Xenarthra IRA coming soon

[WhistlingKite24]

The Wildlife Exhibitors Network FB page has now shared that the Australian government will soon be processing an Import Risk Analysis for xenarthrans allowing Giant Anteater, sloths and armadillos into the country for the first time in decades. Currently Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth, Nine-banded Armadillo and Giant Anteater are on the live import list:

Exciting news hot off the press ️

The Australian Government has now approved Zoos in Australia to import both River Hippopotamus and Pygmy Hippopotamus into the country!

We are excited to share that the Department will soon be working on a Xenarthra Species Import Risk Assessment. Once completed, this would enable Australian Zoos to import species of Sloth, Anteater and Armadillo.

It is exciting that the wheels are now in motion!

 

[Coelacanth18]

Exciting news for the Australians! Sloths, armadillos and anteaters are all common fare in Europe and North America so their absence from your continent has always seemed odd and unfortunate to me. I'd also think the "risk" would be quite low for these species, I'm not aware of any becoming seriously invasive anywhere.

I am curious about the species currently listed; Hoffmann's is the rarer of the two sloths widely kept in captivity (and it's really just common in the United States) and Nine-banded Armadillo is also far from the most common or easily acquired armadillo species (Southern Three-banded would be the most obvious candidate IMO). Is there a high likelihood that other species will get added?

 

[Zoofan15]

The Wildlife Exhibitors Network FB page has now shared that the Australian government will soon be processing an Import Risk Analysis for xenarthrans allowing Giant Anteater, sloths and armadillos into the country for the first time in decades. Currently Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth, Nine-banded Armadillo and Giant Anteater are on the live import list:

Fantastic news! Looks like giraffes will be taking a side-line for now (non of the New Zealand zoos are planning to import); but what an exciting return of xenarthrans to the region. They will greatly enhance South American collections of Australian zoos.

I am curious about the species currently listed; Hoffmann's is the rarer of the two sloths widely kept in captivity (and it's really just common in the United States) and Nine-banded Armadillo is also far from the most common or easily acquired armadillo species (Southern Three-banded would be the most obvious candidate IMO). Is there a high likelihood that other species will get added?

Similarly with the Bovid IRA that was approved a few years ago, there was a handful of species already on the live import list. Others can potentially be added, with more paperwork unless there’s a specific biosecurity reason that prohibits it.

In the case of the Bovid IRA, no additional species have been added to the live import list to date. This may well be because zoos have enough to work with with the species they can import; though conversely, you make a good argument for why additional species would be beneficial to add to the Xenarthra list.

 

[steveroberts]

Fantastic news absolutely, will be so awesome to have Sloths (big fan of both the different Two-toed and Three-toed species), Giant Anteaters and Armadillos in Australia again. Yeah would be really great if can add a few extra Xenartha species to the list too (imagine Giant Armadillos too, and Tamanduas, would advocate big time for Fairy Armadillos also, though will be very happy to see Hairy Armadillos back too)

 

[Jambo]

Amazing news! Can't wait to see this whole process finally completed too - Sloths, Armadillos and Anteaters are certainly a novelty to the Australasian region considering we've had far and few of the aforementioned species in the past.

As has been mentioned, being a region with relatively less holders compared to other regions it's been deemed important to have all facilities focusing on a single sub species so I'd imagine those three species above have been selected by the ZAA as focus species for our region (hence why they're the only ones listed for import in the meantime).

 

[CGSwans]

Amazing news! Can't wait to see this whole process finally completed too - Sloths, Armadillos and Anteaters are certainly a novelty to the Australasian region considering we've had far and few of the aforementioned species in the past.

As has been mentioned, being a region with relatively less holders compared to other regions it's been deemed important to have all facilities focusing on a single sub species so I'd imagine those three species above have been selected by the ZAA as focus species for our region (hence why they're the only ones listed for import in the meantime).

They likely weren't 'selected' at all - the live import list includes a bunch of animals that were held in the region at the time it was first created, and have since died out but were never actively removed from the list. So it's probably just a quirk of history.

Certainly being on the list already means there's an incentive to focus on trying to import those species, but if Hoffman's are generally unavailable, and Linne's can be obtained, I'm sure interested zoos will go through the (relatively simpler) process of applying for them to be added too.

