Melbourne Zoo Future of Melbourne Zoo 2023 (Speculation / Fantasy)

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PaddyRickMFZ said:
I was more referring to other members of Suidae, as I feel as though when situations are dire MZ will take initiative. It would kinda be a disgrace if they didn’t. I was hoping red river hogs and warthogs would spice up WORZ a bit, and add something very suitable to the ‘waterhole’. As impossible as it is is seems a decent idea in thought to me
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Theoretically speaking, it’d greatly enhance Werribee’s African collection.

Realistically speaking, I can’t see it happening when there’s Bovid species on the live import list they could be importing, but are choosing not too. If they want to add variety, they only have to look to this list.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Theoretically speaking, it’d greatly enhance Werribee’s African collection.

Realistically speaking, I can’t see it happening when there’s Bovid species on the live import list they could be importing, but are choosing not too. If they want to add variety, they only have to look to this list.
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That’s exactly the problem. They have a list to look to and they’re not looking at it. Maybe something like warthogs or red river hogs could entice them? I just don’t know, because Werribee doesn’t currently have a major point of difference from other open range zoos. One last thing, is there a ban on bush dogs, because I know they would be an instant hit with the public in a South American section. This may be unpopular, but I don’t want WORZ to have a road through it like Dubbo, Its just not great idea imo, and takes away the feel of it
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
That’s exactly the problem. They have a list to look to and they’re not looking at it. Maybe something like warthogs or red river hogs could entice them? I just don’t know, because Werribee doesn’t currently have a major point of difference from other open range zoos. One last thing, is there a ban on bush dogs, because I know they would be an instant hit with the public in a South American section
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As a starting point, I’d hope the ZAA have identified at least two Bovid focus species on the live import list they can now import into Australia (which aren’t currently held in Australian facilities):

Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus
Red Lechwe, Kobus leche
Dama Gazelle, Nanger dama ruficollis
Grant's Gazelle, Nanger granti
Gemsbok, Oryx gazella
Sable Antelope, Hippotragus niger
Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii
Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Bush dogs can be imported to my knowledge, though they may need to be added to the live import list. Though numbers have dwindled in North American zoos, they’re held at over 40 European zoos and would be easy to source.
 
Zoofan15 said:
As a starting point, I’d hope the ZAA have identified at least two Bovid focus species on the live import list they can now import into Australia (which aren’t currently held in Australian facilities):

Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus
Red Lechwe, Kobus leche
Dama Gazelle, Nanger dama ruficollis
Grant's Gazelle, Nanger granti
Gemsbok, Oryx gazella
Sable Antelope, Hippotragus niger
Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii
Greater Kudu, Tragelaphus strepsiceros

Bush dogs can be imported to my knowledge, though they may need to be added to the live import list. Though numbers have dwindled in North American zoos, they’re held at over 40 European zoos and would be easy to source.
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Red Lechwe are beautiful animals and should be considered with sitatunga in a marsh exhibit near the waterbuck imo. Congo buffalo are a cool species and would catch the attention of visitors more than antelope. I’d love to see the return of greater kudu to the woodland section of the safari. Nilgai would be ideal if they choose to go for an Indian theme near the elephants, and the gazelles could liven up the lower Savannah or another exhibit if there are no cohabitation issues. Gemsbok kinda got eliminated from contention when the arid section of the safari was abandoned though.
On another note, I contacted customer service re the peccaries and I was told they would not be able to answer my question, so I’m not sure what to make of that.
Bush dogs being available is a massive plus and could be a possibility, maybe housed at Growing Wild since children would likely enjoy them until a hypothetical South American section is built. Would be a point of difference from Aussie zoos and a draw card. Considering messages I saw on the incompatible species thread they are not an option in the rest of the aviary, but could add variety to a hypothetical carnivorous section.
The next step would be tanookis, playing a similar role to bush dogs, but considering the diseases they can transmit I suspect a ban. Please correct me if I’m wrong on that
 
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PaddyRickMFZ said:
That’s what I meant. Also, didn’t someone mention there had already been a peccary walkthrough at WORZ? And if so, how did it work. Also, for the Amazon aviary, the paths would certainly have to be elevated
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PaddyRickMFZ said:
I s

i see. Maybe a fence kind of thing were you could scratch the peccaries back through it? Possibly similar to what we see with rhinos.then again they could have just been bottle raised and very tame, but that seems unlikely
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It was a walkthrough similar to the ones most zoos have for kangaroos nowadays. An enclosure with a path going through it; with no barriers separating the peccaries from the public. Considering they can be quite aggressive, I'd assume that may have been the reason why that idea was eventually scratched.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
If they had considered breeding them, or exporting them to another facility to breed.
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The 'can't answer' part would've surely been linked to the last question then. There's been a lot of opportunities for other zoos to acquire peccary in the last few decades (there's certainly been the stock) and obviously none have chosen to. Smaller regional zoos could've surely taken them, but from the past it seems Melbourne's more of a: 'hold the species until it dies out' zoo, whereas Taronga's proven to be quite the opposite and has sent their remaining individuals for the respective species to smaller, regional zoos (like Hunter Valley ect.)
 
