Wild Life Sydney Mixed Species Exhibits

T

thorney_devil

Well-Known Member
Hey of someone that the Cassowary had killed a number of Pademelons which shared it's exhibit...

Does anyone know anything about this, or if it did are the animals still housed together (i'd presume not?)
 
I thought that there woudl be problems with it when i saw them and owuld not be suprised it the Casso had killed them.
 
I know I've said this before, but I just don't like mixed species exhibits - there is always conflict, to a greater or lesser degree.

They are interesting for the public, but lousy for the animals.
 
Ara said:
I know I've said this before, but I just don't like mixed species exhibits - there is always conflict, to a greater or lesser degree.

They are interesting for the public, but lousy for the animals.
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thats just a massive generalisation. there are plenty of examples going both ways.
 
Okay, it's a generalisation but I can only speak from my experience as an aviculturalist; keep two or more species in the same restricted area (and after all that is what a zoo enclosure or an aviary is) and one will always come off second best. Sometimes it's only mild dominance, in other cases it's straight-out bullying.

The best way to accommodate any species is by itself. The only exception is when an animal which needs companionship is kept by itself. That's when you hear of unusual but successful cases such as a rhino or a giraffe kept with a goat, for example.
 
But lots of bird species can be kept together with out hassles, the main thing is the individuals involved.
 
Very true. I once had a male budgie who did not get along with the quails while every other one did. He kept killing the babies so we sold him but with the other budgies we have not had problems, it is the individuals most of the time that creates a problem.
 
Ara said:
Okay, it's a generalisation but I can only speak from my experience as an aviculturalist; keep two or more species in the same restricted area (and after all that is what a zoo enclosure or an aviary is) and one will always come off second best. Sometimes it's only mild dominance, in other cases it's straight-out bullying.

The best way to accommodate any species is by itself. The only exception is when an animal which needs companionship is kept by itself. That's when you hear of unusual but successful cases such as a rhino or a giraffe kept with a goat, for example.
Click to expand...

Sorry Ara, but it is a gross generalisation. I appreciate that as an aviculturalist, any disturbance to nesting birds or size difference or beligerance will mean that one individual or species comes off worse. But most private set-ups are not designed for large-scale mixed species, unless we are talking about the most sociable of finches, canaries, doves, quail etc.

I remember seeing the report of a study (circa mid 90s) by Healesville into experimental mixed exhibits of their small nocturnal species. The results showed increased positive behaviour by both species. Obviously HS did not attempt mixing a large carnivorous species such as a quoll with a potential prey species, so one suspects that they gave some intelligent thought to the mix. This is not to say that zoos get it right all the time, as per the cassowary example. But a small amount of research into the nature of both species would have spotted a fundamental flaw in this mix.
 
True.
Some of you have obviously researched this subject well and I must respect that.
I therefore withdraw my blanket generalisation and say that any such mixed exhibit must be entered into with caution and a willingness to adapt the mix of species or individuals.
 
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