Perth Zoo Perth zoos Elephant exhibit

[MARK]

Perth zoo has now opened their new $5 million Elephant exhibit which is three times the size of the original area, the new area for the cows has enclosed within some rainforest trees and large mud wallow. The bull Putra Mas has all of the original exhibit to himself, maybe if they could import another one or two cows they could restart a breeding program with all that extra room, lets hope so.

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

Great news too bad Teduh died two years ago, the zoo have tried for quite a while to get Putra and Permai to produce a baby, there have been several times when keepers have seen the two actually mating but no luck so far.

but a few new females I think would have a great chance at giving perth's a giant bundle of joy.

Here is one article on the exhibit http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,27574,24890990-2761,00.html

 

[tetrapod]

This has taken ages to be completed. The new expansion uses the area of old concrete exhibits formerly housing baboons and macaques and further back in time kept big cats and hyaenas. These pens were emptied in the late '90s and knocked flat several years later. I know that they had utilised some of this area during the last few years, but Perth has been talking about this expansion for a long time. It seems a shame to waste the new area on only one effectively reproductive female. Hopefully some other animals will make their way west in the future.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Hopefully some other animals will make their way west in the future.

Or, even better, some more elephants make their way east!

 

[ZooPro]

With the recent closure of the quarantine facility on Cocos Islands, and the subsequent withdrawal of Biosecurity Australia's elephant import risk assessment, it is unlikely that any more elephants will be imported into the region in the near future. Hopefully this may change, but right now, elephants are on the "cannot be imported" list.

 

[Coquinguy]

what a joke. has anyone else read feral future or the new nature by Tim Low. Australia's quarantine system is a joke.
is semen still able to be imported?
and because of the ongoing saga of the african elephant in the NZ circus does this mean she couldnt be imported if that became an option again?

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

is semen still able to be imported?

right now Melbourne is amazed that their local bull Bong su is so fettile. And a keeper told me that other zoos around the world actually want him as a donor. Though before this was discovered there had been talk about Chawang bull in singapore night safari would be a donor to Perth.

 

[snowleopard]

It's terrific to read about the $5 million elephant exhibit expansion at the Perth Zoo, as this institution appears to often be neglected in favour of news from the big guns in Taronga, Melbourne and now Adelaide. With the sumatran tiger cubs, baby sun bear and now renovated elephant paddocks it's great that there have been some notable successes in Western Australia.

 

[PAT]

Western Australia is really becoming more and more popular for Vicotrians (I don't know about the rest of the East Coast) to go on holidays to. So I think Perth Zoo will be getting a higher visitation rate than usual.

 

[boof]

With the recent closure of the quarantine facility on Cocos Islands, and the subsequent withdrawal of Biosecurity Australia's elephant import risk assessment, it is unlikely that any more elephants will be imported into the region in the near future. Hopefully this may change, but right now, elephants are on the "cannot be imported" list.

Will the closure of the Cocos Islands quarantine facility have any impact on the planned importation of the female rhino that is currently at los Angeles zoo? Where do they plan to quarantine this animal before it reaches the mainland?

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Back on elephant topic: I sincerely do hope that Perth Zoo may import some more elephant cows for breeding (the bull was proven viable and is mating the only cow in heat).

I cannot get my head around this Cocos Island Quarantaine station closing down alltogether (but then ... I cannot get my body ... (LOL - can't you take a joke ...? around the Biosecurity laws either).

 

[MARK]

Back on elephant topic: I sincerely do hope that Perth Zoo may import some more elephant cows for breeding (the bull was proven viable and is mating the only cow in heat).

I cannot get my head around this Cocos Island Quarantaine station closing down alltogether (but then ... I cannot get my body ... (LOL - can't you take a joke ...? around the Biosecurity laws either).

I dont think you are alone with that view , but I guess it will please a few like BORN FREE and others like them

 

[jay]

With the recent closure of the quarantine facility on Cocos Islands, and the subsequent withdrawal of Biosecurity Australia's elephant import risk assessment, it is unlikely that any more elephants will be imported into the region in the near future. Hopefully this may change, but right now, elephants are on the "cannot be imported" list.

