Perth Zoo Perth Zoo - General Discussion and Speculation

Jaiden said:
My guess would be a Fishing Cat if the Zoo decides to expand the exhibit.
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The enclosure also looks quite small for Fishing Cats and would require a lot of renovations to be suitable for them.

It's indeed likely this area of the zoo is bookmarked for redevelopment going forward. Whether that's part of the Orangutan expansion or a new Tiger complex.
 
where it is , it would likley be part of tigers? if the tiger area expands into where the sunbears are.

speaking of the sunbears , a friend of mine is doing the behind the scenes with them in about a months time (she said late april) i'v asked if she can find out if they are getting phased out
Zoofan15 said:
It’s inadvisable to house Fishing cat near apex predators such as big cats,
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can i ask why this is?, i know perth zoo use to have one and it wasn't to far from the tigers (i think it was where the otters now are?)
 
ramsayi said:
where it is , it would likley be part of tigers? if the tiger area expands into where the sunbears are.

speaking of the sunbears , a friend of mine is doing the behind the scenes with them in about a months time (she said late april) i'v asked if she can find out if they are getting phased out


can i ask why this is?, i know perth zoo use to have one and it wasn't to far from the tigers (i think it was where the otters now are?)
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Thanks, it’d be great to have an update on Perth’s intentions around sun bears. It’s a very uncertain time regionally given the lack of opportunity to import more (especially males).

Small felids are notoriously sensitive to the presence of apex predators. Breeding is near guaranteed to be inhibited due to the stress caused by their proximity. Even display (non-breeding) animals may exhibit signs of stress, including hiding, which makes for poor display animals. Even Cheetah (not from the Panthera genus and not considered a big cat) are subject to poor breeding results when housed near lions etc.

Many zoos house big cats taxonomically (eg. Tasmania Zoo) without any apparent effect on them, indicating it’s not an issue for big cats to be housed next to big cats.
 
Jambo said:
Yes, I'd assume so considering their close proximity.

Perth last held Fishing Cats circa 2008. In fact I believe Raja's current enclosure was where they were housed.
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Perth Zoo has actually only ever held one Fishing cat. His name was Wayan and he was born 24/11/1997 at Melbourne Zoo. He transferred along with his brother (Jharna) to Adelaide Zoo in 2000; before arriving at Perth Zoo 27/07/2004.

Wayan died at Perth Zoo 12/08/2008 and they have not held the species since.
 
Jambo said:
The enclosure also looks quite small for Fishing Cats and would require a lot of renovations to be suitable for them.

It's indeed likely this area of the zoo is bookmarked for redevelopment going forward. Whether that's part of the Orangutan expansion or a new Tiger complex.
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@Jambo, Behind the exhibit there is some room from an extension and it is quite outdated so I’m sure the zoo would renovate the exhibit before getting a new Animal for the exhibit. But currently l have realised that the Perth Zoo Asian Small Clawed Otter exhibit is practically empty with only two otters currently taking up the exhibit and the exhibit is quite big especially if you think it is only holding two Otters. Since the Binturong use to be with the Otters in the exhibit I thought why don’t the zoo move them to where the Javan gibbon are currently since the Javan gibbons are likely to move to the lake. And if they do move there the zoo could add a bird into the exhibit like a Hornbill and the White Cheeked Gibbons could possibly move into the otter exhibit to make it feel more alive and energetic in the exhibit and a Dusky leaf monkey. could move into the White cheeked gibbon habitat. And since the might not be a great fit a the zoo I was also thinking a Malayan Box Turtle would be a great fit since in the last the zoo help turtles in the exhibit so it would make sense if they get a Malayan Box Turtles in the exhibit.
 
Jaiden said:
@Jambo, Behind the exhibit there is some room from an extension and it is quite outdated so I’m sure the zoo would renovate the exhibit before getting a new Animal for the exhibit. But currently l have realised that the Perth Zoo Asian Small Clawed Otter exhibit is practically empty with only two otters currently taking up the exhibit and the exhibit is quite big especially if you think it is only holding two Otters. Since the Binturong use to be with the Otters in the exhibit I thought why don’t the zoo move them to where the Javan gibbon are currently since the Javan gibbons are likely to move to the lake. And if they do move there the zoo could add a bird into the exhibit like a Hornbill and the White Cheeked Gibbons could possibly move into the otter exhibit to make it feel more alive and energetic in the exhibit and a Dusky leaf monkey. could move into the White cheeked gibbon habitat. And since the might not be a great fit a the zoo I was also thinking a Malayan Box Turtle would be a great fit since in the last the zoo help turtles in the exhibit so it would make sense if they get a Malayan Box Turtles in the exhibit.
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I’d be interested to know where they’re heading with otters as their current pair are related via their mothers (who are full sisters):

1.0 Saati (2018) Ketut x Pia
0.1 Squid (2020) Odie x Paula

I’m wondering if they’re just a companionship pairing; though media releases implied they’d be breeding.

Perth Zoo has historically had larger groups of otters (with breeding pairs producing multiple litters); and at one stage they had two breeding pairs.
 
