Australian zoo mammal histories

[Hix]

.

Steve, Ara, Hix, tetrapod... I'm looking at you guys in particular!

Unfortunately, as I'm on CI for the next few years, most of my materials (guidebooks, annula reports, slides etc.) are all in storage, and I only have my memory to go on. And as I was in and out of Taronga on average once a fortnight between 1976 and 1996, dates when things came and went are pretty much a blur. So I don't hink I'll be too much help.

Patas Monkeys - I have photos of them at Taronga in 1983, 1984 and 1987, and then in Dubbo in 1990.

Jaguarundi at Taronga was there in 1979, along with a pair of servals and a pair of caracals (the male was named Claudius) and three puma (Cheyenne, Shawnee and Sioux). The wooden enclosures they were in were knocked down to build the Snow Leopard enclosure.

I've got photos of American Black bear at Taronga in 1975, 1977 and 1983. In 1975 & 1977 the bears were in the old pits at the bottom of the zoo. The young animals imported in the early 80's were named Jethro and Jed, and neither were black - one was cinnamon, and I've forgotten the other colour. They spent most of their time in Bear Canyon at the bottom of the zoo (but they may have been in the bear grottos before the Kodiak trio arrived).

Raccoon Dog were at Taronga, from memory, in the old cages next to the condors and Orangs in late 70's early 80's. Bobcat also lived in one of those cages, and at one time Red Fox.

Taronga had Red Pandas as early as 1975, I'm sure they were styani, and I know they bred, probably in 1977 or 1978, unsuccessfully.

The armadillo at Melbourne was a Hairy Armadillo, I don't think the species had been separated into Larger and Screaming at that stage.



Hix

 

[Pertinax]

The young animals imported in the early 80's were named Jethro and Jed, and neither were black - one was cinnamon, and I've forgotten the other colour.

The other two colour phases are much rarer- 'blue'( a sort of grizzled blue-grey with silver tips to the hair) and white(so-called 'Spirit Bear'- known from DC only.)

 

[Chlidonias]

Unfortunately, as I'm on CI for the next few years, most of my materials (guidebooks, annula reports, slides etc.) are all in storage, and I only have my memory to go on. And as I was in and out of Taronga on average once a fortnight between 1976 and 1996, dates when things came and went are pretty much a blur. So I don't hink I'll be too much help.

thanks for all that Hix. My only visit to an Australian zoo in the pre-2000 period was Melbourne in the early 90s and I don't think I remember anything that isn't still in the country.

I thought you were just on Christmas Island for a holiday!

 

[tetrapod]

thanks tetrapod. Some comments on some of your additions:

"*Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica / saxicolor)
.... Perth's original animals were a pair (female killed by male after two females born). Surely they were not siblings (suggesting at least another import)?"
The only original animals I could find reference to were the sibling trio from 1980, but I don't know if any others were imported. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if the Perth pair were direct siblings. However trying to find specific details of past breeding programmes is almost always nigh-on impossible. I'm not entirely sure but it did strike me as odd that they would have bred known siblings at the time.

"*Hanuman Langur (Semnopithecus entellus) - Are these the animals that ended up at Adelaide and Dubbo ? If so they had left Perth a long time ago, during the 80s?"
no idea. I didn't even know Adelaide and Dubbo had them. I suspect there may be some confusion with the Purple-faced langurs, as I don't recall any mention of Hanumans ever being at Perth. Definitely they were at Adelaide in the 80s, possibly from Dubbo where they were housed on one of the islands. I believe they kept getting off which was why they were moved on.

"*Patas Monkey (Erythrocebus patas) - Don't remember them being at Perth, but Taronga animals ended up at Dubbo before Noumea."
I may have misinterpreted something said on the forum about them being at Perth. I didn't know the Taronga ones went to Dubbo prior to Noumea, either. Again like the Hanumans I think there might be some confusion with another species, as I don't think they were ever at Perth. Similar problem with the langurs that the Patas could get off the island at Dubbo, the TAG didn't want them, Dubbo managed to off-load to New Caledonia, then Noumea joins ARAZPA...!

"*Black Lemur (Eulemur macaco) - at Perth, the last pair exported to Pouakai Zoo (NZ) in 1995. Incorrect entry - white-fronted lemurs"
Pouakai imported a sibling pair of White-fronted Lemurs in 1995, but they also imported a pair of Black Lemurs at the same time. I thought they came from Perth also? Did Perth have Black Lemurs at that time? This was (I'm guessing) when Perth was busy dismantling its primate collection and brushing them all of onto small zoos. No blacks ever at Perth - I think this is due to a nomenclature change when all brown lemurs where classed under the same name? Surplus white-fronted pair were sent to Pouakai mid/late 90s.
"*Spotted Cuscus (Spilocuscus maculatus) - Perth individual only lasted until mid 90s"
I have a date of 1998. I may phrase it as "mid/late 1990s" to err on the side of caution. 1998 may be correct, I thought it was earlier.

