This is the 2018 thread for news regarding the San Diego Zoo. For one, coqueurel’s sifaka are expected to go on exhibit next week.
The zoo is hosting a free lecture and slide show on fishing cat conservation on Wednesday, January 17, from 5-6pm (doors open 4:30pm). It will be held in Dickinson Family Center Auditorium. The speaker is Dr Ashwin Naidu, director of Fishing Cat Conservancy, who is an engaging and gifted speaker as well as a personal friend of mine. I would encourage everyone who can to attend - I may even be there myself. Fishing Cat Conservancy Presentation
The plans for the new Children’s Zoo have been released. $30M record gift will jumpstart a new Children's Zoo, opening in 2021 My thoughts: the Children’s Zoo should not be a top priority, certainly not at this cost... Urban Jungle and the bear grottos/monkey cages require more urgent attention imo.
Note: @pachyderm pro created a new stand-alone thread for the Childrens Zoo so I moved the posts relating to the development to that thread. Please continue any discussion of that topic in that thread. San Diego Zoo - Sanford's Childrens Zoo complex, opening 2021
Just wanted to drop a quick note - I’m in San Diego now and will probably post some thoughts on my visit in a post upon my return (when I again have access to a full keyboard), but I did want to note that as of this past Thursday, the sifakas were on exhibit in Africa Rocks! - watching them explore the trees in their new home was one of several highlights to a great visit.
For better or for worse, the zoo had updated the tour route to go down bear canyon and up Africa Rocks. In addition, a large statue is beginning construction just outside the main entrance. Photos to come.
Should we start a ZooChat wager on what the new statue will be? My vote is for giant panda. Something related to Africa Rocks might make sense too, but I will stick with panda. So that one is taken, any other participants must vote for something else!
I don't think this statue is necessary with the great looking entrance sign (which it may visually conflict with) but I am looking forward to it. I vote !
Hmm, without a picture of the begging of construction to go by, this is gonna be tough. Plus the best answer for the Zoo has been reserved. I’d say a Rhino, but that’s obviously the mascot of the Safari Park. I gonna go with Koalas. Probably a mother with a baby on her back. Kids and women will love it because it’s “cute.” Guys would want a snake or lion dragging down a zebra. Of course that’s all stereotypes, but my money would actually be on a Panda.
I spotted a species on exhibit on Eagle Trail today which was to far away to ID. To be clear, I saw it from the marsh exhibit as Eagle Trail remains closed.
