5.0 Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs have moved out onto one of the entrance islands. The males were being housed off-show for a period of time and are one of two groups of ruffed lemurs at Perth currently: Lemurs swing into spotlight
Perth Zoo Perth Zoo News 2023
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
@WhistlingKite24
Oh right cool so there are B&W Ruffed Lemurs once again on one of the two lake islands, cool.
Only personally recently found out that lately were Silvery Gibbons on one island and one of the zoos 3 groups of Nth WC Gibbons on the other. B&W Ruffed Lemurs have had an approximately 27-28 year on-and-off history of residing on one of those lake islands beginning in the mid '90s-1999 and again from about 2007-recently.
Oh right cool so there are B&W Ruffed Lemurs once again on one of the two lake islands, cool.
Only personally recently found out that lately were Silvery Gibbons on one island and one of the zoos 3 groups of Nth WC Gibbons on the other. B&W Ruffed Lemurs have had an approximately 27-28 year on-and-off history of residing on one of those lake islands beginning in the mid '90s-1999 and again from about 2007-recently.
From a phone conversation with the zoo it sounds like the Silvery Gibbon extended family remain on the other lake island (or Javan Gibbons as the zoo has taken to referring to them over the last ten years) and is some of the Nth WC Gibbons who once again have left the other main lake island for the B&W Ruffed Lemur bachelor quintet to move onto. Didn't some Nth WC Gibbons recently leave Perth for other zoos?
Their population has halved within the past two years, so you'd be right. They now just two pairs; 1.0 Phillip (1973) and 0.1 Viann (1993) and 0.1 Jermai (2002) and her young daughter, Lulani (2019)
@Jambo
Yeah ok thanks for the update. With two Gibbon aviaries in the Asian Rainforest precinct thought perhaps the Silveries might once again receive the older existing aviary close to Putra Mas's yard in order for visitors to get a closer interaction with members of the species, but think the two Nth White-Cheeked Gibbons pairs are now split between these two aviaries. Phillip is amazing at 50 years old in July. Personally would have let him and Viann have swing of the second lake island, but Perth Zoo staff do an excellent job with the animals in their care, not criticising just throwing 2bob opinion out there.
I originally had Phillip's birth year down as 1972 but he must have been even younger when he was wild caught in '74 and arrived at the zoo. Incidentally 1972 was when the main lake and islands were completed (for many years each had a pair of White-Handed Gibbons on them til sometime in the 1980s/extremely early 1990s) so that lake and its two primate islands have existed for just over 50 years now.
Yeah ok thanks for the update. With two Gibbon aviaries in the Asian Rainforest precinct thought perhaps the Silveries might once again receive the older existing aviary close to Putra Mas's yard in order for visitors to get a closer interaction with members of the species, but think the two Nth White-Cheeked Gibbons pairs are now split between these two aviaries. Phillip is amazing at 50 years old in July. Personally would have let him and Viann have swing of the second lake island, but Perth Zoo staff do an excellent job with the animals in their care, not criticising just throwing 2bob opinion out there.
I originally had Phillip's birth year down as 1972 but he must have been even younger when he was wild caught in '74 and arrived at the zoo. Incidentally 1972 was when the main lake and islands were completed (for many years each had a pair of White-Handed Gibbons on them til sometime in the 1980s/extremely early 1990s) so that lake and its two primate islands have existed for just over 50 years now.
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Perth Zoo has sent their three remaining Hamadryas baboons to Melbourne zoo.
From their website:
"Perth Zoo’s three red-bummed baboons are off to join a new troop on the east coast!
The three primates have flown across the country in style, in their own custom travel crates filled with delicious snacks.
Once in their new home at Melbourne Zoo, dominant male Chad will play a crucial role in the regional breeding program and hopefully sire some bouncing baby baboons.
Not only is this animal transfer critical for the overarching conservation of the species, but it’s a welfare win for our three individual baboons.
Baboons have a very specific social hierarchy where one dominant male will live with multiple females in a harem, and often multiple harems live alongside each other.
With Chad needed to play a role in the breeding program, it’s important we also transfer the remaining two baboons, Guni and Grimus, to ensure they can live in a nice big troop.
Perth Zoo Primate Keeper Toby Ewing said: “Our three baboons are great animals to work with and we are certainly going to miss them, but this move is one to be celebrated!
“Having Chad, Guni and Grimus join a much larger troop with other baboons of diverse ages will be a very enriching experience for them.
“And hopefully once they’ve settled, we’ll hear the good news that Chad is having success with his breeding efforts – I’m sure he’ll quickly become the mane attraction for his new baboon friends!”
