Toronto Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Toronto Zoo is a zoo
located in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto
were amalgamated to form the present-day city of Toronto in 1998. The zoo is located near the Rouge River
, along the western border of Rouge Park
in city's east end former borough of Scarborough
.
Encompassing 287 hectares (709.2 acre), the Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada. It is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in what would be their naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. It also has areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre and Splash Island. The zoo is currently home to over 16,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 491 species
.
In 1963 a private citizen's brief to build a new zoo was introduced. Original plans were to have to park located at the Don Mills, Ontario area, but the site was later used to create the E.T. Seton Park
. In 1966, eleven citizens met at City Hall to form the Metropolitan Toronto Zoological Society. In 1967, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto approved the Rouge Park site in Scarborough for a new zoo. The following year, a feasibility study on the new zoo was produced by architect Raymond Moriyama
. In 1969 a master plan was created by Johnson Sustronk Weinstein and Associates which was approved by the Zoological Society. Construction of the new zoo began in 1970. On August 15, 1974 the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo was open to the public. The zoo increased from 3 hectares (7.4 acre) to 287 hectares (709.2 acre), and is now one of the largest zoos in the world. The Zoo introduced some designs to enhance the public's viewing experience and the animals' living comfort. Animals were displayed in naturalized environments and grouped according to their zoogeographic region. The old zoo was converted into an urban farm called Riverdale Farm
, which opened in 1978.
In 1976, the Zoo opened the Canadian Domain Ride
, a monorail that traveled into the Zoo's Canadian Domain area, located in the Rouge Valley. The ride ceased operations in July 1994 after an accident. The monorail has since been dismantled. The current Zoomobile uses 5 (4 car set) Chance Coach
Sunliner tram.
Between 1980 and 1984 several new exhibits were added to the Zoo, including Gaur
, a children's zoo (Littlefootland) which does not exist anymore, and a new indoor habitat for African Elephants, Snow Leopard
s and the Indian Rhinoceros Pavilion. As well as, the official opening of the Zoomobile.
In 1985, Quinn Quinn and Sha Yan – a pair of giant panda
s, on loan for three months from the Peoples' Republic of China were displayed at the Zoo. The Zoo broke all previous attendance records, as thousands of visitors came to see these rare animals. Over the years, the Zoo has presented other rare or unusual animals, including: golden monkeys
(1986), koala
s (1988, 1996 and again in 2002), and white lions (1995).
In 1987, the zoo opened the Maya Temple exhibit and Wolf Woods exhibit. In 1988, the zoo completed new reptile exhibits in the Australasia Pavilion and the Primate Wing in the Americas Pavilion. Caracal lynx exhibit opened in 1989, the year after the Spotted-neck otter exhibit opened.
In 1993, the Red Panda exhibit re-opened and the Malayan Woods Pavilion opened. The sumatran tigers arrived in 1994. Naked mole-rats went on exhibit in 1996. Komodo dragons become a feature exhibit in 1997.
In 1998, with the amalgamation of the Metro Municipalities, the Zoo was officially renamed the Toronto Zoo. That same year, the Zoo opened the Africa Savannah exhibits, the largest expansion in its history. In 2001, the Zoo added eyelash vipers to its collection and opened the Gorilla Rainforest, the world’s largest indoor habitat for Lowland Gorillas. The zoo's 'Splash Island', an educationally-themed water play area, opened in 2002. This was followed by an open-air amphitheatre in 2003 and the 'Kid's Zoo' in 2004 featuring exhibits geared to guests 10 and under.
The SARS crisis in 2003 had a devastating effect on the tourism industry in Toronto, however the Zoo fared well with local residents supporting the zoo by visiting often. The Zoo’s attendance has recovered well with many record-breaking annual attendance numbers since then.
In November 2006, the Toronto Zoo temporarily closed the Australasia Pavilion for redevelopment. The pavilion underwent two years of construction, resulting in new exhibits including a Great Barrier Reef area (where the former Edge of Night exhibit used to be). The Great Barrier Reef exhibit consists of a large seven-metre-long community tank featuring shark
s, damsel
, and angel fish. There is also a lion fish, as well as enlarged seahorse tanks. Coral and moon jelly fish have also been added to the collection – both firsts for the Toronto Zoo. This pavilion reopened on May 16, 2008.
In May 2007, Dinosaurs Alive opened, which featured 18 animated dinosaur models and life-size skeleton replicas. It featured the largest T-Rex in North America. This exhibit was enjoyed by over 600,000 visitors and was included with zoo admission. The exhibit closed in October 2007.
On August 21, 2007, the polar bear
, llama
, Dall's Sheep and Mara
exhibits were closed for the construction of the new 10 acres (4 ha) Tundra Trek area. This project was the first phase of the North Zoo Site Redevelopment Project. Tundra Trek features new exhibits for the popular polar bear
, reindeer
, arctic fox
, arctic wolf
and snowy owl
. Coming back to take up residence in the new polar bear exhibit were 3 orphaned polar bears initially raised at the Zoo and named by the community: Aurora, Nakita and Inukshuk. The Tundra Trek opened on August 1, 2009.
On May 16, 2008, Stingray Bay opened for the first time. This interactive exhibit allows the public to touch, feel, and feed live stingrays. The stingrays are supported in 20 inches (50.8 cm) deep, 1450 square feet (134.7 m²), 60500 litres (127,859.4 US pt) salt water habitat with waterfall and state-of-the-art life support system. Stingray Bay is a separate exhibit from the zoo, charging an additional admission fee. It has opened at the zoo 3 times, in 2008 from May 16 to October 13, in 2009 from May 15 to October 12, with the addition of nurse and bamboo sharks, and in 2010 from May 22 to October 11, with the addition of horseshoe crabs. The exhibit will again open in 2011 on May 21, and bonnethead sharks will be the feature animal until the exhibit closes October 10, 2011.
