Werribee Open Range Zoo Werribee Open Range Zoo News 2025

Zorro said:
Full marks to ZoosVic that they engaged some of the top overseas elephant experts for their input!
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Absolutely agree; and all of that hard work to gaining the valuable insight has paid off quite well when you consider the size of the whole complex and the innovative designs and concepts that have been conceived as a result.

It's one of the first times worldwide where designers have put elephant husbandry before everything else - and it's quite obvious to see how this has subsequently enhanced the elephants daily lives giving them the opportunity and freedom to do as they chose and act like they would in the wild.
 
Jambo said:
Absolutely agree; and all of that hard work to gaining the valuable insight has paid off quite well when you consider the size of the whole complex and the innovative designs and concepts that have been conceived as a result.

It's one of the first times worldwide where designers have put elephant husbandry before everything else - and it's quite obvious to see how this has subsequently enhanced the elephants daily lives giving them the opportunity and freedom to do as they chose and act like they would in the wild.
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This is the beauty of it while at the Melbourne zoo they were in a paddock like it or not ,but now they can choose any where they want to go whenever they want to something they could never have had before. I also like the idea of the now hands off approach let themselves sort themselves out like they do in the wild that's got to be so much better for them. Without sounding negative I wish now they could turn this success now towards building something for the Gorillas, now they have dwindled now to just two animals them let do the same now for Gorillas they have shown how they got it so right for elephants now get it right for Gorillas especially now they have a lot of extra room now the elephants have vacated!
 
Zoofan15 said:
It was the largest single transfer of elephants between two Australasian zoos in the history of the region. Approximately two years of crate training certainly paid off!
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To myself the design and size of the new elephant exhibit/complex is the outstanding winner add the excellent staff they have its a wonderful outlook for them into the future!
 
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Zorro said:
To myself the design and size of the new elephant exhibit/complex is the outstanding winner add the excellent staff they have its a wonderful outlook for them into the future!
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I agree. This may be the first time an exhibit has been built with the intention of it remaining fit for purpose for in excess of 100 years (even if it’s not the first exhibit in the region to do so).
 
Zoopat18 said:
do you think they should add other species to the elephants enclosure such as Indian rhinoceros, Asian tapir, Asian water buffalo, sambar deer, gaur obviously this is years and years away but the idea of a complete habitat of that size really interests me
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They have long term plans to add Indian antelope to the complex; but otherwise the exhibit space (consisting of multiple paddocks) will be used to allow the elephants options of how to spend their day i.e. choosing what paddocks to go into and when.
 
Zorro said:
The one thing I have not read here so far is if the new elephant complex has a weigh bridge or scales to keep track of the elephants weight?, or for that matter Monarto zoo?.
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That’s a good point. Werribee Open Range Zoo definitely would have as they had one at Melbourne Zoo to weigh their elephants.

Weights of the elephants prior to transfer:

1.0 Luk Chai (2009) - 4280kg
0.1 Mek Kepah (1973) - 3390kg
0.1 Dokkoon (1993) - 2870kg
0.1 Kulab (2000) - 3840kg
0.1 Num-Oi (2001) - 3310kg
0.1 Mali (2010) - 2350kg
0.1 Aiyara (2022) - 890kg
1.0 Roi-Yim (2022) - 890kg
0.1 Kati (2023) - 890kg
 
Zoofan15 said:
That’s a good point. Werribee Open Range Zoo definitely would have as they had one at Melbourne Zoo to weigh their elephants.

Weights of the elephants prior to transfer:

1.0 Luk Chai (2009) - 4280kg
0.1 Mek Kepah (1973) - 3390kg
0.1 Dokkoon (1993) - 2870kg
0.1 Kulab (2000) - 3840kg
0.1 Num-Oi (2001) - 3310kg
0.1 Mali (2010) - 2350kg
0.1 Aiyara (2022) - 890kg
1.0 Roi-Yim (2022) - 890kg
0.1 Kati (2023) - 890kg
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I am wondering if the weight of the 3 calfs are a guess what's the chance of them all being exactly the same weight?
 
Zorro said:
I am wondering if the weight of the 3 calfs are a guess what's the chance of them all being exactly the same weight?
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I thought the same that it might be an estimation for the calves. It would indeed be an incredible coincidence for all three to be within 1kg of each other. The training of the calves likely needs to be refined to the point they can reliably stand still on the scales like the adults.

Roi-Yim would be the heaviest now, with him and Aiyara larger than Kati. Given the size of Dokkoon (mother of Aiyara) and Num-Oi (mother of Kati), it would come as no surprise to see Kati overtake her half-sibling within the next year or so.
 
Bison update:

A male Bison named Lakota has gone on display, joining the zoo’s herd of 11 females. He had previously been held off display with his elderly father, who has recently died.

Due to sufficient genetic representation of his line, Lakota will not be breeding; but rather has been introduced to the cows for social/welfare reasons.

Bison enters public life | Wyndham
 
Zoofan15 said:
I thought the same that it might be an estimation for the calves. It would indeed be an incredible coincidence for all three to be within 1kg of each other. The training of the calves likely needs to be refined to the point they can reliably stand still on the scales like the adults.

