Sundar's kept off display.
She was apart of Melbourne's last litter (prior to the recent one); born in 2008 to Leon and Meo.
Australasian Snow Leopard Population
- Thread starter Patrick Keegan
- Start date
-
- Tags
- population snow leopard
She was apart of Melbourne's last litter (prior to the recent one); born in 2008 to Leon and Meo.
dylan downward
Well-Known Member
Makes sense thenSundar's kept off display.
She was apart of Melbourne's last litter (prior to the recent one); born in 2008 to Leon and Meo.
Asha and Manju have officially arrived at Wellington Zoo!!!!!
Snow Leopards Asha and Manju have arrived at Wellington zoo and are completing their one week quarantine period before going on public display.
This leaves Melbourne Zoo with 1.2 snow leopards including their parents 1.0 Kang Ju and 0.1 Miska who will hopefully breed again within the next few years.
Snow Leopards Asha and Manju have arrived at Wellington zoo and are completing their one week quarantine period before going on public display.
This leaves Melbourne Zoo with 1.2 snow leopards including their parents 1.0 Kang Ju and 0.1 Miska who will hopefully breed again within the next few years.
Asha and Manju are on Display!!!
Wellington Zoo has opened their new snow leopard Exhibit!!!
From their Facebook: Log into Facebook | Facebook
"SAY 'KIA ORA' TO ASHA AND MANJU
We are so thrilled to announce that our Snow Leopard habitat is officially open.
The sisters have spent the last 24 hours exploring every corner of their new, purpose-built habitat. They've been climbing up and jumping all over their steep and rocky habitat, displaying natural mountain cat behaviours.
Over the next few weeks, the sisters will be exploring their new habitat for the very first time. It may take them a little time to get used to their new space, so if you don't manage to catch a glimpse of them in your first visit we encourage you to come back and try again!"
Wellington Zoo has opened their new snow leopard Exhibit!!!
From their Facebook: Log into Facebook | Facebook
"SAY 'KIA ORA' TO ASHA AND MANJU
We are so thrilled to announce that our Snow Leopard habitat is officially open.
The sisters have spent the last 24 hours exploring every corner of their new, purpose-built habitat. They've been climbing up and jumping all over their steep and rocky habitat, displaying natural mountain cat behaviours.
Over the next few weeks, the sisters will be exploring their new habitat for the very first time. It may take them a little time to get used to their new space, so if you don't manage to catch a glimpse of them in your first visit we encourage you to come back and try again!"
It’s so great to finally have them on display at Wellington Zoo. It’s been over a decade in the planning and 18 months in building and the first new megafauna species at Wellington Zoo in many years.
Press releases describe Asha as the feisty one; and Manju as the calm relaxed one. The exhibit has been designed to allow them time apart if they choose it, so that will surely help the zoo maintain a cohesive pair as they mature.
Wellington Zoo is perfect for this species. Studies detail the temperature of their natural range differs by a single degree and the topography of the site has lent itself perfectly to the contoured exhibit.
Melbourne Update:
Disappointing news, but from what a keeper told me, at the moment, there aren't any plans to breed Kang Ju and Miska this breeding season.
She mentioned there would need to be regional facilities that have dedicated to holding potential cubs before a breeding recommendation can be made; and this isn't the case at the moment.
She also stated that there were four facilities previously interested in Melbourne's previous litter. We know two are Wellington and Tasmania, but not sure about the other two. Maybe Billabong and Mogo who held elderly leopards?
Disappointing news, but from what a keeper told me, at the moment, there aren't any plans to breed Kang Ju and Miska this breeding season.
She mentioned there would need to be regional facilities that have dedicated to holding potential cubs before a breeding recommendation can be made; and this isn't the case at the moment.
She also stated that there were four facilities previously interested in Melbourne's previous litter. We know two are Wellington and Tasmania, but not sure about the other two. Maybe Billabong and Mogo who held elderly leopards?
I think the other two may very well be Billabong (who have the facilities already, and ageing leopards of which they will have been looking to replace) and Adelaide who also recently announced their intentions of importing some too.
In the meantime, Melbourne may have to wait a bit before Adelaide can construct an exhibit for them (which may be a few years down the line), but I can certainly see Melbourne breeding Mishka again very soon once they're confident there's enough holders available.