In September 2008, the Toronto Zoo Board approved a motion to dissolve the Toronto Zoo Foundation and bring fundraising and development in-house. All parties agreed to the transfer of existing donor funds to the Toronto Community Foundation.
On August 15, 2009, the Toronto Zoo celebrated its 35 year anniversary. During that weekend the public got to learn about some of the zoos oldest residents, including; Marg the demoiselle crane
and Monty the West African dwarf crocodile
.
On September 9, 2009 the south side of the African Rainforest Pavilion was closed for construction. During construction, one of the mandrill
s scheduled to move into the new area died, and the rest were moved to another zoo. The pavilion opened in early 2011, with new exhibits for pygmy hippos
, red river hogs
, nile softshell turtle, and lemurs instead of the mandrills, as well as a variety of exhibits for fish and reptiles.
The Dr. Scholfield Memorial/Asian Gardens opened the first phase in June 2010, and includes a statue erected in Dr. Scholfield's honor.
On May 21, 2011 the black-footed penguin exhibit (formerly the South African cape fur seal exhibit) opened to the public. This exhibit once was the old South African cape fur seal exhibit and it was closed in 2010 and modified to house black-footed penguins.
, Malayan tapir
s, lion-tailed macaques
, orangutan
s, Mandarin Duck
s, spiny turtle
s, rare Sumatran tiger
s, and various freshwater fish
. The Malayan Woods Pavilion houses butterflies
, whistling ducks, red-tailed green ratsnakes
and clouded leopards
. Three Sumatran tigers were born at the zoo to parents Brytne and Rengat in 2003, and two more (Kali and Indah which mean "River" and "Beautiful" in the Indonesian language) in 2006. Also in 2006, three orangutans were born and named Jinnga, Kembali and Budi through a TVO Kids naming contest.
s, greater kudu
s, sable antelope
s, white rhinos, elephant
s, hippopotamus
es, hyena
s and masai giraffe
. The African Rainforest Pavilion holds the world’s largest indoor gorilla
exhibit, and also holds pygmy hippopotamuses. In 2004 two female West African Dwarf Crocodiles successfully hatched on October 1, the first birth of this species in Canada. In September 2009, a male Gorilla was born to Ngozi and Charles
, later named Nassir. A mandrill named Mohawk was born in December 2008. The South Side of the African Rainforest Pavilion underwent extensive renovations in 2009 and 2010, and will open in the Spring of 2011. The South side of the pavilion is completely refurbished and showcases ring-tailed lemurs.
. The animals in this area will all be regrouped onto the table land. The Canadian Domain was built in accompaniment with the Canadian Domain Ride
, which exhibited North American animals in their native environment. Featured species in this area include, elk
, bison
, moose
, cougar, lynx
and grizzly bear
. The Toronto Zoo is currently participating in a breeding program for the Canadian bison. Canadian Domain is slated to be moved onto the zoo's tableland in coming years and re-named Canadian Wilderness
s, spider monkey
s, and flamingo
s. The Americas Pavilion houses the majority of the zoo's reptile and amphibian collection, and was the designated area for the 2008 Year of the Frog conservation project. In 2006 a two-toed sloth was born; this was the first birth of this species at the zoo. The Americas Pavilion will undergo a transition as per the North Zoo Site Redevelopment from the Americas Pavilion to the Tropical American Pavilion. Some Americas animals will be relocated with this redevelopment project.
s. Featured species in this area include thorny devil stick insects, a variety of Australian reptile
s, kangaroo
s, wallabies
, emu
s, wombat
s, kookaburra
s, red-tailed black cockatoo
s, Matschie's tree kangaroos and Komodo dragon
s. In 2003 a Komodo Dragon was hatched for the first time in Canada. In 2006 a Matschie's Tree Kangaroo was born, one of three born in North America in 2006.(New York Bronx Zoo, St. Louis Zoo and Toronto Zoo.) Later named Noru, was sent to the Lincoln Zoo, and was paired with a mate named Milla who gave birth to two twins - a first for this species. The Komodo dragons were donated to the zoo as a gift from the President of Indonesia
. This pavilion once had an “Edge of Night” section to highlight crepuscular
and nocturnal marsupial
s, but this was later converted into the Great Barrier Reef exhibit featuring sea horses, a live coral and jellyfish tank, lion fish, bamboo shark
s and a 7 metres (23 ft) long community tank. The exhibits inside the pavilion also received facelifts during the transition, including and outdoor area for the hairy-nosed wombat
s and swamp wallabies
.
s, Przewalski's wild horses, red panda
s, Barbary apes, and Bactrian camel
s. On June 5, 2007, two rare snow leopard
s were born, the first birth in thirteen years. Another snow leopard was born in 2009. Two Przewalski's horses, one male and one female, were born on June 22, 2007, the first birth in fifteen years. Three more Przewalski's horses were born in 2008 and another was born in 2009. In 2007, one male and one female Siberian tigers, were born. The zoo has also been very successful in breeding bactrian camels, the most recent birth coming in 2011.
