Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2024

Zoofan15 said:
That’s correct re. where they’re held (at least last I heard), though the two bulls will never cohabit. While Ibutho is not genetically valuable, they could rotate him with Umfana as a stimulant bull. The scent of another bull (perceived rival) has been reported to encourage breeding in zoos.

Of course, Monarto will receive founders from the Australian Rhino Project in the coming years, who will surpass their current stock in genetic value. This will be a great opportunity to review groupings and mix and match under-performing rhinos (if they’re desired to breed) to see if a change of bull enhances their breeding performance.
Click to expand...

Interesting how you say those bulls can't cohabit. I wonder what they'll do with the new bulls coming with the rhino project. The vaguely outlined plan was to plonk them all together in wild Africa and just stare at them from a bus, wait for them to breed, etc.

I imagine Wild Africa is separated into different precincts for different groups, so that's probably the plan. I was of the thinking it was just one humongous paddock for all the animals. Limited and sparse footage of the facility has only been available, hopefully when it's fully opened we can see it properly
 
Last edited:
Luke899 said:
Interesting how you say those bulls can't cohabit. I wonder what they'll do with the new bulls coming with the rhino project. The vaguely outlined plan was to plonk them all together in wild Africa and just stare at them from a bus, wait for them to breed, etc.

I imagine Wild Africa is separated into different precincts for different groups, so that's probably the plan. I was of the thinking it was just one humongous paddock for all the animals. Limited and sparse footage of the facility has only been available, hopefully when it's fully opened we can see it properly
Click to expand...
Wild Africa has a variety of habitats so Monarto will have the luxury of rotating bulls ect. They also recently built a large expansive BTS area with quite a fair few paddocks that will also equip them with the opportunity to separate individuals if required. Most of these will likely house bulls tho imo.
 
Luke899 said:
Interesting how you say those bulls can't cohabit. I wonder what they'll do with the new bulls coming with the rhino project. The vaguely outlined plan was to plonk them all together in wild Africa and just stare at them from a bus, wait for them to breed, etc.

I imagine Wild Africa is separated into different precincts for different groups, so that's probably the plan. I was of the thinking it was just one humongous paddock for all the animals. Limited and sparse footage of the facility has only been available, hopefully when it's fully opened we can see it properly
Click to expand...
Jambo said:
Wild Africa has a variety of habitats so Monarto will have the luxury of rotating bulls ect. They also recently built a large expansive BTS area with quite a fair few paddocks that will also equip them with the opportunity to separate individuals if required. Most of these will likely house bulls tho imo.
Click to expand...

Wild Africa will provide a large communal space and I anticipate we’ll see a large number of cows cohabiting, following the import from the Australian Rhino Project. Breeding results at Whipsnade and San Diego in the 70’s and 80’s suggest large herds in large exhibits offset the effects of estrus suppression often observed in small groupings (e.g. 1.2) in city zoos.

Bulls will not cohabit. Even bachelor herds have had limited success beyond adolescence. Off display holding yards will allow multiple bulls to live on site.
 
Spotted hyena cub/giraffe calf both now on display:

Cub and calf take the plains at Monarto Safari Park - Monarto Safari Park

Eight-month-old cub, Gotoa (meaning “to complete” in Swahili), ventured out to the hyena habitat on Monday to sniff, scratch and explore.

Across the park, the Waterhole’s latest addition, a little female giraffe calf, is quickly finding her hooves within the herd.

Born to mum, Korongo, the one-month-old calf is healthy, strong and thriving. She is out and about full time and already delighting visitors as she explores her new surroundings.
 
 
Births and chimpanzee pregnancy announcement:

From socials:

It’s a baby boom at Monarto Safari Park with four species celebrating tiny new additions!

Over the past week, we have welcomed a lanky giraffe calf, fluffy Przewalski’s Horse foal, and a flock of feathery Ostrich chicks. The giraffe calf was born in the Waterhole exhibit on Saturday afternoon, much to the delight of lucky visitors. Mum, Mkali, and dad, Inkosi from Perth Zoo, have both been keeping a watchful eye over the little one as it finds its hooves.

Excitingly, we are also awaiting the imminent birth of a baby Chimpanzee with 25-year-old Galatea expecting any day now!

Paws on board: baby boom at Monarto Safari Park - Monarto Safari Park
 
Last edited:
Luke899 said:
Would you agree that the most valuable birth here is the ostrich flock? I tend to think so. There isn’t really a huge amount of ostrich spread around the country is there (if you discount the feral ones), so this is good for the captive population I’d say. It’s always great to see those massive birds.
Click to expand...
There are still a lot on farms, but it is good to see Monarto breeding them.
 
Luke899 said:
Would you agree that the most valuable birth here is the ostrich flock? I tend to think so. There isn’t really a huge amount of ostrich spread around the country is there (if you discount the feral ones), so this is good for the captive population I’d say. It’s always great to see those massive birds.
Click to expand...
Osedax said:
There are still a lot on farms, but it is good to see Monarto breeding them.
Click to expand...

Every zoo I’ve visited to date has held non-breeding flocks of ostrich, so it is exciting to see Monarto breeding them.

The most exciting births are arguably the Przewalski wild horse and the Common chimpanzee given their respective conservation status. Galatea’s pregnancy is especially welcome news given her long road to motherhood, which we all hope will end in success this time around.
 
Luke899 said:
Would you agree that the most valuable birth here is the ostrich flock? I tend to think so. There isn’t really a huge amount of ostrich spread around the country is there (if you discount the feral ones), so this is good for the captive population I’d say. It’s always great to see those massive birds.
Click to expand...
There are a handful of ostrich farms in Australia. Hasting Ostrich farm west of Geelong has over 3000 birds alone, so birds would often be sourced from them. Occasionally Ostriches even come up for private sale on gumtree too.
 
