General Import Discussion

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Moderator note: topic split from this thread: Xenarthra in Australian Zoos


Steve Robinson said:
Unfortunately - no.

The government has been side tracked a bit by Avian Flu but we are trying to keep some momentum going.
Click to expand...

On the subject of IRA’s, is it unrealistic to believe a bird IRA could be considered by the ZAA in the future?

The Psittacine IRA (which I understand has been largely driven by private aviculturalists) has me curious if there’s potentially an avenue for other exotic bird families to be imported into Australia via another IRA.

After the Xenarthra IRA, nothing mammal related particularly stands out for Australia bar the Giraffe/Okapi IRA - unless I’ve overlooked something obvious. Warthog, Babirusa etc. would be nice, but I’m assuming the Suidae ban would be difficult, if not impossible to get lifted.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Zoofan15 said:
On the subject of IRA’s, is it unrealistic to believe a bird IRA could be considered by the ZAA in the future?

The Psittacine IRA (which I understand has been largely driven by private aviculturalists) has me curious if there’s potentially an avenue for other exotic bird families to be imported into Australia via another IRA.

After the Xenarthra IRA, nothing mammal related particularly stands out for Australia bar the Giraffe/Okapi IRA - unless I’ve overlooked something obvious. Warthog, Babirusa etc. would be nice, but I’m assuming the Suidae ban would be difficult, if not impossible to get lifted.
Click to expand...
It's interesting how the Psittacine IRA seems to have been almost completed a few years ago but still has not been done to date? @WhistlingKite24
 
Zoofan15 said:
On the subject of IRA’s, is it unrealistic to believe a bird IRA could be considered by the ZAA in the future?

The Psittacine IRA (which I understand has been largely driven by private aviculturalists) has me curious if there’s potentially an avenue for other exotic bird families to be imported into Australia via another IRA.

After the Xenarthra IRA, nothing mammal related particularly stands out for Australia bar the Giraffe/Okapi IRA - unless I’ve overlooked something obvious. Warthog, Babirusa etc. would be nice, but I’m assuming the Suidae ban would be difficult, if not impossible to get lifted.
Click to expand...

This is another IRA which has become bogged down. Strangely, there was not a lot of interest from ZAA members in supporting the private sector in their endeavours. ZAA members were canvassed by a SC who has since left the industry and any initiative that he brought to the subject seems to have gone with him. Member interest in psittacines was mainly to bolster small populations of existing species rather than introduce new species. There was a bit of interest in some non-psittacine species - namely flamingos and some pigeon species but that was about it from memory.

I'm not sure just who in the private sector is driving it now.

I can think of plenty of mammal families that would be assets to regional zoos but I'll keep my powder dry for now!
 
Zoofan15 said:
On the subject of IRA’s, is it unrealistic to believe a bird IRA could be considered by the ZAA in the future?

The Psittacine IRA (which I understand has been largely driven by private aviculturalists) has me curious if there’s potentially an avenue for other exotic bird families to be imported into Australia via another IRA.

After the Xenarthra IRA, nothing mammal related particularly stands out for Australia bar the Giraffe/Okapi IRA - unless I’ve overlooked something obvious. Warthog, Babirusa etc. would be nice, but I’m assuming the Suidae ban would be difficult, if not impossible to get lifted.
Click to expand...


THISS !!
 
Younesmark said:
Not to sidetrack ; but I hope I live long enough to see a flock of flamingoes and toucans in Australian zoos !


Wish Auckland zoo were to import more then divide their flock up to send to Australia !
Click to expand...

Auckland Zoo’s Greater flamingo flock is thriving. It totals 31 flamingos, including 15 founders and 16 Auckland bred birds:

New Zealand Greater Flamingo Population

It’s interesting to note that of the 16 Auckland bred flamingos (hatched 2014-2025), eight were hatched over the last two breeding seasons (2024-2025). This can surely be contributed to modifications made to the exhibit to promote breeding behaviour.

Breeding in captive flamingo flocks is reportedly influenced by flock size, with some sources quoting 40 birds as the magic number. I’ll be fascinated to see what affect this has on Auckland’s flock once they reach 40; though for now I’m encouraged to see the steady increases each breeding season. At this rate, they’d potentially be in a position to create a splinter off group in 15 years or so.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Auckland Zoo’s Greater flamingo flock is thriving. It totals 31 flamingos, including 15 founders and 16 Auckland bred birds:

New Zealand Greater Flamingo Population

It’s interesting to note that of the 16 Auckland bred flamingos (hatched 2014-2025), eight were hatched over the last two breeding seasons (2024-2025). This can surely be contributed to modifications made to the exhibit to promote breeding behaviour.

Breeding in captive flamingo flocks is reportedly influenced by flock size, with some sources quoting 40 birds as the magic number. I’ll be fascinated to see what affect this has on Auckland’s flock once they reach 40; though for now I’m encouraged to see the steady increases each breeding season. At this rate, they’d potentially be in a position to create a splinter off group in 15 years or so.
Click to expand...
When you have spoken with their keepers have they tried double clutching them to double egg production?
 