, polar bear
s, snowy owl
s, snow geese
, arctic fox
es and arctic wolves
. The new state-of-the-art exhibits are larger in order to encourage breeding. Educational theming emphasizes the lives of the Inuit and the effects of climate change.
s, goat
s, falcon
s, turkey vulture
s, hawk
s, skunk
s, ferret
s and hornbill
s. A third area, the Kids Zoo, consists of a variety of animals that children can interact with. The Zellers Discovery Zone also hosts the Stingray Bay exhibit for its duration.
Some of the conservation initiatives that the Toronto Zoo has participated in are as follows:
The Toronto Zoo has been collecting and recycling
cell phones since 2006. In 2010, it was awarded the distinction of being the top cell phone recycler out of the Eco-Cell's 175 participating wildlife organizations in [North America]. Other participating wildlife organizations include include the San Diego Zoo
and the Philadelphia Zoo
. Coltan
is a mineral ore
mined and refined in central Africa
for metals used in the cell phone industry. This unregulated mining industry has a dramatic impact on the region's biodiversity
. Recycling cell phones helps to preserve the critical Lowland gorilla
rainforest habitat in Africa
by decreasing the demand for these minerals. This is of particular interest to the Toronto Zoo as its gorilla habitat has expanded with the addition of a newly born baby gorilla. The Toronto Zoo's cell phone recycling program is composed of two parts: Retrocell is the zoo's official cell phone refurbisher and the Ontario Electronic Stewardship Program processes the remainder of the phones that are collected by the Toronto Zoo.
Elephant deaths preceding Tara's:
In the days following Tara's death both Zoocheck Canada and U.S.-based In Defence of Animals called for the Zoo to close the exhibit and send the remaining three elephants to a sanctuary.
was a Canadian documentary television series which aired on Life Network. Its focus was on the relationship between the animals and their keepers, allowing viewers to experience what it’s like to bond with some of the world’s most exotic creatures. There have been 74 episodes produced since 2000 by DocuTainment Productions. The first 2 seasons of the show were also released on DVD/VHS
In 2011 the city started looking at the process of selling the zoo to a third party.
Zoo
A zoological garden, zoological park, menagerie, or zoo is a facility in which animals are confined within enclosures, displayed to the public, and in which they may also be bred....
located in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada. It opened August 15, 1974 as the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo and is owned by the City of Toronto; the word "Metropolitan" was dropped from its name when the cities of the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
were amalgamated to form the present-day city of Toronto in 1998. The zoo is located near the Rouge River
Rouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
, along the western border of Rouge Park
Rouge Park
Rouge Park will become an urban national park located along the border of Toronto and Pickering, Ontario, Canada. It will be Canada's first national park within a municipality....
in city's east end former borough of Scarborough
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
.
Encompassing 287 hectares (709.2 acre), the Toronto Zoo is the largest zoo in Canada. It is divided into seven zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, Tundra Trek, Australasia, Eurasia and the Canadian Domain. Some animals are displayed indoors in tropical pavilions and outdoors in what would be their naturalistic environments, with viewing at many levels. It also has areas such as the Kids Zoo, Waterside Theatre and Splash Island. The zoo is currently home to over 16,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 491 species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
.
History
In 1888, the Riverdale Zoo opened in Toronto, as a typical example of a zoo during this time, with animals displayed as curiosities in dark cages and cramped enclosures.In 1963 a private citizen's brief to build a new zoo was introduced. Original plans were to have to park located at the Don Mills, Ontario area, but the site was later used to create the E.T. Seton Park
E.T. Seton Park
E.T. Seton Park is a public park located in the North York neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The park is named after renowned naturalist, artist, and writer, Ernest Thompson Seton...
. In 1966, eleven citizens met at City Hall to form the Metropolitan Toronto Zoological Society. In 1967, the Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto approved the Rouge Park site in Scarborough for a new zoo. The following year, a feasibility study on the new zoo was produced by architect Raymond Moriyama
Raymond Moriyama
Raymond Moriyama, CC, O.Ont is a Japanese-Canadian architect. He has designed several buildings at Brock University from the 1970s through the latest campus expansion and is the University's former chancellor....
. In 1969 a master plan was created by Johnson Sustronk Weinstein and Associates which was approved by the Zoological Society. Construction of the new zoo began in 1970. On August 15, 1974 the Metropolitan Toronto Zoo was open to the public. The zoo increased from 3 hectares (7.4 acre) to 287 hectares (709.2 acre), and is now one of the largest zoos in the world. The Zoo introduced some designs to enhance the public's viewing experience and the animals' living comfort. Animals were displayed in naturalized environments and grouped according to their zoogeographic region. The old zoo was converted into an urban farm called Riverdale Farm
Riverdale Farm
Riverdale Farm is a municipally operated farm in the heart of Cabbagetown, an urban neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is maintained by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division....
, which opened in 1978.
In 1976, the Zoo opened the Canadian Domain Ride
Toronto Zoo Domain Ride
The Toronto Zoo Domain Ride was an automated guideway transit service used to carry visitors between sections, or "domains", of the Toronto Zoo...
, a monorail that traveled into the Zoo's Canadian Domain area, located in the Rouge Valley. The ride ceased operations in July 1994 after an accident. The monorail has since been dismantled. The current Zoomobile uses 5 (4 car set) Chance Coach
Optima Bus Corporation
Optima Bus, LLC, formerly Chance Coach Inc., is a brand of small transit buses manufactured by North American Bus Industries. It was established in 1976 in Wichita, Kansas....
Sunliner tram.
