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

Just talked to an employee. The time table has been consistently pushed back since talks started back in 2018. Current timetable is early 2020, but not even close to set in stone.

 

At the President’s Ambassadors event last night, they said the platypuses will be coming this fall.

 

And now the waiting begins... See if that timeframe actually holds knowing quarantine procedures. Not holding my breath or planning anything until they're confirmed on a plane and on their way...

Nonetheless this is probably the most promising information yet.

 

Knew it was going to happen as soon as I left Southern California for college

 

I'd like to see written confirmation from the zoo tbh.

~Thylo

 

I was at the Safari Park this past weekend. The docent at the Australia exhibit said that she is asked multiple times a day about the platypus and that their official response is that they do not know when, or if, the platypus is coming. She is an official representative of the zoo, so presumably that is their official position as of September 2019.

 

Presumably yes that is the official position. In this particular case I think that is safe to assume. However, being a former docent myself (at a different zoo) and having spoken with docents on visits to many different zoos, I am afraid that as a general rule docents often do not know what they are talking about.

 

Permitting is dreadfully slow unless the USFW really has motivation to put it through... Likely enough the permits will sit 2-3 months at FW before being approved... if they are actually submitted.

 

There is an opening special event on Nov 21.

 

Are platypuses confirmed then? I would not have expected them present so soon.

 

For just the exhibit and to announce they're coming, or will they actually be there? I'm thinking the former...

 

They didn’t specifically say, but i would be surprised if they would have an opening without the animals.

 

What is the source of your information? Is it on their website?

 

@TinoPup I'm inclined to agree with you.

I would agree that seems logical, though I don't think there's been any verifiable information on them actually arriving, let alone them arriving at all. Any platypus actually going on exhibit by the 21st would have to already be here, for standard quarantine. Though why open the exhibit if there's no animals?

Curious about this as well, I looked on their website and couldn't find anything.

Edit: Did some searching and didn't find much at all. Nothing official whatsoever. Platypuses are mentioned on the safari park's Wikipedia page; says two will call it home. Although being Wikipedia I put no credence on that.

Found another article that was a behind-the-scenes look at their Australian exhibit, and of note was that they have two echidna they're trying to breed.

 

My mind says no, but my heart says yes!

In all seriousness I want to believe you, we all do. However, until I see an official date from the Safari Park itself I'm not buying anything.

 

I just notice that "san diego zoo safari park november 21 2019" is already an auto-fill option on Google. I have no idea if that's because there is an actual even today, or because so many ZooChatters have already Googled it! However, I couldn't find anything once I searched it.

 

The Platypus aren't coming - instead they have just imported a bunch of native Australian fish species to fill the enclosure

 

I thought it was going to be the worlds biggest water rat enclosure...