and San Fransisco, then a bunch of other places. And also Oakland.

 

I was only reporting what I was told, nothing more. I fully understand that it should be taken with a large grain of salt, however it is still encouraging and dismissing it off the bat as schoolyard banter because it wasn't verifiable is setting an unreasonable standard for a thread largely dedicated to speculations in the first place.

It also lines up with what was talked about by the director of SDZ last month in the San Diego Tribune: Village Viewpoints speaker to discuss San Diego Zoo’s impact around the world at April 14 event

 

For the record, I clearly stated that it started

Not that it actually was schoolyard banter.
No one wants to depreciate you or your story; but you've got to admit that all the circumstances do make it sound a bit like the typical grapevine I mentioned.

 

All true, were all hoping it does come true, including those who work there I imagine...

 

Not quite to my neck of the woods then, but close!

 

In fairness, that site is inaccurate. I was thumbing through it last night for unrelated reasons and it still claims they have African Forest Buffalo Helen, who died several years back. It also mentions Africa Rocks as a future opening in at least one entry. It is not reflective of what is in their actual collection.


EDIT (Moderator note): replies to this subject moved to this thread: San Diego Zoo Complete Species List [San Diego Zoo]