Adelaide Zoo Sad Beaver News.

Me too, several generations ago.
 
I guess what I take is that zoos are certainly not responsible for non-native pests. It seems that the vast majority have been caused by tremendously poor thinking government officials, pet owners, and tourists/ industrial means.
 
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ptig said:
I guess what I take is that zoos are certainly not responsible for non-native pests. It seems that the vast majority have been caused by tremendously poor thinking government officials, pet owners, and tourists/ industrial means.
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Well, no in that in the 19thC most Aussie zoos were started by acclimatisation societies who saw zoos as more or less depots for their endeavours. But in terms of direct escape, apart from perhaps Indian Palm Squirrels, no. Most introduced species were deliberately introduced.

Thinking hard the only others that were escapes that I can think of were spice finches (a possible serious problem) and red bishops(?) - a weaver that managed to populate part of the lower Murray for a few generations, but is now apparently extinct.
 
MRJ said:
Thinking hard the only others that were escapes that I can think of were spice finches (a possible serious problem) and red bishops(?) - a weaver that managed to populate part of the lower Murray for a few generations, but is now apparently extinct.
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there were also one or two species of widowbirds (whydahs) as well, which have likewise now died out
 
One accidentally released native species outside its natural range I have heard about is the Rainbow Lorakeet. They have become quite common in the Shepparton area. I was told by someone who used to have a pet shop in the area that they had a large number escape once, and before that there were no wild ones there.
 
Monty said:
One accidentally released native species outside its natural range I have heard about is the Rainbow Lorakeet. They have become quite common in the Shepparton area. I was told by someone who used to have a pet shop in the area that they had a large number escape once, and before that there were no wild ones there.
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Rainbow lorikeets are also very common in the Perth metropolitan area, having been deliberately released years ago. There are also greater sulphur-crested cockatoos although I never saw one.
 
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