Between 1980 and 1984 several new exhibits were added to the Zoo, including Gaur
Gaur
The gaur , also called Indian bison, is a large bovine native to South Asia and Southeast Asia. The species is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1986 as the population decline in parts of the species' range is likely to be well over 70% over the last three generations...
, a children's zoo (Littlefootland) which does not exist anymore, and a new indoor habitat for African Elephants, Snow Leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s and the Indian Rhinoceros Pavilion. As well as, the official opening of the Zoomobile.
In 1985, Quinn Quinn and Sha Yan – a pair of giant panda
Giant Panda
The giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
s, on loan for three months from the Peoples' Republic of China were displayed at the Zoo. The Zoo broke all previous attendance records, as thousands of visitors came to see these rare animals. Over the years, the Zoo has presented other rare or unusual animals, including: golden monkeys
Snub-nosed monkey
Snub-nosed monkeys are a group of Old World monkeys and make up the entirety of the genus Rhinopithecus. The genus occurs rarely and needs much more research...
(1986), koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
s (1988, 1996 and again in 2002), and white lions (1995).
In 1993, the Red Panda exhibit re-opened and the Malayan Woods Pavilion opened. The sumatran tigers arrived in 1994. Naked mole-rats went on exhibit in 1996. Komodo dragons become a feature exhibit in 1997.
In 1998, with the amalgamation of the Metro Municipalities, the Zoo was officially renamed the Toronto Zoo. That same year, the Zoo opened the Africa Savannah exhibits, the largest expansion in its history. In 2001, the Zoo added eyelash vipers to its collection and opened the Gorilla Rainforest, the world’s largest indoor habitat for Lowland Gorillas. The zoo's 'Splash Island', an educationally-themed water play area, opened in 2002. This was followed by an open-air amphitheatre in 2003 and the 'Kid's Zoo' in 2004 featuring exhibits geared to guests 10 and under.
In November 2006, the Toronto Zoo temporarily closed the Australasia Pavilion for redevelopment. The pavilion underwent two years of construction, resulting in new exhibits including a Great Barrier Reef area (where the former Edge of Night exhibit used to be). The Great Barrier Reef exhibit consists of a large seven-metre-long community tank featuring shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s, damsel
Damselfish
Damselfish comprise the family Pomacentridae except those of the genera Amphiprion and Premnas. They can grow up to long. While most are marine, a few species inhabit the lower stretches of rivers in freshwater. Damselfish usually have bright colors. in tropical coral reefs, and many of those are...
, and angel fish. There is also a lion fish, as well as enlarged seahorse tanks. Coral and moon jelly fish have also been added to the collection – both firsts for the Toronto Zoo. This pavilion reopened on May 16, 2008.
In May 2007, Dinosaurs Alive opened, which featured 18 animated dinosaur models and life-size skeleton replicas. It featured the largest T-Rex in North America. This exhibit was enjoyed by over 600,000 visitors and was included with zoo admission. The exhibit closed in October 2007.
On August 21, 2007, the polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, llama
Llama
The llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times....
, Dall's Sheep and Mara
Mara
-Social groups:*Mara people, in northeastern India and western Myanmar* Mara language, a language spoken by Mara people*Mara Salvatrucha, a violent criminal gang in Mexico, Central America, Canada, and the United States...
exhibits were closed for the construction of the new 10 acres (4 ha) Tundra Trek area. This project was the first phase of the North Zoo Site Redevelopment Project. Tundra Trek features new exhibits for the popular polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
, reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, arctic fox
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
, arctic wolf
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a mammal of the family Canidae. Arctic Wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and the northern parts of Greenland....
and snowy owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
. Coming back to take up residence in the new polar bear exhibit were 3 orphaned polar bears initially raised at the Zoo and named by the community: Aurora, Nakita and Inukshuk. The Tundra Trek opened on August 1, 2009.
On May 16, 2008, Stingray Bay opened for the first time. This interactive exhibit allows the public to touch, feel, and feed live stingrays. The stingrays are supported in 20 inches (50.8 cm) deep, 1450 square feet (134.7 m²), 60500 litres (127,859.4 US pt) salt water habitat with waterfall and state-of-the-art life support system. Stingray Bay is a separate exhibit from the zoo, charging an additional admission fee. It has opened at the zoo 3 times, in 2008 from May 16 to October 13, in 2009 from May 15 to October 12, with the addition of nurse and bamboo sharks, and in 2010 from May 22 to October 11, with the addition of horseshoe crabs. The exhibit will again open in 2011 on May 21, and bonnethead sharks will be the feature animal until the exhibit closes October 10, 2011.
In September 2008, the Toronto Zoo Board approved a motion to dissolve the Toronto Zoo Foundation and bring fundraising and development in-house. All parties agreed to the transfer of existing donor funds to the Toronto Community Foundation.
On August 15, 2009, the Toronto Zoo celebrated its 35 year anniversary. During that weekend the public got to learn about some of the zoos oldest residents, including; Marg the demoiselle crane
Demoiselle Crane
The Demoiselle Crane, Anthropoides virgo, is a species of crane that breeds in Central Asia and winters in India, with a few found in Cyprus and eastern Turkey as well. The crane annually migrates to Africa and South Asia in winter...
and Monty the West African dwarf crocodile
Dwarf Crocodile
The dwarf crocodile is an African species of crocodile. It is also the smallest extant crocodile species in the world. Recent sampling has identified three genetically distinct populations...
.
