Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2025

Osedax

Osedax

Well-Known Member
I was at Taronga today and here are the updates.


- There are a couple of new large sculptures around the zoo; a Burmese Python on the path next to CT Tamarins and the lower level of ARCC and a giraffe by the Savannah.

- In lieu of the Sky Safari which is out of action for the foreseeable future, coming soon is a train (the "Taronga Wildlife Express") that will take visitors between two stations: one on the site of the old horseshoe aviaries and the other at the former camel exhibit / Elephant Temple. I am told the only thing holding it up is a small problem with the rechargeable batteries - they don't recharge.

- The Eyelash Vipers are off display and their signage has been removed.

- The kangaroo yard between the Semi-Arid Aviary and the Tasmanian Devil house currently houses two female Red Kangaroos, both with pouch young.

- Double-barred Finch is still present in the Semi-Arid Aviary.

- The four new Freckled ducklings are on display in the Semi-Arid Aviary, but their parents were nowhere to be seen.

- Some (all? surely not) of the Sugarbag Bee hives inside the Semi-Arid Aviary that provided food for the Welcome Swallow and Rainbow Bee-eaters seem to have been removed. I wonder how they are currently feeding these birds.

- The two terraria in the Blue Mountains Bushwalk have been covered up by signage giving information about native cockatoo species. The former Southern Leaf-tailed Gecko terrarium has signage about the Glossy Black Cockatoo and the former Cunningham Skink terrarium, which most recently housed phasmids has signage about the Gang-gang Cockatoo.

- There are in fact animal exhibits in the former camel paddock (now lawn and food stalls). In the back corner there is a small display area for a Short-beaked Echidna which I have been told is rotated with a pair of Elongated Tortoises, and on the table next to the echidna/tortoise exhibit is a setup for Spiny Leaf Insects.

- There seem to be many more Wandering Whistling Ducks in the Wetlands Aviary than there were. I counted 14.
 
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A few things from today.

- Lololi and Kambiri (Pygmy Hippos) were both in the first exhibit near the langurs; Fergus’ old exhibit.

- There are Southern Corroboree Frogs in the ARC! I finally saw one for the first time today.

- As part of my volunteer work at the zoo, I was given the opportunity to meet one of the Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos and thought I’d share the information given by the keepers concerning this species at the zoo as I know @ThylacineAlive was inquiring about them at one point.
A few years ago, 8 Carnaby’s Black Cockatoos arrived at Taronga from Kaarakin Black Cockatoo Conservation Centre in WA. They had originally all been found as chicks in nests that had been abandoned due to logging in the area.
They were hand-raised and release attempts had been made but had failed, so the birds were sent to Taronga. 5 of the cockatoos then went to another facility (not sure where) for breeding purposes, leaving Taronga with 3. They are currently housed off display behind the Free Flight Birds presentation, along with most of the birds used in the presentation and others. They are education animals and are used as part of the ZooSnooz program with schoolchildren.
 
Osedax said:
The four new Freckled ducklings are on display in the Semi-Arid Aviary, but their parents were nowhere to be seen.
Click to expand...

Australian freckled ducklings announced on socials:

Photos show them on exhibit with their mother:

Over the last month, we've had four vulnerable and endemic Australian Speckled Ducklings hatch and join our growing flock.

Like many duck species, the female takes on the primary role in caring for the ducklings, leading them to water after hatching to teach them how to forage for food, whilst the drake (male duck) stays nearby for protect.

There's no need to get up at the quack of dawn to see these adorable little ducklings - waddle in anytime to catch this little flock's swimming and foraging lessons in our aviary next to our Red Roos and Blue Mountains Bushwalk!
 
Jaiden said:
Does anyone know if Taronga zoo still building the Congo precinct?
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@Trua reported in December 2024 that it’s not been scrapped.

It’s unknown what form the precinct will take given that Okapi no longer feature in the plans. Presumably it will still be centred around the Western lowland gorilla, potentially with a bachelor troop supporting the main breeding troop.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Australian freckled ducklings announced on socials:

Photos show them on exhibit with their mother:

Over the last month, we've had four vulnerable and endemic Australian Speckled Ducklings hatch and join our growing flock.

Like many duck species, the female takes on the primary role in caring for the ducklings, leading them to water after hatching to teach them how to forage for food, whilst the drake (male duck) stays nearby for protect.

There's no need to get up at the quack of dawn to see these adorable little ducklings - waddle in anytime to catch this little flock's swimming and foraging lessons in our aviary next to our Red Roos and Blue Mountains Bushwalk!
Click to expand...
Yes, their parents are now with them. They were swimming around today. They're growing up fast and are quickly losing their down.
Jambo said:
I wonder if they have access to both exhibits; like Felix at Melbourne currently does?
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Osedax said:
Possibly. I will check when I am there again on Saturday.
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Today, Kambiri and Lololi were in their usual exhibit next to the otters and the two exhibits did not appear to be connected.
 
Osedax said:
Today, Kambiri and Lololi were in their usual exhibit next to the otters and the two exhibits did not appear to be connected.
Click to expand...
So maybe they're being rotated then. I do know Felix has access to both (via the BOH area) so it could be the same for Kambiri and Lololi.

Eventually both females will have to be separated anyhow. Calves complete weaning at around eight months however some remain with their mothers until they're a few years old.
 
