Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 1 of 7

On the sixth day of my cross-country Total Eclipse of the Sun road trip day (August 15th) I made an adjustment in my plans.  Originally, I'd planned to visit the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha before getting on the road to Rapid City, South Dakota.  But the museum didn't open until mid-morning and I was in a zoo modality.  So I nixed Joslyn and added the Great Plains Zoo in Sioux Falls, South Dakota into my itinerary.  After all this is my year of living zoologically, and when am I ever going to get back to Sioux Falls?! 

The Great Plains zoo is a medium small zoo in a city of about 110,000 people.  It's located in a central city park space (Sherman Park) and covers 45 acres.  Antecedents to the present zoo can trace their history all the way back to the 1880's; however, the present incarnation can trace it's history back to June 30, 1963.

The zoo has maintained a steady series of improvements after a dark period of decline that ended in 2005 with a recommitment from the community and the investment in a new leadership team.  There Japanese Macaque exhibit which was inaugurated in 2013 has won awards for it's design, and is only one of a handful of innovative up-grade since 2005 that include the Hy-Vee Farm (Hy-Vee, I learned on this trip, is a grocery/gas chain in the upper plains with a considered investment in cultural/environmental/arts organizations like this zoo), the Rare Rhinoceros Habitat, an up-grade to the Cats of Asia, and the present redesign of the Bear Canyon portion of the zoo--a project that limited my access to some areas and required the relocation of some animals.

When you visit a smaller zoo like this one, you have to tone down your "wow" factor expectations.  The budget that a zoo like Henry Doorly in Omaha deals with is on a scale of factors greater than what the Great Plains Zoo.  And just knowing this can restore your WOW to the experience in spades!  I certainly found this to be true.  And so great were the opportunities to see and enjoy a wide range of species, that I have decided to break down my visit into a series of regions to better manage the photos and my thoughts. 

You enter to a beautiful fountain that celebrates the Japanese Macaque. 

On a cool summer morning, these two/three Japanese Macaque, Macaca fuscata, are intent on cuddling and napping.  At first when viewed with the naked eye, I thought this was two monkeys, but upon examining the close-up image, I pretty sure it's three.  What do you think?  Others in this habitat were active and exploring other areas.

Two young Bighorn Sheep, Ovis canadensis, shared and enjoyed a red limestone "mountain". 

A snoozey Red Kangaroo, Marcopus rufus.  The overcast and cool temps gave all the animals a reason to chill, too.

The zoo has a little herd of Caribou, Rangifer tarandus.  There are five.  Three are females, one is a Buck and one is a calf. 

Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 2 of 7

The next section led me past more open areas along the perimeter and a lesser primate/monkey house with interior and exterior spaces.  The photo opportunities were hindered by the fencing grids, but you could still enjoy Common Squirrel Monkeys, Ring-tailed Lemurs, a pair of acrobatic Saimang, and even a large exotic vulture of some species the name of which I failed to copy down.  Another set of habitats contained a wide range of larger birds from Hawks to Scarlet Ibis.  The only disappointment was the habitat for the African Penguins--and you already know that I have rather high standards when it comes to this species.  I sent a very positive letter to the Great Plains Zoo upon my return home and made mention of my hope that they would take on recreating this area as their next project.

 A curious, if sedentary Guanaco, Lama guanicoe, returns my attention.

 Much the same reaction from this quartet of Greater Rhea, Rhea americana.

Something that you don't see at many zoos, a pair of Galápagos Island Tortoise, Cheochelone nigra.

Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 3 of 7

The area I designated as zone 3 is the heart of the zoo in terms of animal human interaction.  The children's petting farm is sponsored by Hy-Vee, and it really is rather nice.  Besides the domestic animals, you can also have your child take a ride on a Dromedary Camel--how quintessentially zoo-Americana--or ride a vintage early 20th century--completely enclosed--Merri-go-round. 

Jacob's Four-horned Sheep, Ovis jacob_four_horned.  Jacob's Sheep is a breed native to England that produced this four-horned variant.  A fully mature member will have the oddest set of four large curly horns like a built in face-guard.

 Isn't he beautiful?  San Clemente Goat, Capra aegagrus hircus san_clemente.  They are a mutation of goats brought to the Channel Islands by Spanish explorers in the 16th century that went feral and then developed unique characteristics such that they achieve sub-species status.  They were nearly slaughtered to extinction when it was determined that the island must be rid of them in order to restore it's previous ecosystem.  They are considered endangered.

A little group of Leopard Tortoise, Psammobates pardalis.

Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 4 of 7

Zone 4 was a wide expanse of open green spaces where the zoo keeps their African Savannah species.  I saw Eastern Bongo, Reticulated Giraffe and Common Ostriches (not pictured) and these three species pictured.  Listed but not on display were Meerkats and Cheetah.  And what I realized when I exploring this area is how I failed to see any zoo staff anywhere.  Except for the pair of young men running the little zoo "train" (a series of trams on wheels--no track), I never did see a single zookeeper. 

The pair of male Grevy's Zebras, Equus grevyi, were active and entertaining--at one point in a sort of "Brokeback Mountain" way.... 

The African Wild Dogs, Lycoan pictus, were sleepy, but still beautiful.

And the Grey Crowned Crane, Balearica regulorum, gave wonderful photo ops.  They are such beautiful creatures.  They are more endangered than there Black Crown Crane cousins, and I think  more attractive, too.

Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 5 of 7

I am giving the Black Rhinoceros, Diceros bicornis, their own zone.  The habitat space contains two roomy exterior areas and a wonderful enclosure/educational facility all of which just opened in 2010 with a goal of being a more active participant in the AZA's Species Survival Program for Black Rhinoceros.  And LOOK!--just this past year pair of Black Rhinos increased by one.  And what a cutie.  As if that weren't enough, I got to watch while the little fellow nursed, and that ain't something you get to experience every day.

 Jubba is a formidable presence as an adult male.  Another guest warned me as I approached that he likes to turn tail and "spray" the gate with urine to assert his dominance.  You can see how the accumulated salt has discolored the structure.

 Imara and Komati.   Komati was born in September of 2016, so he's just shy of his first birthday.  His birth raised the number of Black Rhinos in zoo's in North America to 58 with only an estimated 725-750 left in the wilds of Africa.  This is a species that is fast-tracking to extinction and mostly due to the illegal trade in their horns.  It's just tragic, and yet experiencing Komati made my day--gives hope.

Summer Vacation Redux #9: Sioux Falls: The Great Plains Zoo, part 6 of 7

Zone 6 is part of the zoo's North American collection and I got to see my first American Bison, Bison bison, of this trip...  The Great Plains Zoo maintains a herd of about 20 animals.  An adjoining area with a series of habitats was partially closed off with the construction nearby of a new set of bear habitats.  As a result, the viewing of a variety of canine species was less than optimal.

 American Bison, Bison bison.

 The Red Wolf, Canis rufus, is a critically endangered sub-species of wolf.  The zoo maintains a pack of 4 animals.  I was struck by just how lanky this species is compared to the larger Grey Wolf.  They are more like a cross between wolves and coyotes.

Two species of fox were present, the Swift Fox, Vulpes velox, and this little Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes. Whenever you see the taxonomical nomenclature repeated, you know your looking at the seminal member of the species.  You can see how the construction zone back right up to the fox's habitat.