Bovine Import Review

Zoofan15

Zoofan15

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Bovine Import Review

Great news for Australian zoos. Hopefully this will lead to some long awaited imports of Bongo etc.

Full article: https://www.miragenews.com/bovid-imports-for-zoos-approved-with-strict-636054/

Zoos wishing to import live bovid animals or their semen into Australia have received a greenlight following a department review, provided they meet strict new biosecurity measures preventing 22 significant diseases including rabies, foot-and-mouth disease and Rift Valley fever, being introduced.

Currently, Australia only permits the importation of zoo bovids from New Zealand, including animals like kudu, gazelles and impala.

Importation of zoo bovids is a top priority for the zoo sector, to improve the genetic diversity of existing zoo collections and contribute to international conservation efforts,” Mr Tongue said.
 
Bovid Species Currently Held in Australian Zoos

These are the Bovid species currently held in Australian zoos, that will hopefully benefit from the import of new genetics:

Banteng (Bos javanicus)
Domestic Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
American Bison (Bison bison)
Barbary Sheep (Ammotragus lervia)
Himalayan Tahr (Hemitragus jemlahicus)
Blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra)
Eland (Taurotragus oryx)
Bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus)
Nyala (Tragelaphus angasii)
Common Waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus)
Addax (Addax nasomaculatus)
Scimitar-horned Oryx (Oryx dammah)
 
Zoofan15 said:
Bovine Import Review

Great news for Australian zoos. Hopefully this will lead to some long awaited imports of Bongo etc.

Full article: https://www.miragenews.com/bovid-imports-for-zoos-approved-with-strict-636054/

Zoos wishing to import live bovid animals or their semen into Australia have received a greenlight following a department review, provided they meet strict new biosecurity measures preventing 22 significant diseases including rabies, foot-and-mouth disease and Rift Valley fever, being introduced.

Currently, Australia only permits the importation of zoo bovids from New Zealand, including animals like kudu, gazelles and impala.

Importation of zoo bovids is a top priority for the zoo sector, to improve the genetic diversity of existing zoo collections and contribute to international conservation efforts,” Mr Tongue said.
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Its Unbelievable, Its Happened, I had to read this post twice to make sure I was not seeing things. :eek:.
It only took 11 years but finally its done, I do hope our zoos will take full advantage of this after the sheer amount of time taken to get to this stage. Perhaps our large open range zoos like the Western plains zoo, Werribee Park zoo and the massive Monatro zoo can now have a better more realistic looking exhibits with real African antelope species and export the current Indian Blackbuck back to the Asian plains exhibit where it belongs :D. The species or whats left of them like Bongo and Waterbuck has just had a lifeline thrown to them. Lets not make the same mistake as in the past of importing a pair of Bongo a larger shipment would be a wise move, gets some bloodlines in and then work with that. What great news for Aussie zoos. :):cool:
@jay @Kifaru Bwana
 
Final Report:

Now that I have had a proper chance to read through the document and digest the information, here are the key points that can be taken away from this final report:

  • as mentioned in the draft report, all the species from Bovini and Caprinae are not included within this IRA therefore animals like American Bison and the caprids mentioned above are a resounding no for future imports. Also, wildebeest are excluded as well due to the risks with Malignant Catarrhal Fever.
  • a few export conditions mentioned as I sifted through the information; the animal must be held in pre-export quarantine for at least 30 days and isolated from all other animals not eligible for export to Australia. Post arrival quarantine is at least 30 days.
  • also, the animal must be resident in an approved, licensed or registered zoo or wildlife park in the exporting country since birth or for at least 12 months immediately before export, unless otherwise approved by the department.
  • a reminder that if the species is not on the live import list it cannot be imported immediately and an application process to amend the list would need to take place before the desired species would be allowed to imported. The following bovids are ones currently on the list that could be imported:
*Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus

*Waterbuck, Kobus ellipsiprymnus

*Red Lechwe, Kobus leche

*Dama Gazelle, Nanger dama ruficollis

*Grant's Gazelle, Nanger granti

*Scmitar-horned Oryx, Oryx dammah

*Gemsbok, Oryx gazella

*Addax, Addax nasomaculatus - note that Darling Downs Zoo have already publicly mentioned their interest in importing this species from the United States.

