Sydney Zoo Sydney Zoo News 2022

Zoofan15 said:
Rhino update:

Samburu was still at Hamilton Zoo as of Saturday. The zoo has no immediate plans to export him, though this remains the long term plan.

The post linked above doesn’t state whether the new rhino is male or female (though a small bachelor herd is my prediction). It’s looks young (I’d guess 3-4 years), which makes the following strong possibilities:

0.1 Carrie (DJ x Inyeti) 04-12-2018 Australia Zoo
1.0 Kingston (DJ x Caballe) 00-07-2019 Australia Zoo
0.1 Meeka (Khulu x Mopani) 18-08-2019 Taronga Western Plains Zoo

A weaker possibility is:

1.0 Tino (Cyrano x Tamu) 14-02-2015 Orana Wildlife Park

At six years, he’s older, though Orana Wildlife will surely be looking to move him on. He’s the son of the park’s only reproductively viable cow and his role as a stimulant bull will soon be fulfilled by the South African imports Orana will be receiving. They’ll soon be needing space and he’s the obvious export.
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Considering Australia Zoo have (in the past) exported all calves born there, we can’t rule out Carrie too. She’s slightly older than Kingston, being three now, so it could quite possibly be her. Obviously her export will allow for her mother, Inyeti to breed once again. Inyeti only has two surviving calves and is from a genetically valuable line in the region.
 
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Jambo said:
Considering Australia Zoo have (in the past) exported all calves born there, we can’t rule out Carrie too. She’s slightly older than Kingston, being three now, so it could quite possibly be her. Obviously her export will allow for her mother, Inyeti to breed once again.
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I’m very confident Carrie will be transferred. The only adult bull is her sire and Australia Zoo has three breeding cows. Estrus suppression is an issue in this species (especially in mother/daughter dyads) and the older cow (Cabelle) is likely exerting estrus suppression on the other cows as well, meaning Carrie would be unlikely to breed at this stage.
 
Sydney Zoo probably has always planned for southern white rhino and has not been overtly ambitious. I am assuming the immigrant individual will be a juvenile bull rather than a more valuable young cow that is slowly entering into adulthood.

Personally, I DO hope the apparent or perceived "own goal by creation" animosity and competition between Taronga and the new Sydney Zoo will somewhat subside. Is Sydney Zoo now officially a member of ZAA - the Zoological Association of Australia (and consequently a participating member in one of their 100 or so ex situ breeding programs)?
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Sydney Zoo probably has always planned for southern white rhino and has not been overtly ambitious. I am assuming the immigrant individual will be a juvenile bull rather than a more valuable young cow that is slowly entering into adulthood.

Personally, I DO hope the apparent or perceived "own goal by creation" animosity and competition between Taronga and the new Sydney Zoo will somewhat subside. Is Sydney Zoo now officially a member of ZAA - the Zoological Association of Australia (and consequently a participating member in one of their 100 or so ex situ breeding programs)?
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Yes, Sydney Zoo is a member of ZAA. They’ve received some animals from Taronga including four male lions.

I’m sure there’s some resentment from Sydney Zoo that they were forced to go to the expense of importing some animals from outside the region - namely the elephants, but they’ve indicated in recent media reports they’d even be happy to collaborate on a breeding programme involving them.

Ultimately, I think the two respective organisations will find their niche and work together for the greater good. Sydney Zoo has the potential to contribute to many of our breeding programmes including the Common chimpanzee and Hamadryas baboon, given they’ve imported founders from outside the region.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Sydney Zoo probably has always planned for southern white rhino and has not been overtly ambitious. I am assuming the immigrant individual will be a juvenile bull rather than a more valuable young cow that is slowly entering into adulthood.
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Having re-reviewed the population list, it does seem as if we have more than enough bulls in the region - meaning another bachelor herd would definitely be beneficial.

I believe New Zealand’s zoos are headed for a massive shake up:

Altina are still without a bull and the obvious move is to import Inkosi from Auckland Zoo. He’s a full brother to the deceased bull and would be the first of Caballe’s many offspring to breed.

Inkosi has played the role of stimulant bull to Auckland Zoo’s breeding bull - but Auckland won’t be breeding for a while. The cow is heavily pregnant; and they’ll be focussed on renovating the elephant exhibit to expand the rhino facilities.

