Adelaide Zoo Adelaide Zoo News 2013

nanoboy said:
In Adelaide for a conference so looking forward to sneaking off for an afternoon visit today.
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The best thing about conferences! Look forward to hearing your updates, I'm really hoping to get over there for a few days later this year too.
 
zooboy28 said:
The best thing about conferences! Look forward to hearing your updates, I'm really hoping to get over there for a few days later this year too.
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It's a fabulous zoo. I just relaxed and strolled around, chatted with a few keepers, was entrusted with a few secrets, the usual. :D I only saw a small portion of the zoo in my 3hrs - mostly birds.
 
zooboy28 said:
Yes, they still have two - the Greater (possibly been at the zoo since mid-1930s) and the Chilean (the last of a large colony imported from South America to Taronga in 1955).

Hopefully they can add the occassional new exhibit, coatis would be an ideal species - could be easily sourced and displayed in a cheap exhibit.
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Some more info.
 

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nanoboy said:
Some more info.
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Beautiful sign, but it is a little misleading - it suggests that there is no importation because it could harm the flamingo's wild population, when in fact it means wild bird populations in Australia (and potentially domestic ones too I suspect).
 
zooboy28 said:
Beautiful sign, but it is a little misleading - it suggests that there is no importation because it could harm the flamingo's wild population, when in fact it means wild bird populations in Australia (and potentially domestic ones too I suspect).
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True true.

Note how old they are. Amazing.
 
zooboy28 said:
Beautiful sign, but it is a little misleading - it suggests that there is no importation because it could harm the flamingo's wild population, when in fact it means wild bird populations in Australia (and potentially domestic ones too I suspect).
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I read it the other way: to protect Australian birds no importation, but that is perhaps because I already knew what it meant. I agree it is worded a little ambiguously.
 
Chlidonias said:
I read it the other way: to protect Australian birds no importation, but that is perhaps because I already knew what it meant. I agree it is worded a little ambiguously.
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Same here. I suppose most of us automatically knew what they meant. And the graphics department thought the way we did, and didn't realise that non-zoo people might think something else.

:p

Hix
 
Yeah same - I knew what they meant. We are probably the only types that read the signs though.
 
2 new golden lion tamarins have been born to parents Aurora and Rio

Adelaide Zoo staff are excited to announce the birth of two baby Golden Lion Tamarins! Our golden twins were born on the 6 September to parents Aurora and Rio and are settling into life at the zoo well with Aurora and Rio proving to be excellent parents. The cute bubs can be seen clinging on tightly to the backs of their mum and dad in the tamarin enclosure. Here’s a close up shot of one of the babies!
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Source Adelaide Zoo facebook page-https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Adelaide-Zoo/160021607359286?hc_location=stream
 
Panda not Pregnant

Adelaide Zoo have announced that female Giant Panda Funi has not fallen pregnant this year, following both natural mating attempts by male Panda Wang Wang, and then artificial insemination.

Article here: 2013 Giant Panda Breeding Season Outcome -

The 2013 Adelaide Zoo Giant Panda breeding season has concluded with Funi coming into season over the weekend. After closely monitoring Funi's hormonal levels to determine the short breeding window of opportunity, Wang Wang was introduced for a natural mating.

After a period of time and several unsuccessful attempts, it was apparent a natural mating was not going to be successful this year, so the team started the process of preparing for artificial insemination.

Reproductive scientists, keepers and veterinarians from Adelaide Zoo alongside a reproductive specialist from the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda at Wolong prepared for the procedure, however it is believed that the artificial insemination attempt was unsuccessful.

Panda breeding is difficult at the best of times, and this year's attempt at Artificial Insemination was made more complicated by low sperm volume. As Wang Wang is still a young male Panda, this isn't uncommon. In the wild, young Pandas generally don't breed, as dominant males ward off younger rivals.

It is anticipated that as Wang Wang matures, his ability to breed will increase, this is backed up by his promising dominant behaviours that were shown during his introduction with Funi this season.

