History of Australasia’s Zebra Population

[Zoofan15]

I agree with this; not sure on the origins of Malawi’s exact parents, but they were Zambezi and Zahra, both of whom were born in the early 90’s. We can therefore assume one of the two was purebred (with them only being two of the three adults at the time).

From photos, it appears that Zambezi is at least pure or majority Burchells. He left in 2012 to Australia, so that would potentially explain National losing Burchell’s at the time.

The theory I’m following is that Adelaide/Monarto imported Burchell’s to found Monarto’s herd. Monarto was founded in 1983 and while Dubbo imported Grant’s zebra this year, I’m not aware of Monarto ever importing any Grant’s zebra.

Taronga and the National Zoo apparently had Burchell’s in the 2000’s, which were likely Adelaide/Monarto bred.

 

[Jambo]

The theory I’m following is that Adelaide/Monarto imported Burchell’s to found Monarto’s herd. Monarto was founded in 1983 and while Dubbo imported Grant’s zebra this year, I’m not aware of Monarto ever importing any Grant’s zebra.

Taronga and the National Zoo apparently had Burchell’s in the 2000’s, which were likely Adelaide/Monarto bred.

I actually reached a similar conclusion re. Monarto and Burchell’s. Monarto would’ve wanted stock to found their initial herd. Considering Adelaide still retained a breeding group as well, we can assume Monarto got their stock from somewhere - potentially overseas.

Taronga apparently had a Chapman’s herd too during the mid 2000’s. These were apparently Dubbo bred stock, but I’d assume these were in fact hybrid stock breed from the Grants there and Chapman’s (from Werribee).

 

[Zorro]

Just thinking out loud. With the size of Monarto safari park it would be so cool if they could obtain a group of the Grevys Zebra, Kept is another part of the park away from the Zebra-mix they currently have. The space and climate would be ideal to show cased breeding this endangered species. I believe a lot of the UK zoos have been phasing out the "normal" species and replacing them with the Grevys.
Its a shame the former Pearl Coast zoo never imported enough of them to keep them going long term!

 

[Zoofan15]

Just thinking out loud. With the size of Monarto safari park it would be so cool if they could obtain a group of the Grevys Zebra, Kept is another part of the park away from the Zebra-mix they currently have. The space and climate would be ideal to show cased breeding this endangered species. I believe a lot of the UK zoos have been phasing out the "normal" species and replacing them with the Grevys.
Its a shame the former Pearl Coast zoo never imported enough of them to keep them going long term!

Monarto have held up to four seperate herds at one stage, so it’s possible. Like you say, they’re endangered, so should arguably be the regional focus species; though my preference would be to see two purebred populations of Grant’s and Grevy’s maintained with the region (which is entirely possible).

That means Australasian zoos have held all three species of zebra throughout history:

Grevy’s zebra: Pearl Coast Zoo imported 2.4 from the UK in 1988.

Mountain zebra: Adelaide Zoo imported a stallion in 1915 that died without siring offspring.

Plains zebra: Grant’s, Chapman’s and Burchell’s subspecies held at multiple zoos.

 

[Zorro]

Monarto have held up to four seperate herds at one stage, so it’s definitely possible. Like you say, they’re endangered, so should arguably be the regional focus species; though my preference would be to see two purebred populations of Grant’s and Grevy’s maintained with the region (which is entirely possible).

That means Australasian zoos have held all three species of zebra throughout history:

Grevy’s zebra: Pearl Coast Zoo imported 2.4 from the UK in 1988.

Mountain zebra: Adelaide Zoo imported a stallion in 1915 that died without siring offspring.

Plains zebra: Grant’s, Chapman’s and Burchell’s subspecies held at multiple zoos.

Well 2.4 animals should have given them some sort of start with breeding them?, I don't know how well they faired?

 

[Zoofan15]

Well 2.4 animals should have given them some sort of start with breeding them?, I don't know how well they faired?

I’d consider that an excellent founder base. Grevy’s zebra have a longer gestation (13 months) than the Plains zebra, but still produce offspring every 13-24 months. They were transferred to Tipperary in 1991, so I’m not sure how they were managed there or what numbers (if any) were passed on to Mary River Station.

 

[Zorro]

I’d consider that an excellent founder base. Grevy’s zebra have a longer gestation (13 months) than the Plains zebra, but still produce offspring every 13-24 months. They were transferred to Tipperary in 1991, so I’m not sure how they were managed there or what numbers (if any) were passed on to Mary River Station.

It appears the is little to no information as to any births if any or what became of them after they were transferred!

 

[Osedax]

I’d consider that an excellent founder base. Grevy’s zebra have a longer gestation (13 months) than the Plains zebra, but still produce offspring every 13-24 months. They were transferred to Tipperary in 1991, so I’m not sure how they were managed there or what numbers (if any) were passed on to Mary River Station.

I've heard that most of the animals at Tipperary were just left to sort themselves out on their own in such huge paddocks!

 

[Zoofan15]

I've heard that most of the animals at Tipperary were just left to sort themselves out on their own in such huge paddocks!

