austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
Ok but i did ask the keepers today and they said they were bringing in a new species when i asked what it was they said they didnt could tell
Melbourne Zoo Melbourne Zoo News 2023
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
- Status
To which exhibit?
austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
the coati in the carnivores trail, lol the luckly didint say that im still getting over that that sign is in the pygm hippo exibit it has been there for years
BasecatXD
Active Member
THE COLLARED PECCARY IS PHASING OUT!?
Yes, they have the last 1.2 Collared peccary in Australasia and have no plans to breed from them. The last peccaries in New Zealand died 2011 and the species has been designated as phase out within the region.
It is indeed disappointing considering we don’t have a lot of South American species.
Last edited by a moderator:
BasecatXD
Active Member
Yes, they have the last 1.2 Collared peccary in Australasia and have no plans to breed from them. The last peccaries in New Zealand died 2011 and the species has been designated as phase out.
It is indeed disappointing considering we don’t have a lot of South American species.
The only way they can redeem themselves is by adding capybaras in the Malayan tapir habitat (and making the pool larger)
Last edited by a moderator:
austrlain zoo gower
Well-Known Member
Yeah
It is sad that the collard pecarys have disappeared from the region, hopefully in the future there can be a South American section of the zoo will include them in the future
It is sad that the collard pecarys have disappeared from the region, hopefully in the future there can be a South American section of the zoo will include them in the future
BasecatXD
Active Member
I just hope that they let the peccaries phase out instead of removing them like the coati
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Yes Binturong were a confirmed acquisition last month - so are a high contender for the coati enclosure.
It is a shame to see collared peccary leave our shores, but I do agree with Melbourne Zoo to not in-breed the ones they have. Inbreeding can cause birth defects that impact on the life quality of the off-spring. This irresponsible husbandry is both unfair to the potential off-spring, and can mean higher maintenance costs in keeping the species.
It is a shame to see collared peccary leave our shores, but I do agree with Melbourne Zoo to not in-breed the ones they have. Inbreeding can cause birth defects that impact on the life quality of the off-spring. This irresponsible husbandry is both unfair to the potential off-spring, and can mean higher maintenance costs in keeping the species.
BasecatXD
Active Member
Is the collared peccary going to stay at Melbourne until it dies, or will they be exported?
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
My best guess is that they will stay; potentially a temporary replacement will be put in thw Malayan Tapir enclosure, and then when the collared peccary have passed on, then that row will be redeveloped. Or, the Peccary may be moved to Werribee/Kyabram and redevelopment of the row moved forward.
BasecatXD
Active Member
I hope it doesn’t go to Kyabram, it’s so far away
PaddyRickMFZ
Well-Known Member
Ideally another zoo would take them and actually have initiative to breed them, but that’s likely not going to occur. My best guess is that they stay until there is one left, at which point the final individual will be euthanised, permanently ending peccaries in australasia. It’s is possible however that with their recent classification to tayassuidae that they may be removed from the suidae IRA, so that they can be imported again
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
I don't think they will be sent anywhere. I imagine Melbourne Zoo will see them out, and for ethical (and monetary) reasons will not breed the remaining mother and children with eachother.
Cobi
Well-Known Member
It’s worth noting that the peccaries have the potential to be around for a while longer.
In this podcast from May 2021 a keeper said that they are around 8-10 years old and that they can live to be 20-25 years old.
In this podcast from May 2021 a keeper said that they are around 8-10 years old and that they can live to be 20-25 years old.
Melbourne has three Collared peccaries born between 2010 and 2012. They can indeed reach 20-25 years, but most of the peccaries in the region have died in their mid-teens.
Wellington Zoo (the last holder in New Zealand) euthanised their last three peccaries (all aged 15-16 years) in 2011.
Realistically speaking, I think we have around five years to enjoy Melbourne’s peccaries. It’s my belief they’ll remain at Melbourne during this time. They have a suitable exhibit, so it’d be a waste of resources building a new exhibit at Kyabram etc. Long term, I’d expect their row to be redeveloped for something else, but the elephant exhibits are priority.
The two Binturong brothers recently brought over from Singapore have gone on display in the former Coati enclosure in the Carnivores trail as seen in the MZ map;
https://www.zoo.org.au/melbourne/mz_map/
This is the first time Melbourne have displayed Binturong since the death of their last individual five years ago.
https://www.zoo.org.au/melbourne/mz_map/
This is the first time Melbourne have displayed Binturong since the death of their last individual five years ago.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
I think that since the Carnivore trail opened, I have only seen the Coatis ONCE in all those years...
I hope that the Binturong are more visible.
I hope that the Binturong are more visible.
I’ve seen them at zoos I’ve been to in the past, so I’m sure they’ll be just as visible at Melbourne. If you get close enough, you might even smell them - which is a pleasant experience assuming you like popcorn.
They’ll be a good addition to the Carnivores trail, which given the ages of the inhabitants of the other exhibits, we can probably expect to remain unchanged for a number of years now.
- Status