They're an iconic Australian species and with international travel now resumed, the zoo are wise to exhibit them. Melbourne's pair similarly went on display last month.
Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2022
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They're an iconic Australian species and with international travel now resumed, the zoo are wise to exhibit them. Melbourne's pair similarly went on display last month.
They are adorable!! Surprised they have dingoes in the old Komodo enclosure - it seems too small to me, and maybe escapable for a dog as athletic as dingoes. Have they built a back of house area better suited to dingoes behind it? Do we know what the new dingo enclosure will look like in the refurbed section?
I don't believe the dingo pups will be kept in that enclosure/area permanently. My interpretation was that they'll be brought out for the keeper talk and the encounters, and otherwise off-display, at least for the time being until/if an exhibit is built in Iyora Australia. I can't recall whether there is one in the plans.
There wasn't originally one in the plans for the Australian precinct, but these were updated in 2021 with a Dingo exhibit replacing one of the Koala exhibits.
I'm surprised to see them in the former Komodo Dragon enclosure- it is fairly small. I don't believe the BTS area has been renovated, but the indoor Komodo area is reasonable for them; they don't necessarily need a lot of space. Since they're only pups too, they should be find in their current enclosure but this being a temporary move is evident, as i'm sure much larger dingoes could escape.
They've always been planned for Iyora Australia; they're actually on boards around the zoo advertising the new area.
Taronga already have five Koala exhibits outside of Iyora Australia, so they don't need another one. Glad to see the space being repurposed for a new species like the Dingo.
Taronga Zoo visit 02/12/2022:
- I saw JR, the Long-Beaked Echidna! While it was initially reported that it would only be housed in the Tasmanian Devil building over the summer school holidays, he's been there throughout the entirety of 2022, so I would gather that it's his permanent home now, unless there are plans to move him back into the revamped nocturnal house.
- On the dingos - I haven't fully gotten to the bottom of it, although they weren't in the outdoor former Komodo exhibit when I walked past in the afternoon. My personal view is that the dingoes are only being brought to that area for the keeper talk. The indoor area (albeit with the door closed to the outside) still houses young two Rhinoceros Iguanas.
- Charlie (Australian Sea Lion) was in Seal Cove with April, the female on breeding loan from SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast. They were mostly zipping around underwater, so no pup-making took place in my presence (not sure if that's fortunately or unfortunately). Kiki, Tarni and Amalie are still in Seal Bay (the former leopard seal exhibit) and put on a good show.
- The three grownup tiger cubs were in the first exhibit with Kartika. The figtree exhibit is still empty with the 'keepers are working on this exhibit' sign up. I'm not exactly sure what work is taking place there, my personal speculation is that they are ensuring the mesh is escape-proof following what happened with the lions.
- I took some close-up photos of the chimps, at the viewing windows in the original viewing shelter up the end closest to the path which comes down from the reptile house. I'm no good at identifying animals, but I'm learning, so I'll upload to the gallery for confirmation from others.
Thanks for the updates.
I'll be able to identify some, but there are some new growing faces (the juveniles) that always put up a challenge for me.
Exciting news if so. I wasn't able to see him back in April but was surprised to see that he was indeed on display in the Tasmanian devil house.
Is Seal Cove Charlie's usual exhibit? April did arrive on breeding loan, but i'm not sure if this'll mean she'll give birth at Taronga or be sent back to Sealife to give birth once she gets pregnant. We'll have to wait and see. Fingers crossed for a successful mating and pregnancy asap.
Yeah that was my thinking back when you mentioned it a few weeks ago. It's interesting those four were in the first exhibit. That's usually Kembali's habitat. I'd assume Clarence would've been in the second exhibit then too.
I'll be able to identify some, but there are some new growing faces (the juveniles) that always put up a challenge for me.
Thanks for the update @Abbey. Fingers crossed for a successful mating between the Australian sea lions, though Taronga won’t see the benefit of it. April will return pregnant to SLSC.
Happy to help with identifying the chimpanzees. I have an up to date ID board of the 20 chimps that I can refer to for conformation - though I like to test myself first by trying not to use it.
Thanks for the updates.
Exciting news if so. I wasn't able to see him back in April but was surprised to see that he was indeed on display in the Tasmanian devil house.
Is Seal Cove Charlie's usual exhibit? April did arrive on breeding loan, but i'm not sure if this'll mean she'll give birth at Taronga or be sent back to Sealife to give birth once she gets pregnant. We'll have to wait and see. Fingers crossed for a successful mating and pregnancy asap.
Yeah that was my thinking back when you mentioned it a few weeks ago. It's interesting those four were in the first exhibit. That's usually Kembali's habitat. I'd assume Clarence would've been in the second exhibit then too.
I'll be able to identify some, but there are some new growing faces (the juveniles) that always put up a challenge for me.
Yes, Seal Cove is Charlie's usual exhibit. It's the one with the viewing window into the lower entrance building, although I don't think that's reopened at all since COVID started. That's the lowest seal pool, which as far as I'm aware predates the Great Southern Oceans development. I walked through shortly before the afternoon seal presentation, and Nala was in the deep show adjoining the theatre with one of the Californians at the time.
@Abbey
Yeah I think that Seal Cove exhibit was completed in 1987 or 1988 after the last Polar Bears at Taronga were phased out c.1986. Believe the whole original lower Seal complex was built around that time with the Great Southern Oceans complex being an upgrade and expansion..of course am likely mentioning what you already know sorry lol.