On September 9, 2009 the south side of the African Rainforest Pavilion was closed for construction. During construction, one of the mandrill
Mandrill
The mandrill is a primate of the Old World monkey family, closely related to the baboons and even more closely to the drill. Both the mandrill and the drill were once classified as baboons in genus Papio, but recent research has determined they should be separated into their own genus, Mandrillus...
s scheduled to move into the new area died, and the rest were moved to another zoo. The pavilion opened in early 2011, with new exhibits for pygmy hippos
Pygmy Hippopotamus
The pygmy hippopotamus is a large mammal native to the forests and swamps of western Africa . The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal...
, red river hogs
Red River Hog
The red river hog , also known as the bush pig , is a wild member of the pig family living in Africa, with most of its distribution in the Guinean and Congolian forests...
, nile softshell turtle, and lemurs instead of the mandrills, as well as a variety of exhibits for fish and reptiles.
The Dr. Scholfield Memorial/Asian Gardens opened the first phase in June 2010, and includes a statue erected in Dr. Scholfield's honor.
On May 21, 2011 the black-footed penguin exhibit (formerly the South African cape fur seal exhibit) opened to the public. This exhibit once was the old South African cape fur seal exhibit and it was closed in 2010 and modified to house black-footed penguins.
Exhibits
The Toronto Zoo is divided up into seven different geographic regions. Each region showcases animals and plants from that area of the world.Indo-Malaya
The Indo-Malayan area contains two pavilions that exhibit plants and animals from the southern and southeast Asia. There are 4 outdoor exhibits in this area. Featured animals in this area include Indian rhinosIndian Rhinoceros
The Indian Rhinoceros is also called Greater One-horned Rhinoceros and Asian One-horned Rhinoceros and belongs to the Rhinocerotidae family...
, Malayan tapir
Malayan Tapir
The Malayan Tapir , also called the Asian Tapir, is the largest of the four species of tapir and the only one native to Asia. The scientific name refers to the East Indies, the species' natural habitat...
s, lion-tailed macaques
Lion-tailed Macaque
The lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey that is endemic to the Western Ghats of South India.-Physical Characteristics:...
, orangutan
Orangutan
Orangutans are the only exclusively Asian genus of extant great ape. The largest living arboreal animals, they have proportionally longer arms than the other, more terrestrial, great apes. They are among the most intelligent primates and use a variety of sophisticated tools, also making sleeping...
s, Mandarin Duck
Mandarin Duck
The Mandarin Duck , or just Mandarin, is a medium-sized perching duck, closely related to the North American Wood Duck. It is 41–49 cm long with a 65–75 cm wingspan.-Description:...
s, spiny turtle
Spiny Turtle
The Spiny turtle inhabits lowland and hill rainforest, usually in the vicinity of small streams, mainly in hill areas up to 900 m...
s, rare Sumatran tiger
Sumatran Tiger
The Sumatran tiger is a tiger subspecies that inhabits the Indonesian island of Sumatra and has been classified as critically endangered by IUCN in 2008 as the population is projected at 176 to 271 mature individuals, with no subpopulation having an effective population size larger than 50...
s, and various freshwater fish
Freshwater fish
Freshwater fish are fish that spend some or all of their lives in freshwater, such as rivers and lakes, with a salinity of less than 0.05%. These environments differ from marine conditions in many ways, the most obvious being the difference in levels of salinity...
. The Malayan Woods Pavilion houses butterflies
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
, whistling ducks, red-tailed green ratsnakes
Gonyosoma oxycephalum
The Red-tailed Green Ratsnake is a species of snake found in Southeast Asia. It is a thin snake with powerful and rough scales on its belly, ideal for climbing and moving in trees...
and clouded leopards
Clouded Leopard
The clouded leopard is a felid found from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China, and has been classified as vulnerable in 2008 by IUCN...
. Three Sumatran tigers were born at the zoo to parents Brytne and Rengat in 2003, and two more (Kali and Indah which mean "River" and "Beautiful" in the Indonesian language) in 2006. Also in 2006, three orangutans were born and named Jinnga, Kembali and Budi through a TVO Kids naming contest.
Africa
Opened in 1998 the African Savanna became the zoos largest expansion in history. The African Savanna combined with the African Rainforest Pavilion encompasses most of the southern third of the zoo. The African Savanna featured species include lions, zebras, olive baboonOlive Baboon
The olive baboon , also called the Anubis baboon, is a member of the family Cercopithecidae . The species is the most widely spread of all baboons: it is found in 25 countries throughout Africa, extending south from Mali to Ethiopia and to Tanzania. Isolated populations are also found in some...
s, greater kudu
Greater Kudu
The Greater Kudu is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas, due to a declining habitat, deforestation and hunting....
s, sable antelope
Sable Antelope
The Sable Antelope is an antelope which inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa.-Subspecies:There are four subspecies:* H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependent...
s, white rhinos, elephant
Elephant
Elephants are large land mammals in two extant genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta, with the third genus Mammuthus extinct...
s, hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
es, hyena
Hyena
Hyenas or Hyaenas are the animals of the family Hyaenidae of suborder feliforms of the Carnivora. It is the fourth smallest biological family in the Carnivora , and one of the smallest in the mammalia...
s and masai giraffe
Masai Giraffe
The Masai Giraffe or Maasai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe is the largest subspecies of giraffe and the tallest land mammal. It is found in Kenya and Tanzania.-Description:...
