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

[Zoofan15]

Seems a good idea. With three spaces of land and the aerial ropes, it seems fit. Current exhibit for one group, island for another, and Japanese island for another. How the rotations would work i have no idea but integration with siamangs could really help that. In an ideal world it would be cool to see the white cheeked gibbons a factor as well

Re. Orangutan groupings:

It would heavily depend on the personalities involved and the zoo would need to be prepared to adapt.

To use Auckland Zoo as an example:

They imported 2.2 juveniles in 1983 and 1984 that got on well together until the elder male reached adolescence and became aggressive to the juvenile male.

The two females (one of which had two offspring remain in the colony) remained on good terms until the elder female died aged 23 years.

An adult female and two adolescent females arrived in 2001, joining Auckland’s remaining adult female, her adolescent daughter and her juvenile son. This group of six initially got on well, with the males rotating access to this female and offspring group.

As the adolescents matured, conflicts began and the maximum number of females in any one grouping was two females from that point on.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

If such a concept did occur at MZ, I would also like to see aerial paths created for other arboreal animals, like the Tree-Top path enclosures, and the Red Panda.
Adelaide has such paths for their red panda, tamarins and colobus monkey.

 

[Zoofan15]

If such a concept did occur at MZ, I would also like to see aerial paths created for other arboreal animals, like the Tree-Top path enclosures, and the Red Panda.
Adelaide has such paths for their red panda, tamarins and colobus monkey.

That would be good to see. Auckland Zoo had free-ranging Cotton-top tamarins at one point, which could probably work well in an elevated pathway scenario so the visitors can’t get bitten by them or steal them. Small primates are highly active, so best lend themselves to this concept.

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

If such a concept did occur at MZ, I would also like to see aerial paths created for other arboreal animals, like the Tree-Top path enclosures, and the Red Panda.
Adelaide has such paths for their red panda, tamarins and colobus monkey.

Would that mean rejigging the treetop apes, so instead of conjoining downs the side of the exhibits they would go above the path? Potentially they could move all the exhibits around so the opposite exhibits would house the same species? Tbh I thought the red panda exhibit was already conbected. It’s always cool spotting them way up in the treetops, albeit a little bit of an inconvenience

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

That would be good to see. Auckland Zoo had free-ranging Cotton-top tamarins at one point, which could probably work well in an elevated pathway scenario so the visitors can’t get bitten by them or steal them. Small primates are highly active, so best lend themselves to this concept.

Free range cotton top tamarins is certainly something, I was thinking more meshed in, like the tunnels that connect the spider monkeys and colobus, just above the path

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

That would be good to see. Auckland Zoo had free-ranging Cotton-top tamarins at one point, which could probably work well in an elevated pathway scenario so the visitors can’t get bitten by them or steal them. Small primates are highly active, so best lend themselves to this concept.

Adelaide Zoo had free ranging cotton-tops and it was good for a good while, but then they quickly discovered the cafe and were like seagulls, so were returned to an enclosure.

The pathways Adelaide has for tamarin and colobus are fully enclosed, like a cat-run, and the colobus have little "cubby houses" at a couple of points on their paths.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

I think a new set of Tiger enclosures should be built on TOTE, as well as Sloth bears, with Asiatic Lions in Hutan's enclosure.

It will then be renamed the "...Oh My Trail"

(Lions and Tigers and Bears...)

 

[Zoofan15]

I think a new set of Tiger enclosures should be built on TOTE, as well as Sloth bears, with Asiatic Lions in Hutan's enclosure.

It will then be renamed the "...Oh My Trail"

(Lions and Tigers and Bears...)

Taronga, Auckland and Adelaide will all have Sumatran tiger complexes (three exhibits each) by that stage - but Melbourne isn’t competing with these facilities as they’re outside Victoria, so that may be something they want to consider. Sumatran tiger are critically endangered and enabling, so will surely have a future at Melbourne Zoo.

It’s amazing to think Melbourne Zoo have held Sumatran tiger for almost 50 years (1976)!

Exhibiting Asiatic lions would hopefully give them the confidence to phase out African lions from Melbourne Zoo.

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

I think a new set of Tiger enclosures should be built on TOTE, as well as Sloth bears, with Asiatic Lions in Hutan's enclosure.

It will then be renamed the "...Oh My Trail"

(Lions and Tigers and Bears...)

Or Tigers could just stay where they are, as there is already a large breeding complex, and the elephant exhibits could be repurposed for sloth bear and asiatic lion. Would you agree that if Indrah was then moved to potentially make another tiger exhibit in the TOTE, then it would be interesting to see her habitat used for Malayan sun bear, and the African lions for Dhole? This leaves TOTE, on this scenario, with otters, fishing cat, 2 orangutan exhibits, 2 tiger exhibits, siamang, asiatic lion and sloth bear, and maybe even a bachelor Sri Lankan leopard, as they are seemingly in excess. Then my personal updated plan for the carnivore trail would be Maned Wolf, Dhole, Snow Leopard, Malayan Sun Bear, Clouded Leopard and Komodo Dragon. Would you prefer any amendments or does this satisfy both of us?

