Territory Wildlife Park Territory Wildlife Park news

J

Jabiru96

Well-Known Member
To start off a news thread for this park located near Darwin, the Northern Territory government (who owns the park) is seeking to attract investors in order to privatize the facility in order to compete with nearby Crocodylus Park:

THE Territory Government faces a tough sell trying to attract private sector investment to the Territory Wildlife Park, says a competitor to the facility.

The Government has called for expressions of interest for investment proposals to help revitalise the park, which costs about $8 million to run each year, only $2 million of which is recouped through ticket sales.

Each of the 60,000 tickets sold each year is subsidised by the government by about $100.

Grahame Webb, who runs competing wildlife attraction Crocodylus Park, said getting investors on board would be “tricky".

“(Tourism) is by no means a lucrative business, it’s a very hard business,” he said.

Dr Webb has in the past called for the park’s deregulation, saying it created an unlevel playing field for other tourism operators.

“Territory taxpayers put a lot of money into the Territory Wildlife Park – a huge amount over the years,” he said.

“It’s made it hard for us. How are you supposed to compete ... with an organisation that has unlimited money and no pressure on them to be profitable?”

Chief Minister Adam Giles said money sunk into the park by the Government was offset by the benefits of wildlife conservation and local employment.

“While we might put a lot of financial investment from the NT Government into the wildlife park, I think it’s money well spent,” he said.
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– NT News
 
Currently being kept in the Nocturnal House.

-Tiwi Island Masked Owl -Black footed tree rat

-Northern Quoll -Darwin Carpet Python

-Short-eared Rock Wallaby -Southern Boobook (Owl)

-Short-beaked Echidna -Sheathtail Bats

-Childrens Pthon -Giant Cave Gecko

-Green Tree Frogs -Ghost Bats

-Northern Knob tail Gecko -Black-headed Python

-Northern Savanah Glider (sugar glider) -Spectacled Hare Wallaby

-Tawny Frogmouth -Black Flying Fox

-Bush-stone Curlew -Olive python

-Northern Brown Tree Snake -Northern Death Adder

-Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko -Northern Brown Bandicoot

-Golden Bandicoot -Dhals Frog

-Water Python -Water Rat

-Magnificent Tree Frog -Grassland Melomys

-Blossom Bat -Rock ringtail possum
 
I will be visiting in July but I have asked the staff with providing this list. I was told only one male Black Wallaroo left within the collection.
 
TWP is now the only holder of Narbalek in captivity. They got a male recently called Norbit and he is being kept in the Nocturnal House.
 
Jakub said:
TWP is now the only holder of Narbalek in captivity. They got a male recently called Norbit and he is being kept in the Nocturnal House.
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actually April 2015, so not too recent. As far as I was aware he had been on display since December 2015.
 
An article from September 2017 relating to the January 2016 article which opens this news thread.

No cookies | NT News

THE Territory Wildlife Park will not be privatised, despite running on a loss of about $4.3 million each year.

According to a statement by a spokeswoman for Tourism Minister Lauren Moss, the park, which is going to tender for a new 10-year masterplan, costs $5.8 million to run.

“Of this, $1.5 million is generated through commercial activities such as the cafe and gift shop, ticket sales, cooperative events and conferences, and interactive animal experiences,” she said.

The massive losses come as private tourism officers are calling for the park to transfer out of taxpayers’ pockets.

The previous CLP government had looked at the prospect of selling the park to a private operator, in recognition of the high cost for Territory taxpayers to fund it.

The former government had private discussions with a number of potential investors, including some already in the Territory.

However, the Gunner Government has steered clear of selling off the wildlife park as part of its masterplan.

It says “the masterplan will consider development for the park in terms of: how we connect people with wildlife; what can we value-add to the community in terms of community spaces for nature-based entertainment and recreation; how we set ourselves up to become a centre of conservation excellent for education and research”.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Bicknell said any 10-year masterplan should include looking at the government ownership of the park.
 
It would not make sense to privatize it in order to cut the Administration's losses without any thorough future planning or the underlying root causes behind the investment losses. Aside, it should be acknowledged zoos are like museums and universities / high schools educational institutions with a communal mission, hence they should be in the public domain and on government coffers.
 
Full story: Fears for attractions at wildlife park, speculation birds will be 'disposed of'
There are fears animals may be "disposed of" at one of the Northern Territory's top wildlife attractions after speculation finances at the Territory Wildlife Park have reached crisis point.

Key points:
  • Former staff at the Territory Wildlife Park have expressed concerns on behalf of their former colleagues
  • Cracks have appeared in the budget of the government-run park as experiences have been taken off the bill in recent months
  • Large infrastructure upgrades are planned, but stakeholders have said animal exhibits should take priority
Park stakeholders have told ABC Radio Darwin they are concerned about closures of attractions and staff cuts. The NT Government Parks Department has said no decisions have been made on current attractions.

But former zookeeper of 20 years Greg Mayo said the Monsoon Forest Walk, the Dome Aviary, the Buffalo Trail, and the Rocky Ridge were speculated to end this month.

An NT Parks Department spokesman said there were no plans to sell or close the park.

"Under all options being considered, opening hours will remain the same and the free shuttle train will continue to provide transport through the park," the spokesperson said.

The department was asked further questions but failed to respond by deadline.
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A few updates from social media:
  • a pair of Green Pygmy-Geese have been added to one of the larger aquarium tanks, allowing them to be seen through underwater viewing.
  • their main coral reef exhibit recently received a revamp with new fish recently added - various clownfish, butterflyfish, tangs and Scribbled Angelfish are shown in a video.
  • worthwhile to mention they have captive Rainbow Pitta currently in their aviaries along with the wild ones that live on zoo grounds.
 
Australia’s largest scorpion is now on display at Territory Wildlife Park. A Darwin Giant Scorpion Urodacus excellens is a recent addition for the park’s nocturnal house - reported on their FB page.
 
A new species for Territory Wildlife Park. A pair of Sacred Kingfishers have arrived from Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Gorge Wildlife Park respectively. They will soon go on-show in monsoon forest and will be a potential breeding pair as part of the ZAA breeding programme - reported on their FB page.
 
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