Wellington Zoo Wellington Zoo News 2016

Tygo

Tygo

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Article about Sumatran Tiger Breeding at Wellington Zoo.
Wellington Zoo tiger Rokan in an unrequited love triangle | Stuff.co.nz
Wellington Zoo tiger Rokan in an unrequited love triangle
February 13 2016

Love is in the air at Wellington Zoo this Valentines Day for everyone but Rokan the sumatran tiger, who has become a third wheel.

In 2013 Rokan became the zoo's only tiger when his mother died from a malignant tumour.

The following year, Senya, a 5-year-old female, arrived from Mogo Zoo in Australia. But unfortunately for Rokan, 19, she is intended for a younger male tiger.

Life science manager of primates and carnivores Paul Horton says Rokan looks pretty good for his age but it's 8-year-old Bashii that will be the father of any new cubs.

"It's a bit like an arranged marriage, and Rokan's a third wheel," he says.

Bashii and Senya are part of the zoo's breeding programme, intended to preserve the sumatran tiger species, which is listed as critically endangered.

"We're all about having sustainable zoo populations that add to the wild populations, but with sumatran tigers that's not possible, due to the fractured nature of their wild habitat."

Unfortunately there won't be the pitter patter of tiny tiger paws in 2016, Horton says.

"We go by a breeding plan and this year there's no recommendation for breeding. Zoos don't breed willy-nilly, they breed for requirement and make sure there's a future for that animal."

The tigers will be part of the animal attraction at Wellington Zoo's Valentines Day celebrations on Sunday.
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Zoofan15 said:
Looks like Australasia has really slowed down on the breeding of Sumatran tigers. There's only been six cubs born since 2012. A decision no doubt due to the baby boom of 2006-2011.
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The Stats

Sumatran Tiger Cubs born:

1990-1999: 7
2000-2005: 12
2006-2011: 25!!!
2012-2016: 6

Australia Zoo imported triplets from Indonesia (born 2007), so technically you can extend the 2006-2011 bracket to 28.

Of those 28 animals, two have died; two have been exported to Europe; two have bred; 17 have yet to be paired with a mate.
 
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New Zealand's only captive Pelican has been put down at Wellington Zoo.

Story here: Lanky the pelican, Wellington Zoo's longest resident, dies | Stuff.co.nz

The death of a very special bird has left the nation pelican-less.

Lanky, the only pelican in New Zealand and the longest living resident at Wellington Zoo, has been euthanised.

The cheeky bird, who will be remembered for his giant beak and occasional hissing, had been battling arthritis in his ankles for the past few years.

On Monday, the zoo announced that Lanky had been put down.

"Lanky had regular medical examinations and we were able to manage the arthritis in his ankles with pain relief and anti-inflammatories, but his lameness increased over recent months," general manager of animal care Mauritz Basson said.

Lanky was finding it hard to bear weight on his legs, and stopped eating and taking his medication, he said.

"The welfare of our animals is paramount, and the observations showed we were no longer able to sustain his quality of life, so the decision to euthanise Lanky was made in his best interests."

Lanky was an Australian Pelican, a bird with the longest beak of any bird in the world.

He arrived at Wellington Zoo in 1978, and has lived in a pond past the monkey islands for almost 40 years.

The pelican could often be seen swimming in the moat and was often a feature of the Zoo's daily animal talks.

Senior keeper Phil Wisker cared for Lanky for nine years.

"Lanky's favourite food was Kahawai, and he consumed a kilo of fish every day," he said.

"However, he was definitely seen from time to time sneaking food off his neighbours, the capuchin monkeys and spider monkeys, who may not have appreciated his behaviour."

His age made him one of the oldest residents at the zoo.

He came to Wellington after surviving hard times in drought-ridden Adelaide - rescued with three other young wild-born, Lanky was hand-reared at Adelaide Zoo before making the move across the ditch.

The species is commonly found throughout Australia.

PELICAN FACTS

New Zealand had a native Pelican which died out before human colonisation, believed to have been a sub-species of the Australian Pelican.

