Australia Zoo Australia Zoo News 2023

Tricoart said:
Australia Zoo have announced the arrival of Quokkas (1.2), who will be/are currently on display in Roo Haven. An ‘online auction’ will soon be taking place, where the 3 highest bidders secure the rights to naming them. https://app.galabid.com/az-nameourquokkas/items/b2357d42-5eae-4053-8b93-f3a129c3dfcf
Click to expand...
That's certainly original...
Though I will say that I don't feel that animal pet names should be one thing that zoos spend too much time on. In my experience I tend only to refer to animals by name if they had some sort of significance - like 'Bruce' being the UK's only echidna for many years, or 'Duchess' Paignton's last elephant. Often I'm quite unphased by what say the names of each individual waldrapp, tree-shrew or whatever else in a zoo are. Though I suppose they make things easier for some people...
It reminds me a little of how the GoldenPalace.Com Monkey [or Madidi Titi] got its name when a gambling website paid highest bid in a naming competition for the species... make of that as you may.
 
dillotest0 said:
That's certainly original...
Though I will say that I don't feel that animal pet names should be one thing that zoos spend too much time on. In my experience I tend only to refer to animals by name if they had some sort of significance - like 'Bruce' being the UK's only echidna for many years, or 'Duchess' Paignton's last elephant. Often I'm quite unphased by what say the names of each individual waldrapp, tree-shrew or whatever else in a zoo are. Though I suppose they make things easier for some people...
It reminds me a little of how the GoldenPalace.Com Monkey [or Madidi Titi] got its name when a gambling website paid highest bid in a naming competition for the species... make of that as you may.
Click to expand...

I agree naming Quokka is a little ridiculous. They’re not long lived and to most people, one individual is indistinguishable from another. It’s not like anyone’s gonna go to the zoo and say, “Oh look, it’s Fluffy!”

It’s first and foremost a publicity stunt/commercial endeavour, but if that happens to raise thousands for conservation (somebody has already bid 2k), then I see no harm. At least this auction will be the last we hear of them, unlike that giraffe named by Paris Hilton.

A number of Australia Zoo animals names have ranged from unimaginative to cringeable; but there’s been a few exceptions including the Sumatran tigers - Juma, Ranu, Singha, Bashi and Maneki that were named via auction or sponsorship.
 
All four Sumatran Elephants are finally on public display together in the newly-renovated space - reported on their FB page.

Source: Australia Zoo's Facebook page
378016966_719428146661912_5234454239372070383_n.jpg
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
Could be a lazy question, but is there somewhere where we can see the designs/maps/dimensions of the new enclosure?
Click to expand...

Elephant complex designs:

I don’t have updated plans of the renovated space; but this document here offers an overview of the zoo’s complex as part of their import application:

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/200505.pdf

Pages 27-28 describe details of the complex
Pages 33-36 contain designs of the exhibit
 
Zoofan15 said:
Elephant complex designs:

I don’t have updated plans of the renovated space; but this document here offers an overview of the zoo’s complex as part of their import application:

https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/200505.pdf

Pages 27-28 describe details of the complex
Pages 33-36 contain designs of the exhibit
Click to expand...

Using Google maps and marking out the entire area to the left of the elephant paddock where the extension's been added, including the Camel Ride area and going back to about the back of the current elephant paddock, gives an area of approx 2,100 metres squared. So that'd be the maximum size for that space, though based on what I can tell from the photos we have of the area under construction, it doesn't look to include the camel rides area.
Excluding the camel rides area but still going all the way back, it'd be down to about 1,500 metres squared, which is probably closer to the actual size.
 
