Mogo Wildlife Park Mogo Zoo News

[Erocco W]

Update/review from my recent trip

The Mogos keeper talks bring the Zoo to life and their discounted giraffe encounters were a novelty to be able to feed a giraffe with sticks of browse.

1 female from the silvery gibbon troop appears to be being heavily ostracised by the others. The keeper mentioned that they were looking to import or wait for another holder as they already have an off display enclosure with a related pairing of Uncle and niece and no room for the dispersed female.
Whilst not 100% confirmed it appears as if there may be a new holder in Rockhampton Zoo.

Red pandas at the Zoo are potentially already pregnant again and Keepers were celebrating a new form of “cake” to keep their diets in check. Would be great to see some transfer out from here.

The carcal and Sri Lankan leopard exhibits are some of the most run down enclosures I have yet encounter in Zoos throughout Australia and is a big departure from other zoos I have visited. It was confirmed there are no works in progress to update these enclosures until the carcals pass.
This indicates to me that whilst they are a 3rd holder of Sri Lankans that breeding is not viable or in the zoos immediate future.

The Hyeana encounter is one of kind and not something I’ve experienced at any other zoo something I would highly recommend despite the steep price tag.

The Zoo is full of charm but is beginning to show its age perhaps the most concerning issue was throughout my observation it appears as if Kaius is receiving a lot of attention at the Keeper door and seemed to hang out there throughout the day instead of interacting with the rest of the troop.

I am only new to Zoochat but hopefully this is an adequate update from my recent visit and not seemingly negative but just reflective of what I saw during my visit.

 

[Zoofan15]

Update/review from my recent trip

The Mogos keeper talks bring the Zoo to life and their discounted giraffe encounters were a novelty to be able to feed a giraffe with sticks of browse.

1 female from the silvery gibbon troop appears to be being heavily ostracised by the others. The keeper mentioned that they were looking to import or wait for another holder as they already have an off display enclosure with a related pairing of Uncle and niece and no room for the dispersed female.
Whilst not 100% confirmed it appears as if there may be a new holder in Rockhampton Zoo.

Red pandas at the Zoo are potentially already pregnant again and Keepers were celebrating a new form of “cake” to keep their diets in check. Would be great to see some transfer out from here.

The carcal and Sri Lankan leopard exhibits are some of the most run down enclosures I have yet encounter in Zoos throughout Australia and is a big departure from other zoos I have visited. It was confirmed there are no works in progress to update these enclosures until the carcals pass.
This indicates to me that whilst they are a 3rd holder of Sri Lankans that breeding is not viable or in the zoos immediate future.

The Hyeana encounter is one of kind and not something I’ve experienced at any other zoo something I would highly recommend despite the steep price tag.

The Zoo is full of charm but is beginning to show its age perhaps the most concerning issue was throughout my observation it appears as if Kaius is receiving a lot of attention at the Keeper door and seemed to hang out there throughout the day instead of interacting with the rest of the troop.

I am only new to Zoochat but hopefully this is an adequate update from my recent visit and not seemingly negative but just reflective of what I saw during my visit.

Thanks for the update!

The old Snow leopard exhibits have had only minor renovations since they were built circa 1995 (the zoo’s first Snow leopard arrived 1995), so are definitely due for renewal by the sounds of it.

That’s a shame Kaius appeared more engaged with humans than his troop on your visit. Anecdotally, I’ve observed similar cases with other great apes in the region such as Sally (chimpanzee) at Hamilton. It was encouraging to hear Kriba had taken an interest in Kaius upon his reintroduction to the troop, which would have been hugely beneficial were this interest to be sustained. At least for the meantime, he’s accepted by the troop and can cohabit with them.

 

[Abbey]

Update/review from my recent trip

The Mogos keeper talks bring the Zoo to life and their discounted giraffe encounters were a novelty to be able to feed a giraffe with sticks of browse.