Osedax said:
Yes, their parents are now with them. They were swimming around today. They're growing up fast and are quickly losing their down.


Today, Kambiri and Lololi were in their usual exhibit next to the otters and the two exhibits did not appear to be connected.
Click to expand...
Jambo said:
So maybe they're being rotated then. I do know Felix has access to both (via the BOH area) so it could be the same for Kambiri and Lololi.

Eventually both females will have to be separated anyhow. Calves complete weaning at around eight months however some remain with their mothers until they're a few years old.
Click to expand...

It would be useful to have the capacity to switch the cows between the two Pygmy hippopotamus exhibits. Aside from being enriching, it allows for them to be on exhibit while the other exhibit is undergoing maintenance (especially if any long term/significant upgrades are needed).

Long term, my expectation is one of the females will transfer out (and Taronga to receive a bull); but last I heard, the plan was for both to remain at Taronga for the foreseeable.
 
Zoofan15 said:
@Trua reported in December 2024 that it’s not been scrapped.

It’s unknown what form the precinct will take given that Okapi no longer feature in the plans. Presumably it will still be centred around the Western lowland gorilla, potentially with a bachelor troop supporting the main breeding troop.
Click to expand...
Thank you for this Information. If the zoo does not get the Okapis then hopefully the zoo involves the Bongo and the Pygmy Hippos.
 
Elephants Tang Mo and Pak Boon will be leaving Taronga at the end of March. The females are currently undergoing crate training and the elephants are being familiarised with the leg band 'seat belts' which will secure them during the journey.

Reported on socials.
 
Jaiden said:
Does anyone know if Taronga zoo still building the Congo precinct?
Click to expand...

Zoofan15 said:
@Trua reported in December 2024 that it’s not been scrapped.

It’s unknown what form the precinct will take given that Okapi no longer feature in the plans. Presumably it will still be centred around the Western lowland gorilla, potentially with a bachelor troop supporting the main breeding troop.
Click to expand...

Jaiden said:
Thank you for this Information. If the zoo does not get the Okapis then hopefully the zoo involves the Bongo and the Pygmy Hippos.
Click to expand...
They haven't been scrapped but I would say it's close to it tbh. No real incentive to invest in this complex anymore. No okapis, no mandrills and soon to be no bongos.

If they were to go through with it, my crystal ball tells me it would probably just be new gorilla habitats plus a new habitat for the lemurs..
 
Abbey said:
Elephants Tang Mo and Pak Boon will be leaving Taronga at the end of March. The females are currently undergoing crate training and the elephants are being familiarised with the leg band 'seat belts' which will secure them during the journey.

Reported on socials.
Click to expand...
Woohoo. Both girls are Taronga's two most 'trained' cows so it's no surprise. Tang Mo especially. Pak Boon's very food motivated. Get's her going quite easily
 
Trua said:
They haven't been scrapped but I would say it's close to it tbh. No real incentive to invest in this complex anymore. No okapis, no mandrills and soon to be no bongos.

If they were to go through with it, my crystal ball tells me it would probably just be new gorilla habitats plus a new habitat for the lemurs..
Click to expand...
There is absolutely nothing stopping Taronga importing Bongo and if the zoo does build an African rainforest it's going to be very disappointing if they only have the one or two species included!
 
Trua said:
Woohoo. Both girls are Taronga's two most 'trained' cows so it's no surprise. Tang Mo especially. Pak Boon's very food motivated. Get's her going quite easily
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Pak Boon’s strong food motivation certainly came across on my visits, where she was repeatedly displacing Tang Mo from food items.
Trua said:
It would be, but it's better than nothing. The gorillas do especially need new digs
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Fully agree. Western lowland gorilla are a massive drawcard and two modernised exhibits to house a breeding troop and a bachelor troop would make for a world class precinct. Any additional species such as lemurs or colobus would be a bonus.

With the adolescent males now at dispersal age, it would be beneficial to not have to manage them separately from the troop in the current exhibit for too long.
 
Zoofan15 said:
With the adolescent males well now at dispersal age, it would be beneficial to not have to manage them separately from the troop in the current exhibit for too long.
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I'm surprised they have managed to last this long. I do wonder whether the lack of babies within the group may have anything to do with this.

Taronga may look to hold the boys in the second enclosure when that day comes, but this wouldn't be a long term solution.
 
Trua said:
I'm surprised they have managed to last this long. I do wonder whether the lack of babies within the group may have anything to do with this.

Taronga may look to hold the boys in the second enclosure when that day comes, but this wouldn't be a long term solution.
Click to expand...

I would additionally add that the females in Kibale’s troop are more settled than Kibabu’s females. The strong mother-daughter bond between Mouila and Kriba placed Frala on the outside and this translated to their respective offspring. The main tension was between Kibabu and Fataki; but Fataki would also hit Mouila and then Frala would take the opportunity to get a hit in.

While Mbeli is Kibale’s favourite female, each adult female has no strong ties to each other. The three adolescent males get on well and spent the majority of their time together on my visits away from the main troop, but also returned to interact with the others periodically.

The smaller exhibit was previously used to manage Haoko and Shabani for a short period of time; as well as Kibale and Kimya, who were briefly paired up in the early 2010’s.
 
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