@Jambo
Yeah that makes total sense i.e: Adelaide; that imo was one of the most exciting bits of pending news with Adelaide's plans, though from memory there were others that sounded exciting too, are Gorillas still a possibility? though until about three quarters of a year ago was wondering if perhaps Adelaide might go with Sri Lankan Leopards (or even Cloudeds given their SE Asian precinct).
tbh needed a bit of a memory nudge about Adelaide with Snow Leopards which am surprised and disappointed nearly forgot about as anything Leopard related is pride of place news wise personally normally.
Yeah that makes total sense i.e: Adelaide; that imo was one of the most exciting bits of pending news with Adelaide's plans, though from memory there were others that sounded exciting too, are Gorillas still a possibility? though until about three quarters of a year ago was wondering if perhaps Adelaide might go with Sri Lankan Leopards (or even Cloudeds given their SE Asian precinct).
tbh needed a bit of a memory nudge about Adelaide with Snow Leopards which am surprised and disappointed nearly forgot about as anything Leopard related is pride of place news wise personally normally.
Gorillas have unfortunately been removed from plans, in favour of an extended savannah exhibit for the Giraffes.
Adelaide initially had plans to acquire Sri Lankan Leopards but have since seemingly decided to go with Snow Leopards instead, which is a good choice given the region is in need of more holders and Snow Leopards would fit Adelaide's Himalayan theme with the Pandas.
Billabong have two Snow leopards, but previously accommodated two pairs. I have no doubt they’ll be keen to acquire more via Melbourne. They could potentially supply them with a sibling pair or even trio once their remaining cats pass.
The positive is that Melbourne can accomodate offspring well into adulthood as we saw with Asha and Manju. Hopefully they’ll breed again in a couple of years regardless of whether another facility can take them there and then.
Adelaide’s masterplan has undergone a disappointing revision (see the Adelaide thread). Gorillas have been abandoned for a generic Savannah like the one you can see at every other zoo in the region; and a third Sumatran tiger exhibit will take the place of a Sri Lankan leopard exhibit.
Snow leopards would be an asset to Adelaide, especially considering their ambition should be to compliment Monarto; rather than duplicate it on a smaller scale.
I'd assume the keepers point was that Melbourne could very well breed their again, but it wouldn't be sustainable to have them breeding every 4 years or so and having all of the offspring remain at Melbourne, off display. Eventually they'd need other facilities to be able to cooperate in the program, and take on some of the cubs, and I'd assume at least another facility (besides the current other two) would enable a sort of sustainable population to be created with Melbourne as the sole breeding facility, breeding their pair every 4/5 years or so.
Mishka and Kang Ju could probably have another two litters based on their age, and this could easily be accommodated with another two facilities interested. It's very rare to have a trio of Snow Leopard cubs like Melbourne just had, so a pair or even a sole cub (which is more likely) would be much easier to accomodate. Billabong have two exhibits and Adelaide will at least have one exhibit to accommodate a pair of cubs.
What I’d like to see is Melbourne Zoo breed two or three more cubs from their pair and then consider retiring them to a non-breeding holder, potentially Billabong, would will probably be holding a young sibling pair by then.
We’ll soon be at a stage where the entire regional population consists of Kang Ju and Mishka, so it’d be good if Melbourne (who are best equipped to breed) brought in an unrelated pair.
Long term, the offspring of the second founder pair could be paired with Kang Ju and Mishka’s offspring - either at Melbourne or at other holders wanting to breed.
Vale Sundah
Zoos Victoria has announced the unfortunate passing of 12 year old snow leopard Sundah.
I believe this now leaves Melbourne Zoo's Snow Leopard population at:
1.0 Kang Ju (2015)
0.1 Mishka (2016)
Zoos Victoria has announced the unfortunate passing of 12 year old snow leopard Sundah.
I believe this now leaves Melbourne Zoo's Snow Leopard population at:
1.0 Kang Ju (2015)
0.1 Mishka (2016)
Sundar's kept off display.
She was apart of Melbourne's last litter (prior to the recent one); born in 2008 to Leon and Meo.
