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Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Singha the Sumatran tiger has died:

Some sad news from my friend’s visit that Singha the Sumatran tiger has passed away aged 20 years. Singha was the oldest Sumatran tiger in Australasia at the time of her death.

Singha was Australia Zoo’s first female tiger, arriving with her brothers Juma and Ranu in 2004. She had no cubs, but Juma and Ranu each have numerous descendants. Juma is a father of two and a grandfather of five; while Ranu is a father of four.

Singha was identifiable by her marking on her leg in the shape of a horseshoe.

Singha’s death reduces Australia Zoo’s holdings to 3.3 Sumatran tigers:

0.1 Kaitlyn (04/12/2007) Imported 2008
1.0 Hunter (22/08/2013) Ramalon x Kaitlyn
1.0 Nelson (03/06/2019) Ranu x Kaitlyn
1.0 Malcolm (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn
0.1 Sallie (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn
0.1 Sage (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn
 
New alligator exhibit:

Australia Zoo have opened a new alligator pond, completing the zoo’s Crocodile Environmental Park precinct.

The exhibit will be home to male American alligators.

Reported on Robert’s socials.

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As a side note, I’ve been really impressed with the zoo’s progress of late. The redevelopment of the Crocodile Environmental Park (first opened in 1987) and the new Cheetah exhibit being recent stand outs. While the expansion to exotics has been most welcome, it’s great to see a focus kept on the crocodiles at the core of the zoo and its conservation values.
 
Erocco W said:
I will be staying at Australia Zoo for a few days for my birthday trip. If anyone has any questions they want me to ask please let me know.
~ E
Click to expand...

Yes please.

I’d be interested to know if there’s plans to source a Sumatran tiger for breeding now the zoo’s formerly large population has been reduced to an ageing mother and her 3.2 offspring.

Whether the intention is to breed the incoming Southern white rhinoceros bull (Bakari) with all three females; or just the younger two (i.e. whether Caballe, aged 30 years old, has been retired from breeding).

If Australia Zoo has any future interest in either Common hippopotamus or Pygmy hippopotamus now there’s an IRA.
 
Erocco W said:
I will be staying at Australia Zoo for a few days for my birthday trip. If anyone has any questions they want me to ask please let me know.
~ E
Click to expand...

I'd be interested to know how their Komodo Dragon breeding is going, both in terms of the current state of it, and any future plans, since it's be several years since the last public update.
Are they still attempting to pair Ragnar with the females, or have they given up on that front? And if Ragnar has proven a non-starter, are there any plans for them to get new Komodo(s), either from within the region or importing from overseas?
 
I had a lovely time at Australia Zoo for my 50th birthday trip! It has certainly grown and improved much since I last visited. I am still to this day shocked as to how many Americans visit and spent much of my time chatting to Americans in a way only they can.
The croc shows remain an absolute highlight and something everyone on this forum should aspire to see at least once.

I managed to get a few questions answered but have few other updates.

The breeding is going well and several Komodo’s are set to transfer out this year.
They were quite tight lipped about elephants but the keeper seemed to be having a very tough day.
They only plan to breed the incoming Rhinoceros bull with the younger females.
Apparently the Sumatran tiger program is at capacity or needing a reshuffle and they are waiting for more decisions by management before learning whether they will receive new tigers via transfer or import.
They are planning to import hippos but the keeper I spoke to could not say whether common or Pygmy.


I hope you all know I am very apologetic I could not get more accurate information for you lovely zoo fanatics. I may try and visit the two Sydney zoos on my return trip if anyone has questions for me

~E
 
Erocco W said:
I had a lovely time at Australia Zoo for my 50th birthday trip! It has certainly grown and improved much since I last visited. I am still to this day shocked as to how many Americans visit and spent much of my time chatting to Americans in a way only they can.
The croc shows remain an absolute highlight and something everyone on this forum should aspire to see at least once.

