Australia Zoo Rhinos to australia Zoo
- Thread starter Danale
- Start date
Yup, it is nice if we have more clarification from you. Which are your sources?
to deal with the over representation of males born in the region. all zoos with breeding herds are asked to hold a equal ratio of male/females and any new zoo wishing to join the program (such as australia zoo) are first asked to take on bachelor pairs or trios.
however, at present i didn't know monarto had too many rhino and if mareeba was to be giving up theirs, i doubt it would be going into a bachelor situation. the cairns male is genetically unrepresented here in australia (but then again so are most of the rhino here
)
i'm glad australia zoo are finally getting rhino. i imagine they'll be wanting some zebra and giraffe to go with that...
however, at present i didn't know monarto had too many rhino and if mareeba was to be giving up theirs, i doubt it would be going into a bachelor situation. the cairns male is genetically unrepresented here in australia (but then again so are most of the rhino here
)i'm glad australia zoo are finally getting rhino. i imagine they'll be wanting some zebra and giraffe to go with that...
MARK
Well-Known Member
Yep I am glad as well, I would say they want a number of large African species when they open the new Africa exhibit
however, at present i didn't know monarto had too many rhino and if mareeba was to be giving up theirs, i doubt it would be going into a bachelor situation. the cairns male is genetically unrepresented here in australia (but then again so are most of the rhino here
The above seems about right. Werribee now houses 5.4 () and Monaro 4.2 (). Both run bulls surplus to their herds and they now need maturing sub-adult bulls out of the way. It is fine in the first 2-3 years, but after particularly the bulls get to be a burden (also in the wild they then move from their birthing ground and establish a territory or align themselves with other sub-adult cows/bulls).
Both the Werribee calves Ganini and Swazi of cow Letaba must now find a new home. At Monarto at least calf Watoto of cow Uhura must find a new stamping ground. Nowadays, it is deemed essential that these bulls are then integrated into a bachelor herd to acquire social skills of being a grown bull (before being sent on to a breeding herd themselves).
When is this african savannah, safari-type exhibit opening at Australia Zoo? I read somewhere that there are plans for a hotel and drive-thru park, but first up was a lemur-infested Madagascan exhibit by 2009. It's difficult to keep track of all of the many plans at this expanding zoo, and I do know that they have a potential mountain of space to house an awful lot of animals.
no idea - they originally listed an really random list of species they wanted to keep, a list that didn't necessarily reflect regional priorities in any shape or form. maybe because he was so popular there or because of terri's american heritage and wildlife experience in her youth, animals like american beavers and pumas were on the list, even though virtually all american fauna is being phased-out of the other zoos.
they listed for sumatran rhino.... ha!
now it seems more in line with regional plans. an african savannah, lemurs, asian species and gorillas and orangutans.
but who knows when things come online. on certain levels i think australia zoo has developed surprisingly slowly.
right now i imagine a big focus is on acquiring young elephants.
they listed for sumatran rhino.... ha!
now it seems more in line with regional plans. an african savannah, lemurs, asian species and gorillas and orangutans.
but who knows when things come online. on certain levels i think australia zoo has developed surprisingly slowly.
right now i imagine a big focus is on acquiring young elephants.
And I've often wondered why that is. It has taken them years to get the tigers and eles on exhibit and they have had a few primeates for a couple of years now and as far as I know they are still not on exhibit. The only thing I can think of is that they have concentrated on the show places like the new entrance/admin, the crocoseum and food court first.
which is interesting. here's a guy who had an animal collection not unlike any found in small wildlife parks all over the country. but yet his zoo is world famous, and it has no giraffes, lions, hippos, rhinos, gorillas or even really monkeys (yet).
obviously his fame and the money has an aweful lot to do with it, but since there an ongoing argument that zoos can't survive without "megafauna", i would like to present just another example of a zoo that does.
could the fact that the irwins, so be it using their fame, have successfully made an attraction outta what most of us australians would have perceived as a whole lotta nothing?
could it be their "BY JINGO ITS A DINGO!!!!" attitude has actually encouraged interest in what is essentially a dog?
i think so. i think they have a marketing team that has successfully capitalised on what they have and made a "whole day zoo" out of a native wildlife park with a a few exotics and some big reptiles.
proof you can do anything as far as i'm concerned.
obviously his fame and the money has an aweful lot to do with it, but since there an ongoing argument that zoos can't survive without "megafauna", i would like to present just another example of a zoo that does.
could the fact that the irwins, so be it using their fame, have successfully made an attraction outta what most of us australians would have perceived as a whole lotta nothing?
could it be their "BY JINGO ITS A DINGO!!!!" attitude has actually encouraged interest in what is essentially a dog?
i think so. i think they have a marketing team that has successfully capitalised on what they have and made a "whole day zoo" out of a native wildlife park with a a few exotics and some big reptiles.
proof you can do anything as far as i'm concerned.
MARK
Well-Known Member
From what I believe they should make a start on the African Savannah at the start of 09, From what I have heard the zoo will have their own Safari trucks to take the public into the exhibit which seems to be a very large area. There are plans for a Hotel and a new railway station right next to the zoo.
The Madagascar Island will be two acres in size
@Mark: thanks for the information, and I'm sure that the African Savannah, railway station, hotel, etc will all cost a small fortune. The Madagascan Island at 2 acres is another terrific future addition.
@Patrick: a great point about the success of Australia Zoo, as the Irwin fame definitely has been the # 1 reason why it has risen in stature internationally. As you have pointed out there really aren't many animals there, and only a handful of non-Aussie species...and yet the attendance figures have steadily been climbing skywards each and every year. The situation is similar to Montreal's biodome in Canada, with only small animals and 4 exhibits drawing close to a million people a year. Once again, a case has been presented where mega-fauna is not required...
