A female Himalayan black bear, Cannelle, arrived from Belgium last fall. She's now been introduced to the zoo's male Phong and they are getting along. Breeding is not in their future. She was brought in strictly as a companion.
I could watch this all day long. The cubs have such distinct personalities and the resolution is pretty good especially in the day when often in color. All too quickly the little ones mastered escaping the den and are often off view but when they are there they are a rare treat to observe.
Here's a little article about local fire departments donating hold hoses to the zoo. It mentions a new gorilla exhibit as well in passing. Does any one know anything about it? https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/granby-zoo-firehoses-animals-toys-1.6009647
Granby and the Quebec government have bought 2 properties they will manage together to protect the endangered spiny softshell turtle. The properties are home to two of their nesting sites. Quebec Zoo, federal government purchase land to protect endangered turtle
The zoo has officially reopened to the public though the water park remains closed at this time. Snow leopards, Elsa and Kang, are parents to a single cub born May 15th. Its a triumph for the zoo which has been trying to get this pair to breed for 3 years unsuccessfully.
The zoo's water park is now allowed to be open. Great time for that to open back up in time for a nearly full summer season. Should help the zoo generate even more money this summer.
More babies... A female Andean Condor was hatched June 11th. A yak calf was born May 27th. A Japanese serow was born June 1st. The zoo is also running a new evening water park experience from mid July to mid August. The park is open from 7pm to 11pm.
I seem to remember another US zoo breeding Andean condors recently (great to hear as the program been lagging in recent years with very few hatchings), it seems that zoos focussing on this impressive South American and iconic bird of prey species are getting back on track. I would like to see some more releases into the wild of captive-bred Andeans in the next few years. This remains a need as birds are alas continually being lost to accidental deaths or poisonings (note a recent bigger incident in Argentina with tens of birds lost ...). Japanese serow born: probably one of the last places to have a breeding group????
Calgary and Granby are the last two zoos breeding in North America. Roosevelt Park has bred in the recent past, but I don't think they produced any in the past couple years.
They had a naming contest with voting until July 27th but havent announce the name yet oddly. It will be Vijaya, Trika or Jita if that helps any.
Lol one day too early in asking and answering. I thought it was a really long time since the vote so I figured it would be soon.
Waterbucks have joined the red river hogs this summer as additions to the white rhino exhibit. Unusual grouping but its going well for all three species. Red panda female, Xia, has gone to Zoo Sauvage.
Here is an interesting article about the origin and early days of the zoo. Les premières années du zoo de Granby [GALERIE PHOTOS]
The zoo has a tv series beginning Oct 12 at 7:30pm EST on ICI Explora called The Secret Life of Animals. Odds are its a French only program if people even get that station outside of Quebec but it would be great if it was in English as well. I'll take subtitles. La vie secrète des animaux
