Certainly. I’m also keen to here any updates on the Congo precinct too. If the rumours on Taronga phasing out gorillas are correct, than the precinct will unfortunately not go ahead.
Future of Eastern Bongo in Australasia
- Thread starter Zoofan15
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- australasia eastern bongo
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I didn’t hear anything about the elephants, and forgot to ask. I will be back there on Wednesday and again on Friday if there is anything you want me to ask.
Thanks! My main questions would be:
1. Are Pak Boon and Tang Mo going to Monarto? If so, when? There’s a slim possibility Thong Dee could be swapped for Tang Mo, but that’s unlikely imo.
2. What’s Taronga’s stance on gorillas? Phasing out/continuing etc.
3. When the female elephants leave, will that be the end of elephants at Taronga; or will they source bachelor bulls from Dubbo?
4. Any ideas around what species might replace elephants i.e. orangutans?
5. Long term plans for bull elephant exhibit/camel exhibit?
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I will try my best.
Thank you. I always ask more questions than I expect answers to (point in case, my Monarto list). That’s because what a person can find out depends on who they run into on the day and I want people to have the questions to hand should the opportunity arise to ask them. In any case, unanswered questions can be picked up by the next person. Anything you find out is appreciated.
I also forgot to add the likelihood of Taronga importing more bongo (not for Ekundu given his age; but following his passing).
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I may not be able to get answers to these questions today as my shift goes from 10-3, but on Friday I will have plenty of time to look for keepers.
@Osedax is playing a dangerous game by giving me time to think of more questions.
Jokes, there’s no rush. We’re grateful for anything you can find out, whenever you get the opportunity to do so.
Hate to divert the thread. You wouldn’t happen to know where in ZA these nyalas were imported from? Thanks
Hate to divert the thread. You wouldn’t happen to know where in ZA these nyalas were imported from? Thanks
The initial 1.2 founders were imported by Wellington Zoo in 2009 from Johanesburg Zoo's Rietkuil breeding farm (source: Current Mammals in New Zealand thread by @Chlidonias).
In addition to a male from Singapore (imported 2011), 20 nyala were imported from South Africa in 2016. This source only mentions they came from a private breeding facility in South Africa:
https://wellingtonzoo.com/news/nyala-arrive-from-south-africa-for-regional-breeding-programme/
Nyala arrive from South Africa for regional breeding programme
I am surprised that a few very much needed Waterbuck have not been obtained in much the same way as this Nyala import?
I am surprised that a few very much needed Waterbuck have not been obtained in much the same way as this Nyala import?
Me too. They’re not an endangered species and easily obtainable. Now Australia has the Bovid IRA in place, there’s even more options for a receiving zoo to undertake a mass import and then redistribute them to other zoos in the region.
Due to the territoriality of the bulls, they’ve lost a lot of popularity in recent years (following the shift to mixed species exhibits); but a couple of breeding facilities (perhaps Orana and Werribee) could supply other zoos with surplus females.
Thanks allot. I’ll be visiting Rietkuil very soon in fact!
At the end of the day our zoos ether want then long term or they are phasing them out but they could bring in a handful or so if they intend to keep them in the long term. While as you pointed out bulls might need to be separated its really not that hard having a few spare holding yards or send any excess males to any of the many other collections that would like to have them on display!
On a separate note, the South African population of Bongos faced a similar situation to Australia.
With only 5 founder animals imported from San Diego (1989) and Wilhellma (1997) by Pretoria the genetic diversity of the quick growing herd wasn’t too strong.
Luckily a new bull from Singapore was sourced in 2006 when all animals at Pretoria except the Singapore bull got killed in a lightning incident, he died a few years later…
One of his offspring, a bull, was kept at Joburg until the start of this year when he died of age related issues. He was the last Bongo in Southern Africa.
Could the Australian bongos be the last in the Southern hemisphere then?
With only 5 founder animals imported from San Diego (1989) and Wilhellma (1997) by Pretoria the genetic diversity of the quick growing herd wasn’t too strong.
Luckily a new bull from Singapore was sourced in 2006 when all animals at Pretoria except the Singapore bull got killed in a lightning incident, he died a few years later…
One of his offspring, a bull, was kept at Joburg until the start of this year when he died of age related issues. He was the last Bongo in Southern Africa.
Could the Australian bongos be the last in the Southern hemisphere then?
Unfortunately the situation with the Bongos in Australia is due to lack of imports since they started off with a very small number in the first place. One female was later imported from the Singapore zoo but has never bred, added to this most of the calfs born here have been males. Now with the IRA for bovines was completed 2 years ago ours zoos have opportunities to correct this problem!
incredibly glad to hear!
Unfortunately our zoos have lost the thrill of importing rare, endangered wildlife that was so prevalent in the 80s and 90s… and tend to stick with native wildlife or animals accessible from within the country, i.e replacing takin with sable or the bongos with nyala.
It might sound a bit petty but seeing common native wildlife like nyala, that can be easily seen not far out of the city gets bit redundant in a zoo. I’m sure you guys feel the same about common Australian fauna in zoos.
Yes, it would appear Australia hold the last Eastern bongo in the Southern Hemisphere. The regional population is currently 5.2 bongo:
Monarto Safari Park:
1.0 Isaac (20/01/2012) Ndugu x Binti
Taronga Zoo:
1.0 Ekundu (23/11/2005) Marraquie x Shani
Taronga Western Plains Zoo:
0.1 Djembe (15/09/2008) Marraquie x Nambala
1.0 Kulungu (26/11/2010) Ndugu x Binti
0.1 Maisha (00/00/2013) Imported 2016
1.0 Kamau (05/09/2018) Kulungu x Djembe
1.0 Masikio (21/11/2022) Kulungu x Djembe
Total regional population: 5.2 bongo
1.0 Isaac (20/01/2012) Ndugu x Binti
Taronga Zoo:
1.0 Ekundu (23/11/2005) Marraquie x Shani
Taronga Western Plains Zoo:
0.1 Djembe (15/09/2008) Marraquie x Nambala
1.0 Kulungu (26/11/2010) Ndugu x Binti
0.1 Maisha (00/00/2013) Imported 2016
1.0 Kamau (05/09/2018) Kulungu x Djembe
1.0 Masikio (21/11/2022) Kulungu x Djembe
Total regional population: 5.2 bongo
Like @Zorro says, a succession of male births to what is currently the only viable breeding female in the region hasn’t helped. She has previously given birth to a daughter, who we exchanged with Singapore for the female that’s failed to breed.
It’s been 12 months since Djembe last gave birth, so hopefully she’s pregnant again (ideally with a female calf).
I’d agree with that. Even as someone living in Australasia, I’d prefer to see endangered exotics than common exotics. The region once held purebred herds of Grant’s and Chapman’s zebra, which have since been hybridised into a large regional population of generic zebras. Even with a couple of facilities taking the initiative to acquire purebred Grant’s in recent years, other zoos are continuing to breed generic zebras.
I’d rather see Eastern bongo prioritised over Lowland nyala; and Przewalski’s horse, Persian onanger and African wild ass prioritised over generic Plains zebra (or at the bare minimum, a purebred subspecies of Plains zebra).
It's really surprising that Taronga would export the only female calf it had bred instead of keeping her, a dumb move in my view. It could have found better options to obtain further Bongos from else where, it really backfire in their faces.
I believe you have hit the nail on its head here, This bare minimum approach of almost everything is like an ideology and that's why our collections by and large will be second rate compared to overseas collections.