Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2024

[Zoofan15]

Unsuccessful end to chimpanzee pregnancy:

My friend visited Taronga Zoo over the weekend and can sadly advise that Kamili’s infant did not survive.

Though not unexpected news, it’s unfortunate nonetheless. The infant was the fifth born to 28 year old Kamili, who previously lost infants in 2005, 2013, 2014 and 2021.

 

[loganjmuir]

Unsuccessful end to chimpanzee pregnancy:

My friend visited Taronga Zoo over the weekend and can sadly advise that Kamili’s infant did not survive.

Though not unexpected news, it’s unfortunate nonetheless. The infant was the fifth born to 28 year old Kamili, who previously lost infants in 2005, 2013, 2014 and 2021.

Devastating news, I am assuming Taronga now holds 21 Chimps. Unfortunately, on another rather bland note, Kambiri was present in her exhibit, and although speculated by many, including myself, she did not have a calf with her. If she has had a stillborn, all the more devastating news. @Osedax if you could perhaps drop some helpful hints as to what the news is? It seems I am way off.

 

[Zoofan15]

Devastating news, I am assuming Taronga now holds 21 Chimps.

It is indeed sad news. The introduction of Koko and Sandra to the community in 1993 represented a rare opportunity to introduce new genes. Sandra never produced surviving infants and 30 years on, it appears Koko’s sole surviving infant (Kamili) represents the end of her line.

That’s correct, Taronga currently holds 9.12 chimpanzee:

1.0 Shabani (14/09/1994) Monte x Shiba
1.0 Samaki (27/11/2001) Lubutu x Shiba
1.0 Furahi (28/02/2003) Lubutu x Kuma
1.0 Shikamoo (25/07/2003) Lubutu x Sacha
1.0 Sule (04/04/2008) Lubutu x Sacha
1.0 Fumo (16/10/2013) Shikamoo x Kuma
1.0 Sudi (09/08/2014) Shikamoo x Shiba
1.0 Liwali (22/09/2014) Samaki x Lisa
1.0 Niambi (07/10/2020) Sudi x Naomi

0.1 Lisa (23/08/1979) Unknown x Lulu
0.1 Sacha (11/06/1980) Unknown x Spitter
0.1 Shiba (22/05/1981) Unknown x Susie
0.1 Shona (09/10/1987) Unknown x Sutu
0.1 Ceres (19/09/1990) Toto x Jenny; Imported 2015
0.1 Kuma (06/12/1991) Snowy x Ficha
0.1 Kamili (02/09/1995) Snowy x Koko
0.1 Naomi (25/01/2001) Toto x Jenny; Imported 2015
0.1 Sembe (27/02/2008) Lubutu x Shiba
0.1 Safiri (16/05/2019) Sudi x Shiba
0.1 Lemba (23/05/2023) Unknown x Lisa
0.1 Cekiri (29/07/2023) Unknown x Ceres

 

[Osedax]

Not much news to report from today.

- The former dingo exhibit in the Taronga Institute now has three male Red Junglefowl as well as the macropods. Also, one of the female Red Kangaroos in this exhibit had a trip to the vet today, unsure why but she looked fine when she returned.
- The new reptile house will hopefully be open by July.
- The concert lawns were closed today for “major repairs”.

 

[Tiger91]

My guess for ungulate news is an import of some sort, either hippo, bongo or Nyala.

 

[Jambo]

My guess for ungulate news is an import of some sort, either hippo, bongo or Nyala.

I don't think it can be Nyala as I don't believe Taronga have the space on savannah (but would love to be corrected here).

A Pygmy Hippo import would be amazing, and the same goes for Bongo. I'm hopeful it was the hippo IRA that was approved last monday which allows for future imports!

Other than that, I don't see any other realistic options. We can rule out baby giraffes or zebras. And there's not the space for a new Bongo too at the moment.

The only other thing I can think of is a new ungulate species has arrived - but not entirely sure whereabouts this would possible.

 

[Zoofan15]

I don't think it can be Nyala as I don't believe Taronga have the space on savannah (but would love to be corrected here).

A Pygmy Hippo import would be amazing, and the same goes for Bongo. I'm hopeful it was the hippo IRA that was approved last monday which allows for future imports!

Other than that, I don't see any other realistic options. We can rule out baby giraffes or zebras. And there's not the space for a new Bongo too at the moment.

The only other thing I can think of is a new ungulate species has arrived - but not entirely sure whereabouts this would possible.

The long-awaited passing of the Hippopotamus IRA remains the dream and would be a groundbreaking achievement. Taronga Zoo are the only zoo in the region with a breeding pair of Pygmy hippopotamus, so it’ll be interesting to see what use they make of the IRA (be it swapping one half of the pair out since they’re related); or housing an additional male/female.

The import of Eastern bongo remains a strong possibility. A group import could see bongo imported by Taronga for dispersal to Dubbo, Monarto etc.