Roi-Yim would be the heaviest now, with him and Aiyara larger than Kati. Given the size of Dokkoon (mother of Aiyara) and Num-Oi (mother of Kati), it would come as no surprise to see Kati overtake her half-sibling within the next year or so.
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I witnessed the calves participate in a training session at Melbourne prior to the move where it looked like they were getting their weights on a specific 'board' they'd placed inside the barn. Aiyara was weighed first and Roi Yim after. They then did Kati and it took a little while longer to get her on the weight board. The keeper who was giving the keeper talk mentioned Kati's uncertainty. Roi, she said, was much the same, but they were fortunate in that he often followed in his sister's footsteps.

Aiyara's actually quite large in size, it seems she takes after her father in that aspect. In the long term it will indeed be interesting to see whether she or Kati ends up being the bigger cow. My bet too is on Kati due to the size of her mother.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Bison update:

A male Bison named Lakota has gone on display, joining the zoo’s herd of 11 females. He had previously been held off display with his elderly father, who has recently died.

Due to sufficient genetic representation of his line, Lakota will not be breeding; but rather has been introduced to the cows for social/welfare reasons.

Bison enters public life | Wyndham
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Good to know Lakota is still at Werribee doing well. He was born at the zoo back in 2016 and is therefore related to most of the females - his mother Leotie is still within the group.

His father (Benji) would have been eighteen this year; so he certainly achieved quite a great age, and also great success breeding wise (siring many offspring over the years).
 
Jambo said:
Good to know Lakota is still at Werribee doing well. He was born at the zoo back in 2016 and is therefore related to most of the females - his mother Leotie is still within the group.

His father (Benji) would have been eighteen this year; so he certainly achieved quite a great age, and also great success breeding wise (siring many offspring over the years).
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It’s nice to see Werribee following the initials naming convention with their Bison born in recent years. Leotie gave birth to Lakota in 2016; and Tehya gave birth to Tiponi in 2016 and Taami in 2020 among other calves (six alone were born to the herd in 2019).

Leotie’s first calf (born 11 years ago) was a male named Tatanka, so it’s seem this is a naming convention the Bison keepers have adopted in the last decade.
 
Ziggy the African wild dog has died:

From socials:

We're deeply saddened to share the passing of Ziggy, a much-loved African Wild Dog, at Werribee Open Range Zoo this week.

Following an altercation with his pack members, keepers and vets intervened swiftly to examine him under anesthetic. They found a puncture wound that had damaged a nerve, impacting Ziggy's mobility. With his quality of life in mind, the difficult but most compassionate decision was made to peacefully euthanise him.

Keepers continue to provide dedicated care to the two remaining African Wild Dogs, Neo and Madash, along the African River Trail.
 
A friend of mine visited Werribee today and I asked her to ask some questions for me (of which she did). She also provided me with a few updates; those that are new, I'll list below:

  • Werribee currently have five (2.3) Waterbuck on display in the Lower Savannah. This means a male has passed or been transferred out within the last year or so.
  • Blackbuck have yet to make the move across to the Elephant complex. Keeper mentioned it would occur within the next few months and they'll be introduced slowly, initially living separately.
  • Five Zebra Foals have been born within the last year or so, although she said she didn't see any young foals (so they were presumably all born last breeding season).
  • Main Hippo River was drained for 'cleaning'. My friend only saw two hippos in the smaller, neighboring pond.
  • Female Ostrich from the Waterhole Drive Through have been moved into the old bachelor zebra paddock (which can also be viewed along the Elephant Trail). No word about the male Zebra - although two of them would be eighteen this year.
  • In relation to that, there also seems to be work going on BOH of the Hippos. With the Blackbuck now the only species really left in the Waterhole drive through, I do wonder what the plans are going to be for that area following their departure. New species? We'll see.
 
Jambo said:
  • Werribee currently have five (2.3) Waterbuck on display in the Lower Savannah. This means a male has passed or been transferred out within the last year or so.
  • Blackbuck have yet to make the move across to the Elephant complex. Keeper mentioned it would occur within the next few months and they'll be introduced slowly, initially living separately.
  • Five Zebra Foals have been born within the last year or so, although she said she didn't see any young foals (so they were presumably all born last breeding season).
  • Main Hippo River was drained for 'cleaning'. My friend only saw two hippos in the smaller, neighboring pond.
  • Female Ostrich from the Waterhole Drive Through have been moved into the old bachelor zebra paddock (which can also be viewed along the Elephant Trail). No word about the male Zebra - although two of them would be eighteen this year.
  • In relation to that, there also seems to be work going on BOH of the Hippos. With the Blackbuck now the only species really left in the Waterhole drive through, I do wonder what the plans are going to be for that area following their departure. New species? We'll see.
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Thanks for the update.

It’ll be great to see Indian antelope on display within the elephant complex. Presumably this will be the bull paddocks due to the greater cost of upgrading the three cow paddocks (plus fidget spinner) to house them with the cows. The bull (outside of musth) could even prove more amenable than the cows, who would be naturally protective of their calves.

With the 0.2 Common hippopotami transferred to Monarto, now’s the ideal time to undertake any work on their facilities ahead of the new bull arriving within the next year.
 
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