Central Coast Zoo Central Coast Zoo

Abbey said:
If they're coming from overseas, would this be the first overseas import for Central Coast Zoo?

There are Rhesus Macaques at Darling Downs, Mansfield and Banana Cabana, according to the Exotic Mammals thread, could they possibly be coming from any of those zoos/sanctuaries?

Do the Bullens still have macaques?
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It would be the zoo’s first overseas import, though I’m confident they’ll be sourcing their Rhesus macaques from within Australia. I believe Banana Cabana mostly have elderly macaques, but Darling Downs Zoo has bred them in recent years.

There would also be a number held in research facilities, though zoos rarely source from these places.
 
Just a bit of an aside but do we have any idea of how many species/population size are used in research labs in Australia? As a rough guess for species used: rhesus, long-tailed and pig-tailed (species?) macaque, hamadryas baboon and a douroucouli species (army malaria research). The baboons would definitely provide a potential avenue for unrelated stock. Other species outside of primates?
 
tetrapod said:
Just a bit of an aside but do we have any idea of how many species/population size are used in research labs in Australia? As a rough guess for species used: rhesus, long-tailed and pig-tailed (species?) macaque, hamadryas baboon and a douroucouli species (army malaria research). The baboons would definitely provide a potential avenue for unrelated stock. Other species outside of primates?
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This site gives an interesting overview: Primate Experimentation in Australia - Humane Research Australia

Between 2000-2015, Australia imported:

331 Southern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) from Indonesia.

250 Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) from Indonesia.

10 Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) from France.

46 Lemurine owl monkey (Aotus lemurinus grisembra) from the US.

59 Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) from France.

There are three national breeding colonies for macaques, marmosets and baboons. The National Baboon Colony holds large numbers of Hamadryas baboon.
 
Abbey said:
If they're coming from overseas, would this be the first overseas import for Central Coast Zoo?

There are Rhesus Macaques at Darling Downs, Mansfield and Banana Cabana, according to the Exotic Mammals thread, could they possibly be coming from any of those zoos/sanctuaries?

Do the Bullens still have macaques?
Click to expand...
Darling Downs Zoo have 1 (potential) breeding pair, Mansfield have 4:1 non breeding individuals and Banana Cabana also make it clear they are a non breeding facility and offer a permanent home for the animals they receive, so they are unlikely to pass on any of their primates.
My bet is they're receiving the last of the Circus monkeys from the same circus the lions came from - they certainly had 3 or 4 monkeys
 
Zoofan15 said:
This site gives an interesting overview: Primate Experimentation in Australia - Humane Research Australia

Between 2000-2015, Australia imported:

331 Southern pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) from Indonesia.

250 Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) from Indonesia.

10 Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) from France.

46 Lemurine owl monkey (Aotus lemurinus grisembra) from the US.

59 Common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) from France.

There are three national breeding colonies for macaques, marmosets and baboons. The National Baboon Colony holds large numbers of Hamadryas baboon.
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Had forgotten about the marmosets! There was a point in the 90s that some zoos entertained the idea of taking on some of the Dourocouli, but like usual there was a distinct lack of interest from the main zoos to take on a ready-to-go population. Also at this time was a suggestion for the region's zoos to import a breeding population of slender loris from Europe (may have been at a research lab; can't remember). Again no consensus and a missed opportunity. Suspect the lack of noc houses/space was partly to do with it.
 
@Zoofan15 Brilliant list bro, am guessing that the elderly Macaques at Banana Cabana are the remnant individuals that were owned by the Bullens out in western Sydney before (glad that Abbey asked the question as was curious too) also glad that Rhesus Macaques are at least still around (impressed hearing about DDZ and is it Mansfield and Central Coast too?).

@tetrapod Real shame the Slender Lorises never made it to Aus' from the European surplus back in the '90s. Was really interested in the Dorocouli that saw at the PZ noc' house in the '90s and would have thought most members of the public would find Owl monkeys/Dorocoulis fascinating. Sounds like your point about the lack of space in the nocturnal houses at the big city zoos was the issue, remember watching PZ's noc' house gradually become an entirely native animal one by 1998 or 1999? Only ever remember Taronga's NH having native animals even in the '90s except for the awesome Long-Beaked Echidnas and New Caledonian Giant Gecko.
 
steveroberts said:
@Zoofan15 Brilliant list bro, am guessing that the elderly Macaques at Banana Cabana are the remnant individuals that were owned by the Bullens out in western Sydney before (glad that Abbey asked the question as was curious too) also glad that Rhesus Macaques are at least still around (impressed hearing about DDZ and is it Mansfield and Central Coast too?).
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Cheers. Yes, Banana Cabana take in primates that are surplus to the zoo and entertainment industry. Rhesus macaques are currently held at Darling Downs Zoo and Mansfield; while Crocodylus have held them in recent years; and Central Coast are receiving some soon. The source is rumoured to be Stardust Circus, who recently retired their lions to Central Coast.
 
A small snippet of information possibly not for this thread (will add to the exotic species thread) but while we’re talking about Rhesus macaques, it was mentioned in the Mansfield zoo thread about a month ago they that had received 3x Rhesus from Darling Downs that are housed next to their existing 2, I think that would be the only 3 they had at DDZ which would count them out as a possible source seen as though I don’t think they have any themselves.

The Rhesus at Central Coast Zoo will most likely be coming from Get Wild Animal Experiences in Sydney which has the ownership had links to. Get Wild has a large number of marmosets which would probably where Central Coast ones came from as well as both Crab eating and Rhesus macaques. Not sure of the origins of these be I’d speculate that these may have come from ex circus animals at some point along the line.


