Welcome to Zoo Tails! The internet resource for zoos around the world including pictures, video, reviews, news, construction updates, and more. If you're an animal lover then you've come to the right place! Unofficial guide to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
An article in the Columbus Dispatch revealed some of the Columbus Zoo's ideas for future plans. Over the next twenty-five years, the zoo could see the following additions:
Bringing sea lions to the zoo with an exhibit at the main entrance that eventually could include entertainment.
Creating an interactive exhibit honoring the legacy of former zoo director Jack Hanna.
Tripling the size of the African Safari exhibit, which is to open in May.
Providing transportation from one side of the zoo to the other.
Renovating the North America exhibit.
Building a new animal hospital.
Enlarging the zoo’s aquarium building.
The hope is zoo attendance of about 2 million visitors a year could grow to 3 million a year with the addition new exhibits. Plans also call to add a satellite zoo in downtown Columbus along the Scioto River, estimated to cost $50 million to $65 million to build.
So it looks like a South America region is off the table. Which of these future plans do you like the best? What do you think they need?
We took a trip to the Columbus Zoo on Saturday, March 9th to see what was going on and if anything was new. In the latest edition of the Beastly Banner, the zoo president and CEO Tom Stalf said "We are moving to Phase II of the Safari Africa construction project. I was impressed with the 60 large trees that were planted throughout the area. This process happened in just a few days and it really transformed the area. The completion of the area will be in the summer of 2014. Giraffes, zebras, and lions will be some of the featured animals." At this point none of the Safari Africa construction can be seen from inside the zoo, other than mounds of dirt, markers, and construction equipment. The construction is going on right behind the grizzly bear enclosure.
Tom also talked about the zoo's 2013 plans in the magazine: "In honor of Jack, we are excited to provide a dinosaur experience. Enjoy walking through the Jurassic era and come face-to-face with these amazing creatures. This exhibit will also include our boat ride tour as you travel by many dinosaurs, ranging from the size of your hand to our T-rex that is larger than a city bus!" The dinosaurs are going to be found in the Islands of Southeast Asia region of the zoo. While visiting the zoo I spotted numerous red and yellow flags in the ground which I suspect are the future locations of the dinosaurs and I snapped a few pictures (seen below).
A couple other of my own notes and observations:
All three polar bears were out in the yard and playing, the first time I have seen all three at once.
It looks like a new cage was added to the bat exhibit in Asia Quest to separate some of the bat species.
A new Colobus monkey was born at the zoo recently but, of course, is not on public display yet.
Enjoy our pictures from the Columbus Zoo!
Columbus Zoo possible early Dinosaur exhibit construction (I believe the placement of the flags is where the animatronic dinos will be):
I went to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium yesterday for the first time since August. A few observations and changes since my last visit:
It looks like they’ve expanded the pathway leading into the North America section (next to the elephant building).
I still haven’t seen the otters out in the old black bear enclosure.
There was a single beaver occupying the old otter enclosure that I could see (rumored to soon have four beavers).
The tiger
cubs were playing outside, the first time I have seen them in person. I
shot a short video of the cubs. There is also a short segment at the
end with the gibbons. They were so loud yesterday, you could hear them all
the way at the other end of the zoo in the Polar Frontier region. Crazy!
A large gorilla statue was added to the Expedition Congo: African Forest section outside the entrance to the gorilla building.
Safari
Africa expansion construction is well under way. Looks like a chain
link fence is being erected around the entire site, which is currently
nothing but dirt
Zoo crews
were going gangbusters setting up Christmas lights and
decorations for the Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo with opening only a
week away! They were also setting up a neat looking “Christmas Around
the World” type display in the Asia Quest building complete with figures
that looked like they came directly out of Disney’s “it’s a small
world” ride.
Stay tuned for our future updates as we will cover Wildlights and the ongoing construction of Safari Africa.
African painted dogs, also known as African wild dogs, Cape hunting dogs, spotted dogs, and painted wolves (not hyenas), are found in the open plains and sparse woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. The long-legged canines have only four toes per foot. There is an African wild dog exhibit at the Wilds.
One of my friends who lives in the area posted this on Facebook today:
"Horrified. To all the many people I know were working today I feel for you having to hear that call over the radio and witness something so tragic. To the zoo your exhibits are unsafe it is not hard to see, this just further proves it. I can't believe this happened. May the little one rest in peace."
I've never been to the Pittsburgh Zoo so I can't comment on the quality or safety of their exhibits.
