Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2019

I think the one thing we can guarantee here is that there will be a Sumatran orangutan import from outside the region.

Unless Perth Zoo are going to reduce their colony to a single breeding female (I believe they're going to reduce it two breeding females - Sekara and Teliti), there simply aren't enough Sumatran orangutans in the region to supply all the zoos that are acquiring them - new holders Auckland Zoo and Orana Wildlife Park; and Melbourne Zoo who will likely be looking to source new females.

My ideal plan:

Perth Zoo:


1.0 Dinar (1987) - breeding male
Puteri (1970) - non breeding female
Utana (1979) - non breeding female
Sekara (1990) - breeding female
Teliti (2009) - breeding female
Sungai (2011) - adolescent male

Orana Wildlife Park:

Puspa (1970) - non breeding female

Adelaide Zoo:

1.0 New import - breeding male
0.1 New import - breeding female

Melbourne Zoo:

1.0 Malu (2003) - breeding male
0.1 New import - breeding female

Auckland Zoo:

1.0 Kluet (1995) - breeding male
0.1 Pulang (1993) - breeding female
0.1 Lestari (2012) - breeding female

Sydney Zoo:

1.0 Santan (1977) - non breeding male
0.1 Maimunah (1983) - non breeding female
0.1 Dewi (2010) - adolescent female

*Depending on demand for space at the Perth and Sydney Zoos - Sungai and Dewi could be the new pair at Adelaide Zoo
 
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Sorry @Pertinax, I shouldn’t have phrased speculation as fact; however, everyone on the forum I have spoken to about gorillas in the region believe that Fataki, Fuzu and Mahale are being sent to the new Sydney Zoo based on:

1. New holders usually receive non breeding animals
2. Orana have just imported a male with the intention of starting a breeding troop and unless they discontinue with orangutans, they won’t have the space to manage two troops
3. The Orana males are one of two bachelor troops in the region, but the other troop is older and more settled in their current home
4. A promotional video from Sydney Zoo mentioned receiving gorillas from NZ

It does sound as if this will happen then. I believe Orana are getting(or have got?) the young male Nasibu from Rotterdam( I think he was born in Frankfurt actually) and will build a group around him. Will be interesting to see which females they get also...
 
It does sound as if this will happen then. I believe Orana are getting(or have got?) the young male Nasibu from Rotterdam( I think he was born in Frankfurt actually) and will build a group around him. Will be interesting to see which females they get also...

Nasibu was born 01/04/2007 at the Frankfurt Zoo. His mother Rebecca has produced 10 offspring to date, the eldest of which is Richard (1991) at the Prague Zoo.
 
Nasibu was born 01/04/2007 at the Frankfurt Zoo. His mother Rebecca has produced 10 offspring to date, the eldest of which is Richard (1991) at the Prague Zoo.

Given Matz x Rebecca have so many offspring( including breeding silverbacks Damisi at Chessington UK, Akili in Artis, Netherlands, as well as Richard in Prague), it seems odd to choose Nasibu as another breeding male, although I realise this line isn't represented in the Australasian region. Also he needs to leave Rotterdam where he has been kept alone many months now, so that may have also influenced the choice. I don't think he has arrived yet though?
 
Given Matz x Rebecca have so many offspring( including breeding silverbacks Damisi at Chessington UK, Akili in Artis, Netherlands, as well as Richard in Prague), it seems odd to choose Nasibu as another breeding male, although I realise this line isn't represented in the Australasian region. Also he needs to leave Rotterdam where he has been kept alone many months now, so that may have also influenced the choice. I don't think he has arrived yet though?
Blackback Nasibu had to leave as he was falling out with the Rotterdam silverback and creating a tense social situation there.
 
Melbourne has welcomed two Grassland Earless Dragon hatchlings and it's the first time this species has been bred at Melbourne Zoo. The Grassland Earless Dragon is one of the 27 native species Zoos Victoria is working to protect as part of their Wildlife Conservation Master Plan 2019-2024.
https://www.zoo.org.au/media/2183/48636_zoos-vic-wcs-master-plan-128pp_-final.pdf
The successful breeding of Grassland Earless Dragons also coincides with the Reptile House's 50th anniversary, which opened in October 1969.
 
Few notes from my Zoo Visit today:

- A new Primate species??

Taken outside of the netted Orangutan enclosure. Not sure if this will be for a new Orangutan family, or an entirely new species...

-The two male Black Capped Capuchins have either been exported, or died. Their enclosure has a sign in front of it saying, ‘A new species coming soon’.

- The female Malayan Tapir was out and about. Personally, this was the first time I’ve seen her. I have a few photos which I may post.
 
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