The enclosures for lions today have been round for many many years and they can be seen on the map as far back as the 1940's, the orignal walls have not changed to much and infact the placement of species in the two pits is exactly the same. (I'm working on a paper on the history of Taronga at the moment in case your wondering). In the areas where the sun bears now live, (the 1996 lion caves exhibit), was originally a dual wire enclosure on level, that housed panthers and a jaguar, they then were modified to become one wired and one pit, the pit was home to jaguars and ran down from next to the lion pit to the level of the current viewing, and the other stayed a wire enclosure for tigers, all this time lions were also kept in what was to become the current bear canyon, after much modification of course. Sun bears have been seen at the zoo for many many years dating back to the old bear pits, the old sun bear exhibit (ran till late 90's) is an original pit and is currently being modified to house red pandas.
Taronga Zoo What happened to the xxxx enclosure/exhibit?
- Thread starter Interested
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Thank you for the replies and info guys. That is so sad about the zookeeper. I'm assuming she felt so passionate about the tigers. So it didnt happen in view of the public then but behind the scenes? What happened to the tiger? I hope she wasnt put down?
I must have been talking about the jaguar. I remember him well. His coat was always gleaming - gorgeous. Its such a shame that Taronga dont have any anymore. I remember Chester the white tiger - always seemed very majestic sitting on that platform thing.
The changes sound interesting. I like the idea of a museum. I'm assuming it will be of the history of Taronga? Zooworker, your paper about Taronga sounds great.Will you be letting forum members read it after its done?
I must have been talking about the jaguar. I remember him well. His coat was always gleaming - gorgeous. Its such a shame that Taronga dont have any anymore. I remember Chester the white tiger - always seemed very majestic sitting on that platform thing.
The changes sound interesting. I like the idea of a museum. I'm assuming it will be of the history of Taronga? Zooworker, your paper about Taronga sounds great.Will you be letting forum members read it after its done?
No it happened in the dens of an older tiger facility in the 70's, it just so happens my step dad was working in the emergency department at Royal north shore the day vicky came in. She was in the dens playing with the cubs, the mother was next door and just forced the gate down, this sparked huge overhauls. My paper will probably not be done for a few years yet, i'm doing parts on some zoo exhibits overseas to act as comparisons so have to visit a few zoo's yet.
Zooworker, so that was over where the smaller jungle cats are now? Wow what strength and detrmination (mother instinct)to break down the gate! Do you know of what overhauls this ssparked? Was the tiger put down after? I find it interesting to hear about changes in procedures from years ago in the way animals were handled in zoos compared to now.
I also like hearing about how the exhibits have changed over the years and the reasoning behind them, combined with changing societal attitudes. Its good to see pictures of what zoos are doing overseas (hopefully I will see inperson one day!) Wiill your paper be used to Taronga to plan changes based on overseas research?
I also like hearing about how the exhibits have changed over the years and the reasoning behind them, combined with changing societal attitudes. Its good to see pictures of what zoos are doing overseas (hopefully I will see inperson one day!) Wiill your paper be used to Taronga to plan changes based on overseas research?
It sparked not keeping tigers in those facilities anymore. Around the time this incident happened was i believed when taronga started putting focus on smaller cats in the jungle cats facility. To be honest with you i think it was just a bad gate. Keepers still enter enclosures with young big cats and most animals in general and we do that for the simple reason that you have an animal living in the public eye for most of it's life so last thing you need is one thats scared of humans. The simple way of solving these issues was of course better laid out holding facilities as opposed to singular dens, and two keepers at all times to check locks and so on. No it won't i'm doing this for my own reasons, it's free from the zoo, my work is being done basically to try and figure out for my self how far zoo design has come, whether it has progressed in anyway for the animals at all is a big question. Which is true in 90% of cases but in a work tour of asian aquariums i was horrified at the conditions large marine mammals were kept in. And it's all about social attitudes. I've found constant panterns with zoo developments running along side changes in human rights, perceptions other such things. And when you look at the really low end of the spectrum for zoos 90% of the time they are in areas that still have racial, gender or religious in equality which filters down.
I think there was a similar incident at Howletts(UK) many years ago with either a Siberian or 'Bengal' tigress. Two keepers went in to clean the outdoor enclosure having moved the mother into the next door enclosure, while her cubs were left where they were. She came back over the(very high) dividing fence and caught one of the keepers who was sadly killed.
(Someone correct me if the 'cub element' isn't accurate in this story.....)
Yes, they did. The 2nd time Aspinall was 'at home' and went and got his gun immediately and shot her there and then. I'm not sure how many tiger accidents they had altogether before they stopped the 'going in' policy. In the incident I'm thinking about one keeper got out through the door in time and the other didn't, she caught him and dragged him into the pond.