Jambo said:
The 'can't answer' part would've surely been linked to the last question then. There's been a lot of opportunities for other zoos to acquire peccary in the last few decades (there's certainly been the stock) and obviously none have chosen to. Smaller regional zoos could've surely taken them, but from the past it seems Melbourne's more of a: 'hold the species until it dies out' zoo, whereas Taronga's proven to be quite the opposite and has sent their remaining individuals for the respective species to smaller, regional zoos (like Hunter Valley ect.)
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We can probably assume no other zoo within the region is interested in acquiring them otherwise Melbourne would have bred and supplied them with the offspring. This would have still allowed Melbourne to phase this species out (their intention).
 
Jambo said:
The 'can't answer' part would've surely been linked to the last question then. There's been a lot of opportunities for other zoos to acquire peccary in the last few decades (there's certainly been the stock) and obviously none have chosen to. Smaller regional zoos could've surely taken them, but from the past it seems Melbourne's more of a: 'hold the species until it dies out' zoo, whereas Taronga's proven to be quite the opposite and has sent their remaining individuals for the respective species to smaller, regional zoos (like Hunter Valley ect.)
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I prefer Melbourne over Taronga as a zoo, but the morals at Taronga seem to be better. What explanation seems more logical. Let a species die out in Australia forever, or send them off to keep them breeding forever. Seems pretty simple to me, but I’m no expert
 
Zoofan15 said:
We can probably assume no other zoo within the region is interested in acquiring them otherwise Melbourne would have bred and supplied them with the offspring. This would have still allowed Melbourne to phase this species out (their intention).
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Yes, Melbourne has breed them very well in the past and had a group of about 15 by 2012. They stopped breeding when they reached capacity, and haven't gone back to it ever since.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
I prefer Melbourne over Taronga as a zoo, but the morals at Taronga seem to be better. What explanation seems more logical. Let a species die out in Australia forever, or send them off to keep them breeding forever. Seems pretty simple to me, but I’m no expert
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I certainly agree Melbourne (and other facilities) should be making the effort to retain Collared peccary, but as I mentioned above, there’s a reasonably clear indication no other facility is interested.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I certainly agree Melbourne (and other facilities) should be making the effort to retain Collared peccary, but as I mentioned above, there’s a reasonably clear indication no other facility is interested.
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Although no facility may have explicit interest, saving a species from extinction within the region can’t be a bad campaign. Also, WORZ is basically MZ and if they wish to breed somewhere, but not at MZ, they should just send them half an hour away for a couple of years
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Although no facility may have explicit interest, saving a species from extinction within the region can’t be a bad campaign. Also, WORZ is basically MZ and if they wish to breed somewhere, but not at MZ, they should just send them half an hour away for a couple of years
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I would assume Melbourne Zoo aren’t against breeding, they’re against retaining this species within their collection. Whether they’d be willing to transfer them to Werribee I don’t know, but the fact they haven’t suggests Zoos Victoria aren’t interested in continuing with the species full stop. They don’t meet their criteria.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Although no facility may have explicit interest, saving a species from extinction within the region can’t be a bad campaign. Also, WORZ is basically MZ and if they wish to breed somewhere, but not at MZ, they should just send them half an hour away for a couple of years
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But the thing is where at Werribee? And, collared peccaries also wouldn't exactly fit Werribee's African theme.:D

Transferring can also be quite an effort both logistically and cost wise. I don't think Melbourne would do such a thing if they intend to phase them out.
 
Jambo said:
But the thing is where at Werribee? And, collared peccaries also wouldn't exactly fit Werribee's African theme.:D

Transferring can also be quite an effort both logistically and cost wise. I don't think Melbourne would do such a thing if they intend to phase them out.
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There is so much space at Werribee. Whether it’s just livening up the river trail in the meantime before the new arrivals or off display, it could easily be managed I believe.
Rq, are tanukis banned from import?
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
There is so much space at Werribee. Whether it’s just livening up the river trail in the meantime before the new arrivals or off display, it could easily be managed I believe.
Rq, are tanukis banned from import?
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Well if Zoos Vic as a whole wish to phase them out, then a move to Werribee to just let them die out there wouldn't be an option imo. It would've been a better option say 15-20 years ago though, but now with just three individuals left it isn't realistic.

PaddyRickMFZ said:
Could be another option
For an Asian section, as they’re a hit with kids (Mario)
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They're an interesting species but are least concern unfortunately.
 
Jambo said:
Well if Zoos Vic as a whole wish to phase them out, then a move to Werribee to just let them die out there wouldn't be an option imo. It would've been a better option say 15-20 years ago though, but now with just three individuals left it isn't realistic.



They're an interesting species but are least concern unfortunately.
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It does seem that if a species is complimentary and not a main attraction, they are willing to bypass their criteria.
I didn’t mean they would let them die out… they would have them in that specific enclosure temporarily
 
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