Adelaide Zoo Adelaide Zoo News 2022

[Zoofan15]

The Baboon exhibit was closed, unfortunately, although for good reason. The two new females are Kwazi and Mahali (spelling might be wrong) and the exhibit was closed as one of the females has just given birth and they are trying to get the new baby adjusted

The baboons will also be moved to Monarto eventually, as the keepers worry the small exhibit they are currently in will spark infighting as the troop grows.

Baboon infant mortality:

It’s interesting to hear that Adelaide have closed their baboon exhibit. There’s presumably some caution over the survival of the newborn (and the intention here is to give the troop privacy), but I thought it was interesting to note that the previous infants all died a month or two after the birth:

Unnamed (born December 2017) > Died January 2018
Unnamed (born August 2018) > Died September 2018
Unnamed (born May 2019) > Died July 2019

What’s significance about this age is that it’s when the infants become mobile and first begin to wander away from their mother. This represents the first chance for males within the troop to grab them, which has led to fatal injuries both in Adelaide’s troop and Auckland’s.

Given Hamadryas baboon harems typically number around five females in large troops, I’d say there’s a good chance Tomkay (2014) has all three females - Chappi (2005), Quasi (2017) and Mahali (2018) in his harem; while Djibouti (2016) is alone. Hopefully this isn’t the case and he has at least one female to keep him occupied, or I’d consider him a potential risk to this infant in a month or so.

 

[Swanson02]

Baboon infant mortality:

It’s interesting to hear that Adelaide have closed their baboon exhibit. There’s presumably some caution over the survival of the newborn (and the intention here is to give the troop privacy), but I thought it was interesting to note that the previous infants all died a month or two after the birth:

Unnamed (born December 2017) > Died January 2018
Unnamed (born August 2018) > Died September 2018
Unnamed (born May 2019) > Died July 2019

What’s significance about this age is that it’s when the infants become mobile and first begin to wander away from their mother. This represents the first chance for males within the troop to grab them, which has led to fatal injuries both in Adelaide’s troop and Auckland’s.

Given Hamadryas baboon harems typically number around five females in large troops, I’d say there’s a good chance Tomkay (2014) has all three females - Chappi (2005), Quasi (2017) and Mahali (2018) in his harem; while Djibouti (2016) is alone. Hopefully this isn’t the case and he has at least one female to keep him occupied, or I’d consider him a potential risk to this infant in a month or so.

I agree, one of the keeper's biggest worries is the small size of the exhibit. I assume the small area would result in Djibouti frequently coming in contact with any of Tomkay's young, increasing the infant mortality rate. That's why the move to a larger limestone rocky exhibit at Monarto (I assume at the new entrance) will probably happen in the next two years. It also frees up the area for Adelaide so they can shift animals around (i.e. the Ring-tailed lemur) to make way for the construction of this new mini Africa at the top of the zoo. I was also told Adelaide still plans on sending their Sea Lions away whenever possible, so this move would also free up more space (maybe to Melbourne now they have sadly lost a few?).

Additionally from what I gathered, there aren't actually too many species planned for this new Africa area so hopefully it doesn't hog space, species I can see in it -

African Lion
Serval
Fennec Fox
Meerkat
Giraffe
Plains Zebra
Pygmy Hippo
Mandrill
Colobus Monkey
Western Gorilla (unconfirmed)

 

[Zoofan15]

I agree, one of the keeper's biggest worries is the small size of the exhibit. I assume the small area would result in Djibouti frequently coming in contact with any of Tomkay's young, increasing the infant mortality rate. That's why the move to a larger limestone rocky exhibit at Monarto (I assume at the new entrance) will probably happen in the next two years.

I’d say a combination of small exhibit size and boredom/frustration would be the biggest risk factor re. Djibouti and the infants. Any longer than two years and this current infant (if male) will compound the issue making it even less likely for future offspring to survive.

Long term, the troop needs more females. The current ratio of adults is 2.3 which is almost 50:50. There should be at least twice as many females as males, which will be possible with the increased exhibit space.

