Wisp O' Mist
Well-Known Member
Why? They speak the truth. Bullens was a circus, and like it or not, circuses are controversial nowadays. You can't just pretend otherwise.
Zambi Wildlife Retreat
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Why? They speak the truth. Bullens was a circus, and like it or not, circuses are controversial nowadays. You can't just pretend otherwise.
Correct - was a circus family. And a very well respected one in the day.
Rightly or wrongly, circuses of the past are controversial now in some sections of society but times have moved on and this family has moved with them - or even ahead of them in some cases.
For example, it was this family that pioneered the concept of free-range type zoos in this country.
The current members of the family, whose expertise enabled this move to take place, are involved with movies and cutting edge horsemanship and are too young to have toured with the big show.
However, that expertise has been handed down from generation to generation.
No pretence about that. No stigma either.
Wisp O' Mist
Well-Known Member
Any association with the circus world, in the past or otherwise, will always be controversial. Thus the stigma.
Changing what Wisp O' Mist said isnt changing the facts. Nor do I need to watch what I have to say here on this public forum. It's not like we are covering anything that half of western Sydney over 35 doesn't know. They were a stigmatised circus family, quite possibly one of the most stigmatised in circus/zoos in Aus.
Mentioning there pioneering concepts and amazing expertise doesn't change this. It would be great to see the family come back into the zoo world. But 100% guarantee that it will be a rebrand and no word of 'Bullens' will be used for there public image.
Aftrall if the stigmatisation isn't a thing then why did all the circuses give up the use of there exotics when it go to unsavoury for the public.
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David Attenborough hosted produced a show between 1954 and 1968 called Zoo Quest that detailed trips around the world to capture wild animals for London zoo. This practice is now seen as unfavourable and only done in certain circumstances and it is not something he now condones. Times and understandings change overtime, and great things can be done by people and organisations that want make a positive difference.
The one with him catching adult Komodo dragons was unbelievable
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Sad news. I remember her from when she was at Sydney Zoo; beautiful cat.
(Though note that she was not a pure Amur/Siberian Tiger, I believe one of her grandparents was Sumatran if I remember correctly? She was the closest thing we had in Australia to a pure Amur - though of course National still say that two of their hybrids are Amur).
The claims Nika was a purebred Siberian tiger came from a Zambi staff member (reported by @Tigergal):
0.1 Nika (15/04/2006) Imported 2013 was next on the tour, when the keeper informed us that Nika is a purebred Siberian Tiger. The Keeper stated that she was imported from a Poland zoo by Dreamworld, who lied on the paperwork and stated she was a generic tiger to have her imported into the country. I have seen Nika multiple times while she was at Sydney Zoo (Granted, she was a very shy tiger there) but she did look very large today when I saw her so close to the mesh, especially her paws! I’m not sure I believe that she is a purebred Siberian Tiger, but was interesting to hear.
However, I agree with yourself and @Tigergal that this seems unlikely. She was a large tigress and clearly had a high percentage of Siberian ancestry nonetheless.
Regarding size the pure bred Siberians I had seen in the past at Howletts and the Marwell zoos (UK) in the past kind of shocked me they were truly massive cats and I have seen many big cats over the decades including what was said to be the largest Lion in the zoo world at the time at the Colchester zoo in the very early 1970s he was truly a monster cat
Przewalski’s horse update:
From socials:
In June this year we were elated to share the news that we had successfully relocated the first breeding herd of abandoned Przewalski’s horses from the Fernhill property in Mulgoa.
We moved these horses not knowing if they had genetic viability to be able to contribute to the world wide population of this endangered species, but when we made the decision to get involved, their genetics were not our main priority. The individual animals at Fernhill desperately needed human intervention to bring in appropriate animal welfare standards no matter what genetics they carried, so we welcomed them into our world.
The horses all settled in quickly here at Zambi, where we now offer them a home for life with ongoing supervision, management and care.
