Komodo Dragon is set to return to Taronga Zoo once again. One of the young Komodo Dragons bred at the Australian Reptile Park in April 2022 will soon be transferred to Sydney: Australia's First Baby Komodo Dragons Turn One | Australian Reptile Park
Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2023
- Thread starter Abbey
- Start date
It’ll be nice to see this species return to Taronga - especially with the opening of the Reptile and Amphibian Centre.
Komodo dragons are such an iconic species to Taronga. Keith (imported from Indonesia in 1963); and his successor, Tuka (imported from Ragunan Zoo in 1991) were well known icons.
How fitting that decades later, Taronga will hold a Komodo dragon from the first clutch successfully bred in Australia - representing the evolution in husbandry that now means we’re breeding this species.
Taronga collaborate on Platypus release:
Platypus Returns to Australian National Park for First Time Since 1970s
Four females were released on Friday into the Royal National Park, which was established in 1879 and is the second oldest national park in the world.
No confirmed platypus sightings have been reported in the park, about 35 kilometers or one hour’s drive south of Sydney, since the 1970s.
The relocation is a collaborative effort between the University of New South Wales, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, World Wild Fund for Nature Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
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Further details from socials:
Platypus Returns to Australian National Park for First Time Since 1970s
Four females were released on Friday into the Royal National Park, which was established in 1879 and is the second oldest national park in the world.
No confirmed platypus sightings have been reported in the park, about 35 kilometers or one hour’s drive south of Sydney, since the 1970s.
The relocation is a collaborative effort between the University of New South Wales, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, World Wild Fund for Nature Australia and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service.
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Further details from socials:
In total, 10 platypuses will make the park their home, and help re-establish a self-sustaining population.
We have opened a new Platypus Rescue and Rehabilitation centre at Taronga Zoo with another centre set to open at Taronga Western Plains Zoo later this year.
These purpose-built facilities will provide important refuge for platypus during emergency translocations when intervention is required to save a population. The platypuses released earlier this week were cared for at our new refuge centre, and also received health checks at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital.
We have opened a new Platypus Rescue and Rehabilitation centre at Taronga Zoo with another centre set to open at Taronga Western Plains Zoo later this year.
These purpose-built facilities will provide important refuge for platypus during emergency translocations when intervention is required to save a population. The platypuses released earlier this week were cared for at our new refuge centre, and also received health checks at the Taronga Wildlife Hospital.
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Chimpanzee Birth
Lisa has safely delivered a healthy infant. She was seen on exhibit today by visitors, holding her new baby.
Gender is still unknown at this stage (the infant is less than a week old).
I’m thrilled to hear of a successful birth given Lisa is the oldest chimpanzee to give birth in an Australasia zoo.
Lisa has safely delivered a healthy infant. She was seen on exhibit today by visitors, holding her new baby.
Gender is still unknown at this stage (the infant is less than a week old).
I’m thrilled to hear of a successful birth given Lisa is the oldest chimpanzee to give birth in an Australasia zoo.
Chimpanzee infant sexed as a female:
Lisa’s infant is a female and was born 23/05/2023:
0.1 Unnamed (23/05/2023) Unknown x Lisa
The sire could be anyone of the eight males (Shabani, Samaki, Furahi, Shikamoo, Sule, Fumo, Sudi or Liwali).
Traditionally paternity was assigned to the alpha male, but since low ranking males frequently sire infants, there’s no guarantees.
That said, I’m willing to rank Liwali as the least likely based on the fact females avoid mating with their sons when another option (or seven
) is available.
Obviously, Shabani would be by far the most preferable option as sire, what with the other mature (and likeliest candidates) being Lisa's grandsons. It would be very ambitious on the part of Fumo or Sudi to have succeeded here (assuming Lisa is quite popular with the males because of her age and experience), but, of course, stranger things have happened!
Shabani’s the lowest ranking of the adult males and as unlikely as the adolescents in my opinion, but as you say, stranger things have happened. It would be nice considering he’s unrepresented and himself, the only surviving descendant of Monte.
Ceres (confirmed to be pregnant) was recently observed mating with five males in the space of a morning (including two of the adolescents). Unless he believes a female to be cycling, Sule has no objection to this, so whether Lisa conceived to another male would be influenced by how overt her cycling was that month.
If the other males were focused on one of the higher ranked females at the time, it wouldn't be a surprise to hear Shabani (or Fumo/Sudi) was the sire Lisa's youngster.