1 female from the silvery gibbon troop appears to be being heavily ostracised by the others. The keeper mentioned that they were looking to import or wait for another holder as they already have an off display enclosure with a related pairing of Uncle and niece and no room for the dispersed female.
Whilst not 100% confirmed it appears as if there may be a new holder in Rockhampton Zoo.

Red pandas at the Zoo are potentially already pregnant again and Keepers were celebrating a new form of “cake” to keep their diets in check. Would be great to see some transfer out from here.

The carcal and Sri Lankan leopard exhibits are some of the most run down enclosures I have yet encounter in Zoos throughout Australia and is a big departure from other zoos I have visited. It was confirmed there are no works in progress to update these enclosures until the carcals pass.
This indicates to me that whilst they are a 3rd holder of Sri Lankans that breeding is not viable or in the zoos immediate future.

The Hyeana encounter is one of kind and not something I’ve experienced at any other zoo something I would highly recommend despite the steep price tag.

The Zoo is full of charm but is beginning to show its age perhaps the most concerning issue was throughout my observation it appears as if Kaius is receiving a lot of attention at the Keeper door and seemed to hang out there throughout the day instead of interacting with the rest of the troop.

I am only new to Zoochat but hopefully this is an adequate update from my recent visit and not seemingly negative but just reflective of what I saw during my visit.

The off-display gibbon pair would be Jawa and Owa. There had been reports he was moving across from Perth, so it's good to have that confirmed.

 

[Jambo]

The off-display gibbon pair would be Jawa and Owa. There had been reports he was moving across from Perth, so it's good to have that confirmed.

Owa is indeed a full sibling of Arjuna (Jawa's father), so it does confirm his transfer over.

The female that is being ousted is also presumably Kambali (2018). She's now of age where this would be naturally occurring, especially with a younger sister now also maturing.

 

[Tiger91]

Instead of waiting for another holder, why arnt they sending the ousted silvery gibbon to hunter valley (im not aware of them being there). A gibbon enclosure could be constructed easily enough without much cost. It would Give the zoo another nice animal species to have as well.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

A female Red Panda was born at Mogo almost a year ago but has only just been publicly mentioned. The cub has been named Maila - reported on their FB page.

 

[Zoofan15]

Caracal update:

According to socials, Kora the Caracal is now at Mogo Wildlife Park. She was born 2020 at the Wild Cat Conservation Centre and previously at Hunter Valley Zoo with a male that came from Darling Downs Zoo for a few years.

No news on whether the male joined her from Hunter Valley Zoo or whether Sabi is still at Mogo. Perhaps the females were switched in the hope of breeding?

 

[Zoofan15]

Mogo Wildlife Park Update

Update from my friend’s visit (December 2024):

Contrary to what was reported on socials, the only Caracal at Mogo Wildlife Park are Sabi and Jasiri. It would appear Kora remains at Hunter Valley Wildlife Park.

The Nepalese red panda exhibit between the white lions and Caracal is closed off. Red panda cubs are born December to January in the Southern Hemisphere, so fingers crossed for some news in the coming months.

Kaius the gorilla infant was seen interacting with all three females in the troop and has reportedly been interacting positively with the silverback Kisane. His progress sounds very positive.

The twin male lion cubs are now 13 months old. Their manes are starting to come through.

The giraffes have been separated into single sex herds.
A couple of the females were looking pregnant in a video shared on socials a few months ago, so it’ll be interesting to see if any births eventuate.

 

[Zoofan15]

Plains zebra birth:

A Plains zebra filly has been born in the last month at Mogo Wildlife Park.

Reported on socials.

 

[Zoofan15]

Female giraffe calf born:

From socials:

It's a girl!

Gestation for Giraffe is between 13-15 months and so after a much anticipated wait, mother Tuli has finally welcomed a new baby girl into our growing tower of Giraffe.

 

[Abbey]

Female giraffe calf born:

From socials:

It's a girl!

Gestation for Giraffe is between 13-15 months and so after a much anticipated wait, mother Tuli has finally welcomed a new baby girl into our growing tower of Giraffe.

