Persian Ongers » Western Plains Zoo

06-01-2007

i've always thought that if we were to develop a program for onagers, they would go nicely with fallow deer (indeed hybrid persian fallow deer like the ones at monarto are ideal!) in a drive-through paddock.

however i must condceed that they arn't a big favorite of mine...

mongolian horses are displayed at werribee with indian antelope and chital - making for hardly a very accurate scence. indeed the horses are about the only non-african species werribee seems to have committed themselves to at this stage, which is a bit of a shame in myy opinion. i had always hoped that some wild-blood bactrian camels would one day arrive in australia (perfect for a display with the horses) but that seems improbable (though am i correct when i say that they are not carriers due to their soft foot pads of foot-and-mouth?).

i think mongolian horses and onagers are pretty similar species and so there is not a great need for both, however i can see the logic that in the face of an artiodactyl collapse, we may as well hold onto whatever other ungulates we can....

Wellingtons Zebras
08-01-2007

Unfortunately the zoo stats only tell us what there is according to location , number and sex of the animals . Nothing else .

Wellingtons zebras are too old for breeding , and suffer from arthritis etc
They are basically just on display for retirement purposes
( Fortunately the other zebras in NZ are in better state for breeding possibilities )

08-01-2007

The original pair were imported from Rotterdam in late 1979. An additional two pairs were imported from National Zoo in Washington DC in 1981. Since then 12 male and 13 female young have been born at Dubbo.

08-01-2007

and wht thts not a sucessful program, and anything to go, to keep breeding

08-01-2007

I'd try and answer that - if I knew what it meant!

08-01-2007

sorry, wht i mean

and the breeding of over 20 foals, is that not a succseful program, and if its anything to go by, why dont we keep it.

08-01-2007

Breeding 25 foals doesn't make it a particularly useful herd if the remaining animals are all closely related. There's been no new imports into the herd since the original founders, and some of those never bred, so it's a very closely-related group. And likely to only become even closer since there's only one entire male left.

08-01-2007

well if they can breed tht many, thts saying something good on husbandry side, i am saying we should keep them, but with new imports

08-01-2007

Yer I have to go with what Zoo_Boy on what he is saying on this, i think he has a good point.

09-01-2007

Guys,

Some good news. The Rotterdam animals are not that well represented anywhere and the Washington stock is only bred in privately held collections in the US. So it seems a reinstated breeding programme with perhaps a new stallion would be tops for Ozzie zoos!

09-01-2007

Thats sounds real good.

09-01-2007

so zooboy, its ok to keep breeding a highly related population of persian onagers because were good at it but not condors?
lol just a joke

09-01-2007

no i dont actually, i think there needs to be new blood, and what the females are like genetically, for a new male to be imported.

09-01-2007

Ditto!!!!

10-01-2007

Zoo_Boy, i can never understand your posts! spelling aside - gramatically they make no sense!!!

not being nasty, but what one earth are you saying?!!!!