Seems unlikely, there's little reason (ie. conservation/breeding program wise) for the states zoos to push towards the ban being lifted, or exceptions being made.
Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2025
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Capybara are banned in the state of Victoria, so they’re a non-starter.
The ZAA have identified the following as species of interest under the Xenarthra IRA, so any number of these could be a possibility for Melbourne Zoo:
Giant Anteater
Two-toed Sloth [Linne's]
Tamandua
Yellow Armadillo
Three-banded Armadillo
JM01
Well-Known Member
Any of these would be amazing! I haven't seen any of these animals in the flesh before so that would be super exciting.
ReturnOfPaddyRick
Well-Known Member
Forgive me if I’m being overly optimistic, but is it reasonable to assume this IRA will be quicker than previous, namely the hippo IRA, due to the nature of the creatures involved?
I’d actually assume longer. The Hippopotamus IRA was just two species, this is multiple; and none of the Xenarthra IRA species are currently held in Australia.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
These processes are ridiculously long...
Leaving aside the question of additional species, the feeling is that the next one will be quicker as during the first the process was new to everybody, now people know what to do (that is on both sides)
Unfortunately there are other complications now. This government team is largely new, the government is concentrating staff resources on the avian influenza issue and the combined ZAA/WEN veterinarian (although very capable) is new to this process.
Two to three years may be a realistic time frame.
Two to three years may be a realistic time frame.
Wonderful news still - it's unrealistic to assume anything shorter than that due to the reasons you provided. It will be exciting to hopefully have Xenarthra species back in the region come the end of this decade.
Giraffe Birth!
Amazing news - a young male calf has been born to first time parents, Klintun (2018) and Nakuru (2012).
He was born last Friday evening, and is Melbourne's first surviving giraffe calf in almost two decades.
From Members email:
First-time mother Nakuru and her yet-to-be-named son are bonding in the privacy of the barn in this critical early period, but we couldn’t wait to share footage of the calf’s arrival which has absolutely delighted Melbourne Zoo’s keepers and staff alike.
Amazing news - a young male calf has been born to first time parents, Klintun (2018) and Nakuru (2012).
He was born last Friday evening, and is Melbourne's first surviving giraffe calf in almost two decades.
From Members email:
First-time mother Nakuru and her yet-to-be-named son are bonding in the privacy of the barn in this critical early period, but we couldn’t wait to share footage of the calf’s arrival which has absolutely delighted Melbourne Zoo’s keepers and staff alike.
Excellent news to have a healthy calf from Nakuru, especially after the loss of her first calf (also a male) in 2024.
I could tell Nakuru was pregnant, but she delivered over a month earlier than I expected (I was guessing September/October 2025).
From footage shared on socials, I believe the other female giraffe (Iris) is pregnant too and could be welcoming her first calf later this year. It’d be exciting to have two calves close in age.
It's great news to finally have a calf on the ground - I know Melbourne have been wanting to have a successful breeding herd of Giraffe for a while now, and it's good they finally have results. I do agree with your assessment re. Iris, hopefully she also has a successful birth.
It's also worth noting that this young male is also a great grandchild of the last giraffe calf born at Melbourne (Shani, in 2006) and a great great grandchild of Melbourne's former breeding pair, the late Makulu and Twiga. This is via Klintun, who's mum (Manzi), was Shani's first surviving offspring. Shani herself of course being the last of four offspring born to Makulu and Twiga.
It was also a good call by Melbourne Zoo to transfer out the zebra ahead of the birth of the first giraffe last year. I know many of us are quick to complain at phase outs; but the zebras did little to enhance the exhibit and have been easily accommodated at Werribee. In the meantime, Melbourne Zoo has acquired Lowland nyala, which many zoos have successfully integrated with giraffe.
This calf’s maternal great-grandmother was also born at Melbourne Zoo. Tisa was born 1990 to Finnie and Matilda. Tisa produced six calves at Wellington Zoo, including Rukiya in 2001. Rukiya was transferred to Auckland Zoo in 2002, where she gave birth to Nakuru in 2012 (the fourth of her seven calves).
Tisa (1990) - Rukiya (2001) - Nakuru (2012) - New calf (2025)
Giraffe Calf Update:
He’s 87kg (and counting), almost two weeks old and he’s ready to mingle! This morning, members, visitors and keepers alike were delighted to see the calf take his first steps – and even show off a few zoomies – out in the habitat.
For now, he prefers to stay close to mum, Nakuru, though he’s already showing curiosity about the rest of the herd, which includes Iris and his father, Klintun. The herd has quickly embraced their newest member.
“Klintun was very curious about him,” says Laura, Melbourne Zoo’s Carnivores and Ungulates Life Sciences Manager, “They’ve been so gentle and inquisitive with him.”
Since his quick delivery on August 1, he has successfully learnt how to nurse every two to three hours, albeit initially in an unusual way – calves usually feed from the back, but this little guy wandered towards mum from the front at first.