Today, we are beyond excited to share some additional incredible news...After months of waiting on genetic results and data reading from highly trained geneticists and specialists we are delighted to share that after being left to fend for themselves for over 20 years, our new herd of Przewalski’s horses have genetic variation that makes them useful to the ZAA conservation program here in Australia! Zambi is hopeful to one day be able to contribute to the conservation of such an endangered species
From socials:
In June this year we were elated to share the news that we had successfully relocated the first breeding herd of abandoned Przewalski’s horses from the Fernhill property in Mulgoa.
We moved these horses not knowing if they had genetic viability to be able to contribute to the world wide population of this endangered species, but when we made the decision to get involved, their genetics were not our main priority. The individual animals at Fernhill desperately needed human intervention to bring in appropriate animal welfare standards no matter what genetics they carried, so we welcomed them into our world.
The horses all settled in quickly here at Zambi, where we now offer them a home for life with ongoing supervision, management and care.
Today, we are beyond excited to share some additional incredible news...After months of waiting on genetic results and data reading from highly trained geneticists and specialists we are delighted to share that after being left to fend for themselves for over 20 years, our new herd of Przewalski’s horses have genetic variation that makes them useful to the ZAA conservation program here in Australia! Zambi is hopeful to one day be able to contribute to the conservation of such an endangered species
Excellent news indeed
Im not surprised, after 20 years without deformity due to inbreeding or any new blood. Genetic drift/variation would have occurred, that will make them valuable in there own right. Not to mention the possibility of lost lines and founders that are unrepresented having the potential to have there genes in these horses.
The Zambi herd are as follows:
1.0 Kahn
1.0 Batu (gelding)
1.0 Serik (gelding)
0.1 Sarnai
0.1 Och
0.1 Tuya
0.1 Koko
0.1 Nara
Thanks to @akasha, we have a list of the Fernhill founders here:
1.0 Genghis (Nikoli x Kulari) 02/02/1986 - 1989 Transferred from Monarto
1.0 Oskar (Octant x Natayla) 11/05/1987 Imported from Whipsnade Zoo (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
1.0 Usia (Khan x Kataryna) 01/03/1988 - 29/10/1995 Transferred from Monarto
1.0 1783 (Nikoli x Rosinante) 26/10/1988 - 14/06/1990 Transferred from Monarto
0.1 Betsie (Leslie x Moukhina) 10/06/1986 Imported from Midway Manor (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
0.1 1535 (Bergen x Lena) 25/03/1987 Imported from Marwell Zoo (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
0.1 Marina (Leslie x Moukhina) 23/06/1987 Imported from Midway Manor (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
0.1 1622 (Jeanhold x Hayley) 06/07/1987 Imported from Marwell Zoo (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
0.1 1629 (Bergen x Ledal) 12/07/1987 Imported from Marwell Zoo (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
0.1 1645 (Bergen x Lenka) 27/08/1987 Imported from Marwell Zoo (via Pearl Coast Zoo)
10 surviving foals were then born between 1990-2002.
I’m expecting them to be largely related to the Australasian population since many were either from Marwell; or descended from Marwell stock.
Same here. Hamilton Zoo and Orana Wildlife Park are both obvious candidates, with plenty of room.
They’d surely be a relatively inexpensive species, requiring a basic field for an exhibit and grazing on pasture.
I agree but puzzled by the lack of interest
I'm not sure why the open range zoos don't breed them more often. Whether that's an issue of space, I'm not sure; but if that was the case, additional holders would surely help that.
It is indeed strange as most sources quote the mortality rate of foals in captivity at less than 20% and they’re not necessarily difficult to breed, which suggests the sparse breeding is intentional.
Capacity is presumably the reason; but surplus males can be housed in bachelor herds without issue and while females have a dominance hierarchy, this typically remains stable over time, suggesting minimal inter-herd conflicts.
They’re a critically endangered species, so it’d be nice to see Australasian zoos give them more attention.