Not sure if this is the right section but id rather be corrected than have my thread buried. I'm visiting San Diego for the next week and am planning on visiting the zoo, safari park, and SeaWorld all at least once because I may never have the chance again. Trying to see as many rare species in US zoos while im in town, and need help making a must-see list. So far from scrounging old threads I have: San Diego Zoo: Giant Panda Crowned Eagle Tasmanian Devil Greater Yellownape Blue-winged Pitta African Darter (think this one counts) Gelada Tuatara (off exhibit) Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat Sociable Weaver Talaud Red-And-Blue Lory Magnificent Bird-Of-Paradise Yellow-Rumped Tinkerbird Double-Toothed Barbet White-Bearded Manakin San Diego Zoo Safari Park: Storm's Stork Shoebill Dalmatian Pelican Nyala Roan Antelope Goliath Heron Barbary Deer Ugandan Kob Seaworld San Diego: Orca Pilot Whale Common Dolphin Beluga Spotted Eagle Ray Walrus Emperor Penguin Chinstrap Penguin Adelie Penguin Harp seal Ringed seal Hopefully this will serve as an up to date list for others visiting!
From where exactly did you get the info that SW San Diego has Harp seal and Ringed seal? (Completely new to me).
To my knowledge the Talaud Lory is unfortunately behind the scenes now (or was when I visited, much to my disappointment). The manakin, if still alive, is also bts. The panda, tinkerbird, and barbet are all gone now. The safari park's Goliath Heron might be gone now as well, but if not it's on the safari ride in one of the pond enclosures near the beginning on the right. On my visit none of the guides I had pointed the enclosures out (or most of the enclosures on the right for that matter) so keep an eye out. SeaWorld doesn't have a common dolphin, they have a commonXbottlenose hybrid. I don't think they have an eagle ray either, but they do have Bat Ray. The Ringed Seal is unsigned in the Arctic exhibit but it routinely rotates between the Beluga enclosure, Harbor Seal enclosure, and bts. Just look for the odd looking seal and that'd be it. They do not keep Harp Seal, that is bts at SeaWorld Orlando. ~Thylo
The remaining Ringed Seal came in 2005 (I think) with a few others as part of some research project. They came from the Alaskan Sealife Center. The aquarium does not keep Harp Seal at this time. ~Thylo
@birdsandbats: "They do"??? What kind of answer is this? Beside that, it contradict - in regard with the Harp seal - with the (proper) answer of @ThylacineAlive (thanks by the way).
Tongan Scrubfowl is another rarity you'll want to see. It's in the hidden aviaries by Northern Frontier. Best way to spot her is to head to her enclosure right on opening. Otherwise there's a ditch she hides in all day until feeding maybe. ~thylo
You’ll be able to see the pandas until April 27th. If you go next week, you’ll be one of the last of us to see them in SD for a while.
Now thats the kind of info I was looking for, il make sure to go early and spot the Tongan Scrubfowl!
When you arrive at the zebra here, you're going to turn right (assuming you're coming from Elephant Odyssey) down a path not visible on the map which looks like a service path but is actually public. The scrubfowl should be in the very first one. They have a lot of rarities in those aviaries. ~Thylo
