Perth Zoo Perth Zoo - General Discussion and Speculation

@ramsayi, Hi Ramsayi I am very inspired by your Nocturnal House map and I was wondering if I could Plaese make a Perth Zoo map of the Asian Rainforest in the same style as yours?
 
Hi this a map of the layout of the Perth Zoo’s Asian Rainforest forest :Credit to @ramsayi for letting me use the same style of there Nocturnal House map layout:)View attachment 779367
Plaese note:
Blue viewing area/Water
-1 and -5 is empty
Exhibits should approximately be
In the right shape.
The Asiatic elephant area will be sucked into the new African Savannah area. Will be interesting to see how fast they can move with changing the dynamic with the expanded African area.
 
I thought I would share this sketch map since I don’t believe I’ve seen it in this forum yet. It is of the 2018 edition of the Perth Zoo master plan, however the overall concept shown on the sketch may have changed since then. This was made by Jon Coe Design: (Perth Zoo | Jon Coe Design).

Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t seen this particular version, but I saw a revised version a year or so later that detailed the rotational exhibit concept seen here (exhibits that would see tigers rotate with sun bears and primates).

I think the version we have now is better - a designated complex for orangutans; and overhead aerial lines for gibbons. No idea who thought felids and primates rotating through an exhibit would be a good idea given half the features wouldn’t be utilised by either group at any given time (a tiger isn’t gonna brachiate for example; nor a gibbon wade in a pool).
 
I thought I would share this sketch map since I don’t believe I’ve seen it in this forum yet. It is of the 2018 edition of the Perth Zoo master plan, however the overall concept shown on the sketch may have changed since then. This was made by Jon Coe Design: (Perth Zoo | Jon Coe Design).
Yeah I believe this is still the plan - there is an extended part that I was able to get after emailing them myself but unfortunately am not able to share it.

The map on the left describes 'the zones' the zoo will implement - African Waterhole, Asian Forest, Conservation Precinct and then the Main Zoo. The diagram on the right shows a more in detail depiction of the Conservation complex.
 
think the version we have now is better - a designated complex for orangutans; and overhead aerial lines for gibbons. No idea who thought felids and primates rotating through an exhibit would be a good idea given half the features wouldn’t be utilised by either group at any given time (a tiger isn’t gonna brachiate for example; nor a gibbon wade in a pool).
From the designs you can see that they're different areas - the 'big cats' will have a loop setup presumably connecting to a few enclosures.

The Orangutan aerial pathways are nearby and seem to surround the Orangutan enclosures.
 
From the designs you can see that they're different areas - the 'big cats' will have a loop setup presumably connecting to a few enclosures.

The Orangutan aerial pathways are nearby and seem to surround the Orangutan enclosures.

I was referring to the third page of this document:

https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/perthzoowebsite/media/perthzoo/7111-Master-Plan-2018_V19_web.pdf

I hadn’t seen it for many years and recalled primates and carnivores rotating through exhibits.

According to this plan, the orangutans were in a seperate precinct but would have an o-line leading over/into the first rotational exhibit (it’s not specified whether they’d have the option to come to ground). The tigers and sun bears would each have their own exhibit; in addition to overpasses connecting to three flexible exhibits. It’s implied the gibbons would have the option to come to ground in these flexible exhibits, as it indicates the orangutan o-line doesn’t extend beyond the first flexible exhibit.
 
I was referring to the third page of this document:

https://perthzoo.wa.gov.au/perthzoowebsite/media/perthzoo/7111-Master-Plan-2018_V19_web.pdf

I hadn’t seen it for many years and recalled primates and carnivores rotating through exhibits.

According to this plan, the orangutans were in a seperate precinct but would have an o-line leading over/into the first rotational exhibit (it’s not specified whether they’d have the option to come to ground). The tigers and sun bears would each have their own exhibit; in addition to overpasses connecting to three flexible exhibits. It’s implied the gibbons would have the option to come to ground in these flexible exhibits, as it indicates the orangutan o-line doesn’t extend beyond the first flexible exhibit.
Yeah from the plans, it appears they would have access to the flexible exhibit.

The map specifies individual enclosures for all four species (Orangutans, Tigers, Gibbons and Sun Bears), alongside three additional 'flex' enclosures where any of the species could presumably have access too.

Louisville Zoo have a set up quite like this that's been around for a few decades now - they rotate their Orangutans, Malayan Tapir, Tigers and Gibbons and it works nicely although you can say the enclosure's aren't necessarily 'suited' to some of the species. In saying that, such a set up would be good if pulled off well.
 
Yeah from the plans, it appears they would have access to the flexible exhibit.

The map specifies individual enclosures for all four species (Orangutans, Tigers, Gibbons and Sun Bears), alongside three additional 'flex' enclosures where any of the species could presumably have access too.

Louisville Zoo have a set up quite like this that's been around for a few decades now - they rotate their Orangutans, Malayan Tapir, Tigers and Gibbons and it works nicely although you can say the enclosure's aren't necessarily 'suited' to some of the species. In saying that, such a set up would be good if pulled off well.

The main benefit of rotating apes with carnivores is that the apes wouldn’t be intimidated by the scent of the carnivores in the same way small felids for example would be.

What would be an issue it seems is the sun bears becoming unnerved by the smell of the tigers. Sun bears have a strong sense of smell and since tigers are a natural predator, they would presumably show avoidance of areas where they can detect their smell. Jamran especially is sensitive as it is, I couldn’t see him coping well with this set up.

Taronga’s tigers on the other hand find their complex highly stimulating. I visited over two days and saw different tigers in different exhibits. They were scenting and sniffing where others had no doubt been prior. Rotating tigers through the aforementioned space would be a much better plan - especially considering sun bears are likely gonna be phased out long term.
 
