Darling Downs Zoo My (quick) visit to DDZ

[jay]

Visited Darling Downs Zoo today, the second time since it opened. The weather wasn’t the best, being cool and gray but we avoided the rain which was good. I think in most respects it hasn’t changed much. You go up one side and then back the down the other. Most of the species was the same as the first time I visited. I was pleased to see the white lions, after seeing them for the first time in tasmania, they are looking magnificent with the male developing a nice mane. We were able to see them up close as they were quite content to sit by the fence and be admired. The two tawnies were looking well and the female seemed to be a little frisky, trying to get the male to play. Are you likely to be breeding lions again Steve?
I rather like the planted aviary with the ibis and egrets and was very pleasantly surprised by the common marmosets. I don’t remember you having them on my first visit. They were very active, running around both on the floor and using every bit of the climbing materials. They didn’t seem to mind the cold at all.
All the animals looked great. There is an excellent array of reptiles, I love macaws and your pairs looked gorgous. Several species of geese, including Ruddys, Shelducks and Egyptian. Oh and Cape Barron of course. Very inquisitive male ostrich. Persaonally I think Steve and Stephanie and their staff continue to do a great job. I look forward o another visit, preferably on a nicer day and look forward to seeing what the African waterhole will be about.
I didn’t see the blackbuck and I thought I would miss out on seeing the newest arrival, Samara the tiger. But a special someone coaxed her out of hiding and once out she out was very happy to walk and lounge around in front of us.
I wonder if it would be possible to do more with birds , a walk through aviary perhaps, more species. Also what about bison, tahr or other hoofed animals?

 

[Hix]

a walk through aviary perhaps, more species. Also what about bison, tahr or other hoofed animals?

It all comes down to funding, walkthrough aviaries are not cheap, and small private zoos like Steve's generally watch most of their income disappear on food, maintenance and general expenses.



Hix

 

[jay]

It all comes down to funding, walkthrough aviaries are not cheap, and small private zoos like Steve's generally watch most of their income disappear on food, maintenance and general expenses.



Hix

yes that is the major problem I guess. They were just ideas I thought that he might be able to do until such time as Steve is able to join the ranks of Mogo etc that can have more of the exotics.

 

[Shirokuma]

Is there a map of the zoo available anywhere? I can't find one...

 

[Hix]

This is a scan of the free map visitors are given upon entry to the zoo.



Hix

 

[MARK]

It all comes down to funding, walkthrough aviaries are not cheap, and small private zoos like Steve's generally watch most of their income disappear on food, maintenance and general expenses.



Hix

I am very sure Steve will expand exhibits as time and funds allow

 

[Shirokuma]

Thank you for sharing the map!

 

[CGSwans]

So what gaps can we fill in the DDZ collection, Jay and others who have been (or worked!) there?

Mammals
Lion
Tiger
Dingo
Common Marmoset
Crab-eating Macaque
Rhesus Macaque
Hamadryas Baboon
Dromedary
Llama
Blackbuck
Fallow Deer
Spotted Deer
Common Wombat
Red Kangaroo
Red-necked Wallaby
Swamp Wallaby
Bettong (Rufous? Brush-tailed?)

Aves
Ostrich
Emu
Australian Pelican
Cattle Egret
Ruddy Shelduck
Radjah Shelduck
Wandering (?) Whistling-duck
Egyptian Goose
Cape Barren Goose
Black Swan
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
Long-billed Corella
Galah
Blue-and-Yellow Macaw
Amazon Parrot (species?)
Sun Conure
Moustache Parrot
Golden Pheasant
Torresian Imperial-pigeon
Blue-winged Kookaburra
Tawny Frogmouth

Reptiles
Saltwater Crocodile
Spur-thighed Tortoise
Green Iguana
Scrub Python
Carpet Python
Boa Constrictor


I know there are many more reptiles at the zoo, and I suspect a few more birds as well.

 

[jay]

I think that the amzon parrot ios a yellow fronted(?). There are also a number of other freshwater turtle species but I don't remember which, you need Steve or Ben to tell you.

 

[MARK]

Steve are you still planting more blue gums, Do you have an idea of how many you have put in to date?

 

[Hix]

I think that the amzon parrot ios a yellow fronted(?).