I hope Shabani's line continues (as, as you say, he's the sole descendant of the 'M' line). If he's not the father of Lisa's newest youngster, my ultimate hope would be Kamili successfully raises an infant sired by him. That would be a very genetically valuable male, and perhaps not too on the wishful thinking side with Koko now out of the picture.
Taronga Zoo no longer have white-cheeked gibbons:
Kayak, Taronga’s male Northern white-cheeked gibbon, was transferred to Perth Zoo this week. This follows the recent death of his mate, Nelly, and leaves Taronga without the species.
“Gibbon” has been removed from Taronga’s map and they have no intention of replacing them in the near future.
As a founder to our regional population, Kayak is a genetically valuable male and will hopefully have the opportunity to breed at Perth Zoo.
Information comes via a friend’s visit to Taronga (01/06/2023).
Kayak, Taronga’s male Northern white-cheeked gibbon, was transferred to Perth Zoo this week. This follows the recent death of his mate, Nelly, and leaves Taronga without the species.
“Gibbon” has been removed from Taronga’s map and they have no intention of replacing them in the near future.
As a founder to our regional population, Kayak is a genetically valuable male and will hopefully have the opportunity to breed at Perth Zoo.
Information comes via a friend’s visit to Taronga (01/06/2023).
...hopefully something else takes its place? (Black-handed spider monkey or *more gibbons*?)
There’s been a large number of male squirrel monkeys born at Taronga in the last year or so, so my money would be on a bachelor exhibit to accomodate them in the short term.
Long term, I’m hopeful Taronga will consider re-acquiring gibbons and possibly orangutans. A number of zoos are building aerial pathways to accomodate both species, so it’s a possibility long term.
With the Congo construction approaching, I'd assume the most logical decision is to move the Ring Tailed Lemurs here (whether only temporarily or permanently). They'd fit the exhibit nicely. I don't see Taronga leaving it sitting empty.
Re. Gibbons, it's a shame to hear they won't be reacquiring, but I assume that's merely for the near future and may acquire them again long term once that area is redeveloped which will probably occur following the Congo precinct is finished and the elephants end up leaving.
Thanks for this. It does make sense to think that the exhibit could be repurposed for another species, especially as our region has, with a few untimely deaths, quickly gone from having a surplus of white-cheeked gibbons, to now losing holders. I had wondered whether the new Javan Gibbon pair (Jawa x Owa) might be transferred to Taronga, but it appears not.
I wonder whether Kayak might be paired with Jermei? She would still have a dependent offspring at the moment potentially, but Lulani could be transferred to Rockhampton to form a non-breeding pair with their lone male (off the top of my head, I think he's her full brother?) once she's old enough.
I agree that squirrel monkeys (there is a bachelor group currently off-display at Taronga) or lemurs would be a good fit for the exhibit, especially given the lemurs will be displaced once the Congo construction commences as has been mentioned. I'm not sure when that is planned for, although they would need to get a wriggle on to open in 2025.
It seems a little strange to think that the Wild Asia/Rainforest Trail precinct would be redeveloped in the short term, given that I remember its opening, but it will be 20 years old next year. I would say that most of the exhibits are still fit for purpose, and all but 2 (now 3) holds the original species or a very similar species (being the swap of gibbon subspecies).
I think the plan does seem to be to pair Kayak with Jermai. Lulani's of the age where she can be transferred elsewhere, and Nakai at Rockhampton would be a suitable match for a non breeding pair. Nakai is Jermai's full younger brother, so Lulani's uncle.
The Congo precinct should be beginning construction next year if things are going to plan. That would mean alternative accommodation would need to be arranged very soon for the lemurs and maybe the gorillas. Lemurs will probably either be completely moved off display or moved into the former WC Gibbon enclosure. I don't believe they're featured in the upcoming Congo precinct, so it might be a good idea to keep them on display in the Rainforest trail.
I'd assume the Gorillas will be staying in their current enclosure during the construction, but I'm not entirely sure if the Congo construction will take up that area as well. If so, they may need to be moved elsewhere as well temporarily. It would make the most sense to move them up to the Chimp complex temporarily, but not sure if that will be done.
Regarding the Rainforest trail, I think it's still fit for its purpose too but I think we might see a few redevelopments around there within the next few years. Once the elephants leave, their exhibit will certainly be redeveloped in some way (whether that's for Orangutans or another species). The Pygmy Hippo's may move up into the Congo precinct, and the same goes for the Bongo who will probably be phased out following Ekundu's death.
The squirrel monkeys will likely take priority with regards to the gibbon exhibit. The last three breeding seasons have produced 15.6 offspring - with all males still at Taronga and needing seperate housing from the main breeding troop.