I managed to get a few questions answered but have few other updates.

The breeding is going well and several Komodo’s are set to transfer out this year.
They were quite tight lipped about elephants but the keeper seemed to be having a very tough day.
They only plan to breed the incoming Rhinoceros bull with the younger females.
Apparently the Sumatran tiger program is at capacity or needing a reshuffle and they are waiting for more decisions by management before learning whether they will receive new tigers via transfer or import.
They are planning to import hippos but the keeper I spoke to could not say whether common or Pygmy.


I hope you all know I am very apologetic I could not get more accurate information for you lovely zoo fanatics. I may try and visit the two Sydney zoos on my return trip if anyone has questions for me

~E
Click to expand...

What a fantastic update. Thanks for sharing!

The Sumatran tiger breeding at Australia Zoo has stagnated following the deaths of the breeding males; and with breeding female now aged 18 years. The remaining tigers are her five offspring, one of which has been removed from the breeding programme.

0.1 Kaitlyn (04/12/2007) Imported 2008
1.0 Hunter (22/08/2013) Ramalon x Kaitlyn
1.0 Nelson (03/06/2019) Ranu x Kaitlyn
1.0 Malcolm (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn
0.1 Sallie (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn
0.1 Sage (18/02/2020) Ranu x Kaitlyn

That’s exciting to hear there’s interest in acquiring hippopotamus. My money would be on Pygmy hippopotamus.

We can therefore take this as confirmation that Caballe the Southern white rhinoceros has been retired from the breeding programme.
 
Erocco W said:
I had a lovely time at Australia Zoo for my 50th birthday trip! It has certainly grown and improved much since I last visited. I am still to this day shocked as to how many Americans visit and spent much of my time chatting to Americans in a way only they can.
The croc shows remain an absolute highlight and something everyone on this forum should aspire to see at least once.

I managed to get a few questions answered but have few other updates.

The breeding is going well and several Komodo’s are set to transfer out this year.
They were quite tight lipped about elephants but the keeper seemed to be having a very tough day.
They only plan to breed the incoming Rhinoceros bull with the younger females.
Apparently the Sumatran tiger program is at capacity or needing a reshuffle and they are waiting for more decisions by management before learning whether they will receive new tigers via transfer or import.
They are planning to import hippos but the keeper I spoke to could not say whether common or Pygmy.


I hope you all know I am very apologetic I could not get more accurate information for you lovely zoo fanatics. I may try and visit the two Sydney zoos on my return trip if anyone has questions for me

~E
Click to expand...
Really exciting to hear they're planning to import hippos! I wonder whereabouts in the zoo they plan to display them and how concrete these plans are that we're referring too. Australia Zoo's always said they've wanted hippos (for decades now:rolleyes:).

I would love to see a large breeding pod of Common Hippo there and they do have the space to create a breeding complex for them. However Pygmy Hippos would equally be exciting. Perhaps the start of the long awaited 'Congo' precinct there!
Zoofan15 said:
We can therefore take this as confirmation that Caballe and Inyeti the Southern white rhinoceros have been retired from the breeding programme.
Click to expand...
Australia currently have three females and the use of 'females' does make me believe Inyeti will still be breeding. She is only 20 so there's no need to retire her so young especially when you consider she's a very very valuable female (the only breeding offspring of both her otherwise unrepresented parents). Both her daughters have yet to breed yet too.
 
Jambo said:
Really exciting to hear they're planning to import hippos! I wonder whereabouts in the zoo they plan to display them and how concrete these plans are that we're referring too. Australia Zoo's always said they've wanted hippos (for decades now:rolleyes:).

I would love to see a large breeding pod of Common Hippo there and they do have the space to create a breeding complex for them. However Pygmy Hippos would equally be exciting. Perhaps the start of the long awaited 'Congo' precinct there!