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

Would that mean rejigging the treetop apes, so instead of conjoining downs the side of the exhibits they would go above the path? Potentially they could move all the exhibits around so the opposite exhibits would house the same species? Tbh I thought the red panda exhibit was already conbected. It’s always cool spotting them way up in the treetops, albeit a little bit of an inconvenience

Missed this one - I would keep the ground connections, and aerial connections could be made, but then also they could have extended runs to above other enclosures and public areas.

As for red Panda it would be to give it a running track out beyond their current enclosure.

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

Missed this one - I would keep the ground connections, and aerial connections could be made, but then also they could have extended runs to above other enclosures and public areas.

Great idea, albeit if there were no ground connections the overhead ones would be in use more

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

An example is you could give the colobus a run that goes out over the gorilla enclosure.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

Or Tigers could just stay where they are, as there is already a large breeding complex, and the elephant exhibits could be repurposed for sloth bear and asiatic lion. Would you agree that if Indrah was then moved to potentially make another tiger exhibit in the TOTE, then it would be interesting to see her habitat used for Malayan sun bear, and the African lions for Dhole? This leaves TOTE, on this scenario, with otters, fishing cat, 2 orangutan exhibits, 2 tiger exhibits, siamang, asiatic lion and sloth bear, and maybe even a bachelor Sri Lankan leopard, as they are seemingly in excess. Then my personal updated plan for the carnivore trail would be Maned Wolf, Dhole, Snow Leopard, Malayan Sun Bear, Clouded Leopard and Komodo Dragon. Would you prefer any amendments or does this satisfy both of us?

I like this list.
I would add in Tamarin enclosures around the cafe area butterfly house, with aerial runs and cubbies for them all about that space.

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

An example is you could give the colobus a run that goes out over the gorilla enclosure.

That would be ideal if breeding was to begin. Eventually if moving to WORZ another, maybe more active species could replace them. Potentially a macaque species? Maybe even De Brazza’s monkeys? Side note, are Drill a common species in zoos, as I have heard they are quite rare

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

I like this list.
I would add in Tamarin enclosures around the cafe area butterfly house, with aerial runs and cubbies for them all about that space.

Seems ideal, but would probably need to increase in numbers before making an attractive exhibit imo. Didn’t there used to be a tamarin exhibit near the Japanese garden or smn

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

I think if given a run they would be more active. At Adelaide the colobus had a run that went from their enclosure, across the path, over the gardens, and ran along the gardens on the big lawn side, it then did a return loop to their enclosure. On the lawn side there were two cubbies.
Across the day I was there they moved between them (there were to my count 4-5 colobus but may have been more).

Tamarin, particularly the Golden-Lion Tamarin were SUPER active constantly scampering around their run. Was a joy to see

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

Seems ideal, but would probably need to increase in numbers before making an attractive exhibit imo. Didn’t there used to be a tamarin exhibit near the Japanese garden or smn

There did used to be near the Japanese garden. There are now cotton tops in the Tree-Top path, and there were Golden-Lion at the Rainforest function room but otherwise not publicly displayed.

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

I think if given a run they would be more active. At Adelaide the colobus had a run that went from their enclosure, across the path, over the gardens, and ran along the gardens on the big lawn side, it then did a return loop to their enclosure. On the lawn side there were two cubbies.
Across the day I was there they moved between them (there were to my count 4-5 colobus but may have been more).

Tamarin, particularly the Golden-Lion Tamarin were SUPER active constantly scampering around their run. Was a joy to see

I don’t think either species won’t be active, I just don’t think there would be enough to provide a great exhibit. I’d love to see golden lion tamarins. Could the tamarin cubbies you speak or hold 3-4 species as opposed to just cotton tops? I’d settle for 2

 

[PaddyRickMFZ]

There did used to be near the Japanese garden. There are now cotton tops in the Tree-Top path, and there were Golden-Lion at the Rainforest function room but otherwise not publicly displayed.

I’m aware of the cotton tops in the tree top path, I just don’t think there are a large enough amount to fill you a proposed large amount of space

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

I don’t think either species won’t be active, I just don’t think there would be enough to provide a great exhibit. I’d love to see golden lion tamarins. Could the tamarin cubbies you speak or hold 3-4 species as opposed to just cotton tops? I’d settle for 2

I'd definitely have multiple different species with independent runs. I'd definitely see Golden-Lion returning in this scenario as they really stand out and just POP. Very enigmatic and enabling. They standout from a great distance. I was at least 60metres away and they jumped right out at you. They are tiny, and you could just see this golden-orange ball speeding around at height in the foliage. Everyone that went passed would stop to film, pointing them out and were excited by them!