Adelaide Zoo Adelaide Zoo News 2025

Jambo said:
Both facilities held different sub species; Melbourne (C. g. guereza from the UK) and Perth (C. g. kikuyuensis from the USA).

I could be wrong but I thought Monarto's animals were descended from the Perth zoo stock. I know Melbourne used to have quite a large group of Colobus's too, so it's also possible Monarto's animals were also descended from Melbourne's former group.

Or perhaps from both facilities - the Exotic Mammals thread mentions the two sub species were later mixed, ie. the male from Perth being sent to be Melbourne's previous breeding male in the 2000's. It's possible individuals from both Perth and Melbourne were sent to start Monarto's group at the same time.
Click to expand...

The male in question was Brodie. He was Perth bred and transferred to Melbourne Zoo in 2005.

His offspring were:

1.0 Indi (2006)
1.0 Colby (2009)
1.0 Colin (2011)
0.1 Kipenzi (2012)

His three male offspring transferred to the National Zoo (with Colby later returning). Kipenzi of course remains at Melbourne Zoo.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Every media article from that era refer to him as Brodie, so it appears Melbourne added an ‘r’ to the name.

Baby Colobus [Melbourne Zoo]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/n...y/news-story/10becfd63bd95a04d2680a2e3a2fb6d8

http://media.theage.com.au/lifestyl...key-at-melbourne-zoo-761998.html&from=timeout
Click to expand...
It's also possible the news outlets just mis-reported, I find it happens a lot with them getting small details wrong ie. the spelling of some animals names.
 
Jambo said:
It's also possible the news outlets just mis-reported, I find it happens a lot with them getting small details wrong ie. the spelling of some animals names.
Click to expand...

I wondered the same, but it was reported by multiple media outlets over a period of several years, so it would have been a consistent error in that case.

If the colobus began as ‘Bodie’ at Perth Zoo, I imagine his name remained unchanged on records at Melbourne, but the keepers renamed/nicknamed him ‘Brodie’.
 
Cotton-top tamarin update:

An update on Adelaide’s socials today details three adult tamarins:

0.1 Wednesday (2004)
1.0 Gomez (2010)
0.1 Peppa (2015)

As well as marking reference to the offspring of Gomez and Peppa (they’ve had three litters to date).

Not mentioned was 0.1 Morticia (2010), who appears to have died or transferred out. Due to her age, I’m inclined to assume the former.
 
Chappi the Hamadryas baboon has died:

Chappi the Hamadryas baboon has died, aged 22 years:

Farewell to Adelaide Zoo’s Beloved Baboon, Chappi - Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is mourning the loss of one of its most iconic residents, Chappi the Hamadryas Baboon, who was euthanised following a recent health check that revealed multiple age-related complications.

Born at Adelaide Zoo on 25 March 2003, Chappi was the dominant female within the troop, playing a vital role in guiding the group and nurturing many of its youngsters.

Chappi’s life was deeply connected with the zoo’s history. She was named in honour of long-time primate keeper Tom Kaiwahia, who affectionately referred to the animals as “chaps” during his more than 30 years at Adelaide Zoo.

With Chappi’s passing, the troop’s dynamics are naturally beginning to shift. Visitors may notice subtle changes as Quasi, who has been seen regularly grooming with alpha male Tomkay, steps into the role of dominant female.
 
Just a few small updates from today:

- There are some young chickens in the Children's Zoo, and they are hoping to breed some guinea pigs soon too
- A new boardwalk exit has been finished outside the Australian wetland walkthrough aviary (Nova apparently picked up some new construction noises to add to his repertoire)
- Dusky Lories, Black-Capped Lories, some Plum-Headed Parakeets, and Java Sparrows have been moved from the South-East Asian Aviary into one of the Jewels of Asia aviaries
- A Pig-Nosed Turtle has returned to the Envirodome (there is another on display in the Reptile House)
- The new OBP aviary looks to be nearly complete, and the Pelican/Cape Barren Goose enclosure has been extended back to the path where the old OBP aviaries were (in the space not occupied by the new aviary)
- The fencing and potted plants have been taken down from the main Hamadryas Baboon viewing through the mesh, for the first time in quite a few years! It was nice to watch the troop socialising without the shade cloth fence in the way.
- The Cape Porcupine enclosures were both empty, with one having a planned maintenance sign, and the other saying the enclosure was temporarily unoccupied
- In a large enclosure in the Reptile House (which has been empty since Cecilia (Komodo Dragon) moved out quite a while ago) has now been occupied by Snake-Necked and Macquarie Turtles, living in the small pond in the enclosure
 
