Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2021

steveroberts said:
@MRJ @tetrapod @Zoofan15 When it comes to Melbourne, Perth and Taronga and that decision in the early '80s for Melb' to focus on Gorillas, Perth on Orangs' and Taronga on Chimps', funnily enough (or probably should say deliberately enough) the three zoos each at present have the best exhibits for their respective 'flagship' great apes (certainly in the region, amongst the best on world scale too?)
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When I visited Perth Zoo a few years ago, I actually thought their orangutan exhibit was looking dated. Considering it opened in 2002, it’s understandable; but Auckland Zoo’s orangutan exhibit is easily the best in the region and would also rank highly on the world stage.

Perth Zoo’s orangutans are getting a new exhibit as part of the masterplan, with a few similarities to Auckland’s exhibit:

The new habitat will feature six large ‘tents’ with very tall structures (up to 20m high) and significantly increased 3-dimensional space for the orangutans. The boardwalk through the ‘tents’ will allow visitors to be safely immersed with the apes giving guests a greater understanding of one of our closest relatives.

 
Zoofan15 said:
When I visited Perth Zoo a few years ago, I actually thought their orangutan exhibit was looking dated. Considering it opened in 2002, it’s understandable; but Auckland Zoo’s orangutan exhibit is easily the best in the region and would also rank highly on the world stage.

Perth Zoo’s orangutans are getting a new exhibit as part of the masterplan, with a few similarities to Auckland’s exhibit:

The new habitat will feature six large ‘tents’ with very tall structures (up to 20m high) and significantly increased 3-dimensional space for the orangutans. The boardwalk through the ‘tents’ will allow visitors to be safely immersed with the apes giving guests a greater understanding of one of our closest relatives.
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PZ's orang complex opened in 2002? The whole complex dates back to the late 70s. It has been modified considerably but the original brick buildings with a deep dry moat at the front haven't changed in design. Agree from the appearance that Auckland's looks far better. However if one takes into account breeding records than there is no comparison. Unfortunately I cannot see the 'new' habitat actually changing the original building (huge expense and where would they build a new exhibit?). Expect that they will introduce climbing towers outside the existing exhibits to increase viewing and useable space.
 
Hey in terms of Perth's Orangutan complex I meant post 2000 with the development of the walkways and the high climbing structures that give so much more space and height. Obviously the way the complex was in the '90s that remember as a kid was an eyesore and small and bare; the one positive that could be said of PZ's approach during that time was the number of seperate exhibits was the right approach to the solitary nature of the Orangs. Remember seeing the new Taronga exhibit in the '90s and thinking if they could have afforded to have constructed four of five versions of that exhibit alongside one another they would have had something quite good, except would have cost another 15 million $ and space was short.
 
...Though should have added the climbing structures at Taronga were nothing compared to Perth Zoo currently and Auckland it appears too
 
steveroberts said:
...Though should have added the climbing structures at Taronga were nothing compared to Perth Zoo currently and Auckland it appears too
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The Auckland zoo Orang exhibit looks outstanding if only Australia zoo would do something similar they have the room and the climate to at least equal it
 
Zorro said:
The Auckland zoo Orang exhibit looks outstanding if only Australia zoo would do something similar they have the room and the climate to at least equal it
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It really does. It makes great exhibits like the ones at Melbourne and Perth dated. Auckland have definitely done a great job with their Orangutan complex, as it’s definitely ahead of its time. In my opinion, it’s one of the best in the world, if not the best.
 
tetrapod said:
However if one takes into account breeding records than there is no comparison.
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Personally, I wouldn’t use breeding records as a measure of the quality an exhibit. Orangutans aren’t hard to breed and bar the occasional lapse in contraception, breeding is entirely determined by the decisions of the studbook coordinator etc.

Taronga Zoo bred 22 orangutans between 1957 and 1987 in comparatively cramped cages. Their breeding success is even less impressive when you consider they were all hybrids. :p

Auckland Zoo by comparison have bred seven orangutans in their history - all purebreds (six Bornean; one Sumatran); with the eighth infant due next year.

PS. I didn’t realise the current exhibit dates back to the 70’s (I assumed the 2002 version was a new exhibit; not a remodel), but that explains why it looks so dated.
 
Zorro said:
The Auckland zoo Orang exhibit looks outstanding if only Australia zoo would do something similar they have the room and the climate to at least equal it
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Jambo said:
It really does. It makes great exhibits like the ones at Melbourne and Perth dated. Auckland have definitely done a great job with their Orangutan complex, as it’s definitely ahead of its time. In my opinion, it’s one of the best in the world, if not the best.
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Auckland Zoo’s team leader of primates said they researched the best orangutan exhibits in the world for inspiration and that was clearly no exaggeration.

The visual asthetics are stunning, but what really sets it apart is that it encourages the orangutans to display natural behaviour.

In the old exhibit, Charlie was typically sedentary; now he brachiates and follows Melur all around the exhibit and across the high ropes.

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 6
Photo taken 23/01/2021.

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 13
 
Zoofan15 said:
Auckland Zoo’s team leader of primates said they researched the best orangutan exhibits in the world for inspiration and that was clearly no exaggeration.

The visual asthetics are stunning, but what really sets it apart is that it encourages the orangutans to display natural behaviour.

