Sumatran Tigers/Dreamworld » Dreamworld

Sumatran Tigers/Dreamworld
24-11-2007

Was going to put this in the dreamworld thread but it's closed... There was a pretty interesting documentary on today about thee import of Sumatran Tigers to Dreamworld and all that Jazz. Was pretty interesting if ya into this kind of thing might be worth getting your hands on it was a Totally Australia Doco called Tiger Tiger. Showed some parts of Dreamworld that I didn't know about. Like a huge fenced area outside of the Tiger Island area (the commentator made it sound like it was on a different property - the Dreamworld Farm) Just a huge area where the Bengals, and I'm guessing now the Sumatran Cubs, get to run around with all kinds of area to explore. This is a bonus of hand rearing that no other zoo can do. The area seemed huge. Anyway Totally Australia - Tiger Tiger. Was on ten.

Dreamworld tigers
24-11-2007

The area mentioned is actually off-site up at Tamborine Mountain. That was older footage but there are several areas at Dreamworld the cats get to go as well along with walking around the park environs.

24-11-2007

Excellent. Was impressed. Definately a pro to handrearing - not trying to start debate. But i do think that is the kind of enrichment the tigers need.

tigers
24-11-2007

Certainly, if possible. It does take though a large commitment of time, staff, and obviously knowing what you are doing.

12-01-2008

I don't see why this could only be done with hand reared animals. What am I missing?

12-01-2008

The animals in the doco were transported to another property were allowed to walk around freely in a huge area. This would not necessarily be impossible but incredibly hard, to do for animals that are not hand raised. Once the cats are out in the open, how do you convince them into the van again to take tthem home. Also it would require alot more construction at any other location as facilites would have to be built to catch, release and load the cats without human contact. The benefits of Dreamworld hand raising their tigers mean they are able to walk them around areas like this and can change the "enrichment" walks whenever they like, they are not committed to a set pattern, which makes it more enriching for the tigers.

12-01-2008

I dare say that hand-raised cats that are used to being walked would also be far more ready to explore and utilise a new large area than ones that are normally kept in typical zoo cages. They probably wouldn't know what they were supposed to be doing with all that space.

12-01-2008

Also in the hand raising saga, oz zoo has just completed its new breeding enclosures for protected contatc animals, so non-hand raised animals can be held, as well as breed.