The place was apparently a shambles with regards to record keeping. Four hippos went in and four hippos went out, but it took a number of years to confirm which had died and which were the offspring of two. We can credit them with breeding from a line of Common hippopotamus which otherwise would have died out, but that’s about it.

Zebra stallions integrate poorly with other species, so they may have even just acquired mares from Pearl Coast.

 

[Zorro]

I've heard that most of the animals at Tipperary were just left to sort themselves out on their own in such huge paddocks!

Not to mention the female Pygmy Hippo that went feral for 6-7 years only to end up getting shot by a local pig hunter, What a waste.

 

[Osedax]

The place was apparently a shambles with regards to record keeping. Four hippos went in and four hippos went out, but it took a number of years to confirm which had died and which were the offspring of two. We can credit them with breeding from a line of Common hippopotamus which otherwise would have died out, but that’s about it.

Not to mention the fiasco with the Pygmy Hippos!
To be fair, trying to keep track of small groups of animals in such large paddocks was always going to be a challenge. I have been to Tipperary (not when it had exotic animals - they are just a cattle station now) and the paddocks are so large that it is extremely hard to see any sort of fence at the other end.

 

[Osedax]

Not to mention the female Pygmy Hippo that went feral for 6-7 years only to end up getting shot by a local pig hunter, What a waste.

I see @Zorro beat me to it by a few seconds!

 

[Zorro]

Not to mention the fiasco with the Pygmy Hippos!
To be fair, trying to keep track of small groups of animals in such large paddocks was always going to be a challenge. I have been to Tipperary (not when it had exotic animals - they are just a cattle station now) and the paddocks are so large that it is extremely hard to see any sort of fence at the other end.

I see @Zorro beat me to it by a few seconds!

. I recall some years ago it was mentioned at least one antelope being seen in the next door National Park.

 

[Osedax]

. I recall some years ago it was mentioned at least one antelope being seen in the next door National Park.

Doesn't surprise me with the way things were done there.

 

[Zorro]

Doesn't surprise me with the way things were done there.

I believe it may of been a Red lechwe

 

[Swanson02]

I believe it may of been a Red lechwe

Yeah, I believe it was a Red Lechwe, seen in Kakadu National park. Yet another species lost to the region . Personally I think they would've suited the region better than waterbuck, much less aggressive and capable of living in larger herds.

Additionally today Monarto posted this picture of animals in the park in 1993 -

The Zebra present here is clearly not fully a Grant's as it has strong shadow striping. I'd wager it is primarily or even 100% Burchell's just from the current evidence we've corroborated and the fact that it has weak striping beneath the knees on the forelegs (characteristic of Burchell's). Additionally, its striping on the underbelly is too defined for the spindly stripes characteristic of Chapman's.

 

[Zoofan15]

Monarto posted this picture of animals in the park in 1993 -

The Zebra present here is clearly not fully a Grant's as it has strong shadow striping. I'd wager it is primarily or even 100% Burchell's just from the current evidence we've corroborated and the fact that it has weak striping beneath the knees on the forelegs (characteristic of Burchell's). Additionally, its striping on the underbelly is too defined for the spindly stripes characteristic of Chapman's.

That looks like a purebred Burchell’s to me. There’s a hint of brown to the shadow stripes, the black stripes are clearly defined, there’s an absence of spidery stripes and the legs are well striped (not overwhelmingly white). All combined, this means we can discount it as either a Chapman’s or a Burchell’s/Chapman’s hybrid.

Also, the animal is clearly mature (looks like a pregnant mare), so would be born 1990 or earlier. With Werribee importing Chapman’s zebra in 1980 and Dubbo importing Grant’s zebra in 1983, it’s my belief Adelaide/Monarto imported Burchell’s zebra around this timeframe (1980’s).

 

[Zoofan15]

Hybridising

I thought it was interesting to note the following:

Auckland Zoo bred their first hybrid foal in 2007.

Hamilton Zoo bred their first hybrid foal in 2008.

Werribee Open Range Zoo bred their first hybrid foal circa 2009.

This gives a clear indication there was a coordinated regional decision to undertake hybridising of purebred Plains zebra herds in the mid-2000’s. This further supports the assumption we’ve made that Monarto Safari Park founded their herd in the 1980’s with purebred Burchell’s, which was later hybridised around the same timeframe.

 

[Zoofan15]

Chapman’s Zebra - Werribee Open Range Zoo

Another photo of Werribee’s Chapman’s zebras:


Photo taken 2008 by @Baldur

I also thought people would be interested to see footage of the herd from 1996 (20.32 and again at 20.44 for about 15 seconds):

The herd looks to number in the early teens and would mostly be comprised of founder and first generation zebra; with a new stallion imported the following year in 1997.

 

[Zorro]

I would be interested in knowing how others here feel as to where our holders are going from here, Would it be safe to assume that most holders are ok with just breeding from the status quo of Hybrids into the future?, While a small minority of holders with pure lines which after a certain amount of time will have either inbred or use Hybrid stock?.

The only other option would be for some zoo/s within our region Aust/NZ is to import which can take years which I don't expect any of them to be in any rush to do?.