Melbourne Zoo: Phase Outs, Imports and breeding

Zorro said:
I believe both Dubbo and Werribee should import their own bulls, sometimes the best laid plans don't work out and enough time has been lost already. I am sure there would be at least some regional zoos interested in having river hippos if given the chance, I believe that Altina had mentioned on their S/M or website an interest in them. Also I would not rule out perhaps one or two NZ zoos like Orana possibly might have an interest at some point in the future!
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New Zealand is still awaiting a hippopotamus IRA, but the availability of this species in the region could give Orana Willdife Park the motivation it needs to acquire this species. As New Zealand’s only open range zoo, they remain the most likely facility to acquire them.

Crocodylus Park have expressed an interest in holding Common hippopotamus and like Orana Wildlife Park, would probably accept surplus - but not undertake an import themselves.
 
Zoofan15 said:
New Zealand is still awaiting a hippopotamus IRA, but the availability of this species in the region could give Orana Willdife Park the motivation it needs to acquire this species. As New Zealand’s only open range zoo, they remain the most likely facility to acquire them.

Crocodylus Park have expressed an interest in holding Common hippopotamus and like Orana Wildlife Park, would probably accept surplus - but not undertake an import themselves.
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I would also not be overly surprised if a number of city zoos were interested in obtaining some Pygmy hippos including Auckland zoo.
 
Zorro said:
I would also not be overly surprised if a number of city zoos were interested in obtaining some Pygmy hippos including Auckland zoo.
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If they can hurry up with a hippopotamus IRA, then I’d say it’s a strong possibility.

Auckland Zoo isn’t a large zoo, so the most realistic chance of this happening is when they redevelop the exisiting elephant exhibit around 2024-2025. If they pursue the African forest idea and Pygmy hippopotamus are available, this will be the time to do it. If hippopotamus aren’t able to be imported at this time, I imagine they’ll move forward with easier options.
 
Zoofan15 said:
If they can hurry up with a hippopotamus IRA, then I’d say it’s a strong possibility.

Auckland Zoo isn’t a large zoo, so the most realistic chance of this happening is when they redevelop the exisiting elephant exhibit around 2024-2025. If they pursue the African forest idea and Pygmy hippopotamus are available, this will be the time to do it. If hippopotamus aren’t able to be imported at this time, I imagine they’ll move forward with easier options.
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It's just a waiting game at the moment. But if they want to address the proposed giraffe IRA then the hippo IRA needs to be put to bed first. So at "best guess" perhaps within the next couple of years.
 
Zoofan15 said:
New Zealand is still awaiting a hippopotamus IRA, but the availability of this species in the region could give Orana Willdife Park the motivation it needs to acquire this species. As New Zealand’s only open range zoo, they remain the most likely facility to acquire them.

Crocodylus Park have expressed an interest in holding Common hippopotamus and like Orana Wildlife Park, would probably accept surplus - but not undertake an import themselves.
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Hippos at the Crocodiles Park should do well, lots of water and a tropical climate. hippos in asian zoos seem to do well, perhaps an uncomplicated diet, with a hot tropical climate works well for them.
 
Zorro said:
It's just a waiting game at the moment. But if they want to address the proposed giraffe IRA then the hippo IRA needs to be put to bed first. So at "best guess" perhaps within the next couple of years.
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It appears New Zealand are ahead of Australia with their IRA’s. They’ve been able to import bovids for sometime compared to Australia, who only completed their IRA last year; and New Zealand now has a Giraffe/Okapi IRA completed. I assume a Hippopotamus IRA is next on the list, but don’t know that for a fact considering interest in acquiring them isn’t high amongst New Zealand’s zoos.

Australia meanwhile need to sort both a Hippopotamus and Giraffe IRA as a matter or urgency.
 
Zorro said:
Hippos at the Crocodiles Park should do well, lots of water and a tropical climate. hippos in asian zoos seem to do well, perhaps an uncomplicated diet, with a hot tropical climate works well for them.
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The preferred temperature range of the Common hippopotamus is 17-35 degrees, so they’re well suited to the Australian climate, with higher temperatures tolerated by submerging themselves in water.

The original intention of Crocodylus Park was to hold a breeding pair, but if Dubbo, Monarto and Werribee are all planning to breed long term, non breeding holders would be a great asset to the region. If the breeding programme takes off, they’ll soon be a surplus of bulls again.
 
Zoofan15 said:
If they can hurry up with a hippopotamus IRA, then I’d say it’s a strong possibility.

