I think I can answer your question for you jake.roberts. It pure and simply comes down to need. The zoo simply doesn't need any ostrich chicks. All ostriches in the AZA are managed as a generic group meaning they do not belong to a particular subspecies and have no conservation value. Because of this they are not managed by an SSP and carefully orchestrated hatchings are not necessary, though parentage is monitored. Add to this the fact ostriches can be purchased through ostrich farms to replace those who have passed away very easily. In the end there is no great demand for ostrich chicks to fill out other zoos' exhibits or to keep the population genetically and demographically sound. If the zoo were to allow the ostriches to keep all of their eggs and potentially hatch them could result in unnecessary mouths to feed and a strain on space until they can be placed at other zoos (because ostrich farms while fine to buy from are not a good idea to place with if you don't want the public to become outraged that the zoo is creating life to be killed). Keepers will reduce the clutches size and if the ostriches do ok with incubating them let a few chicks be hatched. They take the majority of the eggs but leave some so the ostriches get a chance to nest, incubate and it prevents them more egg laying. So far our ostriches seem to have an issue nesting in the right place or properly incubating the eggs. Plus I believe Eunice has yet to produce a fertile egg while Miss Ellie is perhaps a little old to do so. However the keepers leave a couple and let nature take its course. If ostriches were genetically valuable or had an ssp the zoo would be taking some of the eggs aside and incubating them to ensure they survive. That's what they have had to do with the Marabou Storks since the male George likes to kick the eggs from the nest. Good house keeping is one thing, killing your offspring in the process is another. Keepers removed Archie and Zuri as eggs to prevent this and ensure that they had every chance at hatching. They were hand reared (probably because the zoo was afraid he would kick a chick out too) but other species zoo's incubate and once the chick has begun to hatch return it to its parents for hatching and rearing (think condors and penguins). The zoo is not actively trying to prevent any chicks from hatching. Heck Eunice was brought in with the hopes of a couple of chicks every now and then. It's just thus far none of the eggs left with them have survived. Maybe one day there will be a chick or two but for now the zoo is happy to reduce clutch size (who needs 20 chicks when just a couple will do?) and let nature take its course. If chicks come the zoo is ok with that. If not well at least the adults got a chance to have the enriching experience of nesting. The zoo took a similar approach to their emus. They would let them breed and lay eggs. The staff would then reduce clutch size to two or three and wait and see what happened. Every so often there would be an emu chick or two. Don't forget virtually all of the births and hatchings at the zoo are part of very carefully planned SSP coordination. Of all of the species at the zoo there are only a small number of species that are not part of an SSP and most of those species are not allowed to breed (white lions being a very notable exception). If the AZA ever decides to go with a pure subspecies of ostrich, like they were when they were considering a few years back with North African Ostriches which are threatened, then you would probably see a change in the management strategy. However until that happens and the zoo gets that species it will be more of the same letting nature take its course. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the informative reply TZFan. It makes sense, I never took into consideration the fact they could easily buy ostriches from a farm. Maybe one day we will see one or two walking around.
Chicks could happen with any of the clutches. So far no luck but who knows what this summer will bring... or next summer. With each clutch there is always a chance. Only time will tell.
On the zoo's facebook page, they have officially mentioned the birth of the Lynx cubs, and even have 2 pictures.
Deaths... Axolotl Artemis died May 14th. Births... non of which will be on display sadly... 3 Black footed ferret pups to mom Twilight. 2 Vancouver Island Marmots to parents Sitka and Hunter 6 Loggerhead Shrikes to parents Hazel and Beano Possible new arrivals... Capybara Brutus and Lucy have been breeding with a 4-5 month gestation lets hope this doesn't work because the babies would be arriving mid October through December. Bad timing for those of us who want to see them. Spectacled Owls Jemima and Spencer have two fertilized eggs being incubated by staff. I still do not understand why the zoo insists on breeding two of the least genetically valuable spectacled owls in North America against the SSP's recommendations. Sure Owlbert is being used for outreach and they are training big sister Luna to do the same but do they really need 4 outreach owls. Unless another zoo which isn't part the the ssp wants them. Snow Leopards Ena and Kota have been together while Ena cycles but not breeding observed. No problem if breeding doesn't happen right away here either. Better that they get to know each other now and a mid to late fall pregnancy occurs.
