Join our zoo community

Toronto Zoo Toronto Zoo Developments 2018

Discussion in 'Canada' started by TZFan, 28 Dec 2017.

  1. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    13 Jun 2007
    Posts:
    23,400
    Location:
    New Zealand
    Just like their natural habitat... oh, wait.

    Tapirs aren't renowned for being aggressive but they are big enough and well-armed enough to do serious damage to a person. There's a well-known story of a keeper having her arm removed by a tapir.
     
    TZDugong, Kifaru Bwana and Yi Qi like this.
  2. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    25 Jan 2006
    Posts:
    12,225
    Location:
    Amsterdam, Holland
    A wonderful species, but definitely not one for touching by the non expert and certainly not your Joe Average zoo visitor.
     
    TZDugong likes this.
  3. InfoSponge

    InfoSponge Member

    Joined:
    13 Mar 2018
    Posts:
    9
    Location:
    Canada, for now
    Well, "after 2028" is far too late to be making any Education investments. This planet cannot afford to wait even a year, never mind a decade, for places like the Toronto Zoo to get their message out and it ain't happening at the moment, let me assure you. The time for investing in Education is right now, or never. And I hate to say this, but it really feels to me like they might even be trying to cut back on this area, from everything that's happened (and not happened) over the past six or seven years.

    And if they're such great changes to the plan, then why have they been kept a secret? That should concern you the most.

    In any event, I was just reporting. The message in the quotes was clearly not from me, but from someone else with actual dogs in the race.

    After they lost the elephants, if they manage to not maintain a hippo population going forward then I really think the Savanna has lost much of its purpose, to be honest. This is not a good plan.

    I have a theory about one of those cuts, but I'm going to hold my tongue until I see more signs.

    Wow. I absolutely would not. :O

    There is no guarantee that Nandu is going to Parc Safari. In fact, there appears to be a push on for him to go to the L.A. Zoo. We'll have to see what happens come the Fall.

    Also, I'm sorry I cut this from the quote, but Hannibal (the Chinese giant salamander) is supposedly staying at the Zoo. Exactly where he will be living seems to be up in the air – but with all of the events this Summer in the Interpretive Centre it seems unnecessary to move him anywhere just yet! :)
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 24 Mar 2018
  4. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    There is never any guarantee with any transfer until it's happened. Transfer recommendations are all part of a giant chess came the SSP's try to manage. What seems like the right move for Nandu and the species as a whole can change over night. A death, a birth, a new exhibit, the closing of another exhibit and breaking up pairs who aren't breeding can all change the landscape.

    Getting Nandu to California could be really good for him because not only could he breed in LA but he could be moved over time to other west coast zoos and spread his great grandfather Vinu's valuable wild born DNA.

    However Parc Safari has applied to be a non member participant in the SSP and wants to house greater one horned rhinos. Nandu is a long way from breeding a breeding bull. He could easily chill there for several years maturing while a mature bull spends a little time with an eligible LA female. Other than African Lion Safari no one else in Canada is breeding the species and African Lion Safari to my knowledge hasn't been successful recently or possibly even yet. It would be a little more difficult for Parc Safari to source another animal for the time being so holding Toronto's maturing boys could be a good move for all.

    In the end the SSP will recommend Nandu go where he will be of the most good until his future needs to be reevaluated again. Which will happen at least every two years for the rest of his life like all other SSP species.
     
    Kifaru Bwana likes this.
  5. TZDugong

    TZDugong Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Nov 2017
    Posts:
    1,121
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    Can you give a reason why?
     
  6. m30t

    m30t Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    9 Dec 2014
    Posts:
    252
    Location:
    Toronto
    @InfoSponge while I agree that additional investments in education are always desirable, it is not as if there is no educational component or elements currently at the zoo. It might not be to the level you or I would like, but it is there. Further to suggest that there is no point in making investments to education unless it is done immediately is rather extreme; the sooner the better yes, but better late than never.

    I question that you keep referring to the zoo doing this in secret, yet you link to a file hosted on the municipal governments website outlining all these changes. A publicly accessible file doesn't strike me as secretive.
     
  7. InfoSponge

    InfoSponge Member

    Joined:
    13 Mar 2018
    Posts:
    9
    Location:
    Canada, for now
    Uh huh. Thanks for the lecture. ;)

    Just FYI: Parc Safari is an excellent facility but the concern right now is they don't have proper accommodations for another rhino. That may be fixed by the Fall – or at least sometime soon – and I do hope that's where he ends up because I'd love to visit him there.

    Because a Canadian Zoo without Canadian animals is not a place I would like to visit.

    Well, because it was on page...what? 19? of that file whereas the original 10-year-plan was championed with great fanfare. That's what I am referring to.

    There are hardly any decent educational components or elements at the Zoo, especially when compared to any other "world-class Zoo" of a comparable size and stature. TZ is tremendously weak in that area and falling farther behind all the time. The signage is finally starting to improve, but even there they have errors that slip through all the time and are never corrected. And if I had a nickel for every tour I've heard being led through there by Staff and Volunteers alike where the tour leader was handing out misinformation about the exhibit or the species in question, I'd be able to fund the new Education improvements out of my own pocket.