Yellow-footed rock wallaby birth:

A male joey born 4-5 months ago has emerged from the pouch:

From socials:

Keepers have spotted something special in Captain’s pouch, a tiny Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby joey starting to peek out for the very first time. At around four to five months old, this little male is still spending most of his time tucked away, but over the coming weeks visitors might catch a glimpse of his curious face as he grows in confidence.

This youngster does not have a name yet and will eventually make his way back to Monarto Safari Park as part of the regional breeding program.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Yellow-footed rock wallaby birth:

A male joey born 4-5 months ago has emerged from the pouch:

From socials:

Keepers have spotted something special in Captain’s pouch, a tiny Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby joey starting to peek out for the very first time. At around four to five months old, this little male is still spending most of his time tucked away, but over the coming weeks visitors might catch a glimpse of his curious face as he grows in confidence.

This youngster does not have a name yet and will eventually make his way back to Monarto Safari Park as part of the regional breeding program.
Click to expand...
I believe they have done extremely well with this species over the years!
 
Zorro said:
I believe they have done extremely well with this species over the years!
Click to expand...

Apparently they’ve been held at Adelaide Zoo continuously since they opened in 1883.

In 1996, Zoos SA bred and released 12 Yellow-footed rock wallabies (a world first), with those founders repopulating an area that now totals around 40 of the species, with several generations produced over the years.

Zoos SA have done great things with Mainland tammar wallaby also (from the Monarto site):

Extinct on mainland Australia since 1930, a feral population of Mainland Tammar Wallabies is discovered on Kawau Island and in Rotorua, NZ.

This rediscovery sees 85 adult Tammar Wallabies translocated to the park in 2004 to form the start of a captive breeding program. 82 Tammar Wallabies are released into Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula. 2009 sees a successful fourth reintroduction – 125 animals have now been returned to the wild.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Apparently they’ve been held at Adelaide Zoo continuously since they opened in 1883.

In 1996, Zoos SA bred and released 12 Yellow-footed rock wallabies (a world first), with those founders repopulating an area that now totals around 40 of the species, with several generations produced over the years.

Zoos SA have done great things with Mainland tammar wallaby also (from the Monarto site):

Extinct on mainland Australia since 1930, a feral population of Mainland Tammar Wallabies is discovered on Kawau Island and in Rotorua, NZ.

This rediscovery sees 85 adult Tammar Wallabies translocated to the park in 2004 to form the start of a captive breeding program. 82 Tammar Wallabies are released into Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula. 2009 sees a successful fourth reintroduction – 125 animals have now been returned to the wild.
Click to expand...
I agree ZoosSA have done an outstanding job and it's exactly what any good zoo should be doing. I recall there was another ultra rare Wallaby species found on Kawau Island as well of which the name escapes me atm!
 
Last edited:
Zorro said:
I agree ZoosSA have done an outstanding job and it's exactly what any good zoo should be doing. I recall there was another ultra rare Wallaby species found on Kawau Island as well of which the name escapes me atm!
Click to expand...
ElephasMaximus said:
I believe it's the parma wallaby.
Click to expand...

Kawau Island has parma, dama, and swamp wallabies. All three are regarded as pests, with plans to eradicate them from the island.

Dama, parma, swamp and brush-tailed rock wallaby were introduced to Kawau Island by Sir George Grey circa 1870 (as well as monkeys, zebra and gnu).

Wallaby

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity...new-zealand/controlling-pest-wallabies-in-nz/
 
Zoofan15 said:
Kawau Island has parma, dama, and swamp wallabies. All three are regarded as pests, with plans to eradicate them from the island.