 

[Trua]

It's been a long time since these species have been in the country so really exciting news. I know Melbourne had Armadillos in the late 70's and Anteaters until the mid 80's. Their last female was sent across to Adelaide to breed, this was the last facility with Anteaters at the time. Taronga also had Anteaters but theirs died out around the same time as Melbourne's.

We've been lucky to have had Sloths rather recently courtesy of Miss C at Adelaide. I don't believe they were ever at Taronga and not sure about Melbourne but am open to correction if wrong.

 

[Trua]

They likely weren't 'selected' at all - the live import list includes a bunch of animals that were held in the region at the time it was first created, and have since died out but were never actively removed from the list. So it's probably just a quirk of history.

Certainly being on the list already means there's an incentive to focus on trying to import those species, but if Hoffman's are generally unavailable, and Linne's can be obtained, I'm sure interested zoos will go through the (relatively simpler) process of applying for them to be added too.

We have had all three species in the region before so it does line up if they were just never removed from the list. Jambo however is right - the application would've been edited if species weren't favoured anymore so it indicates the intention and favouring of these species as of now, but it's possible there could be further revisions as time goes on.

Hoffman's are in a fair few American zoos so not generally unavailable so to speak, same goes for Three Banded Armadillo. The other sub species that have been brought up are just more widely dispersed over the collections worldwide.

 

[CGSwans]

We have had all three species in the region before so it does line up if they were just never removed from the list. Jambo however is right - the application would've been edited if species weren't favoured anymore so it indicates the intention and favouring of these species as of now, but it's possible there could be further revisions as time goes on.

Hoffman's are in a fair few American zoos so not generally unavailable so to speak, same goes for Three Banded Armadillo. The other sub species that have been brought up are just more widely dispersed over the collections worldwide.

To clarify, IRAs and the live import list are separate processes - the IRA will presumably apply to all members of Xenarthra. Individual species then need to be added to the live import list.

 

[Jambo]

They likely weren't 'selected' at all - the live import list includes a bunch of animals that were held in the region at the time it was first created, and have since died out but were never actively removed from the list. So it's probably just a quirk of history.

Certainly being on the list already means there's an incentive to focus on trying to import those species, but if Hoffman's are generally unavailable, and Linne's can be obtained, I'm sure interested zoos will go through the (relatively simpler) process of applying for them to be added too.

Thanks for the clarification - it makes sense when you look at the previous species our region has had; being the exact same as the ones listed on the live import list.

To clarify, IRAs and the live import list are separate processes - the IRA will presumably apply to all members of Xenarthra. Individual species then need to be added to the live import list.

I was under the impression the live import list is formulated at the end with the IRA preceding it, is that correct?

 

[Zoofan15]

I was under the impression the live import list is formulated at the end with the IRA preceding it, is that correct?

The live import list is independent from the IRA and exists before the IRA is even formulated. There’s species on the live import list we don’t even have an IRA for.

Species can be added to the live import list, but obviously there’d be no point in doing so without an IRA.

 

[CGSwans]

Thanks for the clarification - it makes sense when you look at the previous species our region has had; being the exact same as the ones listed on the live import list.

I was under the impression the live import list is formulated at the end with the IRA preceding it, is that correct?

Nope. The import risk assessment determines whether species can be eligible to be imported and what conditions need to be in place to allow it. The live import list is a completely separate process where you need to apply to have additional species added to it. The application would refer to the IRA, but doesn't flow directly from it.

There are species for which live import list applications have been denied that would have been covered by active IRAs.

Edit: to clarify that the IRA only determines whether a species can be *eligible* to be imported - having an IRA in place doesn't make a species eligible on its own.

 

[steveroberts]

Adelaide did really well with their Hoffman's Two-Toed Sloths hey, great longevity.

Perth Zoo still had at least one (Big) Hairy Armadillo until mid 1990s; it shared an exhibit with a Dorocouli or two in the Noc' House.