Sydney Zoo plan to exhibit them long term, but this will still be a couple of years away.
Kayak and Jermei is the pairing I predicted in the Perth thread. Jermei is a first cousin of Nelly, so it’s a similar pairing and demographically, there’s only nine years between them. The only other surplus female at Perth is her four year old daughter, who’s old enough to be independent of her mother now.
A non-breeding pairing with Lulani and the Rockhampton male is a good idea as it would create a pairing, but avoid breeding from yet another gibbon from the well represented Tieu and Vang line. They’re the Nico and Meta of WCG.
The Congo precinct will no doubt influence many planning decisions as if Okapi can’t be imported, other species will take their place, vacating their exhibits for redevelopment. There’s endless possibilities - especially with long term plans to transfer the elephants to Dubbo. When I enquired, I was told this would be for five years though.
@Zoofan15 @Abbey @Jambo
Think that makes a lot of sense with the number of Squirrel Monkeys at Taronga that some of them have a home now in Nelly & Kayak's former exhibit, can imagine visitors will enjoy a much more personal closeup viewing of Squirrel Monkeys and now that the area is no longer south-east Asian specific any longer the Squirrel Monkeys will fit in well with that precinct of the zoo.
Longer term am hoping that when Pak Boon and Tang Mo leave Taronga and hopefully a decent sized Orangutan habitat is perhaps the plan for that area of the zoo that we may see a Gibbon species find a home at Taronga again as part of that plan also in the next ten years whether they be Siamangs, WC or Silveries (Sydney is now a Gibbon-less city for the first time in more than sixty years..probably closer to a century perhaps).
Think that makes a lot of sense with the number of Squirrel Monkeys at Taronga that some of them have a home now in Nelly & Kayak's former exhibit, can imagine visitors will enjoy a much more personal closeup viewing of Squirrel Monkeys and now that the area is no longer south-east Asian specific any longer the Squirrel Monkeys will fit in well with that precinct of the zoo.
Longer term am hoping that when Pak Boon and Tang Mo leave Taronga and hopefully a decent sized Orangutan habitat is perhaps the plan for that area of the zoo that we may see a Gibbon species find a home at Taronga again as part of that plan also in the next ten years whether they be Siamangs, WC or Silveries (Sydney is now a Gibbon-less city for the first time in more than sixty years..probably closer to a century perhaps).
Though I personally don’t find squirrel monkeys very exciting, the average visitor will view a troop of 15 young males as a lively exhibit and they’d arguably be a greater attraction than the gibbons. I would assume they’d be a short term exhibit (until Sydney Zoo get them on show), but as I said re. the redevelopment - who knows!
I’d love to see orangutans return to Taronga. It’d make them the only zoo in the region to hold all three great ape species. The aerial pathways are a game changer as they’ve suddenly made the species space efficient - which is a valuable commodity in a small city zoo.
The shift to housing pairs and trios of orangutans versus colonies has done their popularity no favours, but the aerial pathways at least offset these social requirements by allowing multiple groupings to be held. Auckland Zoo have effectively allocated one grouping to Siamang, but I’m hopeful their integration with the Bornean orangutan will negate this to allow the import of additional female orangutans.
I don't believe the Congo construction (at least as it has been currently proposed) takes in the current gorilla exhibit, which will hopefully mean the troop can stay in their current exhibit until the new exhibit is ready. I've seen one plan which will then involve redeveloping with the gorilla area with the second phase of the Reptile and Amphibian Centre.
There’s a concept drawing of the Congo precinct in relation to the existing gorilla exhibit on Page 108 of this document, which shows plans to build gorilla exhibits housing a family troop and bachelor troop to the north of the existing gorilla exhibit; with an Okapi exhibit below.
https://majorprojects.planningportal.nsw.gov.au/prweb/PRRestService/mp/01/getContent?AttachRef=SSD-8008!20190228T003439.429 GMT
It appears the Okapi facilities will have a slight overlap with the existing gorilla exhibits, which is supported by a discussion of the heritage impact on the zoo earlier in the document, which references the existing gorilla exhibit.
My interpretation is that the gorilla exhibits will be constructed first, with the gorillas transferred over. Once the existing gorilla exhibit is vacated, the Okapi exhibit (or an exhibit for whatever species may replace them) will then be constructed, encroaching on the vacant gorilla exhibit.
Ah, thanks for that. I've seen that document before, but had struggled to track it down again to confirm what the plans for the Congo precinct looked like. I would be interested to see how they do plan to overlap the Okapi exhibit like that, considering the slope of the site, but I gather that slither would be the land on the top level or perhaps on a gradual slope.