Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2025

[Osedax]

Updates from yesterday's visit:


- Tarni (Australian Sea Lion) and her pup are on display in Seal Cove. They were very active throughout the whole day.

- At least one Wandering Whistling duckling has recently hatched in the Wetlands Aviary.

- The Moore Park / Circular Aviary currently houses at least two Cotton-top Tamarins.

- Ooma the Bush Stone Curlew now features in the Free Flight Birds presentation, as the audience is educated about the importance of keeping pet cats indoors at night.

- The Rusty Desert Monitor / Eastern Pilbara Spiny-tailed Skink exhibit in the ARC now houses a pair of Central Netted Dragons, though the monitor and skink are still signed. I didn't see either however, so they might have just not updated the signage.

- The Fijian Crested Iguanas in the ARC have been removed from their exhibit and the pool has been drained.

- A lone Greater Bilby has been added to the Yellow-bellied Glider exhibit in Nguwing Nura. Not sure whether the Rufous Bettong and Short-beaked Echidnas formerly in that exhibit are still present, though the bettong is still signed.

- Following the export of 2 pairs of Macleay's Fig Parrots to Singapore, I was concerned that the species may have left the zoo. Fortunately, however, I can confirm that at least one pair remain in the Australian Rainforest Aviary.

 

[Anon]

The Rusty Desert Monitor / Eastern Pilbara Spiny-tailed Skink exhibit in the ARC now houses a pair of Central Netted Dragons, though the monitor and skink are still signed. I didn't see either however, so they might have just not updated the signage.

Skinks are still in there, can't confirm for the monitor

 

[Astrobird]

How could they have exported native fig parrots to Singapore? And more so, why would they when theres so few in captivity?

 

[Erocco W]

Unsure if this counts as news but upon my recent visit a reliable Zoo friend let me know that Taronga was dedicating much time to importation of Pygmy Hippos.

I was also very pleased to see the new reptile house albeit some enclosures quite dirty.

 

[Zoofan15]

Unsure if this counts as news but upon my recent visit a reliable Zoo friend let me know that Taronga was dedicating much time to importation of Pygmy Hippos.

That’s interesting to hear. The zoo currently have two females and are planning to build a new exhibit long term, so the import may tie in with that.

Otherwise one of the females (Kambiri or Lololi) will need to transfer out ahead of the arrival of a male as the zoo currently only have two exhibits.

 

[Jaiden]

Hi for the last month I have been wondering why did Taronga Zoo phase out there Camels? And also is the train and Pit stop lawn temporary? If anyone can answer these questions I would really appreciate it

 

[Zoofan15]

Hi for the last month I have been wondering why did Taronga Zoo phase out there Camels? And also is the train and Pit stop lawn temporary? If anyone can answer these questions I would really appreciate it

One of the camels (Ras) was euthansied due to medical issues and so the remaining camel (Storm) was returned to Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

It’s my understanding the train etc. are a temporary addition until the SkySafari is up and running. This had run into some challenges (opposition from locals), so there’s no fixed timeline per se.

 

[Tiger91]

How could they have exported native fig parrots to Singapore? And more so, why would they when theres so few in captivity?

Possibly they have had luck breeding them and have some numbers of display. Singapore is a zoo with close bonds to taronga. It wouldn't surprise me to see if they did it in good faith to keep the bond between zoos going.

 

[Zoofan15]

Possibly they have had luck breeding them and have some numbers of display. Singapore is a zoo with close bonds to taronga. It wouldn't surprise me to see if they did it in good faith to keep the bond between zoos going.

As another example, Taronga exported an Andean condor to the US in the 2010’s. She was surplus to our population (we had 1.3 young birds) and was assessed to be of greater value to their population, where she would have an opportunity to breed.

 

[Jambo]

Possibly they have had luck breeding them and have some numbers of display. Singapore is a zoo with close bonds to taronga. It wouldn't surprise me to see if they did it in good faith to keep the bond between zoos going.

Singapore specifically operates as a sub-region to our 'region' so effectively a lot of their breeding programs are inter-linked with ours.

 

[Zoofan15]

Singapore specifically operates as a sub-region to our 'region' so effectively a lot of their breeding programs are inter-linked with ours.

In fact, the ZAA has only one international member, which is of course Mandai Wildlife Group (Singapore). Australasian zoos have participated in countless exchanges with Singapore Zoo/Singapore Zoo Night Safari.

 

[Tiger91]

Singapore specifically operates as a sub-region to our 'region' so effectively a lot of their breeding programs are inter-linked with ours.

That's a nice setup, I didn't realise we were that linked which is good. They sort of act like a nice little gateway for asian species imports.

Macleays fig parrots were held in captivity. If taronga's source population comes from a breeder with decent numbers. They may have felt they could easily acquire some should they need/want to.

