Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo mammals

[CGSwans]

Yes .......

Is Melbourne getting red pandas back?

Melbourne has far too few mammal species on display as it is. They have a good primate collection (18 species) and carnivoran collection (18 species including the fur seals, though a number of them are being phased out). But there's only four ungulates (giraffe, zebra, bongo and collared peccary), nine monotreme and marsupial species (five of them macropods) and three miscellaneous species (common tree shrews, Asian elephants and crested porcupines that you never see.

That's 52 mammal species, which is frankly 10-15 fewer than it should be.

 

[Ara]

According to International Zoo Yearbook No. 30 (which refers to the year 1980), Melbourne Zoo in 1980 had 102 species of mammals. Now there's only 52?
Wow, that's a big drop in numbers!

 

[CGSwans]

According to International Zoo Yearbook No. 30 (which refers to the year 1980), Melbourne Zoo in 1980 had 102 species of mammals. Now there's only 52?
Wow, that's a big drop in numbers!

Actually, now that I think, it must only be 51.

There's a few others that are permanently off-display or limited to the educational program only. But by my count, the number of species kept on display is 51, and that includes the fur seals that have spent what seems like an interminable period off-display whilst waiting for their new marine precinct.

My count (and a moderator may wish to split this into a new thread):
Primates
Orang-utan
Gorilla
Siamang
White-cheeked Gibbon (phase-out species)
Hamadryas Baboon
Mandrill
Black-and-white Colobus Monkey
De Brazza's Monkey (phase-out species)
Lion-tailed Macaque (phase-out species)
Ebony Langur (phase-out species)
Black-capped Capuchin
Black-handed Spider Monkey
Cotton-top Tamarin
Golden Lion Tamarin
Emperor Tamarin
Pygmy Marmoset
Ring-tailed Lemur
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
Carnivorans
Lion
Sumatran Tiger
Persion Leopard (phase-out species)
Snow Leopard
Puma
Serval
Caracal (phase-out species)
Fishing Cat
African Hunting Dog
Maned Wolf
Syrian Brown Bear (phase-out species)
Australian Fur Seal
Coati (single, 14yo left, importation planned)
Binturong
Asiatic Small-clawed Otter
Meerkat
Eurasian Badger (phase-out species which I've never, ever seen)
Ungulates
Giraffe
Plains Zebra
Bongo
Collared Peccary (phase-out species)
Other Placentals
Asian Elephant
Crested Porcupine (which I've seen once)
Red-rumped Agouti
Common Tree Shrew
Marsupials
Red Kangaroo
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
Pademelon
Quokka
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo
Koala
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat
Monotremes
Platypus
Short-beaked Echidna

All in all, it's a collection at a cross-roads.

 

[Ara]

To me the phase-out species seem to be the most interesting of the lot (particularly the primates.) Now we're not going to perservere with the white-cheeked gibbon either?
(Gloom.)

 

[LOU]

Actually, now that I think, it must only be 51.

There's a few others that are permanently off-display or limited to the educational program only. But by my count, the number of species kept on display is 51, and that includes the fur seals that have spent what seems like an interminable period off-display whilst waiting for their new marine precinct.

My count (and a moderator may wish to split this into a new thread):
Primates
Orang-utan
Gorilla
Siamang
White-cheeked Gibbon (phase-out species)
Hamadryas Baboon
Mandrill
Black-and-white Colobus Monkey
De Brazza's Monkey (phase-out species)
Lion-tailed Macaque (phase-out species)
Ebony Langur (phase-out species)
Black-capped Capuchin
Black-handed Spider Monkey
Cotton-top Tamarin
Golden Lion Tamarin
Emperor Tamarin
Pygmy Marmoset
Ring-tailed Lemur
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur
Carnivorans
Lion
Sumatran Tiger
Persion Leopard (phase-out species)
Snow Leopard
Puma
Serval
Caracal (phase-out species)
Fishing Cat
African Hunting Dog
Maned Wolf
Syrian Brown Bear (phase-out species)
Australian Fur Seal
Coati (single, 14yo left, importation planned)
Binturong
Asiatic Small-clawed Otter
Meerkat
Eurasian Badger (phase-out species which I've never, ever seen)
Ungulates
Giraffe
Plains Zebra
Bongo
Collared Peccary (phase-out species)
Other Placentals
Asian Elephant
Crested Porcupine (which I've seen once)
Common Tree Shrew
Marsupials
Red Kangaroo
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
Pademelon
Quokka
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo
Koala
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat
Monotremes
Platypus
Short-beaked Echidna

All in all, it's a collection at a cross-roads.

You can add to that list Red-rumped Agouti.

What does the future hold for Maned Wolves?

 

[CGSwans]

To me the phase-out species seem to be the most interesting of the lot (particularly the primates.) Now we're not going to perservere with the white-cheeked gibbon either?
(Gloom.)

