Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo News 2023

Two Wellington green gecko are gravid:

From socials:

Did you know Wellington Zoo are part of a collaborative ‘breed for release’ programme for Wellington green gecko?

Currently, two of our females are gravid (pregnant). On the radiographs we took recently you can spot the fetuses’ skull formation. Wellington green gecko give birth to live offspring, quite unusual for reptiles who normally lay eggs.
 
Snow Leopard Exhibit Opens April 12

Wellington Zoo prepares finishing touches for New Zealand's first snow leopards

Wellington Zoo is putting on the final touches for the arrival of New Zealand’s first snow leopards.

Two female cats – named Asha and Manju – will touch down from Melbourne at the beginning of April and will be on view from April 12 once they have undergone mandatory quarantine.
 
Zoo Announce Death of Elderly Servals

Wellington Zoo are currently without Serval after the announcement on socials today their elderly sibling pair were euthanised this morning

Shanti (female) was euthanised on medical grounds; and Tunde (male) was euthanised on welfare grounds as they were a bonded pair.

They made for an active exhibit and were a species I enjoyed seeing over the years. They will be greatly missed.

Their deaths and that of the Caracals in 2022 leave the zoo’s small cat complex vacant. It’ll be interesting to see what they do with this area.

We are very sad to announce that this morning we said farewell to our beloved Servals, Shanti and Tunde.

The siblings were born at Wellington Zoo in 2006 and as they grew older, our Animal Care and Veterinary teams had been monitoring their health and wellbeing closely, to ensure that they were continuing to live fulfilled and happy lives in their old age.

In recent months, Shanti's health had deteriorated due to malignant cancer. The Veterinary and Carnivore teams made the decision to euthanise her on medical grounds, as animal welfare is of utmost priority at Wellington Zoo.

Shanti and Tunde are litter siblings, and share a very strong bond. They have always lived together, and Tunde’s welfare would have been severely compromised if he was left to live as a solitary Serval.

As carers for these animals, their welfare and how they experience life is always at the core of our work and these decisions are never easy. However the decision to euthanise both Servals was the best and kindest thing for them.

Shanti and Tunde were well-loved by everyone at Wellington Zoo, and will be greatly missed. We know they will be greatly missed by you as well.
Aa
 
Jambo said:
Perhaps an expansion for the Lions?
Click to expand...

A lion expansion is in the long term plans. On my visit in January, I was told the short term plan is for the vacant Cheetah exhibit to house surplus Lowland nyala; with the long term plan being to expand the lion exhibit into this area. It’ll be nice to see Wellington Zoo hold a larger pride. They haven’t bred this species in decades.

The small cat facility consists of two small exhibits isolated from the lion exhibit by dense bush and a visitor pathway, but they could potentially be merged into a medium sized exhibit suitable for Clouded leopard (or two exhibits for Fishing cat). I was quick to discount these species due to the previous link of the Serval and Caracal (grassland cats) with the nearby Savannah; but then remembered Capybara are in the adjacent exhibit, so clearly geography is not a priority.
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
The Snow Leopards Asha and Manju have arrived at Wellington Zoo from Melbourne Zoo and are currently completing their quarantine. Their habitat opens April 12: Log into Facebook | Facebook
Click to expand...

Welcome to the first Snow leopards in New Zealand in over 27 years!

The last Snow leopard died at Wellington Zoo in November 1995, so for many New Zealanders, this will be their first chance to see a Snow leopard in this country.

I look forward to seeing them explore their impressive exhibit on my next visit.

upload_2023-4-7_10-59-38.jpeg
Source: Wellington Zoo
 

Attachments

  • upload_2023-4-7_10-59-38.jpeg
    upload_2023-4-7_10-59-38.jpeg
    124.4 KB · Views: 40
Information on Snow leopard exhibit (opens tomorrow):

New Zealand's first snow leopards to meet Wellington zoo visitors on Wednesday

Their purpose-built enclosure, a $6 million development that took 18 months to build, mimics snow leopards’ steep and rocky natural habitat.

There are a mix of grass and sand surfaces and cooler areas, while platforms and high areas give the snow leopards to look over the zoo.

“We have managed major slips on site due to terrible weather and other unexpected weather based setbacks,” she said. “We have considered how the snow leopards like to play, cool off, eat, have time apart from each other and ensure all their animal care and welfare needs are met.”
 
