austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
Who confirmed this you this. Surly the zoo what have confirmed there plans for the trail much earlier. As such they have already been making changes to TOTE, ie clearing out banana plantains, butterfly garden
Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2025
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Who confirmed this you this. Surly the zoo what have confirmed there plans for the trail much earlier. As such they have already been making changes to TOTE, ie clearing out banana plantains, butterfly garden
I emailed someone from the zoo directly a few weeks back and they've only responded this morning.
Those changes you mention are only minor changes to keep the surrounding area engaging in the mean time - the elephant trail itself will remain closed until these larger changes are made. This could take a while due to a multitude of reasons. That is what I was told.
South american precint with tapir, anteater and sloth. Im calling it now ahaha.
ETA': Id rather the orang exapansion. But a new precinct with new species, especially if they throw in some macaws and other SA birds, capybara etc would be different and a crowd puller.
ETA': Id rather the orang exapansion. But a new precinct with new species, especially if they throw in some macaws and other SA birds, capybara etc would be different and a crowd puller.
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The Giant anteater and sloth seem more likely than ever with the IRA hopefully completed in the coming years. I can certainly see sloths coming to Melbourne, but possibly in the Treetops sub-precinct, which would be well suited to their aboreal nature.
Brazilian tapir of course would be perfect for the bull elephant paddock; allowing ample room for an orangutan expansion.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Still think that would be better suited to Growing Wild, but I am sure you are right.
I would love nothing more than to see Growing Wild completely redeveloped, but as a relatively new precinct; financially speaking, it wouldn’t be justifiable when there’s so many priority precincts.
Melbourne Zoo has just announced on socials the tragic and unexpected death of their 20-year-old female gorilla, Kimya. This is especially tragic just after the joyous news of Kimya's niece/nephew at Mogo, which was released just yesterday.
Link to announcement: Zoos Victoria on Instagram: "Melbourne Zoo is devastated to announce the sudden passing of 20-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla, Kimya. Kimya passed away unexpectedly this morning, and vets are undertaking a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Kimya arrived at Melbourne Zoo from Taronga Conservation Society in 2013 and quickly bonded with 24-year-old male, Otana. In 2015, they became parents to Kanzi, the first gorilla born at Melbourne Zoo in 15 years. Melbourne Zoo's primate keeping team remember Kimya as intelligent, observant and independent. She was a loving mother, who gently showed Kanzi all the skills she needed as a gorilla, whilst reminding visitors of the plight facing her species in the wild through campaigns such as They're Calling On You. A firm favourite of members and visitors to Melbourne Zoo, our thoughts are with the whole team, and in particular her dedicated keepers, many of whom worked with Kimya for over a decade. We encourage you to share your own memories of Kimya below, as we remember the special gorilla that touched our hearts."
I know many of us have speculated regarding the future of Melbourne's gorilla troop. With the troop reduced to 1.1 - the silverback, Otana, and Kimya's daughter, Kanzi, who will be turning 10 shortly, I suppose we will sadly find out the answer sooner rather than later.
Vale Kimya.
Link to announcement: Zoos Victoria on Instagram: "Melbourne Zoo is devastated to announce the sudden passing of 20-year-old Western Lowland Gorilla, Kimya. Kimya passed away unexpectedly this morning, and vets are undertaking a necropsy to determine the cause of death. Kimya arrived at Melbourne Zoo from Taronga Conservation Society in 2013 and quickly bonded with 24-year-old male, Otana. In 2015, they became parents to Kanzi, the first gorilla born at Melbourne Zoo in 15 years. Melbourne Zoo's primate keeping team remember Kimya as intelligent, observant and independent. She was a loving mother, who gently showed Kanzi all the skills she needed as a gorilla, whilst reminding visitors of the plight facing her species in the wild through campaigns such as They're Calling On You. A firm favourite of members and visitors to Melbourne Zoo, our thoughts are with the whole team, and in particular her dedicated keepers, many of whom worked with Kimya for over a decade. We encourage you to share your own memories of Kimya below, as we remember the special gorilla that touched our hearts."
I know many of us have speculated regarding the future of Melbourne's gorilla troop. With the troop reduced to 1.1 - the silverback, Otana, and Kimya's daughter, Kanzi, who will be turning 10 shortly, I suppose we will sadly find out the answer sooner rather than later.
Vale Kimya.
Oh no, absolutely terrible news.
Quite ironic actually considering we were just discussing the future of Melbourne's gorillas just last night. Like you say, a direction will now absolutely have to be chosen with retaining the current father and daughter as a pair probably not being a viable option long term.
Although she wasn't the most active and interactive gorilla, it was also nice to pass by and watch her. Often sitting at her favourite spot at the top of the hill, eating. She always kept to herself but I noticed she always supported both Yuska and Kanzi in times of need. I'm hoping Kanzi is doing okay; this would be a difficult time for her especially.
Such a tough loss in general. Very tragic to lose another gorilla so young; Kimya recently turned 20 last month. And for the region who's lost yet another breeding female.
My thoughts are with her team and those who knew her well. May she rest in peace.
Devastating news and a great loss of a lynch-pin member of the troop given she was she mother of Kanzi, who now remains as the only female gorilla at Melbourne Zoo.
