Exotic Mammals in Australian Zoos

Geoffrey said:
Out of interest, I decided to follow this list through and rank the different zoos by the number of exotic mammal species displayed. Obviously the domestics lead to some inconsistencies (most out, llamas/alpacas in), but the results were interesting. Melbourne was the clear winner with 37, followed somewhat surprisingly by Adelaide on 34 and then Western Plains on 33. At this point Mogo and Altina appear with 31 and then Taronga (its recent thinning taking its toll) and the National Zoo on 29. Next were Perth (28), Halls Gap (27), Monarto (24), Werribee (21) and Darling Downs (20). Gorge and Hunter Valley were both on 15, Tasmania Zoo and Mansfield (helped by 4 deer species) on 14, Crocodylus on 13, Australia Zoo and Queensland Zoo on 12, and Symbio and Zoodoo on 11. Of the minnows, Wings (6), Shoalhaven (5), Rockhampton (5) and Billabong (5) were the only serious contenders, and the rest were very much dribs and drabs. An interesting exercise - especially to see the private zoos equalling or outpacing the government ones (although of course given the big private zoos barely do any natives, birds or reptiles, the government zoos would far outstrip them on total species).
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that is cool. I never thought of doing that. There are just astonishingly low numbers at the major zoos aren't there?
 
Chlidonias said:
I'll see what I can find out about the National Zoo puma and serval.
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there are still servals at National, because they were hand-raising a kitten recently (in the last months of 2015).

Looking back through the forum, the puma was taken off display in 2014 because the bears moved into her enclosure. She was supposed to go into the bears' old enclosure, but instead some new spotted hyaenas moved in there. Where the hyaenas were thought to be going, instead was occupied by newly-arrived hunting dogs. So the puma, if she is still alive (she is about 18 years old), remains off display.
 
Re: the binturong, hmm. It was definitely there the last time I visited, mid-last year. I will see if I can get there to check.

And yes, I was really - well, not surprised exactly, but grimly incredulous, at how low numbers have gotten at the major zoos. The idea that the private zoos would be on a level with them in this area would have been far-fetched just ten years ago. Of course this also reflects the really strong work the top tier of private zoos (Mogo, Altina, Canberra, Halls Gap, Darling Downs) have been doing in that time.
 
Chlidonias said:
that is cool. I never thought of doing that. There are just astonishingly low numbers at the major zoos aren't there?
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Would anyone know how that compares with an 'average' zoo in Europe or North America. I get the impression that Australia would be considered quite paltry.
 
I visited Mogo a few months ago and the binturong was definitely still there - I even got to see the keeper feeding it :)
 
I've done some checking:

The binturong is indeed still at Mogo as said above.

The puma, servals, and all three brown bears are still at National Zoo. (Given her age I suspect the puma won't have much longer to live, and she may never come back on display).
 
Chlidonias said:
The puma, servals, and all three brown bears are still at National Zoo. (Given her age I suspect the puma won't have much longer to live, and she may never come back on display).
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Chli, you may want to change your password. I think TLD has hacked your account... ;)
 
it can be noted that Wings Wildlife Park have the Common Marmosets (3) and the Black Capped Capuchin monkeys (they have 4)
 
So there is just one African elephant and just one leopard in the all of Australia?

But they can be legally imported from Africa.

Sumatran tigers number are quite high owning to representation to other species. Are there Amur tigers in Australian zoos? And are there European brown bears? (I can arrange myself to import some to Australia, from my country, I can link Australian zoos to governmen institutions (a reserve Jasen, and two national zoos who hold bears) here wich can export some young European brown bears to Australia?)
 
And owning to proximity to South-East Asia, asian species are well represented in Australian zoos, in relation to other species.

Eg. Sun bears, Sumatran tigers, Asian elephants
 
Nikola Chavkosk said:
So there is just one African elephant and just one leopard in the all of Australia?

But they can be legally imported from Africa.

Sumatran tigers number are quite high owning to representation to other species. Are there Amur tigers in Australian zoos? And are there European brown bears? (I can arrange myself to import some to Australia, from my country, I can link Australian zoos to governmen institutions (a reserve Jasen, and two national zoos who hold bears) here wich can export some young European brown bears to Australia?)
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Yes. Importation of exotic species into Australia is generally difficult - just because a species can be legally exported from Africa does not mean they can be legally imported into Australia. In addition, Australasian zoos generally try to focus on exotic species they can hold sustainable populations of, but there are relatively few zoos, so this further reduces species diversity. So they hold representative species, e.g. Asian Elephants and Sun Bears, while phasing out other similar species, e.g. African Elephant and Brown Bears. Focus is generally on species that already existed in Australia in sufficient numbers to start a managed population and that are endangered, with further focus on South East Asian species (this is somewhat generalised). As such, zoos here are unlikely to be interested in European Brown Bears, as there isn't the space for a managed population and they already have a bear species.
 
Yes that's wise step. Because after all there aren't a lot of zoos in Australia and hence the space is limited.

In Europe there are about 350 zoos/aquaria who are members of EAZA, and about just as that - 400 zoos, or even more, who are not members of EAZA,

The number of African bush elephants in Europe, surely is more than 340 (including about 90 in circuses), and the number of Asian elephants is ever greater - more than 510 (including about 160 in circuses).
 
in my continuing casual perusals of animal stocks, it seems that both the remaining lorises in the country have died last year (the off-display Bengal slow loris at Melbourne and the on-display Sunda slow loris at Perth), as they are no longer listed on ZIMS.

And I am told that the white-fronted lemurs at Gorge (the last two in Australia) have also died recently.
 
Adelaide Zoo now has Emperor Tamarins, with three sisters arriving last month from Mogo Zoo.
 
Darling Downs Zoo now has agoutis, having imported four individuals from the USA.
 
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