I would go with impala and sable antelopes they are available
Taronga Western Plains Zoo Taronga Western Plains Zoo News 2022
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
I find annoying when a zoo makes statements like they will transform it into the "worlds leading open range zoo".
As good as the TWPZ is there are far better open range zoos in the world than them, also collection wise because on importation restrictions they are no where near the best in size or collection. These bold claims I would expect from one well know Qld zoo and not a large major public funded zoo.
I find annoying when a zoo makes statements like they will transform it into the "worlds leading open range zoo".
As good as the TWPZ is there are far better open range zoos in the world than them, also collection wise because on importation restrictions they are no where near the best in size or collection. These bold claims I would expect from one well know Qld zoo and not a large major public funded zoo.
I agree. It looks like a spectacular exhibit - but it’s not due to open until 2025. In that space of time, Werribee will open one of the world’s largest elephant complexes; and Monarto will continue to progress with their masterplan - with huge waterholes for Common hippopotamus and many other species.
To claim this one exhibit will make Dubbo the world’s leading open range zoo is indeed a rather unfounded claim.
15 Western quoll have been released:
From socials:
We are so excited to announce that 15 endangered Chuditch from the Taronga Sanctuary in Dubbo have been released into the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park in South Australia.
The carefully selected cohort of Chuditch were accompanied by specialist keepers and conservation officers from Taronga Conservation Society via a chartered plane and were met on the ground in the National Park by conservation ecologists ready to collar and release the newcomers.
Working collaboratively, the teams successfully attached VHF radio tracking collars to a selection of individuals before releasing all 15 into the 1,257 km2 protected habitat during nightfall.
The release of these genetically diverse individuals is a major step towards bolstering the conservation status of this endangered top-order predator and bringing it back to where it once roamed.
From socials:
We are so excited to announce that 15 endangered Chuditch from the Taronga Sanctuary in Dubbo have been released into the Vulkathunha-Gammon Ranges National Park in South Australia.
The carefully selected cohort of Chuditch were accompanied by specialist keepers and conservation officers from Taronga Conservation Society via a chartered plane and were met on the ground in the National Park by conservation ecologists ready to collar and release the newcomers.
Working collaboratively, the teams successfully attached VHF radio tracking collars to a selection of individuals before releasing all 15 into the 1,257 km2 protected habitat during nightfall.
The release of these genetically diverse individuals is a major step towards bolstering the conservation status of this endangered top-order predator and bringing it back to where it once roamed.
Twin Ring Tailed Lemurs were welcomed in late september to Sikara. The troop now numbers seventeen.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo on Instagram: " On the second day of Christmas, our Ring-tailed Lemur troop welcomed twins, with two baby lemurs joining our troop of 17 - the monkey business now begins At the end of September our troop welcomed two healthy little twins to experienced mother, Sikara. As this video shows, all of the troop are taking their roles in communally raising the little ones very seriously. Keeper Sasha"
Taronga Western Plains Zoo on Instagram: " On the second day of Christmas, our Ring-tailed Lemur troop welcomed twins, with two baby lemurs joining our troop of 17 - the monkey business now begins At the end of September our troop welcomed two healthy little twins to experienced mother, Sikara. As this video shows, all of the troop are taking their roles in communally raising the little ones very seriously. Keeper Sasha"
50 Regent honeyeaters released:
From socials:
Taronga, alongside BirdLife Australia, Department of Planning and Environment SavingourSpecies and the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council, successfully released 50 Regent Honeyeaters into the wild on Wonnarua Country in the Lower Hunter Valley.
This release was critical, not only to boost the wild population but to ensure the preservation of the birds' culture of song. The introduction of the Taronga-bred birds will provide the means for fledglings that hatch in the wild to learn their call which will help the individuals, attract mates and sustain their wild populations.
From socials:
Taronga, alongside BirdLife Australia, Department of Planning and Environment SavingourSpecies and the Mindaribba Local Aboriginal Land Council, successfully released 50 Regent Honeyeaters into the wild on Wonnarua Country in the Lower Hunter Valley.
This release was critical, not only to boost the wild population but to ensure the preservation of the birds' culture of song. The introduction of the Taronga-bred birds will provide the means for fledglings that hatch in the wild to learn their call which will help the individuals, attract mates and sustain their wild populations.
