Malayan Tapirs in Australia

14-11-2008

No, the tapir diets are suitable and keep the animals healthy.

14-11-2008

that's good, we don't want a diet disaster like the one with the Sumatran Rhinos,

14-11-2008

that's good, we don't want a diet disaster like the one with the Sumatran Rhinos,

14-11-2008

Hi, the male malayan tapir at Adelaide Zoo died a few months ago, from memory it was a twisted bowel which I'm told is common in ungulates. So yeah it's mum and offspring left at Adelaide.

14-11-2008

pongogirl, i had been under the impression that the large fig tree was transplanted in...and that roads had to be closed to do it. i could be wrong but, and as i have aerial footage of taronga in the 1980s with a large tree on the site ive always been a bit confused. but im sure they transported the tree in

14-11-2008

and one other point, binturong were originally mixed with the otter when the asian rainforest at MZ first opened but the binturong kept escaping

14-11-2008

oh yeah I remember not long ago a report of a Binturong escaping,

16-11-2008

Thanks Glynn for mentioning MZ as I am finding people are making posts within the one thread and can mention 2 or more different zoos. It can become confusing as to which zoo is being referred to. MZ & TZ have had binturong escapes over the years all with the animals being returned to their respective facilities. The mixed species option for binturong/otters is a good one and needs to be incorporated into the original design/plan to help ensure success.

16-11-2008

The fig tree is question, I believe is the large one behind the bird aviaries and beside the old tamarin house?? This is a tentative heritage listed tree and has been estimated at over 50 years of age, all other trees in the vicinty of the Orang Utan exhibit/night house were transplanted during construction. The planting of these trees did involve the closer of zoo roads and there were police escorts from the botanical gardens with the other trees.

16-11-2008

rightio. thanks for clearing that up...i'd always wondered. the tree itself clearly looks old, and firmly established and yet as i said there was this whole memory of road closures and wholescale transplants in the back of my mind (as i would have been around 8 at the time it wouldnt have suprised me if id gotten it wrong).
whilst on the topic of figs, with so many magnificent specimens I wish Taronga could interpret these remarkable plants and how so many animal species around the world are dependent on them for survival.
back to the malayan tapir...tapir to binturong to trees...i guess the point weve raised and solved is that you certainly could create a semi-mature rainforest rather quickly with transplanted trees...just wish more trees had been used earlier on for this species...thanks again for your help

17-11-2008

There's an exhibit in Wild Asia at Taronga with Sika Deer and Red Junglefowl in it that has big old fig trees in it that i think could work with malayan tapirs.

17-11-2008

Yes I thought of that one too. It's certainly shady enough.

17-11-2008

And it's in the right geographic zone of the zoo.

17-11-2008

theyre chital, not sika. those figs have been at the zoo forever....but i dont know that their canopy would be dense enough. still, something like that would be more suitable.

17-11-2008

Like you, glyn, I would like to see our zoos NOT give up on Malayan tapirs, but I'm frustrated by the apparent lack of any hard scientific findings on the blindness issue. Everyone's just assuming that it is just as a result of excessive sunlight, (and it probably is,) but what if there is something more involved?

Can't one of our universities be prevailed on to carry out some research on this? Or is there some study in existence which I'm not aware of?