Exotic Mammals in Australian Zoos

Zoofan15 said:
Enjoy Melbourne Zoo’s trio while you can! I asked on my last visit and were told they were reproductively viable (the females are on contraception), but they’re getting on in years and there’s no plans to breed them.
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It is unfortunate to see so many unique species being phased out - I was lucky enough to see the male peccary at Adelaide before he moved - however I'm not sure I'll be able to get to Melbourne within the next year or so.

Do you know why they're not being bred? I understand the species is designated as a phase out, but do "phase-out" species not commonly get sent to private zoos to spend their final years? It would be interesting to see another zoo (perhaps Halls Gap?) take them, and attempt to breed them one last time to sustain the species for a few more years.
 
That Aussie Guy said:
It is unfortunate to see so many unique species being phased out - I was lucky enough to see the male peccary at Adelaide before he moved - however I'm not sure I'll be able to get to Melbourne within the next year or so.

Do you know why they're not being bred? I understand the species is designated as a phase out, but do "phase-out" species not commonly get sent to private zoos to spend their final years? It would be interesting to see another zoo (perhaps Halls Gap?) take them, and attempt to breed them one last time to sustain the species for a few more years.
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The Melbourne peccaries are all born between 2010-2012. The species typically lives until the mid-teens in captivity, so it’s possible they’ll be around for another 3-5 years, but of course there’s no guarantee.

I understand the offical reason is that they’re highly inbred. The entire regional population descends from a single pair imported by Wellington Zoo from Canada in 1969. With that in mind, it may explain why they haven’t been released to a private zoo for the purpose of breeding.

It appears Zoos Victoria are happy to keep them at Melbourne for their remaining years. Redevelopment of TOTE is a clear priority and there’s only so much funding. Having an exhibit filled (even one designated for phase out) is preferable to having an empty exhibit they know won’t be redeveloped for a while yet.
 
Chlidonias said:
*Common Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) – Altina; Banana Cabana; Billabong Koala and Wildlife Park; Cooberrie; Crocodylus; Darling Downs; D'Aguilar Wildlife; Gorge; Halls Gap; Hunter Valley; Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park; Mansfield; National Zoo; Paradise Country [Gold Coast]; Perth Zoo; Shoalhaven; Symbio; Tasmania Zoo; Wildlife HQ; Wild Cat Conservation Centre; Wings Wildlife Park; Zoodoo. Also in research facilities.
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Gumbuya World now have four female Common Marmosets which are their first primates - reported on their FB page.
 
A few updates confirmed via email. I am still awaiting on a few replies:
  • Mansfield Zoo (Facebook reel: 20/01/2024) and Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters have Black-capped Capuchin.
  • Symbio no longer have Common Marmoset. I confirmed with them that all of them moved to Gumbuya.
  • Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters has Fallow, Sambar and a single Chital Deer.
  • The older female Brazilian Tapir Talara has died leaving 1.1 Brazilian at Adelaide currently.
  • There are no Crab-eating Macaques at Wings Wildlife Park, ZooDoo Zoo nor Green Valley Farm now. The macaques at Green Valley Farm moved to another place due to an insurance price hike during Covid; it wasn’t mentioned to where.
  • No more Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroos at Adelaide as their old female Buna has died.
  • The Lar Gibbons are no longer at Mogo.
  • @Ashanti reported the coati at Gorge have died out. They still have Patagonian Mara with a last-ditch attempt to breed them before they die out again.
  • Both King Cheetahs have died at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
  • Calmsley Hill City Farm in the Sydney area has five Red Foxes (social media post: 01/09/2023)
  • There are now six Pygmy Hippos following the birth of female calf Lololi at Taronga in Jan 2024.
  • Only one Fishing Cat at Taronga – the older female. It wasn't mentioned what happened to the younger male.
  • I regularly check on the slow loris at Perth Zoo and as of this week he is still in the nocturnal house.
 
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WhistlingKite24 said:
A few updates confirmed via email. I am still awaiting on a few replies:
  • Mansfield Zoo (Facebook reel: 20/01/2024) and Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters have Black-capped Capuchin.
  • Warrnambool Wildlife Encounters has Fallow, Sambar and a single Chital Deer.
  • The older female Brazilian Tapir Talara has died leaving 1.1 Brazilian at Adelaide currently.
  • There are no Crab-eating Macaques at Wings Wildlife Park, ZooDoo Zoo nor Green Valley Farm now. The macaques at Green Valley Farm moved to another place due to an insurance price hike during Covid; it wasn’t mentioned to where.
  • No more Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroos at Adelaide as their old female Buna has died.
  • The Lar Gibbons are no longer at Mogo.
  • @Ashanti reported the coati at Gorge have died out. They still have Patagonian Mara with a last-ditch attempt to breed them before they die out again.
  • Both King Cheetahs have died at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.
  • Calmsley Hill City Farm in the Sydney area has five Red Foxes (social media post: 01/09/2023)
  • There are now six Pygmy Hippos following the birth of female calf Lololi at Taronga in Jan 2024.
  • Only one Fishing Cat at Taronga – the older female. It wasn't mentioned what happened to the younger male.
  • I regularly check on the slow loris at Perth Zoo and as of this week he is still in the nocturnal house.
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Thank you for this comprehensive list of updates. Mostly it's sad news, but helpful to have a record of these updates to regional populations.

The male Fishing cat hasn't been at Taronga for a while (almost two years I think). I am not sure what happened to him; I heard from one volunteer that he hadn't died (and Maew, the female, is much happier having the whole complex to herself), but he hasn't turned up anywhere else in the region, so he seemed to have either been exported or died.
 