Tricoart said:
Australia Zoo have announced the arrival of Quokkas (1.2), who will be/are currently on display in Roo Heaven. An ‘online auction’ will soon be taking place, where the 3 highest bidders secure the rights to naming them. https://app.galabid.com/az-nameourquokkas/items/b2357d42-5eae-4053-8b93-f3a129c3dfcf
Click to expand...
Their names are ‘Habibi’, ‘Gooshee’, and ‘Hope’.
Annoucing Australia Zoo's Quokka Names! | Crikey! We're absolutely thrilled to introduce you to the newest additions to our Australia Zoo family – Habibi, Gooshee, and Hope! A huge thank you to... | By Australia Zoo | Facebook
 
Always_Amity said:
Using Google maps and marking out the entire area to the left of the elephant paddock where the extension's been added, including the Camel Ride area and going back to about the back of the current elephant paddock, gives an area of approx 2,100 metres squared. So that'd be the maximum size for that space, though based on what I can tell from the photos we have of the area under construction, it doesn't look to include the camel rides area.
Excluding the camel rides area but still going all the way back, it'd be down to about 1,500 metres squared, which is probably closer to the actual size.
Click to expand...
I am surprised actually to why they need any more room for 4 elephants, the amount of room available now is huge. It would be understandable if there was any bull in sight but unlikely unfortunately.
 
Zorro said:
I am surprised actually to why they need any more room for 4 elephants, the amount of room available now is huge. It would be understandable if there was any bull in sight but unlikely unfortunately.
Click to expand...

I agree the exhibit was fine as it was; but now the move to PC has come in, it removes the option to walk the elephants around the zoo etc. which is something many zoos have done in the past.

The positive is that the elephants are now less engaging than they were in a contact scenario. Both mature bulls and calves would be more of an attraction, potentially giving Australia Zoo the incentive to have both on site sooner rather than later.
 
A few updates mainly from the zoo’s magazine publication:
  • Australian King-Parrots are now in the walkthrough aviary. These would be the juveniles that were bred at Alexandra Park Zoo and moved to the zoo a few months ago.
  • the old ‘macaw-on-a-stick’ exhibit on Bindi’s Island has been converted for a Short-beaked Echidna. As a wild-born echidna that could not be released and has limited vision, the exhibit has been designed to create an easy-to-navigate space.
  • a new male Green-winged Macaw arrived in May to pair up with a resident female. The plan is to gradually introduce him to the free-flight bird show.
  • fertile eggs have been laid by the Irwin’s Turtles behind the scenes at the zoo and keepers have noted embryotic development. They are currently in incubation.
  • the trio of Quokkas came from Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park continuing a close relationship between the two facilities. The females are two and six years old while the male is almost one. The quokkas have been mixed with the echidna in Roo Heaven following a two-month renovation of the exhibit to add an air-conditioned space, a larger pool and the remodification of an old tree stump for shade.
 
Australia zoo has successfully hatched Irwin's Turtles, making them the first zoological facility in the world to do so!

While the video announcing the successful hatching only showed one hatchling, and did not mention if any others had hatched, each of the 3 females captured by the zoo were gravid, with a total of 47 eggs between them. How many were fertile and survived incubation is still unknown, but the possibility exists for up to 46 additional hatchlings!
 
Always_Amity said:
Australia zoo has successfully hatched Irwin's Turtles, making them the first zoological facility in the world to do so!

While the video announcing the successful hatching only showed one hatchling, and did not mention if any others had hatched, each of the 3 females captured by the zoo were gravid, with a total of 47 eggs between them. How many were fertile and survived incubation is still unknown, but the possibility exists for up to 46 additional hatchlings!
Click to expand...

Video of first Irwin’s turtle to hatch in captivity:

Robert Irwin on Instagram: "Wow. This was a special moment. I think Dad would be pretty proud that we’ve become the first to successfully breed the turtle that he discovered. A rare, and unique species under threat in the wild has just been given a second chance."

Robert refers to the hatchling as a ‘he’, which may refer to influencing the gender via incubation temperature.

Hopefully news of more hatchlings will follow in the future; but for now, what an incredible achievement for the zoo!
 
Zoofan15 said:
Video of first Irwin’s turtle to hatch in captivity:

Robert Irwin on Instagram: "Wow. This was a special moment. I think Dad would be pretty proud that we’ve become the first to successfully breed the turtle that he discovered. A rare, and unique species under threat in the wild has just been given a second chance."

