PaddyRickMFZ
Well-Known Member
It’s the exact opposite in fact
Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2023
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
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Melbourne Zoo has no plans to phase out pygmy hippopotamus.
@Zorro was referring to the dwindling of the regional population to five pygmy hippopotamus; which is being addressed through breeding (at Taronga) and the processing of a Hippopotamus IRA.
For discussion of future developments at Melbourne Zoo, it’s the forum’s preference that this occurs in this thread:
https://www.zoochat.com/community/threads/future-of-melbourne-zoo-2023-speculation-fantasy.486665/
BasecatXD
Active Member
Thank god, the Pygmy hippos are one of my favourite animals in the zoo.
I’d say that’s likely. Another two weeks will give them time to settle in and the zoo will be mindful to design the exhibit to maximise viewing opportunities. Food stations, nesting areas and enrichment items will be placed in full view.
PaddyRickMFZ
Well-Known Member
The exhibit is very open, bar the nesting boxes at the top left. Provided they leave their sleeping quarters, they’ll be on display
Yes please. Answers to any of these will be great:
Melbourne Zoo Questions
1. Where did Squid (otter) go? She left the zoo earlier this year, but we never found out what facility she went to.
2. Any Hamadryas baboon pregnancies (or infants)?
3. They mentioned Chad (new male baboon from Perth) would be the breeding male. Does that mean the other males are vasectomised to ensure only Chad sires infants?
4. Are Melbourne still planning to breed their snow leopards in the next year? I.e. has a breeding recommendation been given?
5. Has a reason been determined for Kimya’s (gorilla) apparent infertility? Are there any imminent plans to source more females?
6. What will be going in the vacant mandrill/cassowary exhibit?
7. What are Melbourne’s plans for the future of the orangutan colony? We’re assuming the import of a Sumatran female after the expansion is complete, but an indication either way would be nice.
BasecatXD
Active Member
I just got back from the zoo, here is some news.
Nyala:
According to a keeper, 4 female Nyala are coming from Werribee Zoo. They will replace the Malayan Tapir. They are likely to arrive around Christmas.
Elephant Trail:
According to a volunteer who also works as a keeper at Werribee Zoo, there will probably be expansions for multiple of the animals that already live in the Elephant Trail. However, this is not official yet.
Binturong:
The 2 binturongs are now in their habitat, but they are not very active. I could just see one of them sleeping in its shelter, but it was difficult to spot.
Other:
I only just found out that there were blue and yellow macaws in the zoo (they’re at keeper kids).
The Red Pandas get fed around 3:25 and 11:40, and they’re more active at these times.
One of the aviaries in the Elephant Trail was inaccessible.
Nyala:
According to a keeper, 4 female Nyala are coming from Werribee Zoo. They will replace the Malayan Tapir. They are likely to arrive around Christmas.
Elephant Trail:
According to a volunteer who also works as a keeper at Werribee Zoo, there will probably be expansions for multiple of the animals that already live in the Elephant Trail. However, this is not official yet.
Binturong:
The 2 binturongs are now in their habitat, but they are not very active. I could just see one of them sleeping in its shelter, but it was difficult to spot.
Other:
I only just found out that there were blue and yellow macaws in the zoo (they’re at keeper kids).
The Red Pandas get fed around 3:25 and 11:40, and they’re more active at these times.
One of the aviaries in the Elephant Trail was inaccessible.
Thanks for the update @BasecatXD. It’s good to finally have confirmation of what will be housed in the Malayan tapir exhibit after months of speculation. It’s appears the giraffe exhibit will just house giraffes for the foreseeable, which will give them chance to focus on welcoming their first giraffe calf in 17 years in the near future.
BasecatXD
Active Member
I personally wish that the Nyala was with the giraffes instead, and the tapir was replaced by capybaras, or even an okapi. However, Nyala will still be a great addition to the zoo.
PaddyRickMFZ
Well-Known Member
I guess it confirms the antelope species is not bongo but Nyala. Disappointing in comparison but not bad as an interim. If I was to make an assumption I’d assume these Nyala will likely join the giraffe exhib it soon, with something else to replace the tapir permanently
Disappointing to hear, but again not the worst result, as I think we can all agree the exhibit is better suited for any species rather than sitting empty.
Also this is one of Melbourne’s first new species in a while now, and it would be cool to see Nyala at Melbourne and not in an open range setting (where they’re difficult to spot).
It does seem like the initial plans might have been to mix the Nyala with the giraffe, but Nakuru’s upcoming pregnancy may have complicated this.
BasecatXD
Active Member
I think that they will probably keep the Nyala on their own for a while, but once the baby giraffe is born, they will mix them with the giraffes.Disappointing to hear, but again not the worst result, as I think we can all agree the exhibit is better suited for any species rather than sitting empty.
Also this is one of Melbourne’s first new species in a while now, and it would be cool to see Nyala at Melbourne and not in an open range setting (where they’re difficult to spot).
It does seem like the initial plans might have been to mix the Nyala with the giraffe, but Nakuru’s upcoming pregnancy may have complicated this.
Still, this means that there will probably not be capybaras or any other animals that will permanently replace the tapir for a while.
It’s possible the four incoming nyala are pregnant, so they could even house them in the tapir exhibit while they have their calves and then move across adult and adolescent females to the giraffe exhibit in 12-18 months time; leaving behind any adolescent males in the tapir exhibit. That way they’d have the option to breed them again on site in the future if that was their intention.
I to would be surprised if they just take 4 female Nyala out of the breeding population without any chance of breeding them considering there would be other zoos within the region more than happy to obtain some of them!
Same. I’d assume there’s a strategic decision behind it. Either they want to breed these lines or alternatively, they’re well represented lines they want to retire. They can potentially have two offspring in a calendar year (295 day birth interval), so some lines will quickly become well represented.
I’d imagine these four girls are adolescent females (offspring of Werribee’s group) that are at the age where it’s time for them to move on.
I wouldn’t be surprised if there was the intention to breed them at Melbourne in the future, but it’s also very possible they could be being moved to Melbourne with the intention of then being housed as surplus females.
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