Notes above.

 

[tetrapod]

The young animals imported in the early 80's were named Jethro and Jed, and neither were black - one was cinnamon, and I've forgotten the other colour.

The other two colour phases are much rarer- 'blue'( a sort of grizzled blue-grey with silver tips to the hair) and white(so-called 'Spirit Bear'- known from DC only.)

Definitely they were not the rarer colour morphs!

I remember there were a couple, though I thought there more then two. One was definitely a darker brown morph as I have a picture of one in a zoo guide from 1986.

 

[tetrapod]

Unfortunately, as I'm on CI for the next few years, most of my materials (guidebooks, annula reports, slides etc.) are all in storage, and I only have my memory to go on. And as I was in and out of Taronga on average once a fortnight between 1976 and 1996, dates when things came and went are pretty much a blur. So I don't hink I'll be too much help.

Patas Monkeys - I have photos of them at Taronga in 1983, 1984 and 1987, and then in Dubbo in 1990.

Jaguarundi at Taronga was there in 1979, along with a pair of servals and a pair of caracals (the male was named Claudius) and three puma (Cheyenne, Shawnee and Sioux). The wooden enclosures they were in were knocked down to build the Snow Leopard enclosure. I saw my first jaguarundi (and only one in Aust) in 1986.

I've got photos of American Black bear at Taronga in 1975, 1977 and 1983. In 1975 & 1977 the bears were in the old pits at the bottom of the zoo. The young animals imported in the early 80's were named Jethro and Jed, and neither were black - one was cinnamon, and I've forgotten the other colour. They spent most of their time in Bear Canyon at the bottom of the zoo (but they may have been in the bear grottos before the Kodiak trio arrived). Confirmed that I saw Black bears in 1986.

Raccoon Dog were at Taronga, from memory, in the old cages next to the condors and Orangs in late 70's early 80's. Bobcat also lived in one of those cages, and at one time Red Fox. I saw a raccoon dog in 1986.

Taronga had Red Pandas as early as 1975, I'm sure they were styani, and I know they bred, probably in 1977 or 1978, unsuccessfully. Taronga had both subspecies, but ARAZPA at the time decided to concentrate on the rarer? subspecies. Not sure if they were still there in 1986, but there was mention in the guide about them.

The armadillo at Melbourne was a Hairy Armadillo, I don't think the species had been separated into Larger and Screaming at that stage. Yep I suspect the same situation was for the Perth animals. Don't know when they were separated.


Hix

Notes above. My initial visit to Taronga was 1986 so I can remember with some certainty about seeing some species for the first time.

 

[Chlidonias]

No blacks ever at Perth - I think this is due to a nomenclature change when all brown lemurs where classed under the same name? Surplus white-fronted pair were sent to Pouakai mid/late 90s.

thanks for the extra info. I'll drop Perth from the holders of hanuman and patas.

Do you know of any other Australian zoos which had black lemurs, because the NZ ones definitely came from somewhere in Australia?

 

[tetrapod]

I found that Perth Zoo published a pamphlet on the Lesser Primates exhibit in June 1986, so presumably that would be the opening year?

Cool find. I would guess that would be about right. It was built after the great ape and nocturnal house on either side, but must be around the same time as the brickwork is the same! I don't think all the species came in the same time but I think that the tamarins, lemurs, capuchins, colobus and langurs definitely arrived early on. The serval was also an original resident.

 

[Chlidonias]

Taronga had Red Pandas as early as 1975, I'm sure they were styani, and I know they bred, probably in 1977 or 1978, unsuccessfully.

Taronga had both subspecies, but ARAZPA at the time decided to concentrate on the rarer? subspecies. Not sure if they were still there in 1986, but there was mention in the guide about them.

I've got the dates for all the styani in Australasia. I can post those when I get home tonight, just for interest's sake.

 

[tetrapod]

thanks for the extra info. I'll drop Perth from the holders of hanuman and patas.

Do you know of any other Australian zoos which had black lemurs, because the NZ ones definitely came from somewhere in Australia?

No worries, glad to help. Like I said I'm pretty sure that Perth never had both species, certainly not as recently as the 80s.

No, I think the black lemur record is a misprint unless you have seen the animals in the flesh (or photos)! I don't know of any other lemur species in Aust other than B+W ruffed, ringtail and the white-fronts. A real shame as other lemur spp would do well.

 

[Chlidonias]

oh also, while I'm here - the Siberian tiger at Mogo, the last one in the country. I think it came from Adelaide initially? Does anyone know when that died? I haven't been able to find out anything.

 

[tetrapod]

oh also, while I'm here - the Siberian tiger at Mogo, the last one in the country. I think it came from Adelaide initially? Does anyone know when that died? I haven't been able to find out anything.

Correct it did come from Adelaide and died before 2000-1. Sorry cannot be any more accurate than that.