Robert refers to the hatchling as a ‘he’, which may refer to influencing the gender via incubation temperature.

Hopefully news of more hatchlings will follow in the future; but for now, what an incredible achievement for the zoo!
Click to expand...
If the 3 females were gravid upon entering the collection I guess it would be more correct to say that its was the first to successfully hatch/birth than breed them?
 
Zorro said:
If the 3 females were gravid upon entering the collection I guess it would be more correct to say that its was the first to successfully hatch/birth than breed them?
Click to expand...

Indeed it would, which is also why I titled my post ‘first to hatch in captivity’ rather than first bred, as reported by the zoo.

Although it doesn’t diminish from what is an exciting conservation milestone from the zoo, I agree breeding and hatching are two totally different things and time will tell whether getting a male and female of this species to mate successfully is a simple process; or something that requires replication of more complex environmental phenomena to mirror their natural habitat.

Hopefully it’s the former and this is the genesis of a successful breeding programme, that will one day progress to this species being held, bred and displayed in multiple Australian zoos. :)
 
Two giraffes have been transferred from Australia Zoo to Werribee. A statement from Werribee said the pair were sub-adults and that they are planning to announce more in mid-November.

Video footage of one of the two giraffes during transfer shows it to be one of the zoo's breeding females, the one who lost part of her Ossicone earlier this year (I believe it is Rosie, though I'm not 100% confident). This brings the breeding group at Australia Zoo down to 1.2.
Based on statements from motorists who saw the giraffe, the second is indeed a sub-adult. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it would be Jesse, who is the oldest of the juveniles at the zoo, being born in 2021.

Giraffe pokes its head from back of truck on busy Sydney highway
 
Always_Amity said:
Two giraffes have been transferred from Australia Zoo to Werribee. A statement from Werribee said the pair were sub-adults and that they are planning to announce more in mid-November.

Video footage of one of the two giraffes during transfer shows it to be one of the zoo's breeding females, the one who lost part of her Ossicone earlier this year (I believe it is Rosie, though I'm not 100% confident). This brings the breeding group at Australia Zoo down to 1.2.
Based on statements from motorists who saw the giraffe, the second is indeed a sub-adult. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it would be Jesse, who is the oldest of the juveniles at the zoo, being born in 2021.

Giraffe pokes its head from back of truck on busy Sydney highway
Click to expand...
I don't think one of the giraffes could have been one of the breeding females.

Werribee hold a bachelor herd, and it's mentioned these two will be joining that herd. Is there a possibility this could be Forrest and the young male, Jesse?
 
Always_Amity said:
Two giraffes have been transferred from Australia Zoo to Werribee. A statement from Werribee said the pair were sub-adults and that they are planning to announce more in mid-November.

Video footage of one of the two giraffes during transfer shows it to be one of the zoo's breeding females, the one who lost part of her Ossicone earlier this year (I believe it is Rosie, though I'm not 100% confident). This brings the breeding group at Australia Zoo down to 1.2.
Based on statements from motorists who saw the giraffe, the second is indeed a sub-adult. If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it would be Jesse, who is the oldest of the juveniles at the zoo, being born in 2021.

Giraffe pokes its head from back of truck on busy Sydney highway
Click to expand...
Jambo said:
I don't think one of the giraffes could have been one of the breeding females.

Werribee hold a bachelor herd, and it's mentioned these two will be joining that herd. Is there a possibility this could be Forrest and the young male, Jesse?
Click to expand...

The giraffes transferred out from Australia Zoo are definitely bulls. As @Jambo mentions, the articles states they’re joining a bachelor herd at Werribee. There’s no reason to believe Werribee have any intention of breeding giraffe, when they have numerous upcoming projects that will take priority over establishing a second herd of giraffes.

The article mentions the giraffe are subadults, which rules out Forrest; though a change of breeding bull would be beneficial given how well represented he is.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top