Toronto Toronto Zoo Ongoing Projects | 13.5m | 2s | Toronto Zoo | Zeidler

Transportation issues aside, it's odd how many people view the location as an issue. A lot of people are closer to the zoo than they are to downtown. We already have an urban/suburban political divide in this city. The very last thing we need is to move more things to the core ....unless we want the suburbs voting for Ford type candidates for the next 100 years.

One doesn't bridge the divide by taking more things away from the suburbs or denying them the things we take for granted in the core. And this isn't fixable in 10 years. It's going to take generations to fix. I'm continually astounded that people in the central city don't get that.
 
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Actually much of the zoo’s foreign animal exhibits are focused on conservation already, featuring critically endangered species.

I agree that Western zoos are legacy concepts but I don’t agree that that is a good thing. Nature is all around us, it is us and even our most artificial urban environment are wild places; however, when it comes to earth’s legacy species in particular larger animals, zoos are one of the only places regular people will see and gain any personal connection to these creatures. Why that matters is that human connection to these creatures is the only way they will survive because their existence is effectively entirely in human hands in zoos or in “natural” environment like national parks we protect and curate.

Western animal activist philosophy deems indignity to the individual animal as the highest concern. I’m not saying that’s wrong but I am saying they are all dead if no one cares and it’s the getting people to care that is paramount
 
AlvinofDiaspar said:
I don’t think there are any suitable sites downtown - if anything we should merge Toronto Wildlife Centre with it. Accessibility is always an issue though.

AoD
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Western waterfront. The Exhibition. Ontario Place. The island. The Portlands.
 
Towered said:
Western waterfront. The Exhibition. Ontario Place. The island. The Portlands.
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I don't think the amount of land and organization of the site at the Islands (or Western waterfront, or Ex+OP) is suitable. The Portlands is a carte blanche, but earmarked for uses far more important (and valuable) than a zoo. Keep in mind the footprint of the zoo is about the same as High Park. Not to mention you'd have to build everything from scratch again.

If anything, I'd say make the zoo an even more of a Botanical/Zoological garden - something like the Eden Project would have been nice.

AoD
 
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This does make me wonder about the best options for the zoo in terms of ownership- I wonder if the Zoo is somewhat hamstrung by its reliance on the city (and its various politics and wandering attention), while many other zoos in North America are run by more autonomous and focused not-for-profit organizations.

[...] for a vast majority of zoos across the United States, three-quarters of which are privately operated according to some estimates.
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The vast majority of accredited zoos and aquariums across the United States now rely on private operators-this includes major cities like Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Fresno, Houston and Seattle. Eight publicly owned zoos and aquariums have been transferred to private operators in the last ten years alone.
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reason.org

Privately Operated Zoos Now Considered the Standard - Reason Foundation

North Carolina, Los Angeles, Grand Rapids and Elsewhere Exploring Zoo Partnerships
reason.org reason.org

Maybe recent attempts to set up a charitable organization for the zoo could eventually result in the transfer of zoo operations to an independent "Toronto Zoo Foundation", or something like it.
 
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I actually like the concept of a charitable 'zoo foundation' but that in and of itself doesn't necessarily address ownership. Charitable foundations or 'friends of' organizations don't necessarily own the assets (I'm not saying they can't - I just don't know). There would be a complicated transfer of assets unless the foundation or whatever acts as contracted caretakers, which keeps the city on the hook.
Although I'm not fully up to speed on the issue, i think one the problems of private ownership is a lack of regulatory oversight on private zoos in the province. I'm not sure there are any mandatory standards, inspections or certification.
 
Possible new walrus enclosure?
Hudson and Humphrey are leaving the Toronto Zoo.

The Toronto Zoo is sending the male polar bears to a Quebec City aquarium.

In exchange they will get a female polar bear, Taiga, and two walruses, Lakina and her mother Arnaliaq.
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www.durhamradionews.com

Toronto Zoo trading two male polar bears for a female polar bear and two walruses

Hudson and Humphrey are leaving the Toronto Zoo. The Toronto Zoo is sending the male polar bears to a Quebec City aquarium. In exchange they will get a fe
www.durhamradionews.com www.durhamradionews.com
https://twitter.com/x/status/1199395915007766529

https://twitter.com/x/status/1199057183968808961
 
They needed to do something. The Zoo was losing visitors now that the pandas left along with the elephants and the Gaur.

What we really need is bears doing ballet!
 
Thousands of people queue up online for drive-thru ‘safari’ at Toronto Zoo

Friday, May 22, 2020

TORONTO -- Thousands of people queued up online Friday in hopes of scoring a ticket to the Toronto Zoo’s newest attraction—a drive-thru “safari” that will allow guests to catch glimpses of the animals while adhering to COVID-19 public safety measures.

The Toronto Zoo shut its doors on the first day of March Break and will reopen officially on Saturday.

The “Scenic Safari” allows families to take a 45-minute tour around the zoo in their own vehicles through the African Rainforest Pavillion, the Americas Pavillion and Eurasia Wilds. Some of the highlights include driving through the lion’s tunnel and over a bridge above the Rouge Valley.

Guests will be able to listen to a guided audio podcast where zoo keepers will provide commentary throughout the tour.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Thousands of people queue up online for drive-thru 'safari' at Toronto Zoo

Thousands of people queued up online Friday in hopes of scoring a ticket to the Toronto Zoo’s newest attraction—a drive-thru “safari” that will allow guests to catch glimpses of the animals while adhering to COVID-19 public safety measures.
toronto.ctvnews.ca
 
AlbertC said:
Thousands of people queue up online for drive-thru ‘safari’ at Toronto Zoo

Friday, May 22, 2020

TORONTO -- Thousands of people queued up online Friday in hopes of scoring a ticket to the Toronto Zoo’s newest attraction—a drive-thru “safari” that will allow guests to catch glimpses of the animals while adhering to COVID-19 public safety measures.

The Toronto Zoo shut its doors on the first day of March Break and will reopen officially on Saturday.

The “Scenic Safari” allows families to take a 45-minute tour around the zoo in their own vehicles through the African Rainforest Pavillion, the Americas Pavillion and Eurasia Wilds. Some of the highlights include driving through the lion’s tunnel and over a bridge above the Rouge Valley.

Guests will be able to listen to a guided audio podcast where zoo keepers will provide commentary throughout the tour.

toronto.ctvnews.ca

Thousands of people queue up online for drive-thru 'safari' at Toronto Zoo

Thousands of people queued up online Friday in hopes of scoring a ticket to the Toronto Zoo’s newest attraction—a drive-thru “safari” that will allow guests to catch glimpses of the animals while adhering to COVID-19 public safety measures.
toronto.ctvnews.ca
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Looks like African Wild Safari (in Hamilton near Cambridge), Reptilia (in Vaughan), and Jungle Cat World (in Orono northeast of Bowmanville) are getting more competition (despite the Toronto Zoo already competing with them).
 
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