Altina Wildlife Park Altina Wildlife Park News 2025

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
A female Texas longhorn calf was born in January.

The park is currently running a naming promotion for several animals (see their socials for full details):

Altina have a number of animals that still need names. We are running out of name ideas so need your help!! For the month of February we have a Valentines Day Promotion on naming those animals that need their unique tag numbers coupled with a unique name!

Indian Blackbuck - males and females ❣️Fallow Deer - males & females ❣️Barbary Sheep - males and females ❣️Himalayan Tahr - males and females ❣️Hog Deer - males and females ❣️American Bison - males & females ❣️Banteng Cattle - males & females ❣️Ostrich - males and females ❣️Wapiti/Canadian Elk- males and females ❣️Texas Longhorn female Calf only
 
Zoofan15 said:
A female Texas longhorn calf was born in January.

The park is currently running a naming promotion for several animals (see their socials for full details):

Altina have a number of animals that still need names. We are running out of name ideas so need your help!! For the month of February we have a Valentines Day Promotion on naming those animals that need their unique tag numbers coupled with a unique name!

Indian Blackbuck - males and females ❣️Fallow Deer - males & females ❣️Barbary Sheep - males and females ❣️Himalayan Tahr - males and females ❣️Hog Deer - males and females ❣️American Bison - males & females ❣️Banteng Cattle - males & females ❣️Ostrich - males and females ❣️Wapiti/Canadian Elk- males and females ❣️Texas Longhorn female Calf only
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I contributed a few names for the female Barbary sheep:
0.1 Mali (a nation where Barbary Sheep are found in the wild)
0.1 Sahara (referencing the Sahara Desert)
0.1 Zagora (a town in Morocco)
 
Abbey said:
Thank you! I had to show some serious restraint to stop at three haha. Even though Mali is best known in the region as the name of an Asian elephant, it's easy to pronounce and thus is a winner of a name in my opinion.
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Lol yeah I know what its like having to show restraint with stopping at a few name ideas, they're all really great ones but. Yeah Mali is still a really good one for a Barbary sheep even though an Asian elephant in Australia has the name, you're right it is easy to pronounce, and also a nice sounding name, and actually cool too because educates about Barbary sheep's full georgraphical range (for a long time personally I only assumed they were found in Morrocco and Algeria).
 
Abbey said:
Thank you! I had to show some serious restraint to stop at three haha. Even though Mali is best known in the region as the name of an Asian elephant, it's easy to pronounce and thus is a winner of a name in my opinion.
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steveroberts said:
Lol yeah I know what its like having to show restraint with stopping at a few name ideas, they're all really great ones but. Yeah Mali is still a really good one for a Barbary sheep even though an Asian elephant in Australia has the name, you're right it is easy to pronounce, and also a nice sounding name, and actually cool too because educates about Barbary sheep's full georgraphical range (for a long time personally I only assumed they were found in Morrocco and Algeria).
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Mali is also the name of the breeding female Hamadryas baboon at Auckland Zoo. While Hamadryas baboon don’t inhabit Mali, they can be found in North Africa like the Barbary sheep and the two species are sometimes combined in mixed species exhibits overseas.

It’s interesting how many names have an overlap. I looked up the name Satara this week to try and decipher if Mogo’s new foal was a colt or filly. Most sources say it’s an Indian name meaning princess; but like Dubbo’s rhino, it’s clearly a reference to the camp in Kruger National Park of the same name.
 
steveroberts said:
Lol yeah I know what its like having to show restraint with stopping at a few name ideas, they're all really great ones but. Yeah Mali is still a really good one for a Barbary sheep even though an Asian elephant in Australia has the name, you're right it is easy to pronounce, and also a nice sounding name, and actually cool too because educates about Barbary sheep's full georgraphical range (for a long time personally I only assumed they were found in Morrocco and Algeria).
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Barbary sheep occur in various subspecies - really there are noticeable differences between all of them, even the Moroccon/north Algerian ones (not talking of Tassili n'Ajjer or Hogar mountains as these belong to a different subspecies) restricted to the Maghribi mountain ranges in the north.

Various subspecies remain of extreme conservation concern and the zoo mix Barbary sleep really do not bring anything in ex situ conservation breeding nor restoring their original populations. Further, it seems very few zoos actually have any connections to in situ conservation work. It seems zoos and organisations overseas are content to let the Sahelian and Saharan regions of Africa up for grabs to the phenomena like poverty, political instability (as an excuse not to do anything constructive) and religious extremism in the region over all the positive stories that may be told or should be ... so!


Just consult the Sahara Conservation Fund (to which I hold attachments).

BTW: I like/love though Abbey's workings on names for their Barbary sheep. Like my favorite proverbial quote from Baba Dioum, former Head of Forestry Service in Senegal (their nature conservation authority):
QUOTE
"
“In the end, we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.”
"
UNQOUTE


Dr. Dioum, an IUCN official of some formidable character and personal legacy, is known for quite a few other proverbial and eloquent - succint quotes!
 
Cotton-top tamarin birth:

From socials:

CALI & MATEO our CottonTop Tamarins have a special announcement to make….

To join their beautiful family they have another baby! Chica is now a big sister!

Stay tuned for a gender reveal once Cali allows the team to check.

Not only is this amazing for conservation as a whole but “Cali” a second time mum, is an import into Australia adding a genetically viable offspring to the breeding program!
 
3 Pieces of 2024 News Not Mentioned:
On July 14th, the zoo announced that a (0.1) Highland cow (later named Jessie) was born which is on exhibit.

Altina Wildlife Park
Altina Wildlife Park
Altina Wildlife Park

On August 23rd, it was reported that the zoo transferred a (1.0) maned wolf named Eberdado to Wildlife HQ Zoo in Queensland.

Mane attraction: zoo welcomes adorable pups

On December 12th, the zoo announced that (1.1) fallow deer were born and named Moxxie and Millie respectively.

Altina Wildlife Park

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On March 17th, the zoo announced that 2 Asian water buffalos were born which are on exhibit.

Altina Wildlife Park
 
Birth announcement:

I have hopes Altina Wildlife Park have had their first ever Spotted hyena birth!

A photo on socials teases a birth, with the accompanying photo appearing to be a Spotted hyena (albeit an adult).

I’m confident in ruling out Serval (what my mind first jumped to) based on the fact the birth is stated to be a first for the species (Altina welcomed Serval kittens as recently as last year).

If so, this would be hugely exciting news for the regional population as the female is a founder and unrelated to the well represented Kigali line.

In fact, Malika would be the first new founder female to give birth in the region since 2007!
 
Zoofan15 said:
Birth announcement:

I have hopes Altina Wildlife Park have had their first ever Spotted hyena birth!

A photo on socials teases a birth, with the accompanying photo appearing to be a Spotted hyena (albeit an adult).

I’m confident in ruling out Serval (what my mind first jumped to) based on the fact the birth is stated to be a first for the species (Altina welcomed Serval kittens as recently as last year).

If so, this would be hugely exciting news for the regional population as the female is a founder and unrelated to the well represented Kigali line.

In fact, Malika would be the first new founder female to give birth in the region since 2007!
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Spotted hyena birth:

It is indeed a Spotted hyena:

A SPOTTED HYENA!!!!

This adorable cub was born, after approximately 110 days of gestation, on the 24th of February 2025 (1 month old!) and it is nothing like any baby we have seen before!

The first time IMPORTED AFRICAN mother, “Malika”, has blown us away with her love and natural instincts towards this extremely active and adorable cub.

This cub will play an important role for the future of hyena in Australasia bringing some much-needed new genetics to the country!

We are yet to confirm the sex of the baby spotted hyena but we can see it exploring the enclosure under mum’s watchful eye, feeding well and vocalising.

The entire Altina team is super proud of Malika and ecstatic to welcome a first for Altina, Malika, and the Riverina! This baby hyena is an exciting promise of what 2025 has to come!"
 
Black and white ruffed lemur update:

From socials:

Altina sadly waves goodbye to 3 beautiful Black & White Ruffed Lemurs as they head to their news homes across the Pond!

Kintana, Ruffas Ragamuffin & Masoandro boarded a flight early yesterday morning to get to their news homes in Tasmania.

As sad as this is to say goodbye, especially to our Altina born sons (Ruffas & Maso) it gives Altina the opportunity to breed some much needed imported genetics with Tsiky, our English born male!

Our two remaining Black and White Ruffed lemurs, Tsiky and Volana will remain at Altina to hopefully continue the conservation of their species if their relationship continues to blossom as we have witnessed so far.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Black and white ruffed lemur update:

From socials:

Altina sadly waves goodbye to 3 beautiful Black & White Ruffed Lemurs as they head to their news homes across the Pond!

Kintana, Ruffas Ragamuffin & Masoandro boarded a flight early yesterday morning to get to their news homes in Tasmania.

As sad as this is to say goodbye, especially to our Altina born sons (Ruffas & Maso) it gives Altina the opportunity to breed some much needed imported genetics with Tsiky, our English born male!

Our two remaining Black and White Ruffed lemurs, Tsiky and Volana will remain at Altina to hopefully continue the conservation of their species if their relationship continues to blossom as we have witnessed so far.
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Interesting to see that Altina has retained Volana (b. 16/11/2023), rather than her mother Kintana, who has been sent to Tasmania Zoo with her two sons. Kintana and Tsiky were originally intended as the breeding pair, although Kintana turned out to have been pregnant on her arrival from DDZ. Nonetheless it will be good for Tsiky to hopefully get the opportunity to sire offspring of his own.
 
Abbey said:
Interesting to see that Altina has retained Volana (b. 16/11/2023), rather than her mother Kintana, who has been sent to Tasmania Zoo with her two sons. Kintana and Tsiky were originally intended as the breeding pair, although Kintana turned out to have been pregnant on her arrival from DDZ. Nonetheless it will be good for Tsiky to hopefully get the opportunity to sire offspring of his own.
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Agreed, as it’s implied that Kintana will be retired from breeding (or at least take a break from breeding) as she’ll be housed with her sons at Tasmania.

Had Tsiky and Kintana formed the new breeding pair, that would have been a pairing of two founders and increased the options for pairings across the region versus the pairing of a first generation female.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Agreed, as it’s implied that Kintana will be retired from breeding (or at least take a break from breeding) as she’ll be housed with her sons at Tasmania.

Had Tsiky and Kintana formed the new breeding pair, that would have been a pairing of two founders and increased the options for pairings across the region versus the pairing of a first generation female.
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Do we know who Volana's parents were. She could very well be just as valuable as her mother, with the advantage of being younger and having more ability to produce more offspring with Tsiky over the longer term.
 
Tiger91 said:
Do we know who Volana's parents were. She could very well be just as valuable as her mother, with the advantage of being younger and having more ability to produce more offspring with Tsiky over the longer term.
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Volana’s mother was Kintana. Her sire has not been publicly stated, only that it was believed to be a male from Darling Downs Zoo as there was limited time for her to have conceived with Tsiky. It was stated at the time that if found to be unrelated to Tsiky, she may remain at Altina, so from that we can assume he was indeed not the sire.

Darling Downs zoo received two Black and white ruffed lemur in 2021; and imported a further three in 2023. Kintana was stated to have been Australian born, so would have been one of the two acquired in 2021.
 
So she very well could be the equivalent of creating a two founder match. Being younger to, she can breed with Tsiky then with another male should they choose to if he gets to old, to represented etc.
 
Upcoming departure:

Altina have teased the following departure on their socials:

Altina waved goodbye to 4 beautiful boys today as the travel to their new home waaaay up north! It will be sad to see these 4 boys leave but we are sure their new home will love them as much as we do! A new species for this Zoo…. What could it be…. These boys leaving us will make more room For future babies to come… we still have 1 gorgeous boy and 3 beautiful girls that call Altina home. Can you guess which species we are talking about? How well do you know Altina?"

The dimensions of the crate are throwing me off; but demographically speaking, would say Capybara as Altina received a new male breeding Capybara (Rodney) late last year and will presumably be looking to transfer out their old breeding male (Tonic) and his three sons (Toohey, Bundy and Rum).

The receiving zoo is presumably Crocodylus.
 
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Zoofan15 said:
Upcoming departure:

Altina have teased the following departure on their socials:

Altina waved goodbye to 4 beautiful boys today as the travel to their new home waaaay up north! It will be sad to see these 4 boys leave but we are sure their new home will love them as much as we do! A new species for this Zoo…. What could it be…. These boys leaving us will make more room For future babies to come… we still have 1 gorgeous boy and 3 beautiful girls that call Altina home. Can you guess which species we are talking about? How well do you know Altina?"

The dimensions of the crate are throwing me off; but demographically speaking, would say Capybara as Altina received a new male breeding Capybara (Rodney) late last year and will presumably be looking to transfer out their old breeding male (Tonic) and his three sons (Toohey, Bundy and Rum).

The receiving zoo is presumably Crocodylus.
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This was my thought as well. I also considered porcupines based on the pictures, although Altina doesn't actually house those so that's clearly not the right answer.

Congratulations on getting the right answer of capybaras!
 
Zoofan15 said:
Upcoming departure:

Altina have teased the following departure on their socials:

Altina waved goodbye to 4 beautiful boys today as the travel to their new home waaaay up north! It will be sad to see these 4 boys leave but we are sure their new home will love them as much as we do! A new species for this Zoo…. What could it be…. These boys leaving us will make more room For future babies to come… we still have 1 gorgeous boy and 3 beautiful girls that call Altina home. Can you guess which species we are talking about? How well do you know Altina?"

The dimensions of the crate are throwing me off; but demographically speaking, would say Capybara as Altina received a new male breeding Capybara (Rodney) late last year and will presumably be looking to transfer out their old breeding male (Tonic) and his three sons (Toohey, Bundy and Rum).

The receiving zoo is presumably Crocodylus.
Click to expand...

Confirmation of Capybara departure:

I was correct that four male Capybara (Tonic, Toohey, Bundy and Rum) have transferred out.

The receiving zoo has yet to be confirmed.
 
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