Abbey said:
The male Fishing cat hasn't been at Taronga for a while (almost two years I think). I am not sure what happened to him; I heard from one volunteer that he hadn't died (and Maew, the female, is much happier having the whole complex to herself), but he hasn't turned up anywhere else in the region, so he seemed to have either been exported or died.
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I last saw him in early 2022, so that timing would be about right. Taking into account his age, it's hard to believe he would have been exported. Perhaps the volunteer was mistaken in assuming he hadn't passed.
 
Abbey said:
The male Fishing cat hasn't been at Taronga for a while (almost two years I think). I am not sure what happened to him; I heard from one volunteer that he hadn't died (and Maew, the female, is much happier having the whole complex to herself), but he hasn't turned up anywhere else in the region, so he seemed to have either been exported or died.
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The obvious place to send him would have been Hamilton Zoo, who are essentially the hub for this species in the region, so it’s likely that male has passed (as now has Hamilton’s male).

Hamilton Zoo plan to continue with the species long term, so hopefully they indeed have a future in the region, even if it’s not at Taronga.
 
Hello.

For a few years, I've been reading this thread and I have come to realize Australia kind of lacks in its hoofstock collection; is that really the case? Considering the few antelope species still living Down Under, it seems the Australasian situation regarding such bovids is even worse than that of South America. I know collection does not mean conservation, but Australia and New Zealand have a surprisingly low number of antelope species.

From the top of my head, South America's got:
- Addax in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Black wildebeest in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Blackbuck everywhere;
- Blue wildebeest in Quirinópolis (Serra Azul farm);
- Bongos in Santiago and Buin;
- Common eland in Quirinópolis (Serra Azul farm) and at Temaikèn;
- Gemsbok in Cotia (Animália Park) and Belo Horizonte;
- Nile lechwe in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Nyala in Buin and Rancagua;
- Sitatungas in Buin;
- Thomson's gazelles in Buin;
- Waterbuck everywhere.
 
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Enzo said:
Hello.

For a few years, I've been reading this thread and I have come to realize Australia kind of lacks in its hoofstock collection; is that really the case? Considering the few antelope species still living Down Under, it seems the Australasian situation regarding such bovids is even worse than that of South America. I know collection does not mean conservation, but Australia and New Zealand have a surprisingly low number of antelope species.

From the top of my head, South America's got:
- Addax in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Black wildebeest in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Blackbuck everywhere;
- Blue wildebeest in Quirinópolis (Serra Azul farm);
- Bongos in Santiago and Buin;
- Common eland in Quirinópolis (Serra Azul farm) and at Temaikèn;
- Gemsbok in Cotia (Animália Park) and Belo Horizonte;
- Nile lechwe in Cotia (Animália Park);
- Nyala in Buin and Rancagua;
- Sitatungas in Buin;
- Thomson's gazelles in Buin;
- Waterbuck everywhere.
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With regards to Bovidae species, Australasia has the following:

American bison
Banteng
Asian water buffalo Buffalo
Common waterbuck
Addax
Scimitar-horned oryx
Eland
Eastern bongo
Lowland nyala
Indian antelope
Springbok
Himalayan tahr
Barbary sheep

Of these, the Springbok population is down to 2.2 ageing animals; and the Eastern bongo population is at 4.1, with the only female appearing to be non-viable after years of trying to breed without success.

Given both New Zealand and Australia now have a Bovid IRA, I know many of us would welcome imports to supplement existing populations; as well as the addition of at least a couple of new species.
 
Zoofan15 said:
With regards to Bovidae species, Australasia has the following:

American bison
Banteng
Asian water buffalo Buffalo
Common waterbuck
Addax
Scimitar-horned oryx
Eland
Eastern bongo
Lowland nyala
Indian antelope
Springbok
Himalayan tahr
Barbary sheep

Of these, the Springbok population is down to 2.2 ageing animals; and the Eastern bongo population is at 4.1, with the only female appearing to be non-viable after years of trying to breed without success.

Given both New Zealand and Australia now have a Bovid IRA, I know many of us would welcome imports to supplement existing populations; as well as the addition of at least a couple of new species.
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Where are the springbok?
 
@WhistlingKite24 Thanks for the info

Vale Sulawesi Crested Macaques in our region and the last Mandrill outside Adelaide in our region.

(besides individuals who certainly would of been in Australia prior since the late 19th century at different times) Crested Macs' have been in Australia since arriving at Perth Zoo from Singapore in 1980, not many places have held them in last 44 years, Perth had a 28-29 year lineage and then Mareeba and Launceston (was Gorge another park too?), will personally miss them being in our region, a charismatic species, endangered, wish was hope for a breeding program for them again in our region someday.
 
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Osedax said:
Not a zoo, but I was driving through Western Sydney University yesterday, and saw that they have received a herd of Persian Fallow Deer! They did not look at all like the hybrid farmed stock, and appeared to be pure-bred (or extremely close to pure) Dama mesopotamica! There were at least 10 of them, including a few youngsters. I didn't get any photos unfortunately.
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Today I saw them again and counted at least 2.26 individuals. Also got a few (terrible) photos but can't work out how to attach them.
 
Osedax said:
Today I saw them again and counted at least 2.26 individuals. Also got a few (terrible) photos but can't work out how to attach them.
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Click the camera icon. All your media will populate; but you can also upload files via the button next to ‘post reply.’

It’s good to hear Sydney Uni has a sizeable population of Persian fallow deer. Birthing season in the Southern Hemisphere is December-January (June-July in the Northern Hemisphere), so you might see a number of fawns 4-5 months from now.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Click the camera icon. All your media will populate; but you can also upload files via the button next to ‘post reply.’
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Thanks!
Apologies for the terrible quality of these photos; they were taken on a phone from a long distance.
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