WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Cameron Park Zoo is entering a new era following the death of Tembo the elephant, who died of old age in December, marking the end of the zoo's elephant program.
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Zoo Director Brendan Wiley said elephants will not return to Cameron Park, as zoos across North America face a population bottleneck with the species.
"As zoological managers, we knew that we were approaching what we call a bottleneck where animals would be dying from old age faster than they'd be reproducing," Wiley said.
Wiley acknowledged the weight of losing an animal that helped define the zoo's identity.
"We know that when we chose to end our elephant program, we were really losing a signature species, kind of an iconic species that really represented what the zoo was about. We also know that we need to replace that feeling with a different species," Wiley said.
The zoo's new master plan includes larger habitats, new exhibits and, eventually, a new signature species. Zoo leaders say they will be looking at large vertebrate animals with charisma and personality, though no specific species has been chosen yet.
Gibbon Lake is expected to open in the next few months, featuring gibbons and lemurs.
"They're incredibly active animals that make a lot of noise. They really are kind of important to setting the tone for the Cameron Park Zoo exhibit," Wiley said.
The zoo also plans to expand its jaguar habitat.
New arrivals are already drawing attention, including a baby orangutan, a penguin chick and a rare black-footed cat kitten named Maverick.
"Black-footed cats are extremely rare. We believe Maverick is number 28 in the North American population," Wiley said.
Wiley said the zoo remains committed to evolving alongside the animals and communities it serves.
"We all know in our hearts that just like people, the animals eventually grow and pass on. But a zoo really has to pay close attention to what those future plans are," Wiley said.
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