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

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PaddyRickMFZ said:
What about koalas, devils and all the other Aussie exhibits? Surely if the mandrills occupied the baboon exhibits there’d be enough combined space there for a small bonobo troop. I was thinking that the platypus could be replaced by the dwarf croc if the Aussies move to growing wild, with bongo and okapi where you suggested. Could potentially be shared with Duiker and in an ideal world RRH.
I’d say aardvark would be most likely since Melbourne had interest in them in the past
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If we can assume Wild Seas would go though as well, I would imagine that area would preferably be turned into another Australian section too. Potentially a Northern Australian section featuring Cassowary, Echidna, Tree Kangaroo, Platypus and the birds that would have vacated the GFA.

The Kangaroos, Koalas, Wombats and Tassie Devils could all receive new homes in Growing Wild alongside the Little Penguins and potentially another aviary for Kookaburras and the like.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
What about koalas, devils and all the other Aussie exhibits? Surely if the mandrills occupied the baboon exhibits there’d be enough combined space there for a small bonobo troop. I was thinking that the platypus could be replaced by the dwarf croc if the Aussies move to growing wild, with bongo and okapi where you suggested. Could potentially be shared with Duiker and in an ideal world RRH.
I’d say aardvark would be most likely since Melbourne had interest in them in the past
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I’d like to see a large Platypusery built at Werribee. Not necessarily on the scale of Dubbo’s, but it would be a suitable sight given wild Platypus have been sighted in the surrounding waterways. It would allow for them to be replaced at Melbourne by an exotic like a crocodile as you mention.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I’d like to see a large Platypusery built at Werribee. Not necessarily on the scale of Dubbo’s, but it would be a suitable sight given wild Platypus have been sighted in the surrounding waterways. It would allow for them to be replaced at Melbourne by an exotic like a crocodile as you mention.
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They apparently frequent the Werribee river so a large facility specialised for them near there would be very fitting.
 
Jambo said:
They apparently frequent the Werribee river so a large facility specialised for them near there would be very fitting.
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That’s what I’m thinking. The Dubbo site will apparently act as a refuge during times of drought etc. With a large number of platypus, it’d increase breeding opportunities and no doubt enable research into their reproductive lives.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Who knows, maybe there could be an aerial pathway starting with the lemurs and landing in the Australian bush?
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The orangutan dens would have to remain intact though. I’m hopeful once the extension is complete, Melbourne will be importing at least one female Sumatran orangutan and resuming their breeding programme. I would like to see an aerial pathway for apes though.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Who knows, maybe there could be an aerial pathway starting with the lemurs and landing in the Australian bush?
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Not sure Lemurs would use it a lot, they're very lazy.:p
Zoofan15 said:
The orangutan dens would have to remain intact though. I’m hopeful once the extension is complete, Melbourne will be importing at least one female Sumatran orangutan and resuming their breeding programme. I would like to see an aerial pathway for apes though.
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I agree; I can't wait for the time when Melbourne implements overhead pathways for their orangutans. I think it's inevitable we'll at least get one connecting them to the neighboring lake island.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
Tbh the lemurs could probably just stay where they are with little fuss, works pretty well. Might not be geographically appropriate, but it can be considered it’s own zone
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It could work either way. They have the forest link to the Congo precinct, but Madagascar is ultimately an island (i.e. isolated from the mainland). Some zoos have Madagascan precincts, but without fossa or aye-aye, ours would be pretty lame.
 
