boring australians?

P

phoenix

Well-Known Member
so i was reading some of the international threads and the consensus is that us stingy australians haven't sent but a scarce few of our most boring of all animals to overseas zoos.

they have some kangaroos, the odd sleepy koala - enjoy.

but then i started thinking about how lacking our own collections are. i mean sure we have an aweful lot more interesting australian species here than overseas zoos - devils, echidnas, hairy nosed wombats and platypus are all rather common in zoos and wildlife parks here. but still, considering the spectacular scope of our native animals, its a surprise and disappointment to me that we don't have many of, what i would consider, our most fascinating animals represented in captivity....

QUOLLS - where oh where are the quolls?!!! not only do they represent some of the largest of our carnivorous marsupials, not only do they represent some of the most attractively patterned of our native mammalian fauna, but they are shockingly, shockingly endangered!
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_ujk9GTedwW8/R-iwkwI0ImI/AAAAAAAAHwg/iVWFaKCm8eA/s400/quoll1.jpg

iz it coz i iz black?
http://www.pixalo.com/gallery/data/503/Spotted-Quoll-.jpg

there is definitely something tough about these guys. and they are quite large too...
http://www.mtrothwell.com.au/images/gallery/Spot-Tailed-Quoll.jpg

POSSUMS - where are the colourful cuscus? http://www.knowyoursto.com/images/genuspossums/spilocuscus-maculatus01.jpg

our ecological equivalent to the aye-aye?
http://www.wettropics.gov.au/st/rai...rces/Images/animals/mammals/StripedPossum.jpg

and what about TREE KANGAROOS?? we loooooove tree kangaroos. too bad the only ones in our zoos seem to be the exotic goodfellows variety. for i think these native versions are rather fascinating as well....
http://www.athertonbluegum.com/platypusbend/tree_kangaroo.jpg

albeit a bit spooky....
http://www.wettropics.gov.au/st/rai...ages/animals/mammals/BennettsTreeKangaroo.jpg

and whilst we are on the topic of KANGAROOS, what about this little one!
http://www.wildlifeimages.com.au/images/gallery/mammals/mam4.jpg

tell me this isn't a freaking awesome looking FRUIT BAT
http://www.wettropics.gov.au/st/rai...urces/Images/animals/mammals/TubeNosedBat.jpg

or what about this one
http://www.gokids.com.au/kids/sp_sep_fox3.jpg

easter BILBY aside, i still haven't seen one of these
http://pics.livejournal.com/eyeteeth/pic/00056035

and this guy, don't even get me started on this guy! most wildife books forget to even mention that we have a MARSUPIAL MOLE
http://www.arkive.org/media/0C/0C2757AB-7048-4916-9772-6E000C52673E/Presentation.Large/photo.jpg

you know, after growing up in australia with the default "australian animals are boring mentality" and then going overseas and realising that a sloth is arguably even more boring than a koala - i have an absolute real passion now for native species. we got some totally cool stuff over here. all that they have going against them is their nocturnal lifestyles.

but thats no excuse. the fact that heallesville, and so many other native animal parks haven't yet seen the value and gimmick in becoming a night zoo perplexes me. likewise i'm no fan of nocturnal houses, but thats not to say i couldn't think of a way in which it could be done to impress me. melbourne zoo doesn't even have a nocturnal house.

the above species would surely fascinate anyone. i hope some of our foreign members will look at these links and think get as excited as we get looking at their native fauna, but more importantly i hope the australians feel the same way too.

lesson over.


now go forth and catch me a musky rat kangaroo!
 
I completley argee with you. There is no reason why these species can't be brought into captivity. Take from the Wild permits are fairly easy to get (atleast they were in SA) so easy in fact that private individuals are even granted for things. Tube nosed bats would be awesome! and to see Tree Roos in our smaller parks should be a regional goal!
I wonder isf we could display Marsupial Moles much like overseas zoos house Naked Mole Rats?
 
