San Francisco Zoo San Francisco Zoo News 2014

Thanks for reminding me zooplantman, I already took into account the possibility of this link being more artistic than what is really to be planned. I just forgot to note that the animals with an asterisk next to them are not currently exhibited at the zoo and may not be found in the renovated exhibit building. Yet the other animals are found at the zoo and will most likely move into the Rainforest Building.

 

The zoo also has Coatis and a kinkajou. I wonder if either species will move in as well

 

But where are they going to go? Even if the squirrel monkeys get that space between the sea lion pool and the reno-ed building, it doesn't have that large of a footprint. They'd have to kick out a wall in order to give the tamarins and the sloth a decent home. It'd suck to have them go from one glassed in box to another.

And the zoo recently acquired a male keel-billed toucan.

Also, I'd be quite upset if they wasted all of that space for moose and wild turkey.

 

The squirrel monkeys and capybaras should have an adequate space of approximately 4000 sq ft and the renovated Tropical Building has a footprint of about 6000 sq ft., more than enough space for the sloth, tamarins, anaconda, piranhas, etc. on land. The birds should be free ranging so they don't take up much space.

 

The building is quite spacious in terms of land-area and height.
In the past though, only about a third of the building was exhibit space for the animals. there was a lot of seating for visitors and they'd often have temp exhibits there too. The new reno will no doubt give more room to the animals. The birds will probably all be free-flight and the tamarins and sloths will probably only be separated from visitors by natural boundaries
And the Capybara is kept in a tiny side yard at puente because she harasses the anteaters. The new place would be almost as big as the main yard at puente.

 

The zoo has a new website design, like many zoos recently.
SF Zoo - Home

 

A male red panda will arrive on May 10th.

Meet The SF Zoo's New Red Panda: SFist

 

Or rather the red panda will be on exhibit, May 10.

 

Here's another link about the new red panda, with images of the exhibit construction.
We Will Not Apologize For More Photos Of The S.F. Zoo's New Red Panda: SFist

 

Looks like he'll be occupying that space between the old elephant house and the new komodo dragon space. If right, then it's great to see that chunk of land get utilized. I've always felt that a decent sized exhibit could be put there for a small mammal.

Speaking of the komodo dragon, I sincerely hope that they have plans to expand that terrarium once he gets... well, larger. He'll barely be able to turn around.

 

Actually, the red panda exhibit is in the Children's Zoo, where the former turkey exhibit was.
http://www.zoochat.com/604/childrens-zoo-wild-turkey-exhibit-158873/
On the other hand, they will eventually have to build a larger Komodo dragon exhibit, but when is the question.

 

They have an older female in quarantine right now too.

 

SOme new info on the Rainforest building & other new projects:

1. The outdoor squirrel Monkey enclosure is no longer going to happen. The Zoo feels that their current home at the PDC is adequate, and the space outside the Rainforest Building could be better used some for a different species.

2. The Rainforest building will not be home to any mammal species other than sloths. They feel that it'd be stressful/unhealthy for primates who've lived outdoors their whole life to move indoors. Of course this doesn't apply to the Tamarins...

3. The zoo is currently transforming the old Grey seal exhibit into a home for Wolverines, who'll be arriving at the zoo very soon.

 

I had a feeling the squirrel monkey exhibit was not happening, on the zoo's website, it says the space is now a "prehistoric garden" (for ferns and other plants). It's unfortunate that the tamarins won't be moving because they need a more spacious home. and lastly, that's great news that the pachyderm building is being put to more use as it is currently only exhibiting Greater one horned rhinoceros. Do you know when wolverines are to arrive? Also, @Chimpangeek, if you had recently visited the zoo, do you have any pictures of the finished red panda exhibit? If so could you upload it to the gallery?

 

DONE.
I found it to be aesthetically nice, but they definitely could've planted more natural foliage in the exhibit, maybe a little waterfall+stream and made the treehouse larger and more interesting. It also could've been a bit bigger overall.
As for the Wolverines, I don't know the specifics. But I'd expect they'll arrive at some point during the summer.

 

Thanks for the pictures! After 6 years of stagnation (2007-2013), the Zoo began to open new exhibits again, and bring in new animals. Small exhibits are being built (renovated also), first the komodo dragon and bongo exhibits, then red panda, and now wolverine, in addition to the Rainforest Building. And don't forget the multi-million dollar playground that was required to be built.

 

They were required to build a new playground. But not to spend $3 million on it. lol
The Zoo did a survey about two years ago for the public, on what species they'd like to see exhibited at the Zoo. I remember Komodo Dragons and Red Pandas being among them.
The Pandas, the Dragon and the Wolverine are publicity stunts to help the zoo attract more attention and raise more money so they can work on much larger projects. Every month or two the Zoo has new advertisements around the city for new species, new babies, the playground etc.

 

Also, I would say the stagnation really started in 2004/2005 with the elephant controversy. Grizzly Gulch was also a bit controversial, seeing as how the Polar Bears and spectacled bears were still in cement grottos. And other than a half-dozen giraffe and kudu births, there were very few babies being born between 04 and 2008/09

 

Knowing that the Zoo will not reveal its master plan, here are some nice conceptuals I found (most likely just concepts and do not mean anything). The first link is a renovation of the Pachyderm Building into a California coast exhibit. The second link also proposes a similar but more expansive coastal exhibit that transforms the western portion of the Zoo and parking area. If the Zoo would only publicize a master plan...
San Francisco Zoo :Anthony Massarweh Designs
San Francisco Zoo ?

 

At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, I would readily join the chorus for the zoo's closure if any of this came to pass. It's not only unnecessary, but they would be dedicating valuable real estate to animals I can see outside without any real effort.

Egrets and Blue herons? I see them on my commute. Why don't they add wild turkeys too?


Oh, and in other zoo news: the recently acquired male howler monkey was renamed Robin Williams. Yes, Mork from Ork.