I seem to remember one incident involved a tiger called 'Balkash' but I believe he was male...
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Please post the photos! Simply load them into the gallery, as it's easier to view them from there.
Have uploaded several photos of the lion enclosure in it's various forms, the tiger enclosure, and a couple of old shots of the orang house, the alligator pond and island, and the flamingos.
With the lion and tiger enclosure images, I have included additional information for orientation and to describe various elements of the exhibit. Just open up the thumbnail to be able to read it.
Hix
With the lion and tiger enclosure images, I have included additional information for orientation and to describe various elements of the exhibit. Just open up the thumbnail to be able to read it.
Hix
loving the pics of the old orang cages. im only 23, and those cages are some of my earliest and memories. they really left an impression on me. taronga has been ribbed in the past for its 1994 rainforest exhibit, but i think anyone who had seen the orangs in their jail cells could appreciate that they were probably the worst great ape facility in the country at the time, and taronga then went on to build what was, for a over a decade probably the best orang facility in australia!
Yes, it was a bad facility by todays standards, but most people just don't understand it in yesterday's context. When it was built it was considered adequate.
The enclosures were all concrete and metal - easy to clean and disinfect, i.e. easy to keep the animals healthy. The interior of each cage had a wire mesh roof which meant that climbing species (like orangs and chimps) had plenty of room to brachiate and exercise. The orangs and chimps bred in these cages on several ocassions.
I'm not saying they were great, they weren't. Not by a long shot. But people look at them and judge them by today's standards.
I certainly can't say it was the worst great ape facility in the country at the time, because I hadn't seen any of the other zoos facilities back then (although a few years later I saw some enclosures for orangs at Adelaide Zoo that had no opportunities for brachiating that I could see).
I do recall, in 1982, seeing a recently built great ape facility in the UK that appeared worse than Taronga's old "jail cells", in my opinion.
Hix
The enclosures were all concrete and metal - easy to clean and disinfect, i.e. easy to keep the animals healthy. The interior of each cage had a wire mesh roof which meant that climbing species (like orangs and chimps) had plenty of room to brachiate and exercise. The orangs and chimps bred in these cages on several ocassions.
I'm not saying they were great, they weren't. Not by a long shot. But people look at them and judge them by today's standards.
I certainly can't say it was the worst great ape facility in the country at the time, because I hadn't seen any of the other zoos facilities back then (although a few years later I saw some enclosures for orangs at Adelaide Zoo that had no opportunities for brachiating that I could see).
I do recall, in 1982, seeing a recently built great ape facility in the UK that appeared worse than Taronga's old "jail cells", in my opinion.
Hix
I have some old photos of the lion enclosure and tiger enclosure (during it's 'blue' period) which I could post if anyone is particularly interested.
Hix
Hi Hix, could not disagree more with snowleopard on the posting of pics in gallery.
I feel that the posting of pics that are relevant to a thred are best placed on the thread. It just makes it all the more cohesive to the point of a comment or experiance.
I get frustrated by people posting 5 pics when 1 would have surficed. Just how many views of a rhino sim needs in his gallery l dont know. As it must have a factor in costs of runing this site. Okay off the track here! DOHH!!!
@zooman: it's frustrating to read your posts as your spelling and grammar are atrocious, but you do offer unique perspectives and do have a lot of knowledge of primates. I realize that you are new here and have only been on this site for a few months, but there are loads of members that adore the gallery and arguably spend more time there than anywhere else. Also, when taking photos at a zoological institution at times there have been many requests for multiple shots of a specific animal. This is a magnificent site for zoo-related material, and if you read the "Valencia Zoo Report" thread it will become evident that there are a number of people that prefer photos in the gallery than on individual threads. The photos are easier to view and don't take up so much space. Cheers!
I did see the Orangutans in their old concrete cages on one visit to Australia. I would say at that time it was the WORST Ape housing- still being used which I had seen anywhere in a major zoo anywhere, not just in Australia!! I appreciate these cages were left overs from the past and have long since disappeared though. I was equally surprised to see Orangutans and Gorillas living in almost equally bad conditions at a couple of US zoos at the same period.
The reference to rhinos is legitimate, as there are tons of rhino shots in the expansive gallery. I deliberately take lots of shots of those fascinating mammals when visting zoos because the ZooChat member Mark adores rhinos and appreciates the numerous photographs, and there are other individuals who like giant pandas, or okapis, or any number of creatures. If someone thinks that there are too many shots of a particular animal then they can simply skip over viewing them and move on...
MARK
Well-Known Member
How mature... Patrick got suspended for I can't even remember what but this is allow to stand..?
**Shakes head**
Hi Jeremy, Patrick was not suspended , barred or banned at all, He left the forum at his will