Auckland Zoo Khosuva Leaves Auckland Zoo

[Axl]

Auckland Zoo's Red Panda Khosuva made history when she was born at the zoo in December 2002 as she was a litter of triplets, rare in zoos and a first for Auckland. Khorsuva and her two brothers featured prominently in the third series of the zoo which screened over the Summer of 2002-2003. Khorsuva's name means "Cloud." An appopriate name for a Red Panda who has white patches around their eyes. Her parents are Maya (also born at the zoo) and Shimla. She has three surviving siblings including a sister Blaze who lives in Australia.

Zoo's India-bound red panda to make history

30 September 2010


A female Nepalese red panda from Auckland Zoo will board a Thai Airways 777 this afternoon, bound for India's Darjeeling Zoo, where, given successful breeding, her offspring will be released into the wild.

Auckland Zoo-born eight-year-old Khosuva, who has not yet been bred from, will be paired up with a mate as part of 'Project Red Panda' at Darjeeling Zoo – the only programme that breeds red panda for release into the wild. Khosuva's offspring, to be released into northern India's Singalila National Park near Nepal, would become the first Auckland Zoo non-native species to be released into the wild.

As part of the cooperative international breeding programme for this threatened species, Auckland Zoo will next month welcome 10-year-old male red panda, Sagar, from Darjeeling Zoo. Sagar, who brings a valuable new bloodline into the region, will be paired up with Khosuva's sister, Amber.

Darjeeling Zoo started 'Project Red Panda' in 1990 with four red panda, and has to date successfully bred over 55 red panda in captivity and released four into the wild. Today it works closely with Red Panda Network Nepal – an organisation that the Auckland Zoo Conservation Fund also supports.

"Like many species, the major threats facing the red panda are habitat destruction and fragmentation. A key Red Panda Network Nepal project, supported by our Conservation Fund, is the creation of the Panchthar-Ilam-Taplejung corridor, which includes Singalila National Park. This corridor will connect several isolated red panda habitats creating an uninterrupted stretch of protected land extending for 11,500 km2," says Auckland Zoo conservation officer, Peter Fraser.

"This animal exchange and Auckland Zoo's support of a conservation project is a great example of how a zoo's exotic captive population can directly support a wild population. It's incredibly exciting for all of us working in conservation to see the meeting of in situ (in the wild) and (in the zoo) conservation work, and ultimately have our first exotic animal release into the wild," says Mr Fraser.



Auckland Zoo carnivore keeper Lauren Booth will be travelling with Khosvua to settle her into her quarantine in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. She will spend time at Darjeeling Zoo and also work with the Red Panda Network Nepal staff to gain first-hand experience of how Auckland Zoo's support of this project translates on the ground.

Good news that Khosvua and Amber will hae the oppotunity to breed. Amber is ten years old now.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

I have done my bit of research on the red pandas at Darjeeling. The founders are 1.1 wild caught individuals ex Indian Himalayas plus 3 captive borns; 1.0 ex Rotterdam-Blijdorp, 1.0 ex Zoo Koeln, 0.1 ex Zoo de Madrid.

Male Sagar is 50% a completely new bloodline.

 

[Axl]

I have done my bit of research on the red pandas at Darjeeling. The founders are 1.1 wild caught individuals ex Indian Himalayas plus 3 captive borns; 1.0 ex Rotterdam-Blijdorp, 1.0 ex Zoo Koeln, 0.1 ex Zoo de Madrid.

Male Sagar is 50% a completely new bloodline.

That's awesome news, thanks for the information.

I heard red pandas only give birth in December, is this correct? I understand that they can only breed on one day a year, like the giant panda so I guess they've missed their oppotunity to breed with Amber this year?

 

[Axl]

Here's a great story about Khosuva's older twin sisters, Amber and Blaze (born in 2000), it is interesting to note the plans to relocate Amber at the time which never materialised, we're lucky to have her! Also, I'd never heard about Maya's escape!

Cub scouts and cat calls from new zoo neighbours

5:00 AM Wednesday May 9, 2001

From the top of the plane tree, Blaze takes in the panoramic view through her newly opened eyes.

The five-month-old red panda has taken no time braving the heights, but her twin sister, Amber, follows with more trepidation.