*Sable Antelope, Hippotragus niger

*Eland, Taurotragus oryx

*Nyala, Tragelaphus angasii

*Bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerus

*Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii

*Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros
 
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Kifaru Bwana said:
It is nigh on incredible. I am happy for you all. Now put it into practice zoo world. Bongo, okapi, kudu, dama gazelle and waterbuck.
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I would hope our zoos take full advantage of this golden opportunity just in case the window of opportunity closes again as it did once before. Now one would believe that the big players as in the government zoos would be champing at the bit to move on this, I for one will be sitting on the fence line watching from the side with my tub of popcorn to see who does what or who does nothing much. Time as normal will tell. :D
@kiwimuzz
@tetrapod
 
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WhistlingKite24 said:
a reminder that if the species is not on the live import list it cannot be imported immediately and an application process to amend the list would need to take place before the desired species would be allowed to imported. The following bovids are ones currently on the list that could be imported:
Click to expand...
No impala or springbok? I thought with the previous interest in either species they would be on the list, although to my knowledge both have not been in the country in recent decades. Not sure about the more distant past.
I'll be interested to see who jumps on this opportunity. Monarto would have to be very likely.
 
tetrapod said:
Monarto would have to be very likely.
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Monarto already have an impressive nine bovine species and will surely be looking to boost both the numbers and the genetic diversity of their herds. It’d be great to see a large herd of Bongo, given females and their young can gather in herds of up to 50; rather than the requisite pairs and trios we’re used to seeing in our zoos.

Altina have 10 bovine species - notably lacking Nyala and Bongo. I’d imagine they’d be very keen to import the latter; with the former breeding like rabbits in New Zealand and readily available - not that I’d discourage import from outside the region for the sake of genetic diversity.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Monarto already have an impressive nine bovine species and will surely be looking to boost both the numbers and the genetic diversity of their herds. It’d be great to see a large herd of Bongo, given females and their young can gather in herds of up to 50; rather than the requisite pairs and trios we’re used to seeing in our zoos.

Altina have 10 bovine species - notably lacking Nyala and Bongo. I’d imagine they’d be very keen to import the latter; with the former breeding like rabbits in New Zealand and readily available - not that I’d discourage import from outside the region for the sake of genetic diversity.
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Monatro zoo would do well to import with its massive new African exhibit. Thats a lot of room to fill with animals that can disappear from view due to the huge size of the exhibits. Not that long ago the ZAA were interested in obtaining both Impala and Stable antelopes for zoos in our region they were the species of interest. These species would thrive in conditions at Monarto and the Western Plains zoo.
Altina has had a long interest in hoof stock and have done well with them. I saw yesterday that they did mention on their Facebook site about the new change with the importation laws so I take this as a good sign that they may have some interest in obtaining something?. They are in my view among the top 3 most progress regional zoos in Australia. :)
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
It is nigh on incredible. I am happy for you all. Now put it into practice zoo world. Bongo, okapi, kudu, dama gazelle and waterbuck.
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Your not wrong Rhinoman, I am still pinching myself that it has finally happened. The amount of time its taken must be a record in itself :D.
I hope our zoos make hay while the sun shines just in case the door gets shut. ;)
 
Zorro said:
I for one will be sitting on the fence line watching from the side with my tub of popcorn to see who does what or who does nothing much. Time as normal will tell.
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I hope it’s a big tub of popcorn @Zorro ! The optimist within me is hoping for many imports of all the species on the list. The pessimist thinks maximum number of 3 species with less than 50 animals imported before the government revokes the Legislation within 5 years.
Time will tell.
 
kiwimuzz said:
I hope it’s a big tub of popcorn @Zorro ! The optimist within me is hoping for many imports of all the species on the list. The pessimist thinks maximum number of 3 species with less than 50 animals imported before the government revokes the Legislation within 5 years.
Time will tell.
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I agree with you. hence my comment make hay while the sun shines. I expect some of our larger zoos to be slow out of the blocks. :rolleyes:
 
Zorro said:
I agree with you. hence my comment make hay while the sun shines. I expect some of our larger zoos to be slow out of the blocks. :rolleyes:
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I think you are being unduly pessimistic. Firstly the major zoos and the ZAA have put an enormous amount of effort in getting to this point. I don't think that they have done this for the fun of it, they intend to use it. Secondly the point of this process was to establish procedures that will stand the test of time, rather than the ad hoc arrangements that existed before. The expectation on both sides is that this process is here for the long term.

The Bovine IRA has taken a long time because it is a large and diverse order and because neither the zoo side or the government side had ever had experience with the process. They were both learning. I understand next off the block will be giraffes and hippos, and the expectation is that neither will take anywhere as long. I understand there is also a parrot IRA which is being sponsored by others.

The caveat being I have no skin in this game, it is of no interest to us, and nobody has discussed their intentions with me.
 
MRJ said:
I think you are being unduly pessimistic. Firstly the major zoos and the ZAA have put an enormous amount of effort in getting to this point. I don't think that they have done this for the fun of it, they intend to use it. Secondly the point of this process was to establish procedures that will stand the test of time, rather than the ad hoc arrangements that existed before. The expectation on both sides is that this process is here for the long term.

The Bovine IRA has taken a long time because it is a large and diverse order and because neither the zoo side or the government side had ever had experience with the process. They were both learning. I understand next off the block will be giraffes and hippos, and the expectation is that neither will take anywhere as long. I understand there is also a parrot IRA which is being sponsored by others.

The caveat being I have no skin in this game, it is of no interest to us, and nobody has discussed their intentions with me.
Click to expand...
You could be right :)
 
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