Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo history

[Zoofan15]

It's possible Melbourne could've constructed the new Bear grotto for them instead of the Brown Bears (all of which were later acquired from other facilities anyway).

That's interesting re. the cubs Auckland was offered. Which zoo offered them?

The Polar bear cubs were offered by the Canadian Commonwealth Games Association. According to a Tiger by the Tail, Auckland Zoo’s director recommended the zoo decline them due to the inadequate facilities and desire to phase the species out.

Subsequently the zoo received a pair of North American porcupine instead, which even on hindsight seems an incredibly underwhelming replacement!

 

[Mark O]

one of old maps from inside this last one here:

Thanks for posting these @steveroberts . The cover of the 1983 first edition Guide Book seems relatively familiar to me, I wonder if we had that when I was a kid.

I went ahead and snagged the 1986 one from eBay. I'll have to wait until I'm in Melbourne again later this year to look through it, but I did get a scan of the map, and the format is as per the 1990 one that Steve posted above. So the cartoon map format of 1983 (and I think 1984) seems like it was pretty short lived

Thanks Steve!

 

[steveroberts]

Thanks for posting these @steveroberts . The cover of the 1983 first edition Guide Book seems relatively familiar to me, I wonder if we had that when I was a kid.

I went ahead and snagged the 1986 one from eBay. I'll have to wait until I'm in Melbourne again later this year to look through it, but I did get a scan of the map, and the format is as per the 1990 one that Steve posted above. So the cartoon map format of 1983 (and I think 1984) seems like it was pretty short lived

Thanks Steve!

Oh no worries Mark O, glad you got the actual thing in print man, will be great to having and for you reading through am positive (am thinking of buying an old Taronga guidebook from there too).

 

[Yoshistar888]

This is a bit more recent history than what is mentioned in this thread but today while listening to the Meerkat keeper talk, the keeper mentioned the reason that the zoo stopped keeping free roaming Indian Peafowl and that is that one of the Peafowl got inside one of the Meerkat enclosures and met its demise from the Meerkats.

 

[Osedax]

This is a bit more recent history than what is mentioned in this thread but today while listening to the Meerkat keeper talk, the keeper mentioned the reason that the zoo stopped keeping free roaming Indian Peafowl and that is that one of the Peafowl got inside one of the Meerkat enclosures and met its demise from the Meerkats.

Interesting that the loss of one individual resulted in the removal of the species from the zoo. Taronga lost three peafowl to accidents in recent years - including one that was caught and eaten by Mary the Sun Bear in full view of the public - and still keeps them free roaming now (though I believe they are phasing them out).

 

[Zoofan15]

This is a bit more recent history than what is mentioned in this thread but today while listening to the Meerkat keeper talk, the keeper mentioned the reason that the zoo stopped keeping free roaming Indian Peafowl and that is that one of the Peafowl got inside one of the Meerkat enclosures and met its demise from the Meerkats.

Interesting that the loss of one individual resulted in the removal of the species from the zoo. Taronga lost three peacocks to accidents in recent years - including one that was caught and eaten by Mary the Sun Bear in full view of the public - and still keeps them free roaming now (though I believe they are phasing them out).

It sounds like it’d be an isolated incident, but I guess they don’t wanna take the risk of it happening again (especially in front of customers).

Wellington Zoo reported that an Indian peafowl was killed by a Brolga, though that was attributed to keeper error (they weren’t supposed to be in together): Stuff

 

[Jambo]

Interesting that the loss of one individual resulted in the removal of the species from the zoo. Taronga lost three peafowl to accidents in recent years - including one that was caught and eaten by Mary the Sun Bear in full view of the public - and still keeps them free roaming now (though I believe they are phasing them out).

Interesting you say this - I actually saw one in the Sun Bear exhibit a few years back. But in that case, Mary was apparently indoors at the time, or at least I missed her during that visit.

 

[Jambo]

This is a bit more recent history than what is mentioned in this thread but today while listening to the Meerkat keeper talk, the keeper mentioned the reason that the zoo stopped keeping free roaming Indian Peafowl and that is that one of the Peafowl got inside one of the Meerkat enclosures and met its demise from the Meerkats.

That's a shame - it's been a long time since Melbourne's had them free roaming but I do remember when they did. They used to be kept in the current Squirrel Monkey enclosure and therefore used to hang out around the Elephant enclosures a lot.

 

[Zoofan15]

That's a shame - it's been a long time since Melbourne's had them free roaming but I do remember when they did. They used to be kept in the current Squirrel Monkey enclosure and therefore used to hang out around the Elephant enclosures a lot.

