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Sydney Zoo Sydney Zoo News 2024
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Had a great visit to Sydney Zoo today - here are the updates:
Primate Boulevard
- The baboons were fighting a lot. They may have to move some out.
Asia
Highlights:
- All 3 orangutans were outside and eating. Dewi was very active as usual!
- Kavi and Ashoka (elephants) were wrestling in their pool for ages. Great to see.
Updates:
- The smaller tiger exhibit near the orang indoor viewing is blocked off.
- I only saw 1 tiger.
- Didn't see the otters or red pandas.
Africa
Highlights:
- Saw a camel training session which was interesting. Never thought I'd stay that long at a dromedary exhibit!
- One of the cheetahs ran across the entire length of the exhibit at one point. Amazing.
- Caught a brief glimpse of the hyena cub. So cute!
- Not really a highlight, but I saw an Indian Mynah chick sitting next to a pile of feathers in the painted dog exhibit. I know they are a pest, but it's still sad.
Updates:
- Speaking of the painted dog exhibit, new signage has been installed giving information and carcass feedings and why they are important.
- There are now 0.3 ostriches, rather than the 1.1 they had before. Also, they are now fully on display mixed with the zebras and giraffes.
- One of the nyala has been separated from the other 3. The nyala are no longer able to access both the rhino and the giraffe/zebra exhibit, with 3 in with the rhino and the other in with the giraffes, zebras and ostriches.
Aquarium
Highlights:
- The Alligator Snapping Turtle (as always).
- The bull sharks have grown so much and are now close to 2 metres long!
Updates:
- One of the eels has moved into the Murray Cod tank. The other 2 are either off display or no longer at the zoo.
- The lungfish have moved into the mangrove tank with the archerfish, water dragons, snake necked turtles, oxeye herring etc.
- Unfortunately, the Barbour's Seahorses have been replaced with the infinitely more common Pot-bellied Seahorses.
- There are no longer Salmon Red Rainbowfish on display.
Australia
- There seem to be a lot more macropods than there used to be; at
least 7 Swamp Wallabies, about 9 KI kangaroos and 6 Red kangaroos.
- The zoo has also received a mainland subspecies Western Grey Kangaroo. I have no idea how they will stop it interbreeding with the KI roos.
- One of the male Red-necked Wallabies was trying to mate with the last Tammar Wallaby in the walkthrough.
- One of the original koala exhibits has been turned into a joey yard for 2 young Tammar Wallabies that are being handraised.
- Didn't see any Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies, and only one emu.
- 6 koala joeys have been born in the last few months.
- Didn't see the dingoes.
Reptile and Nocturnal House
- The Heath Monitor terrarium has been renovated to house a single young lizard, rather than the adult pair it had before. The substrate is now sand rather than soil, and it is much shallower.
- There is now just one shingleback and one Pygmy Spiny-tail Skink, making a formerly lively mixed terrarium much more subdued.
- The former Spiny Katydid terrarium has been redone. It is now full of bamboo, and has a tiny, bright yellow, baby Green Tree Python barely 10 or 15 cm long.
- I saw the Black-footed Tree-rat for all of 10 seconds! Also had a chat to a keeper who gave me some more information about the individual. It is a male from Territory Wildlife Park. He was handraised and came to Sydney Zoo when he was 8 months old. The keepers have been doing a lot of training with him and he is extremely intelligent. He usually sits up in his shelter out of sight during the day, but does come down to eat and take his food back up to his shelter usually in the afternoon. You will most likely not see him during school holidays, as he doesn't like the noise.
Other
- The zoo is now down to 2.1 capybaras. I wonder where all the pups they bred went.
- I didn't see the meerkats near the zoo entrance.
Primate Boulevard
- The baboons were fighting a lot. They may have to move some out.
Asia
Highlights:
- All 3 orangutans were outside and eating. Dewi was very active as usual!
- Kavi and Ashoka (elephants) were wrestling in their pool for ages. Great to see.
Updates:
- The smaller tiger exhibit near the orang indoor viewing is blocked off.
- I only saw 1 tiger.
- Didn't see the otters or red pandas.
Africa
Highlights:
- Saw a camel training session which was interesting. Never thought I'd stay that long at a dromedary exhibit!