 

[Jambo]

The long-awaited passing of the Hippopotamus IRA remains the dream and would be a groundbreaking achievement. Taronga Zoo are the only zoo in the region with a breeding pair of Pygmy hippopotamus, so it’ll be interesting to see what use they make of the IRA (be it swapping one half of the pair out since they’re related); or housing an additional male/female.

The import of Eastern bongo remains a strong possibility. A group import could see bongo imported by Taronga for dispersal to Dubbo, Monarto etc.

If the IRA has been approved (or when it is approved), I'd hope that would give Taronga even more reason to break ground on their Congo precinct where another Pygmy Hippo enclosure would be required to at least accommodate the growing population.

 

[Zoofan15]

If the IRA has been approved (or when it is approved), I'd hope that would give Taronga even more reason to break ground on their Congo precinct where another Pygmy Hippo enclosure would be required to at least accommodate the growing population.

I wouldn’t mind seeing Taronga (or Melbourne) establish as a hub for breeding Pygmy hippopotamus. It makes more sense than having all holders breeding, which will lead to a lack of breeding from several females as we quickly reach capacity.

 

[loganjmuir]

My guess for ungulate news is an import of some sort, either hippo, bongo or Nyala.

I don't think it can be Nyala as I don't believe Taronga have the space on savannah (but would love to be corrected here).

Quite correct @Jambo there are 6 stalls/slots available for the savanna(excluding the giraffe), of which 5 have been filled by 0.3 Ostrich and 1.1 Zebra. The only hope of an expansion on the savanna would have been a breeding attempt between Obi and the mare(unsure of her name). That being said, Obi is now castrated, so we can rule this option out. It could be that Taronga chooses to bring in a mature Zebra from Dubbo(most likely retired breeding mare) but the chance is slim.

 

[Zoofan15]

Quite correct @Jambo there are 6 stalls/slots available for the savanna(excluding the giraffe), of which 5 have been filled by 0.3 Ostrich and 1.1 Zebra. The only hope of an expansion on the savanna is in a breeding attempt between Obi and the mare(unsure of her name).

Kioni is the zebra mare and Obi is a gelding/castrated, so no chance of breeding there. The ostrich weren’t a very exciting addition imo, but add a bird species to the precinct and have clearly integrated well. There’s been mixed results with integrating nyala with other species, so they likely went for the tried and tested combos.

 

[Jambo]

Quite correct @Jambo there are 6 stalls/slots available for the savanna(excluding the giraffe), of which 5 have been filled by 0.3 Ostrich and 1.1 Zebra. The only hope of an expansion on the savanna would have been a breeding attempt between Obi and the mare(unsure of her name). That being said, Obi is now castrated, so we can rule this option out. It could be that Taronga chooses to bring in a mature Zebra from Dubbo(most likely retired breeding mare) but the chance is slim.

Unless Obi has managed to breed Kioni prior to his castration! My friend visited a few days ago and I noticed that the zebras weren't on display with the giraffe as usual. I had deduced this down to intros with the ostrich but I may be wrong.

 

[Osedax]

Unless Obi has managed to breed Kioni prior to his castration! My friend visited a few days ago and I noticed that the zebras weren't on display with the giraffe as usual. I had deduced this down to intros with the ostrich but I may be wrong.

The zebras and giraffes were together yesterday.

 

[loganjmuir]

Unless Obi has managed to breed Kioni prior to his castration! My friend visited a few days ago and I noticed that the zebras weren't on display with the giraffe as usual. I had deduced this down to intros with the ostrich but I may be wrong.

There will be periods of time throughout the day, usually during the morning, when the Zebra are integrated with the Giraffe, although it is not always the case. At any rate, you are not guaranteed to see the two species mixed, and instead the Ostrich will resume a position in their BOMA, and the Zebra will have that fenced off area to themselves. If you do see them mixed though, always head around to the Ostrich because there is a good chance the Keepers are training or feeding them. Like @Zoofan15 said, which I agree with, the Ostrich are not the most captivating species, as opposed to, for instance, Nyala. It would have been quite easy to bring in a small herd of Nyala from TWPZ, seeing as they are accustomed to Giraffe and Zebra, which would also allow for breeding. I can understand why Taronga made this decision however, as Ostrich are easily accommodated, and usually take a quick liking to their cohabitants. I say that last part with a level of irony, as it appears none of the animals in the savanna particularly like each other, judging by the excruciatingly long time to successfully integrate them

@Jambo Obi would not have had a chance to breed with Kioni, as he arrived as a sub-Adult and was castrated shortly after his 3rd birthday. However, the previous male was successful with Kioni, but their foal was sent to TWPZ almost immediately, and the public were not informed of any such birth. Shortly after though, the male either died or was relocated. If anyone can confirm it would be appreciated.

 

[Osedax]

It would have been quite easy to bring in a small herd of Nyala from TWPZ

TWPZ does not have Nyala.

 

[Abbey]

Just to clarify, I'm pretty sure Taronga (Mosman)'s mare is named Kaya, and Kioni is one of the mares at TWPZ.