I agree there should be a better focus on some of the less common natives - and having encountered Tube-nosed Fruit Bats in New Guinea I'd like others to wonder at them too.

But Marsupial Moles would make a lousy exhibit - you'd never see them.

And you've never seen a Bilby? I've seen them at Taronga, Sydney Wildlife World, Western Plains and Monarto.

I've also seen plenty of quolls, although they are mainly Spotted-tails (a.k.a. Tiger Quolls). There are Easterns, Northerns and Westerns around, but not in all zoos.

Taronga used to have a Spotted Cuscus that went for a walk around the Nocturnal House when the public had left. Beautiful animal, and a shame they are not common in our zoos anymore. Would love to see a live Spilocuscus rufoniger !

:p

Hix
 
I also agree with you, we do have such boring collections, So limited in scope, why can't our major zoo's have a breeding program for Palm cockatoos?, they are another native species.

In regards to only having one species of Tree Kangaroo in our zoo's, it could be part of the "master plan" not to have to many species on display?. With importation being what it is with certain animals I would think having some of the lesser known native species would have been on the cards long ago.
 
Last edited:
I haven't been for a while but Brisbane Forest Park have/had (?) an excellent native fauna display. They especially concentrated on the small active animals, feather gliders, antichinus and other small mammals that I can't remember. There were quoll, an excellent bird aviary and aquariums that displayed native fish, frogs, crustaceans and reptiles. It was originally owned by Brisbane City Council but in a fit of pique the State Govt took it over and that was the beginning of the end. It become so run down and ill looked after that I actually complained about the welfare of the animals. That was a number of years ago.
 
phoenix said:
but then i started thinking about how lacking our own collections are.

you know, after growing up in australia with the default "australian animals are boring mentality" and then going overseas and realising that a sloth is arguably even more boring than a koala - i have an absolute real passion now for native species. we got some totally cool stuff over here. all that they have going against them is their nocturnal lifestyles.

but thats no excuse. the fact that heallesville, and so many other native animal parks haven't yet seen the value and gimmick in becoming a night zoo perplexes me.
Click to expand...

As the operator of a night zoo devoted to Australian animals, this thread is very relevant.

I can endorse from our experience the idea that an evening tour with Australian animals can be a totally engrossing enjoyable and unique experience, one that in our case has seen some overseas visitors return not once but twice for. The animals are much more active, and interaction with them is not just possible but almost impossible to avoid.

Having said that there is a truism in the Australian zoo world to the effect that Australians won't pay to see Australian animals. Despite the high percentage of repeat and recommended visitors, we have a problem breaking through into the local market. Like comments I've had "I can see that in my backyard", and the problem we have in differencing ourselves from the local park's possum prowl. We find that over 30% of our visitors are international, and a substantial number of the locals are bringing overseas guests.

This is reflected, with respect, even here on this forum. Long threads discuss the names of giraffes, or hand-wring over the breeding of lions, as if that is at all important in the global management of lions. Yet I announce the arrival at Moonlit Sanctuary of a pair of yellow-bellied gliders, a magnificent species with conservation concerns, and important species management implications, and it barely raises a comment. This is not sour grapes, just a reflection of the general outlook of the Australian community.

To make ourselves viable, we have opened during the day as well. While I believe we offer an excellent daytime experience it is still nothing compared with the evening experience. Yet it is now the major money earner, and far more people come during the day than at night.

As for getting the "cool stuff" it is hard to get programs established in Australian zoos for Aussie species, unless there is clear PR value, just because places are not on offer. For us animals are not available from the wild, and we always struggle to find the species we are interested in displaying.

