Oh my, when I was there last week those tents were awfully close together. I had assumed that it was short-term and weren’t being currently used as accommodation, given there’s literally centimetres between most tents!
Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2025
- Thread starter Osedax
- Start date
Oh my, when I was there last week those tents were awfully close together. I had assumed that it was short-term and weren’t being currently used as accommodation, given there’s literally centimetres between most tents!
Not sure if anyone has any updates on this second New Zealand fur seal pup, but the other possibility is it’s a wild rescue been taken in by the zoo.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
I haven't seen it other than that one time.
Male pheasants like Golden and Amherst can be quite pugnacious in courtship and can wear out a single hen if only a pair are kept.
Another former elephant enclosure utilised for overnight stay guests - seems they've taken a leaf out of Melbourne's book taking advantage of the relatively flat land space.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
A few notes from today:
- One of the goats in B2B is heavily pregnant and may have already given birth as I write this (though she still hadn’t a couple of hours ago).
- There are currently Cotton-top Tamarins in Moots Park Aviary.
- The pool in the Reticulated Python exhibit in the ARC is drained, though Rachel is still in the exhibit.
- There are some unsigned Margined-winged Stick Insects mixed with the Spiny Leaf Insects in the House in B2B.
- One of the goats in B2B is heavily pregnant and may have already given birth as I write this (though she still hadn’t a couple of hours ago).
- There are currently Cotton-top Tamarins in Moots Park Aviary.
- The pool in the Reticulated Python exhibit in the ARC is drained, though Rachel is still in the exhibit.
- There are some unsigned Margined-winged Stick Insects mixed with the Spiny Leaf Insects in the House in B2B.
Are there still Cotton Tops on the island exhibit?
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Yes.
Sounds like a separation of the sexes (father and son/s; and mother and daughter/s) or perhaps transferring out a cohort of offspring.
A very specific question about visiting Taronga: To see JR, the famous echidna, is it advisable to visit his enclosure at a specific time of day? Can you see him in daylight at all, or is it always in the dark? I'm aiming to get some decent photos, but it might be difficult...
Osedax
Well-Known Member
He is usually visible all day, but in the dark. Very occasionally they might leave the lights on for a few extra minutes after the zoo opens (if they/we haven't finished cleaning etc.). The latest that I have been in the nocturnal house with the lights on was 10:00 but that is a very rare occurrence. Usually, lights go off at 9:30 (when the zoo opens).
Well, based on your information (thanks!), I suppose, just in case, it's best to run as soon as you enter the zoo in case the lights are on, even for a few minutes. I assume the zoo has several entrances. Which one do you recommend to use to get to JR quickly first thing in the morning?
The zoo has two entrances. If your taking the ferry across you'll have to enter via the lower entrance, otherwise the main entrance would be the closest entrance to take if your open to heading to try and see JR right as soon as the zoo opens. The Nocturnal House is located a short walk from the zoo's entry gates there.
You can still enter via the main entrance if you take the ferry.
I took the ferry both times when I visited last year and myself and other passengers were told on disembarking that we could take a short bus ride to the main entrance if we preferred. About half the passengers chose to do so, so that’s an option if you wanted to get to the nocturnal house ASAP @aramacao.
Thanks for the advice: it's extremely valuable to me. Now it's clear how to access the zoo. I assume there will be ferries starting very early and buses starting early in the morning connecting the ferry to the main gate of the zoo. If so, problem solved! I'd try to take the early ferry to be at the main gate before opening time, go directly to see JR, and then enjoy the rest of the zoo at leisure.
Yes, there’s regular ferries going from Circular Quay from early in the morning. I ended up arriving 20-30 minutes before the zoo opened and could have taken the bus to the main entrance immediately upon disembarking if I’d chosen to (I was happy to enter through the lower entrance).
I would always advise any visitor wanting to see a particular species to visit that exhibit first. Aside from the exhibit being less crowded, if you miss it, you have the whole day to go back/try again.
Western lowland gorilla transfer:
Taronga’s three female Western lowland gorilla (Frala, Johari and Mbeli) have transferred to Melbourne Zoo, leaving Taronga Zoo with a bachelor troop:
1.0 Kibali (25/03/2001) Imported 2012
1.0 Mjukuu (30/10/2014) Kibali x Mbeli
1.0 Fabumi (13/05/2015) Kibali x Frala
1.0 Mwamba (02/09/2017 Kibali x Mbeli
Reported by @Mlawlor in the Melbourne Zoo thread.
Taronga’s three female Western lowland gorilla (Frala, Johari and Mbeli) have transferred to Melbourne Zoo, leaving Taronga Zoo with a bachelor troop:
1.0 Kibali (25/03/2001) Imported 2012
1.0 Mjukuu (30/10/2014) Kibali x Mbeli
1.0 Fabumi (13/05/2015) Kibali x Frala
1.0 Mwamba (02/09/2017 Kibali x Mbeli
Reported by @Mlawlor in the Melbourne Zoo thread.
Taronga have now announced the gorilla’s departure:
From socials:
Just two weeks ago, Taronga Zoo farewelled our three female Western Lowland Gorillas Frala, Johari and Mbeli as they embarked on their journey to Melbourne Zoo.
It was a bittersweet moment for our team, who had the rare opportunity to be close to the gorillas during their general anaesthetic procedures.
This relocation is part of a carefully considered plan to support the regional breeding program and reflects the natural social behaviour of gorillas: as males mature, they typically leave their family group to form bachelor groups before eventually establishing their own.
Taronga Zoo Sydney still remains home to four male gorillas’ silverback Kibali and his adolescent sons Mjukuu, Fabumi and Mwamba who are currently adjusting to the departure of the females under the watchful care of our dedicated keeping team.
From socials:
Just two weeks ago, Taronga Zoo farewelled our three female Western Lowland Gorillas Frala, Johari and Mbeli as they embarked on their journey to Melbourne Zoo.
It was a bittersweet moment for our team, who had the rare opportunity to be close to the gorillas during their general anaesthetic procedures.
This relocation is part of a carefully considered plan to support the regional breeding program and reflects the natural social behaviour of gorillas: as males mature, they typically leave their family group to form bachelor groups before eventually establishing their own.
Taronga Zoo Sydney still remains home to four male gorillas’ silverback Kibali and his adolescent sons Mjukuu, Fabumi and Mwamba who are currently adjusting to the departure of the females under the watchful care of our dedicated keeping team.
I would still dispute this statement(at least for Lowland Gorillas) but it is used in gorilla-keeping zoos worldwide as a mantra to justify keeping male groups!
Yes, first and foremost, Taronga Zoo have disestablished a functional breeding troop.
To be fair, had the adolescent males remained in the troop, they would have run into conflict with their sire (which given the eldest turns 11 this year, was an achievement they kept them all together that long).
I know many of us had hoped that the plan would have been for the adolescent males to transfer out (or better yet, Taronga build a new complex to house a seperate bachelor troop) and Taronga retain their breeding troop. At least this way, Melbourne will have a decent sized troop for the first time in decades.