A trip to the bronx zoo

[i_love_necturus]

Well, this week I went to NY and visted The Bronx Zoo. Before I went I checked on isis to see if there were any cool aquatic sals there. To my surprise there was 6 Broad-Striped Dwarf Sirens Pseudobranchus striatus striatus there. I got excited. Once we got there the parking was horrible but we got in. Once we got to the reptile exhibit and went in I was looking for all the sals (sirens mostly) i got to the dwarf sirens and the tank was so covered in algea that I couldn't see a thing. Then I looked for the spotted sal, Mandarin newt, and i think another sal, but all were hiding or not there. So I didn't see a single caudate, let alone the dwarf siren. All in all I was pretty disappointed.

 

[JWERNER]

I feel your pain, I always get stood up by the animals when I go to the zoo. But then again, we do end up picking some of the nicest mornings that turn into the muggiest and most hottest days of the summer.:wacko:

 

[Ed]

Hey,

Jay, let me know if you headed out my way, I can make sure that you at least see some of the caudates in Philly.

Ed

 

[Otterwoman]

When I went there, I remember seeing the mandarin newt. That was the one that made me want one so bad, and led to me getting Elektra and Eddie.

I just checked my old photos: here, from October 26, 2004 are pics from my last visit to the zoo. I had them bookmarked because I like to put my zoo visits on my blog. Also, they have GREAT otters at this zoo!

Now, don't be jealous!

 

[JWERNER]

Hey,

Jay, let me know if you headed out my way, I can make sure that you at least see some of the caudates in Philly.

Ed

I just went to the Lehigh Zoo formerly the Trexler Game Preserve ( this was what I had just referred to ) and I have made so many plans to go to the Philly Zoo again. I made a wonderful trip last year and the rest of the day turned out to be very nice as I showed my Fiancé around all sides of the Town. I love Philly so much, I will definitely let you know when I come again Ed.

Dawn, we have some nice Otters at our local zoo also. In fact, like always, they are possibly the only animals that never let us down. Its almost as if they are getting to know us..lol!

Thanks for such a nice gesture Ed, Jay.

 

[Ed]

Off topic... and we have giant river otters... and a litter of tiger cubs was just born... and I have several species of caudate on exhibit.. at this time Pachytriton sp.. (one of the letters not sure exactly which one)..., Cynops cyanurus, Pleurodeles waltl and Necturus maculosus.

Ed

 

[i_love_necturus]

Ooo, Necturus maculosus. Also off topic, how many does the zoo have and what type of encloser are they in (gallons)? Just wondering, if I remember correctly Baltimore has 11 N. maculosus.

 

[Otterwoman]

I was last at the Philly zoo quite a while ago, July 22, 1997, before I was interested in newts. I went to see the Naked Mole-Rats (at the time they were the only zoo in the country that had them, I believe). I can't remember if I saw the Giant Otters...were they there then? How could I forget that?

Jay, what is your local zoo, the Lehigh zoo? Is that Lehigh, PA? Because that is certainly not too far from me! I've noticed the best days to see otters in a zoo are when it's a bit rainy/overcast, they love to come out then and entertain me. The coolest zoos I ever saw them in were a small nature center in Kingsport TN, in 1990, I think; they mated about ten feet from my face. The female picked between two males that were there by picking the one who gave her a stick (in lieu of flowers?). This past June I had a great time seeing them at the Good Zoo, Wheeling WV, where they had naked mole-rats AND a leech exhibit! (I blogged about that one,
http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Rjrunt4.b7Kxsn1uRE_sULnZCSI-?cq=1&p=170). I hope this isn't too off-topic, as newts ARE liquid otters.

 

[JWERNER]

Lehigh Valley PA. The Zoo is actually in Schnecksville PA but schnecksville is in the Lehigh Valley.

I suggest looking up the Zoo before making any arrangements as it really is not that big and interesting at all, it is just nice for the local...heritage I guess.

 

[Otterwoman]

Oh, otters are worth the drive. I've driven to places with "otter" in the name, just for the adventure.
I made my boyfriend take me all the way to the Space Zoo in NJ to see the otters and the thing wouldn't even come out for me! I was content just to take a picture of me standing next to the sign.