Perhaps Blaze is casing Auckland Zoo in the hope of following after her mother, Maya, the notorious escape artist.

After five months, the twin cubs have finally ventured out of the den and into their leafy enclosure within the zoo.

Now and then they fall out of the tree they share with Maya and their father, Shimla, who regards his fluffy offspring with nonchalance.

Maya made headlines a year ago, soon after Shimla moved in. She clambered out of her enclosure and spent eight hours on the run before being found fast asleep in a eucalyptus tree outside the zoo.

Her adventuring days are over now. She is absorbed by her babies, who are just learning to wrestle and chase each other.

But when they are nine months old and weaned, Blaze and Amber will move out - not of their own accord but to other zoos.

The pair are already very people-friendly. They perch on the shoulder of Trent Barclay, the zoo's senior carnivore keeper, as they nibble on grapes and sliced apple.

"We have handled them quite a bit since they were born, so they don't become like their dad. Shimla won't come anywhere near humans," said Mr Barclay.

The Himalayan red pandas are on the world's endangered species list. In Asia their bushy tails are sought after for feather dusters.

 

[Axl]

I have word from Auckland Zoo that Khorsuva has arrived safely in India and is settling in well. Her relaxed, calm personality is no doubt due to the care of her dedicated keepers at Auckland Zoo. They've done an amazing job with red pandas over the years and I wish them all the best with their new pair.

 

[lionboy]

reka arived in 1990 mario arived in 1994 in 1997 thay had mongogrie he later went to hamilton in 1998 thay had miya who is still there in 1999 mario left for hamilton and reka left for wellington where she would be peared up with jay from johanisberg later that year shimla arived in 2000 shimla and miya had 2 cubs called blaze and amber balze went over seas and amber is auckland zoos current breeding female in 2002 miya and shimla had 3 cubs called badale chito and khousva later that year badale and chito left for hamilton after a week there badalle got out and got hit by a car but chito is there current breeding malekshouva stayed behind with mum miya and older sister amber in 2003shimla left. in 2010 kshouva left for indea and we got a male called sagar and thay hope to breed amber and sagar in the near futhuer

can any one add any thing more to this

e.g
reka marios pearants
redpandas befor them

 

[Axl]

I emailed Auckland Zoo and found out that Maya was born in Janaury 1997 at Auckland Zoo. Her parents were Mario (from Madrid, Spain) and Tashi (from Taronga Zoo, Australia). Maya had her first litter in December 1998, they were a male (Mungojerre) and a female (Symgaryl). She also produced females Blaze and Amber in 2000 and Khorsuva, Chico and Badal in 2002 with her mate Shimla. Symgaryl and Blaze left the zoo in 2002 to go to Mogo Zoo. Maya is still at the zoo with her daughter Amber who is their current breeding female.

The zoo has held red panda since 1986 although the orignal animals were of a different sub species to what they have today.

 

[Nisha]

Mungojerre went to Hamilton before being sent to Brooklands Zoo a few years later due to fighting within the group. He passed away in 2010 aged 11
Death of Brooklands Zoo's red panda | Stuff.co.nz

 

[lionboy]

where does reka come in i am posative she was there it saied in a book i read that she lived at wellington zoo but befro that lived at auckland

 

[lionboy]

thanks for that by the way and do u no if mario and tashie were the first nepelise red pandas at auckland

 

[Axl]

thanks for that by the way and do u no if mario and tashie were the first nepelise red pandas at auckland

They were the first Nepalise Red Pandas however the zoo has previously held a different sub species since 1986. Mario and Tashie are the parents of the zoos current red pandas.

 

[Jabiru96]

They were the first Nepalise Red Pandas however the zoo has previously held a different sub species since 1986. Mario and Tashie are the parents of the zoos current red pandas.

Where did Auckland get Styan's Red Pandas from, and were they the only holders at that time in the region?

 

[NZ Jeremy]

When I was at Darjeeling Zoo just after New Year I had a chat to a keeper who said they had an agreement with Auckland Zoo regarding Red Panda...

I can't remember if he said we'd already sent one there (his English was had to understand)...