Sorry - I don't know if that's a phase-out for the region or just for Melbourne. However I do remember hearing/reading somewhere that Melbourne eventually plans to move them out in favour of silvery gibbons.

 

[CGSwans]

You can add to that list Red-rumped Agouti.

What does the future hold for Maned Wolves?

Where are the agoutis on display? I've only listed animals on display - not education-only species like the slender loris (which I guess I'm never going to get to see) or permanently off-display species like the Malayan tapir.

The agoutis used to be in the macaw aviary near the bistro, when it also held sun conures and quaker parrots. However, I didn't think they were still there?

Lots of maned wolves at Dubbo, isn't there? Melbourne has a pair that they rotate through the exhibit, one at a time.

 

[zoogal]

One of the maned wolves died, the one on display is the female Tiete.

 

[LOU]

Where are the agoutis on display? I've only listed animals on display - not education-only species like the slender loris (which I guess I'm never going to get to see) or permanently off-display species like the Malayan tapir.

The agoutis used to be in the macaw aviary near the bistro, when it also held sun conures and quaker parrots. However, I didn't think they were still there?

Lots of maned wolves at Dubbo, isn't there? Melbourne has a pair that they rotate through the exhibit, one at a time.

I thought the Agoutis were still on display in the macaw cage. Then again i haven't visited the zoo for a couple of months, so things have probably changed.

Can anyone say for certain?

 

[CGSwans]

One of the maned wolves died, the one on display is the female Tiete.

I presume they have a new one, because the guide said that they are currently alternating the pair through the enclosure. That's why the enclosure smells so strongly - they're both constantly scent-marking over each other.

 

[CGSwans]

I thought the Agoutis were still on display in the macaw cage. Then again i haven't visited the zoo for a couple of months, so things have probably changed.

Can anyone say for certain?

I haven't seen them in quite some time, but the aviary is quite overgrown, so that's no guarantee.

 

[CGSwans]

Have added the red-rumped agouti to the list on the assumption that it's still there.

Melbourne's collection of exotics compares favourably to almost any other zoo (with the exception of Dubbo, which is roughly even). What I feel it lacks is diversity and depth. Having 42 species of exotic (and I'm counting the New Guinean tree kangaroos as native, since they are from the same bioregion) is great, but when 18 of them are primates and a further nine felids, it starts to get repetitive. There's also a lot of animals that are represented by just one or two individuals, even in species that are social by nature, and that prevents a lot of interesting natural behaviours from occurring.

Here's the ISIS figures for the Melbourne exotic collection. We'll take it as up to date for want of better information:
Primates
Gorilla - 4.4
Orangutan (Hybrid) - 0.2
Sumatran Orangutan - 2.1
White-cheeked Gibbon - 1.1
Siamang - 3.1
Mandrill - 2.2
Hamadryas Baboon - 6.10
Lion-tailed Macaque - 0.2
Ebony Langur - 1.1
Black-and-white Colobus - 2.2
De Brazza's Monkey - 1.1
Brown Capuchin - 4.4
Black-handed Spider Monkey - 0.3
Cotton-top Tamarin - 6.3
Emperor Tamarin - 2.2
Golden Lion Tamarin - 1.1
Ring-tailed Lemur - 5.2
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur - 1.2

Carnivorans
Lion - 4.0
Sumatran Tiger - 1.1
Persian Leopard - 0.1
Snow Leopard - 2.3
Puma - 1.1
Caracal - 1.0
Serval - 0.2
Fishing Cat - 1.1
African Hunting Dog - 4.0
Maned Wolf - 0.1
Syrian Brown Bear - 1.1
Australian Fur Seal - 0.4
Sub-antarctic Fur Seal - 1.0 (separate species integrated with Australians)
Eurasian Badger - 0.1
White-nosed Coati - 1.0
Binturong - 2.2
Meerkat - 8.5
Asian Small-clawed Otter - 2.0

Other exotics
Giraffe - 1.2
Common Zebra - 0.2
Bongo - 1.1
Collared Peccary - 3.5
Asian Elephant - 1.4
Common Tree Shrew - 0.1
Red-rumped Agouti - 1.2

Is it just me, or does 161 exotic mammal individuals not seem like an awful lot for a major public zoo? Even adding the Australian species gets us barely over 200:
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo - 2.4
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo - 3.10
Red Kangaroo - 3.2
Tasmanian Pademelon - 1.1
Quokka - 1.3
Koala - 2.2
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat - 2.5
Short-beaked Echidna - 4.1
Platypus - 3.0

Total mammal collection on display and reported to ISIS: 210.

 

[LOU]

Thanks for posting the genders of Melbourne Zoo's mammals, CGSwans.

Must have taken ages to compile all the info.

The format CGSwans displayed this information in, should be used by ISIS along with their current format; Listing the zoos and all the animals they contain, as well as listing the animals and all the zoos where they can be found.