From a welfare perspective, this requires urgent action to provide Kanzi with additional females as is the natural social order. Unless one of Taronga’s females is to move across (highly unlikely), the only option is to import from overseas.
Taronga’s keepers commented at the time of her birth that Kimya was the prettiest infant they’d seen and she certainly grew into an attractive young adult. How sad to lose her in her prime.
Extremely sad news indeed. But how could a major zoo let one of its major drawcards get to this point?, it does not just happen over night?Oh no, absolutely terrible news.
Quite ironic actually considering we were just discussing the future of Melbourne's gorillas just last night. Like you say, a direction will now absolutely have to be chosen with retaining the current father and daughter as a pair probably not being a viable option long term.
Although she wasn't the most active and interactive gorilla, it was also nice to pass by and watch her. Often sitting at her favourite spot at the top of the hill, eating. She always kept to herself but I noticed she always supported both Yuska and Kanzi in times of need. I'm hoping Kanzi is doing okay; this would be a difficult time for her especially.
Such a tough loss in general. Very tragic to lose another gorilla so young; Kimya recently turned 20 last month. And for the region who's lost yet another breeding female.
My thoughts are with her team and those who knew her well. May she rest in peace.
austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
I am heartbroken by this announcement
rest in peace Kimya.
I will be interested to see what happen to the troop, kanzi will most certainly not be able to live with just otana
rest in peace Kimya.
I will be interested to see what happen to the troop, kanzi will most certainly not be able to live with just otana
In more positive news, Melbourne Zoo have acquired Luzon Bleeding Heart Doves which are being displayed in one of the aviaries in Forest of Wonder (TOTE). First revealed as a members only news article on the Zoos Website but has now made it to mainstream media.
Vale Kimya
Vale Kimya
Via the initial article to members, Melbourne have three of these guys on display. It looks like they're on display in the second smaller aviary to the left of the path following the Tiger exhibit.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
I'm not too well versed on the regions gorilla population so sorry if I make any mistakes or assumptions. But is it possible that Kimya could have passed from internal injuries sustained from a violent interaction with Otana? Would the Zoo even admit publicly that Otana has killed yet another female? If so Kanzi would be in danger currently. I know Kimya was his favourite female but he still has a history.
If so is it possible they would split Otana from Kanzi? Would he live in isolation?
These are all assumptions, and it's just odd given the abrupt nature of her death. I am most likely in the wrong but it's just a thought.
Fair enough to assume this, however I wouldn't jump at conclusions just yet until we get concrete answers! Especially as we're on a public forum and we don't know who's reading our posts.
I would hope that in the very rare event such an accident has occurred, that they would make this publicly known. At least it would provide justification for potentially keeping Otana by himself and provide reasoning for separating him from his daughter.
Hopefully we have some answers asap but we have to remember it's a difficult time for Melbourne Zoo as a whole and they'll surely let us know when the time is right.
austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
It is possible @Swanson02 .
The Zoo would obviously wouldn’t want to share. It does seem unlikely, but certainly a possibility.
It seems likely to be a quick and sudden event, heart, blood or possibly brain related.
It is extremely rare for a young healthy female to pass without a medical history
The Zoo would obviously wouldn’t want to share. It does seem unlikely, but certainly a possibility.
It seems likely to be a quick and sudden event, heart, blood or possibly brain related.
It is extremely rare for a young healthy female to pass without a medical history
Well, to be fair none of us have any idea of her medical history so we can't say for sure.
To be honest I’d be surprised. The fatal attack on Julia was primarily a combination of Otana’s stress about crowds surrounding Kimya and the newborn; in addition to Julia’s inability to recognise Otana’s warnings to give mother and baby some space.
Females have unfortunately died at similar ages to Kimya overseas, including Safiri (full sister to Kimya) who died at 24 years old. The cause of her death was: died during anesthesia looking at idiopathic epilepsy.
I’m hopeful the post mortem results will be revealed in time and in my opinion, will most likely reveal an underlying medical condition.
Presumably IF an import was made, it would be from Europe as Australian gorillas are part of/affiliated with, the EEP. Off hand I can think of pairs of females at both Blackpool (UK) and Rotterdam(Netherlands) which really need transfers. Blackpool have two halfsisters Meisie and Moanda aged 14 & 12, still living in their natal group. (I don't understand why they have not been moved earlier when most other young females e.g. at Bristol Zoo seem to get transferred when they reach around nine years old). Rotterdam on the other hand are going out of gorillas completely and in the process of disbanding their group. They now have only two females (mother and daughter,Ayana and Aya) left, together with a two/three year old male baby. So transferring them into another group becomes problematic while he is young.
Of course, no telling what will happen but in the realms of possibilities those are two examples.
It sounds like Meisie and Moanda would be ideal candidates for Melbourne Zoo. Being half-sisters that have grown up together in the same natal troop, they’d be quick to support each other against Otana if required.
I see their respective dams are the daughters of three wild born Apenheul gorillas - Bongo (sire of Kriba and Frala); and females Dalila and Lobo. I see Dalila spent time in Kibabu’s troop, producing a daughter with him in 1993, who died at six months of age. For some reason she then moved almost immediately into Bongo’s troop, producing a baby with him in 1994. Not sure of the reason for that change - unless in was in anticipation of the 1996 export (i.e. Taronga didn’t want 1.4 adults).