The Columbus Zoo announced today that
tomorrow, September 20th, there will be an official groundbreaking
ceremony for its newest region, Safari Africa. The new Columbus Zoo
expansion is located north of the old Powell road and will significantly
increase the size of the zoo, so much so that new transportation
methods from the new region to the entrance of the zoo are being
discussed. According to the press release:
“Safari
Africa at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium will transform guests into
world travelers on an adventure to southern and eastern Africa. Here
guests will find a colorful and active village outside the gates of a
national park and experience the sights and sounds of a vast savannah,
home to a population of fascinating African animals including the return
of giraffe and zebra. At
the Columbus Zoo, guests will have an up-close, experiential safari
adventure. Africa’s enduring energy, through immersive Zoo experiences,
will depict the soul of its land, the spirit of its people and the
thrill of its animals.”
Zebras
and giraffes are confirmed to make their return to the zoo in the
African savannah after a lengthy absence. The groundbreaking ceremony is
a private event for invited media members only. Zoo Tails will closely
be following the construction of Safari Africa and we will bring you
pictures as soon as possible.
Since Spring many readers have been asking the question, "What is the Discovery Cove Freshwater Oasis opening date?" Well, we can finally tell you that Freshwater Oasis is now officially open! Freshwater Oasis is included with admission to Discovery Cove, an
all-inclusive tropical day resort where guests can swim with dolphins,
snorkel with colorful fish and rays, hand-feed exotic birds and relax on
pristine beaches, plus enjoy unlimited admission for 14 days to sister
parks SeaWorld and Aquatica in Orlando. Yes, the attraction was originally supposed to open mid-spring/early summer but the good news it is now open and is worth the wait!
Now
open at Discovery Cove in Orlando is Freshwater Oasis, an all-new
attraction featuring wading adventures and face-to-face encounters with
playful otters and curious marmosets. Designed with a rainforest canopy above and sparkling-clear springs
below, Freshwater Oasis is a natural fit within Discovery Cove’s
tropical atmosphere. Guests can wade, wander, swim and float in the
water-filled trails and discover marmoset monkeys and playful Asian
otters. (Please note, you don't actually swim in the tank with the otters like you do the dolphins and sting rays, they are separated and you view them through a glass wall just like any other exhibit).
Where is Discovery Cove? Discovery Cove is part of Sea World resort in Orlando, Florida where you can swim with dolphins.
Stingray Bay at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is now open to the public. I recently visited the new attraction and took some video of the majestic stingrays doing their thing. You will see two types of rays at Stingray Bay:
the smaller cownose stingray and the larger Southern stingrays. This 18,000
gallon saltwater tank allows guests to touch and feed stingrays. Timed tickets
are given out if you want to come back later but in our case we were able to
get in the building almost immediately after purchasing our tickets (and
thoroughly washing our hands). A cup of food to feed the stingrays costs $2
(not sure if feeding is allowed only at certain times of the day or not).
Cownose stingrays are members of the eagle ray family and are found in
the Atlantic Ocean. The cownose has a series
of teeth and dental plates used for crushing oyster shells and clams. The
cownose ray typically does have a stinger on the end of its tail with venom
that cause bee sting like symptoms. Of course, this tails have been ground or
clipped so as not to harm or hurt any of the visitors who wish to pet these
magnificent creatures. So yes, they are safe to touch.
The southern stingray is also found in the Atlantic
Ocean. Its flattened body is ideal for life on the bottom of the
ocean. The ray’s spine contains a poisonous mucous which, though not fatal to
humans, is extremely painful if you are unfortunate enough to step on one. The
small openings on its head are called spiracles and they allow the ray to take
in water while buried in the sea floor sand. Females often grow larger than
males and can be up to 150 centimeters across!
Stingray Bay Tips - Best Way to Touch Stingrays As you can see in the video, the trick is to submerge your hand all the way in the hard and don't move it around. If you do this the stingray will come to you! If you try to reach out and pet them they will swim away quickly. This really works!
Tampa, Fla. (March 5, 2012) – On Friday, March 9, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment (SEA)will broadcast the most recent installment of its Saving a Species series, which features some of Busch Gardens Tampa’s most
popular new residents – the cheetahs – and St. Petersburg’s Tropicana Field.
With the stadium closed to outside visitors and the turf marked for the St. Petersburg Bowl football game, the
cheetahs were encouraged to run the length of the field, chasing a lure system identical to the one in their
Cheetah Run habitat. The cats’ efforts were captured by high-definition and slow-motion cameras.
