Zoo Review Updates 2021, Part I

What a year for the zoo and aquarium world!  There is so much news to report this year, both in terms of actual updates and announced plans, that a single post was just getting absurdly long.  We'll have to split this year up.

ABQ BioPark Zoo broke ground on its long-awaited Asian expansion.  The first step - enhanced viewing of its existing Asian elephant exhibit - is already complete.  It's going to be followed up with new exhibits for tigers, snow leopards, orangutans, siamangs, and Steller's sea eagles.  Most of these species are already housed elsewhere in the zoo, so the moves are expected to radically redefine the zoo's landscape.  A re-do of the Australian area will follow.  Asia is slated to be completed next year.

Audubon Zoo has a new Tropical Bird House under construction.  Despite some hurricane damage the zoo is in good shape and continues to thrive.  I was particularly shocked by the addition of Bornean earless lizards to the collection this year, a species that I've always been crazy to see.

Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut broke ground on a new habitat for Andean bears.

Bergen County Zoo in New Jersey added a new exhibit for red wolves.  This comes at a time when the USFWS and the AZA are working together to increase the capacity of zoos to support the restarted red wolf reintro program in North Carolina (which is fantastic news in and of itself!)

Brandywine Zoo continues to move forward with its ambitious masterplan, with habitats for sloths, Chilean flamingos, southern pudu, and Toco toucans opening up this year as part of a South American wetlands exhibit.

The Brevard Zoo's lion exhibit is under construction - which is small potatoes compared to the big news out of Brevard.  They'll be moving ahead with their long-dreamed of $100M aquarium!

Cape May County Zoo is adding a new habitat for American black bears.

Cincinnati Zoo takes on the last phase of its More Home of Roam campaign by beginning the expansion of its elephant exhibit.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has a new dome on the Rainforest.  It's also unveiled its new masterplan, which calls for a new habitat for gorillas adjacent to the Rainforest, as well as a new outdoor exhibit for its orangutans.

Denver Zoo's African penguins, which lost their home with the (very sad) closure of their bird house, have a beautiful new exhibit on Predator Ridge.

Detroit Zoo has replaced the seals in Arctic Ring of Life with sea otters.  In exciting conservation news, the zoo also repatriated several endangered vultures back to Africa.

Greensboro Natural Science Center had one of the biggest years of any zoo (especially for one its size) with the opening of Revolution Ridge.  The trail offers habitats for an assortment of very different rare animals from around the world - okapi, red panda, cassowary, and pygmy hippopotamus.  The trail also features many exhibits for small cats, which are in need of continued support in zoos.  New habitats house sand cats and black-footed cats, while the fishing cats, previously housed in the Aquarium, now have an outdoor habitat as well.

Photos courtesy of Greensboro Science Center Facebook Page

The Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha undertook a massive renovation of their gorilla exhibit.

Jacksonville Zoo announced its new masterplan, which will highlight new habitats for the lions and elephants, as well as bringing orangutans to the zoo.  The project which has most caught the imagination of the public and the press, however, is the enormous new manatee exhibit, which will allow Jacksonville to better support rehabilitation efforts of these endangered marine mammals.