Werribee Open Range Zoo Werribee Open Range Zoo - Historical Species List (June 2012)

[Zoofan15]

Werribee Open Range Zoo - Complete Species List (June 2012)

Mammals

African Lion Panthera leo
Cheetah Acinonyx jubatus
African Wild Dog Lycaon pictus pictus
Serval Leptailurus serval
Meerkat Suricata suricatta
White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum simum
Common Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius
Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis
Rothschild’s Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi
Plains Zebra Equus burchellii
Przewalski’s Horse Equus ferus przewalskii
Arabian Camel Camelus “dromedarius”
American Bison Bison bison
Cow/Ox Bos taurus
African Buffalo Syncerus caffer nanus
Eland Taurotragus oryx
Greater Kudu Tragelpahus strepsiceros
Addax Addax nasomaculatus
Sable Antelope Hippotragus niger
Scimitar Oryx Oryx dammah
Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Spotted Deer Axis axis
Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra
Western Gorilla Gorilla gorilla gorilla
Vervet Monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus johnstoni
Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii
Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus giganteus
Red-bellied Pademelon Thylogale billardierii
Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus peregrinus
Sugar Glider Petaurus breviceps
Squirrel Glider Petaurus norfolcensis

Birds

Ostrich Struthio camelus
Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae novaehollandiae
Brolga Grus rubicunda
Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides
African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus
Helmeted Guineafowl Numida meleagris
Domestic Chicken Gallus gallus domestic

Reptiles

Freshwater Crocodile Crocodylus johnstoni
Leopard Tortoise Geochelone pardalis
Bell’s Hinge-back Tortoise Kinixys belliana
Eastern Snake-necked Turtle Chelodina longicollis
Coastal Bearded Dragon Pogona barbata
Inland Bearded Dragon Pogona vitticeps
Veiled Chameleon Chamaeleo calyptratus
Striped Legless Lizard Delma impar
Blotched Blue-tongue Tiliqua nigrolutea
Shingleback Tiliqua rugosa
Northern Blue-tongue Tiliqua scincoides intermedia
Eastern Blue-tongue Tiliqua scincoides scincoides
Dumeril’s Boa Boa dumerili
Kenyan Sand Boa Eryx colubrinus
Inland Carpet Python Morelia spilota metcalfei
Carpet Python Morelia spilota variegate

Amphibians

Green Tree-frog Litoria caerulea
Southern Bell Frog Litoria raniformis
Japanese Fire-bellied Newt Cynops pyrrgogaster

Fish

Redeye Tetra Arnoldichthys spilopterus
Spotted Catfish Synodontis nigriventris

Invertebrates

Rainforest Scorpion Liocheles waigiensis
Queensland Desert Scorpion Urodacus macrurus
Black Rock Scorpion Urodacus manicatus
Whistling Spider Phlogius sp.
Eastern Goliath Eurycnema goliath
Spiny Stick Insect Extatosoma tiaratum
Crowned Stick Insect Onchestus rentzi
Walkingstick Tropidoderus sp.

 

[Zoofan15]

2012-2022 Comparison

A 2022 species list can be found here (compiled by @Jambo), with a note that this was not a complete species list as some of the species may have been off display.

Spoiler: Werribee Species List 2022

I've decided to put this up as we currently don't have a species list for Werribee.

I counted some of the animals on display, but keep in mind, there may have been some off display.

Mammals:
Eastern Grey Kangaroo - 2.11
Tammar Wallabies
Koala - 0.2
Eastern Barred Bandicoot
Western Lowland Gorilla - 3.0 Motoba (1983), Yakini (1999), Ganyeka (2000)
Vervet Monkey
African Wild Dog - 4.0
African Lion - 2.1 Sheru (2016), Nilo (2012), Asali (2017)
Common Hippo - 0.5 Brindabella (1990), Primrose (1990), Tulip (2003), Lotus (2008), Pansy (2013)
Serval - 0.2 Nanki (2012), Morilli (2012)
Cheetah - 0.1 Kulinda (2012)
Slender Tailed Meerkat
Bison - 11 individuals
Prezwalski's Horse - 8 individuals
Dromedary Camel - 1.4
Scimitar Horned Oryx
Nyala
Addax - at least two off display
Blackbuck
Ankole Cattle - three individuals
Southern White Rhino - 2.4 Umgana (1988), Kifaru (2009), Make (1984), Letaba (1992), Sisi (1996), Kipenzi (2013)
Zebra - 4.9
Eland - 20 individuals
Waterbuck - 2.4
Giraffe - 5.0 Amani (2007), Harold (2008), Kona (2008), Ajali (2010), Jelani (2010)

Birds
Emu - 12 individuals
Ostrich - 5.8
Helmeted Guineafowl
Plains Wanderer
Orange Bellied Parrot

Reptiles
Dumeril's Boa
Leopard Tortoise
Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard
Shingleback Lizard

Interestingly, the mammals and birds haven’t taken the hit they did at Melbourne Zoo over the decade that’s been; though reptile species have decreased from 16 species in 2012 to approximately four in 2022 (bearing in mind there may be one or two off display).

