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

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The Sleepy Hippo said:
Maybe this is where I fit in my chimpanzee friends :)
Or if TOTE does see a majority orangutan expansion, this could be a place for bears...
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Would much prefer to see chimps at Werribee, and would imagine Zoos Vic would think the same.

Werribee desperately needs to improve its primate collection, and Chimps are the best way to go.
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
Well I had originally thought a good while back that this could be a South American rainforest precinct, keeping with the rainforest theme across that side of the Zoo. (My reduced Australian precinct potentially being renamed to Daintree Rainforest)
But then when it was discussed that Wild Seas could be converted to a Tropical dome to house South American species, which I quite love. Until yesterday I did not realise that Wild Seas may have a use by date. I had expressed the idea of ZV opening a new site as a ZV Aquarium site, but I had not actually thought Wild Seas would actually go any time soon.
Then again, TOTE was built and opened only 20 years ago so if Wild Seas goes in 10 years time it wouldn't be unprecedented.
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If baboons move out, which I’m on board wit, gelada would be a great replacement imo. Okapi and Bongo could replace the giraffe and zebra. If that whole area was repurposed though I’d love to see a North American precinct just as much as a South American one. If most Amazonian reptiles and birds were in the dome, then majority of mammal, of which I included on the updated mammals list as well as the Andean bear, would ideally make use of that large space. If North America was considered I’d love to see grey wolves and at least one species of American bear. Beaver and moose/wapiti would help round it out, and I could see a small exhibit for prairie dogs and another for Canada lynx, and potentially one for raccoons. I’m certainly missing some feasible species so lmk
 
When talking about sloth mountain, I somehow forgot about Pallas’s cat. Would be a great addition in a very small enclosure, potentially even inside the mountain that isn’t occupied by gharial. I’d still love to see striped hyena featured somewhere as they are such an interesting species, but I acknowledge they won’t be returning to the region for the foreseeable future. Since sichuan takin are unable to be imported, I would ideally surround the red panda exhibit with yak instead. If any of you missed my atrocious plan for a red panda immersive exhibit I can show you
 
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Jambo said:
Would much prefer to see chimps at Werribee, and would imagine Zoos Vic would think the same.

Werribee desperately needs to improve its primate collection, and Chimps are the best way to go.
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The Sleepy Hippo said:
I actually agree. Werribee would be best for chimps.
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By acquiring Common chimpanzee, that would give Melbourne and Werribee two great ape species each - which is a good balance. A large breeding community of chimpanzee would also compliment the gorilla troop at Werribee, which is non breeding.

Though it’d have to wait for additional funding, Werribee could potentially hold the largest community of chimpanzees in the region. They could begin by acquiring three or four females amongst their founders and build up the troop over the decades to come as they’re doing with their elephants. Everybody loves a succession plan.
 
Zoofan15 said:
By acquiring Common chimpanzee, that would give Melbourne and Werribee two great ape species each - which is a good balance. A large breeding community of chimpanzee would also compliment the gorilla troop at Werribee, which is non breeding.

Though it’d have to wait for additional funding, Werribee could potentially hold the largest community of chimpanzees in the region. They could begin by acquiring three or four females amongst their founders and build up the troop over the decades to come as they’re doing with their elephants. Everybody loves a succession plan.
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All the more reason to become a member and get invested!
 
The Sleepy Hippo said:
I'd also love to see Bonobos, but know they are not held in many zoos, so probably near impossible.
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Bonobo are CITES I and would need regional support to be imported (as well as adding to the live import list), but sourcing them would be the greater challenge. There’s around 90 Bonobo in the US compared to 300 Common chimpanzees in zoos (and over 1700 in research facilities).

Bonobo are well suited to city zoos as troops often consist of a breeding pair and their offspring; compared to chimpanzees, which thrive in larger troops or communities - and can even suffer socially if held in small family troops.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Ahh the bonobo. Have a bit of a history with such animals, well i thought I had a history with them… Aside from that they would do great in the current baboon enclosure if they move to WORZ
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I’d actually pick the Mandrill exhibit as a better habitat for them - at least in the current state. They’re a forest dwelling species that would benefit from the dense vegetation versus the relatively open baboon exhibit.

Furthermore, the large baboon exhibit would be wasted on a single pair of Bonobo, who could easily be accommodated in the smaller Mandrill exhibit.

The Mandrill exhibit can hold five adult Mandrill and offspring, so could certainly hold a small family of Bonobo (two adults and two offspring). As each offspring entered adolescence, they’d likely be recalled to Europe or the US for breeding.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I’d actually pick the Mandrill exhibit as a better habitat for them - at least in the current state. They’re a forest dwelling species that would benefit from the dense vegetation versus the relatively open baboon exhibit.

Furthermore, the large baboon exhibit would be wasted on a single pair of Bonobo, who could easily be accommodated in the smaller Mandrill exhibit.

The Mandrill exhibit can hold five adult Mandrill and offspring, so could certainly hold a small family of Bonobo (two adults and two offspring). As each offspring entered adolescence, they’d likely be recalled to Europe or the US for breeding.
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I thought maybe the troop would be able to grow quite a bit and become more forested with renovations. I guess bonobo and mandrill could swap though
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
I thought maybe the troop would be able to grow quite a bit and become more forested with renovations. I guess bonobo and mandrill could swap though
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No, with availability factored in as well, I doubt Melbourne would import anything more than a pair of Bonobo - and even that’s something we can all agree is unlikely. They’d be a nice link to the Pygmy hippopotamus, not only are they both Central African forest species, but the Bonobo is also known as the Pygmy chimpanzee. :p

The Mandrill would be better suited to the space the baboon exhibit would offer (planting would still be required) as Mandrill thrive in large troops. Even if Melbourne could only import 1.2 Mandrill, a sizeable troop could be built up over the decade that followed; with Adelaide potentially importing and collaborating with Melbourne to exchange males after several daughters have been born in the two troops.
 