Cheers

Michael Johnson
Moonlit Sanctuary
 
hix - i remember as a kid going to taronga regularly and always wanting to see the cuscus. i think it was the name and the fact that it looked like a monkey instead of a possum that got my sister and i hooked.

oh and the black spotted cuscus - absolutely! don't even get me started on new guinea fauna (you should see my book collection). if we were going down that road - i'd be adding waigeou cuscus, black dorcopsis, giant bandicoots, giant rats, more LB echidnas and more fruit bats that can be possibly mentioned (i'm not even entertaining the thought of birds, lest i have a heart attack with excitement).

the amount of times i have tried to butter up a taronga keeper for a look at those darn LB echidnas! sadly we have let the grey dorcopsis die out in australia now.

yeah - marsupial moles would be a shocker of an exhibit. from what i have read they are "sand swimmers" rather than burrowers, so i don't think they could be displayed like ben wondered. still, so little is known about them that we should try nonetheless, i think we should keep them for research purposes and i'm always adamant that there is a way to make any animal display interesting if you get creative enough and do your research...

the above list are just some of my favorite native species, but there are plenty more. the one that gets me the most is the tiger quolls. talk about a fascinating native animal. i can't believe that there is so little interest from the major zoos - who should be spearheading these breeding programs.

if i ran zoos vic - i would scrap the nocturnal house and turn heallesville into something akin to the night zoo at singapore on weekends. i would also do for reptiles what the sanctuary already does for birds by building a new reptile house with a new arena that shows off our largest crocs, snakes and lizards. add the gimmick of a night zoo and that place would be even more packed with japanese tourists - which is great for the zoo.
 
MRJ - i wrote my last post at the same time as you wrote yours.

yes i whole-heartedly agree with you. and its funny - as i almost mentioned the yellow bellied glider in my first post.

i'm going to read up on your zoo so we can chat further...
 
looks great MRJ - i didn't realise you were so close. i had friends who until recently lived on frenchie. next time im up that way visiting (they are now in frankston) i'm coming to visit...
 
MRJ said:
Having said that there is a truism in the Australian zoo world to the effect that Australians won't pay to see Australian animals.
Click to expand...

Personally I attribute this to 1. the fact that many Australians don't know what we have, they can be more ignorant of our wildlife than overseas visitors. (This is not just an Aussie thing, I have read similar things about the US, Africa etc.)
2. Australian wildlife is displayed appalingly. Which is pretty much what many of you have said.
 
jay said:
Personally I attribute this to 1. the fact that many Australians don't know what we have, they can be more ignorant of our wildlife than overseas visitors. (This is not just an Aussie thing, I have read similar things about the US, Africa etc.)
2. Australian wildlife is displayed appalingly. Which is pretty much what many of you have said.
Click to expand...

1. Very true. That is the most obvious thing taking people around on evening tours. Most have no idea what a bettong is, a few would be aware of quolls, and while most have head of sugar gliders, they are amazed at the diversity ranging from yellow-belly's to feathertails.

2. Hard for me to comment. However I can say we have had some fantastic ideas that would really amaze, but have to question if the expense would actually be justified by an equivalent increase in patronage.

Michael
 
MRJ said:
1. Very true. That is the most obvious thing taking people around on evening tours. Most have no idea what a bettong is, a few would be aware of quolls, and while most have head of sugar gliders, they are amazed at the diversity ranging from yellow-belly's to feathertails.

2. Hard for me to comment. However I can say we have had some fantastic ideas that would really amaze, but have to question if the expense would actually be justified by an equivalent increase in patronage.

Michael
Click to expand...

If it's not commercial-in-confidence (and I understand perfectly if you feel that it is) might I ask how many people visit Moonlit Sanctuary per year?

My girlfriend and I have it on the 'to-do' list - hopefully over summer.
 
CGSwans said:
If it's not commercial-in-confidence (and I understand perfectly if you feel that it is) might I ask how many people visit Moonlit Sanctuary per year?

My girlfriend and I have it on the 'to-do' list - hopefully over summer.
Click to expand...

:) yer it is....!