- One of the cheetahs ran across the entire length of the exhibit at one point. Amazing.
- Caught a brief glimpse of the hyena cub. So cute!
- Not really a highlight, but I saw an Indian Mynah chick sitting next to a pile of feathers in the painted dog exhibit. I know they are a pest, but it's still sad.
Updates:
- Speaking of the painted dog exhibit, new signage has been installed giving information and carcass feedings and why they are important.
- There are now 0.3 ostriches, rather than the 1.1 they had before. Also, they are now fully on display mixed with the zebras and giraffes.
- One of the nyala has been separated from the other 3. The nyala are no longer able to access both the rhino and the giraffe/zebra exhibit, with 3 in with the rhino and the other in with the giraffes, zebras and ostriches.
Aquarium
Highlights:
- The Alligator Snapping Turtle (as always).
- The bull sharks have grown so much and are now close to 2 metres long!
Updates:
- One of the eels has moved into the Murray Cod tank. The other 2 are either off display or no longer at the zoo.
- The lungfish have moved into the mangrove tank with the archerfish, water dragons, snake necked turtles, oxeye herring etc.
- Unfortunately, the Barbour's Seahorses have been replaced with the infinitely more common Pot-bellied Seahorses.
- There are no longer Salmon Red Rainbowfish on display.
Australia
- There seem to be a lot more macropods than there used to be; at
least 7 Swamp Wallabies, about 9 KI kangaroos and 6 Red kangaroos.
- The zoo has also received a mainland subspecies Western Grey Kangaroo. I have no idea how they will stop it interbreeding with the KI roos.
- One of the male Red-necked Wallabies was trying to mate with the last Tammar Wallaby in the walkthrough.
- One of the original koala exhibits has been turned into a joey yard for 2 young Tammar Wallabies that are being handraised.
- Didn't see any Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies, and only one emu.
- 6 koala joeys have been born in the last few months.
- Didn't see the dingoes.
Reptile and Nocturnal House
- The Heath Monitor terrarium has been renovated to house a single young lizard, rather than the adult pair it had before. The substrate is now sand rather than soil, and it is much shallower.
- There is now just one shingleback and one Pygmy Spiny-tail Skink, making a formerly lively mixed terrarium much more subdued.
- The former Spiny Katydid terrarium has been redone. It is now full of bamboo, and has a tiny, bright yellow, baby Green Tree Python barely 10 or 15 cm long.
- I saw the Black-footed Tree-rat for all of 10 seconds! Also had a chat to a keeper who gave me some more information about the individual. It is a male from Territory Wildlife Park. He was handraised and came to Sydney Zoo when he was 8 months old. The keepers have been doing a lot of training with him and he is extremely intelligent. He usually sits up in his shelter out of sight during the day, but does come down to eat and take his food back up to his shelter usually in the afternoon. You will most likely not see him during school holidays, as he doesn't like the noise.
Other
- The zoo is now down to 2.1 capybaras. I wonder where all the pups they bred went.
- I didn't see the meerkats near the zoo entrance.
Great update!
Sydney Zoo currently have 9.10 baboons, which is fairly male heavy; even though three of the males are juveniles and not in contest for their own harem. Relocating males is always a challenge and unless one of the bachelor facilities is willing to take on more, I struggle to see where in the region they could go.
I know Wellington Zoo castrated male Hamadryas baboons in the past, which might be an option for Sydney Zoo to consider.
1.0 Babi Imported 2019 (Singapore)
1.0 Nyambi Imported 2019 (Singapore)
1.0 Shezmu Imported 2019 (Singapore)
1.0 Azizi Imported 2019 (Singapore)
1.0 Bennu Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Izara Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Aida Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Anta Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Kasmut Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Zuri Imported 2019 (Singapore)
1.0 Apophis Imported 2019 (Singapore)
0.1 Aza (2020)
0.1 Johari (2020)
0.1 Nyota (2020)
1.0 Ramses (2021)
1.0 Seti (2021)
1.0 Deshr (2022)
0.1 Zeinab (2022)
0.1 Eboni (2022)
Thank you for the latest update!
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Had a brief visit to Sydney Zoo this afternoon. A few minor things to report.