Zoofan15 said:
Information on Snow leopard exhibit (opens tomorrow):

New Zealand's first snow leopards to meet Wellington zoo visitors on Wednesday

Their purpose-built enclosure, a $6 million development that took 18 months to build, mimics snow leopards’ steep and rocky natural habitat.

There are a mix of grass and sand surfaces and cooler areas, while platforms and high areas give the snow leopards to look over the zoo.

“We have managed major slips on site due to terrible weather and other unexpected weather based setbacks,” she said. “We have considered how the snow leopards like to play, cool off, eat, have time apart from each other and ensure all their animal care and welfare needs are met.”
Click to expand...

Asha and Manju have gone on display! :) Seems like they’re settling in very well.

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.

Log into Facebook | Facebook
 
Jambo said:
Asha and Manju have gone on display! :) Seems like they’re settling in very well.

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.

Log into Facebook | Facebook
Click to expand...

Video of Snow leopard exhibit:

For those unable to visit in person, this video gives a comprehensive overview of the exhibit: Wellington Zoo’s new snow leopards settling in, visitors delighted

I’m really impressed with what the zoo have done. It’s clear the Snow leopards are a huge attraction for the zoo and even once the novelty of opening week wears off, I don’t doubt they’ll continue to be one of the zoo’s most popular exhibits.
 
Female Himalayan monal entering post-reproductive phase:

I’m not sure what’s so “wonderful” about the last female Himalayan monal held in an Australasian zoo entering her post-reproductive years, but an update nonetheless.

With Hamilton and Wellington both failing to breed this species, I’m hopeful some remain in private hands at least, so this species isn’t lost from the region.

From socials:

Something wonderful is happening at Wellington Zoo ...

Our female Himalayan Monal, Patrick (yes she's called Patrick), has been going through some changes recently.

Over the last couple of months, Patrick has been growing colourful, metallic feathers around her head and body that are typically only found on male monals.

Research shows that when a female bird gets past the prime age for breeding, they start to lose estrogen and develop male bird characteristics.

We are thrilled to be able to share this unique moment with all of our visitors and to raise awareness about the diversity of animal behavior and biology.
 
Himalayan Monal definitely still exist in private hands in NZ, but they are extremely rare and highly inbred, with a consequent low fertility rate of adults and a poor survival rate of chicks.

Being in an enclosure that is adjacent to the enclosure of a carnivoran that frequently kills and eats birds probably did nothing to help the chances of breeding the monal at Wellington Zoo.

To most zoo-goers, a monal is basically the same thing as a peacock, and given that monals are also expensive in NZ, it is very unlikely that Wellington Zoo will get any more monals once the current ones die.
 
Cassidy Casuar said:
Himalayan Monal definitely still exist in private hands in NZ, but they are extremely rare and highly inbred, with a consequent low fertility rate of adults and a poor survival rate of chicks.

Being in an enclosure that is adjacent to the enclosure of a carnivoran that frequently kills and eats birds probably did nothing to help the chances of breeding the monal at Wellington Zoo.

To most zoo-goers, a monal is basically the same thing as a peacock, and given that monals are also expensive in NZ, it is very unlikely that Wellington Zoo will get any more monals once the current ones die.
Click to expand...

I’ve done some further research and one such breeder of Himalayan monal is a man who holds a private collection of pheasants and parrots in Whangarei: The big bird ban

I also found a post on a NZ Bird forum, where a user was selling them for just $800 a pair (albeit in 2013). He apparently had three young pairs at the time.

I think it’s a shame New Zealand zoos don’t make more of an effort to breed this species. You make a good point re. Wellington holding them adjacent to red pandas, but zoos like Auckland have off display areas which they’ve historically used to breed privacy seeking species like Temminck’s golden cat.
 
New Inhabitants for Serval Exhibit

As reported on socials today, the zoo’s Black and white ruffed lemurs (Ankari and Kamory) have moved into the old Serval exhibit (opposite the giraffes).

It’s an underwhelming replacement imo (especially considering the zoo already had ruffed lemur); but will at least see the ruffed lemur housed in closer proximity to the Ring-tailed lemur (albeit with Capybara in the middle) and give them a larger exhibit.

Since the vacated ruffed lemur exhibit is adjacent to the South American monkeys, I’d assume we’ll see it remodelled for a South American species. Emperor tamarin are probably the most likely; but it’d be great to see Galapagos giant tortoise given Auckland’s breeding success. They have six hatchlings, of which only the eldest four are on display due to the younger two being housed separately.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top