Jaiden said:
@Jambo, Behind the exhibit there is some room from an extension and it is quite outdated so I’m sure the zoo would renovate the exhibit before getting a new Animal for the exhibit. But currently l have realised that the Perth Zoo Asian Small Clawed Otter exhibit is practically empty with only two otters currently taking up the exhibit and the exhibit is quite big especially if you think it is only holding two Otters. Since the Binturong use to be with the Otters in the exhibit I thought why don’t the zoo move them to where the Javan gibbon are currently since the Javan gibbons are likely to move to the lake. And if they do move there the zoo could add a bird into the exhibit like a Hornbill and the White Cheeked Gibbons could possibly move into the otter exhibit to make it feel more alive and energetic in the exhibit and a Dusky leaf monkey. could move into the White cheeked gibbon habitat. And since the might not be a great fit a the zoo I was also thinking a Malayan Box Turtle would be a great fit since in the last the zoo help turtles in the exhibit so it would make sense if they get a Malayan Box Turtles in the exhibit.
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Yeah the room behind can be used (I think they'll use as another exhibit for the tigers with a walkway access enclosed bridge above most likely like their masterplans seemed to imply albeit plans change).

The old otter exhibit was always on the small side for the otters but better than what they had previously from what has been said about. Suited the red-eared sliders (you're right an Asian freshwater turte species would of been more suitable but guess they work with what they had; was interesting the temporary baby American alligators living in that exhibit c.2013, imagine they went back east somewhere or up north after a short stay).

Google Maps

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Jaiden said:
But who thinks the Binturong will move to the current Javan Gibbon habitat
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Would be some very happy binturongs if some some ever find get a home in that exhibit. If you mean the upper gibbon exhibit (next to red pandas) that opened in mid '99 (the lower one is over 50 years old now - first built for wedgetailed eagles, you might know that already, sorry for unrequested history tangent lol - and is getting outdated).
 
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steveroberts said:
Would be some very happy binturongs if some some ever find get a home in that exhibit. If you mean the upper gibbon exhibit (next to red pandas) that opened in mid '99 (the lower one is over 50 years old now - first built for wedgetailed eagles - and is getting outdated).
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I believe the lower one is indeed the one being discussed - as it currently holds the Javan gibbons.
 
steveroberts said:
Would be some very happy binturongs if some some ever find get a home in that exhibit. If you mean the upper gibbon exhibit (next to red pandas) that opened in mid '99 (the lower one is over 50 years old now - first built for wedgetailed eagles - and is getting outdated).
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Yeah I was speaking about the upper Gibbon exhibit in my opinion it is not that outdated it is one of my favourite exhibits. But it would be a great exhibit for the binturong even if it’s temporary:)
 
Jambo said:
I believe the lower one is indeed the one being discussed - as it currently holds the Javan gibbons.
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Jaiden said:
Yeah I was speaking about the upper Gibbon exhibit in my opinion it is not that outdated it is one of my favourite exhibits. But it would be a great exhibit for the binturong even if it’s temporary:)
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Its kinda on the smaller side of things by todays standards, a nice exhibit but is small these days. The upper gibbon exhibit next to red pandas, has more trees and better planted. Do wonder what will become of the lower gibbon aviary. Size wise it would be a downgrade for the current binturongs, they have 300 sq m in exhibit shared with otters, that lower gibbon exhibit is 210 sq m (30m x 7m) but obviously it a tall exhibit so more space than just ground-level dimensions area its true, to direct east and direct south of could exhibit is space which could be utilised for expansion into larger exhibit.
 
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steveroberts said:
Lower gibbon exhibit - one closest to Putra Mas's yard & Upper gibbon exhibit adjacent to red pandas exhibits.
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The Lower one is of perfect location for a future Orangutan expansion.

Since aerial lines are planned for the gibbons I do wonder whether this will connect the island habitats to at least one of the current gibbon enclosures (or both). Or whether they just intend to use both islands for the gibbons going forward.
 
Jambo said:
The Lower one is of perfect location for a future Orangutan expansion.

Since aerial lines are planned for the gibbons I do wonder whether this will connect the island habitats to at least one of the current gibbon enclosures (or both). Or whether they just intend to use both islands for the gibbons going forward.
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That sounds likely. It would be possible to do this while maintaining seperate habitats for the gibbons, which is important given they’re a territorial species. They could rotate use of aerial lines; but islands will have to be maintained gibbon specific and it’s probably simpler to just have two lines to two islands.
 
Zoofan15 said:
That sounds likely. It would be possible to do this while maintaining seperate habitats for the gibbons, which is important given they’re a territorial species. They could rotate use of aerial lines; but islands will have to be maintained gibbon specific and it’s probably simpler to just have two lines to two islands.
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I'm of the opinion that may be the plan going forward too, with the intention of utilising the current spaces for other species long term. The lower habitat is in the perfect location for an Orangutan expansion, and the upper exhibit could also be repurposed for a new species (maybe Clouded/Sri Lankan Leopards as has been discussed?).
 
Jambo said:
I'm of the opinion that may be the plan going forward too, with the intention of utilising the current spaces for other species long term. The lower habitat is in the perfect location for an Orangutan expansion, and the upper exhibit could also be repurposed for a new species (maybe Clouded/Sri Lankan Leopards as has been discussed?).
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Sri Lankan leopard would be ideal as they’re not subject to the issues associated with housing small felids near apex predators. This would all be negated by housing orangutan adjacent; but your idea of Sri Lankan leopard would make more efficient use of a larger space.

Sri Lankan leopard could also rotate with the tigers theoretically, unless that’s to be designated to expanding tiger holdings.
 
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