Alma Park Zoo (Closed) Only tapir in Queensland!

J

Jabiru96

Well-Known Member
Alf, a male Brazilian tapir, has arrived at Alma Park, being the only tapir in Queensland. He came from Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Photos of him are up on Facebook. He will go on display this weekend.
 
Aren't there tapirs at Shambala/Cairns? Maybe there were and have since passed on.
 
Jabiru96 said:
As far as I know, there are currently (Brazilian tapirs):

Adelaide 0.2
Melbourne 0.0.1 (anyone can confirm?)
1.1 Mogo
1.0 Alma Park
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Cheers for that. Depressing numbers for a species that has gone in and out of fashion (where are all the South American themed exhibits????). I'm sure I have a photo of four Brazilian tapirs at Adelaide back in the late 80s.
 
Taronga had a female and calf Brazilian Tapir at the African Waterhole section about 2 years back, in the pygmy hippo exhibit. They recently posted on facebook a photo a keeper hosing one down, so there's at least one left at Taronga.
 
I went to Adelaide Zoo on Saturday and there were two Malayan Tapirs on display as Nanoboy saw 6 months ago
 
Shirokuma said:
Thanks. Are there plans to get more in Australia or are they a phase-out species?
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all (?) the Malayans in Australia are blind, possibly from the strength of the sun (this is the main theory on Zoochat but I don't know if it has actually been proven). They are phase-out.
 
Chlidonias said:
all (?) the Malayans in Australia are blind, possibly from the strength of the sun (this is the main theory on Zoochat but I don't know if it has actually been proven). They are phase-out.
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The male at Taronga is blind and had to wear complete eye shades from the sun years ago. He now does not have to as his exhibit is covered in an army canvas and is quite dark to help with his eye problems.

I don't think the females at Adelaide have the same problem, probably due to the large tree in their exhibit.
 
I saw the Melbourne one last year, walking with a very odd high-stepping gate which I can only assume was due to being blind and not knowing what would be in front of her feet.

The interesting thing is that none of the Brazilian tapirs in Australia have ever had the eye problems, and they are a species that naturally inhabits open grassland areas as well as forests and must therefore be more adapted to strong light.
 
Jabiru96 said:
Malayan Tapir:

1.0 Taronga
0.2 Adelaide

And there was a female at Melbourne until recently, but I am not sure what happened to her.
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I believe the female at Melbourne is Semangka. She is still at Melbourne Zoo but, according to a friend who visited the zoo this summer, she is kept out of the sun during the day due to eye damage.
 
I still think that with proper exhibit design the blindness could have been avoided and that it neednt mean a phase out of the species. Ah well.
 
jay said:
I still think that with proper exhibit design the blindness could have been avoided and that it neednt mean a phase out of the species. Ah well.
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no doubt true but the benefit of hindsight is a wonderful thing, and I rather suspect that the problem wasn't even noticed at first (until it had already occurred and was therefore unfixable).
 
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