Zoofan15 said:
No, with availability factored in as well, I doubt Melbourne would import anything more than a pair of Bonobo - and even that’s something we can all agree is unlikely. They’d be a nice link to the Pygmy hippopotamus, not only are they both Central African forest species, but the Bonobo is also known as the Pygmy chimpanzee. :p

The Mandrill would be better suited to the space the baboon exhibit would offer (planting would still be required) as Mandrill thrive in large troops. Even if Melbourne could only import 1.2 Mandrill, a sizeable troop could be built up over the decade that followed; with Adelaide potentially importing and collaborating with Melbourne to exchange males after several daughters have been born in the two troops.
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That would indeed be more suitable. For reference, I meant building up a troop from the imported pair, but I’d prefer to see mandrill in larger numbers
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
That would indeed be more suitable. For reference, I meant building up a troop from the imported pair, but I’d prefer to see mandrill in larger numbers
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The birth interval of Bonobo is around five years and with adolescence reached at around eight years, there’d only be a maximum of three offspring in the family group at any one time if offspring were returning to Europe or the US as young adults (10-12 years). They wouldn’t require much space as the offspring would include a juvenile and/or an infant.

I’d love to see a large troop of Mandrill, like the one at Colchester Zoo. A bachelor facility at a third zoo would be ideal, but as a last resort, male offspring could be castrated and remain in their natal troop.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The birth interval of Bonobo is around five years and with adolescence reached at around eight years, there’d only be a maximum of three offspring in the family group at any one time if offspring were returning to Europe or the US as young adults (10-12 years). They wouldn’t require much space as the offspring would include a juvenile and/or an infant.

I’d love to see a large troop of Mandrill, like the one at Colchester Zoo. A bachelor facility at a third zoo would be ideal, but as a last resort, male offspring could be castrated and remain in their natal troop.
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Realistically, a bachelor troop at WORZ near the hypothetical baboons wouldn’t be that bad of an idea imo. Sorry I wasn’t aware of the birthing rate, might be somewhat of an explanation for their decline(apart from us of course). Both somewhat unlikely to return but would undoubtedly be popular. Don’t see how a troop of rafiki and some bite size chimps fail. Do you think that with some decent expansions the Mara walkthrough could potentially be a capybara walkthrough? Would certainly be a hit, almost as much of a hit as Floppa
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Surely there is some space around the devils that could be used aswell. Also, Komodo’s taking up the giraffe space wouldn’t be ideal especially if it inhibits space for rarer ungulates such as okapi or bongo. I was thinking the winter house could be in the dome
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Moving Komodo’s every six months for a zoo with a hands off policy is almost impossible. There’s no summer/winter housing it’s just a large indoor enclosure regardless of the seasonality.
 
Josh F said:
Moving Komodo’s every six months for a zoo with a hands off policy is almost impossible. There’s no summer/winter housing it’s just a large indoor enclosure regardless of the seasonality.
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Breeding individuals would be held at the devils(ofc enclosed) and excess individuals would be in the tropical dome. Alternatively as many individuals as needed could be housed on peccary row
 
Zoofan15 said:
What they should ideally go for with regards to natives is the bare minimum at Melbourne; above and beyond at Healesville.

The international market will come to Melbourne Zoo and come away complaining that one of Australia’s most prestigious zoos didn’t even have a Kangaroo/Koala/Emu. You could probably add Dingo and Wombat to this list of must haves.

Anything beyond that is unnecessary and by housing them at Healesville, you encourage visitors to visit both.
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I would also suggest that Werribee move their very limited native collection across to HS or Kyabram as well to further streamline the ZV collection and have less double ups.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Realistically, a bachelor troop at WORZ near the hypothetical baboons wouldn’t be that bad of an idea imo. Sorry I wasn’t aware of the birthing rate, might be somewhat of an explanation for their decline(apart from us of course). Both somewhat unlikely to return but would undoubtedly be popular. Don’t see how a troop of rafiki and some bite size chimps fail. Do you think that with some decent expansions the Mara walkthrough could potentially be a capybara walkthrough? Would certainly be a hit, almost as much of a hit as Floppa
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A bachelor troop of Mandrill at Werribee could be an option. Though I’d be hopeful another holder would emerge.

I could imagine Mogo Zoo holding Mandrill in the future. They could have a mid-sized exhibit and hold five or six males. Often males are permitted to remain in their natal troop by their father, so vasectomising sons (to prevent inbreeding) could also work.

Yes, a Capybara walk though would work well in this area. Everyone could pick up a scratching stick as they go in. Have a bucket at each end to collect them.
 
Josh F said:
I would also suggest that Werribee move their very limited native collection across to HS or Kyabram as well to further streamline the ZV collection and have less double ups.
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I’d be in favour of this. I was only recently made aware how much space Kyabram has, which makes it ideal for wildlife boot camps ahead of their release back into the wild.
 
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