Yellow-crowned, there are also Blue-fronteds and African Greys.
Common Bronzewing
Glossy Ibis
Wonga Pigeon
Bleeding Heart Pigeon
Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
Mandarin Ducks

Collett's Snake
Mulga Snake
Western Brown
Coastal Taipan
Bredls (Centralian) Python
Coastal Carpet and Jungle Carpet

Eastern Bluetongue
Bearded Dragon (Centrals and Easterns)

There's also a Marema on display.



Hix

 

[CGSwans]

Actually, Hix - this might be a dumb question but what makes walk-thrus so much more expensive than regular aviaries of the same size?

 

[Hix]

They're not that much more expensive if they're the same size - larger doors, a walkway perhaps with a fence to keep people on the path.

But the occupants need to be able to escape from the public gaze (or at least, escape from the public) and this neccesitates a much larger aviary than something with just front viewing. The advantage of doing something that large, is that you then can stock more birds than you would have done with a smaller aviary.

A walkthrough aviary, done well, is a great asset and can become the centrepiece (like Wagga Wagga Zoo) - it's just an expensive initial outlay.



Hix

 

[Steve Robinson]

Thanks for your review jay. Sorry the weather wasn't more kind to you. The first week of the school holidays saw lousy weather with lousy business as a result. This week has been the opposite!

I was surprised that you didn't notice many more species since your first visit. Just off the top of my head I can think of Wombat, Blackbuck, White Lion, Alligator, Boa constrictor, Green Iguana, Common Marmoset, Scarlet Macaw and a number of Aussie bird and reptile species that we have added since 2005.

We have absolutely no plans to add Bison! A friend of mine has just got rid of his, complaining bitterly about damage to fences. We have had enough trouble with Steph's beloved camels damaging fences here - we don't want any more fence wreckers! You may have noticed that the camels have been banished to the back paddock while their former home is being refurbished for a new ungulate species. Tahr and Barbary Sheep [although easy to procure] don't figure in our current collection plan.

I am in two minds about walk through aviaries. Although I personally enjoy them very much, I'm not convinced that Joe Public appreciates them. So many times I note people racing through a walk-through with comments like " there's nothing in here". Then there's the need for extra vigilance [ie staff] to guard against humans hassling the residents. There is also a surprising number of people out there who are afraid of birds and therefore would not use a walk-through. We do have plans for a walk-through in the future but it will only open at a specified time during the day, will have staff in attendance when open, will be South American themed and will feature some hand raised birds for photo opportunities. However, this is not in the current 5 year plan. We noticed that Melbourne Zoo's magnificent walk-through aviary was wasted on so many people until they added a few common old hand raised Cockatiels which would interact with the visitors. That's what the people remembered about the walk-through! Forget the Freckled Ducks and the other wonderful occupants - tame Cockatiels were the drawcard.

 

[torie]

The same South American birds that took great pleasure in making holes in my ear and hand?

 

[Steve Robinson]

The same South American birds that took great pleasure in making holes in my ear and hand?

Yep - we figured that, as that experience was so enriching for them, it would be wrong of us to deny them further enrichment.

A walk-through aviary will be like a smorgasbord for them.

 

[CGSwans]

Steve - is the bison-deleting friend in Australia?

I worry about the future of bison in this country, as I believe Werribee intends to delete theirs as well as part of the master plan, with the herd to (in a few years) move to Dunkeld Pastoral to live out their retirement.

That would leave only Monarto holding a significant number of the species. I realise they're from the least-prioritised continent of all, but it would still be a huge shame if they eventually died out as well.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Yes he is.

I don't think that we need to worry too much about the future of Bison in Australia. Within 100 kilometres of here I can show you about 50 of them and I know of a great many in other parts of Queensland and Victoria and NSW as well. Young Bison are in great demand from people who train cutting horses. There are so many out there that bulls are often sent to the knackery. Not indiscriminately - the owners are people who have a vested interest in keeping the species viable in private hands.

 

[CGSwans]

I didn't know there were so many in private hands. That's good news.

 

[NathanRGMan]

In regards to Walk through Aviaries... I think they're great, but the only plus they have to normal aviaries is that they're harder to see through. Featherdale is great for birds, and I love it, but it doesn't have a single walk-through aviary. The experience is great, and after a while the birds get used to humans (In Dubbo I can get so close to Turks that my Camera won't focus...), and I rather them heaps, but for the general public, I don't think will care...