Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jan 15, 2009 4:32 am

Actually I am very optimistic after watching the press conference today. There is a larger governing body than Simmons at the zoo.

Last I heard was that they were still doing soil testing for the Ski Lift.

annad · Post by **annad** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:22 am

The Zoo has a new billboard up on I-80 east bound maybe around 45th. It features what I guess is the skytram and has a related tagline. Sorry - I know this isn't very descriptive. I'll look closer the next time I drive by.[/right]

Post by **Brad** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 4:34 pm

annad wrote:It features what I guess is the skytram and has a related tagline. Sorry - I know this isn't very descriptive.

I think it said Skifari...

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 5:21 pm

Yes, Skyfari is the official name.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 12, 2009 6:08 pm

Maybe it's just Brad's spelling but shouldn't it be Skyfari? Skifari sounds like something for Breckenridge.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Mar 02, 2009 6:55 pm

Its always a good day and a good sign of spring when I get my annual Zoo Pass!

On a side not, they did not use the Skyfari tag, rather "A New View Of Your Zoo" with a cartoon of people on the ski lift going over some Giraffes with the dome in the background.

I can't wait!

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 6:03 pm

Has anyone seen any construction photos of the Skyfari? On the old zoo website they usually had construction photos of the different exhibits as they were being built. I do not see the same on the new website.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Thu Mar 05, 2009 10:26 pm

yeah, they don't have anything about the new Madagascar exhibit either, and it was supposed to open this year.

SaOmaha · Post by **SaOmaha** » Tue Mar 17, 2009 3:10 pm

Yesterday was beautiful day to be at the zoo. It was a zoo, because children from Millard and
other metro area school districts were out on spring break.

Beside viewing the Penguins and Butterfly exhibits at the end of my early afternoon zoo visit,
,I checked out the construction of theSkyfari and Ted Hubbard Madagascar exhibit.

Skyfari Construction Photos

A view of the Skyfari towers just south of the Butterfly/Insect Pavilion ...

... and the West Transform Station site.

A Skyfari Tower south of the Butterfly/Insect Pavilion, just west of the Giraffe Complex

The line of Skyfari Towers from the Garden Of The Senses east to the far side of the Pachyderm Hill

The Installation of the Cable Wheel at the Transform Station on the east side of the Pachyderm Hill

Top of one Skyfari tower can be seen from inside of the Butterfly Display.

My photos show the tower line closely following the dotted path in this October 20th Omaha World Herald map of the zoo.

I can't wait to get the bird eye view of the zoo. Can you?

Ted Hubbard Madagascar exhibit Construction Photos.

Two views of the Madagascar exhibit from the South and North ends of the Pachyderm Hill west side.

Now this building looks more like this rendering,,,

...Than in my October 14, 2008 post
http://eomahaforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic ... &start=150

SaOmaha · Post by **SaOmaha** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:34 am

What a difference 5 days makes. Saturday, I went to the zoo again, this time with a friend. Just like Monday,
the zoo was a zoo. In other words, lot of people were enjoying the nice spring weather.

In a way, lot a progress was made on the Skyfari. The concrete for the West Transform Station, next
to the Butterfly exhibits, was poured the day before. Also the support for the cable wheel was installed.
This support could hold the motor that powers the ride.

This unusual two-pole tower popped-up on the shore of the "monkey" lake. It is on the side of the path
across from the Garden Of The Senses. View is toward the Pachyderm Hill.

This is a better view, than last Monday, of the Pachyderm Hill's East Transform Station

The equipment to string the cable for the Skyfari ride has arrived.

Large spools of cables are near by, but not photographed.

From a Zoo Docent, I learned the Ted Hubbard Madagascar exhibit planed to open next April
or spring of 2010. That is next year. They have a long way go before then.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 1:40 am

it's kind of funny; the zoo always seemed able to get things done quickly and efficiently. They started the Madagascar exhibit like a year ago, i thought it'd be further along. I suppose no one is exempt from tough times anymore these days.

