The
Toronto Zoo is a
zooA 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 the
Scarborough districtScarborough is the area that forms the eastern part of the City of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was named by Elizabeth Simcoe in 1796 who was inspired by the Scarborough Bluffs which reminded her of the white cliffs near her home in England. Initially a collection of rural villages it has grown...
of
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
,
OntarioOntario is a province located in east-central Canada, the largest by population and second largest, after Quebec, in total area. Ontario is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba to the west and Quebec to the east, and 5 U.S...
, 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 merged to form the present-day City of Toronto. The zoo is located near the Rouge River.
Encompassing 287 hectares (710 acres), the Toronto Zoo is the third largest in the world. It is divided into six zoogeographic regions: Indo-Malaya, Africa, Americas, 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 5,000 animals (including invertebrates and fish) representing over 491 distinct
speciesIn biology, a species is:* a taxonomic rank or* a unit at that rank ....
. The
Toronto Zoo is currently working on the North Zoo Redevelopment. This project will be completed in four phases.
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. 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 MoriyamaRaymond 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 to nearly 300 hectares and is now one of the largest 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 FarmRiverdale Farm is a 3.0 hectare municipally operated farm in the heart of Cabbagetown, an urban neighbourhood in Toronto, Ontario, Canada....
, which opened in 1978.
In 1976, the Zoo opened the
Canadian Domain RideThe Toronto Zoo Domain Ride was a monorail-style automated guideway transit vehicle used to carry visitors between sections, or "domains", of the Toronto Zoo. It opened in 1976, and closed in 1994, after a train lost power and rolled backwards down the track into a second train, injuring about 30...
, 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.
Between 1980 and 1984 several new exhibits were added to the Zoo, including
GaurThe gaur is a large, dark-coated bovine animal of South Asia and Southeast Asia. The biggest populations are found today in India. The gaur is the largest species of wild cattle, bigger than the Cape buffalo, water buffalo and bison...
, a children's zoo (Littlefootland) which does not exist anymore, and a new indoor habitat for African Elephants,
Snow LeopardThe snow leopard , sometimes known as ounce, is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia...
s and the Indian Rhinoceros Pavilion. As well as, the official opening of the Zoomobile.
In 1985,
Qinn Qinn and
Shayan – a pair of
giant pandaThe Giant Panda is a mammal native to central-western and south western China. The Giant Panda is a member of the Ursidae family. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body...
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 monkeysSnub-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),
koalaThe Koala is a thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
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 opened the Gorilla Rainforest, the world’s largest indoor habitat for Lowland Gorillas and Eyelash vipers go on display. 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.
mage:Toronto Zoo Splash Island Polar Bear.jpg|right|thumb|Splash Island is an educational water play area, themed to water: clouds to rain that flows into streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. The sprayers reflect animals typically found in these waterways.
The SARS crisis in 2003 had a devastating effect on the tourism industry in Toronto, however the Zoo fared well with local resident 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 sharks, 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 dinosaurs 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. This exhibit closed in October 2007.
On August 21, 2007, the
polar bearThe 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 carnivore species found on land. It is also the largest bear, together with the omnivore Kodiak bear which is approximately...
,
llamaThe llama is a South American camelid, widely used as a pack animal by the Incas and other natives of the Andes mountains. In South America llamas are still used as beasts of burden, as well as for the production of fiber and meat....
, Dall's Sheep and Mara exhibits were closed for the construction on the new 10-acre Tundra Trek. This project is the first phase of the North Zoo Site Redevelopment Project. The Tundra will open with new exhibits for the popular
polar bearThe 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 carnivore species found on land. It is also the largest bear, together with the omnivore Kodiak bear which is approximately...
,
reindeerThe reindeer , also known as the caribou when wild in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer, widespread and numerous across the Arctic and Subarctic.- Distribution and habitat :...
,
arctic foxThe Arctic Fox , also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome...
,
arctic wolfThe Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a mammal of the Canidae family, and a subspecies of the Gray Wolf...
and
snowy owlThe 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 or the...
. Coming back to take up residence in the new polar bear exhibit will be 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. This interactive exhibit allowed the public to touch, feel, and feed live stingrays. The stingrays will be supported in deep, , and 60,500 litre salt water habitat with waterfall and state-of-the-art life support system. Stingray Bay closed October 13, 2008. Stingray Bay re-opened at the Toronto Zoo on May 15, 2009 with the addition of nurse and bamboo sharks. Stingray Bay will close again on October 12, 2009.
