Darling Downs Zoo Darling Downs Zoo News 2021

Zorro said:
I agree the smaller regional zoos are doing a outstanding job keeping some diversity with our zoo collections, Also importing new bloodlines for species that were badly needed for a number of species in the region. If some of our public funded major zoos had the same amount of enthusiasm there would be some excellent collections out there instead of the retracted dwindling amount of species which are on their last legs within the region.
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Even if the mainstream zoos’s interest lies not in diversity and importation of new species, you’d think they’d realise how vital it is as a tourist attraction to have a point of difference i.e. species no one else has.

Large zoos are becoming increasingly homogeneous in their species portfolios and the families that come in the droves to see a lion, a tiger and a giraffe aren’t gonna visit zoos outside their hometown if all they have are the animals they’ve seen a hundred times back home.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Even if the mainstream zoos’s interest lies not in diversity and importation of new species, you’d think they’d realise how vital it is as a tourist attraction to have a point of difference i.e. species no one else has.

Large zoos are becoming increasingly homogeneous in their species portfolios and the families that come in the droves to see a lion, a tiger and a giraffe aren’t gonna visit zoos outside their hometown if all they have are the animals they’ve seen a hundred times back home.
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Its not just the importation of new species but maintaining species which they now have in their collections and introducing fresh bloodlines. How long before the public consider it not really worth visiting because there is not really that much on offer to them anymore.
Another thing is the people working at the major public funded zoos know there wages are going to be there next week and the week after next.
 
Darling Downs Zoo Visit - 25/09/2021:

I had a wonderful visit to Darling Downs Zoo today. It’s not often you see a zoo make physically sizeable progress every few months you visit yet this zoo continues to impress and deliver. Some notes and observations from my visit today. I must also thank the zoo today for their generosity and dedication in providing such a sincere and authentic zoo experience:

*I was thrilled to see my first Caracals today. I saw two individuals huddled in their raised boxes. They were very easy to spot due to the design of the boxes being open-fronted allowing the public to see right into the space. Also in this complex of new exhibits, I spotted a Serval in the opposite set of enclosures. From the point of view of the general public, the caracals gained widespread attention today from what I saw. I also think their unique ear tufts, quite vocal nature and uniform colouration (contrasting all the other patterned felids we have in the country) give them great appeal. People were constantly stopping to watch them on their way to the giraffes.

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Caracal

*a pair of glass-fronted exhibits have been constructed between the meerkats/porcupine and lions in the location of a former Cape Barren Goose enclosure and before that, one for Egyptian Geese. They are tall, aviary-style exhibits with wooden panelling.

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New Enclosures

*it’s a tradition of mine to always head to my favourite aviary at the zoo first; the one near the picnic tables near the entrance. It was a hive of activity this morning with the whipbird, pittas, fruit dove, stilts, Emerald Doves, Crimson-winged Parrots and King Parrots. I could have spent hours watching them all; all my favourites in one enclosure.

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Crimson-winged Parrot

*also, lots of new bird species to keep me very content today! A female Pacific Baza awaiting to be paired is now on-display in the barn owl aviary. The kestrels have now moved into the kookaburra/frogmouth aviary along with a very entertaining Satin Bowerbird. My favourite new addition has to be a male Swinhoe’s Pheasant in one of the macaw aviaries; just a superb bird giving them about six pheasant species. There have also been several bird swaps as usual; Nicobar Pigeons, Eclectus Parrots, Wandering Whistling Ducks and Radjah Shelducks are now in the main waterbird aviary, Nepal Kalij Pheasants and Australasian Figbirds are in the aviary near the tapirs, Reeve’s Pheasant in the black cockatoo aviary, Golden Pheasant have moved into the aviary near the lions along with the final new species I saw today – a male Alexandrine Parrot.

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Swinhoe's Pheasant

*the Australian Grass Owls currently have two eggs. I watched the owl carefully tend to its nest and it was adding extra grass around the clutch. The stilts are also sitting on an at least one egg. Spring is also in the air with their groups of Blackbuck, Hamadryas Baboon, Giraffe and Plains Zebra with either recent births or pregnancies. The Black Swans had four cygnets as well.

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Grass Owl Eggs

*their natives collection is also expanding. A Red-legged Pademelon is now on-display with the koalas. The map also shows that Quokkas are living with the koalas now as well. Today also marked the first time I have ever seen a Rufous Bettong at DDZ; finally found one in with the wombat den area after all these years.

*lots of wildlife at DDZ today as well; a Black-shouldered Kite (lifer for me) flew over quickly and a Nankeen Kestrel hovered over the cheetahs. There were Grey Teals with a duckling on the dam and I was fortunate enough to see a wild Eastern Bearded Dragon as well. :)

For more photos see here (I will gradually add more but here are the main ones): Darling Downs Zoo - ZooChat
 
You had a great day and the pics are wonderful. Its amazing how the collection keeps getting better, Not just the one group, but across the board, native mammals, Reptiles, birds and exotic mammals just constant progress giving a wide range of species to just about keep any visitor happy. Did to spot any grebes on the dam this time?.
 
I visited the ddz last week, the first time in over 8 years. I was bowled over by the improvements. I'm not going to write a review as it would just be a copy of what whistling kite writes but I will give my impressions of a few things.

