General Import Discussion
- Thread starter Zoofan15
- Start date
African swine virus put an end to that, a few years ago it was spreading through asia and there was huge concern it would occur here and wipe out the pig industry.
Pigs are probably as much or more protected then cattle for imports due to the industries push to keep closed borders. I doubt much has changed in the last few years.
Its rediculose that we finally have that door opened, not one new antelope species has been imported. No new genetics have been imported. It's just complete lazziness on our government run zoos behalf.
The lack of action can be seen where they prioritize the spending. Which is not on species Aquisition but in human holdings. Why import an actual gazelle or impala when you can use indian antelope as a stand in, soon we will see chital deer in savanahs as a stand in.
It is very disappointing but for our major zoos hardly unexpected, I am looking forward to see how much Taronga's new cable car ride is going to cost and where that money could have been better spent like a new much needed/wanted cow elephant barn at Dubbo for example
Im looking forward to the absolute flop at western plains zoo. I have seen a few times advertisements for the new savannah precinct with the hotel. to come and see their new savannah, with the same 6 species the old one has, and multiple other exhibits have.
There was quite a large push back and negative press about Taranga's lack of species when they redid there's. With nothing 'new' added. If western plains were smart, they would have lined up a new antelope species or two to headline the new expansion to add a selling point.
The Western Plains zoo was alway billed from the start as Australia's premier open range zoo which in the early years I would have agreed with, I believe the expansion was a reaction with the huge development at the Monarto zoo it almost appears that the WPZ was worried about being knocked off its once top spot. While I do hope the expansion works well for them it is likely as you say just more of the same with a new hotel attached to it and yes some new species would have been a good way to sell it but then we come back to the word "import" which seems to be a word that they don't like to use!
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
I'll be honest - I've never once thought WPZ was our premier open range zoo. Monarto has stood head and shoulders above the competition to my mind. I didn't realise there was a perception Dubbo was at that level. (I am not meaning to cast shade, just the reality of my mind)
When Monarto started I believe it was not open to the public properly because it was not really there as a zoo it was at the time more of an extension of the Adelaide zoo where they could hold and breeding some large hoofed animal species mainly because Adelaides size was so tiny, I think its only 8 hectare if I am correct, yes in time as it developed and started to hold more species it was later opened to the public but in no way was it comparable to the Western plains zoo in any way.
Now after the guidance of the manager Peter Clark it grown into the biggest open range zoos in the country that can fit all the other zoos here inside it, I believe it is now the best open range zoo in the region a lesson for others to follow.
Yes that’s correct, Adelaide Zoo is 8ha in size.
Monarto Safari Park began in 1983, but didn’t open to the public until 1993.
I would have initially placed Taronga Western Plains Zoo as the region’s premier zoo for the diversity of species alone. I visited Werribee Open Range Zoo in 2023 and would have placed it equivalent or even behind Orana Wildlife Park; but the elephant complex has certainly given it a boost. Werribee had a similar background to Monarto in that it was established in 1975, but didn’t open to the public until 1983.
Monarto has developed immensely over the past 15 years, with Wild Africa, their chimpanzee exhibit and their elephant complex taking it to what I agree is the top position.
Up until the last decade or so, Monarto was really only a bus tour with your ABC open range species. The recent additions of Chimps (in 2009) and Elephants and Hippos in the last few years has really spurred Monarto into a new direction, especially with the recent developments, but it's still a zoo that's very limited when it comes to what can be seen. Future developments like the transfer of Baboons from Adelaide will be beneficial to the zoos future growth.
Werribee began similarly; as a hoofstock holding facility in the 70's, before the decision was made to open the facility to the public in the 80's. However, much like Monarto, it was also essentially a Bus Tour for quite some time before the addition of a walking loop and species like Vervets, Lions, Cheetahs and later, Gorillas. Further expansions have since seen an Australian loop constructed, and most recently an elephant complex which has put Werribee on a much different trajectory.
Dubbo on the other hand was constructed intentionally. With inspiration drawn from Whipsnade, it was designed to be a premier facility with a stock full of species present upon opening day in 1977. Dubbo's always been the regions premier open range facility in that regard, but both Werribee and Monarto are up and racing. Dubbo probably still holds that title, but you could easily argue that Werribee has a rivalling experience now with the new elephant complex.
What makes Taronga Western Plains Zoo unique is that unlike Monarto Safari Park and Werribee Open Range Zoo, it’s not located within an hour’s drive of its city situated sister zoo. Though there’s been some obvious compliments to each other’s facilities seen across all the open range zoos (e.g. Common hippopotamus at the open range site; Pygmy hippopotamus at the city site), they also have a number of double ups - including Asian species such as Sumatran Tiger and (soon) Indian rhinoceros. Again, this is influenced by Dubbo and Taronga attracting different markets.
Like you say, Dubbo was designed as an attraction from its genesis. By the 70’s and 80’s, public perceptions of zoos were evolving and the general public’s expectations of zoos grew higher. Great apes, bears and big cats have been a focus for decades (with the latter two exhibiting behavioural stereotypes such as pacing in inadequate exhibits); but for obvious reasons, large ungulates have proved challenging to house in city zoos due to space limitations. Unable to meet those demands, open range sites were seen as an alternative to managing growing populations and that itself proved an attraction for the general public.
The open range image is progressive and in many cases, offers the species on display as close to a natural environment (including social structure) as possible within a captive setting. Elephants are an obvious example; but primates such as chimpanzees have benefited (small troop at Adelaide versus growing community at Monarto), with Adelaide’s baboon troop to surely follow within the decade.