In September 2008, Toronto Zoo Board approved the end of the contract with the Toronto Zoo Foundation and restructured to bring fundraising or development in-house. The Toronto Zoo Foundation decided to wrap-up and has been working with the Zoo to ensure the smooth transition of its assets to this new structure. All parties agreed to the transfer of existing donor funds to the Toronto Community Foundation. Longer term, the Zoo hopes to launch a fundraising capital campaign to support exciting education, conservation and exhibit projects as identified in the Zoo's overall master plan.
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 some of which include; 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. Pygmy Hippos, Mandrills, and Red River Hogs are just some of the animals slated to be getting new exhibit.
Regions of the Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is divided up into six 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 rhinos,
Malayan tapirThe 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,
orangutanThe orangutans are two endangered species of great apes. Known for their intelligence, they live in trees and are the largest living arboreal animal. They have longer arms than other great apes, and their hair is typically reddish-brown, instead of the brown or black hair typical of other great apes...
s,mandarin ducks, spiny turtles, rare Sumatran tigers, and various freshwater
fishA fish is any aquatic vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scales, and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins...
. The Malayan Woods Pavilion houses butterflies, whistling ducks, red tailed green ratsnakes and
clouded leopardThe Clouded Leopard is a medium-sized cat found in Southeast Asia. It has a tan or tawny coat, and is distinctively marked with large, irregularly-shaped, dark-edged ellipses which are said to be shaped like clouds. This unique appearance gave the mammal both its common and scientific species name...
s. Three Sumatran tigers were born at the zoo to parents Brytne and Rengat in 2003 and two tigers again in 2006 and were later named Kali and Indah which mean "River" and "Beautiful" in the Indonesian language. Also in 2006, three orangutans were born named Jinnga, Kembali and Budi (They were named 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
baboonBaboons are African and Asian Old World monkeys belonging to the genus Papio, part of the subfamily Cercopithecinae. There are five species, which are some of the largest non-hominid members of the primate order; only the Mandrill and the Drill are larger...
s,
greater kuduThe 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 antelopeThe 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,
elephantElephants are large land mammals in two genera of the family Elephantidae: Elephas and Loxodonta. Three species of elephant are living today: the African Bush Elephant, the African Forest Elephant and the Asian Elephant...
s,
hippopotamusThe hippopotamus or hippo is a large, mostly plant-eating mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae...
es,
hyenaThe Hyaenidae is a mammalian family of order Carnivora. The Hyaenidae family, native to both African and Asian continents, consists of four living species, the Striped Hyena and Brown Hyena , the Spotted Hyena , and the Aardwolf .-Evolution:Hyenas seem to have originated 26 million years ago from...
s and
masai giraffeThe Masai Giraffe, also known as the Kilimanjaro Giraffe is the largest subspecies of giraffe, and the tallest land mammal. Masai giraffe have jagged spots on their bodies...
. The African Rainforest Pavilion holds the world’s largest indoor
gorillaGorillas are the largest of the living primates. They are ground-dwelling and predominantly herbivorous. They inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
exhibit, and also holds mandrills and 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. A mandrill named Mohawk was born in December 2008. The South Side of the African Rainforest Pavilion is currently undergoing renovations.
Canadian Domain
The Canadian Domain is situated in the
Rouge ValleyThe Rouge River is a two river system. Little Rouge and Rouge River are in the east and the northeast parts of Toronto and begin at the Oak Ridges Moraine near Leslie Street and 19th Avenue in Richmond Hill...
. 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, muskox,
bisonMembers of the genus Bison are large even-toed ungulates within the subfamily Bovinae. Two extant species and four extinct species are recognized...
,
mooseThe moose or common 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 "twig-like" configuration....
, cougar and
grizzly bearThe grizzly bear , also known as the silvertip 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 here include several species of monkeys. The American Pavilion displays a wide variety of amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects. The Mayan Temple Ruins features
jaguarThe Jaguar, Panthera onca, is a big cat, a feline in the Panthera genus. It 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 and most powerful feline in the Western Hemisphere...
s,
spider monkeySpider 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
flamingoFlamingos or flamingoes are gregarious wading birds in the genus Phoenicopterus and family Phoenicopteridae. They are found in both the Western Hemisphere and in the Eastern Hemisphere, but are more numerous in the latter. There are four species in the Americas and two species in the Old World...
s. The American Pavilion houses most 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 America Pavilion will undergo a transition per the North Zoo Site Redevelopment from the Americas Pavilion to the Tropical American Pavilion. Some American animals will be relocated with this redevelopment project.