 

[tetrapod]

Just had a look on the old NZ mammal thread and you had the Talapoins leave in 1985, which would tie in with Perth opening up the Lesser Primates a year later.

You also have black lemurs arriving at Pouakai at same time as white-fronts. Perth exported the lemurs along with 4 white-handed gibbons (2 dark and 2 pale) at the same time. Maybe the black lemurs are confused with black(ish) gibbons?

 

[Hix]

The other two colour phases are much rarer- 'blue'( a sort of grizzled blue-grey with silver tips to the hair) and white(so-called 'Spirit Bear'- known from DC only.)

Nah, they were both browny coloured, but the publicity called them cinnamon and something else, like russett.

I thought you were just on Christmas Island for a holiday!

Nup, working here for the next three to five years.

I don't know of any other lemur species in Aust other than B+W ruffed, ringtail and the white-fronts.

Taronga had Red-fronted Brown Lemurs for a short time, 1.2 I think.



Hix

 

[Geoffrey]

oh also, while I'm here - the Siberian tiger at Mogo, the last one in the country. I think it came from Adelaide initially? Does anyone know when that died? I haven't been able to find out anything.

The best I can say here is early 90s at the latest; it was certainly gone by the time I started visiting in around 1996-7.

 

[Chlidonias]

Just had a look on the old NZ mammal thread and you had the Talapoins leave in 1985, which would tie in with Perth opening up the Lesser Primates a year later.

You also have black lemurs arriving at Pouakai at same time as white-fronts. Perth exported the lemurs along with 4 white-handed gibbons (2 dark and 2 pale) at the same time. Maybe the black lemurs are confused with black(ish) gibbons?

for the Black Lemurs being imported to/present in NZ, all the official documents I have seen list "Black Lemur Lemur macao" - but none list White-fronted (or Brown) Lemurs. I think what may have happened was that the White-fronteds were imported from Perth as Lemur macao rather than fulvus or albifrons, and hence I ended up with both species as being imported to Pouakai in 1995. I'll remove Black Lemur from my NZ list.

On that topic, I also have notes for imports from Australia to NZ of two pairs of Agile Gibbons in 1984 and one pair of Concolor Gibbons in 1991 - anyone know anything about these species at all?

 

[Chlidonias]

oh also, while I'm here - the Siberian tiger at Mogo, the last one in the country. I think it came from Adelaide initially? Does anyone know when that died? I haven't been able to find out anything.

Correct it did come from Adelaide and died before 2000-1. Sorry cannot be any more accurate than that.

The best I can say here is early 90s at the latest; it was certainly gone by the time I started visiting in around 1996-7.

thanks to both of you.

 

[tetrapod]

for the Black Lemurs being imported to/present in NZ, all the official documents I have seen list "Black Lemur Lemur macao" - but none list White-fronted (or Brown) Lemurs. I think what may have happened was that the White-fronteds were imported from Perth as Lemur macao rather than fulvus or albifrons, and hence I ended up with both species as being imported to Pouakai in 1995. I'll remove Black Lemur from my NZ list.

On that topic, I also have notes for imports from Australia to NZ of two pairs of Agile Gibbons in 1984 and one pair of Concolor Gibbons in 1991 - anyone know anything about these species at all?

On the lemur front I think that would be the correct move.

Perth was in the late 80s king of gibbons with individuals of each of the (then) named species. So they did have Agile gibbons, but whether they were sent to NZ, I don't know. Pretty sure they didn't had two pairs though. All I know is that a number of lar gibbons were exported to NZ from Perth.

And so far as Concolors, this was the name given to all the White-cheeks (which were considered a subspecies). Perth had not bred theirs yet in 91, but the export may have been from Melbourne as they were the other Australian collection with White-cheeks at the time. Is it possible that gibbons were imported into Australia (probably Melb/Syd), quarantined and then sent onwards to NZ?

 

[tetrapod]

Nah, they were both browny coloured, but the publicity called them cinnamon and something else, like russett.

Taronga had Red-fronted Brown Lemurs for a short time, 1.2 I think.

Yes, that makes sense about the bears. Only saw them once.

And I also forgot that Adelaide previously had the Mongoose lemurs too!

 

[Chlidonias]

And so far as Concolors, this was the name given to all the White-cheeks (which were considered a subspecies). Perth had not bred theirs yet in 91, but the export may have been from Melbourne as they were the other Australian collection with White-cheeks at the time. Is it possible that gibbons were imported into Australia (probably Melb/Syd), quarantined and then sent onwards to NZ?

well that cleared that up the concolor mystery for me then, because 1991 was when Wellington got their pair of white-cheeked gibbons! The female Eeyore came from Perth (born there in 1981) and the male Vilson from Melbourne (born there in 1987).

The Perth pair Phillip and Racquel, incidentally, had babies in 1981 (Eeyore, as mentioned), 1984 (still-born), 1985 (Ricky), and 1992 (Robyn, now at Wellington). Racquel died in 1994.