Zoo Review Updates

It's December, and so time to look back at another year of growth and change for zoos across the country... and what a year it has been for some! 

In no particular order...

The desert may seem like an unlikely place for penguins, but the gentoo, macaroni, and king penguins at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo’s new habitat seem perfectly at home, Penguin Chill.  The sub-Antarctic birds occupy a new indoor exhibit with a 75,000 gallon tank for swimming and diving, rock shores, and artificial snow.

The Audubon Zoo “brought back the roar” with the return of lions in a new African savannah habitat (previously lions had been exhibited in the Asian Domain, but had been off-display for years).

The Audubon Aquarium of the Americas is unveiling a new shark and ray touch pool.

Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo opened a new indoor/outdoor habitat for black-handed spider monkeys.  The zoo is currently raising funds for a large new habitat for Amur tigers.

The Brandywine Zoo takes the first steps towards its ambitious new masterplan with the construction of a new goat petting yard on the site of the old otter pool.  The former goat habitat is now a habitat for red-necked wallabies.

The Brevard Zoo opened its new Rainforest Revealed habitat, a renovation of its South American loop that introduces visitors to giant otters.  Also new on the trail is a reptile house featuring boas and venomous snakes, along with a new 5,300 gallon tank of stingrays, pacu, and arapaima, giant fish of the Amazon.  The zoo has also opened a new American black bear exhibit in its Florida area, with lions being the next slated project.  The zoo also continues to pursue plans to develop an aquarium.

Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is continuing work on its Water’s Edge: Africa building, which will return two of the most iconic species to the zoo – Nile hippos and African penguins.  Joining these animals will be warthogs and ring-tailed lemurs.

Denver Zoo renovated its former polar bear exhibit into Harmony Hill, a more naturalistic habitat for grizzly bears.  In sadder news, the zoo shuttered its beloved – but aging – Bird World, with some of the birds slated for new homes elsewhere on zoo grounds (such as the African penguins) and others going on to other zoos.

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo completed its Asian Highlands, the first phase of which opened last year.  The completed trail displays tigers and snow leopards (both formerly housed in the now-shutted Cat Complex), as well as Indian rhino, red panda, takins, and other Asian hoofstock.  The new sea lion exhibit is slated to open next year. 

Detroit Zoo opened a new, expanded habitat for Amur tigers.

Elmwood Park Zoo is raising funds for a new habitat for tigers.

The Lincoln Park Zoo is preparing to renovate its historic Kovler Lion House into a larger, more naturalistic habitat for lions.  To make this possible, tigers have been phased out of the collection, with that exhibit space being turned over to the lions, which will soon be visible through windows instead of across moats.

A big year for the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore – renovations were completed for the habitats of three of Africa’s most iconic mammals.  The lions are now visible through massive windows in a new viewing area that includes a training wall.  The giraffe exhibit has been leveled, giving the animals more usable space.  The African elephant habitat has been significantly expanded, with the addition of a flex-yard that the giraffes may have access to in the future.  Also, the zoo opened Colobus Crossing, which will allow lemurs and colobus monkeys to rotate back and forth between outdoor enclosures and the indoor habitats of Chimpanzee Forest.

Mill Mountain Zoo opened new habitats for bald eagles and snow leopards.

The Milwaukee County Zoo opened its new, much larger African elephant habitat.  It also welcomed Riverbanks Zoo’s last African elephant, as that species is being phased out there.  The next exhibit on the renovation plan – hippos.  Riverbanks will convert the former elephant habitat into an exhibit for white rhinos.

Newport Aquarium has announced plans for Shipwreck: Realm of the Eels, which will feature marine life in a stimulated shipwreck.

Phoenix Zoo has completed the renovation and expansion of its Asian elephant habitat.

The San Diego Zoo bid adieu to its giant pandas.  Now, the zoo is home to another endangered Asian ursid – sloth bears.

The Potawatomi Zoo in South Bend, Indiana opened a new habitat for white rhino.

The former polar bear habitat at the Bronx Zoo is now home to a pack of dholes, or Asian wild dogs.  These canines are very rarely exhibited in US zoos, with less than a half-dozen facilities housing them as of now.

After years of amazing growth, New Jersey’s Turtle Back Zoo is facing pushback from some members of its community, who are voicing concerns that it is growing too big for the area.  The zoo’s plans for ambitious expansion include a massive new parking structure (completed) as well as a big new amphitheater for educational programs.

St. Louis Zoo has announced its next major project – Primate Canopy Trails, a series of outdoor enclosures and overhead passageways that will provide outdoor living opportunities to the lemurs and monkeys currently living in the Primate House.  Visitors will find themselves surrounded by endangered primates on all sides. Scheduled for completion in 2021, this expansion will feature eight habitats and cover nearly an acre. 

Artist rendering of Primate Canopy Trails at the St. Louis Zoo, Copyright St. Louis Zoo

Finally, in some of the biggest zoo news of the year, the San Diego Zoo Safari Park welcomed a pair of duck-billed platypus, the first to be exhibited outside of their native Australia in decades!

I’m certain that there are several other features and new exhibits and other changes which I’ve missed – the best way to find out what’s new at your local zoo and aquarium?  Visit!