Persian Ongers » Western Plains Zoo

Persian Ongers
05-01-2007

Could some tell me what is happening with the Onger breeding program at the Dubbo zoo I know they had or have a large group of them, are there any new imports with them or plans to bring in new bloodlines?. I like to see them at Monarto zoo I feel they would really be at home there.

05-01-2007

Mark, Dubbo has the only group of Onager in the country, and the plan is to delete the group by natural attrition in the long term. The region is concentrating on only two equid species, Plains Zebra and Przewalski's Horse.

05-01-2007

Maybe instead of just letting this group fade away, a better plan would be to export them to an overseas zoo where they can be put into a breeding program as they are an endangered species with less than 2000 alive today. this group could still produce babys for some one else.

06-01-2007

mark, i'm only guessing but you often find tat asutralias small populaions of non-program species such as onagers are decended from well genetically represented "surplus" stock from europe or the USA. why would anyone waste money importing/exporting them when zoos oversea already have equal or better stock. truth is not that many zoo species, despite their endangered status are bred for near-future re-introduction, it cost a lot to retrain and repatriate an animal to a life in the wild - unfortunately many zoos just manage certain species to replenish their own requirements..

Persian onagers
06-01-2007

Patrick,

If ARAZPA zoos will not do anything with the Persian onagers, perhaps we could urge them to relocate them to the EEP or SSP program. After all the species is highly endangered (wild population at 500-600 individuals). Even if the onagers at Dubbo are well represented they may still be of use to either of these breeding programmes.

06-01-2007

still dubbo has had success, why carnt just a new male be imported, they still are popping out new bubs all the time, last was last yr wasnt it.

06-01-2007

I think you have a good point Zoo_Boy.

06-01-2007

thnx, to me it seams silly, i mean whts a 3rd equine species, dubbo already has 2 p.horse groups, and a plains zeb breeding group (though 2nd savannah non-breeding group could do with some new animals)

dubbo already has the other 2, breeding great, i mean they aint breeding them out to replce with something else, that exhibit will be left with nothing, so it seems silly to get rid of them, dubbo needs to be more involved with international studbooks for this species. we are as we know running out of viable hoofstock in oz, so why get rid of one , with such great conservation value, when it can be easily hopped back up to be one of the best breeding groups in the world, not to mention eventually be released back to wild, mimicking what has been so succesfully done with there counsins.

06-01-2007

dubbo has 3.5 persian onagers

so wht other equine's in oz


Equus burchellii
Common zebra

DUBBO 1 1
ORANA 1 0
WERRIBEE 1 0
YARRALUML 1 3
adelaide 1 0
auckland 0 1
hamilton 1 0
melbourne 0 2
monarto 3 2
sydney 0 1


Equus burchellii antiquorum
Damara zebra

ADELAIDE 1 0
MOGO 3 1
MONARTO 1 4
ORANA 0 4
SYDNEY 1 1
WERRIBEE 12 10
YARRALUML 1 0

Equus burchellii boehmi
Grant's zebra

AUCKLAND 2 1
DUBBO 1 3
HAMILTON 0 4
ORANA 1 0
PERTH 0 2
WELLINGTN 0 2
WERRIBEE 1 0


Equus burchellii chapmanni
Chapman's zebra

Adelaide 01

Equus caballus przewalskii
Przewalski's wild horse

DUBBO 7 13
MONARTO 11 13
WERRIBEE 1 5

(there is a private zoo near griffith that has some p.horses)

06-01-2007

I could not agree with you more, they are very endangered, it does seem a bit pointless, they are a good breeding group and as you said the exhibit will be left with nothing, Maybe this phasing out of a lot of species is a bit of over kill, get used to the emtpy exhibits Zoo_Boy thats our NEW way now.

persian onagers
06-01-2007

i wonder actually how well-represented our australian group actually is? i mean, the onagers went from taronga in the 1970s to dubbo and have been breeding there ever since. so perhaps they represent a line of animals not seen in alot of overseas collections, in which case it would be a shame to 'waste them'.
and also, these animals could be used to revitalise demographically stagnant overseas herds, even if they dont show a high degree of genetic diversity.
this is another species like malayan tapir and brazilian tapir that leaves me a little puzzled as to why they are being phased out. sure, if the zoos cannot commit resources to them thats understandable, but the collapse of the artiodactyl tag should see the zoos refocusing their efforts on this tag.
if it was an antelope species i wouldnt be having this argument. in fact, maybe the onager would make a better candidate for australian breeding programs than przewalski's wild horse. the wild horse might have a remarkable story to tell, but internationally that species is in safe hands. i would like to see our open range zoos to use the expertise they already have with onagers to foster the growth of the international population.
on the other hand, whilst the onager could be imported, the logisitcs and costs associated with sourcing and importing more onagers would be a night' mare' and come with a hellish price tag.
maybe best we stick with przewalski horse. 8 were imported to dubbo fairly recently from england to dubbo, and this species is viable.

06-01-2007

so all up

(ISIS reports of births are probably wrong when it comes to births, not updated etc.)

Zebras (all sub sp.)

(ISIS reports 2 Canberra births (1 male, 1 female) and 1 Aukland Birth in last 6 months)

33 males 43 females

P. Horse

19 males 31 females

( ISIS reports 1 dubbo births in last 6 months)

persian onager

3 males 5 females

06-01-2007

it would make perfect sense to keep persians for all the reasons stated, i mean i love them, they look spectacular, though for the average zoo goer, there needs to be more education on there status, as to the average mum dad and kids, they arnt reall that flash hot of a species.

i wish zoo deigned there collections around us zoo fanatics, not mum and dad and the kids hehe. but thts were the money is!

06-01-2007

I think the Persian Onagers would look great out at monarto there would probably be no hassle housing them on the Asian Exhibit with the Deer and Antelope

06-01-2007

Equus onager onager
Persian onager

Range: NE IRAN,NW AFGHANISTAN
© Copyright ISIS 29 Dec 2006

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Institution Males Females Unknowns Births (last 6 months)
AUGSBURG 1 4 0 0
BANDHOLM 1 2 0 0
BUDAPEST 0 1 0 0
CHESTER 1 3 0 0
CHOMUTOV 1 0 0 0
HAMBURG 2 2 0 0
HILVARENB 2 0 0 0
KOLN 1 5 0 1
OVERLOON 0 2 0 0
ROTTERDAM 1 1 0 0
STUTTGART 1 3 0 0
WHIPSNADE 1 2 0 0
{Regional Subtotal} {12} {25} {0} {1}
FARGO 1 2 0 0
METROZOO 1 1 0 0
SD-WAP 3 0 0 0
WILDS 5 8 0 2
{Regional Subtotal} {10} {11} {0} {2}
DUBBO 3 5 0 0
{Regional Subtotal} {3} {5} {0} {0}
Totals 25 41 0 3


thats the world captive population of persian onagers, its not a huge base is it, maybe we should be trying to kick up a stink and get some more. real breeding needs to be done- only 66 in captivity.