What's involved in Australian zoos importing birds?

[MARK]

A while back I was talking to a Adelaide zoo keeper and they said for a chilean flamingo it would cost $500 a day for quarantine. That is a massive amount if you are importing a flock which needs to spend months in quarantine.

Would importing Flamingo EGGS be a better way to import this species like they did at Auckland zoo?

 

[Hix]

Would importing Flamingo EGGS be a better way to import this species like they did at Auckland zoo?

If you read this document:

Birds: Flamingoes (Live) - DAFF

there is a section on importing eggs - the general view was that it wasn't really practical.

if our zoos were to import a decent number of founders for new species then it would be better to do it for relatively long lived and slow breeding species which wouldnt need fresh genetic top-ups all the time.

If they import a species that breeds rapidly (like the waxbills I mentioned) and they were managed properly, they would NEVER need a genetic top-up.



Hix