Dama, parma, swamp and brush-tailed rock wallaby were introduced to Kawau Island by Sir George Grey circa 1870 (as well as monkeys, zebra and gnu).

Wallaby

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity...new-zealand/controlling-pest-wallabies-in-nz/
Click to expand...

Parma wallabies are one of my favourite examples of a Lazarus Taxon - thought to be extinct for decades, it was discovered in 1965 that a handful survived as an invasive species on Kawau Island! Later on a few populations were rediscovered on mainland Australia.

I've always been charmed the descriptions of Kawau Island under Governor Grey. It's like something out of a children's books - exotic animals from all over the world living together in an island's forests. Sadly the zebras died shortly after he imported them, which is a shame, but he also imported emus, peafowl, kookaburras, antelope, kangaroos and even monkeys!
 
Zoofan15 said:
Kawau Island has parma, dama, and swamp wallabies. All three are regarded as pests, with plans to eradicate them from the island.

Dama, parma, swamp and brush-tailed rock wallaby were introduced to Kawau Island by Sir George Grey circa 1870 (as well as monkeys, zebra and gnu).

Wallaby

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity...new-zealand/controlling-pest-wallabies-in-nz/
Click to expand...
Yes I was aware that all introduced species on Kawau Island were classified as feral pests and to be eradicated fortunately it saved one species in the process
 
Niari the Mandrill has died:

From socials:

This week, we said goodbye to Niari the Mandrill, a much-loved member of the Adelaide Zoo family and one of the oldest female Mandrills in human care.

At 29, Niari had reached the end of her natural life. Our veterinary team made the compassionate decision to ease her suffering after diagnosing irreversible age-related spinal degeneration.

Born and raised at Adelaide Zoo, Niari was more than just a beautiful face. She was a gentle matriarch, a successful mother, and a powerful ambassador for her vulnerable species.

With her passing, Tabah (20) and Jumoke (8), our two remaining adult males, are adjusting to life as a bachelor pair. Mandrills are naturally social, and while shifts in group structure can be tricky, the boys are doing well. Jumoke has stepped into a more dominant role and Tabah is respecting that space, which is a positive sign.
 
Sumatran tiger Ketambe recovering from successful operation:

Tiger treated for tummy trouble: Adelaide Zoo’s Ketambe recovers well after surgery - Adelaide Zoo

Two-and-a-half-year-old Sumatran Tiger, Ketambe, is recovering well after undergoing surgery to remove a small intestinal obstruction caused by a piece of bone.

Ketambe was taken to surgery and the bone was successfully removed. The team were pleased to see the tissue around the bone was still healthy, meaning keepers and vets had caught the issue early enough to avoid further complications. “If the obstruction had been left untreated for a few more days, there’s a chance the affected section of intestine could have started to lose blood supply, and Ketambe could have become quite unwell,” Dr McLelland said. “We’re really glad we were able to act early.

————————————

I’m glad to hear the operation was a success. I’ve heard of this issue proving fatal in the past, including that of a young male Sumatran tiger at Perth Zoo.

Interestingly, this is the second time Ketambe has been operated on for this issue (the first in January 2024).

The current plan is for Ketambe and his sister Susu to be exported to the US.
 
Jambo said:
Sumatran Tiger Export Confirmation:

It's been confirmed that littermates - 1.0 Ketambe (2022) and 0.1 Susu (2022) will soon head to the US.

Ketambe will go to Zoo Miami, and Susu will go to San Antonio Zoo.

Confirmed via email.
Click to expand...

It’s great to see they’re exporting them young (they turn three years old in December), which will maximise the use the North American region can make out of them. The Taronga export was six years old by the time her export was arranged.

Within the year, we can likely expect Marni (the sibling remaining at Adelaide) to be living separately from her mother, so Adelaide will surely welcome the opportunity to free up some space. It’ll be some time before their third tiger exhibit is built, during which time Marni may even transfer out depending on the future plans of the breeding programme (and which holders with ageing tigers will be left in deficit during that time).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top