They’re a popular species with the visitors. Hamilton Zoo has a large flock that invariably travel around as a group. I see them somewhere different every time I go there, including once in the rhino stable:

 

[Jaiden]

I thought I would show everyone this map I found I can say the year it was mad but it is a map of what Melbourne Zoo could look like today

 

[Zoofan15]

I thought I would show everyone this map I found I can say the year it was mad but it is a map of what Melbourne Zoo could look like today View attachment 784806

This is from 1996. Much of it never came to pass (with a few exceptions like the elephant paddocks and the baboon exhibit) but the diverse range of species listed would have made for a phenomenal collection.

 

[steveroberts]

I thought I would show everyone this map I found I can say the year it was mad but it is a map of what Melbourne Zoo could look like today View attachment 784806

Yeah @WhistlingKite24 found that, the concept map Melbourne created in 1996/1997 in hopes for future like Zoofan15 mentioned. Melbourne Zoo would have needed (imo) to be twice the size it is possibly to have actually made it all happen.

 

[Zoofan15]

Melbourne Zoo would have needed (imo) to be twice the size it is possibly to have actually made it all happen.

I agree. The number of species is reminiscent of one of Australia’s main zoos in the 70’s or 80’s, where there was a stamp-collecting mentality to stocking the zoo with as many species as possible.

Public perceptions of animal welfare have only increased and within a decade of this masterplan being released in 1996, Melbourne Zoo began its rampant phase outs - reducing the number of species held to a fraction of what it was at the dawn of the new millennium. This masterplan would have actually seen Melbourne Zoo increase the number of species held, with nearly everything they held in 1996 accommodated in these plans (and more).

 

[austrlain zoo gower]

I recently came across some signage on EBAY possibly from Melbourne Zoo displaying some of there species, thoughts?

 

[Zoofan15]

I recently came across some signage on EBAY possibly from Melbourne Zoo displaying some of there species, thoughts?

View attachment 785326 View attachment 785328

To paraphrase a quote from the Simpsons:

That could have been drawn by any person at any time, there’s no logo or date.

Even assuming it’s genuine, I definitely wouldn’t be spending that amount of money on something I could make myself for a fraction of the cost.

 

[austrlain zoo gower]

Yes’ I would never have brought them for that price it is a rip off!

Obviously it could be fake, but is cool, would pay about $10 for them

 

[MRJ]

Yes’ I would never have brought them for that price it is a rip off!

Obviously it could be fake, but is cool, would pay about $10 for them

I doubt they are fake, quite simply there would not be a market to justify someone going to that trouble. They look real enough to me. Often, prices for stuff like this are "try-ons". If you were interested, you could always make an offer. You never know.

 

[Zoofan15]

Yes’ I would never have brought them for that price it is a rip off!

Obviously it could be fake, but is cool, would pay about $10 for them

If someone had the time or the inclination, they could make an interesting display in their garden with rocks and vegetation depicting the natural habitat of that species, with the signage as the centre piece.

I visited Brooklands Zoo last week and they had a New Zealand fur seal garden, Little blue penguin garden and North Island brown kiwi garden.

New Zealand fur seal garden:



Little blue penguin garden:

 

[steveroberts]

To paraphrase a quote from the Simpsons:

That could have been drawn by any person at any time, there’s no logo or date.

Even assuming it’s genuine, I definitely wouldn’t be spending that amount of money on something I could make myself for a fraction of the cost.

Yeah that price is a complete ripoff, about $10 per sign more what should be worth. Have a feeling they are genuine. But very boring signs, and you're right they could of been made at any time. In this case think they're real (but only worth a fraction of what they're asking, think they'll be up on ebay in perpetuity at that asking price). Surprised anyone wanted to keep those signs after they were taken down (though glad when relics are kept of course); wonder if a staff member asked to keep them or something when the signs were dismantled and thats how someone ended up with now, maybe a relative?

 

[MRJ]

This is a bit more recent history than what is mentioned in this thread but today while listening to the Meerkat keeper talk, the keeper mentioned the reason that the zoo stopped keeping free roaming Indian Peafowl and that is that one of the Peafowl got inside one of the Meerkat enclosures and met its demise from the Meerkats.

Zoos Victoria are very much down on what they call "unnecessary deaths". In fact, they have a committee at corporate level that looks at all deaths not caused by natural causes. Another example is that at Werribee they only keep free-range male guinea fowl, as when they kept females as well, hatchlings were predated on by ravens and other birds, and these were deemed unnecessary deaths.