http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/ne...e/news-story/563e704c0d34cbc6a4d56812afd0230b
TIGERS TO ROAR INTO NEW HOME
A NEW Sumatran tiger exhibit will allow Taronga Zoo to substantially increase its tiger population.
From mid-2017, tigers will be housed at the Sumatran Tiger Experience, which will be about four times larger than the current exhibit, which dates back to 1916.
“We’re going to be moving from a smaller, 1916-style exhibit to a modern-day, over 2000sq m (exhibit) for our Sumatran tigers,” unit supervisor of carnivores Louise Ginman said.
“It means our Sumatran tiger holding will go up from about a maximum of five to potentially 12 tigers. Having that extra space means we can breed more regularly if the need arises."
“At the moment we can only breed once every five to 10 years but having those extra spaces for the entire Australian region means we can now increase the Sumatran tiger population within Australia.”
Ms Ginman said zoo visitors would be taken on a Sumatran adventure. “We’re going to be building enclosures that are unique to Australia for holding Sumatran tigers,” she said, “It’s a special stainless steel netting, which will make the experience of seeing the tigers that much more real. You’ll be able to hear and smell them, whereas at our current exhibit, they’re behind glass.”
The new Sumatran Tiger Experience is expected to be completed in mid-2017.
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Exciting to hear the new exhibit can accommodate up to 12 tigers. I'm confident Jumilah (2003), Kembali (2011) and Kartika (2011) will return this year, but I doubt Sakti (2011) will. Sakti prefers his own company, and is said to be like his father, Satu, who was notoriously unpredictable and problematic to introduce to Jumilah for breeding.
He has been separated from his family for over two years now so would have to be kept separate, and is unlikely to be considered for breeding over his more relaxed brother, Kembali.
I think the best option would be to have Jumilah and Kartika return and stay together in one enclosure, and bring in a young, unrelated female for Kembali to breed with. His options in Australasia are limited. Kaitlyn and Maneki at Australia Zoo are unrelated, but turn 10 this year so their breeding years are limited. The two Sumatran females left at Dreamworld do not descend from the Nico-Meta line, but may be related to Kembali through his father, who like Soroya and Raja, was born in Germany and they too are getting on in their years.
Importing a young female from the USA (as we have had many imports from Europe in the last decade) would be the best way to go in my opinion. If they are able to source a young female, aged 2-3 years, she could be paired with Kembali to produce two or three litters over the next decade.
TIGERS TO ROAR INTO NEW HOME
A NEW Sumatran tiger exhibit will allow Taronga Zoo to substantially increase its tiger population.
From mid-2017, tigers will be housed at the Sumatran Tiger Experience, which will be about four times larger than the current exhibit, which dates back to 1916.
“We’re going to be moving from a smaller, 1916-style exhibit to a modern-day, over 2000sq m (exhibit) for our Sumatran tigers,” unit supervisor of carnivores Louise Ginman said.
“It means our Sumatran tiger holding will go up from about a maximum of five to potentially 12 tigers. Having that extra space means we can breed more regularly if the need arises."
“At the moment we can only breed once every five to 10 years but having those extra spaces for the entire Australian region means we can now increase the Sumatran tiger population within Australia.”
Ms Ginman said zoo visitors would be taken on a Sumatran adventure. “We’re going to be building enclosures that are unique to Australia for holding Sumatran tigers,” she said, “It’s a special stainless steel netting, which will make the experience of seeing the tigers that much more real. You’ll be able to hear and smell them, whereas at our current exhibit, they’re behind glass.”
The new Sumatran Tiger Experience is expected to be completed in mid-2017.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Exciting to hear the new exhibit can accommodate up to 12 tigers. I'm confident Jumilah (2003), Kembali (2011) and Kartika (2011) will return this year, but I doubt Sakti (2011) will. Sakti prefers his own company, and is said to be like his father, Satu, who was notoriously unpredictable and problematic to introduce to Jumilah for breeding.
He has been separated from his family for over two years now so would have to be kept separate, and is unlikely to be considered for breeding over his more relaxed brother, Kembali.
I think the best option would be to have Jumilah and Kartika return and stay together in one enclosure, and bring in a young, unrelated female for Kembali to breed with. His options in Australasia are limited. Kaitlyn and Maneki at Australia Zoo are unrelated, but turn 10 this year so their breeding years are limited. The two Sumatran females left at Dreamworld do not descend from the Nico-Meta line, but may be related to Kembali through his father, who like Soroya and Raja, was born in Germany and they too are getting on in their years.
Importing a young female from the USA (as we have had many imports from Europe in the last decade) would be the best way to go in my opinion. If they are able to source a young female, aged 2-3 years, she could be paired with Kembali to produce two or three litters over the next decade.
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