Why has this happened?

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

Back on elephant topic: I sincerely do hope that Perth Zoo may import some more elephant cows for breeding (the bull was proven viable and is mating the only cow in heat).

I cannot get my head around this Cocos Island Quarantaine station closing down alltogether (but then ... I cannot get my body ... (LOL - can't you take a joke ...? around the Biosecurity laws either).

I agree with you right there, though there is some things you have to take into consideration.

 

[MARK]

I agree with you right there, though there is some things you have to take into consideration.

Ok would you like to tell us what things?

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

Probably the publicity, I mean the last time elephants were imported into Australia, there was lots of contreversy about bringing them over or not. Then again with Three pregnancy due to the importations maybe the animal activists would take that into consideration?

Animal activists in Thailand also gave the team a huge hassle the delay was over 3 times I think I'm not sure compared to the original time given that they elephants would stay in quaritine are they going to have grounds for another importation of elephants from Thailand? Yes elephants could be imported from other countries but wouldn't that most likely arise the same problems? Plus there was discussion on another thread that breeding of different sub-species is trying to be avoided I can't exactly remember but, it surprised me as such.

Since the animals will also need to be quaratined they will also need to find another site, being that the one on cocos islands is closing down.
These are just points that come to me so there is probably much more. i mean if there weren't any major reasons not to import elephants again then I'm quite sure that since Perth has a possible stud and a new facility expansion they would try to bring some more females over.

 

[Ara]

I see what you mean,dragon - the ratbags who obstructed the previous importation of elephants caused so much trouble - despite losing the court case - that any zoo or consortium of zoos is going to think twice before attempting further importations.

As for biosecurity in Australia, I agree with glyn. Read "Feral Future" or "The New Nature" by biologist Tim Low and you soon realise that the horse has bolted, so to speak.

 

[Coquinguy]

i dont think the controversy surrounding importing asian elephants into australia would be the reason cocos is closed. the tightening may be due to a biosecurity concern in the elephant's range state, and as importing elephants is something AQIS and the like can control they have probably revised the situation.
on the other hand, we import fish and poultry meat uncooked, live aquarium fish, plants, organic foods etc etc all in the name of global trade.
it would be to see Perth Zoo come into the breeding program for elephants through a succesful birth there but within 5-8 years Melbourne Zoo or Taronga may have some young bulls needing a home...potentially. if perth zoo was flexible enough to consider becoming a bull holding facility for Asian Elephants they could become a great centre for collecting semen etc. and if Trisha was to pass away their only other cow could be redistributed in the region.
as for Boof's question re the import of rhino, as far as im aware the last time Cocos was used for rhino was the Zimbabwean Blacks imported in the 1990s. since then, most rhino have flown directly into australia...
Dora and Kua (Asian) directly from Japan and the US to Sydney
White Rhino imports from Africa to Monarto, Netherlands to Weribee
Black Rhino males from US to Australia

and just to go back to the theme of the topic i think besides the range of rhino held by Dubbo, it should also be acknowledged they have the greatest diversity of primate, big cat and equids, as well as things like otters, tapirs and wolves not held by other zoos. and they dont just stick to African/Australian fauna either

 

[boof]

as for Boof's question re the import of rhino, as far as im aware the last time Cocos was used for rhino was the Zimbabwean Blacks imported in the 1990s. since then, most rhino have flown directly into australia...
Dora and Kua (Asian) directly from Japan and the US to Sydney
White Rhino imports from Africa to Monarto, Netherlands to Weribee
Black Rhino males from US to Australia

thanks glyn. Now that you've mentioned it, Taronga was used as a quantine site for Dora before he moved to Dubbo. Sorry for taking the thread of topic.

 

[dragon(ele)nerd]

According to a keeper in Melbourne they would like to make Werribee a bachelor herd for upcoming years though perth I think would would do well with a breeding herd being that their bull is genetically valuable and is a proven stud. Does anyone exactly know the plans of the elephants at perth for the next few years or any upcoming projects?