Despite proudly becoming the only zoo in the world around 7 years ago to display Lear's macaws to the public, the zoo no longer has them in the collection after distributing them to other Brazilian zoos. Since RioZoo built the custom macaw aviary, Loro Parque started to display Lear's macaws to the public, and as far as I know, they're the only zoo which still do.
Vistoria constata que incêndio que atingiu o Museu Nacional não afetou a saúde dos animais do zoológico do Rio The terrible fire that completely destroyed the Museo Nacional of Brazil did not reach Riozoo which is very near the museum. This was due to wind direction. Smoke did not reach Riozoo. The loss of the national museum was a terrible loss to Brazil, if Riozoo was affected the tragedy could have been even worse.
While researching Rio Zoo I found this article, not quite two years old, concerning the transformation of the zoo. I wondered if anyone knew how it was going? 65 million Brazilian Real seems very little money for what they hope to achieve. Google Translate
They have a FB site and early this year it was announced the Bioparque should re-open in the first half-year of 2020.
I was hoping it would be open by the end of April as I'm due be there then, however, given Coronavirus, things might change.
The complete renovation of the zoo seems to be going pretty well; although the works stopped for a time, they're slowly recovering the activities. Exhibits such as the big brazilian walkthrough aviary, some reptile ponds and the place destinated for the hippos are already complete, and animals are already in. (although some final touches are still missing in most of them.) The "Aventura selvagem" area, wich is the river safari, is also about to be completed, for what I know. I initially thought it was indeed a small amount of money, but the exhibit renovations in Brasil are usually made with a relatively low cost, but with a nice structure. It's not very common to find mock rock exhibits around here, for example, as well as concrete trees/artificial structures inside them. Most zoos have low budgets here, so the crews had to learn how to do their best with the available resources. Besides that, it's very rare to see a zoo here completely destroying it's previous exhibit to build another one, but usually "recycling" some walls, moats, or even fencing, and improving mostly foliage, terrain levels and size when it's possible. The works at Rio zoo is probably the biggest and most radical renovation a brazilian zoo has ever passed through, but they still are making use of some structures, wich saves a lot of money if we think well. Their budget seems to be enough for now, and I hope they finish their projects as soon as they can. I'm gonna be sharing here some pictures of what has been done so far. All of them are divulgations from the Bioparque do Rio institution. Hippo exhibit (not showing the entire space) with the river tour and elevated paths in the background. (National museum building being renovated can also be seen in the far background.) River tour overview. Not done, but looking great in my opinion. Brazilian bird aviary, 1300m2 (13993sq ft) Reptile ponds. Broad snouted caimans and giant south american turtle. Important to remember again that all the images shared here were published by the Bioparque do Rio institution, that belongs to the Cataratas organization: BioParque do Rio
Yeah, their job definitely seems to be doing pretty well. The primate collection of the zoo is probably the largest in the country, and I imagine they are going to continue keeping most of the native ones. About exotics, they're probably going to keep holding orangutans and chimps.
I would forward to any updates about the zoos progress and any information about the primate collection. Thanks
These initial images of a near complete zoo seem to indicate the new zoo is on the right path. I look forward to the re-opening in 2021. I wonder about what species and education+conservation-wise what they have planned. What kind is the Cataratas organisation like? I hope you can describe in some more detail what the goals and visions of this organisation are (I seen images of locations around Rio they manage ...).
I found this in their blog: a yellow-breasted capuchin Sapajus xanthosternos born recently. LINK: Abu, o filhote de macaco-prego-do-peito-amarelo que nasceu no BioParque do Rio! | Grupo Cataratas On their wider conservation in situ / ex situ: LINK: BioParque do Rio: Apadrinhamento do macaco-prego-do-peito-amarelo! | Grupo Cataratas
Great! Every info I get about the development of the renovation and the primates I'll be telling here Yes, it definitely seems to be going on the right way. Their educational crew seems to be pretty great for some contents they've been publishing. About the Cataratas group, they are a private ecotourism company that started ruling the Iguazu falls, in the Brasil-Argentina border (Cataratas means falls/cascades in brazilian). From their beggining till now, they started ruling many other institutions, such as Rio de Janeiro aquarium, the three borders monument (also in Foz do Iguaçu, marking the triple border between Brasil, Argentina and Paraguay), some organizations in Fernando de Noronha islands and the Bioparque itself. They're making a great work, and some previously neglected public institutions are gaining a new meaning. They seem to take the conservation as their main goal. About the capuchin monkey that was born, it's great news indeed. Bioparque do Rio was considered by AZAB as one of the main keepers of this species in the country.
According to the councilman Marcos Paulo from PSOL, who is kind of against the whole zoo concept/idea, the biopark is preparing itself to import 4 giraffes, along with pairs of zebras and impalas from African countries. He is complaining that nobody wants new animals arriving at the zoo and the institution started the process without asking for permission from the population.
In the begining of the renovation, they said they would bring two giraffes, but four individuals looks more viable if they wanna breed them; so they might have changed their mind. Didn't know about the zebras and impalas. They will be a great adition to the place too. This councilman probably knows nothing about what's actually going on at the zoo, for what I could read about his declarations. He's surely part of the team of people that criticize zoos unconditionally without knowing a single thing about the modern purposes of these institutions. Hope his projects are all archivated. At least he gave us a hint of some species that will be kept at the river safari.
http://www.rio.rj.gov.br/dlstatic/10112/5869572/4153815/TERMODEREFERENCIA.pdf According to this document, there was (or probably is, Idk) a plan to bring wildebeest back to the zoo to keep them with the other African mammals as well. The file also shows a bit of the animals held at the zoo, on June 2015. It's not from Grupo Cataratas, but from the prefecture/government of Rio.
I do not think it is a councilman's job to scan the animal collection for a zoo. Ignorance is not bliss, it is a death trap(ping). Further, it should be the zoo management making decisions and not some politician who might be out of a job in 4 years time. Continuity, long term vision over populism or short term "result(s)".
I agree with you. The zoo isn't state-owned (it is privately-owned (got recently privatized), as many people have said before), so he has even less authority regarding the institution as a whole.
Totally agree with you. Brazilian politicians have been doing this kind of acts in the entire country. They think that involving into animal cause will bring them all the votes they need; and they can deeply disturb the conservation works with their selfish ideas...
For goodness sake, let Mr. Marcos Paulo work his socks of to get funding and capacity and science staff to ensure that the environment, the directly dependent local and native people and Mata Atlantica around Rio are fully protected. That would be more part of his political brief if he wishes to be a credible and positive force for change. For the zoo, looking at the 2015 animal collection they have their work cut out to ensure that more of the Amazonia / Brasileira fauna is given more focus and that breeding groups are created of the many and rarer primate taxa I found listed on the Primates part of the list. Also, some macaw, parrot and conure species in large numbers needs to be sorted and set up proper breeding facilities for the various curassow species. A proper reptile house and one for amphibians and freshwater fish! ....
I hope these politicians change their way to act. Most of them that says to have a more environmental preocupation does similar actions to what this individual wants to do...