 

[Zoofan15]

It also frees up the area for Adelaide so they can shift animals around (i.e. the Ring-tailed lemur) to make way for the construction of this new mini Africa at the top of the zoo. I was also told Adelaide still plans on sending their Sea Lions away whenever possible, so this move would also free up more space (maybe to Melbourne now they have sadly lost a few?).

Additionally from what I gathered, there aren't actually too many species planned for this new Africa area so hopefully it doesn't hog space, species I can see in it -

African Lion
Serval
Fennec Fox
Meerkat
Giraffe
Plains Zebra
Pygmy Hippo
Mandrill
Colobus Monkey
Western Gorilla (unconfirmed)

It'll be a real shame to see Adelaide phase put their pinnipeds. Like Auckland, they have a long standing association with this species. Personally I'd rather see pinnipeds prioritised at Adelaide over ungulates for the sake of maintaining diversity in the collection.

An alternative could be to create a spectacular exhibit for them at Monarto themed on the coast. It could be expanded to include a large aquarium over time. There's no mention of such a concept in the master plan, but long term Monarto could be enhanced even further through expanding to a marine collection. I have high expectations for this zoo!

 

[Patrick Keegan]

Adelaide will phase out Malayan Tapir after their last female dies. I saw she had really bad arthritis in her back left leg so this might be sometime soon

A bit late here but Based on what you said and the adelaide zoo website I take it mia has passed away, would you know when?

 

[Zoofan15]

A bit late here but Based on what you said and the adelaide zoo website I take it mia has passed away, would you know when?

Interesting. The website does indeed mention Jelita (born 2000) as their only female, so I assume @Swanson02 was referring to her as the last female instead of Mia, when noting she had arthritis.

 

[Jambo]

Interesting. The website does indeed mention Jelita (born 2000) as their only female, so I assume @Swanson02 was referring to her as the last female instead of Mia, when noting she had arthritis.

I'd say I checked the website maybe late last year and Mia was still listed, so it seems she's died earlier this year.

 

[Zoofan15]

I'd say I checked the website maybe late last year and Mia was still listed, so it seems she's died earlier this year.

It will still up a month or two ago when I checked and the photo banner on the same page still lists both, so I'd guess even more recent than that. They're usually quite good at updating their website.

 

[Jambo]

It will still up a month or two ago when I checked and the photo banner on the same page still lists both, so I'd guess even more recent than that. They're usually quite good at updating their website.

Yeah, it's really interesting there's been no announcement. Adelaide are usually fairly good at announcing deaths; and you'd think they would announce the death of one of their two remaining Malayan Tapirs, especially a female who's been at the zoo for thirty years.

 

[Zoofan15]

Yeah, it's really interesting there's been no announcement. Adelaide are usually fairly good at announcing deaths; and you'd think they would announce the death of one of their two remaining Malayan Tapirs, especially a female who's been at the zoo for thirty years.

It seems the death announcements are only made when it's something the public wpuld notice e.g. a big cat or a great ape. Case in point, it was only discovered via a visit from somebody specifically aware of their collection.

They've similarly chosen not to announce the baboon birth until they're confident it will survive.

 

[Swanson02]

A bit late here but Based on what you said and the adelaide zoo website I take it mia has passed away, would you know when?

Sorry, I don't know when Mia passed I assumed it had already been announced, Jelita is the only remaining Malayan Tapir (I was told this by Arturo's keeper). Jelita also has a really bad back leg and it was obvious she was struggling to get around so probably won't last long either .

Currently, there is no space allocated for the Brazilian Tapirs in Adelaide's Masterplan, so I could see them being shifted into Jelita's exhibit when she passes. It's quite large so could feasibly hold a small breeding group of 1.2 after Arturo and Chiquita eventually pass.

 

[Jambo]

Sorry, I don't know when Mia passed I assumed it had already been announced, Jelita is the only remaining Malayan Tapir (I was told this by Arturo's keeper). Jelita also has a really bad back leg and it was obvious she was struggling to get around so probably won't last long either .

