Taronga Zoo Taronga news 2012
- Thread starter Lyrebird
- Start date
I never understand why this species won't survive overseas. Here they can be kept in the most rudimentary exhibits (e.g. Melbourne's old exhibit) and still seem to flourish.
Although it annoys me often, when Australian authorities and/or zoo officials try to not let out native species into foreign zoos, I have to admit/concede, that in case of the fairy penguins the export wasn't obviously a good idea. The mortality rate within such a short period is too high. However, as @PAT wrote, I still wonder why it doesn't work. Climate, food, some unknown bacterias?
same in NZ, not difficult at all. However the American zoos seem to keep them alright. Perhaps it is just bad luck on the part of the European zoos rather than something specific that means they can't keep them alive.PAT said:
Would be even better if it was a northern hairy-nosed, but see attached story from today's paper.....
Take two wombats and a little help from a rival
Depending on your definition of "captivity"...but it raises a really interesting question as to whether Australian zoos should be involved in (be allowed to) breeding this species?
i think you'll find zoos have already done some research in to this. one of the current tasmanian devil breeding buildings at TWPZ was originally setup to breed northern hairy nosed wombats. A trial was done using southerns and although there were some births the plan was dropped.
Do you know why? Did Qld authorities simply decide they were better off keeping the animals together at Epping Forest? Seems to me there would be an urgent need for an insurance population in a zoo, especially in case dingos got through the fence at EF.
in 2009 I was told by a wildlife officer from Australia that Australia Zoo had plans to obtain northern hairy-noses. I don't know the story behind it though, or if it was a realistic plan.
Certainly a species that is of immense interest to us too - but I doubt that zoos will ever have a meaningful role to play here.
The Department was not impressed with the white-anting of Rockhampton Zoo, despite the amount of money that was dangled in front of them.
Also, there are some in the Department who still remember the horrific conditions in which a couple of male NHNWs were kept in at TWPZ over a decade ago. I will never forget the video footage that we were shown at a conference once - stressed out NHNWs endlessly circling a concrete and brick "bunker" type room in the vet block out there. Barely eating anything and mercifully dying quite quickly. The zoo world did itself no favours with that episode. Ironically, at the same time, the same zoo was doing great things with Bridled Nailtail Wallabies.
The good news, and it is truly wonderful news, is that the Department already has set up an insurance population. With the collaboration of a private property owner, a large part of a cattle station near St George [SW Queensland] has been fenced, some animals transferred from the Epping Forest, they settled in well, some more animals transferred the next year and now - at least two births!!!!
Unfortunately, the zoo world has missed an opportunity to be part of this great success story.