Mr.Nuke · Post by **Mr.Nuke** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:42 am

thenewguy wrote:it's kind of funny; the zoo always seemed able to get things done quickly and efficiently. They started the Madagascar exhibit like a year ago, i thought it'd be further along. I suppose no one is exempt from tough times anymore these days.

I don't understand what you are getting at? This project was announced last May for a scheduled competition date of this summer...

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:52 am

Mr.Nuke wrote:
thenewguy wrote:it's kind of funny; the zoo always seemed able to get things done quickly and efficiently. They started the Madagascar exhibit like a year ago, i thought it'd be further along. I suppose no one is exempt from tough times anymore these days.
I don't understand what you are getting at? This project was announced last May for a scheduled competition date of this summer...

Right. It was supposed to be this summer...not next summer...which is (per SaOmaha) when it will now be done. Hence the "i thought it'd be further along" statement

Post by **Brad** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 3:55 pm

I am not sure what I was expecting.... but its not that. I was thinking it would be much taller.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 4:29 pm

It's about what I was thinking. Look at Steve's 4th pic, there are people in there for scale. It's about standard ski lift height.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 4:33 pm

the1wags wrote:It's about what I was thinking. Look at Steve's 4th pic, there are people in there for scale. It's about standard ski lift height.

for some reason I thought it would be level so when you were over the lake you would be really high up. Its still cool, and I am still trying to win a golden ticket to be one of the first riders.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 7:00 pm

I also envisioned it taller. Oh well, it's still cool. Thanks for the photos.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 11:10 pm

Mr.Nuke wrote:
thenewguy wrote:it's kind of funny; the zoo always seemed able to get things done quickly and efficiently. They started the Madagascar exhibit like a year ago, i thought it'd be further along. I suppose no one is exempt from tough times anymore these days.
I don't understand what you are getting at? This project was announced last May for a scheduled competition date of this summer...

Yes 2010 for sure. Confirmed today.

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Fri Mar 27, 2009 6:22 pm

Are they building an enclosure around the Skyfari loading/unloading areas? Will they be painting the towers?

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:01 am

Henry Doorly Zoo's Skyfari is ready to roll

CAROL BICAK WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Workers from all areas of the zoo - animal caretakers and horticulturists to customer service and concessions employees - were pitching in to be ready for Thursday's 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony and inaugural ride.

After that ceremony, the 50 people who won a drawing will make the first trip on Skyfari and be carried from the Butterfly Pavilion to the elephant and rhino area on Pachyderm Hill and back again. Public rides will begin at noon.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 3:05 am

I guess I didn't win... I registered several times a week!

Post by **Brad** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:05 pm

Skifari opened today, there is a video attached to this page:

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/42759807.html

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:40 pm

Brad wrote:Skifari opened today, there is a video attached to this page:

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/42759807.html

Holy cow, that doesn't look safe for little kids at all. I won't be taking my little ones on that anytime soon. I was expecting a more enclosed unit like the kind you find at Walt Disney World, one that allows children of any age. Does the zoo have a height restriction?

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 9:46 pm

So how high does this thing actually get off the ground? I got myself a mild case of acrophobia.

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Thu Apr 09, 2009 10:32 pm

Its is about 40' off of the ground. I am sure that both the zoo and the manufacturer have all the safety aspects figured out.

Post by **nebugeater** » Fri Apr 10, 2009 5:39 pm

From KETV

http://www.ketv.com/news/19148045/detai ... 02009&ts=H

The official opening of a new chairlift ride at the Henry Doorly Zoo, which held a limited opening Thursday for 50 riders, has again been postponed.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 4:44 pm

Apparently they are having trouble identifying the source of an increasingly louder 'squeak'.

Post by **nebugeater** » Sat Apr 11, 2009 11:59 pm

Stargazer wrote:Apparently they are having trouble identifying the source of an increasingly louder 'squeak'.

Maybe they need to try some Ostrich Oil!!!