. The African Rainforest Pavilion holds the world’s largest indoor gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
exhibit, and also holds pygmy hippopotamuses. In 2004 two female West African Dwarf Crocodiles successfully hatched on October 1, the first birth of this species in Canada. In September 2009, a male Gorilla was born to Ngozi and Charles
Charles the Gorilla
Charles the Gorilla is a wild-born Western Lowland Gorilla from Gabon West Africa. Although the date of his birth is unknown his approximate date of birth is September 23, 1972. At a time when humans were less vigilant about their treatment of threatened and endangered species, Charles was sought...
, later named Nassir. A mandrill named Mohawk was born in December 2008. The South Side of the African Rainforest Pavilion underwent extensive renovations in 2009 and 2010, and will open in the Spring of 2011. The South side of the pavilion is completely refurbished and showcases ring-tailed lemurs.
Canadian Domain
The Canadian Domain is situated in the Rouge ValleyRouge River (Ontario)
The Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin in the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville...
. The animals in this area will all be regrouped onto the table land. The Canadian Domain was built in accompaniment with the Canadian Domain Ride
Toronto Zoo Domain Ride
The Toronto Zoo Domain Ride was an automated guideway transit service used to carry visitors between sections, or "domains", of the Toronto Zoo...
, which exhibited North American animals in their native environment. Featured species in this area include, elk
Elk
The Elk is the large deer, also called Cervus canadensis or wapiti, of North America and eastern Asia.Elk may also refer to:Other antlered mammals:...
, bison
Bison
Members of the genus Bison are large, even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant and four extinct species are recognized...
, moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, cougar, lynx
Lynx
A lynx is any of the four Lynx genus species of medium-sized wildcats. The name "lynx" originated in Middle English via Latin from Greek word "λύγξ", derived from the Indo-European root "*leuk-", meaning "light, brightness", in reference to the luminescence of its reflective eyes...
and grizzly bear
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip bear, the grizzly, or the North American brown bear, is a subspecies of brown bear that generally lives in the uplands of western North America...
. The Toronto Zoo is currently participating in a breeding program for the Canadian bison. Canadian Domain is slated to be moved onto the zoo's tableland in coming years and re-named Canadian Wilderness
Americas
This area of the zoo houses animals from both North and South America. Animals include several species of monkeys. The Americas Pavilion displays a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects. The Mayan Temple Ruins features jaguarJaguar
The jaguar is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus, and is the only Panthera species found in the Americas. The jaguar is the third-largest feline after the tiger and the lion, and the largest in the Western Hemisphere. The jaguar's present range extends from Southern United States and Mexico...
s, spider monkey
Spider monkey
Spider monkeys of the genus Ateles are New World monkeys in the subfamily Atelinae, family Atelidae. Like other atelines, they are found in tropical forests of Central and South America, from southern Mexico to Brazil...
s, and flamingo
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus , the only genus in the family Phoenicopteridae...
s. The Americas Pavilion houses the majority of the zoo's reptile and amphibian collection, and was the designated area for the 2008 Year of the Frog conservation project. In 2006 a two-toed sloth was born; this was the first birth of this species at the zoo. The Americas Pavilion will undergo a transition as per the North Zoo Site Redevelopment from the Americas Pavilion to the Tropical American Pavilion. Some Americas animals will be relocated with this redevelopment project.
Australasia
The Australasian Pavilion features animals from the Australian mainland, as well as surrounding islandIsland
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s. Featured species in this area include thorny devil stick insects, a variety of Australian reptile
Reptile
Reptiles are members of a class of air-breathing, ectothermic vertebrates which are characterized by laying shelled eggs , and having skin covered in scales and/or scutes. They are tetrapods, either having four limbs or being descended from four-limbed ancestors...
s, kangaroo
Kangaroo
A kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae . In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, especially those of the genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Western Grey Kangaroo. Kangaroos are endemic to the country...
s, wallabies
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
, emu
Emu
The Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae) is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. There are three subspecies of Emus in Australia...
s, wombat
Wombat
Wombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a short, stubby tail. They are adaptable in their habitat tolerances, and are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, as well as...
s, kookaburra
Kookaburra
Kookaburras are terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea. They are large to very large, with a total length of . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, and is onomatopoeic of its call...
s, red-tailed black cockatoo
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
The Red-tailed Black Cockatoo , also known as Banksian- or Banks' Black Cockatoo, is a large cockatoo native to Australia. This species was known as Calyptorhynchus magnificus for many decades until the current scientific name was officially conserved in 1994. It is more common in the drier parts...
s, Matschie's tree kangaroos and Komodo dragon
Komodo dragon
The Komodo dragon , also known as the Komodo monitor, is a large species of lizard found in the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Gili Motang and Gili Dasami. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of in rare cases...
s. In 2003 a Komodo Dragon was hatched for the first time in Canada. In 2006 a Matschie's Tree Kangaroo was born, one of three born in North America in 2006.(New York Bronx Zoo, St. Louis Zoo and Toronto Zoo.) Later named Noru, was sent to the Lincoln Zoo, and was paired with a mate named Milla who gave birth to two twins - a first for this species. The Komodo dragons were donated to the zoo as a gift from the President of Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. This pavilion once had an “Edge of Night” section to highlight crepuscular
Crepuscular
Crepuscular animals are those that are active primarily during twilight, that is during dawn and dusk. The word is derived from the Latin word crepusculum, meaning "twilight." Crepuscular is, thus, in contrast with diurnal and nocturnal behavior. Crepuscular animals may also be active on a bright...
and nocturnal marsupial
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
s, but this was later converted into the Great Barrier Reef exhibit featuring sea horses, a live coral and jellyfish tank, lion fish, bamboo shark
Shark
Sharks are a type of fish with a full cartilaginous skeleton and a highly streamlined body. The earliest known sharks date from more than 420 million years ago....
s and a 7 metres (23 ft) long community tank. The exhibits inside the pavilion also received facelifts during the transition, including and outdoor area for the hairy-nosed wombat
Wombat
Wombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a short, stubby tail. They are adaptable in their habitat tolerances, and are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia, including Tasmania, as well as...
s and swamp wallabies
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
.