Saving wildlife is a collaborative effort and one we can’t do on our own. That’s why Perth Zoo is proud to be a ZAA accredited zoo, working with zoos and wildlife parks around the nation and beyond on coordinated conservation programs.
We will miss the cheeky antics of the three baboons but know that they will be in the care of experts with our friends at Melbourne Zoo.
Bon voyage, baboons!"
From their website:
"Perth Zoo’s three red-bummed baboons are off to join a new troop on the east coast!
The three primates have flown across the country in style, in their own custom travel crates filled with delicious snacks.
Once in their new home at Melbourne Zoo, dominant male Chad will play a crucial role in the regional breeding program and hopefully sire some bouncing baby baboons.
Not only is this animal transfer critical for the overarching conservation of the species, but it’s a welfare win for our three individual baboons.
Baboons have a very specific social hierarchy where one dominant male will live with multiple females in a harem, and often multiple harems live alongside each other.
With Chad needed to play a role in the breeding program, it’s important we also transfer the remaining two baboons, Guni and Grimus, to ensure they can live in a nice big troop.
Perth Zoo Primate Keeper Toby Ewing said: “Our three baboons are great animals to work with and we are certainly going to miss them, but this move is one to be celebrated!
“Having Chad, Guni and Grimus join a much larger troop with other baboons of diverse ages will be a very enriching experience for them.
“And hopefully once they’ve settled, we’ll hear the good news that Chad is having success with his breeding efforts – I’m sure he’ll quickly become the mane attraction for his new baboon friends!”
Saving wildlife is a collaborative effort and one we can’t do on our own. That’s why Perth Zoo is proud to be a ZAA accredited zoo, working with zoos and wildlife parks around the nation and beyond on coordinated conservation programs.
We will miss the cheeky antics of the three baboons but know that they will be in the care of experts with our friends at Melbourne Zoo.
Bon voyage, baboons!"
I’m thrilled with this outcome. The baboon phase out was planned (and inevitable) and I assumed once the troop had dwindled to two, the last baboon would have to be euthanised on welfare grounds when the second to last passed on - as is often the case with social species.
Instead, this trio get to live out their lives in a world class exhibit and Chad will hopefully sire a succession of infants to continue his lineage.
On February 28th, the zoo announced they successfully introduced (1.0) African lion named Jelani to females Makeba and Uzuri, and are now on exhibit together.
Purrfect pride debuts at Perth Zoo
New pride of lions | Perth Zoo | Who says three's a crowd? Today, it's Makeba and Uzuri's 8th birthday! And this celebration is extra roarsome since it's their first with mane man Jelani | By Perth Zoo | Facebook
Purrfect pride debuts at Perth Zoo
New pride of lions | Perth Zoo | Who says three's a crowd? Today, it's Makeba and Uzuri's 8th birthday! And this celebration is extra roarsome since it's their first with mane man Jelani | By Perth Zoo | Facebook
Asian small-clawed otter update:
0.4 Asian small-clawed otters have been transferred to Halls Gap Zoo. This consisted of Perth’s breeding female (Paddy) and her three daughters.
This leaves Perth Zoo with their breeding male (Cerdik) and his four sons:
1.0 Cerdik (2014) Juno x Jeta
1.0 Sawatdi (2019) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Amir (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Tom (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Ulani (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
0.4 Asian small-clawed otters have been transferred to Halls Gap Zoo. This consisted of Perth’s breeding female (Paddy) and her three daughters.
This leaves Perth Zoo with their breeding male (Cerdik) and his four sons:
1.0 Cerdik (2014) Juno x Jeta
1.0 Sawatdi (2019) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Amir (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Tom (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
1.0 Ulani (2020) Cerdik x Paddy
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Are both zoos planning to acquire a breeding otter of the corresponding sex?
I’d say that’s unlikely. They’re not difficult to breed and there’s enough facilities with breeding pairs, so it’s common for an even greater number of facilities to hold non breeding groups at any given time.
Introducing an otter of the opposite sex into either of those groups could cause fighting (even within the female group), so that rules out Halls Gap Zoo, which has only one otter exhibit.
Perth Zoo has held two groups across two exhibits in previous years, so potentially they could acquire a female to pair with one of the males in a second group (or acquire an unrelated breeding pair); but I imagine they’ll remain a non breeding facility for the foreseeable.
Adelaide, Canberra and Dubbo are the three facilities with viable breeding pairs at present; while Taronga and Melbourne hold unrelated breeding pairs containing a female on the verge of being post-reproductive (13 years of age).