Visited Monarto Safari Park today, just some minor news/things I noticed:

- There seems to be lots of new signage all over the place, which is very colourful and Adelaide Zoo-like
- Galatea is due within the next week, with her "due date" supposedly next Wednesday
- A guide mentioned that one of the black rhinos is set to move to Dubbo for breeding sometime soon! However she didn't seem to know which rhino it was.
- The fence posts are going up around the elephant yard that used to be the blackbuck enclosure
- The 10 ostrich chicks are adorable! Apparently there used to be 15-16, but eagles and birds of prey have taken a few since they hatched, which is unfortunate.
- I saw some young eland sparring and locking horns which was fun to watch
- There are some young nyala calves in their enclosure

Also, does anyone know how many rock wallabies live in the YF rock wallaby enclosure? It seems really empty every time I visit, although that could just be me.
 
That Aussie Guy said:
Visited Monarto Safari Park today, just some minor news/things I noticed:

- There seems to be lots of new signage all over the place, which is very colourful and Adelaide Zoo-like
- Galatea is due within the next week, with her "due date" supposedly next Wednesday
- A guide mentioned that one of the black rhinos is set to move to Dubbo for breeding sometime soon! However she didn't seem to know which rhino it was.
- The fence posts are going up around the elephant yard that used to be the blackbuck enclosure
- The 10 ostrich chicks are adorable! Apparently there used to be 15-16, but eagles and birds of prey have taken a few since they hatched, which is unfortunate.
- I saw some young eland sparring and locking horns which was fun to watch
- There are some young nyala calves in their enclosure

Also, does anyone know how many rock wallabies live in the YF rock wallaby enclosure? It seems really empty every time I visit, although that could just be me.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the update.

The black rhinoceros transferring to Dubbo should be Induna (2003). He and Bakhita (female at Dubbo) represent the only unrelated pairing in the region and I’ve been wondering for years why they haven’t been paired yet.

At the last update, Monarto were planning to receive Burma in November 2024, which is rapidly coming around. Hopefully the elephant complex will be ready by then as they’ll be keen to avoid transit during the summer months. The Perth elephants will follow on in May.

Either gender infant from Galatea will be nice, but I’m hoping for a male. They can’t keep daughters from all the females and in any case, they’ll likely be looking to mirror the natural social order of female dispersal. If Galatea has a son, then Zombi, Hannah and Galatea can each retain their respective sons; with Zuri, Zola and Hope eventually transferring out, to be replaced with adolescent females from within the region. Given the numerous female births of late, there’s countless opportunities for exchange.
 
That Aussie Guy said:
Galatea is due within the next week, with her "due date" supposedly next Wednesday
Click to expand...
Zoofan15 said:
Either gender infant from Galatea will be nice, but I’m hoping for a male. They can’t keep daughters from all the females and in any case, they’ll likely be looking to mirror the natural social order of female dispersal. If Galatea has a son, then Zombi, Hannah and Galatea can each retain their respective sons; with Zuri, Zola and Hope eventually transferring out, to be replaced with adolescent females from within the region. Given the numerous female births of late, there’s countless opportunities for
Click to expand...
Chimpanzees?
 
Osedax said:
Chimpanzees?
Click to expand...

Correct. This is Monarto’s troop:

1.0 Boyd (29/10/1978) Tom x Bebe
1.0 Gombe (04/02/1993) Boyd x Jodie
1.0 Sandali (26/02/1996) Snowy x Sacha
1.0 Enzi (19/10/2015) Sandali x Zombi
1.0 Happy (21/12/2022) Unknown x Hannah

0.1 Zombi (15/03/1993) Imported 2010
0.1 Hannah (28/11/1993) Imported 2015
0.1 Galatea (24/02/1999) Imported 2010 (Pregnant)
0.1 Lani (26/05/2002) Lubutu x Lisa
0.1 Zuri (21/08/2012) Sandali x Zombi
0.1 Hope (19/02/2019) Tsotsi x Hannah
0.1 Zola (08/09/2019) Unknown x Zombi

If Galatea’s infant survives, the troop will have three females with young for the first time, which will be exciting; with the intention being for Lani to breed again also in the future.
 
Birth announcements:

From socials:

Four endangered tiny Tasmanian Devils and two fluffy Greater Bilby joeys have been born at Monarto Safari Park and are just days away from poking their snouts out to explore the outside world.

Devil Daenerys has had her paws full with four tiny tots in toe, with one joey now starting to ride on her back.

Greater Bilby, JoJo, is a first-time mum and the team is eagerly awaiting the appearance of her tiny long-eared twins.

Zoos SA has been working with the Tasmanian Devil since 2006 and Greater Bilby for an amazing 30 years!
 
Mlawlor said:
There are a handful of ostrich farms in Australia. Hasting Ostrich farm west of Geelong has over 3000 birds alone, so birds would often be sourced from them. Occasionally Ostriches even come up for private sale on gumtree too.
Click to expand...
TBH: I would welcome ZAA zoos in the Australasian region to invest in either pure-bred East or Southern African Struthio camelus ssp. or the threatened Somali ostrich Struthio molybdophanes (IUCN Red Listing: Vulnerable).
 
Kifaru Bwana said:
TBH: I would welcome ZAA zoos in the Australasian region to invest in either pure-bred East or Southern African Struthio camelus ssp. or the threatened Somali ostrich Struthio molybdophanes (IUCN Red Listing: Vulnerable).
Click to expand...
In an ideal scenario, yes. Unfortunately, I don't think that's possible. We are not able to import birds into Australia, and I believe all our ostriches are hybrids.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top