Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo Developments 2011

zooboy28 said:
Incidentally, I found out that the blackbuck did come from Hamilton Zoo, in 2007/08, when the Savannah opened.
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I still wonder why they deliberately brought in blackbuck for the African Savannah when surely it would have been just as easy to get springbok from Orana. I guess there was a good reason....
 
zooboy28 said:
I'm guessing the idea of re-developing the Sun Bear enclosure for Thar, as part of the 'Meet the Locals' development is being rethought, as Snow Leopard importation is pondered (Wellington Zoo Eyes Snow Leopards).

I would think Snow Leopards would be able to jump across the moat of the Sun Bear enclosure as it is quite narrow, and that a redeveloment of that enclosure would include either a widening of the moat or more likely an infilling of the moat and installation of a glass barrier. Possibly the whole exhibit would require mesh covering too?
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When I read the snow leopard article I did immediately think "but they were going to put tahr in there!". There's no way they could put snow leopards in the sun bear enclosure as it is now without some pretty extensive modifications. As you say, they'd be over the moat in a flash, although hot wires would probably (or hopefully!) stop them going over the back wall. Fencing over the whole thing would be safest but sure would look ugly. For myself, I don't think the enclosure's even a good enough size for a pair of snow leopards. Having said all that though, I'm not really sure the snow leopard plan is even definite. From the article it sounded a bit "maybe, maybe not".
 
As I understand the article they are still hoping to get the pandas and if they do they wpn't get the snow leopards. Either/or it seems
 
that's pretty much the way I took it too. But you never can trust what journalists write.
 
A sad day for Wellington Zoo staff and visitors, with the last Collared Peccaries in New Zealand, three elderly males, euthanased on Tuesday. :(

They were really interesting animals, and very unusual from a New Zealand perspective, being the only exotic pigs in the country. They were displayed in an excellent elevated exhibit, which allowed visitors to be on the same level as them, rather than looking down on them.

Wellington Zoo - Wellington Zoo saddened by passing of last Peccaries in New Zealand

Wellington Zoo staff and volunteers were saddened today by the passing of the Zoo’s three Peccaries, Kermit (16), Gonzo (16) and Animal (15).
All three were almost twice the age that Peccaries live to in the wild and had severe arthritis which could no longer be managed with medication.
The Peccaries have been treated by the veterinary team at The Nest – Te Kohanga, Wellington Zoo’s animal hospital, for the past 8 months. After trying a variety of different medications in that time, a decision was made this week to euthanase.
“They were the last Peccaries in New Zealand, and it is not possible for us to import more from South America, so it was a difficult and sad decision,” says Wellington Zoo CEO Karen Fifield.
“In the end, this is about their quality of life. After careful consideration it was decided that euthanising was the humane and right thing to do”.
Wellington Zoo is to bring in locally bred Kune Kune pigs as part of a scheduled New Zealand-themed “Meet the Locals” development.
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They have been replaced by two 8-month old female Kunekune Pigs from Staglands Wildlife Reserve, near Wellington. These will be moved into the 'Meet the Locals' development when this is built, and it is unclear whether the Peccary exhibit will be retained after that. The entry area of the zoo needs an overhaul IMHO.
 
Well, that's the end of a little zoological era.

I can remember back in the days of Zoo Director Kon Kuiper [25+ years ago] that Wellington consistently bred so many Peccaries that some were converted into food for the staff each Christmas!
 
Steve Robinson said:
Well, that's the end of a little zoological era.

I can remember back in the days of Zoo Director Kon Kuiper [25+ years ago] that Wellington consistently bred so many Peccaries that some were converted into food for the staff each Christmas!
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Really! What a great story, although it probably wouldn't be a palatable idea today :D

With Adelaide also wanting to get rid of its peccaries, that will leave only Melbourne with the species in Australasia - unless there are any held privately in Oz?
 
zooboy28 said:
Really! What a great story, although it probably wouldn't be a palatable idea today :D

With Adelaide also wanting to get rid of its peccaries, that will leave only Melbourne with the species in Australasia - unless there are any held privately in Oz?
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They are probably just as "palatable" today as they ever were!;) Keeper's tastes have probably changed during the intervening years.

I am not aware of any Peccaries held privately in Australia.
 
that is sad news about the peccaries, I did really like them. But good news about the nyala.
 
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