When I visited on Monday, the ostrich were in the fenced yard, although one of the females was particularly friendly and poked her head over the gate to say hi.

 

[Zoofan15]

Just to clarify, I'm pretty sure Taronga (Mosman)'s mare is named Kaya, and Kioni is one of the mares at TWPZ.

When I visited on Monday, the ostrich were in the fenced yard, although one of the females was particularly friendly and poked her head over the gate to say hi.

Yes, that’s correct. I see that Kaya (2009) is Taronga’s mare; while the mother of their gelding, Obi (2020), is Kioni at Dubbo. It wouldn’t surprise me if Kioni and Kaya shared an ancestor given the K names.

There will be periods of time throughout the day, usually during the morning, when the Zebra are integrated with the Giraffe, although it is not always the case. At any rate, you are not guaranteed to see the two species mixed, and instead the Ostrich will resume a position in their BOMA, and the Zebra will have that fenced off area to themselves. If you do see them mixed though, always head around to the Ostrich because there is a good chance the Keepers are training or feeding them. Like @Zoofan15 said, which I agree with, the Ostrich are not the most captivating species, as opposed to, for instance, Nyala. It would have been quite easy to bring in a small herd of Nyala from TWPZ, seeing as they are accustomed to Giraffe and Zebra, which would also allow for breeding. I can understand why Taronga made this decision however, as Ostrich are easily accommodated, and usually take a quick liking to their cohabitants. I say that last part with a level of irony, as it appears none of the animals in the savanna particularly like each other, judging by the excruciatingly long time to successfully integrate them

@Jambo Obi would not have had a chance to breed with Kioni, as he arrived as a sub-Adult and was castrated shortly after his 3rd birthday. However, the previous male was successful with Kioni, but their foal was sent to TWPZ almost immediately, and the public were not informed of any such birth. Shortly after though, the male either died or was relocated. If anyone can confirm it would be appreciated.

Thanks for the additional information. Auckland Zoo have similarly tried a number of different species combinations across their two savannahs. They’ve settled on giraffe, (female) zebra and ostrich in one; white rhinoceros and nyala in the other. The nyala tend to avoid the rhinos by remaining behind the logs which are placed to give them a zone they can retire to away from the rhino.

It’s unfortunate Taronga have no intentions to breed zebra, but gelded zebra integrate better with giraffe than stallions.

 

[Tiger91]

I don't think it can be Nyala as I don't believe Taronga have the space on savannah (but would love to be corrected here).

A Pygmy Hippo import would be amazing, and the same goes for Bongo. I'm hopeful it was the hippo IRA that was approved last monday which allows for future imports!

Other than that, I don't see any other realistic options. We can rule out baby giraffes or zebras. And there's not the space for a new Bongo too at the moment.

The only other thing I can think of is a new ungulate species has arrived - but not entirely sure whereabouts this would possible.

Theoretically they could house Nyala or the ostrich down with the camels in the old bull elephant enclosure. It would have been better to see ostrich down there and Nyala used with the giraffe.

Things have been very tight lipped about the hippo IRA there isn't a lot posted online. Which makes me suspicious its either done/near complete or not started. The bovid and giraffe ones had documents up.

It's either bongo or hippo related. And since no baby hippo has been sighted recently but both adults have. Its got to be an import in the works. Again if they imported bongo they could theoretically house a herd in the old bull elephant exhibit. The camels have been said to be temporary.

 

[Jambo]

Theoretically they could house Nyala or the ostrich down with the camels in the old bull elephant enclosure. It would have been better to see ostrich down there and Nyala used with the giraffe.

Things have been very tight lipped about the hippo IRA there isn't a lot posted online. Which makes me suspicious its either done/near complete or not started. The bovid and giraffe ones had documents up.

It's either bongo or hippo related. And since no baby hippo has been sighted recently but both adults have. Its got to be an import in the works. Again if they imported bongo they could theoretically house a herd in the old bull elephant exhibit. The camels have been said to be temporary.

A pygmy hippo import would be absolutely awesome. It's in the works as far as I know, I would be glad if it was finally finished as it's been years in the making.

Re. Bongo, there doesn't seem to be much change in focus with them as of late which is very disappointing. Someone who's involved in the process advised me that there's been no action taken to meet previous 'goals' and therefore there's obviously a lack of direction going forward too. I would be very surprised if the news was Bongo related and Taronga actually acquired a new Bongo.

 

[Tiger91]

A pygmy hippo import would be absolutely awesome. It's in the works as far as I know, I would be glad if it was finally finished as it's been years in the making.

Re. Bongo, there doesn't seem to be much change in focus with them as of late which is very disappointing. Someone who's involved in the process advised me that there's been no action taken to meet previous 'goals' and therefore there's obviously a lack of direction going forward too. I would be very surprised if the news was Bongo related and Taronga actually acquired a new Bongo.

They rant going to be making any goals with the current population!.
My guess would be a they import 1 female bongo. Then carry on about how important the species is, how endangered, how small the regional population is etc. But only import 1.


I swear to god if its about the camels ill riot.