“Even though we have this awesome habitat at Busch Gardens, a 100-yard football field will give us the
opportunity to showcase what that speed looks like on a field that people can relate to,” said Tim Smith, a
Busch Gardens assistant curator who works with the cheetahs daily.
Are you looking for something to do this summer in Columbus, Ohio? One of the most popular activities in Columbus on a hot summer day is to cool off at the Zoombezi Bay waterpark, which is owned and operated by the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium right next door (a tickets gets you into both). Zoombezi Bay is a very popular attraction in central Ohio but the good news is those long waits for the waterslides are about to vaporize. The waterpark just signed a five year deal with Lo-Q, a company that designs systems which allow park visitors to make reservations for attractions.
Here’s how it works: Using kiosks located throughout the park, Zoombezi Bay visitors rent RFID-enabled wristbands, call Q-Bands, which reserve a “virtual” place in-line for some of the park’s most popular rides and slides. Just like at a local restaurant, when your reservation time arrives you and your friends enter the attraction via a separate entrance after getting their wrist bands scanned. How cool is that!
Zoombezi Bay is the eleventh water park in the United States to sign-up for the Q-band system since its conception last year.
Feb. 27, 2012 (Orlando, Fla.) -- This morning SeaWorld Orlando’s senior veterinarian performed surgery on a rescued sea turtle, removing a large fishing hook from its throat.
The animal was found by the Inwater Research Group - an organization committed to the research and conservation of coastal species and habitats – who also assisted in the animal’s transport. The turtle, a sub-adult weighing approximately 100 pounds, was rescued from the intake canal at the St. Lucie Power Plant in St. Lucie County, Fla.
The turtle arrived at SeaWorld Orlando last night (February 26) and underwent surgery this morning following x-rays and blood work procedures. According to the veterinary team, the 4-inch-long hook was successfully removed. The turtle’s behavior will continue to be monitored over the next several weeks, but is doing well following the procedure.
So far this year, SeaWorld Orlando has rescued nine sea turtles. It is the intent that upon recovery, this animal will be released back into its natural environment.
For 45 years, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has helped animals in need -- ill, injured and orphaned. More than 20,000 animals have been rescued by our experts. SeaWorld’s animal rescue team is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The new state-of-the-art facility educates guests and offers one-of-a-kind access to the park’s world class animal hospitality. Busch
Gardens welcomes guests to closely observe and even take part in the
animal care experience when the Tampa park opens its new Animal
Care Center on Jan. 23, 2012. From nutrition to
treatments, X-rays to surgeries, much of Busch Gardens’ animal care will
be conducted in guest view in this new state-of-the-art facility. According to park officials, "the major guest components of the new facility include a nutrition
center, treatment rooms, a clinical lab and an interactive diagnostic
activity
The treatment center will allow guests to watch as Busch
Gardens’ skilled vets do preventative checkups, treatments and surgeries
on animals. Guests will be able to see into the rooms through glass
walls, and audio capabilities will allow guests to talk to vets working
behind the glass." Guests
can also participate in a diagnostic exercise by scanning an
interactive activity card at several stations as they follow an animal
from diagnosis to treatment to blood and lab work to a final outcome.
Sounds like an amazing experience!
Sounds like a much better version of the Columbus Zoo's Animal Care Center wild encounters tour. Maybe they should sit up and take notice.
Wild Encounters Health Care Center tour at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Have
you ever wondered what it's like behind the scenes at a major zoo? How do
they take care of all of the animals? The
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
(in Columbus, Ohio) recently started offering two behind the scenes
tours. One tour takes you backstage of the coral reef and the other walks you through the Dr. C. Joseph Cross Animal Health Center where the nine thousand plus animals are taken care of, which is the one that I did a few weeks ago. Yes, the surviving animals that escaped from the farm in Zanesville are being taken care of there but no, you will not see them.
If you're familiar with the Columbus Zoo, one of the first questions you may ask is "where is the animal health care center located?" The animal hospital and other backstage areas are located north of the old Powell Road, behind Asia Quest and North America. If you're in the zoo look for the water tower. Here is an aerial picture taken from Google maps.
Close up of the animal hospital.
We met our tour guide by the stone entrance to Asia Quest. From there, we proceeded past the lion enclosure and through a gate to a backstage access way. We walked up old Powell Road, past an office and storage buildings, and arrived at the entrance to the animal care center.