 

[Jambo]

That's a nice setup, I didn't realise we were that linked which is good. They sort of act like a nice little gateway for asian species imports.

Macleays fig parrots were held in captivity. If taronga's source population comes from a breeder with decent numbers. They may have felt they could easily acquire some should they need/want to.

Mandai also recently opened two new parks - Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Asia. If I was to speculate, the pairs of the Macleay's Fig Parrots may have gone to the former, and of course Taronga's bachelor male Francois Langur's who were sent across to Singapore a few years ago finally went on display recently at the latter facility.

Overall it is really good to have an additional sub region operating in conjunction with ours. They've been able to supply us with a lot of valuable founders for a variety of species over the last few decades; Bongo, Hyena, Baboons, Short Clawed Otters just to name a few.

 

[Zoofan15]

That's a nice setup, I didn't realise we were that linked which is good. They sort of act like a nice little gateway for asian species imports.

Macleays fig parrots were held in captivity. If taronga's source population comes from a breeder with decent numbers. They may have felt they could easily acquire some should they need/want to.

Singapore is also on the list of approved countries for many of our recent IRA’s including bovids, hippopotamus etc.

 

[Tiger91]

Mandai also recently opened two new parks - Bird Paradise and Rainforest Wild Asia. If I was to speculate, the pairs of the Macleay's Fig Parrots may have gone to the former, and of course Taronga's bachelor male Francois Langur's who were sent across to Singapore a few years ago finally went on display recently at the latter facility.

Overall it is really good to have an additional sub region operating in conjunction with ours. They've been able to supply us with a lot of valuable founders for a variety of species over the last few decades; Bongo, Hyena, Baboons, Short Clawed Otters just to name a few.

It would be good to see if we can get some new langurs of them. Taronga will eventually need new ones and hopefully the region will get new holders.

 

[Zoofan15]

It would be good to see if we can get some new langurs of them. Taronga will eventually need new ones and hopefully the region will get new holders.

Taronga could already benefit from some new Francois langurs. The females are getting on in years and neither of the young males are unrelated to all the females in the troop:

Ngai could breed with Meili and Elke

Manchu could breed with Noel and Elke

Neither Ngai or Manchu can breed with Embe

It’s disappointing that there’s only two holders of this species regionally.

 

[Jambo]

It would be good to see if we can get some new langurs of them. Taronga will eventually need new ones and hopefully the region will get new holders.

The only Francois Langurs Mandai have are the young males from Taronga.

 

[Zoofan15]

The only Francois Langurs Mandai have are the young males from Taronga.

That would be these five males: Bobo, Nangua, Jing, Minh and Didi. They were exported by Taronga Zoo in 2022.

I previously compiled this history of the species in the region:

Spoiler: Taronga Zoo’s Francois Langurs

Complete History of Francois Langur at Taronga Zoo (2004-2022)

Hanoi and Saigon were imported from Nagoya Zoo in 2004 and produced their first offspring (0.1 Elke) in 2009, followed by the second (1.0 Gan Ju) in 2010 - who died a few weeks later.

Bobo and Meili were imported from Beijing Zoo in 2010 and were split, with Meili joining Hanoi and Saigon; and Bobo joining Elke. In 2011, Saigon gave birth to her third infant (1.0 Keo-co) and Meili gave birth to her first infant (1.0 Tam Dao).

Noel was imported from Blijdorp Zoo 12/11/2012.

Hanoi was exported to Belfast Zoo 17/04/2013.

Saigon gave birth to her fourth infant (0.1 Nuoc) in 2013, who died shortly after her reintegration into the troop. Saigon was exported to Howletts Zoo 30/04/2014.

Meili gave birth to her second infant (1.0 Nangua) in 2015; while Noel gave birth to her first infant (0.1 Embe in 2016). They lived in a troop with Bobo (sire of both infants) and Elke.

Keo-co and Tam Dao were housed off display, ahead of transferring to the National Zoo.

Meili subsequently produced three more infants (1.0 Jing in 2017, 1.0 Minh in 2018 and 1.0 Manchu in 2021); while Noel produced two infants (1.0 Didi in 2018 and 1.0 Ngai in 2019).

Bobo, Nangua, Jing, Minh and Didi were exported to Singapore Zoo in 2022, leaving the zoo with 2.4: Meili, Noel, Elke, Embe, Ngai and Manchu.

 

[Tiger91]

The only Francois Langurs Mandai have are the young males from Taronga.

Yes, but I wonder if they would be able to source more Francois langur from home ranges or other south East Asian zoos that we could then import.

Though it may be easier for us to import from the US as they have a small population of them.

 

[Tiger91]

That would be these five males: Bobo, Nangua, Jing, Minh and Didi. They were exported by Taronga Zoo in 2022.

I previously compiled this history of the species in the region:

Hopefully Adelaide will acquire them once there langurs pass.