In the old exhibit, Charlie was typically sedentary; now he brachiates and follows Melur all around the exhibit and across the high ropes.

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 6
Photo taken 23/01/2021.

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 13
Click to expand...
Auckland really did their homework with this exhibit lt should win an award for sure.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Auckland Zoo’s team leader of primates said they researched the best orangutan exhibits in the world for inspiration and that was clearly no exaggeration.

The visual asthetics are stunning, but what really sets it apart is that it encourages the orangutans to display natural behaviour.

In the old exhibit, Charlie was typically sedentary; now he brachiates and follows Melur all around the exhibit and across the high ropes.

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 6
Photo taken 23/01/2021.

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 13
Click to expand...

They’ve done a really good job of not only making it aesthetically pleasing for the visitors, but also naturalistic for the Orangutans. Their high ropes reminds me a little of Indianapolis’s orangutan enclosure, but I think Auckland’s is much a better as it’s a lot more naturalistic.

Hopefully other zoos in the region will follow Auckland and build such exhibits. Melbourne could definitely make use of one, at least on a smaller scale.
 
Jambo said:
Hopefully other zoos in the region will follow Auckland and build such exhibits. Melbourne could definitely make use of one, at least on a smaller scale.
Click to expand...

As much as I’d love to see Melbourne Zoo import Indian rhinoceros, I think a great replacement for the elephants could be a large scale expansion of the orangutan exhibit (with high ropes etc).

Melbourne Zoo has focussed on the purebred Sumatran orangutan on a small scale in decent decades. It’d be great to see them house a larger colony, working alongside Perth Zoo; or a small colony of Bornean orangutans in addition to a Sumatran pair (housed separately of course). This would support Auckland Zoo and make for a fascinating exhibit.
 
Zoofan15 said:
As much as I’d love to see Melbourne Zoo import Indian rhinoceros, I think a great replacement for the elephants could be a large scale expansion of the orangutan exhibit (with high ropes etc).

Melbourne Zoo has focussed on the purebred Sumatran orangutan on a small scale in decent decades. It’d be great to see them house a larger colony, working alongside Perth Zoo; or a small colony of Bornean orangutans in addition to a Sumatran pair (housed separately of course). This would support Auckland Zoo and make for a fascinating exhibit.
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That would be a possibility and in my personal opinion, I would much prefer an Orangutan extension too but I think Melbourne are planning to make use of the current Elephant enclosures without changing much. A species like Indian Rhino would fit this, alongside maybe a pair of Bactrian Camels.

I doubt Melbourne will move into holding Borneans in the future as they’ve shown major initiative with the Sumatrans recently. I do believe it’s likely a female will be arriving soon to be paired with Malu.

I’d really love to see Melbourne make use of that island opposite them, that has now been cleared. It would be cool if overhead ropes were added (like Auckland’s) to connect the island to the current enclosures. It could serve as a third enclosure and allow for two Orangutan groups; one for Sumatrans and the other for their hybrids.
 
steveroberts said:
Obviously the way the complex was in the '90s that remember as a kid was an eyesore and small and bare; the one positive that could be said of PZ's approach during that time was the number of seperate exhibits was the right approach to the solitary nature of the Orangs.
Click to expand...

Perth Zoo was the first zoo in the region to acknowledge the concept of housing each of their adult female orangutans separately. Even more impressive, is that they achieved this with a large colony.

Communal living was common, with zoos like Auckland Zoo housing their adult females together (at one stage five of them) along with a male. Studies and husbandry experience have proved that in these situations, the females can tolerate each other but prefer to live alone.

Today, all of the zoos have discontinued housing their orangutans in colonies; but all but Perth have only achieved this by reducing their orangutan colony to a pair or trio. Perth’s commitment to the Sumatran orangutan is therefore admirable indeed.
 
Zoofan15 said:
Auckland Zoo’s team leader of primates said they researched the best orangutan exhibits in the world for inspiration and that was clearly no exaggeration.

The visual asthetics are stunning, but what really sets it apart is that it encourages the orangutans to display natural behaviour.

In the old exhibit, Charlie was typically sedentary; now he brachiates and follows Melur all around the exhibit and across the high ropes.

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

Charlie on the Aerial Pathway

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 6
Photo taken 23/01/2021.

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

Bornean Orangutan Exhibit

  • Media owner Zoofan15
  • Date added
  • Comments 13
Click to expand...

What is the purpose of the covered towers?. Is it to prevent wind and so encourage the Orangs to use them? Or structural or both?
 
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Zoofan15 said:
PS. I didn’t realise the current exhibit dates back to the 70’s (I assumed the 2002 version was a new exhibit; not a remodel), but that explains why it looks so dated.
Click to expand...

I've never seen it since it was revamped but I remember being rather disappointed on my one visit to see how the famous Perth orangutans were kept- 5(?) bare or grassy yards with simple children's type metal climbing frames. No inside viewing but I guess the climate makes that unnecessary...
 
Pertinax said:
What is the purpose of the covered towers?. Is it to prevent wind and so encourage the Orangs to use them? Or structural or both?
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Pretty much just to give them a safe route up. The towers are also located almost outside of the enclosures and so keeping them from escaping would be another reason for this.
 
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