Moonlit Sanctuary Moonlit Sanctuary

  • Thread starter Thread starter MRJ
  • Start date Start date
Do we know what other species are supposed to come after NH mouse?
No we don't yet. However twelve species of Dasyurid were recently identified as requiring conservation breeding programs programs so I'm sure spaces will be well used into the future.
 
By way of self promotion I thought I’d summarise Moonlit Sanctuary’s achievements over the past 12 months as we emerged from COVID:

  • Construct a Small Mammal Breeding Conservation Centre with financial support from the Federal government
  • Partner with Zoos Victoria in a conservation breeding program for New Holland mice.
  • Breed New Holland mice for the first time.
  • Construct three new aviaries for owls, and receive 2.0 greater sooty owls, reflecting our interest in threatened species of southern Victoria.
  • Construct a state-of-the-art facility for echidnas, and receive 1.3 echidnas for display.
  • Receive 1.1 greater bilbies, currently displayed with the echidnas.
  • Continue our participation in the orange-bellied parrot recovery program, by managing the national captive breeding program, continuing to supply birds for release and this breeding season have seen 48 hatchlings so far. The program has seen numbers grow from 17 in the wild in 2016 to 74 birds at census date this year.
  • Other notable hatchlings this breeding season include gang-gang and pink cockatoos, and sacred kingfishers.
  • Refurbishing the Visitor Centre, including reflooring the building and deck, extending the deck, rebuilding all entry ramps and rebuilding the toilets into a unisex arrangement.
 
@MRJ

Awesome stuff MRJ. Really like the idea of having a pair of Greater Bilbies sharing a home with Short-Beaked Echidnas, that's first time have heard of those those two co-habitating together at a wildlife park or zoo. Awesome stuff about the Orange-bellied Parrots breeding and receiving the two male Greater Sooty Owls, they're a beautiful bird. Would also be really interested to find out what @tetrapod asked about daysurids and those in need of breeding programs.
 
A few updates from social media:
  • three Australian King-Parrots have hatched in the walkthrough aviary. Two of the chicks are being handreared to allow the female to rear a single chick successfully as she nested on the ground.
  • a new male Sacred Kingfisher has arrived to be paired with a female that hatched last season.
 
Is she your first guest to arrive by helicopter?
No, not at all. In fact I did a private after hours tour for an American couple who also flew down just last Monday. Not common, but we get them. They have to land at Tyabb Airfield.
 
Last edited:
No, not at all. In fact I did a private after hours tour for an American couple who also flew down just last Monday. Not common, but we get them. They have to land at Tyabb
Airfield.
I'm going to come back in a zeppelin next time.
 
Great news for the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot in that as of today 79 wild birds have returned to Melaleuca, SW Tasmania. This is two more than last year's "record", with another couple of weeks for more to show up.
 
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