Alerts

Please be advised that our bird aviaries are open!  

Your Toronto Zoo is committed to the health and safety of the animals in our care. We take proactive steps to protect our birds from Avian Influenza which has been confirmed in a wild bird in southern Ontario, and some birds may still be off display.

Please note Splash Island is still closed and will not open until July due to unforeseen delays in construction. Please watch for updates on https://www.torontozoo.com/tz/splash or on our social media pages. Thank you!

Please note the following animals are currently not on display due to various reasons including Avian Bird Flu, and Covid-19 sensitivity:

  • Flamingo, peacock, owl, bald eagle, and aviaries
  • Some Kids Zoo Animals
  • Cougar
  • Moose
  • Kangaroo walk through (kangaroos are still visible)
  • Axolotl

We apologize for the inconvenience!
Fish

Location at the Zoo:
Indo-Malaya
Region: Southeast Asia


Black Carp

The body of the black carp is brown to black in colour, elongated and covered with cycloid scales. The dark edge of these scales give the black carp a cross-hatched appearance similar to the grass carp. Black carp have a small toothless mouth; pharyngeal teeth in the throat are used for crushing and consuming mollusks. Over their 15 year lifespan black carp can grow up to 1.8 m in length and weight up to 35 kg.

Conservation Status: IUCN




Distribution:

An invasive species in North America, black carp is native to Eastern Asia from southern Russia to southern China and Vietnam

Habitat:

An invasive species in North America, black carp is native to the lower reaches of large rivers and lakes

Diet:

Zooplankton, insect larvae and detritus as juveniles, mollusks as adults

Reproduction:

Black carp reach maturity after approximately 6 years and spawn in the lower reaches of rivers and lakes, particularly in areas of high turbulence. Juveniles feed primarily on zooplankton switching to insect larvae and detritus over time and eventually feed mainly on mollusks as adults.

Adaptation:

Strong pharyngeal teeth found in the throat allow the black carp to feed primarily on mollusks despite having a small, toothless mouth.

Threats to Survival:

Threats in the native range of the black carp include overfishing, pollution and river modifications such as dams, flood control devices and land reclamation for agriculture.