So what did I think of the actual tour? The tour costs $15 per person for zoo members ($20 for non-members, I think) and if I wasn't a member I probably wouldn't have paid for it. It is a working hospital so one of the major concerns is keeping tourists out of the way of any emergencies. Regardless, I was disappointed that we didn’t see any animals while inside the hospital. Our tour guide was very good and knowledgeable but I guess I was hoping for a little more excitement.
Also, be aware that the tour guide is the only one allowed to take pictures inside the facility. As an extra little perk every guest on the tour received a key chain with an inspirational message about conservation which was neat. If you're interested in becoming a vet or want to work at a zoo then I highly recommend this tour. If you are hoping to see animals up close and intimate then this tour is not for you.
The zoo has installed two large viewings windows along the front side
of the aviary for those who want to view the beautiful birds but don’t
want to walk through aviary.
They have also installed a huge mesh roof over the zoo’s master escape
artist’s yard, the markhors, also located within Asia Quest.
The new reindeer yard outside of Polar Frontier (where the wolves used to be, behind the OSU solar house). Looks to be a temporary seasonal exhibit only. Happy New Year!
It's that time of year when we look back and reflect on our the great memories from the past year and look forward to the future. Here is a list of some of the most popular zoo news from 2011:
Zoo Chat forum
member Team Tapir gave us an update today about a few of the ongoing
projects at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. You may have noticed some
working taking place in the pheasant aviaries over in Asia Quest. The
zoo has installed two large viewings windows along the front side of the
aviary for those who want to view the beautiful birds but don’t want to
walk through aviary. They have also installed a huge mesh roof over the
zoo’s master escape artist’s yard, the markhors, also located within
Asia Quest. Another juicy tidbit, according to some unknown sources
preliminary work on the massive African
Savannah expansion has begun. However, no details on the finalized
project plans are available at this time. Hopefully, we’ll know more
about these plans when they become public, rumored to be revealed this
spring. It’s a great time to be a fan of the Columbus Zoo!
What is there to do in Columbus, Ohio? Go to the Columbus Zoo, of course! Hank, a 23-old male Asian Elephant, arrived at the zoo this morning from
Riddle's Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary in hopes that he will breed
with their breeding cow, Phoebe.
Press release:
Powell,
OH – Hank, a 23-year-old Asian elephant, arrived at the Columbus Zoo
and Aquarium early this morning and brought with him hope for a
genetically diverse population of Asian elephants within zoos.
“Hank has previously sired a calf.” said Harry Peachey,
Assistant Curator at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. “He was brought to
the Columbus Zoo based on a Species Survival Plan recommendation to
breed with our females, Connie and Phoebe.”
Hank was born at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in 1988 and also
lived at the Bronx Zoo and in California at Have Trunk Will Travel. He
came to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium from Riddle’s Elephant and
Wildlife Sanctuary in Arkansas.
According to standard procedure, Hank will be kept in
quarantine before being introduced to the other Columbus Zoo elephants
and Zoo visitors.
With the arrival of Hank, the Columbus Zoo elephant experts
now care for four elephants. In the past ten years only 13 Asian
elephants have been born successfully in nine AZA zoos in the U.S.
including Beco and Bodhi at the Columbus Zoo.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s elephant facility has more
indoor space than any other North America zoo. Although there is space
for more than one bull elephant, seven-year-old Bodhi was moved to the
Denver Zoo last month to better position him to one day sire a calf and
contribute to the elephant population.
An endangered species, Asian elephants are represented by an
estimated 38,000 to 51,000 individuals in range countries. Fragmented
wild populations, agriculture, deforestation and conflict with humans
pose a constant threat to wild Asian elephants.
“The elephants at the Zoo inspire people to care and take an
active role in conservation” said Columbus Zoo and Aquarium CEO and
President Dale Schmidt. “Their contributions enable the Columbus Zoo to
be a leader in conservation. We provide $1 million of privately raised
revenue each year to fund field projects and conservation organizations
in more than 30 countries.”
According to an Associated Press report, PETA has just filed suit in
federal court against SeaWorld stating that the Marine Park is in
violation of the 13th Amendment for “enslaving its five performing
whales,” by claiming that while the Amendment prohibits slavery and
involuntary servitude, “it does not specify that only humans can be
victims.”
While SeaWorld has denounced the move as baseless, PETA’s general
counsel, Jeff Kerr contended that plaintiffs orcas, Tilikum and Katina
based at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla., and Corky, Kasatka and Ulises at
SeaWorld San Diego “were kidnapped from their homes, kept confined,
denied everything that's natural to them and forced to perform tricks
for SeaWorld's profit," In addition Kerr stated that "the males have
their sperm collected, the females are artificially inseminated and
forced to bear young which are sometimes shipped away."