 

[JWERNER]

SPACE FARMS! Thats where that famous zodiac the bear or something was. I have not heard of that place since I was like 9 years old!

 

[dane_zu]

last time i went to the zoo(milwaukee county zoo) I saw the siren, tiger sal, and hellbender they had there(not to mention many more reptiles and poison dart frogs)

 

[Otterwoman]

Yes! There was a huge stuffed bear (I think it was a Kodiak bear; Zodiac was a serial killer, I believe) and also the complete skeleton of an otter. They had a pretty neat exhibit area, two floors, and a little souvenir shop. I thought it was great fun.
Next spring, I'm taking a driving trip from here to Dearborn MI, I want to see the reconstructed Dymaxion house at the Henry Ford Museum.
My driving plan includes a zoo a day (I haven't picked the zoos yet, but I once went to the cincinnati zoo and I've got to go there again!) I was going to post later in winter for any recommendations of zoos in the northeast with great herp areas that are roughly along that path.
Unfortunately, Milwaukee is further than I'll be going. And I'll be scouring maps/google for any places with "otter" in the name to stop at along the way as well. I think it'll be a great adventure!

 

[Kaysie]

If you're making the trip up to D-town, Detroit's got the National Amphibian Conservation Center, with TONS of caudates on display. If you give me a heads-up, and I'm still in town, I can meet up with you and arrange a behind-the-scenes. Toledo zoo is also quite nice for their herpetofauna. They've got Kihansi Spray Toads!!

 

[Otterwoman]

I'll definitely put that on my list!

You know, it wasn't the Cincinnati zoo that I remember being so awesome, it was the Cleveland zoo. I guess I'll just have to do both on my trip.

 

[Otterwoman]

Hey Kaysie,
I see that NACC is part of the Detroit Zoo, which I was already planning to see.
There is also the Belle Isle Zoo and Bell Isle Aquarium there, too, right? I want to see those as well. Have you been there?

 

[Kaysie]

Belle Isle Zoo and Aquarium are both closed indefinitely (as in, no one can actually forsee them opening again, ever). They were both pretty glorious, but due to lack of funding, Belle Isle is now just a local attraction for ladies of loose morals and those who appreciate them.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Wow I'm surprised my little thread would start such an interesting conversation. Keep it up! I like hearing about the zoos of America.

 

[mantighoul]

Sorry to hear you had a bad time at the Bronx zoo. Caudata, even reptile and ampbians wise, pretty poor representation near the instituions near me.

Not a good representation of caudates at the institutes near me.
Went to Brookfield zoo yesterday, there were Tylototriton shanjing in a small exhibit across from the Asian River Otters.Near them were also some insect exhibits, I LOVE insect exhibts, need more of them too. They were sexable and a pretty cood size colony. Brookfield used to have a giant really cool reptile house when I was little, especially since the Aligators and Crocodiles were kept in large habitat in the Basement. Now it is just some small lizards and frogs in the center of a paviallion with lots of birds, but the burrowing owls are pretty cool. Not enough love for repts and amphibians, especially salamanders in Chicago.
Aquarium (and Lincoln Park) only have Caecilians, but I am working on changing that There is one on exhibit in Amazon section that you cannot see most of the time, but off exhibit there are prebably two dozen, i think it is some study on treatment of dermal abrasions, they have such cute faces. I never realized how many turtles we have at the aquarium til i went arround behind and on exhibit, seriously, if you like turtles, there are a lot, nice amount of frogs, also. Heck, plenty of lizards also, have Blue Iguanas, and Faust the Komodo Dragon, baby skinks and cayman lizards.
Nature Museum has lesser siren and a fat Tiger Salamander(but the poster above them talks about spotted sals), they has some mudpupies die recently but thay are also not AZA.

In short, I declare zoos need to start conserving more than just fuzzy little (and mega fauna, heck more mega fauna of Central Asia, India, South East Asia need to be also, so much more in the world than the "Savannah") mammals, and more reptiles, amphibians(especially salamanders), and insects.

 

[i_love_necturus]

Insects are a definate need! I also love insect exhibits. I would especially like to see some giant caterpillars (like the species from the familes Saturniidae and Sphingidae) in zoos. I raise them and I think it would be neat to see exotic species that zoos could offer. But there isn't any high demand for them at the time I don't think so I don't really know if that will turn out.