Adelaide Zoo Flamingoes?
- Thread starter Ara
- Start date
Thanks for that, it's great to know that they are still alive.
The greater flamingo was imported in 1933, which means that it is at least 74 years old.
The chilean flamingo was imported in 1948, making it at least 59 years old.
There is now only one flamingo at Taronga, a chilean also from the 1948 importation. It has been "retired ", that is, it is no longer on display.
The greater flamingo was imported in 1933, which means that it is at least 74 years old.
The chilean flamingo was imported in 1948, making it at least 59 years old.
There is now only one flamingo at Taronga, a chilean also from the 1948 importation. It has been "retired ", that is, it is no longer on display.
I don't think the Auckland ones are likely to breed. Some of them were killed by a member of the public a couple of years ago, and I believe the flock is now too small for the birds to be interested in courtship etc
it has been quite awhile with not much to report however they still have around 18 from memory (only one was killed as far as i know) and i have no idea how long flamingos take to mature. in brazil i visited a birdpark that bred their falmingo flock of roughly the same size or less by using mirrors to trick the flamingos into thinking they were more numerous with great success.
flamingoes mature at about three years of age, but some are known to breed at two.
yep flock size is extremely important. Caribbean flamingoes will breed with just a few pairs but all other species need quite large numbers. Small groups will occasionally lay and hatch an egg or two, but its little more than random. Someone from Auckland Zoo is welcome to set me right if I'm wrong here, but it seems that because of the cost and rigmarole involved in importing the birds in the first place they only brought in the bare minimum. I think it was two or three birds that were killed or had to be put down after the attack on them (I could be wrong). I thought it was silly bringing in such a small number when they first announced it but you know what the politics in zoos are like! As I understand it, now the zoo is really only considering them to be display or "advocacy" birds and doesn't have much hope of breeding them properly.
I think Taronga Zoo also tried using mirrors to try and get their birds to breed when they still had a small flock.
I think Taronga Zoo also tried using mirrors to try and get their birds to breed when they still had a small flock.
Many Zoos around the World have used the 'Mirrors' technique to try and get their birds to breed. Even now it is almost ALWAYS reported by the press, as if its a novelty!
What I'm not so sure of is whether this technique actually has a successful outcome or not. My guess is if the captive flock is already a sizeable one, then it could give the birds the impression of the mass numbers sufficient to stimulate breeding. If the group is only small, it probably dosn't make any difference as the noise and social interaction, choice of mates etc between the 'real' birds must also be equally important.
Incidentally I believe the first place ever to breed Caribbean Flamingo in captivity(i.e. pinioned state) wasn't at a zoo, but at the Haleah(?) Race Track in Florida in the 1940's. They had a very large colony of Flamingoes living on a lake in the centre of the racecourse and of course climate was similar to the Carribean too, so it was pretty similar to nature.
What I'm not so sure of is whether this technique actually has a successful outcome or not. My guess is if the captive flock is already a sizeable one, then it could give the birds the impression of the mass numbers sufficient to stimulate breeding. If the group is only small, it probably dosn't make any difference as the noise and social interaction, choice of mates etc between the 'real' birds must also be equally important.
Incidentally I believe the first place ever to breed Caribbean Flamingo in captivity(i.e. pinioned state) wasn't at a zoo, but at the Haleah(?) Race Track in Florida in the 1940's. They had a very large colony of Flamingoes living on a lake in the centre of the racecourse and of course climate was similar to the Carribean too, so it was pretty similar to nature.
even if auckland zoo's flamingoes dont breed, they have a guaranteed flamingo display for another 50-60 years. on tarongas, the lone bird is behind the scenes in an aviary near the bird-house, but id be suprised if it lasts the year out....taronga tried mirrors too, it didnt work.
in my lifetime of visiting taronga the flock has dwindled from three, to two, and now one bird, so it has been kind of sad. no doubt, african elephants are going down the same road
in my lifetime of visiting taronga the flock has dwindled from three, to two, and now one bird, so it has been kind of sad. no doubt, african elephants are going down the same road
you're exactly right. Hialeah Racetrack produced their first chick in 1937 but it failed to survive (it died after 14 days). They then bred successfully in 1942. The next captive breeding (away from Hialeah I mean) wasn't until 1956, at San Antonio Zoo. Of course for a very long time zoos only kept flamingoes as display birds, on ornamental ponds with neatly-clipped lawns, so they had no breeding opportunities anyway.
Auckland flamingoes
They are still there , and still on display . ( across from lion island )
My personal view is that they should have imported a few more than the bare minimum , so as to cover any unexpected loss of a few individuals . But I dont have any say re Auckland Zoo policies
But even if they dont breed , they should still last for quite some years as a small flock .
They are still there , and still on display . ( across from lion island )
My personal view is that they should have imported a few more than the bare minimum , so as to cover any unexpected loss of a few individuals . But I dont have any say re Auckland Zoo policies
But even if they dont breed , they should still last for quite some years as a small flock .
You never know pat, it just might work. Many zookeepers agree that flamingoes aren't the brightest of birds
maybe running a film of Flamingoes breeding on one of the African Lakes on a big Plasma screen would do it?
Its interesting that Oz/NZ zoos have such small numbers of these birds. Many European zoos have a sizeable flock of flamingoes somewhere near the zoo entrance as an 'eyecatcher' for the visitors. It still seems possible to import them as nowhere can breed sufficient numbers to replace those that die. I always feel rather sorry for captive flamingoes as pinioned birds must suffer a good degree of stress in my opinion and I once saw a newly imported bunch being pinioned, it wasn't a pleasant sight....
it is extremely expensive importing birds to NZ or Aus, even more so nowadays with stricter biosecurity laws. The Auckland Zoo flamingoes were bred at Slimbridge (I think). To prevent any chance of disease being brought to NZ the eggs had to be artificially incubated, then the chicks hand-reared in strict quarantine at Slimbridge so they were never in contact with any other birds, and then when old enough were flown to NZ where they were quarantined again before being released into their zoo enclosure. The expense and relative difficulty involved in this is why only a smallish flock was imported and why there is probably not much chance of more birds coming in any time in the forseeable future.
these questions is really just for AbiSmith from Auckland Zoo:
how many of the Auckland flamingoes were killed or had to be put down after that attack on them? How many does the zoo actually have now?
and how long have they been at the zoo now? Because Nigel says (in the Auckland Zoo thread) that he's been told they are now starting to mature and hopefully will start breeding. But flamingoes mature at 3-5 years (some breed as young as two), and surely they've been at the zoo much longer than that? The smallest successful greater flamingo flocks in captivity aren't any smaller than about 15-20 birds (an egg laid now and again isn't a successful breeding flock, they have to breed regularly).
Thanks
how many of the Auckland flamingoes were killed or had to be put down after that attack on them? How many does the zoo actually have now?
and how long have they been at the zoo now? Because Nigel says (in the Auckland Zoo thread) that he's been told they are now starting to mature and hopefully will start breeding. But flamingoes mature at 3-5 years (some breed as young as two), and surely they've been at the zoo much longer than that? The smallest successful greater flamingo flocks in captivity aren't any smaller than about 15-20 birds (an egg laid now and again isn't a successful breeding flock, they have to breed regularly).
Thanks