 

[scallywag2024]

The Wildlife Exhibitors Network FB page has now shared that the Australian government will soon be processing an Import Risk Analysis for xenarthrans allowing Giant Anteater, sloths and armadillos into the country for the first time in decades. Currently Hoffman’s Two-toed Sloth, Nine-banded Armadillo and Giant Anteater are on the live import list:

oh good news!!! Go WEN

 

[scallywag2024]

I wonder if any zoos will actually import any though? The ungulate IRA has been approved for a while (guessing like 2 years??) and no zoos have imported any ungulates (exception Altina with nyala from New Zealand - but we could always import ungulates from New Zealand so that doesn’t count)

 

[Zorro]

I wonder if any zoos will actually import any though? The ungulate IRA has been approved for a while (guessing like 2 years??) and no zoos have imported any ungulates (exception Altina with nyala from New Zealand - but we could always import ungulates from New Zealand so that doesn’t count)

It's a long process so don't expect anything yet this all takes time.
There is a strong interest in importing Xenarthra so animals will be imported in due coarse!

 

[Zoofan15]

I wonder if any zoos will actually import any though? The ungulate IRA has been approved for a while (guessing like 2 years??) and no zoos have imported any ungulates (exception Altina with nyala from New Zealand - but we could always import ungulates from New Zealand so that doesn’t count)

Members of the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association would have had input into this IRA, so there’s obviously some level of interest in importing xenarthrans.

Especially since the phase out of Jaguar, no zoo in the region has a South American collection to rival the appeal of their African or Asian collections. While nothing from the Xenarthra family would be considered a stand alone crowd puller, they’ll undoubtedly enhance the collection of any zoo that acquires them.

The Bovid IRA was completed 2021; but as I’m sure you’re aware, imports take time.

 

[scallywag2024]

Members of the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association would have had input into this IRA, so there’s obviously some level of interest in importing xenarthrans.

Especially since the phase out of Jaguar, no zoo in the region has a South American collection to rival the appeal of their African or Asian collections. While nothing from the Xenarthra family would be considered a stand alone crowd puller, they’ll undoubtedly enhance the collection of any zoo that acquires them.

The Bovid IRA was completed 2021; but as I’m sure you’re aware, imports take time.

How do you know ZAA Members chose this grouping for the next IRA? Last I heard they wanted an IRA for okapi ?

 

[Zoofan15]

How do you know ZAA Members chose this grouping for the next IRA? Last I heard they wanted an IRA for okapi ?

Because they identify what’s a priority for the region with regards to processing an IRA. It took me by surprise as I’d assumed a Giraffe IRA would be next for Australia after the Hippopotamus IRA.

Taronga had discussed importing Okapi to house in a Congo precinct, but have anpparently abandoned these plans. There’s been speculation other zoos in the region (Auckland and Melbourne) could have been interested in joining Taronga in importing Okapi; but this was pure speculation and there’s nothing to suggest any zoo in the region is currently interested in this species. Obtaining sufficient numbers to establish a semi-sustainable population was always going to be an uphill struggle given the lack of surplus females overseas.

 

[15399]

Exciting news for the Australians! Sloths, armadillos and anteaters are all common fare in Europe and North America so their absence from your continent has always seemed odd and unfortunate to me. I'd also think the "risk" would be quite low for these species, I'm not aware of any becoming seriously invasive anywhere.

For sloths and anteaters? The risk is most likely very low. I wouldn't be so certain about nine-banded armadillos. Nine-banded armadillos have had a rather substantial range expansion over the past 150 years, and it's debated to what extent it is human-mediated. Even if it wasn't intentional, it's well accepted that human roads/bridges aided them in crossing over the Rio Grande River. It wasn't until the 1850's that nine-banded armadillos were even present in the United States, and nowadays have a breeding range in places as far north as Kansas and Illinois. Luckily, nine-banded armadillos have some clear patterns in that range expansion- specifically there's a clear limit to areas with annual precipitation of 50 centimeters or more. While some areas of Australia meet this rainfall standard, it appears to only be certain coastal areas so they wouldn't be able to establish themselves continent-wide.

Furthermore, nine-banded armadillos fit some characteristics that would make them a successful invasive species. They reproduce quickly (every litter is four identical offspring), they are relatively long-lived, and have very few predators.

Here are two great papers on the armadillo range expansion:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2699.1996.tb00024.x
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jbi.12319