Steve Robinson. I met Steve for the first time and I was very impressed. Here is a man who is passionate about what he is doing, dedicated to the welfare of the animals in his care, thinking long term about the future of ddz and zoos in Australia in general. Thank you for taking the time to meet me. I really appreciated it.

The new african section.
Loved it. Spacious, interesting and with a good starter group of species. Standing in front if the girrafes with the cheetah across the way gives you the feeling if being on an African savannah. The species included giraffe, cheetah, caracal, serval and addax . It is my understanding that zebra will moved up there.

Maned wolf.
I have been following the story of maned wolves in Australia and I finally got to see one!! I was hoping to see the pups but it was not to be. Oh well. I hope there will be many more in the future.

I really loved my visit, I will be going again once the leopwrds are here. Thank you for your great work Steve.
 
jay said:
Steve Robinson. I met Steve for the first time and I was very impressed. Here is a man who is passionate about what he is doing, dedicated to the welfare of the animals in his care, thinking long term about the future of ddz and zoos in Australia in general. Thank you for taking the time to meet me. I really appreciated it.
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By sheer coincidence, my most recent visit was also the first time I properly met Steve Robinson as well. I would like to echo @jay's comments exactly and say Darling Downs Zoo certainly has a very bright future filled with many more milestones to come.
 
jay said:
I visited the ddz last week, the first time in over 8 years. I was bowled over by the improvements. I'm not going to write a review as it would just be a copy of what whistling kite writes but I will give my impressions of a few things.

Steve Robinson. I met Steve for the first time and I was very impressed. Here is a man who is passionate about what he is doing, dedicated to the welfare of the animals in his care, thinking long term about the future of ddz and zoos in Australia in general. Thank you for taking the time to meet me. I really appreciated it.

The new african section.
Loved it. Spacious, interesting and with a good starter group of species. Standing in front if the girrafes with the cheetah across the way gives you the feeling if being on an African savannah. The species included giraffe, cheetah, caracal, serval and addax . It is my understanding that zebra will moved up there.

Maned wolf.
I have been following the story of maned wolves in Australia and I finally got to see one!! I was hoping to see the pups but it was not to be. Oh well. I hope there will be many more in the future.

I really loved my visit, I will be going again once the leopwrds are here. Thank you for your great work Steve.
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Very glad you had a great time and it was really nice that Steve found the time to show you around @jay @WhistlingKite24 . Its been over one year since I was there last due to no rubber on the road atm. But I am more than ready to get out there again as soon as possible. The DDZ is going from strength to strength, one can only guess what it will be like in another few years or so! :):cool:
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
A zebra was born at Darling Downs Zoo on Friday night. The foal has been confirmed as female and been named Zafira. Reported on their social media page.
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A video about the new zebra foal born to female Zavannah and male Zinty. The zoo currently have about seven zebras [Zinty, Zavannah, Zafira, Zapphire, Ziva, Zelda and Angel] and this is Zavannah's fifth foal.

Source: 7News YouTube
 
Great news. Darling Downs Zoo have successfully hatched their first ever Eastern Whipbird which fledged this week. The adult male originally came from Moonlit Sanctuary. From their social media:

"Not all of our births this Spring have been big and beautiful. This one is tiny and beautiful! Meet our gorgeous, first ever, Eastern Whipbird chick who has just fledged this week. Eastern Whipbirds are found along the east coast of Australia but are very secretive and are rarely seen. However, their distinctive whip-crack sounds are enough to reveal their presence. This sound is often made by two birds calling in unison. Our male is an unusually bold and confident bird. He was hatched at Moonlit Sanctuary in Victoria where he was a great favourite before moving north to live with us. Hopefully this little chick will be the first of many offspring for him."
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
Great news. Darling Downs Zoo have successfully hatched their first ever Eastern Whipbird which fledged this week. The adult male originally came from Moonlit Sanctuary. From their social media:

"Not all of our births this Spring have been big and beautiful. This one is tiny and beautiful! Meet our gorgeous, first ever, Eastern Whipbird chick who has just fledged this week. Eastern Whipbirds are found along the east coast of Australia but are very secretive and are rarely seen. However, their distinctive whip-crack sounds are enough to reveal their presence. This sound is often made by two birds calling in unison. Our male is an unusually bold and confident bird. He was hatched at Moonlit Sanctuary in Victoria where he was a great favourite before moving north to live with us. Hopefully this little chick will be the first of many offspring for him."
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The zoo does so well with their bird collection! :)
 
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A second zebra foal was born today! The male has been named Zion. From their social media:

"Baby Zion arrived today – our second Zebra birth this month! Our two foals are on view all day, with their extended family. A personal Zebra Encounter takes place at 10am each day. This is a great way to get up close and personal with these colourful equines although the foals and their mum’s get to choose whether or not they will participate. The zoo opens at 9am daily, last entries are at 3pm and the zoo closes at 4pm."
 
They have made a very impressive effort with this Zebra import of ten animals a few years ago. I believe it took about ten years and around three goes to achieve, Not bad for a small country zoo. They have bred quite a few young which have been sent to other zoo collections around the country helping in a big way with adding some new genetics to the regions population. :cool::)
 
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