Currently, there is no space allocated for the Brazilian Tapirs in Adelaide's Masterplan, so I could see them being shifted into Jelita's exhibit when she passes. It's quite large so could feasibly hold a small breeding group of 1.2 after Arturo and Chiquita eventually pass.

That's a shame regarding Mia, and Jelita. Semangka at Melbourne will soon be the last in the region. I shall enjoy my time watching her from now on; that back area of Melbourne with Semangka and the Peccaries will be quite an forlorn row knowing that the residents are the last of their kind in the region.

I can definitely see the Brazilian Tapirs moving into the current Malayan Tapir habitat. It's quite large, and quite a popular enclosure (due to the huge Moretan Bay fig).

 

[Swanson02]

That's a shame regarding Mia, and Jelita. Semangka at Melbourne will soon be the last in the region. I shall enjoy my time watching her from now on; that back area of Melbourne with Semangka and the Peccaries will be quite an forlorn row knowing that the residents are the last of their kind in the region.

I can definitely see the Brazilian Tapirs moving into the current Malayan Tapir habitat. It's quite large, and quite a popular enclosure (due to the huge Moreton Bay fig).

It really is sad when you know a member of a species will be the last ever in the region an 'endling' of sorts. 99% of people will never get to see a Malayan Tapir in the wild as they are nocturnal and elusive, so a zoo is their only real hope. Most of the images of them on google are in zoos so it shows you just how hard they are to find. Melbourne should name that back of the zoo area "The Phase Out Trail" .

 

[Zoofan15]

It really is sad when you know a member of a species will be the last ever in the region an 'endling' of sorts. 99% of people will never get to see a Malayan Tapir in the wild as they are nocturnal and elusive, so a zoo is their only real hope. Most of the images of them on google are in zoos so it shows you just how hard they are to find. Melbourne should name that back of the zoo area "The Phase Out Trail" .

It will be similarly sad to see the Collared peccary disappear from the region - a species held in the region for over half a century and one we will never have the option to reimport.

 

[Jambo]

Melbourne should name that back of the zoo area "The Phase Out Trail" .

I've taken my time over my last few visits to really sit and watch their Peccaries. We won't get the opportunity to see them in Australia or NZ anytime soon.

Now, i'll have to enjoy visiting Semangka!

Obviously that area of the zoo will be empty in five or so years time; and I hope they have something innovative planned to replace their Malayan Tapirs and Peccaries.

 

[StoppableSan]

I've taken my time over my last few visits to really sit and watch their Peccaries. We won't get the opportunity to see them in Australia or NZ anytime soon.

Now, i'll have to enjoy visiting Semangka!

Obviously that area of the zoo will be empty in five or so years time; and I hope they have something innovative planned to replace their Malayan Tapirs and Peccaries.

Another meerkat enclosure, anyone?

 

[Zorro]

Another meerkat enclosure, anyone?

Of course when one has declining numbers of species just keep filling up the gaps with much of what’s already there

 

[Zoofan15]

Another meerkat enclosure, anyone?

Of course when one has declining numbers of species just keep filling up the gaps with much of what’s already there

Meerkats are the best we can hope for. Melbourne's usual us to put up a sign saying something exciting is coming soon; while Hamilton have previously done the same and then put a barnyard animal in there. Dromedary camel because Alpaca and then donkeys; Cheetah became turkeys while they took five years to source more; and Brazilian rapid became goats.

 

[Jambo]

Another meerkat enclosure, anyone?

I'd actually prefer for that area to be used as an extension to Africa featuring Meerkats/Cape Porupine ect. This would allow the Growing Wild precinct at the bottom to be redeveloped into at least something more interesting.

 

[Zoofan15]

I'd actually prefer for that area to be used as an extension to Africa featuring Meerkats/Cape Porupine ect. This would allow the Growing Wild precinct at the bottom to be redeveloped into at least something more interesting.

Growing Wild has always seemed like a failure of a precinct imo. An attempt to engage kids, who are happier with a playground, while allocating a sizeable amount of space to somewhere nobody past the age of five is interested in visiting. It's time to admit defeat and scrap it.