Also, do Melbourne Zoo's Fishing Cats breed?

 

[zoogal]

The 2 fishing cats at melbourne are brother and sister.

 

[phoenix]

i find it hardly surprising that melbourne zoos mammal collection has halved since the 80's considering they have been working towards better developing regional cooperation and building much larger exhibits which not only take up more room (that formally housed more species in smaller environs) but that also take up lots of money that would otherwise be spent importing animals into substandard exhibits.


but you can relax guys. since the information from CGSwans is not all correct.

white-cheeked gibbons are NOT a phase out species. in fact melbourne intend on eventually acquiring a second pair. this species is being actively bred in other zoos as most of you zoophiles should already know.

the elderly indian porcupines are being phased out. and replaced with african crested ones since they are the species being imported by NZ zoos. so theres no real loss there.

likewise ebony langurs will be replaced with francois langurs. so again no loss of diversity or numbers.

red pandas are a species frequently bred in the region and equally so at melbourne. as the collective population changes so too do recommendations change from zoo to zoo. i somehow seriously doubt that red pandas will be off melbourne's collection list for long.

the zoos have been working hard on developing approval to import rodents. so expect new blood for agoutis as well as capybara returning to the region (and melbourne last i checked)

melbourne also wants anteater. and plans on getting hog deer.

if you guys want better breeding programs and improved exhibits then surely you know this equals consolidating the collection.

get over it.

 

[Coquinguy]

I was quite sure White-Cheeked Gibbon were a species that were gonna be kept within the region...even if Melbourne does drop them in favour of Silvery Gibbons its a decision i would agree with as Silvery need more holders and the White Cheeked Gibbon is reasonably secure.
as for the rest of this thread, I completely disagree with many of the comments. Melbourne Zoo, like all the zoos across the region does stand at a bit of a cross-roads which i guess represents the gradual implementation of ARAZPA's regional planning principles which are always going to change over time to reflect quarantine laws etc. But i dont think you can condemn MZ for its poor selection of ungulates when in reality there are very few ungulates even available for display today. it is true that some species have been lost to Australian zoos as a whole which could have been retained had certain key decisions not been made, such as castration or stalling programs (think forest buffalo, collared peccary etc) but on the whole most ungulates in this country were probably in a genetically poor shape by the late 1970s as it is.
and of course MZ had more ungulates in the 1980s, weribee was only a relatively new venture but i know where i would much rather see Zoos Victoria keeping its hoofed stock.
To use the 1980 census example, I think we should look at the elephants and gorillas as prime examples of how sound regional collection planning pays off and why it actually makes sense to keep fewer species. In 1980, i am quite sure MZ had one bull and two cow elephants living in that terrible exhibit. but of course surrounded by a mulitude of exotic species.and i guess if thats what you want; heaps and heaps of animals crammed into a site then you would hate the way the zoo now looks.
similarly MZ had the only gorilla in Australia-had Taronga not imported theirs its a program which would have been condemned to failure. we need to look towards regiona collection planning, phasing out of certain species and strengthening animal numbers favourably.
nearly three decades later, there are a lot less species in the zoo but amost double the number of elephants, and unlike the 1980s when animal species were still being imported willy nilly with very little regard for regional viability we are actually looking at a program for a species which is now considered viable.
across the country, yes, there are fewer species, roughly a third of the range of species in the country in the 1980s will carry on into the future, but its a range which better reflects the intent and purpose of a modern zoo.

 

[CGSwans]

i find it hardly surprising that melbourne zoos mammal collection has halved since the 80's considering they have been working towards better developing regional cooperation and building much larger exhibits which not only take up more room (that formally housed more species in smaller environs) but that also take up lots of money that would otherwise be spent importing animals into substandard exhibits.

Naturally, and the principle of consolidation isn't at issue here. What worries me is that the collection has been reduced *without* being consolidated. Of the mammal species listed several are on the way out of the collection. Relatively few of those species are breeding groups, relatively few are 'natural' sized social groups and relatively few are species dependent on ex-situ captive breeding - which is surely the ultimate justification for keeping any species (though not the only one).

but you can relax guys. since the information from CGSwans is not all correct.

Since my posts are based primarily on my memory, incomplete public-access records and surmise based on small pieces of information, I would be absolutely stunned if it were all correct.

white-cheeked gibbons are NOT a phase out species. in fact melbourne intend on eventually acquiring a second pair. this species is being actively bred in other zoos as most of you zoophiles should already know.

That's excellent to hear.

the elderly indian porcupines are being phased out. and replaced with african crested ones since they are the species being imported by NZ zoos. so theres no real loss there.

Well, insofar as there's an empty enclosure at the moment, then yes, it's a loss as far as a visitor's experience at the zoo is concerne.

likewise ebony langurs will be replaced with francois langurs. so again no loss of diversity or numbers.