Departure... Tree kangaroo, Harrington, has been transferred to Pittsburgh. Hopefully they will enjoy our senior citizen for a good long time. Glad I got to see him twice more before he left. Arrival... Tree Kangaroo, Collins, is now on display after clearing quarantine. Animals Off Display... Tree Kangaroo, Nokopo, is in holdings for the time being while Collins settles in. Babirusas will be off display for the summer while renos are done to the rhino house. The Indian Rhinos will stay on display but outside only. I would guess they will be trying to catch up all of the birds as well who will also be off display. Births... Marmots, Odan and River, had a litter. Tur long list... Fate and Lucky had twins while Alani, Coral and Turquoise had singletons. Deaths... Things did not go well with the Tur... Fate's twins died at two days old, followed by Fate herself (complications from labour), Coral's had to be put down (no idea why) and Turquoise's died from abandonment. Seems like a repeat of last year when most offspring didn't make it. Bad luck though that Fate also perished. However I would be happier to see them phased out all together and Takin or Markhor arrive to replace them. It's a huge exhibit being wasted for a phase out species in the AZA. Sloth, Tania, passed peacefully in her sleep likely from old age. Hopefully the free spot now means they will bring in a new breeding male since Bob cannot breed with his own mother Sally.
On the zoo's twitter page they mention that female Pygmy Hippo, Kindia was being loaded up on a airplane to ship off to Toronto. Here's the link. https://twitter.com/AFnewsroom/status/743093079364796416
I cannot wait for Kindia's arrival. She is long awaited. The zoo has known for at least 15 months that they were getting her. My hope is alive for a 2017 pygmy hippo calf. Harvey is a proven sire so now we just need Kindia to prove she can carry a healthy calf to term and we a golden. Unfortunately she is 10 or 11 now and never bred yet (never had the opportunity) so there is no way to know if she will be a breeding rock star or a dud like Abou.
Yes they have and were very successful with them (6 calves in 14 years) but its been awhile. All 6 calves were born to parents Psi and Hilda. Taurit (F) - 25 Nov 1978 Psi (M) - 6 May 1981 Colleen (F) - 24 Jan 1984 Lillie (F) - 15 Feb 1987 Morton (M) - 27 Nov 1989 Abou (F) - 19 Oct 1992 (she is the only pygmy hippo calf I have ever seen) A seventh calf as you remember was born in 2012 but like all 5 calves born to Abou and Harvey before her she did not survive. The other five were born at Mountain View Conservation and Breeding Center between 1999 and 2004. It's certainly been awhile since guests had a pygmy hippo calf to enjoy but there are a several other big species the same can be said for... River Hippo - 1987 White Rhino - 1990 Wombat - 1994 Red Panda - 1995 Meerkat - 1997 Arctic Wolf - 2000 Of those that popped into my head good news is 3 are realistic possibilities now... white rhino, wombat and wolf.
The female pygmy hippo Kindia to arrive came in from Zoo de La Flèche in NW France (SW of Paris towards Bretagne). She was loaded up for the flight last Tuesday. So, lo and behold should already have arrived in Toronto by now. Link: Zoo. L'hippopotame Kindia quitte le zoo pour Toronto au Canada [vidéo] | Presse Océan
A correction to my previous post about pygmy hippo calves. There is a seventh calf I was not aware of. Male Pogo born 2 Sep 1999 to Psi and Cleopatra. Interestingly he is the only calf born in Toronto who ever seems to have produced a surviving calf itself. He has a daughter Asali who was born in Miami. Abou was the most successful at producing calves. Taruit had two stillborns. The rest never reproduced or just disappear from the records after being transferred out. Hopefully Harvey and Kindia will match Psi and Hilda's success (who knows what would have happened with Cleopatra had Psi not died in 2001 but she has not reproduced since). And way down the line hopefully their calves will go on to be more successful at breeding then the calves born at the zoo before them.
Nine Vancouver Island Marmots have been born this year. https://www.youtube.com/embed/80gIQFigHzw And 36 Blanding's Turtles have been released. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/20...-released-into-rouge-national-urban-park.html
Eland are transferred to the Sable Antelope exhibit as of today. The Sables are indoors but the plan is to have both out eventually.
Nice to hear that they are finally on a exhibit. Having them at the Watusi barn was a definite waste.
Interesting pairing. Sable are knowing for being less then ideal exhibit mates. However I think its a sign that the sable are likely on their way out then. Just a sneaking suspicion more then knowledge.
Another article about the Blanding's turtle release : Endangered Blanding?s Turtles Released in Canada - ZooBorns
9 black footed ferret kits have been born this breeding season. There was a 4 kit litter, a 6 kit litter which had two stillborns and a singleton. https://www.youtube.com/embed/J6FJPK7_Lxg
Another article about the Vancouver Island marmot-breeding : Critically Endangered Marmots Born at Toronto Zoo - ZooBorns
I have been waiting so long for info on Przewalski's Horse breeding but disappointment. The herd will remain the same and no breeding will be allowed for the next two years minimum. It's been awhile since there was a foal and we do have young mares from Calgary so I was hopeful some changes were headed our way... but no.