Australia currently have three females and the use of 'females' does make me believe Inyeti will still be breeding. She is only 20 so there's no need to retire her so young especially when you consider she's a very very valuable female (the only breeding offspring of both her otherwise unrepresented parents). Both her daughters have yet to breed yet too.
Click to expand...
Erocco W said:
I agree, I have been hearing about Hippos here since the first IRA
Click to expand...

I would be most excited about the prospect of them acquiring Common hippopotamus. They have the space to accomodate a decent sized pod and while Werribee importing a bull is good; what would really benefit the region (where all the cows are related) is if a 1.1 founder pair could be brought in. A new facility (i.e. Australia Zoo) would be the way to do it.

I do however think Pygmy hippopotamus are more likely. They’re a lot cheaper and given the popularity of the species at the moment, would arguably be more enabling with the general public.
 
Jambo said:
Really exciting to hear they're planning to import hippos! I wonder whereabouts in the zoo they plan to display them and how concrete these plans are that we're referring too. Australia Zoo's always said they've wanted hippos (for decades now:rolleyes:).

I would love to see a large breeding pod of Common Hippo there and they do have the space to create a breeding complex for them. However Pygmy Hippos would equally be exciting. Perhaps the start of the long awaited 'Congo' precinct there!

Australia currently have three females and the use of 'females' does make me believe Inyeti will still be breeding. She is only 20 so there's no need to retire her so young especially when you consider she's a very very valuable female (the only breeding offspring of both her otherwise unrepresented parents). Both her daughters have yet to breed yet too.
Click to expand...
I would take what they say with a large pinch of salt, they wanted to import Zebras, Orangs and Gorillas for the world largest Gorilla exhibit (once on their website) also bull/s elephant among other animals and never happened. It would be a good thing for the species to have another holder, If they did hold hippos they have the space with some very large ponds near the Africa area. I will believe it when I see it. ;)
 
Zorro said:
I would take what they say with a large pinch of salt, they wanted to import Zebras, Orangs and Gorillas for the world largest Gorilla exhibit (once on their website) also bull/s elephant among other animals and never happened. It would be a good thing for the species to have another holder, If they did hold hippos they have the space with some very large ponds near the Africa area. I will believe it when I see it. ;)
Click to expand...
They did got Zebras for their Africa section.
 
Mid this year Perth zoo is Sending there 19 year old male Southern White Rhinoceros Barkari to Australia Zoo for the breeding program. These plans have been going on with the two zoos for more than a year. I was told while talking to a docent at Perth Zoo about the future African Savannah.
 
Jaiden said:
Mid this year Perth zoo is Sending there 19 year old male Southern White Rhinoceros Barkari to Australia Zoo for the breeding program. These plans have been going on with the two zoos for more than a year. I was told while talking to a docent at Perth Zoo about the future African Savannah.
Click to expand...

This will be a great opportunity for Bakari and a continuation of his family line, which currently consists of Bakari; his sister Tamu (2002), who is currently without a bull; and her two sons who live in Australia, neither of which are in breeding herds. His sire Memphis is still alive, but retired from breeding (with Perth scheduled to receive two non-breeding cows).

It appears Bakari’s intended mates are:

0.1 Inyeti (2005) Thomas x Aluka
0.1 Kibibi (2012) Satara x Uhura
 
Zorro said:
I would take what they say with a large pinch of salt, they wanted to import Zebras, Orangs and Gorillas for the world largest Gorilla exhibit (once on their website) also bull/s elephant among other animals and never happened. It would be a good thing for the species to have another holder, If they did hold hippos they have the space with some very large ponds near the Africa area. I will believe it when I see it. ;)
Click to expand...


The good ol plans before Steve croaked it.
I wouldn't be surprised to see hippo's, of memory were the islands not built with the idea of exhibiting hippo in the water ways around them?. They have some especially large Dams in and around the africa section. So most of the hard work for hippo's is done. If they want to cut costs and build basic/cheaper exhibits.
 
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