This calf was indeed born on 28/12/2024, the same day the birth was reported on social media. Another calf was born this morning, 01/01/2025 (news from a friend's visit).

 

[Zoofan15]

This calf was indeed born on 28/12/2024, the same day the birth was reported on social media. Another calf was born this morning, 01/01/2025 (news from a friend's visit).

Giraffe calf update:

The calves are both female and were born to mothers Tuli (2014) and Oni (2016), who were themselves born at Mogo Wildlife Park.

Reported on socials.

 

[Abbey]

Giraffe calf update:

The calves are both female and were born to mothers Tuli (2014) and Oni (2016), who were themselves born at Mogo Wildlife Park.

Reported on socials.

While my friend believed that Oni's calf had been born on the morning of her visit (Jan 1), it appears from Mogo's socials that both calves were born in 2024, and only three days apart, which would put the DOB of Oni's calf as 31/12/2024 - a poignant date for Mogo as the fifth anniversary of their brush with the Black Summer bushfires.

 

[steveroberts]

While my friend believed that Oni's calf had been born on the morning of her visit (Jan 1), it appears from Mogo's socials that both calves were born in 2024, and only three days apart, which would put the DOB of Oni's calf as 31/12/2024 - a poignant date for Mogo as the fifth anniversary of their brush with the Black Summer bushfires.

They all were very fortunate that day and were very brave hey, staying behind with the animals and thank god the fires missed them like with Halls Gap Zoo last week. It is very fitting about Oni's birth on fifth anniversary like you said.

 

[Zoofan15]

While my friend believed that Oni's calf had been born on the morning of her visit (Jan 1), it appears from Mogo's socials that both calves were born in 2024, and only three days apart, which would put the DOB of Oni's calf as 31/12/2024 - a poignant date for Mogo as the fifth anniversary of their brush with the Black Summer bushfires.

Giraffe calf DOB’s:

The DOB’s are as follows:

Tuli (2014) gave birth 27/12/2024
Oni (2016) gave birth 31/12/2024

The births take the herd to 11 giraffes.

Source: ABC News NSW

 

[Osedax]

I visited Mogo on the 18th, 23rd and 24th of January. My last visit was in 2022 so a lot has changed.


- Spinifex Hopping Mice are no longer on display. They have been replaced by more Plains Rats.

- There were only two tigers on display - one Sumatran and one hybrid. Does that add up?

- There seem to no longer be free roaming guineafowl.

- Serval are no longer on display and the Caracals are in their old exhibit.

- Due to the fact that the main red panda exhibits are closed for breeding (although the animals are still visible from a distance and I saw three individuals), one red panda has been moved into the Radiated Tortoise exhibit, making for a very odd mix.


- The exhibit next door to the tortoises and red panda which I believe used to hold Fennec Foxes (which left in 2021) has a pair of Koalas and signage for Quokka which I did not see.

- When I was there in 2022, there were two Cheetah exhibits next to each other between the otters and kangaroos, one housing a male who had been acquired for breeding. However, he didn’t get on with the resident female and went back to the zoo from whence he came. The exhibit opposite the row of tamarin exhibits now houses a pair of Dingoes.

- Lots of changes in the Animal Feeding Area. In 2022 there was a walkthrough with Kangaroo Island Kangaroos with a large rest area at the back and a side paddock for European Fallow Deer. Now Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Swamp Wallaby have been added to the walkthrough, and the two Dromedary Camels have been moved to the large kangaroo rest area. A smaller area in the main walkthrough has been roped off so that the macropods can get away from both the camels and the visitors. The side paddock now has the two female Ostriches mixed with the deer.

- The reason for the camels and ostriches being added to the feeding area is (I assume) because of the two young giraffe calves. In 2022, the camels and ostriches were mixed with the zebras and the entire Giraffe herd was kept together and without being mixed with any other species. Now the calves are in that exhibit with about 5 adults, and the rest of the herd is mixed with the zebras. The former feeding deck for the camels and ostriches has been closed off.