Jambo said:
Defenitely could work as it's own area - 'Madagascar' or something.
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All it needs is a couple tortoises, tenrecs and a fossa and you’re golden. The SA precinct could still work after it, because those aforementioned take up very little space. Would the gorillas be entirely moved in this scenario or 2 exhibits? I’m in favour of one
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
All it needs is a couple tortoises, tenrecs and a fossa and you’re golden. The SA precinct could still work after it, because those aforementioned take up very little space. Would the gorillas be entirely moved in this scenario or 2 exhibits? I’m in favour of one
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The gorillas would have two enclosures in the above precinct; one being the current baboon enclosure, the other where the kangaroos are currently.
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
All it needs is a couple tortoises, tenrecs and a fossa and you’re golden. The SA precinct could still work after it, because those aforementioned take up very little space. Would the gorillas be entirely moved in this scenario or 2 exhibits? I’m in favour of one
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Jambo said:
The gorillas would have two enclosures in the above precinct; one being the current baboon enclosure, the other where the kangaroos are currently.
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The gorillas would be influenced by Werribee’s commitment to them. If we’re phasing them out of Werribee to replace with Barbary sheep and baboons, then Melbourne would need a second exhibit to manage a bachelor troop. Gorilla infants are what brings in the crowds and I’m confident Melbourne will continue to breed them longterm. I doubt their popularity will ever attain ‘Mzuri’ status again, but infants are still major crowd pullers.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The gorillas would be influenced by Werribee’s commitment to them. If we’re phasing them out of Werribee to replace with Barbary sheep and baboons, then Melbourne would need a second exhibit to manage a bachelor troop. Gorilla infants are what brings in the crowds and I’m confident Melbourne will continue to breed them longterm. I doubt their popularity will ever attain ‘Mzuri’ status again, but infants are still major crowd pullers.
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Yes, in this case the baboons would replace the gorillas at Werribee.

Considering Melbourne have only had one gorilla offspring in the last twenty three years, Melburnians would certainly enjoy coming to visit a gorilla baby. Whilst the Mzuri level of popularity won't be achieved, a gorilla baby will still certainly pull quite a crowd!
 
Zoofan15 said:
The gorillas would be influenced by Werribee’s commitment to them. If we’re phasing them out of Werribee to replace with Barbary sheep and baboons, then Melbourne would need a second exhibit to manage a bachelor troop. Gorilla infants are what brings in the crowds and I’m confident Melbourne will continue to breed them longterm. I doubt their popularity will ever attain ‘Mzuri’ status again, but infants are still major crowd pullers.
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I was thinking the current baboons would be mandrill, and gorillas would be held elsewhere in WORZ. That’s just the best case scenario tho
 
Jambo said:
Yes, in this case the baboons would replace the gorillas at Werribee.

Considering Melbourne have only had one gorilla offspring in the last twenty three years, Melburnians would certainly enjoy coming to visit a gorilla baby. Whilst the Mzuri level of popularity won't be achieved, a gorilla baby will still certainly pull quite a crowd!
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It really comes across via the media coverage (which was essentially newspapers) how popular high profile animals were across the region’s zoos in the 20th century - elephants being the most well known; followed by gorillas like Buluman and Betsy; George the orangutan; Chimo the polar bear; and in later years, Shiva and Selatan the tigers.

There would have been an aspect of novelty (especially with regards to first births); but even with the today’s social media coverage/information at our fingertips, I struggle to pinpoint individuals in Australasia today that attain the popularity of their predecessors. Overseas, there’s been Knut the polar bear and Fiona the hippo. But here….
 
Zoofan15 said:
It really comes across via the media coverage (which was essentially newspapers) how popular high profile animals were across the region’s zoos in the 20th century - elephants being the most well known; followed by gorillas like Buluman and Betsy; George the orangutan; Chimo the polar bear; and in later years, Shiva and Selatan the tigers.

There would have been an aspect of novelty (especially with regards to first births); but even with the today’s social media coverage/information at our fingertips, I struggle to pinpoint individuals in Australasia today that attain the popularity of their predecessors. Overseas, there’s been Knut the polar bear and Fiona the hippo. But here….
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Henry the polar bear
 
PaddyRickMFZ said:
I was thinking the current baboons would be mandrill, and gorillas would be held elsewhere in WORZ. That’s just the best case scenario tho
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Tbh if Werribee are having to build a new gorilla exhibit, then it might as well be built at Melbourne. Werribee are getting Melbourne’s elephants, so by consolidating gorillas at Melbourne, it balances out the facilities by giving each one a point of difference. Not that weakening Werribee should be the method to achieve that; but rather Melbourne should strive to improve via redevelopment.

In any case, I’d strongly advise Melbourne retain their snow leopards and tigers. Along with the apes, they’ll be their main attractions going forward.
 
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