Australia
The Australian Pavilion features animals from the Australian mainland, as well as surrounding
islandAn island or isle is any piece of land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls are called islets. A key or cay is another name for a small island or islet. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot, .There are two main types of islands:...
s. Featured species in this area include
yabbyYabby is a name given in Australia to two different kinds of crustacean.* The Freshwater yabby is a crayfish of the genus Cherax . They are often caught for food...
s, thorny devil stick insects, a variety of Australian
reptileReptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, generally "cold-blooded" amniotes that generally have skin covered in scales or scutes. They are tetrapods and lay amniote eggs, whose embryos are surrounded by the amnion membrane...
s,
kangarooA 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 genus Macropus, Red Kangaroo, Antilopine Kangaroo, Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroo...
s,
wallabiesA 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....
,
emuThe Emu , Dromaius novaehollandiae, is the largest bird native to Australia and the only extant member of the genus Dromaius. It is also the second-largest extant bird in the world by height, after its ratite relative, the ostrich. The soft-feathered, brown, flightless bird reach up to in height...
s,
wombatWombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a very short tail. They are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania...
s,
kookaburraKookaburras are large to very large terrestrial kingfishers native to Australia and New Guinea, the name a loanword from Wiradjuri guuguubarra, which is onomatopoeic of its call....
s,
red-tailed black cockatooThe Red-tailed Black Cockatoo , also known as Banksian- or Bank's 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 dragonThe Komodo dragon is a species of lizard that inhabits the islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang in Indonesia. A member of the monitor lizard family , it is the largest living species of lizard, growing to an average length of and weighing around...
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
IndonesiaThe Republic of Indonesia is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia comprises 17,508 islands. With an estimated population of around 237 million people, it is the world's fourth most populous country, with the world's largest population of Muslims.Indonesia is a republic, with an...
. This pavilion once had an “Edge of Night” section to highlight
crepuscularCrepuscular is a term used to describe some animals that are primarily active during twilight, that is at dawn and at 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...
and nocturnal
marsupialMarsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by a distinctive pouch , in which females carry their young through early infancy.- History :...
s, but this was later converted into the Great Barrier Reef exhibit featuring sea horses, a live coral and jellyfish tank, lion fish, bamboo
sharkSharks 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, before the time of the dinosaurs....
s and a seven meter (23 feet) long community tank. The exhibits inside the pavilion also received facelifts during the transition, including and outdoor area for the hairy-nosed
wombatWombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately in length with a very short tail. They are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania...
s and swamp
wallabiesA 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....
.
Eurasia
Eurasia is the oldest and most quite 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 leopardThe snow leopard , sometimes known as ounce, is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia...
s, Przewalski's wild horses,
red pandaThe Red Panda, also called the Firefox or Lesser Panda , is a mostly herbivorous mammal, specialized as a bamboo feeder. It is slightly larger than a domestic cat....
s, Barbary apes, and
Bactrian camelThe Bactrian Camel is a large even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of north eastern Asia. It is one of the two surviving species of camel...
s. In 2007, two rare
snow leopardThe snow leopard , sometimes known as ounce, is a moderately large cat native to the mountain ranges of Central Asia...
s were born on June 5, this is the first birth in thirteen years, two Przewalski's Horse one male and female were born on June 22, the first birth in fifteen years and in 2008 three more were born. Also in 2007 one male and one female Siberian tigers, were born at the Toronto Zoo on July 13. In 2008 and 2009 two
Bactrian camelThe Bactrian Camel is a large even-toed ungulate native to the steppes of north eastern Asia. It is one of the two surviving species of camel...
s were born.
Tundra Trek
After the closing of some American 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
reindeerThe reindeer , also known as the caribou when wild in North America, is an Arctic and Subarctic-dwelling deer, widespread and numerous across the Arctic and Subarctic.- Distribution and habitat :...
,
polar bearThe 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 carnivore species found on land. It is also the largest bear, together with the omnivore Kodiak bear which is approximately...
s,
snowy owlThe 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 or the...
s, snow geese,
arctic foxThe Arctic Fox , also known as the White Fox or Snow Fox, is a small fox native to cold Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and is common throughout the Arctic tundra biome...
es and
arctic wolfThe Arctic Wolf , also called Polar Wolf or White Wolf, is a mammal of the Canidae family, and a subspecies of the Gray Wolf...
. The new state-of-the-art exhibits for all animals provides extra space for potential breeding, with this addition also comes numerous locations to learn about the lives of the Inuit and the effects of climate change.