- A second zebra foal was born yesterday morning.

- The most exciting piece of news as far as I’m concerned is that the partially off-display aviary between the lions and gorillas (which held surplus Golden Lion Tamarins and Pygmy Marmosets in 2022) now houses two pairs of macaws. They are clearly either Military or Buffon’s Macaws but I couldn’t tell which. Either would be very exciting due to the rarity of both species in Australia!! I have attached a photo for identification purposes; there are a pair of the macaws in the top left (sorry for the terrible image quality, I had to take the photo on my phone - a very old iPhone SE!)


- All the gorillas are now in together after the reintroduction of Kaius and G-Anne. Kaius was almost entirely independent and today seemed much more interested in the visitors than the other gorillas; though yesterday I did observe some interaction between Kaius and Kisane. Didn’t manage to spot G-Anne on the 18th or 23rd, but I did manage to see her at the back of the exhibit today.

- Due to G-Anne being integrated with the rest of the gorilla troop, her former island exhibit now just houses the Wandering Whistling Ducks and Egyptian Geese that used to be mixed with her.

- There are currently 4 Siamangs on display - 2 on each island. In 2022 there were about 7 so three have either gone off display or have left the zoo.

- The former Lar Gibbon island has a pair of Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs.

- The island that had Cotton-top Tamarins in 2022 now has a family of 6 Golden Lion Tamarins.

- I noticed two male Ostriches in the water buffalo paddocks along Tomakin Rd.


Species lost since my last visit in January 2022:

1. Spinifex Hopping Mouse
2. Helmeted Guineafowl
3. Serval
4. Snow Leopard

Species gained since my last visit in January 2022:

1. Caracal
2. Sri Lankan Leopard
3. Koala
4. Quokka (not seen)
5. Dingo
6. Eastern Grey Kangaroo
7. Swamp Wallaby
8. Military/Buffon’s(?) Macaw
9. Spotted Hyena

Overall a net gain of 5 species, with the number of native species doubling since my last visit (there are now 8 native species compared to 4 three years ago).

 

[WhistlingKite24]

They are clearly either Military or Buffon’s Macaws but I couldn’t tell which. Either would be very exciting due to the rarity of both species in Australia!! I have attached a photo for identification purposes (sorry for the terrible image quality, I had to take the photo on my phone - an iPhone SE!)

Wow! That's certainly unexpected for a collection with not many bird species! Melbourne Zoo as far as I know is the only Australian zoo with Buffon's Macaw. Can't think of anywhere with Military Macaws besides some hybrids at Maleny Bird World. Ashmore Palms Holiday Park also have Buffon's Macaw if I am not mistaken.

 

[Zoofan15]

I visited Mogo on the 18th, 23rd and 24th of January. My last visit was in 2022 so a lot has changed.


- Spinifex Hopping Mice are no longer on display. They have been replaced by more Plains Rats.

- There were only two tigers on display - one Sumatran and one hybrid. Does that add up?

- There seem to no longer be free roaming guineafowl.

- Serval are no longer on display and the Caracals are in their old exhibit.

- Due to the fact that the main red panda exhibits are closed for breeding (although the animals are still visible from a distance and I saw three individuals), one red panda has been moved into the Radiated Tortoise exhibit, making for a very odd mix.
View attachment 766490

- The exhibit next door to the tortoises and red panda which I believe used to hold Fennec Foxes (which left in 2021) has a pair of Koalas and signage for Quokka which I did not see.

- When I was there in 2022, there were two Cheetah exhibits next to each other between the otters and kangaroos, one housing a male who had been acquired for breeding. However, he didn’t get on with the resident female and went back to the zoo from whence he came. The exhibit opposite the row of tamarin exhibits now houses a pair of Dingoes.

- Lots of changes in the Animal Feeding Area. In 2022 there was a walkthrough with Kangaroo Island Kangaroos with a large rest area at the back and a side paddock for European Fallow Deer. Now Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Swamp Wallaby have been added to the walkthrough, and the two Dromedary Camels have been moved to the large kangaroo rest area. A smaller area in the main walkthrough has been roped off so that the macropods can get away from both the camels and the visitors. The side paddock now has the two female Ostriches mixed with the deer.

