San Diego Zoo Safari Park San Diego Zoo Safari Park 2020

Yes. My bad

 

San Diego zoo Safari park is usually overshadowed by his big brother and get generally less public attention. Until the autumn of 2019. After the San Diego Zoo Global decided to phase out it's symbol, the Giant Pandas, they needed an equal "Giant" magnets for the zoo fans. And they arrived, but this time not in the Zoo. According to a Safari Park staff member, there are 22 Platypuses currently in captivity: 20 in Australia and 2 in SDZSP. The long lasting friendship with Taronga and exhausting bureaucracy battle finally binged this remarkable creature in Southern California.

It is a very sad statement, but after the devastating fires Australia will need all the world's support to save their unique wildlife. San Diego Zoo Global has partnered with the University of Melbourne to develop a DNA tracking technology in order to be able to map out the Platypus species by studying water samples for DNA traces. They will try to find out, what are actual numbers of this elusive animal in the wild.

In order to see them properly in the Park is best to arrive very early on the morning, when they are mostly active. The Safari park and the Zoo let you in 30 min. before opening hours and you can wait inside the first small section of the zoo. This can guarantee reaching the Platypuses first and avoid the big queue later.

The group of Malayan tigers are living in beautiful landscaped Tiger Trail , but one much more tiny cat was with greater interest for me here. Sadly, could not see the Black-footed cat on the first day. On the second morning found out that she is usually be active between 15:30 -16:00 afternoon and when visited her exhibit around this time, was happy to see her running around and chasing a mouse

Before even reach the Core of the Safari park you can see a mind-blowing Giant Eland & Red fronted gazelle herds, a Bontebok family, Steenbok&Sitatunga, Gerenuk&Red-flanked Duiker, Cavendish's dik dik and many African birds around the African loop. The primate collection is small, but with big Gorilla forest and gorgeous Kikuyu Guereza island.

I was hesitating to the last moment, shall I go for the Caravan safari, due to the hefty price, but after done the Tram, realized, that will miss serious part of this place's charisma.

Hoofstock seen during the Tram ride: White Rhino, Red river hog, Grevi's zebra, Nile Lechwe, Somali wild ass,Dromedary,Sable Antelope, Greater Kudu, Gemsbok, Springbok, Roan Antelope, Red Lechwe, Cape buffalo, Sitatunga, Massai Giraffe, Uganda Kob, Paterson eland, Common Eland, Red-fronted gazelle, Thomson's Gazelle , Barbary sheep, Scimitar-horned Oryx, Ankole cattle,Barbary stag and Nyala.

During the Caravan safari, we had very knowledgeable tour guide named Lauren and my experience would not be as good without her.

In addition to Tram species have seen:
Grant's Gazelle,Reticulated Giraffe, Common Waterbuck, Defassa Waterbuck,White-bearded Wildebeest, Black-faced Impala, Fringe-eared Oryx, Bactrian Camel, Przewalski's Horse, Arabian Oryx, Markhor, Banteng, Pere David's Deer, White-Lipped Deer, Malayan Sambar, Barasinga, Eld's Deer, Mandarin Sika Deer, Transcaspian Urial, Blackbuck, Nilgai and the biggest Rhino in SDZSP, huge Indian Rhino male. According to Lauren the Armenian Mouflon is not present in the Park anymore.

I am most probably missing something, but it was very hard to stay focused in this Heaven on Earth. The Platypuses definitely pull the trigger for my short trip to the States but the Safari park have a lot more to offer . The conditions for the animals are terrific and even if their main focus are Hoofed mammals ( and because of that ) I would rate them, among the very best in the world.

 

Thanks very much for your reviews @twilighter . You certainly had a fantastic holiday in southern California and it's been a joy to read all about your exciting visits to American zoos.

 

Thank you for the kind words @snowleopard! Your and @Tim Brown fundamental book also urged me to cross the Atlantic

 

Since when did they get Black-faced impala.

 

I’m glad you enjoyed the park and partook in the caravan safari! And I think you meant Sumatran Tigers in Tiger Trail, the Malayan Tigers are at the zoo I love sitting outside of one of the 3 tiger habitats and seeing them take a stroll around their perimeter or communicate amongst each other!

 

My bad. It Is common Impala, of course.

 

Yes I did it a lot ! Thank you for corrections ! Feel free to question me for the other species list also. For the Asian deers I rely on Lauren's word, but the other species were mostly identified by myself, so could be some discrepancies

 

The tour guides are pretty knowledgeable and I’ve relied on them for all the tours done previously, I like to take photos of the animals in question and write down the names in my phone to correlate them after doing multiple reverse image searches to see if they match haha But I think they have been correct so far as I’d hope they would be

 

Any news or even asked the keeper about the Asian plains being reopened for the public?

 

I haven’t asked but will ask if I get the opportunity to when I go back in a couple weeks

 

Will the gorilla grotto receive any upgrades as compared to the SDZ exhibit, it's a massive blemish on the overall park

 

@tigris115 I would doubt any significant renos would be done to the gorilla exhibit. Upon Winston's death the girls are all to move to the zoo to be with Paul Donn. The boys should be ready for a bachelor group by then. Winston is 48 so its just a matter of time. I have zero clue what the plans are for the exhibit space.

 

BREAKING NEWS: The Zoo: San Diego was renewed for another season!!!!!!!!!

Animal Planet Renews 'The Zoo: San Diego' for Season 2 - and There's a Baby Hippo! (Exclusive)

 

An okapi was born January 22nd at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. He’s been named Mpangi meaning friend was born to mom Mbaya

 

New information has been posted about Bek. Does anybody know if he’s here to breed with Polly. Also does anyone know weather or not what happened with Spike?

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I think he was indeed brought over as part of their SSP program. I had a lengthy conversation with one of the volunteers who was giving info on the tree kangaroos and cassowary, would’ve been during my last visit a couple weeks ago. She mentioned that they had opened the night quarters for him to come in and out, and during that time she had mentioned about being a transfer from the SSP but they seem to rotate Polly and her Joey with him.

 

SDSP and Embryo Plus South Africa have together collected eggs from 9 year old female Southern White Rhinoceros, Nikita, in a step towards genetically recovering the Northern White Rhino.

San Diego Zoo Researchers Retrieve Rhino’s Eggs to Recover Critically Endangered Species

 

The safari park has provided an update on Kendi stating that he’s now living in the East Boma. Does anyone know if this boma id viewable to the public and where it’s located within the park?

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