New white cubs for mogo!!!! » Mogo Zoo

13-11-2007

i want you on my team

13-11-2007

[quote= Zoo Pro. I defy anyone to justify that the resources taken up by 12 white lions, couldn't be better used for Sumatran tigers, snow leopards, or another actively managed species that is in dire need of increased numbers in the region. Housing 12 white lions is clearly detrimental to other well-established breeding programs. I wonder what the species managers of these programs think when they see this kind of resource-use? I'm betting that they don't consider Mogo to be a very viable option for sending any valuable breeding animals

.[/QUOTE]

Zoopro, this is a question, not an attempt justify Mogo's decision to display the lions. My question is, are there currently sumartran tigers available in the region or overseas that could be placed at Mogo?( And snow leopards for that matter?)

13-11-2007

As far as I know, there are no Sumatran tigers available right now, although there are a number of imminent imports, all of which will be paired for breeding, so potentially there will be spares in the not too distant future. I suspect though, that genetically valuable animals will be placed in institutions where they can also breed with genetically suitable animals.

I'm not sure about snow leopards, but I do know that there are other institutions inthe region that are looking for additional snow leopards.

I think I know where you are heading with your question, but using the argument that since there are no spare tigers or snow leopards at the moment, doesn't justify continual breeding of a non-recommended line of animals, that are now taking up spaces that could be available for other big cats in the future.

It's all food for thought when the species coordinators are making their recommendations for who get's what, I'd say.

13-11-2007

You've got it!

13-11-2007

I think you are trying to hard be one step ahead of others , relax it was just a question.

But now that you have mentioned it........

14-11-2007

I'd estimate it to be about $60 per cat per day at Mogo. Thats keeper time, food vet costs and all that jazz. Now with 19 lions that's isover $1,100 a day. Without the white lions that could be upto $5,000 a week that could be going somewhere else like the chimp enclsoure. It is probably less than this but at even half that $2,500 a week over say twelve months. hmmm that chimp enclosure would be getting close to finished

14-11-2007

i think Mogo Zoo had an amzing potential to outgrow its menagerie type beginnings, in so far that it started out as a rescue centre and dumping ground and turn into a major conservation player in the region.
there is chronic shortage of private zoos holding exotic species both here in Australia and New Zealand. had Mogo pursued regional planning goals more aggressively it could have ended up with one of the most important exotic collections in Australia, with a range of species that could have rivalled small zoos including Perth.
however, Mogo now seems stuck in a rut. Zoopro is absolutely right in what he has said, that regional species coordinators could now overlook Mogo as holders of some species because of how they have acted with the white lions.
im sticking to my earlier points too that these lions are a waste of resources that could have better been spent on boosting capacity for oter species. whether surplus snow leopards or sumatran tigers currently exist in the region is not the point.....in order to get surplus we need breeding programs and there is no way our zoos are going to be able to breed more snow leopards, maned wolves and other species without current and non-holders commiting additional spaces. Mogo could have been a big player in this respect, either as a breeding facility or acting within a holding capactiy.
currently, all their spare resources are tied up in a breeding program for magical white lions. what a croc of ****. 12 lions could have even been enough to even restart a program for jaguars or clouded leopards.

14-11-2007

(i think the minimum considered number is actually 20) but yes so true! that will get zooboy thinking.

i think the guy peter who does the zoonews digest summed it up with his little insert above the posted story....

"NSW zoo rears five male white lion cubs (My comment: Aaaaghhh!
White! Why? Why? Why? Peter)
A zoo in NSW has become the first in the world to successfully rear a
pride of five male white lion cubs....."

the more i think about this the more strongly i am against it. i believe i have become an anti-white supremist.

14-11-2007

From the point of view of getting the public to come and take a look (and, of course, pay) I'm sure white lions are a greater attraction than more chimpanzees.

(Maybe I'm prejudiced - I don't particularly like chimps - they're too much like people!)

14-11-2007

Would you know who would be most likely to receive these sumartrans that are coming in the not to distant future?
What zoos have the room?
Which zoos are looking to increase the number of snow leopards in the region?
How is it decided when it comes to who gets what, for instance if both Taronga and Melbourne wanted a male tiger, for example, but there was just one currently avaliable how do they determine the tiger's destination?
Sorry about all the questions but you usually are the bloke to go when it comes to these type of questions.

14-11-2007

fraid i can't answer specifics on which zoos are earmarked for tiger imports, but it is all based on which tigers are recommended for breeding/pairing. if for example a zoo held a tiger that was called apon for breeding but the zoo who owed that tiger had not the facilities to breed, its highly likely that the zoo would give up that specific animal to a zoo who did have the facilities (and who would therefore also aquire the animals recommended mate). in return the original zoo would no doubt be supplied with another cat(s) to display and hold.

a lot of shuffling goes on.


in regards to snow leopards i can tell you that melbourne is about to import a fourth snow leopard, to pair with their younger female. the older cats are on the way out. the national zoo also holds a female snow leopard (ex-mogo) who i believe they are trying to secure a mate for.

14-11-2007

thanks pat. It is pretty straight forward i guess. they go where they are most needed.

14-11-2007

Thanks Pat, that briefly sums up what I would have prattled on about!!

Adelaide, Melbourne and Mogo Zoos, and Orana Wildlife Park are all looking for more snow leopards right now.

Three of them all have space available now, but I don't know about Mogo.

15-11-2007

I know all about the problems importing hoofstock into Australia, in fact after reading the posts on this site i consider myself an expert on the subject, but when it comes to carnivores and primates are they "easier" to import.
Also good to hear that mogo's siamangs doing so well, am i right in saying that they were imported from Edinburgh zoo?

15-11-2007

i read somewhere that Edinburgh had exported there siamangs and they were to go to mogo zoo that was 2 years ago!