Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2023

Cheetah Update

Kuishi’s litter sexed as 2.2:

Kuishi’s litter have been sexed as 2.2. The two male cubs will form a coalition with the male cub born to Qailee in March.

From socials:

Monarto Safari Park’s second litter of eight-week-old Cheetah cubs have had their first health check and their genders revealed as two boys and two girls.

Welcoming two male Cheetah is particularly important as we can now start to form a coalition to roam the plains of our new Cheetah habitat in Wild Africa, which spans nearly 50 acres.

Qailee’s litter make public debut:

From socials:

Excitingly, Qailee’s litter of three cubs have made their debut getting out to explore the Cheetah habitat and get their tiny paws muddy.

Visitors can now see the spotty trio from the Zu-loop bus or from the Cheetah platform. Kuishi’s pawsome foursome will join in the fun out on exhibit when they are around three months of age.
 
Cheetah update:

From socials:

Kuishi and her four cubs have been spotted exploring their outdoor exhibit!

This brings our Cheetah cub count to an incredible seven! As Africa’s most endangered big cat, it is a very special opportunity to be able to see not one but two litters of Cheetah cubs here at Monarto Safari Park.

One of the female cubs has been named Tish and voting is now open to name the remaining 3.3 cubs:

Male options: Sanumu, Moyo, Duma, Mwindaji and Balozi

Female options: Doa, Nyota, Mrembo, Zawadi and Ishara

Help name the Cheetah cubs! - Monarto Safari Park
 
marmolady said:
It has been announced via member email that lionesses Makena and Husani are both pregnant, due in August. This is especially fantastic news about Makena, as she’s not successfully had a litter in the past— now crossing fingers all will go smoothly.
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MEGA PRIDE!!!

This news (especially Makena’s pregnancy) is highly exciting - but even more so when you consider Monarto Safari Park already have the largest pride in the region at 5.7 lions.

Even with the adolescent males, Chad and Ruka, likely transitioning out of the pride soon, with these two litters, the combined pride could easily number in the mid teens. What a sight that will be!

1.0 Kashka (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
1.0 Kito (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
1.0 Kubwa (20/10/2015) Johari x Nilo
0.1 Husani (24/04/2013) Leroy x Tiombe
0.1 Nia (24/04/2013) Leroy x Tiombe
0.1 Makena (18/06/2013) Leroy x Kiamba
0.1 Adira (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Chikondi (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Zahara (16/02/2020) UNK/MULT x Husani
1.0 Chad (24/01/2021) UNK/MULT x Husani
1.0 Ruka (24/01/2021) UNK/MULT x Husani
0.1 Malika (24/01/2021) UNK/MULT x Husani
Aaaa
 
Cheetah cubs named:

From socials:

With keepers naming one female cub Tish, we called on your help to name six cubs.

We're delighted to share our female cubs are now named:

Zawadi (meaning gift)
Nyota (meaning star)
Mrembo (meaning beautiful)

Our male cubs are named:

Moyo (meaning heart)
Mwindaji (meaning hunter)
Balozi (meaning ambassador)
 
Fundraising begins for elephants at Monarto:

Though not confirmed, this is an exciting possibility!

The 14ha habitat would accomodate 1.2 elephants - Putra Mas (1989) and Permai (1989) from Perth and Burma (1982) from Auckland Zoo.

From Auckland Zoo’s socials:

Today, our colleagues at Zoos South Australia begin a fundraising campaign to build a habitat at Monarto Safari Park for Asian elephants within the Australasian region.

If their fundraising efforts are successful, the open range zoo would initially provide a forever home for three Asian elephants, one of which could be Auckland Zoo’s elephant Burma.

“We are very excited about the possibility of Monarto Safari Park developing this new 14ha (35 acre) habitat for the Australasian regional elephant programme - and really hope that this fundraising effort can become a reality,” says our director, Kevin Buley.
 
Last edited:
Zoofan15 said:
Fundraising begins for elephants at Monarto:

Though not confirmed, this is an exciting possibility!

The 14ha habitat would accomodate 1.2 elephants - Putra Mas (1989) and Permai (1989) from Perth and Burma (1982) from Auckland Zoo.

From Auckland Zoo’s socials:

Today, our colleagues at Zoos South Australia begin a fundraising campaign to build a habitat at Monarto Safari Park for Asian elephants within the Australasian region.

If their fundraising efforts are successful, the open range zoo would initially provide a forever home for three Asian elephants, one of which could be Auckland Zoo’s elephant Burma.

“We are very excited about the possibility of Monarto Safari Park developing this new 14ha (35 acre) habitat for the Australasian regional elephant programme - and really hope that this fundraising effort can become a reality,” says our director, Kevin Buley.
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Plot twist!

Funnily enough, Zoos SA are planning a 'big announcement' at 11:30am - so it seems like Auckland Zoo have jumped the gun a bit on announcing this, although you can't fault their keenness!
 
Abbey said:
Plot twist!

Funnily enough, Zoos SA are planning a 'big announcement' at 11:30am - so it seems like Auckland Zoo have jumped the gun a bit on announcing this, although you can't fault their keenness!
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A big announcement! I wonder what it could be? :p

I guess to be fair to Auckland Zoo, Burma is leaving after 33 years of being at the zoo and due to the emotive attachments the general public have to her, they didn’t want people to hear the news from somewhere else first. Still, it wouldn’t have taken much to coordinate the announcement.

————————————

Decision to be finalised October 2023; elephants to arrive late 2024:

The link to the article now works.

