It would be a very costly venture, but it would offer much more than the enclosure's current aesthetic offers.
Melbourne Zoo The Future of Zoos Victoria 2025 (Speculation/Fantasy)
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The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Short ramble.
First visit to Melbourne Zoo in over a year — just a short one today.
Did Carnivores, Gorilla Rainforest, Forest of Wonders, and Keeper Kids to see the Komodo dragon.
Only one exhibit in each trail was a no-show: the binturong and the otters were absent in their respective areas, but everything else was out and moving. Seeing as the zoo is in a reduced state, that was pretty impressive to me. Quite lucky, really — even when it had more full exhibits, I could often walk many trails and find half the animals behind the scenes with nothing to see. Today was probably the most alive I have seen the zoo in my last however many visits!
The arboreal animals (except the binturong) were all out and about.
Both tigers, lions, and snow leopards were visible, and the devils were more active than I’ve ever seen them.
Are there only two squirrel monkeys now? They were really active and engaging today — didn’t expect that!
The Butterfly House is closed while they freshen it up for its big 40th birthday. The butterfly garden, though, was a bit of a fizzer — most of the plants looked dead. It should really become an exhibit for something else.
The old mandrill exhibit was being freshened up too. Could be something moving in soon — maybe the colobus — or it might just be routine maintenance, but it looked to be more than that.
Finally, Treetops just needs animals, in my opinion. I don’t think it looks as worn out as I was led to believe — it just needs more tenants. Certainly doesn’t need a ropes course!
My $0.02
First visit to Melbourne Zoo in over a year — just a short one today.
Did Carnivores, Gorilla Rainforest, Forest of Wonders, and Keeper Kids to see the Komodo dragon.
Only one exhibit in each trail was a no-show: the binturong and the otters were absent in their respective areas, but everything else was out and moving. Seeing as the zoo is in a reduced state, that was pretty impressive to me. Quite lucky, really — even when it had more full exhibits, I could often walk many trails and find half the animals behind the scenes with nothing to see. Today was probably the most alive I have seen the zoo in my last however many visits!
The arboreal animals (except the binturong) were all out and about.
Both tigers, lions, and snow leopards were visible, and the devils were more active than I’ve ever seen them.
Are there only two squirrel monkeys now? They were really active and engaging today — didn’t expect that!
The Butterfly House is closed while they freshen it up for its big 40th birthday. The butterfly garden, though, was a bit of a fizzer — most of the plants looked dead. It should really become an exhibit for something else.
The old mandrill exhibit was being freshened up too. Could be something moving in soon — maybe the colobus — or it might just be routine maintenance, but it looked to be more than that.
Finally, Treetops just needs animals, in my opinion. I don’t think it looks as worn out as I was led to believe — it just needs more tenants. Certainly doesn’t need a ropes course!
My $0.02
Did you visit Lupo?
I’m not surprised the Binturong was a now show. Now coati are back in the country, Zoos Victoria should really considered acquiring some as and when they become available and adding them to this exhibit (with Binturong replacing the equally uninspiring squirrel monkeys in their exhibit).
Melbourne Zoo have held two male Bolivian squirrel monkey since at least June 2023 according to the inventory report.
Hopefully the colobus are finally moving into the old Mandrill exhibit. They’ve had sufficient time to bond and are hopefully settled as a troop now.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
Lupo was being coaxed onto a set of scales by two keepers at the back of the exhibit. (And looking magnificent)
And on the Colobus, all three were out and hanging around really close to each other on a platform so I feel you are right that they are probably well bonded by now because they did present that way.
My other no show were the Peccaries today. Went by them on arrival and departure and not to be seen. (Whereas last year they were present for a good long viewing - maybe next time)
It'll like be replaced eventually - just a little stand in until the bigger project is announced.
Interesting. I'm looking to visit in the coming weeks, so I'll make sure to check this out. Fingers crossed the Colobus will be moving in now that they're all integrated. I also saw all three together when I visited last month for the first time, so it seems integrations have indeed gone well. Two were grooming each other whilst another was off on a nearby platform. Colobus are a naturally social species, so these behaviors should be expected.
I agree. It just needs to be freshened up. There are Cotton Tops in the first exhibit (despite it being closed off). With the Xenarthra IRA soon to be passed, I'm sure the addition of Sloths into one of the enclosures would also help. As would adding a species into the final enclosure along the boardwalk. There's many small species that I could see fitting there - Sugar Gliders, or even Bats would make for an interesting display.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
If Mandrill were to return to MZ, I think treetops should become a second gorilla enclosure for WORZ bachelor's, move the Colobus into the old Mandrill enclosure (to coexist with a third Pygmy Hippo enclosure, move the baboons to WORZ, and have Mandrill take over the baboon enclosure.
(And maybe okapi in the giraffe enclosure)
Alternatively all above occur except baboon stay where they are and Mandrill take the WORZ gorilla enclosure.
(And maybe okapi in the giraffe enclosure)
Alternatively all above occur except baboon stay where they are and Mandrill take the WORZ gorilla enclosure.
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I really like this idea. I’ve long favoured the management of Zoos Victoria’s gorillas all on a single site (with multiple troops like they held pre-Werribee). The lifespan of the gorilla bachelors at Werribee would likely come to an end as sufficient males come of age in the breeding troop at Melbourne (even with just Mbeli breeding).