Auckland Zoo isn’t a large zoo, so the most realistic chance of this happening is when they redevelop the exisiting elephant exhibit around 2024-2025. If they pursue the African forest idea and Pygmy hippopotamus are available, this will be the time to do it. If hippopotamus aren’t able to be imported at this time, I imagine they’ll move forward with easier options.
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If they don't pursue Gorillas, a trifecta of smaller exhibits in the elephant's current area including Pygmy Hippo, Mandrill, and either Okapi or Bongo would still be a decent attraction.
 
Swanson02 said:
If they don't pursue Gorillas, a trifecta of smaller exhibits in the elephant's current area including Pygmy Hippo, Mandrill, and either Okapi or Bongo would still be a decent attraction.
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I’d be thrilled with that combination.

I think Western lowland gorilla would be their preference from a crowd-pulling perspective - with a breeding troop being an attraction to rival the elephants; but a Mandrill troop could be just as impressive.

If they’re unable to source Okapi from Europe (the US have a limited surplus), then Eastern bongo are the logical substitute.
 
Zorro said:
I believe that would be a perfect combination for them. :)
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Aucklanders miss the Common hippopotamus, Faith and Fudge. Replacing them with Pygmy hippopotamus almost a decade after their passing would be appreciated by many visitors - not to mention they’d be the only holders of this species in New Zealand.

Both Melbourne and Auckland need to be realistic with what they can house in a city zoo and Pygmy hippopotamus are the perfect fit. Hopefully Melbourne can receive a female for breeding down the line.
 
Zoofan15 said:
I’d be thrilled with that combination.

I think Western lowland gorilla would be their preference from a crowd-pulling perspective - with a breeding troop being an attraction to rival the elephants; but a Mandrill troop could be just as impressive.

If they’re unable to source Okapi from Europe (the US have a limited surplus), then Eastern bongo are the logical substitute.
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But I saw last week the the EEP are sending Okapi to UAE? :D
 
Zorro said:
But I saw last week the the EEP are sending Okapi to UAE? :D
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The Dubai Zoo has had Okapi for a while now; I don’t think the American region has exported any Okapis overseas recently. Japan also holds Okapi, but I believe they operate out of the European region, which is what Australian zoos will probably have to do if they wish to hold this species.
 
Jambo said:
The Dubai Zoo has had Okapi for a while now; I don’t think the American region has exported any Okapis overseas recently. Japan also holds Okapi, but I believe they operate out of the European region, which is what Australian zoos will probably have to do if they wish to hold this species.
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Perhaps another animal has been sent out to join them?.
 
Jambo said:
The Dubai Zoo has had Okapi for a while now; I don’t think the American region has exported any Okapis overseas recently. Japan also holds Okapi, but I believe they operate out of the European region, which is what Australian zoos will probably have to do if they wish to hold this species.
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I wasn’t aware that Dubai kept Okapi.
I know the Al Bustan Zoological Centre keeps quite a lot, and even had a leusistic calve born last year!
 
Nix said:
I wasn’t aware that Dubai kept Okapi.
I know the Al Bustan Zoological Centre keeps quite a lot, and even had a leusistic calve born last year!
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Yep that was the facility I was referring too. Not in Dubai though, in the UAE I meant :p
 
Zorro said:
Are there any pics of the Leusistic calf??
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There’s a video here:

https://m.facebook.com/EndangeredandMisunderstood/videos/just-look-at-him-loving-his-zebra-pants-and-his-are-even-more-unique-than-the-av/327827642505079/?_se_imp=1fDhBBk5jnVfzS1u

“Mzimu”. A late Christmas present, this little one was born on December 26th 2021. In Swahili, Mzimu means spirit or ghost - the perfect name for a leucistic okapi. This condition, which has never been seen in an okapi in human care before, causes a lack of pigmentation in the hair and skin, giving Mzimu his rare white-gray appearance. Al Bustan Zoological Centre is a private collection based in Sharjah, UAE. Home to over 750 animals, Mzimu is their newest okapi baby, the 5th born since his parents arrived in 2012.
 
 
Zoofan15 said:
There’s a video here:

https://m.facebook.com/EndangeredandMisunderstood/videos/just-look-at-him-loving-his-zebra-pants-and-his-are-even-more-unique-than-the-av/327827642505079/?_se_imp=1fDhBBk5jnVfzS1u

“Mzimu”. A late Christmas present, this little one was born on December 26th 2021. In Swahili, Mzimu means spirit or ghost - the perfect name for a leucistic okapi. This condition, which has never been seen in an okapi in human care before, causes a lack of pigmentation in the hair and skin, giving Mzimu his rare white-gray appearance. Al Bustan Zoological Centre is a private collection based in Sharjah, UAE. Home to over 750 animals, Mzimu is their newest okapi baby, the 5th born since his parents arrived in 2012.
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That amazing. :D Thanks for posting it
 
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