Sydney Zoo Sydney Zoo News 2025

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Chimpanzee Transfers Completed

Leakey and her daughter Mzuri have now arrived from Rockhampton Zoo and are settling in well.

Sile transferred to Rockhampton Zoo in late December.

Sydney Zoo’s chimpanzee population therefore stands at 4.5 chimpanzees:

1.0 Fritz (26/03/1982) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2019
1.0n Timmy (09/11/1991) Unknown x Cindy; Imported 2019
1.0n Charli (29/04/1994) Tommy x Cindy; Imported 2019
1.0n Mani (04/06/2000) Unknown x Cindy; Imported 2019

0.1 Babsi (10/09/1984) Tommy x Chita; Imported 2019
0.1 Julchen (14/04/1985) Unknown x Unknown; Imported 2019
0.1 Leakey (30/12/1994) Chuck x Lilli; Imported 2015
0.1 Mary (18/12/2002) Unknown x Mzde; Imported 2019
0.1 Mzuri (08/12/2021) Alon x Leakey

n = neutered
 
Capybara Update

3.0 Capybara have transferred to Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 Salvador (08/03/2024) Sanchez x Alina
1.0 Iago (15/05/2024) Sanchez x Zoey
1.0 Iguazu (15/05/2024) Sanchez x Zoey

Reported on Adelaide Zoo’s socials.

This leaves Sydney Zoo with 1.3 Capybara:

1.0 Sanchez (26/10/2018)
0.1 Alina (01/03/2018)
0.1 Zoey (17/09/2022)
0.1 Iapa (15/03/2024) Sanchez x Zoey
 
Hopefully Iapa is Melbourne bound soon *fingers crossed*

Sydney Zoo may retain Iapa (on contraception) to build up numbers in their herd. Auckland and Wellington both did this and previously held large herds.

Altina Wildlife Park’s breeding pair have had a succession of offspring - the latest being 2.1 born 20/10/2024. The arrival of a new breeding male in November 2024 suggests the young males (Toohey and Bundy) will be surplus (and possibly their father) and therefore good candidates for Melbourne Zoo. At least one of their older brothers (Rum) lives with the herd too (it’s unclear whether the other brothers Jack and Daniels do too; or have been separated out). Transferring these males out would allow Altina to focus on breeding Rodney with any of their remaining females (mother and four daughters).
 
A baby Ring-tailed lemur has been born at the zoo, a male named Zakou. DOB and parents TBA at this stage, although I'm pretty sure the baby was born late last year.

Reported on socials (and in the zoo's current television advertising campaign).
 
A baby Ring-tailed lemur has been born at the zoo, a male named Zakou. DOB and parents TBA at this stage, although I'm pretty sure the baby was born late last year.

Reported on socials (and in the zoo's current television advertising campaign).

The infant looks to be at least three months old, possibly four months old in my opinion, so I’d guess he was born circa September 2024.

Adults are:

1.0 Bruce (2011) Chaos x Harena - born at Hamilton Zoo
1.0 Garth (2011) Chaos x Noelle - born at Hamilton Zoo
0.1 Mimi (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Anja (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Zarah (2017) - born at Toledo Zoo

BTW, this appears to be the first birth of this species at Sydney Zoo.
 
A baby Ring-tailed lemur has been born at the zoo, a male named Zakou. DOB and parents TBA at this stage, although I'm pretty sure the baby was born late last year.

Reported on socials (and in the zoo's current television advertising campaign).

The infant looks to be at least three months old, possibly four months old in my opinion, so I’d guess he was born circa September 2024.

Adults are:

1.0 Bruce (2011) Chaos x Harena - born at Hamilton Zoo
1.0 Garth (2011) Chaos x Noelle - born at Hamilton Zoo
0.1 Mimi (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Anja (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Zarah (2017) - born at Toledo Zoo

BTW, this appears to be the first birth of this species at Sydney Zoo.
It would indeed be the first birth; the five adults only arrived eighteen months ago.

I'd also assume mum would be Zarah too - looking at the youngsters name.
 
The infant looks to be at least three months old, possibly four months old in my opinion, so I’d guess he was born circa September 2024.

Adults are:

1.0 Bruce (2011) Chaos x Harena - born at Hamilton Zoo
1.0 Garth (2011) Chaos x Noelle - born at Hamilton Zoo
0.1 Mimi (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Anja (2016) - born at Toledo Zoo
0.1 Zarah (2017) - born at Toledo Zoo

BTW, this appears to be the first birth of this species at Sydney Zoo.

Hopefully some new genetics for our zoos to use as well, with the mother coming from Toledo zoo stock.
 
It also seems like there has been another capybara litter born at the zoo based on images on socials, although I'm not sure when the babies were born, or exactly how many.