Werribee’s gorilla exhibit would be perfect for a huge troop of Hamadryas baboon. If there was confidence in acquiring sufficient numbers of Mandrill to hold a large troop, then I’d be in favour of holding them there in instead. Otherwise, the baboon exhibit could comfortable hold 6-8 at this point in time. Perhaps start with 1.2 and retain a couple of offspring per female. It depends on regional interest.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
What I was meaning was that I think that on that land they should build a more permanent facility, as opposed to the temporary looking structures both programs are running out of (they remind me of school "portable classrooms" in appearance), and in that same structure also have exhibits for more reptiles, amphibians, and frogs (move the little froghouse that also looks temporary into this proposed structure).
I guess a viewing window into the breeding section would be possible, but I was meaning that this could be two seperate sections of the proposed build.
Moved this here to not clog a news thread with musings.
It is startling to me how Zoos Victoria have abandoned African Wild Dogs at both of their zoos considering they are a threatened species that also garners moderate interest from visitors.
The decision to phase them out at Melbourne wasn't surprising; the exhibit was far too small for them.
The decision to phase them out of Werribee however, is surprising. I guess they're prioritising Spotted Hyena (likely due to the breeding potential there). After all, Weribee's wanted to acquire them for many years now.
In the long term I guess we could see Werribee investing in the AWD/Cheetah breeding complex that was apart of the masterplan - but that's likely a long way off.
Same here. They’ve always been a popular species at the zoos I’ve visited that have held the species; and they fit into at least two categories in Zoos Victoria’s beloved species criteria.
The region has struggled to maintain a sustainable population, which hasn’t been helped that only a small number of facilities breed (with the majority accomodating non-breeding surplus). Historically, there was a larger number of breeding facilities, including all three New Zealand holders attempting to breed in the 2000’s (two of which did so successfully). As a consequence of the reduction in the number of breeding facilties, the majority of dogs in the region are closely related.
The region desperately needs new founders - ideally young dogs of 12-18 months of age that are approaching sexual maturity. Other zoos have tried to breed with older females and experienced repeated reproductive failures.
The Sleepy Hippo
Well-Known Member
My take is it's a practical decision seeing as they had to euthanize their last two, and to my understanding it's not particularly easy to source replacements.
Their only option really would have been to import from overseas as this is the only breeding pack in the region:
1.0 Seimon (00/00/0000) Imported 2019 (CR)
0.1 Pari (00/05/2018) Juma x Akida (Altina)
1.0 Iniko (02/05/2025) Seimon x Pari
0.1 Sabi (02/05/2025) Seimon x Pari
I have my fingers crossed Pari will produce a second (hopefully larger) litter in the first half of 2026, but there’s no guarantees. A large second litter of males and females would surely free up some as surplus for other holders.
dylan downward
Well-Known Member
So I headed out to Melbourne zoo yesterday this what I noticed from my last visit
The peccaries are no longer in there habitat anymore the signs have been taken down to
The old mandrill exhibit looks like it’s getting something in there soon no signs up but seems to be new fencing going up at the back and there was a nest box at the front could possibly be the peccaries them self but nothing saying what was going in there
the spider monkeys seem like they have been phased out as they are no longer on display and signs have been removed to
These are the main things I noticed but the zoo now seems very underwhelming compared to what it used to be like
The peccaries are no longer in there habitat anymore the signs have been taken down to
The old mandrill exhibit looks like it’s getting something in there soon no signs up but seems to be new fencing going up at the back and there was a nest box at the front could possibly be the peccaries them self but nothing saying what was going in there
the spider monkeys seem like they have been phased out as they are no longer on display and signs have been removed to
These are the main things I noticed but the zoo now seems very underwhelming compared to what it used to be like
Thanks for the update. I wonder if the peccaries are still with us. They’re getting on in years (2010-2012), but I had hoped they’d have a few years in them given the captive lifespan of 15-20 years. A transfer to the Mandrill exhibit makes a lot of sense and I would certainly welcome seeing something decent in there after so many years empty.
Perhaps the peccary exhibit is being renovated for tapir. They had long term plans to acquire a female.
I’ll be curious to know what happened to the remaining 2.1 spider monkeys; but it wouldn’t surprise me if any had come to New Zealand. Hamilton’s male is a behavioural non-breeder and Auckland are without a male.
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That's very surprising. The peccaries weren't that old by any means - they can live into their 20's in captivity on occasion. So I do wonder whether there has been a transfer to elsewhere in the zoo - ie. the former Mandrill exhibit. That would make sense if Melbourne did intend to renovate that area in preparation for receiving a female Brazilian Tapir.
I'm also very surprised to hear the Spider Monkeys aren't on display anymore - I had assumed Melbourne weren't intending to phase them out this quickly. But perhaps the plans for that planned ropes course are going to eventuate sooner rather than later.
With the Spider Monkeys gone, that would leave the Treetops trail with just the two Tamarin species, Black and White Colobus and White Cheeked Gibbon. The former two species could easily be moved off display, and receive new accommodation elsewhere in the zoo. The Colobus will probably likely end up at Werribee in the current Vervet enclosure, and the Gibbons could easily be moved to the Japanese Island with the older Saimang pair there retired to a regional facility.
The transfer out of two females to Gorge (which we’re assuming are Isobella and Elena) would have left the trip with 2.1 spider monkeys, which is a very unnatural troop structure. Disbanding the troop was likely arranged so as not to leave the remainder in limbo for a prolonged period.
However, there appears to have been a brief gap between the females leaving and whatever happened to the remaining 2.1, so my money is on the males being exported to New Zealand. An export to another country would for obvious reasons be more complex than a transfer within Australia and hence less predictable in timing.