Another Wellington Zoo pelican named Percy lived until age 62 and made it into the Guinness Book of Records as one of the world's longest living birds.
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Wellington Zoo has received a female Eastern Bongo from Singapore Zoo, who will then move to Taronga Western Plains Zoo later this year.
https://wellingtonzoo.com/news/meet-our-newest-visitor-maisha-the-bongo/
Meet our newest visitor, Maisha the Bongo
4 April 2016

You may have noticed a friendly new face in the African Savannah habitat at Wellington Zoo recently. Our newest visitor at the Zoo is a two and half year old female Eastern Bongo called Maisha and she is the first ever Bongo in New Zealand!
1 April 2016 Bongo image for web story finishedWith a similar appearance to our resident Nyala, this critically endangered Bongo is slightly larger and you’ll notice two large horns on her head.

Maisha arrived here late last year after travelling all the way from Singapore Zoo. She will remain in our care for another six months before we send her to her new home in Australia at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Australian zoos can only import antelope after they have spent a year in New Zealand for quarantine.

Maisha will be an important part of the ZAA breeding programme, as there are currently only eight males and one female Bongo in Australia. This breeding programme is vital to the Australasian population of the Eastern Bongo, as they are listed as critically endangered by the IUCN. Good zoos work collaboratively to make conservation breeding programmes like this successful, and we’ve been working with Taronga Western Plains Zoo for a number of years to make this journey happen.
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That's cool that she has been put on display, but I'm a little surprised they didn't give her one of the empty paddocks past the Grassland Cats - although maybe these didn't have useful housing for hoofstock?
 
Sam the Chimpanzee at Wellington Zoo has been Euthanised due to an ongoing battle with Heart Disease.
Chimpanzee dies at Wellington Zoo - National - NZ Herald News
Chimpanzee dies at Wellington Zoo

12:01 PM Wednesday Apr 6, 2016

A 38-year-old chimpanzee at Wellington Zoo has died after a battle with heart disease.

Sam, a male chimp, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy in 2014. While his symptoms could be treated in the short term, there is no cure and he was euthanised after his health recently deteriorated.

On Monday, the zoo announced that Lanky, the only pelican in New Zealand and the longest living resident at Wellington Zoo, had been euthanised.

Animal care general manager Mauritz Basson said zoo keepers and the veterinary team had been monitoring Sam's health closely over the last 18 months and were given advice by cardiologists from Wellington Hospital and the Great Ape Heart Project.

"However, Sam's symptoms were having more of an impact on his health and social wellbeing, and there was no further possibility of improving his overall welfare," said Mr Basson.

"Animal welfare is our top priority, so the decision to euthanise Sam was made in his best interests."

"Zoo staff will miss Sam's calm presence, and his peaceful attitude among the rest of the chimpanzee community."

Sam was born at Wellington Zoo in 1978, and has fathered a number of chimpanzees. He was often known for his penchant for blankets or sacks.

"Sam was a sun-smart chimpanzee, always first to nab a blanket to cover up from the sun - or to wrap up warm on cooler days," said senior zoo keeper Harmony Wallace.

"He was easy to distinguish from the other chimps with his large presence, and always being the first one up for food. Always a lover, never a fighter - it's not surprising that he didn't ever make a bid for the alpha spot, but his loss will be noted by the other chimpanzees."

Chimpanzees have a complex social structure, and while Sam was a low-key member of the community, it is likely that his passing will mean further changing of the dynamics for his community.

Chimpanzees are an endangered species due to loss of habitat and poaching for bush meat and pet trades. Wellington Zoo is a member of the Jane Goodall Institute - which works to protect chimpanzees and other primates by supporting sanctuaries, reduce illegal animal trafficking, and education to protect endangered apes in the wild.

What is dilated cardiomyopathy?
• Dilated cardiomyopathy is a slow progressive disease of the heart muscle, which reduces the heart's ability to beat and contract.