 

[Chlidonias]

Where did Auckland get Styan's Red Pandas from, and were they the only holders at that time in the region?

at the time all the red pandas in the region were styani. Auckland's ones were, in the order they appear in the studbook: a wild-caught male that went from China to Sydney in 1979 then to Melbourne in 1983 and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Nanking in 1978 that went to Melbourne in 1982, then to Sydney in 1983, back to Melbourne in 1984, and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Chengdu in 1980 that went first to a zoo in Timaru* at an unknown date and then on to Auckland in 1986 (died 1988); and a female born in Chengdu in 1981 that went to Timaru with the aforementioned male and then to Auckland at the same time (died 1993).

The zoo never managed to breed from their styani at any stage.

The first fulgens at Auckland Zoo was a female born in Sydney in 1991 which came to Auckland in 1992, meaning the zoo had both subspecies at the same time (the female styani and this female fulgens).


*I can't for the life of me remember what this zoo was called. I do remember its existance although I never visited (it was owned by the parents of one of my sister's schoolmates). All I can recall of it was that they had red pandas and lions, possibly with a drive-through enclosure.

 

[Jabiru96]

at the time all the red pandas in the region were styani. Auckland's ones were, in the order they appear in the studbook: a wild-caught male that went from China to Sydney in 1979 then to Melbourne in 1983 and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Nanking in 1978 that went to Melbourne in 1982, then to Sydney in 1983, back to Melbourne in 1984, and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Chengdu in 1980 that went first to a zoo in Timaru* at an unknown date and then on to Auckland in 1986 (died 1988); and a female born in Chengdu in 1981 that went to Timaru with the aforementioned male and then to Auckland at the same time (died 1993).

The first fulgens at Auckland Zoo was a female born in Sydney in 1991 which came to Auckland in 1992, meaning the zoo had both subspecies at the same time (the female styani and this female fulgens).


*I can't for the life of me remember what this zoo was called. I do remember its existance although I never visited (it was owned by the parents of one of my sister's schoolmates). All I can recall of it was that they had red pandas and lions, possibly with a drive-through enclosure.

Do you know why the region did not keep the Styan's program running? Was there a small founder base and did they ever breed?

 

[Chlidonias]

I actually edited in while you were posting that Auckland never bred their styani

It appears that only six styani were imported into Australia (as well as the two imported directly to Timaru in NZ), and there don't seem to have been any births at all in the region. I guess the zoos just gave up on them and took up the fulgens instead.

 

[zooboy28]

Whats this Timaru thing? Was there a zoo there?

 

[Chlidonias]

Whats this Timaru thing? Was there a zoo there?

used to be, back in the times when lion parks and such were all the rage. There were lots of zoos around back then that have since vanished. I *think* the Timaru one may have had a drive-through lion reserve. I definitely remember it had the red pandas and lions (although as I said earlier I never actually visited). There was also a lion safari park type thing in Marlborough, and another zoo in Hanmer, both now gone. I tried a Google search to see what came up with the Timaru zoo but nothing. It *may* be what is now Kelcey's Bush Farmyard Holiday Park in Timaru, but I doubt it.

 

[lionboy]

who nos what kitar (red panda born at wellington ) brother is called

 

[Chlidonias]

at the time all the red pandas in the region were styani. Auckland's ones were, in the order they appear in the studbook: a wild-caught male that went from China to Sydney in 1979 then to Melbourne in 1983 and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Nanking in 1978 that went to Melbourne in 1982, then to Sydney in 1983, back to Melbourne in 1984, and then to Auckland in 1987 (died 1988); a male born in Chengdu in 1980 that went first to a zoo in Timaru at an unknown date and then on to Auckland in 1986 (died 1988); and a female born in Chengdu in 1981 that went to Timaru with the aforementioned male and then to Auckland at the same time (died 1993).

I have since found out that the male was imported to Timaru in 1984 and the female in 1985.

I *think* the Timaru one may have had a drive-through lion reserve. I definitely remember it had the red pandas and lions (although as I said earlier I never actually visited)......I tried a Google search to see what came up with the Timaru zoo but nothing. It *may* be what is now Kelcey's Bush Farmyard Holiday Park in Timaru, but I doubt it.

I have discovered the zoo in Timaru was called the Hadlow Game Park. They had jaguars rather than the lions I thought. Rather than take this thread off-topic I've written a short history (at least such as I have been able to uncover) and posted it here: http://www.zoochat.com/17/some-history-hadlow-game-park-timaru-209297/#post430475