Once Orana import from South Africa, I’d recommend transferring the ageing Kruger from Hamilton to Auckland (to serve as a stimulant bull) and transferring one of the South African bulls to Hamilton for breeding. Only one of their three cows has bred with Kruger over the past decade, indicating a change up is needed.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I believe New Zealand’s zoos are headed for a massive shake up:

Once Orana import from South Africa, I’d recommend transferring the ageing Kruger from Hamilton to Auckland (to serve as a stimulant bull) and transferring one of the South African bulls to Hamilton for breeding. Only one of their three cows has bred with Kruger over the past decade, indicating a change up is needed.
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I assume you meant F Kito as the only breeding cow at Hamilton Zoo?

Why wait with the other two cows Moesha (born 1994) or Imani (born 2007): Female Moesha has 2 calves (F Jamila at Auckland and reproducing and M Kifaru at Werribee where Umgana is/was the breeding bull). There is a real chance Moesha will breed with a younger, but different bull. But why does F Imani seem like a non-breeder?

BTW: Really belongs in Hamilton Zoo thread.
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
I assume you meant F Kito as the only breeding cow at Hamilton Zoo?

Why wait with the other two cows Moesha (born 1994) or Imani (born 2007): Female Moesha has 2 calves (F Jamila at Auckland and reproducing and M Kifaru at Werribee where Umgana is/was the breeding bull). There is a real chance Moesha will breed with a younger, but different bull. But why does F Imani seem like a non-breeder?

BTW: Really belongs in Hamilton Zoo thread.
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Kito is there only cow currently willing or capable of breeding.

Moesha is likely suffering from Estrus suppression, and Imani apparently dosen't like Kruger. At this point, it seems Hamilton should acquire a new bull to help change things as they're only managing to breed from one of their three adult cows.

In regards to Umgana at Werribee, last time I heard they were attempting to still breed him with Sisi and Letaba, whilst they were attempting to breed young Kifaru with Kipenzi.
 
Hamadryas baboon birth:

A Hamadryas baboon infant was born last month.

This is at least the fifth infant born at the zoo and joins three females born 2020 (Nyota, Johari and Aza) and an infant born last year.

Their troop numbers approx 18 baboons - just above Darling Downs Zoo (mid teens); and just below Melbourne Zoo (early twenties).
 
Zoofan15 said:
Hamadryas baboon birth:

A Hamadryas baboon infant was born last month.

This is at least the fifth infant born at the zoo and joins three females born 2020 (Nyota, Johari and Aza) and an infant born last year.

Their troop numbers approx 18 baboons - just above Darling Downs Zoo (mid teens); and just below Melbourne Zoo (early twenties).
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Do you have a full population list for Sydney?
 
Zoofan15 said:
Quite possibly. After having a number of young males in their herd on my previous visit, Auckland Zoo’s herd is currently numbering just two males (to ten females), suggesting an export or transfer has taken place.
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Perhaps a few unrelated females should be imported now the bovine IRA is completed and spread a few new founding herds around the region
 
Zorro said:
Perhaps a few unrelated females should be imported now the bovine IRA is completed and spread a few new founding herds around the region
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Fresh imports are always advantageous. Auckland Zoo have bred multiple calves from their original Nyala received from Wellington Zoo, so the regional population largely descends from these lines.

Wellington have previously imported large numbers from South Africa, so hopefully some of the Australian zoos could work on doing similar.

They’re a popular species due to their amiable nature that allows them to integrate into any Savannah exhibit, though I’d personally prefer to see zoos focus on importing Bongo.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Fresh imports are always advantageous. Auckland Zoo have bred multiple calves from their original Nyala received from Wellington Zoo, so the regional population largely descends from these lines.

Wellington have previously imported large numbers from South Africa, so hopefully some of the Australian zoos could work on doing similar.

They’re a popular species due to their amiable nature that allows them to integrate into any Savannah exhibit, though I’d personally prefer to see zoos focus on importing Bongo.
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I agree if the holder’s of bongos in the region are serious about this species they would be taking full advantage of the revised importation laws
 
Zorro said:
I agree if the holder’s of bongos in the region are serious about this species they would be taking full advantage of the revised importation laws
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It annoys me the New Zealand zoos have to date taken no interest in holding Bongo.

Auckland Zoo and Wellington have the finances to import a pair each and Orana has the space to hold a large herd.

Hamilton could also make better use of the old camel exhibit than a pair of anxious donkeys. There’s room to expand the exhibit into the adjacent paddock which formerly held hybrid Oryx/Gerenuk.
 
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