It states Monarto will know by the end of October whether their fundraising efforts have been successful. If so, the elephants will arrive in late 2024:
https://www.aucklandzoo.co.nz/news/news-of-potential-long-term-option-for-elephant-burma
News of potential long-term option for elephant Burma | Auckland Zoo News
 
From ZoosSA’s announcement video, it appears that the proposed elephant exhibit would utilise the former elephant housing (currently holding black rhinoceros) and what looks like the Indian antelope paddock. It would certainly be exciting to see the elephants exhibited alongside Indian antelope in some way if that is the case. It has also been confirmed that the elephant exhibit will not be a ‘paid extra’ such as the lemur and upcoming hippo exhibits that are part of Wild Africa.
 
Link to Monarto Safari Park’s website to promote fundraising - six hours in and they’re already at 3% of the target amount!

Profiles of the elephants and FAQ can also be found here: Home

With regards to an FAQ on breeding: As we move to expand our herd we will work with the Asian Elephant Regional Breeding Program to increase our breeding capacity.

Another source (see elephant population thread) mentions five or more elephants could join the trio in the future.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Fundraising begins for elephants at Monarto:

Though not confirmed, this is an exciting possibility!

The 14ha habitat would accomodate 1.2 elephants - Putra Mas (1989) and Permai (1989) from Perth and Burma (1982) from Auckland Zoo.

From Auckland Zoo’s socials:

Today, our colleagues at Zoos South Australia begin a fundraising campaign to build a habitat at Monarto Safari Park for Asian elephants within the Australasian region.

If their fundraising efforts are successful, the open range zoo would initially provide a forever home for three Asian elephants, one of which could be Auckland Zoo’s elephant Burma.

“We are very excited about the possibility of Monarto Safari Park developing this new 14ha (35 acre) habitat for the Australasian regional elephant programme - and really hope that this fundraising effort can become a reality,” says our director, Kevin Buley.
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Reported on their socials- Monarto have achieved their first goal of 300k; an amazing effort and achievement considering this only began last weekend. :)
 
Jambo said:
Reported on their socials- Monarto have achieved their first goal of 300k; an amazing effort and achievement considering this only began last weekend. :)
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Today they surpassed 500k (currently $562,000), which represents one quarter of the target of $2 million. At this rate (they have until October), I’m very optimistic they’ll reach their goal!

It astounds me a complex 2/3 the size of Werribee’s complex was announced effectively overnight and has surpassed all expectations I had of Monarto’s participation in the breeding programme. I thought at best we’d get a bachelor exhibit in 10-15 years. :)
 
marmolady said:
Especially with this being pulled off, MSP really seems to be one to watch. It’s going to be incredibly exciting to see the upcoming developments over the coming year or so.
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Monarto Safari Park continue to impress me with every development they undertake. I especially like their method of housing of animals in large groups which isn’t readily done at the other three open range zoos (which all have small lion prides and small non-breeding groups of various other species).

It’d be really great to see what Monarto could do with a Hamadryas baboon!

My only criticism of Monarto is the pay-walls. I’d rather pay 2-3 times the general admission and see everything than decide at every point and turn whether it’s worth it. If people are visiting regularly enough to skip out sections, they probably have an annual pass already.
 
I agree the pay walls are very Australia Zoo inspired and not something that a lot of people will go back for. Just have one all inclusive price. From someone who lives in Sydney and has to travel to see Monarto, while its a great zoo. With pay walls id certainly opt for one of the other open range zoos to visit where you pay once and can see everything.
 
Tiger91 said:
I agree the pay walls are very Australia Zoo inspired and not something that a lot of people will go back for. Just have one all inclusive price. From someone who lives in Sydney and has to travel to see Monarto, while its a great zoo. With pay walls id certainly opt for one of the other open range zoos to visit where you pay once and can see everything.
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I agree. Australians and New Zealanders aren’t used to pay-walls and will resent this approach; while due to the numerous import restrictions in Australasia, overseas visitors will have seen a more diverse range of species and Monarto’s biggest drawcards (like Common hippopotamus) won’t be a novelty.

Dubbo and Werribee (especially Werribee) are making monumental strides of late and while none are in direct competition (being in different states); if you can all (or most) of the other two without pay-walls, then that’s a plus in my books. Werribee have a delux package option (but offer the free alternative), which is preferable from a visitor perspective.
 
Update on pregnant lionesses:

It’ll be interesting to see how many cubs they have. Husani has previously had large litters; while Makena is a first time breeder.

To my knowledge, Makena’s mother only had one cub in her 2011 litter and two cubs in her 2013 litter, though this may have been a consequence of her caesarean in 2007.

https://www.monartosafari.com.au/african-lions-steal-the-show-on-world-lion-day/

Pregnant lionesses Makena and Husani are both doing really well and getting hungrier as their cubs on board grow.

“This will be Makena’s first litter and she’s due any day now. She’s still very active and getting around the exhibit as if she’s not pregnant.

“Husani is a seasoned mum and this will be her third pregnancy, with four cubs in her first litter and five in her second, we’re excited to see how many cubs she gives birth to this month.

“Makena and Husani are spending a lot of time together and it’s nice to see them bonding over the pregnancies,” finished Christy.
 
WhistlingKite24 said:
Makena the lioness gave birth to a single cub on 12th August. The other pregnant female Husani is due to give birth sometime in the next fortnight: Cub-tastic News for First Time Mum Makena - Monarto Safari Park

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Great news!

While I concur that a name of African origin would be appropriate and would be in keeping with the zoo's traditions, given the cub's birthdate, if this cub is a female, I wouldn't be surprised if members of the public floated the name Matilda, which would match with mum Makena and uncle Mlinzi.
 
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