Eurasia
Eurasia is the oldest and most quiet part of the zoo. This section is planned to be redeveloped and expanded to include a variety of species. The featured species in this section of the zoo are Siberian tigers, snow leopardSnow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s, Przewalski's wild horses, red panda
Red Panda
The red panda , is a small arboreal mammal native to the eastern Himalayas and southwestern China. It is the only species of the genus Ailurus. Slightly larger than a domestic cat, it has reddish-brown fur, a long, shaggy tail, and a waddling gait due to its shorter front legs...
s, Barbary apes, and Bactrian camel
Bactrian camel
The Bactrian camel is a large, even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of central Asia. It is presently restricted in the wild to remote regions of the Gobi and Taklamakan Deserts of Mongolia and Xinjiang. A small number of wild Bactrian camels still roam the Mangystau Province of southwest...
s. On June 5, 2007, two rare snow leopard
Snow Leopard
The snow leopard is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of South Asia and Central Asia...
s were born, the first birth in thirteen years. Another snow leopard was born in 2009. Two Przewalski's horses, one male and one female, were born on June 22, 2007, the first birth in fifteen years. Three more Przewalski's horses were born in 2008 and another was born in 2009. In 2007, one male and one female Siberian tigers, were born. The zoo has also been very successful in breeding bactrian camels, the most recent birth coming in 2011.
Tundra Trek
After the closing of some of the Americas animal exhibits in 2007, the Tundra Trek opened on August 1, 2009. This area became the sixth region of the zoo, and showcases a variety of Arctic animals including reindeerReindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, polar bear
Polar Bear
The polar bear is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses. It is the world's largest land carnivore and also the largest bear, together with the omnivorous Kodiak Bear, which is approximately the same size...
s, snowy owl
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl is a large owl of the typical owl family Strigidae. The Snowy Owl was first classified in 1758 by Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who developed binomial nomenclature to classify and organize plants and animals. The bird is also known in North America as the Arctic Owl, Great...
s, snow geese
Snow Goose
The Snow Goose , also known as the Blue Goose, is a North American species of goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The genus of this bird is disputed...
, arctic fox
Arctic fox
The arctic fox , also known as the white fox, polar fox or snow fox, is a small fox native to Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome. The Greek word alopex, means a fox and Vulpes is the Latin version...
es and arctic wolves
Arctic Wolf
The Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a subspecies of the Gray Wolf, a mammal of the family Canidae. Arctic Wolves inhabit the Canadian Arctic, Alaska and the northern parts of Greenland....
. The new state-of-the-art exhibits are larger in order to encourage breeding. Educational theming emphasizes the lives of the Inuit and the effects of climate change.
Zellers Discovery Zone
This area is geared towards children, and features educational themes and exhibits. The most prominent area is a children's waterpark, Splash Island, which features landscaping and themed objects depicting the 3 states of water: solid (ice), liquid, and gas. Exhibits are grouped around variously themed groups of aquatic animals, including rivers, lakes, and oceans. Waterside Theatre is an open-air venue where live demonstrations of a variety of animals are shown, including alpacaAlpaca
An alpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of southern Peru, northern Bolivia, Ecuador, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea level, throughout the year...
s, goat
Goat
The domestic goat is a subspecies of goat domesticated from the wild goat of southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the Bovidae family and is closely related to the sheep as both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s, falcon
Falcon
A falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The genus contains 37 species, widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and North America....
s, turkey vulture
Turkey Vulture
The Turkey Vulture is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It is also known in some North American regions as the Turkey Buzzard , and in some areas of the Caribbean as the John Crow or Carrion Crow...
s, hawk
Hawk
The term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Australia and Africa, to mean any of the species in the subfamily Accipitrinae, which comprises the genera Accipiter, Micronisus, Melierax, Urotriorchis and Megatriorchis. The large and widespread Accipiter genus includes goshawks,...
s, skunk
Skunk
Skunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul odor. General appearance varies from species to species, from black-and-white to brown or cream colored. Skunks belong to the family Mephitidae and to the order Carnivora...
s, ferret
Ferret
The ferret is a domesticated mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females. They typically have brown, black, white, or mixed fur...
s and hornbill
Hornbill
Hornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and subtropical Africa, Asia and Melanesia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-colored and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family...
s. A third area, the Kids Zoo, consists of a variety of animals that children can interact with. The Zellers Discovery Zone also hosts the Stingray Bay exhibit for its duration.
Conservation
The Toronto Zoo makes considerable effort to conserve endangered species from around the world with the help of other accredited zoos. Breeding captive wild animals is a difficult challenge, but has resulted in the re-introduction of many species.- The Toronto Zoo was the first zoo to establish a captive-breeding program for black-footed ferrets with the goal of releasing them back into their wild habitat, and had released more than 120 animals by 2011.
- The zoo has rescued polar bears from the wild. Two in 2001, later named Aurora & Nikita and one in 2003, later named Inukshuk.
