Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo News

MRJ said:
This is getting silly so this is definitely my final post on the subject.

1. You said they were naming it after Gili Motang; I am simply pointing out that if that was their intention they have failed because "Gili" means "Island" and Indonesia has thousands of "Gili's".
2. Further that animal cannot have come from Gili Motang, as it must have been captive bred. There are a few Komodo dragons on Gili Motang as there are on about 20 other islands nearby, but it is more likely this animal's ancestors came from Komodo, Flores, or Rinca.

Probably my fault for being obscure.
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They wouldn’t of named it after a species of fish!
 
After 15 years, Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo has recently changed ownership. The new owners "are excited to take the zoo to the next level". Congratulations to the original owners and their team. They have certainly done a great job bringing in new species like Radiated Tortoise, Komodo Dragon and Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. I am sure they leave the zoo in capable hands and I hope to see this good work continue.

Full article: Ian and Barb pass on the Snakes Downunder baton
It’s been 15 years of caring for creatures great and small at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo but now, owners Ian and Barb Jenkins have hung up their hats and passed on the baton to a new family of animal lovers.

Former Sunshine Coast residents David and Kate Mercieca have taken over the popular Childers facility while the Jenkins look forward to a slower-paced lifestyle.

Ian said the moment was bittersweet for him and his wife, who were not only leaving their zoo life behind but also their home in Childers for a new venture in Brisbane.

“We will miss the zoo; I was born and bred in the region and we are really going to miss the locals who have made our venture so fantastic from the moment we opened 15 years ago,” he said.

“It is time for our next chapter.

“I think after 15 years we have decided that we have taken it as far as we could and we felt that it needed fresh ideas.”

Ian said the zoo had transformed greatly from its humble beginnings when it was originally operated as a snake demonstration show venue three days a week.

“The establishment of the zoo came about after a chain of events,” he said.

“I was the local snake catcher for 35 years and I kept my own snakes as a hobby.

“A friend of mine talked me into taking my snakes to the local school for a demonstration and that was successful, so we decided to travel around to other schools to do shows.”

Ian said he then set up a proper venue for people to visit and watch the snake demonstrations instead of travelling but when government rules changed, so did the purpose of Snakes Downunder.

“Because we were not a mobile operation, we could no longer have a demonstrators license so we got a zoo license instead,” he said.

“Our little zoo suddenly grew from just snakes and lizards to saltwater crocodiles, which have been our biggest attraction.

“From there we introduced turtles, frogs, kangaroos and koalas and then we got some exotic animals such as the meerkats, long-nosed tree kangaroos and Komodo dragons.”

Ian said he was thankful to have found the Mercieca family, who were passionate about keeping the zoo going and adding their own flair.

“We originally put the zoo on the market to see if there was interest and found David and Kate to be a great fit,” he said.

“They are very knowledgeable, driven and are excited to take the zoo to the next level.

“The same great staff will be kept on, as that was a condition of the sale, and they are very keen to work with David and Kate on what’s to come.”

Ian said while he would be slowing down and enjoying a very different life in Brisbane, he would still be making himself available to the Mercieca family whenever they needed a helping hand.

He said he was proud of what his zoo had transformed into over the years and how he, Barb and his staff constantly had the opportunity to learn from others.

“Being members of the Zoo and Aquarium Association has definitely been an amazing part about it all and has allowed us to become involved in breeding programs with Australia Zoo, including with our Komodo dragons.

“We even had Robert Irwin and his team visit us a few months ago and it was a really fantastic experience, he is such a knowledgeable young man.

“Virtually everything about the zoo has been a highlight for us.”
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WhistlingKite24 said:
After 15 years, Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo has recently changed ownership. The new owners "are excited to take the zoo to the next level". Congratulations to the original owners and their team. They have certainly done a great job bringing in new species like Radiated Tortoise, Komodo Dragon and Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo. I am sure they leave the zoo in capable hands and I hope to see this good work continue.

Full article: Ian and Barb pass on the Snakes Downunder baton
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They did do a good job there bringing new species to the park.
All the best to the new owners :)
 
Hyacinth Macaws at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo:

Yes, you read that correctly!! I found a video about the new owners of Snakes Downunder. They currently have a potential breeding pair of Hyacinth Macaws with plans to put them on display within the next six months. A small reptile park such as this would be the last place I'd expect these birds pop up but very welcome news.