I visited monarto zoo Tuesday and caught a glimpse of permai, I thought the Perth chatters would like to know/see (I plan to upload some of my photos to the Monarto gallery once I return to Perth), they also had magnets with the two Perth elephants (Wich I had to get)

she came out for a short time and the keepers where doing somthing with a hose (i could only see that cause of my camera)

the photo of her isn’t the best as it’s a photo of my camera screen again I’ll probably upload it to the Monarto gallery once I get back to Perth

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I visited monarto zoo Tuesday and caught a glimpse of permai, I thought the Perth chatters would like to know/see (I plan to upload some of my photos to the Monarto gallery once I return to Perth), they also had magnets with the two Perth elephants (Wich I had to get)

she came out for a short time and the keepers where doing somthing with a hose (i could only see that cause of my camera)

the photo of her isn’t the best as it’s a photo of my camera screen again I’ll probably upload it to the Monarto gallery once I get back to Perth

View attachment 781104 View attachment 781319

Thanks for sharing. It’ll be good to see any photos you have of the complex as it continues construction ahead of Putra Mas’ arrival.

The ongoing development of Monarto’s complex has been in stark contrast to Werribee’s, where the elephants didn’t arrive until after it had been completed; though I acknowledge the rationale of not leaving sole cows (Burma and Permai) alone for any longer than necessary for welfare reasons.

Great magnet, though why does Putra Mas look scared for his life? :p They presumably have a Burma magnet and a Pak Boon/Tang Mo magnet in stock?
 
Thanks for sharing. It’ll be good to see any photos you have of the complex as it continues construction ahead of Putra Mas’ arrival.

The ongoing development of Monarto’s complex has been in stark contrast to Werribee’s, where the elephants didn’t arrive until after it had been completed; though I acknowledge the rationale of not leaving sole cows (Burma and Permai) alone for any longer than necessary for welfare reasons.

Great magnet, though why does Putra Mas look scared for his life? :p They presumably have a Burma magnet and a Pak Boon/Tang Mo magnet in stock?
I don’t think I took any photos of the whole area but I’ll look at what I did take :).

yeah they had the others in magnets as well , but there was more of Burma magnets and pak boon/tang mo magnets then the putra mas/permai ones , no dout due to permai being the (current) newest to the park
 
Perth Zoos history with Sun bears in quite interesting it is sad if they do faze them out in the Masterplan

Sadly a phase out seems inevitable. The South East Asian sanctuaries are reportedly rife with TB and historically the majority of rescued bears the region has received have been poorly socialised and some have had behavioural issues due to their background.

The region’s most successful breeding pair were Bakti (1989-2001) and Chomel (1988-2009), a mother raised pair imported by Wellington Zoo in 1992 from the US. Chomel produced several litters and bred with a second male (Sean/Suki), making her the only sun bear in the region to date to breed with two males.

To establish a sustainable population, a number of mother raised founders would be needed and no region is in the position to supply us with males and females (especially males).
 
Since there has been a lot of talk about the Savannah lately, I thought I would share this 1994 postcard of Perth Zoo’s African Savannah I bought online

Continuing on from my previous post showcasing Perth Zoo souvenirs/memorabilia, I thought I would share this commemorative coin (that has stood the test of time) of Tricia from 2012, that we got from a commemorative coin machine at the zoo.
 

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Sounds like a nice visit:) wow that is very sad Memphis is going to be alone in Perth since in the next 5 months Bakari is going to Australia Zoo. I’m glad you had a good visit

Yeah first time Memphis will have been alone in over 25 & half years. He managed well alone for 9 and a half years during the 1990s so hopefully the wait for his new companions won't feel too arduous and lonely and am sure his keepers will do everything they can to keep him in good spirits in the meantime, but completely understand your concern for him.
 
Yeah first time Memphis will have been alone in over 25 & half years. He managed well alone for 9 and a half years during the 1990s so hopefully the wait for his new companions won't feel too arduous and lonely and am sure his keepers will do everything they can to keep him in good spirits in the meantime, but completely understand your concern for him.
Yeah I forgot that him a Bakari are split up I have not been in a while lol but. But he still see his Son Bakari daily and the Future Rhino exhibit will fell empty. I am planing to go in the next few days I will ask.
 
Yeah I forgot that him a Bakari are split up I have not been in a while lol but. But he still see his Son Bakari daily and the Future Rhino exhibit will fell empty. I am planing to go in the next few days I will ask.

Yeah while white rhinos most sociable rhino species, with Memphis as a male, yeah they might be less sociable generally but imagine seeing others of their own species is really important and total isolation from their species is not great for any white rhinos, but think hopefully the females will arrive fairly soon and think Memphis will be ok in the meantime, he has the best keepers one could ask for so they will look after him.

You probably know all this already but he had a brief companion in the early 1990s after Mwivi died, 'Calfie' a young (think Red Angus cattle) calf who kept him company until Memphis sent him flying with a playful thrust of his horn and snout ('Calfie' was ok though, left to go to a farm) believe he shared with a male eland for a short time too before that (believe the eland went east maybe to WPZ possibly returning there before the Savannah precinct opened to the public, think 'Calfie' joined Memphis afterwards) but he did really really well by himself until late 1999 (though everyone was very happy when Katala & Sabie joined him - was a big Memphis sized and shaped in his likeness platic 'piggybank' between the entrance and the main lake with a sign saying s'Mate for Memphis' (think more words explaining underneath) and visitors could put money in, which so many did, remember seeing other visitors putting money into too multiple times, was there c.1995-1998 - but sorry am straying from his current situation with nostalgia).

Oh cool will be great if you visit next week, give Memphis a wave hello of love from me if you get a chance (have not been able to see him in 19 years since last visited so have missed seeing him, Bakari was a calf when last was there).
 
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