- The Black-footed Tree-rat seems to be gaining confidence, and was out for several minutes today.
- Two more koala joeys emerged from the pouch at the end of January.
- I saw a rather unusual wallaby in the walkthrough. It looked like it had characteristics of both Tammar and Red-necked Wallaby. I spent quite a while looking at it, trying to work out what it was. Very confusing.
- Got a much better view of the hyena cub today, as it was asleep on the hill in the middle of the exhibit. It has already gained a lot in size!
- The zebras got spooked by something, and started galloping around the entire paddock, and stirring up the ostriches. Eventually even the giraffes were running around wildly. It was quite a sight to see three zebras, three ostriches and three giraffes racing around their exhibit!
- The katydids have not been taken off display or left the zoo as I assumed, but are now mixed with the Spiny Leaf Insects.
- The Black-footed Tree-rat seems to be gaining confidence, and was out for several minutes today.
- Two more koala joeys emerged from the pouch at the end of January.
- I saw a rather unusual wallaby in the walkthrough. It looked like it had characteristics of both Tammar and Red-necked Wallaby. I spent quite a while looking at it, trying to work out what it was. Very confusing.
- Got a much better view of the hyena cub today, as it was asleep on the hill in the middle of the exhibit. It has already gained a lot in size!
- The zebras got spooked by something, and started galloping around the entire paddock, and stirring up the ostriches. Eventually even the giraffes were running around wildly. It was quite a sight to see three zebras, three ostriches and three giraffes racing around their exhibit!
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I forgot a couple of things regarding numbers of individuals on display in the reptile house.
- There are now 2 Rough-scaled Pythons rather than just the one.
- Only one Central Netted Dragon remains, mixed with the 3 Burns' Dragons.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
"Sydney's second best zoo"; they won't like that!
Two trips over two days is quite an achievement imo.
Also surprising to see them having 'Sydney's only rhino' being mentioned as an argument for why she chose it over Taronga.
In all seriousness, this is surely a win in Syndey's books with a lot of her Australian fans sure to pay a visit there after seeing this.
Now we know why @Osedax found the animals whipped up. Clearly the excitement of the visit had overcome them.
Two trips over two days is quite an achievement imo.
Also surprising to see them having 'Sydney's only rhino' being mentioned as an argument for why she chose it over Taronga.
In all seriousness, this is surely a win in Syndey's books with a lot of her Australian fans sure to pay a visit there after seeing this.
At least annually pre-Covid, there’d be stories of a celebrity visiting Taronga Zoo, so this is an interesting turning of the tide and a coup for Sydney Zoo.
I think the theory of the re-visit being driven by Travis Kelce wanting to see what he’d missed out on has some truth in it. I know if I heard what she’d seen there, I’d want to go; though it’s a moot point as I struggle to envisage a scenario I would have turned down a visit the first time around. I’ve always said re. the celebrities visiting Taronga’s native species, that I’d instead request the equivalent time with the chimpanzee community though.
She couldn't see the swift parrots at Taronga
Taronga respond to Taylor Swift visiting Sydney Zoo:
Taronga Zoo breaks silence after being ghosted by Taylor Swift after visit to rival Sydney animal park alongside boyfriend Travis Kelce | Daily Mail Online
It’s interesting to see Sydney Zoo mentioned as having the first hyena cub born in Sydney (this claim does indeed appear on their website). Only last week, I found an article from 1950 announcing the birth of hyena triplets at Taronga Zoo; and I have since came across reports of a subsequent birth in 1953, where it was noted they were ‘comparatively easy to breed’.
They could instead claim to have the first hyena born in Sydney for x amount of decades, which is a notable achievement in itself.
Taronga Zoo breaks silence after being ghosted by Taylor Swift after visit to rival Sydney animal park alongside boyfriend Travis Kelce | Daily Mail Online
It’s interesting to see Sydney Zoo mentioned as having the first hyena cub born in Sydney (this claim does indeed appear on their website). Only last week, I found an article from 1950 announcing the birth of hyena triplets at Taronga Zoo; and I have since came across reports of a subsequent birth in 1953, where it was noted they were ‘comparatively easy to breed’.