I visited Western Plains zoo just after it opened in 1977 and I thought it was wonderful and well designed I had great expectations for its future, Since then we have seen the appearance of the Werribee open range zoo which seemed to of become stagnant in more resent years until the opening of the brand new elephant complex/exhibit which is in a class of its own and now I believe this will kick start further improvements for the rest of the zoo.
Having the Monarto Safari park open and having it reached the stage of which it has now is a major bonus is a win win for the large species held in the country for example another home for Hippos and Asian elephants this will make a big difference in the scene of things in the overall management and holdings. I do hope they will introduce some new antelope species not only to boost pubic interest but to play a real roll in the long term holdings of some of the mega large species that really thrive in big zoos such as this.
The other big plus in the zoo world would have been the opening of the once proposed Perth zoos open range zoo if that ever went ahead it would be a major plus in the breeding and long term numbers of large species being kept and bred in the region!
Having the Monarto Safari park open and having it reached the stage of which it has now is a major bonus is a win win for the large species held in the country for example another home for Hippos and Asian elephants this will make a big difference in the scene of things in the overall management and holdings. I do hope they will introduce some new antelope species not only to boost pubic interest but to play a real roll in the long term holdings of some of the mega large species that really thrive in big zoos such as this.
The other big plus in the zoo world would have been the opening of the once proposed Perth zoos open range zoo if that ever went ahead it would be a major plus in the breeding and long term numbers of large species being kept and bred in the region!
The capacity of the open range zoos to undertake and manage large imports of ungulates is hugely beneficial to the region. Arguably this potential has yet to be unlocked bar the propagation of large herds of Lowland nyala, which continue to flourish.
To use Waterbuck as an example, bulls are territorial and poorly suited to mixed species exhibits. Both city and open range zoos can manage cows with their giraffe, rhinos etc; but the open range sites can accomodate bulls and manage breeding.
The import of 35 Southern white rhinoceros would have greatly rejuvenated the regional population of this species; though the positive consequence of the apparent cancellation is the rise in breeding recommendations to our region’s cows, many of which would have been retired from the breeding programme otherwise. This will surely fill the gap, accompanied by imports from Europe by Monarto (believed to be three rhinos at this stage).
On the subject of Honolulu, it’ seems our region’s zoos imported a lot from there during the 1980’s and 1990’s:
Taronga Western Plains Zoo imported at least 3.1 Galapagos giant tortoise from there in 1982.
Auckland Zoo imported 2.2 Galapagos giant tortoise from there in 1983.
Werribee imported 1.2 Waterbuck from Honolulu Zoo in 1995.
Werribee imported 1.2 Greater kudu from Honolulu Zoo in 1996.
The following giraffe imports were made by the following zoos in the 1980’s from Honolulu Zoo:
1.0 Tsavo (Auckland) in 1981
1.0 Lo Cecil (Auckland) in 1981
0.1 Kinshasa (Auckland) in 1981
0.1 Manyara (Auckland) in 1983
1.0 Charity (Taronga) in 1983
1.0 Hiram (Taronga) in 1986
0.1 Andria (Taronga) in 1986
I’ve always considered London, Chester, Marwell, Whipsnade, Rotterdam, San Diego and Singapore to be the main zoos we’ve imported from as a region (historically); but clearly Honolulu was up there with them.
Perhaps at the time because they are on an Island in the middle of the Pacific ocean they may of been a better prospect for importing with a lot less risk of introducing diseases
I believe they also imported Sable antelopes about that time
Good point. From a geographical perspective, they also had an advantage being closer to New Zealand and Australia compared to mainland North America or European countries.
In the case of the giraffes, they were all generics and the clear out paving the way for Honolulu to breed reticulated giraffe.
Sounds likely. I see the last in the country died at Werribee in 2012.
I believe the Pearl coast zoo in Broom had some likely from Marwell zoo in the UK
Western plains zoo used to **** on Monarto hands down in its hay day. Monarto was great to see when I was there probably 15 years ago. For the sheer size of the place and the bus tour was fun, since at the time Western plains did not have this.
But comparatively Western plains had a much larger species count, you had all the species monarto had but with tigers, asian otter, manned wolves, they used to have a mixed rhea, mara and cap bars exhibit of memory. They had the African elephants, hippos and black rhino plus lemurs, spider monkeys and gibbons. All species monarto did/do not have.
Today I am keen to go back over and see Monarto has progressed. It is shaping up to be our premiere open range zoo. Western plains is loosing species, doubling up on enclosures where they already have of display holdings or did. While focussing on building kids play grounds, and a new hotel. The native species conservation areas are great. But there not the crowed pullers that investing in refurbished exhibits and new species would bring. Ive seen cattle yards look better then there elephant paddocks.
The issue with a lot of our ungulates, we imported a lot of good species. Then the doors shut for a very long time. Most species that were imported were done in the era where every zoo was for themselves, which we still see a bit of. Then genetics became a problem and a lot of them were left to die out, while they have inbred to a high degree others to maintain the small diversity we have. No the doors are open again. Our main zoos with the largest amount of money are only interested in squeezing money out from building money generating projects, as the zoos are run by corporate and not animal based people. These are the people that won't spend money on importing Thompson gazelle because Indian antelope look similar and can work as a stand in on the savannah. Until this mentality changes, we won't see any majour progress. Not until they start prioritising species again. Then we may see an uptick in imports. For now it's the private players who are catching up and setting up zoos that now even rival the big zoo's, and they are doing the heavy import lifting with a fraction of a budget.