Jambo said:
I remember there was hopes for Babirusa dating back to the mid 2000's so I assume the zoos were hopeful in getting a Suidae IRA passed at the time. Alas it never eventuated, and those plans were shelved.
Click to expand...
That's correct also the "interest" by ZAA was both Babirusa and Philippine spotted deer at the same time both came to nothing
 
Last edited:
Zorro said:
When you have spoken with their keepers have they tried double clutching them to double egg production?
Click to expand...

Yes, this is undertaken by Auckland Zoo. Many of the founders have yet to produce fertile eggs, so fertile eggs from successful pairs are removed, incubated and then placed under an unsuccessful pair to enable them to rear a chick that season. The biological parents then have the opportunity to produce/rear a second chick that season.

Auckland Zoo’s preferred method is to incubate the eggs themselves until they’re about to hatch and then return them to the flock so the chick is reared by flock itself.
 
Wisp O' Mist said:
Don't you guys already have enough trouble as is finding placements for offspring with just a single elephant species?
Click to expand...
This idea stemmed from the massive Monarto Safari park they toyed with the idea to import 6 cow elephants from a culling operation in Africa. From what I can recall they were not planning on breeding them but more of a display to fit in to their huge African themed exhibits
 
Zorro said:
This idea stemmed from the massive Monarto Safari park they toyed with the idea to import 6 cow elephants from a culling operation in Africa. From what I can recall they were not planning on breeding them but more of a display to fit in to their huge African themed exhibits
Click to expand...


Wish they went through with it ! Something about African elephants feel more nostalgic than the Asian ones !
 
Younesmark said:
Wish they went through with it ! Something about African elephants feel more nostalgic than the Asian ones !
Click to expand...
While I would have loved to have seen them too I believe Monarto has done the right thing to become part of the regional holding/ possible breeding program for the Asian elephant only open range zoos can hold a proper herd in a group setting plus any possibly of breeding them with only 3 open range zoos in the country having all 3 holding them is win for them
 
Introduction

Imports are a frequent topic of discussion, whether it be past imports from which the regional populations descend; upcoming imports (including IRA’s under development); or general discussions regarding what we can or can’t import and why.

So as not to detract from other threads (especially news threads), I thought it might be useful to have a general discussion thread for this topic.

Useful links:

Animal import risk analyses - DAFF

Zoo bovids from approved countries - DAFF

Importation of zoo hippopotamuses and their semen from approved countries to Australia - DAFF
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
Red River Hog, please!!!
Click to expand...

Steve Robinson said:
Unfortunately, not a chance. Not in my lifetime or yours.
Click to expand...

Jambo said:
I'd imagine the risks of them establishing feral populations are the biggest opposition, correct? It would make sense - with the huge populations of feral Bush Pig up North.
Click to expand...

There’s also the potential impact on the agricultural industry to consider. African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease are both serious concerns with regards to Suidae.

When the Suidae ban came into effect in 1995, BSE was rife throughout Europe; and I suspect this was a strong influencing factor for the ban of Suidae and other hoofstock (such as giraffes, with a ban on giraffes coming shortly after the last import in 1997).

As an interesting historical side note, Adelaide Zoo imported Babirusa in 1937 and 1940, with young produced in 1940. Taronga Zoo also held them in the 1930’s.
 
Zoofan15 said:
There’s also the potential impact on the agricultural industry to consider. African Swine Fever and Foot and Mouth Disease are both serious concerns with regards to Suidae.

When the Suidae ban came into effect in 1995, BSE was rife throughout Europe; and I suspect this was a strong influencing factor for the ban of Suidae and other hoofstock (such as giraffes, with a ban on giraffes coming shortly after the last import in 1997).

As an interesting historical side note, Adelaide Zoo imported Babirusa in 1937 and 1940, with young produced in 1940. Taronga Zoo also held them in the 1930’s.
Click to expand...
I am quite disappointed by the lack of apparent interest by our zoos since the IRA for Bovines was completed about 3 years ago, As far as I am aware only one private regional zoo seems to want to import some Bongo and Addax. What about the Bongo that are kept at Taronga/Dubbo are they just another species that fade away to zero again?. Also as it was mentioned by @Zoofan15 all the regions Waterbuck are from one import of just one trio so what's the problem for importing a few more if they intend to hold them for the long term.
New Zealand zoos certainly got it right when they decided to import the Nyala so the correct way which benefits other zoos within the region has been set for others to follow. I can't really following the reasoning behind the lack of action, are some zoos inaction due to them waiting for someone else to shell out the cash and do all the footwork locating and dealing with all the dealings and paperwork? only for them to step forward if/when any young are born hoping they can get what they want with minimum effort and minimum cost?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top