I agree there has been some lack of dedication towards successfully managing this species.
Whilst the deaths of Kani and his father, Mana a few years ago were undeniably unexpected; there was a point where Werribee was without a bull (following Harry's death) and Dubbo sat on two bulls for years and either could've easily moved one down to Werribee to breed. In the event that that did occur; we may have had the chance to be in a much better position regionally. But who knows.
It is not a question of who knows ..., it is a case of forward planning in the interest of managing the regional ex situ species breeding program(s). A quick scan of the sex age ratio of the regional population 15,10 and even 5 years ago would have clearly shown a population unsustainable long term, day even short term stagnant with lack of growth. Not to mention number of founders, founder representation, gene diversity, population mean kinship values and effective population size (relative to the population size) or long term projections retaining 90% diversity over time or years to loss of average 10% gene diversity.
Now, I may not have the role of a species coördinator now ... however do on past personal experience and have sufficient background to be able to manage a species under intensive management of a species ex situ breeding program require intensive management as to ensure this population would remain stable, that underlying issues with the population were adequately dealt with and was managed for long term sustainability.
This implies that even a 15 years or a decade from 2023 projected growth and population trends would have necessitated import of new bloodlines and new founders from overseas sources, either direct imports from S. or E. Africa or from overseas regional zoo organisations with ex situ management to adequate level for the common hippo.
This would have entailed ARAZPA / ZAA to the highest level acknowledge the major issues with captive management of the common hippo for exhibition purposes either as a intensive species management program or under studbook monitoring.
Objectives:
1) a consortium of zoos by MoU to engage in cooperative management of the population;
2) enable management at individual zoos for maintaining breeding group with separation facilities for 1-2 bulls and maternity den / outside yards for mother/calf or maintining bachelor herds or reproductive, senescent individuals;
3) a species management program endeavour to lobby and promote IRA for import/export from range states / designated third party countries (zoo / private collections) of the species under management common hippo;
4) an active MoU and consortium for import/export/exchange of new founders with range states or third party countries (zoo / private collections).
In other words: when the population did contain say even 5.15 individuals endeavour for i) a single immediate import of 2.4 / 3.3 individuals exchange and ii) regular exchange overseas with third out of range countries for unrepresented bloodlines / founder stock.