Whilst it is disappointing that this year's attempt to breed Giant pandas at Adelaide Zoo hasn't eventuated, the events leading up to this have provided valuable data and information that will assist breeding programs for this endangered species.

Adelaide Zoo Senior Panda Keeper, Simone Davey, says both Wang Wang and Funi are returning to their normal routines following the breeding season.

"We're still occasionally seeing some breeding season like behaviours - scent-marking or some restlessness - but their appetites have returned, and both are spending time exploring their individual areas"

"We have learnt a great deal from this year's breeding attempt and are looking forward to next year when hopefully we will have more success. Panda breeding is extremely complex, mainly due to the very small window of opportunity that occurs for breeding each year. We also need to remember that both Wang Wang and Funi are still young Pandas, and are only just reaching sexual maturity."

The Bamboo Forest is open with both Funi and Wang Wang on display.

Adelaide Zoo acknowledges the invaluable voluntary contribution of Repromed Fertility Specialists who performed hormone analyses and provided resources for processing sperm samples; Healthscope Pathology who processed vaginal cytology slides; and Noah's Crossing Veterinary Clinic who assisted with cryopreservation of sperm samples.
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I visited Adelaide Zoo for the first time yesterday in about 2 years. For many years I was a member, but with the introduction of the pandas (and evidently the loss of many of my favourite areas of the zoo) I decided that I would not renew my membership for the latter half of 2001 and so on.

I was really disappointed in what has happened to the Adelaide Zoo. It feels very empty, with nothing really going on. Species that I used to love seeing had disappeared, such as the dwarf mongoose, pygmy hippo, black lion tamarin, and a vast number of different bird species (madagascar weaver, red avadavat and inland dotterel). While I did see one or two new species, such as the varied lorikeet, which was a highlight for me, I just feel like this zoo is going downhill, and instead of the prime collection of animals they used to have, has been replacing twenty species for one 'star' species.

While I also detest the pandas, I did make a visit to their enclosure, only to be disappointed again by them sitting in the corner, as I have never seen them move (after about 6 visits since their arrival), and for something that costs $1 million per year in the form of a loan from China, they do not seem worth it. Personally I do not think Adelaide is big enough (especially financially) to have these animals, and I think the introduction of them was a mistake.

I apologise if this is not news, however I thought I would share my opinion after not being on this forum for a very long time. I also understand that many people probably love the pandas and how the zoo looks, but this is just my opinion.

Regards :)
 
From Facebook:

"At the start of winter our beloved flamingo, known affectionately as Greater, was experiencing some age related medical issues and, at the time, it was thought he wouldn’t survive the winter. Well, he did! Greater’s carers say he’s responding well to regular treatment and, although he’s still a bit wobbly, he’s doing very well considering being an 82 year old bird!"
 
Mara now at Adelaide!

From the Adelaide Zoo facebook page today, a mention of a new species - Mara:

New to the zoo, these large relatives of Guinea Pigs are the fourth largest rodent in the world and are found in the Patagonian steppes of Argentina. Adelaide Zoo is the only zoo in the nation to house this unique creature. Make sure to check them out the next time you visit
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Given that these are the only ones in Australia, it seems likely they came from Melbourne Zoo, which imported them last year, but haven't actually been seen there (at least by me). Alternatively, Melbourne's could have died, and these represent a second import, but that seems less likely.

EDIT: Adelaide Zoo confirmed on their Facebook page today that the mara did come from Melbourne, and that they have three.
 
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There is now a sign up at the old pygmy hippo enclosure announcing that the exhibit is being remodeled slightly for the arrival of capybara. I'm very excited to be seeing this species in Australia- to me they're much more interesting than giant pandas! Along with the recent additions of coatis and mara, it is very nice to see some more South American mammals at Adelaide Zoo.
 
That's interesting. I hope a sustainable population will be established as they'd make a good addition to many Australian collections. Any ideas on where they are coming from?
 
Adelaide had a large number of maras for a long time up until the pandas, which from that point I think the remaining group was sent to Western Plains Zoo. Great to hear they are back in the collection!
 
The Brazilian Tapir exhibit would look nice with a small group of mara sharing the space.
 
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