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Malayan Tapirs in Australia
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#1
Malayan Tapirs in Australia
11-11-2008
just been checking ISIS, it seems Taronga has lost Denise. At nearly 14 years of age when she was imported in the late 1990s from America, has she died of old age or been sent elsewhere? (does make you wonder why taronga spent such money on their wild asia exhibit doesnt it?)
her departure leaves just the male alone, the only male in Australia. His daughter, now about ten years of age is still in Melbourne and 2 females are in Adelaide. Get your photos people |
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#2
11-11-2008
also looks like bison numbers at WPZ have been slashed to just 4, including a new calf.
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#3
11-11-2008
suddenly one year when I went to Melbourne zoo, the bison and the Tapir was gone, I'm sure what exactly happened but I remember something was said about eyesight being destroyed in Australian Climate on another thread.
The Tapir is no longer on the map in Melbourne zoo not sure where she went, just know apparently she was the first Malayan Tapir to be born in Australia, |
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#4
11-11-2008
so am i correct in guessing that adelaide has mother and female offsrping (2000) left? such a shame the tapirs got the eye condition as this program was off to a good start
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#5
11-11-2008
On my last visit to Melbourne I did some snooping around the tapir exhibit(I just looked over the fence) and it shows signs that it is still in use. There are tracks in the grass where she must repeatedley walk and seeing as the exhibit is not much good for any other species of animal I would say that she is still alive but just off exhibit.
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#6
11-11-2008
and yes im pretty sure Semangka was an Australian first, although Adelaide did have tapirs since around 1995 and a birth in Sept 2000
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#7
12-11-2008
oh damn, Malayan Tapir's one of my fav animals, shame that it is off display. Would anyone know more about the fly problem with their eyesight?
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#8
12-11-2008
Tapirs, big cats, bears (except for sun bears), etc, are all on the decline in Australia, and throw in hoofstock and I'm beginning to wonder what the major zoos will look like in another decade. I've been following the thread on macaques but I actually feel as if Aussie zoos have found success with primates. There are probably around 15 different species at both Taronga and Adelaide, about 18 at the Melbourne Zoo, and loads of monkeys scattered all over the nation.
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#9
12-11-2008
Excuse my ignorance but when did the second male die?
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#10
12-11-2008
Do you mean the Adelaide male? Dunno, jay, that was a surprise to me too.
Malayan tapirs in our region are a disappointment. They are a very interesting and attractive species that has limped along here for years. Its nobody's fault particularly - but the terrible blindness problem, which no one seems to have an answer for, has resulted in an almost certain loss of Malayan tapirs as a species here. Damn! Incidentally, the loss of Denise has shown (to me anyway) that trying to divide our large mainstream zoos into zoogeographic regions, while superficially desirable, is wasteful of resources. I was at Taronga the other day and Denise's enclosure is now just occupied by a few carp in the pond.This enclosure would be very suitable for either Pygmy hippos or South American tapirs, but being located in the Wild Asia section of the zoo, it would be a bit incongruous. Melbourne zoo's pygmy hippo enclosures are probably also sitting vacant, being located in a dedicated African area of the zoo.(Please correct me if I'm wrong about that.) One day they will get pygmy hippos to put into them, but until then I would like to see them put to productive use. Call me a dreamer (Chorus: You're a dreamer!) but I would like to see zoos in our region become a stronghold for neotropical tapir species. The climate is right; the seasons are right; and tapirs are some of the few hoofstock which are not prohibited importation. At the moment there are 4 male and 7 female Tapirus terrestris in the region. Maybe a bit of fresh blood for them and, dare I say it, maybe a few Baird's or even Mountain tapirs? (I know,I know, I'm really being unrealistic now!) |
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#11
12-11-2008
Quote:
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#12
12-11-2008
yes but it goes against spending $45 million on an asian rainforest for south american tapirs.
i think that the otters would benefit from a bit more space, and saltwater crocs would be good in there too, but at the end of the day....its a tapir exhibit. the zoo would have been better off not spending the money in the first place on their enclosure. alternatively, i still think tapir should be given a second shot at life in australia. the eye condition seems to underline the shortcomings of earlier exhibits. if polar bears can be displayed in QLD, cant tapirs be kept in Australia in better enclosures which fully replicate their natural habitat. |
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#13
12-11-2008
To replicate the Malayan forest ( for Malayan Tapir) I presume they would go for a very shady swampy-marsh like exhibit, what exactly causes the flys in the first could be a source. As apparently particular soils keep particular insects away, elephants being so intelligent and having a high snese of smell have and excellent method of applying dust that apparently it help keeps Mosquitos away,
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#14
12-11-2008
I would love to see the tapir in Aust. continued. If the matter was about sunlight, or needing a lot more shade than that should be easy enough to ensure in new enclosures. Whatever the reason it is sad to see the purpose built enclosures at Taronga not being used properly.
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#15
12-11-2008
Ara, the enclosure at Melbourne zoo for Pygmy Hippo are holding Asian short clawed otter on one side and carp on the other side...I think the otters are ok 'cos most people don't even realise that it is an African Rainforest but I would rather an empty exhibit then a pond full of carp.
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