Australasian Snow Leopard population (2024)
Happy new year Everyone! about time we did an update on the snow leopard population the biggest news for the region this year is that Wellington zoo welcomed two female (0.2) Snow Leopards Asha (2020) and Manju (2020) from Melbourne zoo in march 2023 and thus marking return of snow leopards to Wellington zoo and new Zealand as a whole aftera 28 year absence. Another milestone male Khumbu (2003) at Billabong zoo turned 20 in October making him the oldest snow leopard currently in the region and having outlived his three siblings, More Unfortunate updates being the deaths of female Samara (2001) at Billabong Zoo aged 20 and female tenzin (2003) at Mogo Wildlife Park aged 19 both In 2022 as mentioned in the 2023 update in addition female Sundar (2008) died at Melbourne Zoo aged 15 in September of 2023 no breeding attempts have been made or are currently planned at Melbourne as they'll need to find more holders willing to take on offspring which is where Billabong could come in with two elderly males who probably won't be around much longer, The population is now as follows:
New zealand
Wellington Zoo
0.1 Asha (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
0.1 Manju (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
Australia
Billabong Zoo
1.0 Khumbu (Mangar x Lena) 12-10-2003 At Mogo Wildlife Park, NSW, Australia
1.0 Sabu (Leon x Samara) 14-10-2005 At Taronga Zoo, NSW, Australia
Melbourne Zoo
1.0 Kang Ju (Indra x Pia) 11-08-15 At Nuremberg Zoo, Germany; imported 2017
0.1 Miska (Wolfgang x Kadi) 11-06-2016 At South Lakes Safari Zoo, UK; Imported 2017
Tasmania Zoo
1.0 Sikari (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
Overall the population stands at 7 (4.3).
Happy new year Everyone! about time we did an update on the snow leopard population the biggest news for the region this year is that Wellington zoo welcomed two female (0.2) Snow Leopards Asha (2020) and Manju (2020) from Melbourne zoo in march 2023 and thus marking return of snow leopards to Wellington zoo and new Zealand as a whole aftera 28 year absence. Another milestone male Khumbu (2003) at Billabong zoo turned 20 in October making him the oldest snow leopard currently in the region and having outlived his three siblings, More Unfortunate updates being the deaths of female Samara (2001) at Billabong Zoo aged 20 and female tenzin (2003) at Mogo Wildlife Park aged 19 both In 2022 as mentioned in the 2023 update in addition female Sundar (2008) died at Melbourne Zoo aged 15 in September of 2023 no breeding attempts have been made or are currently planned at Melbourne as they'll need to find more holders willing to take on offspring which is where Billabong could come in with two elderly males who probably won't be around much longer, The population is now as follows:
New zealand
Wellington Zoo
0.1 Asha (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
0.1 Manju (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
Australia
Billabong Zoo
1.0 Khumbu (Mangar x Lena) 12-10-2003 At Mogo Wildlife Park, NSW, Australia
1.0 Sabu (Leon x Samara) 14-10-2005 At Taronga Zoo, NSW, Australia
Melbourne Zoo
1.0 Kang Ju (Indra x Pia) 11-08-15 At Nuremberg Zoo, Germany; imported 2017
0.1 Miska (Wolfgang x Kadi) 11-06-2016 At South Lakes Safari Zoo, UK; Imported 2017
Tasmania Zoo
1.0 Sikari (Kang Ju x Miska) 26-01-2020 At Melbourne Zoo, VIC, Australia
Overall the population stands at 7 (4.3).
Billabong and Tasmania update
During the Snow Leopard Encounter today at Billabong Zoo, the keeper confirmed that once their two elderly males, Khumbu and Sabu, pass Billabong is committed to keeping Snow Leopards, either from within Australia or importing. She also mentioned that Tasmania Zoo is looking to import a female to pair with Sikari from Melbourne.
During the Snow Leopard Encounter today at Billabong Zoo, the keeper confirmed that once their two elderly males, Khumbu and Sabu, pass Billabong is committed to keeping Snow Leopards, either from within Australia or importing. She also mentioned that Tasmania Zoo is looking to import a female to pair with Sikari from Melbourne.
That’s great to hear that they intend to continue holding the species. Melbourne’s breeding pair are only eight and nine years old, so will hopefully live long lives beyond their reproductive years. A second litter from them is expected, but if the litter is sizeable (3-4 cubs), they may well be retired after that. In that case, they could become potential candidates for Billabong, with Melbourne then forming a new breeding pair around one of their offspring.
Wellington Zoo don’t plan to breed with Asha and Manju (by importing a male), so for now, Kang Ju and Miska’s line will continue via Sikari and any other offspring they produce. Alternatively to the above, they could be retired/housed off display at Melbourne, with a couple of their cubs from their next litter designated non-breeding and the third cub (if applicable) becoming Melbourne’s new breeding male/female.
They've held at least four at one point I think - their current two males (Khumbu and Sabu), plus Samarra (ex-Taronga breeding female) and Sabu's littermate Kemala, although I don't think all those animals were held singly. Theoretically there would be capacity to breed, although there would be limited capacity in terms of housing cubs long-term, unless they can stay at Billabong.