“I think he’s too tall for that now!" Laura says. "Now he’s coming in from the side to feed, like he should be.”
“He is doing amazing! He is reaching all the milestones we hoped he would reach – he's gaining a kilo a day, he’s nursing really well, he’s exploring. He’s tasting just about everything at this stage, especially lucerne and browse" says Laura.
Voting for the young male's name has also now begun amongst members.
The options are:
Tambi – “noodle” in Swahili
Tamu – “sweet” in Swahili
Enzi – “power” or “might” in Swahili
Not the best list of options in my opinion, but I voted for 'Tambi' as it's a nice tribute to the late 'Tambo' who was the last male calf born back at Melbourne and was the first calf of Melbourne's previous breeding pair. The region already has an 'Enzi' at Auckland, so that was essentially my last preference either way.
He’s 87kg (and counting), almost two weeks old and he’s ready to mingle! This morning, members, visitors and keepers alike were delighted to see the calf take his first steps – and even show off a few zoomies – out in the habitat.
For now, he prefers to stay close to mum, Nakuru, though he’s already showing curiosity about the rest of the herd, which includes Iris and his father, Klintun. The herd has quickly embraced their newest member.
“Klintun was very curious about him,” says Laura, Melbourne Zoo’s Carnivores and Ungulates Life Sciences Manager, “They’ve been so gentle and inquisitive with him.”
Since his quick delivery on August 1, he has successfully learnt how to nurse every two to three hours, albeit initially in an unusual way – calves usually feed from the back, but this little guy wandered towards mum from the front at first.
“I think he’s too tall for that now!" Laura says. "Now he’s coming in from the side to feed, like he should be.”
“He is doing amazing! He is reaching all the milestones we hoped he would reach – he's gaining a kilo a day, he’s nursing really well, he’s exploring. He’s tasting just about everything at this stage, especially lucerne and browse" says Laura.
Voting for the young male's name has also now begun amongst members.
The options are:
Tambi – “noodle” in Swahili
Tamu – “sweet” in Swahili
Enzi – “power” or “might” in Swahili
Not the best list of options in my opinion, but I voted for 'Tambi' as it's a nice tribute to the late 'Tambo' who was the last male calf born back at Melbourne and was the first calf of Melbourne's previous breeding pair. The region already has an 'Enzi' at Auckland, so that was essentially my last preference either way.
Tambi’s the best name in my opinion as it sounds nice and is regionally unique across all species. The meaning is presumably a reference to the neck of the giraffe, with Noodle also being the name of another giraffe in the region (Australia Zoo of course).
Tamu is a close second. The meaning isn’t particularly inspired, but it’s been seldom used regionally, sharing the name with a Southern white rhinoceros living at Orana Wildlife Park.
We have enough animals in the region called Enzi - a Giraffe at Auckland Zoo; a Cheetah at the WCCC; and a Common chimpanzee and Spotted hyena at Monarto Safari Park. It still annoys me the chimp never got a Z name anyway.
I just read this and looked into it, because it was news to me that capybara are ‘banned’.
It’s half-true, really. The relevant legislation essentially declares all land vertebrates that aren’t native to Australia as prohibited in Victoria by default (this is Schedule 1), and then there’s a schedule of species that are permitted to be kept by zoos as exceptions (Schedule 2). Looking at the list of exceptions I strongly suspect it was defined rather simply by which species were kept in captivity in Victoria and potentially the other states at the time the legislation came into effect (with possible additions or subtractions since, I didn’t go deep down the rabbit hole).
Capybara are not listed under Schedule 2 so they are in this sense ‘banned’, but that can be easily changed by ministerial decision, and the Minister needs to consider the objective risk of establishing a wild population in making any decision. It’s pretty hard to make the case, I’d imagine, that capybara are inherently more likely to establish here than mara, for instance, which are much more suited to most Victorian habitats and are allowed in our zoos.
Unless there’s been a previous application to have capybara added to Schedule 2 that was rejected, which I’m not aware of, I reckon it’s just a case that no Victorian zoo has felt it worth going to the trouble to seek a change in the regulation that would permit capybara to be kept.
Thanks for the info. I agree that sounds likely.
The blanket restriction on anything liable to become an invasive species is reasonable in a historical context; but in a contemporary context, fails to acknowledge the risk of any species escaping containment of an accredited zoo in sufficient numbers to establish itself as wild population are beyond remote.
Again with the name recycling. Being a direct descendant of there former pair, Makulu would have been a fitting name.
If the zoos are going to keep with this naming theme, they need to add in a few more Swahili names. How many Enzi's have there been now.
Swahili seems to be the go to language for any African animal, despite the fact there’s hundreds of African languages.
It would be nice to see inspiration taken place names, mountains, lakes etc. as well as thought given to the name meaning that goes beyond powerful/strong for males; and beautiful for females. African wild dogs could be given names related to art given their alternate name for example.