VERY RARE EXOTIC MAMMALS: 1-2 Holders
SPECIES IN PERIL
Persian Onager - Held at Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Photo credit:
@akasha
Only two males remain at Taronga Western Plains Zoo following the death of the last female in 2021. These two are; Juwani (1998) and Farsi (2001). These two males are the remnants of Western Plains' former Onager breeding program that was ended roughly two decades ago. With the captive lifespan of Persian Onager's being about twenty five years, these two are certainly in their twilight years.
This species has been let die out naturally in favour of prioritising Przewalski's Horse regionally. With no remaining females, and no regional interest, this species will be gone regionally once the last two males pass.
Malayan Tapir - Held at Adelaide Zoo
Photo credit:
@Zoofan15
Adelaide Zoo currently holds a single elderly female - the last Malayan Tapir in the region. Her name is Jelita (2000). She was born at Adelaide, and was the only surviving calf of Adelaide's former breeding pair (a male from Singapore, and a female from the USA).
Previously, the region also held this species at Taronga, Melbourne and Hunter Valley. Melbourne held the last Malayan Tapir aside from Jelita, Semangka (1999) who was born at Taronga. Her father, Berani, was the last male Malayan Tapir in the region when he passed in 2018 at Hunter Valley. He was transferred across from Taronga just a few years earlier.
Jelita is well past breeding age, and with no regional interest anymore due to their eyes issues from the Australian sunlight, they will almost certainly disappear from the region once Jelita passes.
Guanaco - Held at Darling Downs Zoo
Photo credit:
@WhistlingKite24
One male remains at Darling Downs. His name is Fideo. It's unclear whether he came from Western Plains or not (he may have, but from accounts he didn't arrive with the three females). He was originally paired with three females at Taralga circa 2010. Although by that point, they were too old to breed, so he made his way up to Queensland soon after.
The three pure females at Taralga (which appear to be deceased now), were descendants of the breeding program that used to operate at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, and before that, Taronga. The region still has hybrids at both Darling Downs and Taralga that are offspring of Fideo, who has been paired with selected Llama females to produce offspring that are backbred to resemble the Guanaco phenotype. With no viable females and no imports on the horizon, pure Guanacos will disappear from the region once Fideo passes at Darling Downs.
Collared Peccary - Held at Melbourne Zoo
Photo credit:
@WhistlingKite24
Melbourne Zoo currently hold a trio of Collared Peccary; a male and two females. All individuals are full siblings, and elderly.
These individuals are descended from just a single pair imported by Wellington Zoo in 1969 from Canada. This pair's descendants eventually made their way across to Australia, were breeding groups at Melbourne, Adelaide and Taronga persisted for decades.
Taronga's last individuals were transferred to Melbourne in the mid 2000's to re-populate their group which was dwindling. Melbourne had the last non castrated male in the region, and he was bred with a few of the remaining viable Taronga girls (to produce many offspring, including the current trio at Melbourne). Melbourne's breeding male passed soon after his last offspring were born in 2012, leading to the end of the breeding program. Adelaide's last castrated male was sent across to Melbourne in 2015; he passed there a few years later. By the late 2010's, Melbourne were just down to five Peccary (female and four of her offspring). She and her eldest offspring both passed away circa 2020.
With no IRA for this species, and the population consisting of three now elderly Peccary siblings, this species will inevitably disappear from the region within the next decade.
Vervet Monkey - Held at Werribee Open Range Zoo
Photo credit:
@akasha
As of last year, Werribee had five (2.3) Vervet Monkeys left. This is a dramatic decrease from just a few years earlier when they held nine (6.3). During my visit earlier this year, I saw just three Vervet Monkeys, so the troop is certainly dwindling.
Werribee's remaining Vervet's are products of the zoos former breeding program that was founded via an import from the USA of ten individuals in 1996. Offspring were bred over the next decade. It's been speculated that these Vervets are potentially hybrids.
Historically, Perth also used to hold a purebred breeding colony that was phased out in 2006, with the last individuals were sent to Gorge. They've all since presumably passed; unless some were integrated with Werribee's.
Vervet Monkeys can live up to 30 years in captivity, so there's a good chance Werribee could still have a very small troop for years to come. The last birth was in 2009; so the Vervets are at least 17 years old or older.
The last individuals are all desexed, so no chance of breeding. This species has also been on the phase out block by the ZAA for many many years now. With the group being hybrids, and the lack of additional interest regionally, there's little hope this would change.
Mandrill - Held at Adelaide Zoo
Photo credit:
@Zoofan15
Australasia's last Mandrills are two males at Adelaide Zoo. They are a father and son; Tabah (2005) and Jumoke (2017). They are the last remaining descendants of Adelaide's former breeding program.
Previously Melbourne, Tasmania and further back, Taronga and Perth, also held this species. Breeding was consolidated to the three main zoos (Adelaide, Taronga and Melbourne) although by the 90's, it was just Adelaide breeding. Melbourne's troop were largely hybrids and Taronga held all males (which died out in the early 2000's).
Melbourne founded a new purbred troop circa 2000 with a male from Israel and two females from Adelaide. They produced a few offspring in the 2000's, including Tabah, who went back to Adelaide to breed (with his close relatives). Melbourne's last Mandrills were their founding purebred trio who passed in 2017 (the male), and 2018 (the two females). Tasmania also held surplus individuals from Adelaide; all have since passed.
With no new imports since 2000, and no interest from other holders, this species is due for phase out.
Crab Eating Macaque - Held at Banana Cabana and Tasmania Zoo
Photo credit: Banana Cabana
With the exception of research institutions where hundreds or more likely exist, there are currently two holders regionally. Banana Cabana currently has a decent sized troop of Crab Eating Macaques; although since they receive primates from different facilities/situations, they aren't all kept together. There's at least three left at Tasmania Zoo (as of last year). So still a small amount within the region amongst both facilities.
With concerns surrounding Herpes B Virus, this species is unlikely to return to the major collections anytime soon. At both facilities, the groups are largely older. In captivity, this species can live into their forties. A pair at Banana Cabana are only in their early teens, so there's a chance they could persist for a while to come.
Barton's Long Beaked Echidna - Held at Taronga Zoo
Photo Credit:
@Hix
Taronga has just one male remaining; JR. He's about fifty five years old at the moment, so well past the expected lifespan of this species (which is about thirty years). He's extremely special - being the only individual of his species outside of New Guinea. JR is currently on display in Taronga's new Nocturnal House - Nguwing Nura.
JR was originally at the Dallas Zoo, before transferring to London in 1986. He was imported to Taronga in 1994 alongside two females, one of which passed not long after. The other female (Taronga's last), passed in 2015 at over fifty years of age.
Due to their rarity in captivity, there's no guarantees Taronga (or any another facility regionally) will be able to hold this species in the future.
), so it would be great to have contributions from others along the way.