@Patrick: a great point about the success of Australia Zoo, as the Irwin fame definitely has been the # 1 reason why it has risen in stature internationally. As you have pointed out there really aren't many animals there, and only a handful of non-Aussie species...and yet the attendance figures have steadily been climbing skywards each and every year. The situation is similar to Montreal's biodome in Canada, with only small animals and 4 exhibits drawing close to a million people a year. Once again, a case has been presented where mega-fauna is not required...
Australia Zoo
NZers have known about this "zoo" run by the Crocodile Hunter , aka Steve Irwin , mainly through TV series , but also through travel agents .
But until fairly recently , it was assumed that it was more of an Australian reptile Centre than an actual zoo .
My folks are not interested in animals , but they think that it is a huge reptile centre ( on the basis of what was shown on TV )
This is probably what gave it an "edge" as far as foreign visitors are concerned .
As there are very few Aust. reptiles in NZ ( give or take a few goannas at best ) this place would have attracted NZers wanting to see crocs , venomous snakes and the like .
My main reason for visiting this place was to see as many Australian snakes as possible , and to get to hold a python all by myself
NZers have known about this "zoo" run by the Crocodile Hunter , aka Steve Irwin , mainly through TV series , but also through travel agents .
But until fairly recently , it was assumed that it was more of an Australian reptile Centre than an actual zoo .
My folks are not interested in animals , but they think that it is a huge reptile centre ( on the basis of what was shown on TV )
This is probably what gave it an "edge" as far as foreign visitors are concerned .
As there are very few Aust. reptiles in NZ ( give or take a few goannas at best ) this place would have attracted NZers wanting to see crocs , venomous snakes and the like .
My main reason for visiting this place was to see as many Australian snakes as possible , and to get to hold a python all by myself
well for a zoo that cant make do without 'mega fauna' there are three, rather large glaring exceptions to this, as well as a few big cats or two.
and the future plans for Australia Zoo throw this idea right out. im not arguing that zoos cant make do without mega fauna, but in a region where, if you didnt include any great apes, elephants, rhino, bear species, big cats or giraffe, youre not left with alot of other choices, the argument becomes a bit less simplistic.
i mean, you can plonk a biodome (SWW) type of development smack bang in the middle of this countries biggest city, but its no guarantee youre going to get enoguh visitors...theyre in strife
anyway, back to australia zoo. Pat hit the nail on the head with his comment about Australia Zoo being based on a whole lot of nothing. ive never been before, and im very excited about its future, but im not about to go all the way up there to see a reptile collection about the size of that of the Gosford Reptile Park, and a few exotics.
if this zoo continues its future growth along the lines of regional plans then it has an exciting future, but they will need 'key' wildlife attractions, because, in the main, people go to a zoo to see animals, not people and especialy not dead ones. and although im sure the money and visitors are still pouring in, the zoo has lots its biggest star. bring on the animals. given Australia Zoos proximity to Australias third largest city and the tourist mecca of SE QLD, its current attendance figures are strong but not amazing...they need new landmark attractions and probably within 3-4 years.
and the future plans for Australia Zoo throw this idea right out. im not arguing that zoos cant make do without mega fauna, but in a region where, if you didnt include any great apes, elephants, rhino, bear species, big cats or giraffe, youre not left with alot of other choices, the argument becomes a bit less simplistic.
i mean, you can plonk a biodome (SWW) type of development smack bang in the middle of this countries biggest city, but its no guarantee youre going to get enoguh visitors...theyre in strife
anyway, back to australia zoo. Pat hit the nail on the head with his comment about Australia Zoo being based on a whole lot of nothing. ive never been before, and im very excited about its future, but im not about to go all the way up there to see a reptile collection about the size of that of the Gosford Reptile Park, and a few exotics.
if this zoo continues its future growth along the lines of regional plans then it has an exciting future, but they will need 'key' wildlife attractions, because, in the main, people go to a zoo to see animals, not people and especialy not dead ones. and although im sure the money and visitors are still pouring in, the zoo has lots its biggest star. bring on the animals. given Australia Zoos proximity to Australias third largest city and the tourist mecca of SE QLD, its current attendance figures are strong but not amazing...they need new landmark attractions and probably within 3-4 years.
I read in an Australian magazine that Brisbane (and the SE corner of Queensland) was arguably the fastest growing area in the country. I think that the death of Steve Irwin will be more than offset by the Madagascan Island, African Savannah, hotel, railway, etc exhibits...and that Australia Zoo has a massive amount of bottled-up potential. The amount of land that they have at their disposal is enormous, and so expanding the collection will definitely occur within a few years.
There's a distinct parallel here with Gerald Durrell's Jersey Zoo, again because of the high profile 'personality' owner. Even now Durrell's collection is still lacking in megafauna- the few exceptions being Gorillas, Orangutans and Spectacled Bears(the latter hardly a high profile species) yet because he sowed the conservation message so widely, Jersey Zoo flourished despite that. It is quite unique in that respect among UK zoos (though its not technically in the UK)
In the Australia Zoo case, it seems they do intend to aquire all the 'biggies' in due course and turn it into a more traditional large animal collection. It just seems to have taken a long time in its transformation from 'crocodile park' (excuse me if that's unfair, I wasn't a particular fan ..) or whatever it started out as being.
One interesting thing is how Australia Zoo will develop now Steve Irwin is no longer there to run it. In Durrell's case, after he died the funds began to dry up and the zoo definately lost some of its celebrity- in fact its been quite hard up of late.. But I guess Steve Irwin's family (durrell had no family, only a wife or two..) are strongly motivated to continue making it grow and succeed.