I really like Auckland Zoo’s tropical dome, but it’s not massive. It’s big enough for the two female False gharial and a handful of other tanks; but something housing multiple crocodilian species would be a sight to behold.
Melbourne Zoo Future of Melbourne Zoo 2023 (Speculation / Fantasy)
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I really like Auckland Zoo’s tropical dome, but it’s not massive. It’s big enough for the two female False gharial and a handful of other tanks; but something housing multiple crocodilian species would be a sight to behold.
Such a great facility, and the benefit of Auckland's over Jacksonville is that it is streamlined design, and not kitsch. Really would show off the animals
Auckland’s keepers were involved in the design process, with the concepts partly inspired by ideas they’d seen overseas. The finished result was a spectacular series of exhibits that are purpose built and fit for purpose. There’s been lessons learnt along the way too - heaters are now being installed by the viewing window; and excitingly, the Bornean orangutan and Siamang are now integrated - effectively doubling their exhibits and opening up the potential for an orangutan import.
The Sleepy Hippo
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Just watched a video of a family touring the new facilities. Wow!
And then they showed other parts of the zoo. Beautiful zoo!
And their *fairy* penguin enclosure puts ours to shame too.
And then they showed other parts of the zoo. Beautiful zoo!
And their *fairy* penguin enclosure puts ours to shame too.
It’s my favourite New Zealand zoo and one of my favourite zoos internationally.
The Little blue penguin pool (top) and Subantarctic fur seal pool (bottom) are adjacent to each other - divided by a mesh wall.
The exhibits opened in 2001 as Sea Lion and Penguin shores (originally housing California sea lions), but they’ve since been rebranded as The Coast, as part of the New Zealand precinct. They’ve aged increadbly well considering they turn 22 this year.
The pinnipeds are designated as phase out, so will be interesting to see if their pool is repurposed for penguins or another marine species. I suspect the cost of filtering such a large volume of water is behind the phase out, so sadly it may disappear with the last seal (an elderly male).
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I’d say that this is what Australia Zoo should become. I believe currently Billabong Sanctuary, Malcolm Douglass and Crocodylus have the most diversity in crocodilian species. I’m still surprised that Aus Zoo haven’t expanded out further than just Alligator, Salt and Freshwater Crocs for the most part.
I agree. At a minimum, Australia Zoo should aspire to hold the seven crocodiles/alligators held in the region:
Saltwater crocodile
Freshwater crocodile
Philippines crocodile
American alligator
Spectacles caiman
False gharial
New Guine crocodile
PaddyRickMFZ
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Where is the spectacled caiman held? Would be a great pick for MZ
They're held at the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park. They'd be a great addition to a South American collection.
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PaddyRickMFZ
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Thought I’d continue here, this means that other bovids such as gaur and anoa are also prohibited from import? How does it continue to get worse
It’s a real shame as back when species like Collared peccary, Barbary sheep and Indian antelope were imported, zoos didn’t care about inbreeding, so the founder base was small.
It wasn’t until the 1980’s and 1990’s that more thought was given to genetic diversity with the advent of coordinated breeding programmes and by then it was too late to import many species we have highly inbred populations of.
PaddyRickMFZ
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I hope this is one day revised due to the blatant missed opportunities here
Same here. Though having seen the lack of action in importing giraffe from New Zealand zoos, which have had the opportunity to do so for two years now; and the comparative inaction from Australian zoos in importing Bovid species we now have access to for the first time in years and wonder how many of the prohibited species we’d actually acquire if we had the opportunity to do so.
Malayan sun bears:
I thought it was worth noting that while the European breeding programme has the same problem as us (a deficit of males), they've welcomed seven cubs in recent years (unfortunately only one male).
Though Europe are unable to supply us with the males we desperately need, it at least gives me hope Australasia will be able to receive some of their surplus females as their elderly bears die out - with the view of receiving males further down the line.
Potential avenues for receiving males include waiting for the European population to generate a surplus; or a resolution of the TB situation in the South East Asian facilities which currently give the ZAA no confidence to import from there. At this point in time, the first option is the most viable - albeit with an estimated wait time of at least 10-15 years.
I thought it was worth noting that while the European breeding programme has the same problem as us (a deficit of males), they've welcomed seven cubs in recent years (unfortunately only one male).
Though Europe are unable to supply us with the males we desperately need, it at least gives me hope Australasia will be able to receive some of their surplus females as their elderly bears die out - with the view of receiving males further down the line.
Potential avenues for receiving males include waiting for the European population to generate a surplus; or a resolution of the TB situation in the South East Asian facilities which currently give the ZAA no confidence to import from there. At this point in time, the first option is the most viable - albeit with an estimated wait time of at least 10-15 years.
PaddyRickMFZ
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I
I could see MZ potentially importing some females if other options are not viable. Wouldn’t be my first guess, but would certainly be one of my preferences. As of right now I’m holding out hope for at least one bear species, albeit I’m not assuming it will come true. Great that the European population is so successful, though a shame there are so few males. I hope we don’t give up on this species, I certainly think the region can sustain populations for 2, maybe 3 bear species. Although we could probably max out at 3-4 breeding populations, I’d love to see select facilities hold more traditional bear species, such as brown, as surplus for other regions
I too am sick of the mentality that we can only have one species or bear in the region; one subspecies of tiger etc. Particularly when bear species are so varied in appearance (I can accept visitors would struggle to distinguish between Bornean and Sumatran orangutans for example).
I’m confident bears have a future in the region. It may be that Malayan sun bears are phased out for Sloth bears; or that we persist with sun bears as a region - but bears are undeniably charismatic and the staple of any zoo collection in the eyes of most people.
The Sleepy Hippo
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Another solution could be, if we manage to get some females, to follow a coordinated artificial-insemination process.
That’s a good idea. It’s been undertaken over 20 times globally with Polar bears and while a relatively pioneering technology in ursids, would allow us to make productive use of the males we have.
Regionally, it’d be nice to see this implemented ASAP with Jamran at Perth Zoo. Perth are reluctant to transfer him out due to his traumatic background (I agree it’s in his best welfare interests to remain in his familiar surrounds); but nonetheless, he’s a genetically valuable founder, with only one relative within the captive population (his daughter). His sperm could be used to undertake AI on Mary at Taronga as a starting point.
It’s also worth noting that while many zoos in the region have held pairs of sun bears e.g. Wellington, Canberra and Perth they’re of course aren’t a monogamous species. When San Diego Zoo opened their new sun bear exhibit in 1989, it was home to five young bears and many zoos have kept trios consisting of 1.2 bears. With a surplus of females and documented male-male aggression, groups of one male to at least two females are a reasonable staring point - with the capacity to seperate them should conflicts arise (or to facilitate breeding vis a vis privacy).
PaddyRickMFZ
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Will be visiting tmrw if anyone has any questions
Thanks @PaddyRickMFZ:
1. When the Snow leopards will next be breeding and if any other zoos in the region have expressed an interest in cubs.
2. Whether Chad (new male Hamadryas baboon) will be integrated with Melbourne’s five male baboons or if they’ll be transferred out.
3. What female Hamadryas baboons will be breeding with Chad? Potential candidates are: Macey, Qetesh, Juju, Gana, Hudson, Makali, Quilton and Muna.
4. Melbourne Zoo’s interest in bears.
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