Source: Bundaberg Now
 
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WhistlingKite24 said:
Hyacinth Macaws at Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo:

Yes, you read that correctly!! I found a video about the new owners of Snakes Downunder. They currently have a potential breeding pair of Hyacinth Macaws with plans to put them on display within the next six months. A small reptile park such as this would be the last place I'd expect these birds pop up but very welcome news.

Source: Bundaberg Now
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Unexpected but Awesome news! :cool:
 
Here is an additional article about the pair of Hyacinth Macaws. They arrived from New South Wales and represent the first of several species arriving soon. At the time of writing (mid-September) the macaws were in a holding aviary in preparation to go on display with other species of bird as well. The new owners hope to also add monkeys very soon as well.

Full article: Snakes Downunder add macaws to the mix
David and Kate Mercieca are not the only new additions to Snakes Downunder, with the first-time zoo owners recently welcoming a pair of hyacinth macaws to the popular Childers wildlife park.

The macaws have been added to the zoo with the hope of beginning a breeding program as David and Kate look to expand the current animals on display.

David said the opportunity to bring new species to the park was exciting and something that the couple were planning to continue to do into the future.

“We have these two hyacinth macaws which we are looking forward to introducing to the park,” David said.

“They are currently in their newly built holding aviary while they get used to the new environment, and down the track we will be moving them into the park alongside the other species of birds.”

The birds have been sent to the zoo from New South Wales and are expected to be on display for the public within about six months’ time.

“The move from New South Wales has affected them a little bit but they have settled in well here,” David said.

“They are almost ready to go out and we are just finalising plans to get their enclosures finished in the park.”

The hyacinth macaw is native to central and eastern South America and is the largest parrot in the world.

According to The Animal Facts, a mature individual may measure as much as 1 metre long and weigh up to 1.6kg.

David and Kate said the macaws were on the list of many animals they hoped to introduce at the Childers zoo.

“We are excited to build on the addition of the macaws by hopefully introducing some other new species of animals such as monkeys,” he said.

“We have a bit of a list we will work on to expand the park and introduce some new animals.”

Ian and Barb Jenkins sold the Snakes Downunder business to new owners David and Kate Mercieca earlier this year as they relocate to Brisbane after 15 years of operating the park.

Snakes Down Under is open from 9.30am to 3pm, although closed on Wednesdays.

You can find out more about Snakes Downunder here.
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I visited Snakes Downunder this morning for the first time and it exceeded expectations. The park has excellent outdoor enclosures with the majority of their turtles, lizards and crocodilians living outside all year round. The main reptile house was filled with many unusual snakes and even some Goldfield’s Shinglebacks. Other highlights included the Radiated Tortoises, a tiny Short-tailed Pygmy Monitor, Australian Painted Turtles (more zoos need them) and their tree-kangaroo.

The Hyacinth Macaws are not on-display yet but being noisy animals, were seen from a distance in their holding aviary. Stunning. Like with Alexandra Park Zoo, photos, a full review and species list are coming soon.
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
I visited Snakes Downunder this morning for the first time and it exceeded expectations. The park has excellent outdoor enclosures with the majority of their turtles, lizards and crocodilians living outside all year round. The main reptile house was filled with many unusual snakes and even some Goldfield’s Shinglebacks. Other highlights included the Radiated Tortoises, a tiny Short-tailed Pygmy Monitor, Australian Painted Turtles (more zoos need them) and their tree-kangaroo.

The Hyacinth Macaws are not on-display yet but being noisy animals, were seen from a distance in their holding aviary. Stunning. Like with Alexandra Park Zoo, photos, a full review and species list are coming soon.
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Looking forward to your review another small zoo with a promising future
 
A recent tour of Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo revealed the following nuggets of information:
  • the once-believed-to-be-extinct Pygmy Blue-tongue Lizard is housed off-show at Snakes Downunder.
  • Oenpelli Python is now on-display in the reptile house.
  • they aim to breed Green Iguanas off-display with three breeding females off-show.
  • the owner has an extensive collection off-display including a range of other bluetongue lizards, Boa Constrictor and a range of elapids.
 
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