- The reason for the camels and ostriches being added to the feeding area is (I assume) because of the two young giraffe calves. In 2022, the camels and ostriches were mixed with the zebras and the entire Giraffe herd was kept together and without being mixed with any other species. Now the calves are in that exhibit with about 5 adults, and the rest of the herd is mixed with the zebras. The former feeding deck for the camels and ostriches has been closed off.

- A second zebra foal was born yesterday morning.

- The most exciting piece of news as far as I’m concerned is that the partially off-display aviary between the lions and gorillas (which held surplus Golden Lion Tamarins and Pygmy Marmosets in 2022) now houses two pairs of macaws. They are clearly either Military or Buffon’s Macaws but I couldn’t tell which. Either would be very exciting due to the rarity of both species in Australia!! I have attached a photo for identification purposes; there are a pair of the macaws in the top left (sorry for the terrible image quality, I had to take the photo on my phone - a very old iPhone SE!)
View attachment 766491

- All the gorillas are now in together after the reintroduction of Kaius and G-Anne. Kaius was almost entirely independent and today seemed much more interested in the visitors than the other gorillas; though yesterday I did observe some interaction between Kaius and Kisane. Didn’t manage to spot G-Anne on the 18th or 23rd, but I did manage to see her at the back of the exhibit today.

- Due to G-Anne being integrated with the rest of the gorilla troop, her former island exhibit now just houses the Wandering Whistling Ducks and Egyptian Geese that used to be mixed with her.

- There are currently 4 Siamangs on display - 2 on each island. In 2022 there were about 7 so three have either gone off display or have left the zoo.

- The former Lar Gibbon island has a pair of Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs.

- The island that had Cotton-top Tamarins in 2022 now has a family of 6 Golden Lion Tamarins.

- I noticed two male Ostriches in the water buffalo paddocks along Tomakin Rd.


Species lost since my last visit in January 2022:

1. Spinifex Hopping Mouse
2. Helmeted Guineafowl
3. Serval
4. Snow Leopard

Species gained since my last visit in January 2022:

1. Caracal
2. Sri Lankan Leopard
3. Koala
4. Quokka (not seen)
5. Dingo
6. Eastern Grey Kangaroo
7. Swamp Wallaby
8. Military/Buffon’s(?) Macaw
9. Spotted Hyena

Overall a net gain of 5 species, with the number of native species doubling since my last visit (there are now 8 native species compared to 4 three years ago).

Thanks for the update.

Last I heard, Mogo had 3.0 tigers:

1.0 Indra (2010) Lari x Soraya - Sumatran

1.0 Mattai (2010) Lari x Soraya - Sumatran

1.0 Kinwah (2009) Lari x Louise - Generic

I believe all three live seperate, so one of the Sumatran males could have been off display.

Mogo have 3.1 Siamang (mother and three sons):

0.1 Fern (1981)
1.0 Jambi (2002)
1.0 Figaro (2009)
1.0 Koto (2014)

 

[Tiger91]

Wow! That's certainly unexpected for a collection with not many bird species! Melbourne Zoo as far as I know is the only Australian zoo with Buffon's Macaw. Can't think of anywhere with Military Macaws besides some hybrids at Maleny Bird World. Ashmore Palms Holiday Park also have Buffon's Macaw if I am not mistaken.

Id hazard a guess and say by the amount of blue on the rump they are more likely Buffons Macaw, which would make sense as more public displays mentioned have them.
Both are here privately, not sure of actual numbers especially now so many hybrids are occurring.

 

[steveroberts]

@Osedax

Its great your review Osedax, and great to hear an update about Mogo too from visiting, we've had the updates mainly from their social media and our ZC friends sharing of late which is great, but its really great hearing what being there and experiencing the zoo is like at the moment as it is currently.