So some of the zoo's Ring-tailed Lemurs have moved to a new home in the former Hamadryas Baboon exhibit in the African Savannah precinct; this seems a very logical but in the longterm temporary move, other individuals remain living in their exhibit(s) in the Lesser Primates complex.
It sounds like a temporary split of the troop - possibly males they don’t want breeding with their relatives. Like most lemurs, Ring-tailed have a matriarchal based hierarchy - but unlike the ruffed, the females can live in large groupings, with or without males present.
Auckland’s former troop consisted of a vasectomised male and several females; while Hamilton has always held a large troop with multiple males and females.
Farewell to Tricia:
The ashes of Tricia, Perth Zoo’s most well known icon, have been buried following a ceremony at the zoo.
Tricia the elephant laid to rest in touching ceremony
There’s no further updates on the future of Putra Mas and Permai at this time.
The ashes of Tricia, Perth Zoo’s most well known icon, have been buried following a ceremony at the zoo.
Tricia the elephant laid to rest in touching ceremony
There’s no further updates on the future of Putra Mas and Permai at this time.
@Zoofan15
Thanks for finding and sharing bro
ps forgot to add this instagram link to the news about the Ring-tailed Lemurs moving into Chad, Guni and Grimus's old exhibit, very cute seeing the Lemurs exploring their new 'digs': https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrK5TUxgJll/
Thanks for finding and sharing bro
ps forgot to add this instagram link to the news about the Ring-tailed Lemurs moving into Chad, Guni and Grimus's old exhibit, very cute seeing the Lemurs exploring their new 'digs': https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrK5TUxgJll/
Does anyone know if Putra Mas will now be sent to another facility and when that's likely to happen? His genes are so important for the region.
It’s been widely speculated that Putra Mas will be transferred to Werribee Open Range Zoo. They’ll need an unrelated bull to breed with Aiyara in the future; and as a founder, Putra Mas will have multiple applications to their breeding programme in the interim.
Werribee’s complex opens mid-2024, so a transfer anytime from then is possible.
I will be extremely disappointed if Putra Mas is exported outside the region. I’m 100% certain Europe or North American will never be able to provide us with a bull of equivalent genetic value in the future, so we need to retain him.
Producing (internationally) genetically valuable calves is essential if we’re to stand any hope of exporting our surplus.
Eight Western swamp tortoises have hatched:
Watch: Critically endangered tortoise hatches at Australian zoo
Watch: Critically endangered tortoise hatches at Australian zoo
Male white-cheeked gibbon arrives:
As reported in the Taronga Zoo news thread, Kayak has come to Perth Zoo, following the death of his mate, Nelly.
This gives Perth Zoo a population of 2.3 Northern white-cheeked gibbons:
1.0 Phillip (1973) Wild born
0.1 Viann (1993) Tieu x Vang
1.0 Kayak (1993) Imported 1999 (France)
0.1 Jermei (2002) Phillip x Viann
0.1 Lulani (2019) Tao x Jermei
Kayak is a genetically valuable male, imported from France in 1999 and a founder to the regional population.
Jermei, a first cousin of his deceased mate, appears to be Kayak’s best match taking into regards the demographics of Perth’s holdings.
As reported in the Taronga Zoo news thread, Kayak has come to Perth Zoo, following the death of his mate, Nelly.
This gives Perth Zoo a population of 2.3 Northern white-cheeked gibbons:
1.0 Phillip (1973) Wild born
0.1 Viann (1993) Tieu x Vang
1.0 Kayak (1993) Imported 1999 (France)
0.1 Jermei (2002) Phillip x Viann
0.1 Lulani (2019) Tao x Jermei
Kayak is a genetically valuable male, imported from France in 1999 and a founder to the regional population.
Jermei, a first cousin of his deceased mate, appears to be Kayak’s best match taking into regards the demographics of Perth’s holdings.
Piece of 2023 News Not Mentioned:
On April 26th, the zoo announced they started construction on a new $3.8M playground which will be completed later in the spring. The playground will include a climbable giant numbat, feather hammocks, slides, swinging ropes, and a "cloud deck" (a combination of bridges and tunnels with a mister system to simulate a cloud and mock cockatoos flying overhead), among other structures.
New playground coming as part of Perth Zoo transformation | Perth Zoo
Perth Zoo
On April 26th, the zoo announced they started construction on a new $3.8M playground which will be completed later in the spring. The playground will include a climbable giant numbat, feather hammocks, slides, swinging ropes, and a "cloud deck" (a combination of bridges and tunnels with a mister system to simulate a cloud and mock cockatoos flying overhead), among other structures.
New playground coming as part of Perth Zoo transformation | Perth Zoo
Perth Zoo