    I'm sorry, but this has to be a priority, and immediately.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 26 Mar 2018
  8. cypher

    cypher Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    19 Oct 2013
    Posts:
    1,236
    Location:
    Toronto, ON, Canada
    So, my question for anybody and everybody, has anyone heard of any kind of details in the design for the outdoor Orangutan exhibit? Have there been any elements that have been confirmed or scrapped?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: 26 Mar 2018
    Kifaru Bwana likes this.
  9. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    @cypher, to the best of my knowledge the plans are still being worked on for the orang exhibit. No plans have been posted on the zoo's website to look for contractors yet. One thing I fear has probably been dropped from consideration is the O line for the orangs. It was initially mentioned but as we have found out little bits and pieces since then I haven't heard it mentioned again. It is a pity if it has been dropped. I really liked the idea. Seeing photos or videos of the orangs using them at other zoos is cool. It would cap the exhibit off with a big wow factor plus it would offer excellent exercise for the orangs. But given our winters maybe its just not a feasible idea. Or maybe the close proximity of the tree line is a factor. Or just cost. We shall have to just wait and see what the plans look like once they are posted. I'm looking forward to that day almost as much as seeing Puppe outside for the first time since she arrived at the zoo.
     
    Kifaru Bwana likes this.
  10. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Kifaru Bwana likes this.
  11. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    Oh good the new land for the breeding facility is causing controversy already and the zoo is a long time away from doing much with it! Conservationist are against the plan.

    They are unhappy that restoration projects for the Rouge are being compromised for the zoo. I say some minor give at take is necessary. Yes the land is working to reestablish itself but think of the good for so many other species native to Canada will get from the breeding center opening. How many more ferrets, marmots, shrikes will be free in Canada if Toronto can increase their breeding space? And the browse that they will be growing will be native species so there will be homes for animals its just the space will be managed and harvested. It's not ideal but more good will come of it I think then the losses.

    Honestly from the look of the map the zoo is giving up more land to the park than they are getting in return.

    I like how they complain about the building of Raven's Nest... that has nothing to do with the land transfer. It is on existing zoo land. Yes the land being used is natural right now but one also must remember that most of the domain will be regrown as forest once the Canadian stock move out. Journalism at its finest.

    Toronto Zoo land takeover will be 'devastating' to Rouge Park habitat, conservationists say | CBC News
     
  12. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

    Joined:
    25 Jan 2006
    Posts:
    12,225
    Location:
    Amsterdam, Holland
    I am somewhat perturbed that within the conservation community the Toronto zoo record with conservation restoration is woofully overlooked. It is actually a win-win situation for the Rouge restoration area. Aside the Zoo has always been supportive of the wider project here.

    Much ado about nothing!
     
    Palorchestes likes this.
  13. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
  14. Hyak_II

    Hyak_II Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    19 Jan 2014
    Posts:
    1,435
    Location:
    Canada
    I don't know where to post this, so I'll post it here. Possible Toronto zoochatter meetup???

    Check it out here:
    Toronto Zoo meetup??
     
  15. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
  16. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
  17. GorillaFan15

    GorillaFan15 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    18 Mar 2012
    Posts:
    99
    Location:
    Ontario,Canada
    So is there any news on the orangutan exhibit? Any at all? seems like the zoo is really dropping the ball on this one so far.
     
  18. m30t

    m30t Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    9 Dec 2014
    Posts:
    252
    Location:
    Toronto
    Personally I wouldn't expect to hear a lot on this project over the next little bit. I would suspect the zoo will be promoting what they have/what they will try draw in crowds with this summer instead of promoting for next year. Even though we are all anxious to see what they have planned for the orangs.
     
  19. TZDugong

    TZDugong Well-Known Member 5+ year member

    Joined:
    17 Nov 2017
    Posts:
    1,121
    Location:
    Toronto, ON
    What they have, is of course two baby Rhinos.

    I too am eagerly awaiting the Orangutan habitat (although I’m sad to see the Gaur go), but as @m30t has said, the zoo should be focusing on promoting for the summer.
     
  20. TZFan

    TZFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

    Joined:
    3 Jul 2012
    Posts:
    7,530
    Location:
    Ontario, Canada
    They have the rhino calves but they will also be joined sometime next month by an even more popular gorilla infant and I have heard quite possibly wolf pups by the end of the month.

    Added to that they could pump the return of the tortoises and Amur tigers.

    No design plans have been released for the orang exhibit. Considering now would be prime building time I think next summer might be a pipe dream unless they are having staff build it and there will be no bidding on a contract. I would think quite a lot would have to be done between now and fall before the really bad weather settles in. If its not started soon they will need next spring and probably summer. I fear Puppe may never see the new exhibit. Not that her health is bad but she is one of the oldest orangs in North America.