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Our Rhesus Macaques really... - Get Wild Animal Experiences| By Get Wild Animal Experiences | Our Rhesus Macaques really enjoyed their enrichment yesterday! .... and the keepers loved cleaning it up...
 
I would need to go back thru the threads, but someone in their review of Darling Downs Zoo said they had an elderly pair of Rhesus macaques, and a younger pair, plus i know they had to hand raise their last baby (called Ronnie) so i assume the new additions at Mansfield zoo are the elderly pair and most likely Ronnie, leaving 1 pair at DDZ. The keeper i spoke to at Mansfield recently said the new pair were the parents of the other 2 males in the 2nd enclosure.
 
Astrobird said:
I would need to go back thru the threads, but someone in their review of Darling Downs Zoo said they had an elderly pair of Rhesus macaques, and a younger pair, plus i know they had to hand raise their last baby (called Ronnie) so i assume the new additions at Mansfield zoo are the elderly pair and most likely Ronnie, leaving 1 pair at DDZ. The keeper i spoke to at Mansfield recently said the new pair were the parents of the other 2 males in the 2nd enclosure.
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That makes sense as @WhistlingKite24 reported in 2020 that Central Coast Zoo had an elderly retired breeding pair; their handraised son; and their daughter, who’d been paired with a new male. Darling Downs Zoo bred several infants from this pair, so I’m not surprised to hear two were transferred to Mansfield.

Since Mansfield has held them from a number of years, we were wondering if the male Darling Downs Zoo received to make their current breeding pair had come from Mansfield in return since no other zoo appears to have bred them in the last decade.
 
Astrobird said:
Mansfield zoo has never bred any of their primates. Period.
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It seems Mansfield have just received surplus offspring from Darling Downs breeding program over the years.

The Central Coast's new Macaques may very well be the two males from Mansfield.
 
Jambo said:
It seems Mansfield have just received surplus offspring from Darling Downs breeding program over the years.

The Central Coast's new Macaques may very well be the two males from Mansfield.
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Articles from the early 2010’s detail them as having a female named Bubbles. It’s not clear if she was from Darling Downs Zoo (who sent them young males from their breeding pair that same decade) or whether she came from another source - either Alma Park (who sent their’s on to Crocodylus) or even a circus. I get the impression she was an older female.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Articles from the early 2010’s detail them as having a female named Bubbles. It’s not clear if she was from Darling Downs Zoo (who sent them young males from their breeding pair that same decade) or whether she came from another source - either Alma Park (who sent their’s on to Crocodylus) or even a circus. I get the impression she was an older female.
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The Darling Downs pair have had thirteen babies together, but the elderly pair arrived to Darling Downs in the early 2000's, so I don't think Bubbles could've been an offspring if she was elderly. Alma Park seems reasonable, as they sent their individuals away.
 
Astrobird said:
Mansfield zoo has never bred any of their primates. Period.
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I believe, and only second hand info so not 100% sure, that private zoos in Victoria can only breed exotics as part of a ZAA program.
 
Jambo said:
The Darling Downs pair have had thirteen babies together, but the elderly pair arrived to Darling Downs in the early 2000's, so I don't think Bubbles could've been an offspring if she was elderly. Alma Park seems reasonable, as they sent their individuals away.
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I not sure if this is correct about the 13 babies would of come from more than one pair are you sure about the information @Jambo
 
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Zorro said:
I not sure if this is correct about the 13 babies would of come from more than one pair are you sure about the information @Jambo
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High ranking females can produce young at four years of age and cease to reproduce at around 20 years of age. Factoring in the birth interval of around 18 months, it would be just about possible if several infants died as neonates, inducing the female to cycle again soon after (and decreasing the birth intervals). Nonetheless, I'm curious to know more about the 13 infants @Jambo.
 
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Zorro said:
I not sure if this is correct about the 13 babies would of come from more than one pair are you sure about the information @Jambo
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Zoofan15 said:
High ranking females can produce young at four years of age and cease to reproduce at around 20 years of age. Factoring in the birth interval of around 18 months, it would be just about possible if several infants died as neonates, inducing the female to cycle again soon after (and decreasing the birth intervals). Nonetheless, I'm curious to know more about the 13 infants @Jambo.
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This article (https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...o/news-story/90e2dcab06b69010ecb0b9dcf477b071) claims the mother had 12-13 babies including Ronnie who was hand raised in 2015. The article also mentions she had two older infants at the time (a one year old and a two year old). The zoo's family were also mentioned to have arrived in 2005. She may have had infants before her arrival to Darling Downs, as it makes it seem like they weren't sure of the exact number of infants the mother has had.
 
Jambo said:
This article (https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...o/news-story/90e2dcab06b69010ecb0b9dcf477b071) claims the mother had 12-13 babies including Ronnie who was hand raised in 2015. The article also mentions she had two older infants at the time (a one year old and a two year old). The zoo's family were also mentioned to have arrived in 2005. She may have had infants before her arrival to Darling Downs, as it makes it seem like they weren't sure of the exact number of infants the mother has had.
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I've found a source which details the birth of a female infant in August 2014. She was followed by the birth of a male infant (Ronnie) in October 2015, with Steve noting this was an unusually short birth interval and that two years were born common.

The 2014 infant joined her parents and three sisters; while Steve noted in the 2015 article that he'd reared five macaques before, so handraising may have shortened birth intervals; combined with the fact she hit reproductive age just under a decade before arriving in 2005 and likely had a few infants prior.

https://www.couriermail.com.au/news...s/news-story/15da247607a38d5847f34dc0ed29351d
 
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