• Wellington Zoo is home to 11 Chimpanzees, which is one of the largest chimpanzee communities in Australasia.
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there's a lot of up-and-down good-and-bad news at Wellington at the moment. Lanky the pelican dies, then a bongo goes on show, then Sam the chimp dies - and now some good news again. The latest zoo news is that some new capybara are arriving from Paris at the end of April.

This means that NZ will have a reasonably varied base for their population (Auckland's capybara are females from Adelaide and a male from the UK), unlike that which Australia currently has.
 
The Capybara will be from Parc Zoologique de Paris to be specific. :)

It is very good that NZ has acquired a number of founders for this species.

Presumably they will be displayed around the monkey islands (was this where they used to be?), and presumably their main land area will be where the pelican used to hang out mostly (although I expect they will reconfigure that quite a bit, including the viewing area). I wonder if this area might now be referred to as the South American Precinct?
 
zooboy28 said:
Presumably they will be displayed around the monkey islands (was this where they used to be?), and presumably their main land area will be where the pelican used to hang out mostly (although I expect they will reconfigure that quite a bit, including the viewing area). I wonder if this area might now be referred to as the South American Precinct?
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yes, the lake at that time looked different (there was a little railway loop there, and no monkey islands!) but that is indeed where the capybara were housed.
 
The Capybara have arrived, four Capybara have arrived from Paris Zoological Park.
https://wellingtonzoo.com/news/capybaras-touch-down-at-wellington-zoo/
Capybaras touch down at Wellington Zoo
21 April 2016

We are very excited to announce the arrival of four Capybaras who arrived from Paris Zoological Park this week!
Our male Capybara, Guarani and three females, Vara, Guara and Iapa have just recently been moved into their new home near the entrance to the Zoo and are settling in well.

The Capybara is the world’s largest rodent and they share similar features with rats, mice and Guinea pigs, such as their ever-growing front teeth. One of their notable features is their partially webbed feet, making the Capybara excellent swimmers!

You can easily tell the difference between a male and female Capybara - just look for the scent gland found on the nose of a male Capybara. This bump is called a morillo and is used as a way of sending out a chemical signal, particularly during breeding season.

Although Capybaras are not endangered, their populations have been affected by hunting and habitat loss. Capybaras are native to Central America and South America with many other animals sharing nearby habitats, such as the Golden Lion Tamarins and the Cotton-Top Tamarins which are listed as endangered by the IUCN.

Wellington Zoo actively supports a range of both local and global conservation projects to help save animals that live in the same home range as Capybara. We have partnered with organizations such as Associatcão Mico-Leão-Dourado (AMLD) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to save the Golden Lion Tamarin, as well as Proyecto Titi in Colombia, to monitor wild populations of Cotton Top Tamarins.

Good zoos work together with field conservation projects to help local communities to save animals in their home range. We then share those stories with all of you so we all know how we can help to save animals in the wild
If you’re out and about the Zoo these school holidays, make sure you say hi to our Capybaras and learn all about these charismatic animals and how we can protect their habitat in the wild.
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fantastic news. Also a good use of the old peccary enclosure!

Welcome capybara: world's largest rodent takes up residence in Wellington Zoo | Stuff.co.nz
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They have arrived in the capital from Parc Zoologique de Paris this week and will be housed in a redeveloped habitat near the zoo entrance that will have two water holes and the shelters needed for the semi-aquatic animal.

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Also, from the same article:
The zoo turns 110 this week and will celebrate throughout the year, including giving free entry to the 110th visitor each day and a Trade Me auction for a '110 reasons to love Wellington Zoo' experience, that will include 30 minutes with a cheetah and a behind-the scenes tour.
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Chlidonias said:
fantastic news. Also a good use of the old peccary enclosure!
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It would be quite interesting to see Capybara at eye-level. Although this whole area is slated for redevelopment as part of the new entrance isn't it? So this will only be a temporary home.
 
man, I hate Wellington Zoo's website. It is so hard to find anything and it's so ugly.

Is there a map of the zoo on there somewhere? I couldn't find one at all.
 
I was looking for the map today too and couldn't find it. Thanks Tygo.

Has the Kea walkthrough aviary opened yet?
 
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