But nowhere near as many as Healesville! (yet)

Michael
 
guys take a look at sydney wildlife world - smack bang in the middle of sydney has a great range of animals- quolls, golden brushtail possums,bilbies, echidnas, cave geckos etc.. the exhibits look like a slice of their natural environment too :) top place! always great to visit :)
 
MRJ said:
As the operator of a night zoo devoted to Australian animals, this thread is very relevant.

I can endorse from our experience the idea that an evening tour with Australian animals can be a totally engrossing enjoyable and unique experience, one that in our case has seen some overseas visitors return not once but twice for. The animals are much more active, and interaction with them is not just possible but almost impossible to avoid.

Having said that there is a truism in the Australian zoo world to the effect that Australians won't pay to see Australian animals. Despite the high percentage of repeat and recommended visitors, we have a problem breaking through into the local market. Like comments I've had "I can see that in my backyard", and the problem we have in differencing ourselves from the local park's possum prowl. We find that over 30% of our visitors are international, and a substantial number of the locals are bringing overseas guests.

This is reflected, with respect, even here on this forum. Long threads discuss the names of giraffes, or hand-wring over the breeding of lions, as if that is at all important in the global management of lions. Yet I announce the arrival at Moonlit Sanctuary of a pair of yellow-bellied gliders, a magnificent species with conservation concerns, and important species management implications, and it barely raises a comment. This is not sour grapes, just a reflection of the general outlook of the Australian community.

To make ourselves viable, we have opened during the day as well. While I believe we offer an excellent daytime experience it is still nothing compared with the evening experience. Yet it is now the major money earner, and far more people come during the day than at night.

As for getting the "cool stuff" it is hard to get programs established in Australian zoos for Aussie species, unless there is clear PR value, just because places are not on offer. For us animals are not available from the wild, and we always struggle to find the species we are interested in displaying.

Cheers

Michael Johnson
Moonlit Sanctuary
Click to expand...

It seems kinda strange to discuss in terms of boring backyard animals. You Aussies (and Kiwis) really do have a treasure trove on your hands with regards to local native species.

It seems some ARAZPA zoos do take the issue quite seriously, but then so much is behind the scenes too, like bilbies, Tassie devils. It seems sad that way.

How come that some Aussies regard it in a way "well, I get that in my backyard" seems uneducated at best. But hell, I cannot be the judge of that ... seems more something for you locals to comment on.

Is there an issue with PR or media in all this (too much focus on rhinos, giraffe ... the exotic over the local very rare species) ...???? :confused:
 
MRJ said:
1. Very true. That is the most obvious thing taking people around on evening tours. Most have no idea what a bettong is, a few would be aware of quolls, and while most have head of sugar gliders, they are amazed at the diversity ranging from yellow-belly's to feathertails.

2. Hard for me to comment. However I can say we have had some fantastic ideas that would really amaze, but have to question if the expense would actually be justified by an equivalent increase in patronage.

Michael
Click to expand...

IIRC, you wanted to create a walk-thru habitat for your gliders?

Many Australian animals are nocturnal, so it makes sense to have night tours, but it is not always easy to convince people to head out into the woods at night. When Night Safari Singapore first opened in 90s, almost 70-80% of its visitors were tourists as locals didn't appreciate the idea of seeing animals at night. Only in recent years has the ratio of local vs foreign visitors evened-out a bit.
 
Zooish said:
IIRC, you wanted to create a walk-thru habitat for your gliders?

Many Australian animals are nocturnal, so it makes sense to have night tours, but it is not always easy to convince people to head out into the woods at night. When Night Safari Singapore first opened in 90s, almost 70-80% of its visitors were tourists as locals didn't appreciate the idea of seeing animals at night. Only in recent years has the ratio of local vs foreign visitors evened-out a bit.
Click to expand...

Perhaps us damn tourists have a vanguard role here? :D

Still I would love to know how our Aussie forumsters perceive this true/not true sense of "boring Australian wildlife" by Australians ...? :confused:
 
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