Being an open range zoo, Werribee has always had a smaller species list than what you’d expect from a city zoo. Also typical of an open range zoo, they have a higher number of mammal species (especially megafauna) versus birds, reptiles and amphibians - which are found in higher numbers at both Melbourne Zoo and other city zoos.

I’m looking forward to seeing what Werribee achieve in the coming years. The highlight will of course be their elephants; with Spotted hyena also in the plans. The completion of the Bovid IRA will hopefully prompt them to consider some imports, though nothing has been announced yet.

 

[Astrobird]

To add to this historical list, Werribee has also kept Sambar Deer, Water Buffalo and the last White tailed deer in Australia. I dont ever recall them having African Grey parrots, or any African aviary birds, despite earlier plans to have a walk thru aviary for African species.

 

[Zoofan15]

To add to this historical list, Werribee has also kept Sambar Deer, Water Buffalo and the last White tailed deer in Australia. I dont ever recall them having African Grey parrots, or any African aviary birds, despite earlier plans to have a walk thru aviary for African species.

This species list only concerns what they held in June 2012, so I haven’t included species they held prior. It’s good to know for general interest though.

Werribee Open Range Zoo held two female African grey parrot at that time that were on loan from a facility in Canberra. Melbourne Zoo received six unsexed African grey parrots from that same facility that year.

 

[Josh F]

I wish they still had that reptile selection! Would be great to see.

 

[Zoofan15]

I wish they still had that reptile selection! Would be great to see.

It is a shame. I guess being an open range zoo, they’ve decided to dedicate their resources more towards mammals over the past decade - with Melbourne Zoo continuing to be Zoos Victoria’s stronghold for reptiles.

Melbourne Zoo held an impressive 72 species of reptile in June 2012, which has declined slightly to around 55 species today.

 

[Josh F]

Seems like the ‘smaller’ species have been overlooked largely. I’ve always been surprised that species like Ball Pythons and Kenyan Sand Boas haven’t been relocated to Werribee from Melbourne just based on the African theme. I’m sure there would be many other species held at Melbourne that would fit that bill too that I’m overlooking. Perhaps a move for the future with the Werribee expansion (or just an overly optimistic herp fanatic )

 

[Zoofan15]

Seems like the ‘smaller’ species have been overlooked largely. I’ve always been surprised that species like Ball Pythons and Kenyan Sand Boas haven’t been relocated to Werribee from Melbourne just based on the African theme. I’m sure there would be many other species held at Melbourne that would fit that bill too that I’m overlooking. Perhaps a move for the future with the Werribee expansion (or just an overly optimistic herp fanatic )

I agree. Aside from the fact there's the space at Werribee to construct large exhibits for these species, it also adds some variety. Plenty of people enjoy seeing reptiles (and birds) and while the focus is on mammals at Werribee, birds and reptiles at Melbourne and natives at Healseville, there's no reason there can't be a degree of diversity across the sites.

Zoo's Victoria's zoos should be playing to their strengths. Werribee's is space, so they should build large exhibits for a variety of species imo (and that's coming from a mammals guy)

 

[Jambo]

Werribee Open Range Zoo held two female African grey parrot at that time that were on loan from a facility in Canberra. Melbourne Zoo received six unsexed African grey parrots from that same facility that year.

I believe they were kept off display; Melbourne had quite a lot at the time in a row of cages below the Bear enclosure.

Seems like the ‘smaller’ species have been overlooked largely. I’ve always been surprised that species like Ball Pythons and Kenyan Sand Boas haven’t been relocated to Werribee from Melbourne just based on the African theme. I’m sure there would be many other species held at Melbourne that would fit that bill too that I’m overlooking. Perhaps a move for the future with the Werribee expansion (or just an overly optimistic herp fanatic )

I agree, this would be great. I like the idea of having 'village huts' along the trails which contain smaller enclosures for African snakes, amphibians, insects ect. That's a great way to integrate some of those smaller species into a more open range, safari style facility.

Here's an image of the Pula Hut, which used to hold an array of these smaller species but now sit's species less unfortunately: