I visited Australia Zoo today and had a very pleasant time watching the elephants and noting all the new developments. I plan on updating the species list I created soon after I confirm a few fish species now found in the turtle enclosure. Notes are below and see here for additional photos [Australia Zoo - ZooChat] :
the big news from today, as already mentioned above, is that the Sumatran Elephants are finally on-display following the Indonesian importation two years ago. Two of the females, Widya and Christina are on-show from 10am daily. Today was only the third day they have been using their exhibit. I got to the elephant enclosure at 9:50 and waited. The keepers brought in the elephants along the kilometre-long trail that connects to their night yard via a series of gates. As soon as they walked into their exhibit, they were given a huge watermelon each. Great to watch and Sumatrans are much shaggier than they look in photos. They were much more distinctive than I was expecting. The nearby renovated gift shop is a very smart design. There are large glass windows behind the counter allowing visitors to watch the elephants indoors while they wait to pay. I also have to mention that in the main tree in the elephant exhibit there was a surprise waiting for eagle-eyed visitors – wild Pacific Bazas are currently raising two chicks approaching fledging age. The bazas would consistently patrol the elephant enclosure and I saw one above the front of the zoo as well.
there was a small reptile presentation in the adjacent tortoise enclosure at around 11:30. I only arrived during the last couple of minutes as the bazas and elephants were constant distractions. I saw a Boa Constrictor but keepers also mentioned they bring out a Fijian Crested Iguana which would have been great to see out in the sunlight. One of the keepers kindly moved the ever-elusive Elongated Tortoises into view for the general public as the presentation wrapped up.
I had a refreshingly frank conversation with a friendly bird keeper in the rainforest aviary. The zoo’s only Sacred Kingfisher and Superb Fairywren were both killed by rats recently. This was attributed to the new mesh not being as rodent-proof as their previous design. The department have plans to reacquire both fairywrens and kingfishers, along with several other species with an emphasis on increasing colour and noise. Likely species mentioned included Eastern Whipbird, Scaly-breasted Lorikeet and potentially, Pale-headed Rosella. They also hope to pair their lone male Noisy Pitta (who was very active today!), their three male Regent Honeyeaters with females and would be interested in acquiring females for their Rose-crowned Fruit Doves as they currently only house males. We also discussed the significant increase of Torresian Imperial Pigeons, Pacific Emerald Doves and Bar-shouldered Doves and they are looking into separating sexes to manage these populations better and control breeding. The imperial pigeons, in particular, have grown to 30+ individuals and are well and truly inbred with generations of sibling pairings. Finally, I saw one of the new Zebra Finches today as well.
Other bird-related updates – one of the brolgas is sitting on eggs currently, the cassowary enclosure is currently closed off as the male is raising two chicks and four emu chicks recently arrived from one of the zoo’s conservation properties. In the wetlands area, construction has commenced on the area that was once used for pony rides to convert it into an Outback Station with these emu chicks and domestic animals. The signage for the emus is already up.
Casper, the zoo’s leucistic crocodile is now part of the zoo’s croc show. He only recently made his debut. The Black-necked Stork in the show now flies down into the Crocoseum rather than being crated in which is most impressive. Seeing fully-flighted storks in a captive situation is a rarity. There was also a Whistling Kite in the show as well which rotates with the Brahminy Kite.
the King Cobras have successfully mated following the arrival of the female earlier in the year from the reptile park. There were no significant changes noted in the reptile house except that the Green Tree Python is no longer signed and I didn’t see it. Finally, the old row of alligator enclosures have been refurbished. Two exhibits have been opened up to create one larger enclosure and a wooden fence now divides it between the remaining alligator exhibit.
@WhistlingKite24 Sooo good to read through and the photos are awesome. The poor Kingfisher and Fairywren but hopefully future individuals will be safe from rat intrusions/attacks. Thats great about the King Cobra mating and that the zoo has them now. Had no idea until now that there was a leucitic crocodile named Casper, really cool he's part of the show now too. Cool to know too that they have Fiji Crested Iguanas and Elongated Tortoise two very beautiful species.
