Monarto Safari Park Monarto Safari Park News 2024

[steveroberts]

@Swanson02

(This doesn't mean they're not related somehow but they're definitely not siblings, at least not same mother they're only few months apart in age) but the zoo (Perth) would not have thought they were related because there was a hope about 23 years ago thereabouts that Putra Mas may breed with Permai but it never ended up happening.

@Luke899 Great photo find, brings back memories of when they were still little like that (Tricia was a wonderful foster mum/aunt to them and Teduh).

 

[Jambo]

From the picture, they both look quite hairy! I wonder if they are closely related? Not necessarily siblings but cousins. If they were taken from the same wild location it's possible they could be related

Usually the norm for elephants from the Malayan peninsula. Similarly, Bong Su and Mek Kapah at Melbourne, who were also born in Malaysia were also very hairy individuals. A lot of Bong Su's offspring, like Mali and Pathi Harn also seem to share this physical trait.

If they were related and came from the same herd, that may perhaps may explain why Putra Mas never really mated Permai!

 

[steveroberts]

@Jambo

Right so the Malayan Elephants are usually a very hairy bunch (they are still thought by some to be a subspecies of Asian Elephant in their own right aside from Indian Elephants hey)

 

[Luke899]

From the picture, they both look quite hairy! I wonder if they are closely related? Not necessarily siblings but cousins. If they were taken from the same wild location it's possible they could be related

Its interesting about the hair

I've been noticing our regions elephants been losing hair, example Burma couple of years ago:



Burma now:



Also permai a couple of years back:



Now permai kinda balding, like burma:



Must be an age thing you know

 

[Jambo]

Its interesting about the hair

I've been noticing our regions elephants been losing hair, example Burma couple of years ago:

View attachment 750616

Burma now:

View attachment 750617

Also permai a couple of years back:

View attachment 750619

Now permai kinda balding, like burma:

View attachment 750620

Must be an age thing you know

Certainly is an age thing; I do know both Bong Su and Mek Kapah also lost their hair as they aged too. Mek Kapah at age 51 now is almost bald!

They do seem to lose their hair at a younger ish age (from what I've seen, its usually in their 20's).

 

[steveroberts]

@Luke899

Great photos of them all again man (we have some beautiful Eles' in Aus' hey).

 

[Tiger91]

It's great to see Waterbuck breeding success, seems few have been born in recent years outside of Monarto and Altina. Also, 12 Eland calves are extraordinary; Monarto must be holding somewhere between 70-100 Eland by now across multiple herds, which is big for the region. Does anyone know which zoos currently hold Eland in Australia? I'd imagine it would only be 4-5

Also, four Plains Zebra foals seem to have flown under the radar. Monarto must have close to 30 Zebra by now—does anyone have an updated number?

They would want to be starting to breed and hold large herds!
There entire selling point of wild Africa Is large style enclosures with herds of animals running free. A herd of 6 zebra in an enclosure the size they are isnt going to cut it. And the majority of zoo visitors won't pay extra if word gets out you see few animals and large amount of essentially empty space.

 

[Zorro]

They would want to be starting to breed and hold large herds!
There entire selling point of wild Africa Is large style enclosures with herds of animals running free. A herd of 6 zebra in an enclosure the size they are isnt going to cut it. And the majority of zoo visitors won't pay extra if word gets out you see few animals and large amount of essentially empty space.

Absolutely correct they are going to need to display many animals to get the public coming back. Also I bet the two mystery antelope species that was mention for the park is unlikely to happen in the short term if at all!

 

[Jambo]

Absolutely correct they are going to need to display many animals to get the public coming back. Also I bet the two mystery antelope species that was mention for the park is unlikely to happen in the short term if at all!

I do think the same. They would have surely arrived (or at the very least, been announced) by now if they were to be acquired. Still, Monarto has quite the collection of antelope species as it is compared to the rest of our open range zoos!

 

[Zorro]

I do think the same. They would have surely arrived (or at the very least, been announced) by now if they were to be acquired. Still, Monarto has quite the collection of antelope species as it is compared to the rest of our open range zoos!

We have seen this before ideas chop and change as they take so long to do things their ideas just run out of steam

 

[Jambo]

We have seen this before ideas chop and change as they take so long to do things their ideas just run out of steam

I feel like with these projects too (like on the scale of Wild Africa) we always seem to get a lot of ideas that never come to fruition. A lot of 'dreams', that never end up being fulfilled unsurprisingly.

 

[Luke899]

They would want to be starting to breed and hold large herds!
There entire selling point of wild Africa Is large style enclosures with herds of animals running free. A herd of 6 zebra in an enclosure the size they are isnt going to cut it. And the majority of zoo visitors won't pay extra if word gets out you see few animals and large amount of essentially empty space.

Yes, it's unfortunate at the moment. Too much space not enough animals as intended. Plan was to have the other rhinos here by now, but clearly hasn't happened.

Only a small portion of 'Wild Africa' is open right now, they've consolidated the animals into areas rather then the entire 'Wild-Africa' precinct. You'd have literally nothing to see without binoculars otherwise.

