Monarto Safari Park Monarto Zoo News 2017

The Adelaide/Monarto zoo master plan looks very interesting if I understand it correctly the African Safari exhibit will be some 500 hectares which is a massive area, I would hope they would have enough animals to exhibit in an area of that size, they have Bongo and Nyala listed but even if they are included that still seems to lave a bit of a hole where African antelopes are concerned maybe they might think about importing some Impala and Sable antelope at some stage as these were the species of interest for our major zoos not to long ago, this could be a knock out exhibit for zoos SA.
 
Monarto will be setting up a captive-breeding programme for Mallee Emu-wrens, apparently the first time they have been kept in captivity.

Lifeline for endangered Mallee Emu-wren - Monarto Zoo
Mallee Emu-wrens are facing serious trouble in the wild. In fact, in 2014 the last known population was all but wiped out in South Australia during the summer bush fires.

But now, thanks to our planned breeding program, these tiny birds are being given a second chance at life.

In an Australian-first, we are building a special purpose built facility at Monarto Zoo which will allow us to establish an insurance population for this endangered species.

Monarto Zoo has been engaged as part of a wider Threatened Mallee Bird Conservation Action Plan Implementation Team which will drive conservation and management priorities for a number of mallee birds.

One of the priorities this group identified was to consider whether captive breeding of the Mallee Emu-wren could potentially contribute towards the species’ conservation.

This will be the first time the species will be held in captivity, with trials getting underway in the next couple of months.

With the help of volunteers, our conservation team has been busy building a special aviary which will house the insurance population at Monarto Zoo.

The aviary has been purpose built for the miniature birds. Mallee Emu-wrens weigh around four grams, which is roughly the same as a teaspoon of sugar.

Due to the small size of the birds, they can easily get through standard aviary mesh, so it’s been a big challenge for our team to build an aviary that suits this species.

As a conservation charity, we’re proud to be creating a lifeline for the Mallee Emu-wren at Monarto Zoo and we look forward to creating a brighter future for this species.
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Article (include artist's impression) of new predator experience at Monarto Zoo (construction starting this month):

Monarto Zoo Predator Experience Puts Visitors in Lions' Den

The $1.4 million attraction will take visitors through a tunnel under the zoo’s 10 hectare lion enclosure.

They will then emerge in the den itself where they will come face to face with up to 12 African lions.

Another article (also with artist concept pictures) which describes it as a model of the Great White Shark diving experience:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...s/news-story/110a2b7d22afe2795d827a2f5aaaa9b8
 
Five Cheetah cubs born:

Cheetahs born at Adelaide's Monarto Zoo

The cheetah may be the fastest animal in the world but several cubs born at Adelaide's Monarto Zoo are just finding their feet.

Zoos SA has revealed that a litter of five was born at the open-range zoo less than two weeks ago to four-year-old mother Kesho.

The carnivore's keepers are giving the mum and cubs complete privacy while monitoring the family through a security camera in their den.

The cubs will make a public debut when they are old enough in the "not too distant future", the zoo said in a statement.

Zoos SA is touting the litter's birth, through its breeding program, as an important contribution to the regional cheetah population.

The animal is considered vulnerable to extinction in the wild, with just about 6700 remaining in the wild in eastern and south-western Africa.

The cubs' mum was part of the last litter born at Monarto Zoo in 2012, while the father Innis has been at the facility on a breeding loan from the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra since last year.
 
Is it Monarto Zoo that has had a run of bad luck with Southern White Rhino over the years? Or am I thinking of one of the other Aussie zoos?
 
In this case, the calf died as trauma. They've recently introduced a new breeding bull so it's possible she got in the way of him trying to mate with her mother and was injured in the process.
 
The bull is not new to the zoo. Umquali would have been introduced to either Ibutho or Satara. The females only live with the bull for short periods; more than likely Tundu was housed with her mother, and Uhura and the adolescent Kibibi when the trauma occurred.

Tundu's loss is a huge on to the Zoos SA community; she was an absolute joy and had a great many admirers.
 
Latest rhino bloodline

I was referring to this story @Kifaru Bwana and @soona

Like Soona says, the bull is not new to Monarto Zoo as he arrived in 2004, but as stated in the article, he is being introduced to the herd of females for breeding. This is his first oppotunity to breed as prior to last year, he was housed alone while the previous breeding bull was bred with the females to produce several calves including Kibibi (2012) and Tundu (2015). It's hoped Ibutho will breed with Umquali, Uhura and Kibibi.

The article spoke of the conflict that would likely arise from the introductions but as mentioned by Soona, the injury could have occured through rough play or fighting amongst the females. I think this is less likely than one of the males causing the injury through mating attempts however.
 
Those introductions were a long time ago. The males are only kept with the females when they are believed to be cycling. From the information I've been given, no males were living with the females when the accident occurred. Will update if I hear any different. Whatever the cause, it is a tragic loss.
 
soona said:
Those introductions were a long time ago. The males are only kept with the females when they are believed to be cycling. From the information I've been given, no males were living with the females when the accident occurred. Will update if I hear any different. Whatever the cause, it is a tragic loss.
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Thanks for the update, it sounds like Monarto run their herd quite differently from Hamilton Zoo and Orana Wildlife Park in New Zealand, who have their breeding bulls with the cows and calves full time. Is it possible the adult females are pregnant then if no introductions have been done for some time? I assume Kibibi was only introduced to Ibutho for breeding, as oppose to her father.
 
I believe there was another introduction shortly before Tundu's death, so I don't believe there are any suspected pregnancies. Intros tend to just last a few days to my knowledge. I'm not sure if Kibibi has been introduced to one male or both, as she remains with her mother, Uhura, through intros.
Generally, the two adult females and their immature offspring live together, and one or both of them may be with one of the two males for short periods. The set up of the exhibit allows for easy movement of rhinos between different areas. There are two 'main' yards, and a series of smaller ones. This accommodates three to four groups/individuals as needed.
 
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