Not sure if that pool was opened first or opened in Nov 1988 like this Gettyimages photo and note suggests: Tim Moore feeds a Southern Elephant Seal in the new Macquarie Island... News Photo - Getty Images
Yeah I think that Seal Cove exhibit was completed in 1987 or 1988 after the last Polar Bears at Taronga were phased out c.1986. Believe the whole original lower Seal complex was built around that time with the Great Southern Oceans complex being an upgrade and expansion..of course am likely mentioning what you already know sorry lol.
Not sure if that pool was opened first or opened in Nov 1988 like this Gettyimages photo and note suggests: Tim Moore feeds a Southern Elephant Seal in the new Macquarie Island... News Photo - Getty Images
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Yeah you used to actually be able to view Charlie through the viewing window there. The building is quite old so it needs renovation if they wish to reopen it. I think that’s what was happening whilst the pool was lowered and Charlie was temporarily moved.
Macquarie Island and Seal Cove were both built in the late 80’s. They were seperate enclosures and the current GSO complex is currently located where these enclosures initially were. I don’t think this enclosure was built where the Polar Bears were though- the Polar Bears where in the grottoes a little further to the right.
Taronga Zoo phased out Polar bears in 1984. It was mentioned in Auckland Zoo’s history book that Ingrid was housed at Taronga Zoo with an elderly male in an exhibit that was closed to the public. After his death, the zoo were keen to demolish this exhibit and Auckland Zoo (who had a pair of Polar bears the same age) accepted Ingrid.
It was noted that the acquisition of Ingrid was made on humanitarian grounds as she’d do little to enhance the collection - but nonetheless, record crowds turned up for her debut on Labour Weekend; and by surviving the zoo’s other female (Lisbeth) by five years, provided companionship to Auckland’s male bear (Joachim) - who died weeks after Ingrid in 1995.
That elderly male was one of the two imported from India in the early 50’s I believe.
Taronga only had one successful breeding pair (Arctic and Snow) who lived at the zoo from the 1910’s until the early 1940’s when both died. One of their offspring was actually sent to Auckland in the 1930’s but I can’t remember the name off the top of my head.
Ingrid would have been one of these three females imported from Detroit Zoo 11/07/1964:
0.1 Unnamed (02/11/1963)
0.1 Unnamed (14/11/1963)
0.1 Unnamed (31/12/1963)
All three were bred at Detroit Zoo and shared a sire. The December cub had a twin (also female). Unfortunately the studbook doesn’t list names for these cubs (or their dates of death) - so it’s impossible to determine which one was Ingrid. It’s unrecorded in Taronga’s records also.
The Polar bear you refer to was a male named Snowball. He was born at Taronga Zoo in 1935 and was sent to Auckland Zoo in 1936. He died there in 1942.
Snowball was Taronga’s second surviving cub. They previously bred a male in 1928 that was sent to Cairo.
Who interestingly enough was sent there in a swap for Taronga's first female hippo, Fatima, who has descendants in the region today.
Yes. Fatima’s great great grandaughter is Cuddles (2002) at Taronga Western Plains Zoo and Kibibi (2014), Kendi (2017) and Kani (2020) are her great great great grandchildren.
Hopefully this line will be sustained further through Kani’s successful breeding at Monarto in the coming years.
Taronga Zoo collaborate on New Zealand fur seal release/tracking:
Taronga have collaborated with the following entities as part of the NSW Government’s Seabirds to Seascapes project: James Griffin MP, Department of Planning and Environment, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
From Taronga socials:
'Skip’ the seal, as he is known, was released last week just outside Sydney Heads following three-month’s rehabilitation at @SeaWorldAus.
The juvenile seal was found ashore, south of Fraser Island with cookie-cutter shark bites, lethargic and severely underweight.
So far, the data collected from the tracker has shown Skip travelled more than 100 km within the first 24 hours of being released, and is currently swimming about 130km south of the NSW and Victoria border. That is an impressive 550km from where he was first released!
Taronga have collaborated with the following entities as part of the NSW Government’s Seabirds to Seascapes project: James Griffin MP, Department of Planning and Environment, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and the Sydney Institute of Marine Science.
From Taronga socials:
'Skip’ the seal, as he is known, was released last week just outside Sydney Heads following three-month’s rehabilitation at @SeaWorldAus.
The juvenile seal was found ashore, south of Fraser Island with cookie-cutter shark bites, lethargic and severely underweight.
So far, the data collected from the tracker has shown Skip travelled more than 100 km within the first 24 hours of being released, and is currently swimming about 130km south of the NSW and Victoria border. That is an impressive 550km from where he was first released!
That is so so cool, go well 'Skip' hope you have safe and happy wild travels.
It’s a great initiative as Taronga and other zoos in the region play a significant role in rehabilitating marine species and it’s rewarding for all involved to know it’s been a success.
Sadly it doesn’t always have a positive outcome. An Emperor penguin that was rehabilitated at Wellington Zoo over eight weeks and attracted widespread media attention (including a visit from the prime minister) was released with a tracking device, which stopped transmitting shortly after. It was speculated he may have been eaten by a shark with comments in the media that Happy Feet (the penguin) had become a Happy Meal.
@Zoofan15 
poor Penguin. Wellington Zoo obviously did a really caring job but its a tough ocean out there hey (fingers crossed for 'Skip'). See how the newspapers and other news media are obsessed with puns and 'witty' titles. My Mum worked in the press and said it was like a bad comedy show how many debates and discussions revolved around trying to find quick witted snappy titles or comments.
poor Penguin. Wellington Zoo obviously did a really caring job but its a tough ocean out there hey (fingers crossed for 'Skip'). See how the newspapers and other news media are obsessed with puns and 'witty' titles. My Mum worked in the press and said it was like a bad comedy show how many debates and discussions revolved around trying to find quick witted snappy titles or comments.- Status