ShawJ · Post by **ShawJ** » Sun Apr 12, 2009 12:11 am

"Elephants and Rhinos just below your dangling feet."

I know I'm not the only long-legged person who thought twice about that comment!

Looks pretty cool, though.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 12:39 pm

**thread revival**

Just kidding, it's only been 9 days.

Anyway has anyone been on the lift yet? I'm going to try to go sunday with my wife, but i'm wondering what the limitations are on it in terms of weather. Do they stop running it at [x] mph winds? If there's a threat of storms, i'm sure they won't run it, due to lightning? I'm pretty anxious to go, we were there about a month ago and a lot of stuff wasn't up and running and they had a lot of construction stuff sitting out (brick, logs, etc), which was to be expected since it wasn't the full swing of things. With the weather having warmed up, i'm sure they got stuff picked up/cleaned up and are running at about normal capacity...or am i wrong?

Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 6:00 pm

Last I heard, they have it fixed, but still not open to the public.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Tue Apr 21, 2009 9:47 pm

thenewguy wrote:Anyway has anyone been on the lift yet?

Enjoy it and appreciate it. It's the closest we're gonna get to mass transit for many years!

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Mon Apr 27, 2009 6:38 pm

I saw on the news that the ride finally opened this past weekend.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:23 pm

Zoo director talks about future

http://omaha.com/article/20090610/NEWS0 ... 69/-1/NEWS

JOHN KEENAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Pate was speaking before about 160 members of the Rotary Club of Omaha. In a short presentation, he spoke about his professional background, the things that had drawn him to his new job in Omaha, and the zoo's plans for the use of the Rosenblatt Stadium property, as well as touting the new Skyfari attraction.

Pate, who arrived in March after running the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Florida, said he wasn't looking to move from his previous job, but several factors made the Omaha job alluring.

First, the zoo's conservation programs were a draw. “Not every zoo has a commitment to conservation like Omaha does,” he said. “This zoo really, truly stands out.”

While all accredited zoos include conservation as part of their mission, Omaha's programs draw attention from throughout the zoo world, he said. “It really says something in the scientific world when in the last five uyears, there have been 175 papers published with the Omaha zoo's name on (them) to advance science, and especially the science of conservation for animals around the world.”

JOHN KEENAN WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:“I don't know of a city that's as committed to making sure that its cultural amenities are there for its citizens as Omaha, Neb.,” he said, pointing to institutions like Lauritzen Gardens, the Durham Museum and Omaha Children's Museum.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 4:57 pm

Do you suppose he actually said "Omaha Neb" when he was speaking?

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 7:56 pm

Baby monkey makes debut

Elliot Njus, OWH wrote:A baby Blue monkey, born last month at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, is now on display there in the Lied Jungle.

Omaha is home to eight of the 14 Blue monkeys in North American zoos, and only four zoos accredited by American Association of Zoos and Aquariums have them.

Blue monkeys aren't actually blue in color. They usually have brown or gray fur, but their faces can look a little blue sometimes.

Post by **nebugeater** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 8:43 pm

Brad wrote:Baby monkey makes debut

Elliot Njus, OWH wrote: but their faces can look a little blue sometimes.

Kind of like some of the photos I have seen of DTO after a night on the town

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Jun 25, 2009 9:02 pm

Are you sure it wasn't my a$$?

Post by **Brad** » Tue Aug 18, 2009 3:09 am

$85.88 million bump

http://www.omaha.com/article/20090817/M ... /FRONTPAGE

Roseann Moring WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:When the community comes together to make something great, the economy benefits, said Eric Thompson, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln economics professor.

Thompson is the author of a study on the zoo's economic impact in Omaha, which he said was $85.88 million in 2008.

He attributed much of that to the zoo's unique attractions.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Jan 03, 2010 7:29 pm

I don't know if I or somebody else has already posted this, but I just noticed the Zoo's new web site. Wow, what an improvement!!!

http://www.omahazoo.com/

I can only hope that the City of Omaha, and Metro Area Transit follow suit.