Granted.

red pandas are a species frequently bred in the region and equally so at melbourne. as the collective population changes so too do recommendations change from zoo to zoo. i somehow seriously doubt that red pandas will be off melbourne's collection list for long.

As commented on another thread, apparently a new pair have already arrived. This pleases me, as I really enjoy watching them when I catch them out and about.

the zoos have been working hard on developing approval to import rodents. so expect new blood for agoutis as well as capybara returning to the region (and melbourne last i checked)

melbourne also wants anteater. and plans on getting hog deer.

Yeah, I've read the census plan too.

if you guys want better breeding programs and improved exhibits then surely you know this equals consolidating the collection.

How much are we going to "consolidate"? And since when did "consolidating" mean a dwindling collection of elderly animals? Because that's what Melbourne is at the moment.

get over it.

Oh, chill out a little.

 

[phoenix]

How much are we going to "consolidate"? And since when did "consolidating" mean a dwindling collection of elderly animals? Because that's what Melbourne is at the moment.

since i am fiercely opposed to euthanasia as a population management tool (and fortunately most of the public are too), phase out via attrition is an ethical and responsible way to consolidate.

i'm sorry if watching an elderly bear is a negative experience for visitors, however waiting for your old bear to die before acquiring another is a logical way to do it when you only have one bear enclosure.

 

[CGSwans]

I was quite sure White-Cheeked Gibbon were a species that were gonna be kept within the region...even if Melbourne does drop them in favour of Silvery Gibbons its a decision i would agree with as Silvery need more holders and the White Cheeked Gibbon is reasonably secure.
as for the rest of this thread, I completely disagree with many of the comments. Melbourne Zoo, like all the zoos across the region does stand at a bit of a cross-roads which i guess represents the gradual implementation of ARAZPA's regional planning principles which are always going to change over time to reflect quarantine laws etc. But i dont think you can condemn MZ for its poor selection of ungulates when in reality there are very few ungulates even available for display today. it is true that some species have been lost to Australian zoos as a whole which could have been retained had certain key decisions not been made, such as castration or stalling programs (think forest buffalo, collared peccary etc) but on the whole most ungulates in this country were probably in a genetically poor shape by the late 1970s as it is.
and of course MZ had more ungulates in the 1980s, weribee was only a relatively new venture but i know where i would much rather see Zoos Victoria keeping its hoofed stock.
To use the 1980 census example, I think we should look at the elephants and gorillas as prime examples of how sound regional collection planning pays off and why it actually makes sense to keep fewer species. In 1980, i am quite sure MZ had one bull and two cow elephants living in that terrible exhibit. but of course surrounded by a mulitude of exotic species.and i guess if thats what you want; heaps and heaps of animals crammed into a site then you would hate the way the zoo now looks.
similarly MZ had the only gorilla in Australia-had Taronga not imported theirs its a program which would have been condemned to failure. we need to look towards regiona collection planning, phasing out of certain species and strengthening animal numbers favourably.
nearly three decades later, there are a lot less species in the zoo but amost double the number of elephants, and unlike the 1980s when animal species were still being imported willy nilly with very little regard for regional viability we are actually looking at a program for a species which is now considered viable.
across the country, yes, there are fewer species, roughly a third of the range of species in the country in the 1980s will carry on into the future, but its a range which better reflects the intent and purpose of a modern zoo.

I agree with all of this, and would only point out that the reality of the collection at the moment - with relatively few breeding groups of animals and a *lot* of animals represented by either a single species, a closely related small group or elderly, post-reproductive pairs - doesn't really reflect the theory.

The interesting thing is - and I don't know how much chance, circumstance or funding or whatever has to do with it - but whilst Taronga has a *smaller* number of exotic species, the zoo as a whole feels much more diverse. I came away from Taronga a couple of weeks ago feeling that their collection is much more interesting. I saw fewer primates and felids, to be sure - but I also saw pygmy hippos, deer, leopard seals, Barbary sheep, tapir... all types of animal that don't really have an analogue at Melbourne.

It might be that I'm not being fair, but it's the impression I have at the moment.

 

[CGSwans]

since i am fiercely opposed to euthanasia as a population management tool (and fortunately most of the public are too), phase out via attrition is an ethical and responsible way to consolidate.

i'm sorry if watching an elderly bear is a negative experience for visitors, however waiting for your old bear to die before acquiring another is a logical way to do it when you only have one bear enclosure.

Of course. I didn't intend to suggest otherwise. And I'm not trying to sound all "doom and gloom". I said Melbourne is "at the crossroads" because it's a collection that could go two different ways. I just hope that it doesn't go the way of even more reduction in terms of species - because even in the modern zoo world there's a certain amount of variety that is 'enough' for the visitor.... and that implies that there's a 'not enough' as well.