Zellers Discovery Zone
This area consists of a water park titled Splash Island. It is an educational water park with variously-themed exhibits that teaches about the states-of-matter of water: solid (ice), liquid (water), and gas. Exhibits are grouped around variously themed groups of aquatic animals, as well as river, lake, and ocean themes. An open-air theatre titled Waterside Theatre. This is were the zoo demonstrates the natural characteristics of a variety of animals including
alpacaAlpaca is a domesticated species of South American camelid. It resembles a small llama in superficial appearance.Alpacas are kept in herds that graze on the level heights of the Andes of Ecuador, southern Peru, northern Bolivia, and northern Chile at an altitude of to above sea-level, throughout...
s,
goatThe 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: both are in the goat-antelope subfamily Caprinae. There are over three hundred distinct breeds of...
s,
falconA falcon is any species of raptor in the genus Falco. The word comes from their Latin name falco, related to Latin falx because of the shape of these birds' wings.-Overview:...
s,
turkey vultureThe Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura, is a bird found throughout most of the Americas. It 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,
hawkThe term hawk can be used in several ways:* In strict usage in Europe and Asia, 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,
skunkSkunks are mammals best known for their ability to secrete a liquid with a strong, foul-smelling odor. General appearance ranges 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,
ferretThe ferret is a domestic mammal of the type Mustela putorius furo. Ferrets are sexually dimorphic predators with males being substantially larger than females...
s and
hornbillHornbills are a family of bird found in tropical and sub-tropical Africa and Asia. They are characterized by a long, down-curved bill which is frequently brightly-coloured and sometimes has a casque on the upper mandible. Both the common English and the scientific name of the family refer to the...
s. The third area is titled the Kids Zoo, this area consists of a variety of animals that children can interact with. Within the Zeller's Discovery zone Stingray Bay is housed, this year featureing sharks. Which is open from Friday May 15 to Monday October 12, 2009. Tickets are only $3 and FREE to children 3 and under.
Board of Management
- Councillor Raymond Cho, Chair
- Mr. Joe Torzsok, Vice Chair
- Councillor Paul Ainslie
- Councillor Glen De Baeremaeker
- Dr. Ming-Tat Cheung
- Councillor Mark Grimes
- Councillor Norman Kelly
- Councillor Giorgio Mammoliti
- Dr. Dudley Williams
Toronto Zoo Projects
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 Bears
The Giant Panda is a mammal native to central-western and south western China. The Giant Panda is a member of the Ursidae family. It is easily recognized by its large, distinctive black patches around the eyes, over the ears, and across its round body...
& Golden MonkeyThe Golden Monkey is a species of Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic mountains of Central Africa, including four national parks: Mgahinga, in south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and Kahuzi-Biéga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo...
s were thought about in the Eurasian plan) To begin in 2010/2011.
- Phase Three: Mixed Wood/Boreal Forests (Moose
The moose or common 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 "twig-like" configuration....
, Wood BisonThe Wood Bison or Wood Buffalo is a distinct northern subspecies of the North American Bison. Its original range included much of the boreal forest regions of Alaska, Yukon, western Northwest Territories, northeastern British Columbia, northern Alberta, and northwestern Saskatchewan...
, Grizzly Bears, Vancouver Island MarmotsMarmots are members of the genus Marmota, in the rodent family Sciuridae .Marmots are generally large ground squirrels...
) To begin in 2011/2012.
- Phase Four: Tropical Americas (The conversion of the Americas Pavilion to Tropical Americas)To begin in 2014/2015.
- The South Side of the African Pavilion was closed on September 9, 2009. Pygmy Hippos, Red River Hogs, and Mandrill are slated to get new exhibits along with a variety of other animals. The project is scheduled for completion in early 2010.
- Dr. Scholfield Memorial/Asian Gardens: to be started in late 2009, early 2010.
- 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
- Animal Health Centre to begin in 2012
- Education centre to begin in 2014/2015
- Orangutan Complex to begin in 2013/2014
- Penguin Exhibit to begin in 2014 to 2018
Births and 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.
Some of the conservation initiatives that the Toronto Zoo has participated in are as follows:
- Throughout the zoos history they have breed and released over 120 black-footed ferrets in the wild. The Toronto Zoo was the first zoo to establish a captive-breeding program for these animals with the goal of releasing them back into their wild habitat.
- 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.
- In 2009 the Toronto Zoo is participating in 2009 Year of the Gorilla to raise awareness on the problems facing gorillas.
Zoo Diaries
Zoo DiariesZoo 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....
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.
External links
Category:Zoos in Canada
Category:Culture of Toronto
Metro Toronto Zoo
de:Toronto Zoo