They could instead claim to have the first hyena born in Sydney for x amount of decades, which is a notable achievement in itself.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I've noticed our zoos don't seem to acknowledge things that have happened in their history. Similarly, when capybaras returned to Taronga in 2019, they claimed they had never held this species before, when in fact they previously kept them for quite a while, beginning in the 1930s.
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Are we surprised that our zoos omit previous historical events ? There PR teams run anything to draw attention. Accurate information does not always make attention grabbing head lines. And most people won't research it or remember these events.
One of the new stations ran a FB poll on which was peoples favourite zoo. And Sydney zoo came out ontop. Not surprising since it is an actual zoo and not a concrete jungle with kids playgrounds and eateries. With a few animals here and there.
One of the new stations ran a FB poll on which was peoples favourite zoo. And Sydney zoo came out ontop. Not surprising since it is an actual zoo and not a concrete jungle with kids playgrounds and eateries. With a few animals here and there.
Taronga has had plenty of famous people visit, many many over the years. Rivalry/schmivalry, they can both co-exist and Sydney is better off for it. Sydney's big enough for two zoos. I dont agree with you Tiger91 I think Taronga is better than that and has a lot of things Blacktown-Sydney doesnt (and yes vice versa). If we go down the only Rhino etc path would personally retort that Taronga is where can see a baby Pygmy Hippo and her parents, Mary the Sun Bear, one of the oldest ongoing Chimpanzee troops in the world, small family group of Gorillas (albeit probably not for long), Francois Langurs, Tree Kangaroos Binturongs, Bongo, Fishing Cats, several generations of Sumatran Tigers, watch young Lions growing up etc. Dont get me wrong Blacktown-Sydney has so much to offer too, massive Baboon troop with many young, watch young Spotted Hyenas grow up, Orangutans, Tino the Rhino, Cheetahs, Hunting Dogs, Porcupines, Spider Monkeys. Am saying Sydney is lucky to have two zoos. Rivalry talk personally makes me cringe. I think Taronga were good sports about it. I hope some of the upper management (imagine most are really nice people) at Sydney-Blacktown aren't trying to stir with Taronga (the keepers, vet staff, etc at Sydney-Blacktown would all be total legends like they are at Taronga).
I agree. Having two zoos in Sydney is a huge positive and I’m sure regular visitors to both appreciate seeing the points of difference at each zoo - orangutans, hyena, wild dog, rhino and baboon at Sydney; sun bear, langur, gorilla at Taronga.
The homogenisation of our region’s zoos has been a common source of complaint in the last decade; yet here Sydney is with a chance to see different species. People should 100% embrace it.
loganjmuir
Well-Known Member
The two zoos are obviously competing to a certain degree, but calling them 'rivals' and 'opponents' seems rather unnecessary. The two both have stand-outs ie. Taronga with gorillas, Sydney with Orangutans, but Taronga supplied Sydney Zoo with a multitude of animals if I'm not mistaken. Albeit smaller, lesser known species, Taronga no doubt had a role to play in Sydney Zoo's success, and assuming there is a barrier between the two is quite frivolous. I visited Sydney Zoo the other week and frankly there isn't much to seperate the two. Taronga has lost countless species throughout the years, but still maintains an impressive line-up, while Sydney Zoo's flat landscape and navigable site makes up for what they lack in collection.
Taronga Zoo have previously transferred a male Asian small-clawed otter and Taronga Western Plains Zoo sent them four male African lions.
Sydney Zoo undertook a few imports from Europe including Asian elephants, African wild dogs, Spotted hyena, Common chimpanzee and Hamadryas baboon. They’ve since exchanged African wild dog and Spotted hyena with other Australian zoos.
Sydney Zoo holds predominantly non-breeding groups (typical of new holder), but they’ve bred Hamadryas baboon and now have a Spotted hyena pup, which is a great achievement.
loganjmuir
Well-Known Member
Thanks, they have also bred Capybara and plan to breed the Lions once they find a suitable female/s. I thought Taronga had also sent them Capuchins, KI Kangaroos, Red, Grey etc, hence the 'lesser known species' comment. Is the litter of Lions Marion's previous one? Or has she only bred twice in 6-odd years?