The lawsuit asks the court to order the orcas released to the custody
of a legal guardian who would find a "suitable habitat" for them, and
alleges “that captivity in the ‘barren tanks’ of a marine park
suppresses the orcas' abilities and relationships, and subjects them to
stress. This sometimes leads to instances where the orcas injure
themselves, other orcas or humans that interact with them.”
I think this is ridiculous and way over the top. The animals live arguably live a better life at SeaWorld than they would in the wild. I like to think SeaWorld does more good than harm. Aren't there better business to sue? How about those sea food companies killing thousands of wild dolphins and whales?
ZANESVILLE, Ohio --
Forty-nine animals are killed and six were rescued after the
owner of an animal preserve released his exotic animals and killed
himself. It played out Tuesday evening at the 73-acre Muskingum County Animal Farm at 270 Kopchak Road in Zanesville. Deputies found wild and exotic animals on the loose and the farm's
owner dead in the driveway from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
A news conference is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday. NBC4 and nbc4i.com will provide live coverage on-air and online.
Officials said the owner, Terry Thompson, opened pens and cages before he committed suicide.
The farm housed animals including Bengal tigers, mountain lions, grizzly and black bears, primates and wolves. A total of 56 animals escaped. Six black bears, two grizzly bears, nine male lions, eight lionesses,
one baboon, three mountain lions, 18 tigers and two wolves were killed
by authorities.
Six animals were caught and transported to the Columbus Zoo and
Aquarium: one grizzly bear, three leopards and two macaques (a breed of
monkey).
One animal remains loose: a monkey that is carrying the Herpes B
virus. According to Jack Hanna, the director emeritus of the Columbus
zoo who was working with the emergency communications group, the monkey
may have been eaten by another animal. Officials are still asking the public to be on the lookout for the monkey. Consultants recommended to law enforcement that the monkey be shot
and killed. The Herpes B virus is not harmful to the monkey but is
considered extremely dangerous to humans. A bite wound by the monkey
would be considered very dangerous.
"I'm sorry for what happened to these animals. But also for what
could have happened to people. Let's hope this never has to happen again
in any state. This is a tragedy for the animal world. It could have
been a bigger tragedy for the human world," Hanna said.
"You cannot run from it. It doesn't see you as a human. It sees you
as something fleeing, or something to play with," Hanna said.
There also were horses also being kept on the farm and officials said
Wednesday afternoon that some of the wild animals were charging at the
horses when deputies arrived.
Hanna said the animals that were captured will go into quarantine before being brought into the zoo.
The Columbus zoo reached out to other zoos for possible placement, but the animals still belong to Thompson's wife legally.
The zoo called in extra security after reports of death threats from
people who are pro-animal rights. The Zanesville Chamber of Commerce
also received a few emailed threats. The Wilds, a conservation center in Zanesville, was helping out as well, Hanna said. No human injuries were reported.
Schools in the area were closed at the recommendation of Lutz
Wednesday. Lutz said he would recommend to districts that they can open
school for Thursday.
Someone attempted to steal the carcass of one of the big cats Tuesday
night. The animal was recovered, and the person was taken into police
custody. Charges will be filed, the sheriff said.
For additional information, stay with NBC4 and refresh nbc4i.com.
October turned out to be a GREAT time to visit the Wilds in Cumberland, Ohio. There were numerous baby animals out and about at the safari wild animal park. The star of the show and one of the cutest animals I've ever seen was a Southern White Rhinoceros calf which was born on October 2nd, less than two weeks ago! This is the second 4th-generation calf born at The Wilds.
They also had four baby Persian Onagers (at least, might have been a fifth
one), two baby Fringed-Ear Oryx, a baby Rothschild's Giraffe, and a baby
Grevy's Zebra. Check out the pictures and stay tuned for more updates from the Wilds!
Nineteen
months after an animal trainer was killed by one of its killer whales,
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment heads to court next week to fight for
the future of its iconic Shamu shows. SeaWorld is challenging the
results of a federal investigation triggered by the Feb. 24, 2010, death
of veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was pulled underwater and killed
by Tilikum, a 6-ton killer whale.
Frankly,
I think OSHA is out of its league here. These are not machines with
well defined points of danger and risk, they're animals. There will
always be an inherent danger in working with the animals, and it's a
risk that frankly the trainers understand and accept.
