Sable antelope history at Werribee
- Thread starter Zorro
- Start date
The only information I have is that this species was held at Werribee Open Range Zoo in 2004; but by July 2011, their population had been reduced to a single female - who died in the second half of 2012.
Edit: this single female was their sole holdings from 2006.
On a side note I had no idea @Hix was around taking photos three years prior to the signing of the Magna Carta.
On a side note I had no idea @Hix was around taking photos three years prior to the signing of the Magna Carta.
Yeah, I'm a time lord but keep it to yourself. I don't want someone making a TV series about my life and adventures.
Hix
They had a bull at one point too who was destined for NZ (but it never eventuated). He died, of course, prior to 2006.
I believe they held a small group, but I’m not sure if they ever breed. It’s highly likely the small group was imported sometime in the 90’s.
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Not at Werribee, but a calf was born to 12-year-old female Farrah on 26 January 2002 at Orana Park. At the time, they were the only Sable Antelopes in NZ.
Another past holder was the Pearl coast zoo near broom WA which not only had Sable but a mouth watering array of antelopes including Springbok, Greater kudu, Gemsbok, and the rare Addra gazelle
Yeah I think it’s highly likely the male from Werribee was destined for Orana (possibly following the previous male’s death).
Just thinking back over the years of some of the hoof stock that never really had a real chance of gaining a more permanent place within our collections, mainly because they were imported in too smaller numbers to ever have a real chance of any long term residency.
Nilgai.
Addra Gazelle. (I believe only 1 pair were ever imported via NZ)
Springbok.
Congo forest buffalo. I believe a trio were imported)
Grevys Zebra.
Greater Kudu.
Gemsbok.
Sitatunga. (I believe only 3 were ever imported)
Red Lechwe.
Sable antelope.
The situation now with the Nyala importation it was done in the right fashion were a bigger founder population was imported from the start. This makes sense.
These other attempts of the species named above had little if any chance to work out into a self sustaining populations over time.
Other species currently held are hanging on a thread namely Bongos with Waterbuck not being that much better off.
If they can get it right as in the case of the Nyala why
have the rest been a waste of time, lets have some consistency in estabishing permeant populations!
Nilgai.
Addra Gazelle. (I believe only 1 pair were ever imported via NZ)
Springbok.
Congo forest buffalo. I believe a trio were imported)
Grevys Zebra.
Greater Kudu.
Gemsbok.
Sitatunga. (I believe only 3 were ever imported)
Red Lechwe.
Sable antelope.
The situation now with the Nyala importation it was done in the right fashion were a bigger founder population was imported from the start. This makes sense.
These other attempts of the species named above had little if any chance to work out into a self sustaining populations over time.
Other species currently held are hanging on a thread namely Bongos with Waterbuck not being that much better off.
If they can get it right as in the case of the Nyala why
have the rest been a waste of time, lets have some consistency in estabishing permeant populations!
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I’m hopeful that with planning undertaken at a regional level, we’ll see more examples of a large founder base being imported to sustain the regional population long term - as we saw recently with the Lowland nyala import.
In previous decades, import decisions were largely made at an individual level which consequently influenced small founder bases and population that soon became inbred or were phased out.
The Plains zebra subspecies are a prime example - with Werribee importing Chapman’s zebra from Europe in 1980 when there were a handful of facilities already focussed on the purebred Grant’s zebra.
I do hope now that the IRA for the importation of antelopes are possible perhaps a more co-operative approach between some of our zoos can happen so we don't keep having this cycle of on going phase outs.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
The forest buffalo were another victim of ZoosVic's love of castration. With all the males prevented from any future breeding.
They would have been a good species and could have been an amiable substitute for Cape Buffalo in many of our regions African savanna exhibits.
It comes back to management again!
Yeah why oh why did they castrate the male forest buffalo? it just seems so stupid to have done. Interesting that all the now gone Sitatunga descended from only 3 individuals. Despair at the loss of all the antelope mentioned and listed by you Zorro above. Know that there was an extensive import of different antelopes by McAlpine to his Pearl Coast Zoo at Broome circa.1987 and while I know many ended up at Tipperary station it seems only the Scimitar Oryx prevailed to this day..on the neighbouring property, on the border of Kakadu aamof.
True, I believe both the Addax and Oryx population had a import top up (back in the 80s?) from the USA so that is likely to have help them continue on to today.
Same question as to why Werribee castrated their only Greater Kudu bull as well?.
Pearl Coast and Tipperary Station can also be credited with supplying our region’s zoos with additions to the Common hippopotamus and Pygmy hippopotamus populations.
If it wasn’t for Tipperary Station breeding their young pair, the genes of three founders would now be unrepresented within the current Common hippopotamus population.
And lets not forget that if it was not for one well known Marine park buying a cow we would be in even more dire straights than we are now. The export of the Hippos to Bali was a massive mistake made by an out of touch powers that be!
With a degree of foresight and regional planning, I hope to see the creation of a sustainable population long term (for hippopotamus and other undulates). The sourcing of multiple founders is essential and provision made to accomodate calves bred - either on site or through relocation to other facilities (including new holders).
I’d like to think we’ve moved away from zoos considering what they need in the short term to what the region needs in the long term.
I agree but sometimes logic can take a back seat to other factors.
Re. Congo buffalo, Werribee only ever had two; a male and a female, both from Melbourne.
The male was desexed (during his tenure at Melbourne); but at one point did sire a male calf there in the late 90’s of whom was hand raised by keepers. @steveroberts this male was actually one of the numerous species imported by the Pearl Coast (from Whipsnade).
The female was from Dubbo and she was imported circa 2000 for breeding with the male. It seems Melbourne gave up soon after, as the male was soon desexed, and the pair were hauled off to Werribee just a few years later.
Dubbo also had related animals too; three males and a female (three of which were full siblings - besides one of the males). But unfortunately all males were desexed.
It’s a shame Melbourne gave up with their pair, as they had the only unrelated pair in the region.
The male was desexed (during his tenure at Melbourne); but at one point did sire a male calf there in the late 90’s of whom was hand raised by keepers. @steveroberts this male was actually one of the numerous species imported by the Pearl Coast (from Whipsnade).
The female was from Dubbo and she was imported circa 2000 for breeding with the male. It seems Melbourne gave up soon after, as the male was soon desexed, and the pair were hauled off to Werribee just a few years later.
Dubbo also had related animals too; three males and a female (three of which were full siblings - besides one of the males). But unfortunately all males were desexed.
It’s a shame Melbourne gave up with their pair, as they had the only unrelated pair in the region.