Absolutely phenomenal news!
A healthy male Bongo calf was born on November 21 to parents Kulungu (2010) and Djembe (2008).
Dubbo now have five Bongos (3.2).
The calf is now out on display after spending two weeks bonding with the family group off exhibit as mentioned on socials.
A healthy male Bongo calf was born on November 21 to parents Kulungu (2010) and Djembe (2008).
Dubbo now have five Bongos (3.2).
The calf is now out on display after spending two weeks bonding with the family group off exhibit as mentioned on socials.
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It’s great to have a new bongo calf in the region - especially since Djembe’s last calf died young.
This is Djembe’s sixth calf and fifth son:
0.1 Kiazi born 02/04/2012
1.0 Tambo born 29/11/2013
1.0 Mshindi born 08/02/2015
1.0 Kamau born 05/09/2018
1.0 Jabali born 01/12/2019
1.0 Unnamed born 21/11/2022
Now this species can be imported directly into Australia, we’ll hopefully see some imports in the coming years as well.
Yes a importation would be a wise idea.
Yes a importation would be a wise idea.
It’ll be exciting to see what the open range zoos accomplish.
It’s clear Dubbo’s imported female will never breed, so to build up numbers they need to import. Djembe’s getting on in years and has no daughters in the herd for succession.
True, If they want to make use of the animals they have now they need to import sooner rather than later
Agreed. There’s already been some inbreeding. Dubbo’s breeding pair are related - though Djembe isn’t inbred. Her parents were both founders - Marraquie and Nambala.
For a major zoo to start a population with so few was ridiculous in the first place
Agreed. Our population descends from 2.1 founders (Nyeri, Nambala and Marraquie) - with a non breeding 0.1 (Maisha) later imported.
Nambala was the mother of Ndugu, Shani and Djembe. Ndugu bred with Shani’s daughter (Binti) to produce Kulungu, who is now breeding with Djembe. Binti and Djembe also share a sire (Marraquie).
I believe another female was also imported with Marraquie, although she died relatively soon after arrival, meaning that there were ultimately only three founders. After Shani was born to Nambala and Nyeri at Taronga, she was transferred to Dubbo as Marraquie's breeding partner, resulting in the birth of Binti.
Ultimately, this meant that all Australian-born calves have been descended from Nambala and/or Nyeri, rather than having two unrelated pairs and the potential to breed a second generation without inbreeding which was originally intended.
That’s unfortunate the second founder female died. Like you say, all Australian born calves therefore descend from Nambala.
Both the death of that female and the non viability of the Singapore imported female at Dubbo emphasise the important of importing reasonable numbers as a starting point. There’s no reason the open range zoos can’t hold herds of at least three or four breeding females.
I seem to remember a new zoo that opened in the Philippines in the 90s? imported ten Bongos from the USA, This is what some of our major zoos should have done even if they had obtained a trio to each major zoo would have been a better option for the long term sustainability for the species in our region. This view of half a foot in the door approach (like Aucklands zoos elephants) is a waste of time and smells of bad planning and management.
The importation of Nyala in resent years is a good example of how one can do an importation correctly, its not rocket science.
The thing was, I don't think any other zoos (besides Taronga) were on board with importing Bongo at the time.
That's the underlying reason why the ZAA now requires multiple facilities to be on board with importing a species from overseas as cooperation amongst zoos is essential to help maintain a successful population within our region. That's not saying it can't be done - a lot of zoos just need to be on board and committed.
I think the issue from the start was they were kept in city zoos. Taronga imported the first two founders (a gift from San Diego Zoo) in 1996 and instead of exhibiting them at Dubbo, maintained this breeding pair at their city site.
Melbourne and Adelaide both acquired them in the years that followed - whereas Werribee and Monarto (the latter of which later acquired them) were the obvious choice, along with Dubbo for holding decent sized herds.
The herd numbers across the city zoos were always going to be numbered by space - which isn’t a good foundation for a breeding programme.
Even if other zoos at that time were not interested Taronga could of done a lot more than obtaining a pair and then down the track another one, its hardly going to help retain them other than cronic inbreeding, If a Asian zoo can import ten why could not Taronga import 5? and they would not be in the current situation they are facing now!