- In 2008 the Toronto Zoo participated in 2008 Year of the Frog, where researchers were sent to study a deadly fungus causing problems to amphibians and reptiles worldwide.
The Toronto Zoo has been collecting and recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
cell phones since 2006. In 2010, it was awarded the distinction of being the top cell phone recycler out of the Eco-Cell's 175 participating wildlife organizations in [North America]. Other participating wildlife organizations include include the San Diego Zoo
San Diego Zoo
The San Diego Zoo in Balboa Park, San Diego, California, is one of the most progressive zoos in the world, with over 4,000 animals of more than 800 species...
and the Philadelphia Zoo
Philadelphia Zoo
The Philadelphia Zoo, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on the west bank of the Schuylkill River, was the first zoo in the United States. Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on March 21, 1859, its opening was delayed by the American Civil War until July 1, 1874...
. Coltan
Coltan
Coltan is the industrial name for columbite–tantalite, a dull black metallic mineral from which the elements niobium and tantalum are extracted. The niobium-dominant mineral is columbite, hence the "col" half of the term...
is a mineral ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
mined and refined in central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
for metals used in the cell phone industry. This unregulated mining industry has a dramatic impact on the region's biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
. Recycling cell phones helps to preserve the critical Lowland gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
rainforest habitat in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
by decreasing the demand for these minerals. This is of particular interest to the Toronto Zoo as its gorilla habitat has expanded with the addition of a newly born baby gorilla. The Toronto Zoo's cell phone recycling program is composed of two parts: Retrocell is the zoo's official cell phone refurbisher and the Ontario Electronic Stewardship Program processes the remainder of the phones that are collected by the Toronto Zoo.
Controversies
On November 30, 2009 Tara, the Zoo's largest creature, died. She was found lying down when staff arrived in the morning and was unable to be raised to her feet. Tara was the third elephant in 14 months to die at the Zoo and fourth in three years. The Zoo has planned a major expansion of the Zoo exhibit and indoor quarters, to accommodate the existing herd and any new elephants, perhaps the result of breeding. Board of Management minutes from October, 2009 indicate a concern that the condition of the elephant exhibit might cause the Zoo to lose its Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) accreditation.Elephant deaths preceding Tara's:
- June 2009: Tessa, knocked to the ground by another elephant, unable to stand unassisted after being raised to her feet by staff and equipment.
- September 2008: Tequila, cause of death not released.
- July 2006: Patsy, euthanized due to long-term degenerative arthritis
In the days following Tara's death both Zoocheck Canada and U.S.-based In Defence of Animals called for the Zoo to close the exhibit and send the remaining three elephants to a sanctuary.
Media
Zoo DiariesZoo Diaries
Zoo Diaries is a Canadian documentary television series airing on Life Network. The series documents the live of animals and people at a zoo with a record of breeding endangered species. 74 episodes have been produced since 2000 by DocuTainment Productions. DocuTainment's owner, Garry Blye, who did...
was a Canadian documentary television series which aired on Life Network. Its focus was on the relationship between the animals and their keepers, allowing viewers to experience what it’s like to bond with some of the world’s most exotic creatures. There have been 74 episodes produced since 2000 by DocuTainment Productions. The first 2 seasons of the show were also released on DVD/VHS
Future development
Construction Projects:- North Zoo Redevelopment Project: (The animal listed in brackets may be getting new exhibits)
- Phase One: Tundra Trek. Opened on August 1, 2009.
- Phase Two: Eurasia (Panda BearsGiant PandaThe giant panda, or panda is a bear native to central-western and south western China. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the panda's diet is 99% bamboo...
& Golden snub-nosed monkeyGolden Snub-nosed MonkeyThe golden snub-nosed monkey is an Old World monkey in the Colobinae subfamily. It is endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China. The Chinese name is sichuan golden hair monkey . It is also widely referred to as the sichuan snub-nosed monkey...
s were thought about in the Eurasian plan) Detailed design to be finished in early 2011. Construction to follow. - Phase Three: Mixed Wood/Boreal Forests (MooseMooseThe moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
, Wood BisonWood BisonThe Wood Bison, Bison bison athabascae, also called Mountain Bison, Wood Buffalo or Mountain Buffalo, is a distinct northern subspecies or ecotype of the American Bison...
, Grizzly Bears, Vancouver Island MarmotsMarmotThe marmots are a genus, Marmota, of squirrels. There are 14 species in this genus.Marmots are generally large ground squirrels. Those most often referred to as marmots tend to live in mountainous areas such as the Alps, northern Apennines, Eurasian steppes, Carpathians, Tatras, and Pyrenees in...
) To begin in 2011/2012. - Phase Four: Tropical Americas (The conversion of the Americas Pavilion to Tropical Americas)To begin in 2014/2015.
- The zoo will bring back the panda exhibit for 2012, under an agreement with China that will have two giant pandas at the Toronto Zoo for five years at a cost of $20 million.
- Toronto Zoo is currently (Feb 2008) starting the initial design phases for an expanded elephant complex, including a large indoor space where the herd can be together and on display year-round, and an expanded outdoor paddock. To begin in 2015. There is going to be a feasibility study to determine whether it would be worth the money to expand the elephant habitat and quadruple the space of the current exhibit, according to an elephant keeper.
- Giraffe House Refurbishment to begin in 2010/2011.
- Animal Health Centre to begin in 2012/2013. Design has begun.
- Education centre to begin in 2014/2015.
- Orangutan Complex to begin in 2013/2014.
In 2011 the city started looking at the process of selling the zoo to a third party.