For perspective here are only two areas currently fully open in the 'Wild Africa' experience:



Etosha (Open):
Area: 63 hectares

Currently home to:
- Herds of Antelope
- Scimitar-horned Oryx
- Eland
- Giraffe
- 4 Southern White Rhinos

Amboseli (Open):
Area: 22 hectares

Currently home to:
- Cheetah

Samburu (restricted access):

Only the Hippo habitat is open in this area
- 2 Nile Hippo's (Brindabella & Pansy)

The rest of the extremely large "Samburu" and "Chobe" precincts are closed to the public, waiting on Rhino's most likely.

Thats it for now!

 

[Zorro]

I feel like with these projects too (like on the scale of Wild Africa) we always seem to get a lot of ideas that never come to fruition. A lot of 'dreams', that never end up being fulfilled unsurprisingly.

With this it makes me wonder how the rhino import will end up it appears to be slipping away after starting back in 2013!

 

[Jambo]

Yes, it's unfortunate at the moment. Too much space not enough animals as intended. Plan was to have the other rhinos here by now, but clearly hasn't happened.

Only a small portion of 'Wild Africa' is open right now, they've consolidated the animals into areas rather then the entire 'Wild-Africa' precinct. You'd have literally nothing to see without binoculars otherwise.

For perspective here are only two areas currently fully open in the 'Wild Africa' experience:

View attachment 750688

Etosha (Open):
Area: 63 hectares

Currently home to:
- Herds of Antelope
- Scimitar-horned Oryx
- Eland
- Giraffe
- 4 Southern White Rhinos

Amboseli (Open):
Area: 22 hectares

Currently home to:
- Cheetah

Samburu (restricted access):

Only the Hippo habitat is open in this area
- 2 Nile Hippo's (Brindabella & Pansy)

The rest of the extremely large "Samburu" and "Chobe" precincts are closed to the public, waiting on Rhino's most likely.

Thats it for now!

The park's breeding group of Zebra should be in one of the off display areas too.

I do wonder why they still remain closed. Perhaps they are waiting on some additional species to join the mix. Maybe they believe a large paddock with just Zebras doesn't warrant an opening.

 

[Tiger91]

Absolutely correct they are going to need to display many animals to get the public coming back. Also I bet the two mystery antelope species that was mention for the park is unlikely to happen in the short term if at all!

I wouldn't be surprised to see new antelope species around 2026 or after. Once the elephant buzz is over and dies down a bit. The elephants and hippo are two large expenses the zoo has acquired.

 

[Tiger91]

I feel like with these projects too (like on the scale of Wild Africa) we always seem to get a lot of ideas that never come to fruition. A lot of 'dreams', that never end up being fulfilled unsurprisingly.

We also have a new director of zoos SA. That's going to play into the mix as he puts his stamp on the collection planning and how things get done.
Cameron kerr at Taronga is a great example of a director that has sent things south, the unnecessary species lost is rediculose. Hopefully monarto doesn't follow suit, however they arnt government backed or have the reputational pull to play that sort of game.

 

[Tiger91]

Yes, it's unfortunate at the moment. Too much space not enough animals as intended. Plan was to have the other rhinos here by now, but clearly hasn't happened.

Only a small portion of 'Wild Africa' is open right now, they've consolidated the animals into areas rather then the entire 'Wild-Africa' precinct. You'd have literally nothing to see without binoculars otherwise.

For perspective here are only two areas currently fully open in the 'Wild Africa' experience:

View attachment 750688

Etosha (Open):
Area: 63 hectares

Currently home to:
- Herds of Antelope
- Scimitar-horned Oryx
- Eland
- Giraffe
- 4 Southern White Rhinos

Amboseli (Open):
Area: 22 hectares

Currently home to:
- Cheetah

Samburu (restricted access):

Only the Hippo habitat is open in this area
- 2 Nile Hippo's (Brindabella & Pansy)

The rest of the extremely large "Samburu" and "Chobe" precincts are closed to the public, waiting on Rhino's most likely.

Thats it for now!

It's also the fact that at 63 hectares these are large habitats, quite literally game parks are in this size range (small ones). They can't do the typical 1 stallion and 5 mares because they might fight that our zoos typically do (western plains has a small group of stallions on a large 'savannah'). There going to have to have multiple herds running together and living more naturally. Or the exhibit will completely loose its effect, and visitation will fail.

 

[Luke899]

It's also the fact that at 63 hectares these are large habitats, quite literally game parks are in this size range (small ones). They can't do the typical 1 stallion and 5 mares because they might fight that our zoos typically do (western plains has a small group of stallions on a large 'savannah'). There going to have to have multiple herds running together and living more naturally. Or the exhibit will completely loose its effect, and visitation will fail.

'Samburu' precinct is 160 hectares, and 'Chobe' precinct is approx. 75 hectares.

With the exception of the Zebra herd, it sounds like these precincts are empty.

I have a sinking feeling that Monarto was bargaining on that Rhino import filling these up, and it hasn't come through. Monarto could now face a difficult challenge to fill these massive exhibits.

 

[Luke899]

The park's breeding group of Zebra should be in one of the off display areas too.

I do wonder why they still remain closed. Perhaps they are waiting on some additional species to join the mix. Maybe they believe a large paddock with just Zebras doesn't warrant an opening.

Should be opened imo. Although, I have a feeling your right. 25 zebras in an otherwise empty facility probably doesn't warrant opening just yet.

 

[Jambo]

Five female Cheetah have now officially been introduced into the new Wild Africa area.

Information via email.