Yes, there has been a recent Capybara birth.

I just found this article, which I can’t read because of the paywall, but begins:

The population of Sydney Zoo is growing in numbers and cuteness as the lemurs, meerkats, squirrel monkeys and capybaras welcome new additions.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-zoo-baby-boom-welcomes-lemur-meerkats-and-capybaras/news-story/3978be5b03ae749f252919b8b27131b5&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE

Combined with the baboon infant and hyena twins we saw on our November visit; as well as the arrival of three year old chimpanzee Mzuri and the Sydney Zoo is certainly bustling with youngsters.

On socials, I saw three pups. They’re precocious from birth, so it’s difficult to estimate age, but based on their size relative to their mother, I’d guess mid to late December 2024.
 
It also seems like there has been another capybara litter born at the zoo based on images on socials, although I'm not sure when the babies were born, or exactly how many.
Yes, there has been a recent Capybara birth.

I just found this article, which I can’t read because of the paywall, but begins:

The population of Sydney Zoo is growing in numbers and cuteness as the lemurs, meerkats, squirrel monkeys and capybaras welcome new additions.

https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=DTWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/sydney-zoo-baby-boom-welcomes-lemur-meerkats-and-capybaras/news-story/3978be5b03ae749f252919b8b27131b5&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=GROUPA-Segment-1-NOSCORE

Combined with the baboon infant and hyena twins we saw on our November visit; as well as the arrival of three year old chimpanzee Mzuri and the Sydney Zoo is certainly bustling with youngsters.

On socials, I saw three pups. They’re precocious from birth, so it’s difficult to estimate age, but based on their size relative to their mother, I’d guess mid to late December 2024.

As a follow up, the socials post from today shows a group of six Capybara pups, followed by a second picture of a pair. Presumably six is the grand total (not eight), though litters of six are certainly possible - with Wellington’s first litter totalling seven pups; and it’s entirely possible both females have bred.

The reel also shows Koala joeys that have recently emerged from the pouch.
 
A few updates from today's visit (this will almost certainly my only visit in 2025, as I will be prioritising Featherdale this year.)


- A flock of Helmeted Guineafowl has been added to the mixed savannah exhibit. There are now 6 species in the exhibit (giraffe, zebra, ostrich, nyala, white rhino and now guineafowl)!

- There is now a Gidgee Skink in with the Black-headed Monitor in the reptile house. Great to see this species return to the zoo.

- Woma Python is no longer on display, with the Northern Spiny-tailed Gecko in its former exhibit, leaving the Centralian Knob-tailed Gecko alone in its exhibit.

- There appear to be a couple of new cichlid species in the aquarium but the electronic signage wasn't working today so I don't know what they are.

- @Zoofan15 I counted the baboons for you, but I only saw 10 - one adult (maned) male, roughly 6 adolescent males and 3 females.
 
@Zoofan15 I counted the baboons for you, but I only saw 10 - one adult (maned) male, roughly 6 adolescent males and 3 females.

Thanks for counting the baboons, I appreciate it. The births since the arrival of the troop have been mostly female, so I’m wondering if there’s any possibility the adolescent males are in fact castrated founder males, which would look similar in appearance (basically large females, without the cape seen on intact adult males).

That would additionally explain why the large number of founder males appears to have been reduced to one (I also only saw one adult/intact male on my visit in November). I’m otherwise only aware of one male transferring out (to Darling Downs Zoo).
 
Nepalese red panda update:

Male red panda Pindhu has transferred to Zambi Wildlife Retreat:

1.0 Pindhu (24/12/2016) Pabu x Kesari

This leaves Sydney Zoo with an elderly female red panda:

0.1 Tashi (14/12/2013) Tenzin x Eilish
I'm fairly sure a new male has arrived (or will be arriving soon). I'm awaiting confirmation from the zoo themselves, but Taronga and Altina both have/had male cubs who have reached dispersal age.
 
Chimpanzee update:

Following their arrival from Rockhampton Zoo in December, Leakey and Mzuri have been successfully introduced to the zoo’s seven chimpanzees (including the alpha male) and will be on exhibit soon:

1.0 Fritz (26/03/1982) Imported 2019
1.0n Timmy (09/11/1991) Imported 2019
1.0n Charli (29/04/1994) Imported 2019
1.0n Mani (04/06/2000) Imported 2019

0.1 Babsi (10/09/1984) Imported 2019
0.1 Julchen (14/04/1985) Imported 2019
0.1 Leakey (30/12/1994) Imported 2015
0.1 Mary (18/12/2002) Imported 2019
0.1 Mzuri (08/12/2021) Alon x Leakey
 
Back
Top