Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2014

Kifaru Bwana said:
Looking good, looking better ..

What is the current group (sex / age) structure at Melbourne?
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They have 1.4

1.0 'Otana' (born Howletts 2001 [Kouillou x Tamba])
0.1 'Kimya' (born Taronga 2005 [Kibabu x Kriba])
0.1 'Yuska (born wild approx. 1971)
0.1 'Julia' (born wild approx. 1982)
0.1 'G-Anne' (born Oklahoma City 1979 [Moemba x Fern])
 
Jabiru96 said:
They have 1.4

1.0 'Otana' (born Howletts 2001 [Kouillou x Tamba])
0.1 'Kimya' (born Taronga 2005 [Kibabu x Kriba])
0.1 'Yuska (born wild approx. 1971)
0.1 'Julia' (born wild approx. 1982)
0.1 'G-Anne' (born Oklahoma City 1979 [Moemba x Fern])
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Thanks for clarifying. Sadly, it looks highly unlikely that such a young male will ever be able to muster the old bunch …, let alone that they will bear a baby of their own from Otana.

Well at least fingers crossed for Kimya!
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
Thanks for clarifying. Sadly, it looks highly unlikely that such a young male will ever be able to muster the old bunch …, let alone that they will bear a baby of their own from Otana.

Well at least fingers crossed for Kimya!
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Otana is already thirteen now. He was mother-raised and properly socialised being from Howletts. So I wouldn't expect him to have a problem dominating (and mating?) the older females, even if it happens only slowly over time. I think Yuska can be counted out as she is I think post breeding now. I would also think Julia is perhaps more likely to breed again than G.Anne- but maybe both of them, provided they want them to and they aren't contracepted that is.
 
Fingers crossed for the pitter-patter of pygmy pygmy hippos!

Story & Video here: https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/24595223/hippo-love-at-melbourne-zoo/

Melbourne Zoo is playing matchmaker to two endangered pygmy hippos in the hope they will get down and dirty.

Zookeepers have been keeping a close eye on 29-year-old female Petre, who has been showing signs that she is ready to mate.

But forget perfume and longing glances, the smell of Petre's poo tells mate Felix that she is coming into season.

This will be seven-year-old Felix's first time between the sheets but Petre is an experienced breeder, having given birth to four calves previously.

The pair has been spending their nights in adjacent pens, where they can see, hear and smell each other.

But the zoo notes that pygmy hippopotamuses are largely solitary creatures and if Petre is not ready to breed, the introduction could turn violent - prompting keepers to abort the mission.

If a successful mating occurs, the gestation time for pygmy hippos is about 185 days.

The zoo's most recent pygmy hippo calf was born in 1981, so keepers are excited at the prospect of new arrival early next year.
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Someone on the Aspinall Foundation Facebook page has hinted at a male giant anteater being sent from Howletts Wild Animal Park to Melbourne.
 
Jabiru96 said:
Someone on the Aspinall Foundation Facebook page has hinted at a male giant anteater being sent from Howletts Wild Animal Park to Melbourne.
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that "someone" is apparently a volunteer guide at the Melbourne Zoo, which is interesting.
 
Melbourne Zoo seems to have changed plans since last year and does not look to be planning to import them anymore. Adelaide however......
 
Lyrebird said:
Melbourne Zoo seems to have changed plans since last year and does not look to be planning to import them anymore. Adelaide however......
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as far as I'm aware there is still no IRA for giant anteaters, so nobody's going to be importing any anyway.
 
Sent via e-mail newsletter:

Melbourne Zoo is expecting a baby gorilla for the first time in 14 years!

On behalf of gorillas Otana and Kimya, we are proud to announce that they will become first time parents in early 2015.

As it’s in the early stages of Kimya's pregnancy, our Primate Keepers are cautiously optimistic about Kimya's progress, but so far she is showing positive signs and is being provided the best of care through this special time.

Stay up to date with Kimya's progress by following Zoos Victoria on Facebook and Twitter.
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Here is an article on the passing of one of the Zoo's Tree Kangaroos, from July 2014:

Story & Photos here: Vale Timika | Zoos Victoria

On behalf of the many Melbourne Zoo staff who have worked with Goodfellow’s Tree-kangaroo Timika, Director Kevin Tanner is sad to announce the loss of a well-loved Zoo icon today.

Timi was born to mother Tapini and father Toea in 2000, and he has outlived the average male life expectancy of his species, which is nine years.

On Monday Keepers reported changes in his behaviour to the Veterinarians, who arranged blood and urine tests. Dr. Sarah Frith says that Timi was found to have renal failure, and that although he was still eating a bit, he had become unresponsive to Keepers and uninterested in treats.

As there was no prospect of a cure for the renal failure, Timi was euthanized this afternoon.

Senior Keeper Megan Richardson worked with Timi from his birth: ‘He was an amazing animal. He played such an important role as a huge Ambassador for his endangered species.

‘He has been inspirational, and he has touched the lives of so many people. In addition to the many celebrities who have loved meeting him, Timi has also met many media, Roar ‘n Snore campers, and Kids Go Wild groups.’

Timi was the first Goodfellow’s joey to be closely monitored for developmental milestones and to be target trained to cooperate with Keepers so they could easily weigh him and carry out other procedures when needed.

Megan is the International Studbook Keeper for this endangered species, and she credits the training program developed in working with Timi as helping to establish protocols to assist Keepers in other zoos.

Hear more from Timi's keeper Megan via her Zoo Keeper blog.

Timi has fathered five offspring:
◾ Belisi, a female born in 2005, is now in Krefeld Zoo, Germany
◾ Tani, a female born in 2006, is now at Zoorasia in Japan
◾ Banam, a male born in 2007, remains at Melbourne Zoo
◾ Oumak, a female born in 2009, is at the National Zoo, Canberra
◾ Sepilinga, a female born in 2011, is at Duisburg Zoo in Germany
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Chlidonias said:
that "someone" is apparently a volunteer guide at the Melbourne Zoo, which is interesting.
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I spoke to a FOTZ volunteer last week about the new Predator Prey exhibit. She listed "Lions, hunting dogs, Philippine crocodiles and aardvarks or anteaters or something."

I discounted that as wishful thinking, but now I've read this post I'm very, very curious. Obviously she didn't mean aardvarks but maybe, just maybe, there's something we've missed about the ability to import anteaters?
 
Sunbear12 said:
I went searching through the list of species suitable for import and here it anteaters are on the list. You can see for yourself below.
List of Specimens Taken to be Suitable for Live Import (29/11/2001)
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there are lots of species on the Live Import list which cannot actually be imported (check out the birds, for example). An animal can't be imported unless it is on that list, but just being on the list doesn't automatically mean it can be imported. There are other regulations to take care of as well.
 
Not news as such but Melbourne Zoo's Trail of the Elephants has been featured on Zoolex. ZooLex Exhibit

The exhibit opened more than 10 years ago.
 
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