To start off news for the year (well technically last year): a female Andean condor chick hatched in December: https://taronga.org.au/news/2014-01-09/andean-condor-chick-hatches-at-taronga
The parents, which are full siblings, are the only breeding condors still in Australia. As we all know, there has been a ban on the importation of birds such as condors for the past 60+ years. They are therefore incredibly rare here; but someone from Taronga was quoted in the local press as stating that the young female just hatched would probably "be sent overseas to help the breeding program". Ridiculous!
Do you know if Bruce and Connie are clutch mates, and when they were hatched? This takes the total population of condors in Australia to 2.4: 1.1 breeding pair (siblings) and the offspring from this pair (1.0 is at Australia Zoo, the rest at Taronga).
I assume they are talking about the breeding program for release into the wild. Connie and Bruce might be siblings, but there genetics might be under-represented in the North American captive group. Hix
Gung, Pathi Harn and Luk Chai are moving to Taronga Western Plains Zoo mid 2014 Taronga Western Plains Zoo to expand elephant facility | Taronga Conservation Society Australia
The total of 7,500 square meters equals just over an acre, which is small considering the number of large elephant exhibits that have been built in many major zoos around the world in the past decade. Taronga Western Plains Zoo has lots of space so why isn't there a 3 or 4 acre exhibit built?
7,500 is not 'just over an acre', it's actually just under two acres. But that's beside the point. The current elephant enclosures, occupied by only two elephants, is somewhat under 13 acres in size. Hix
I'm sure this is being done to give the older bull (Gung) better living conditions and some companionship, but at the same time, and despite what they say, the two male calves are way too young to leave their natal group yet. It will be very traumatic for them.
Hang on, why is Gung going to Western Plains? Is the plan to stop breeding elephants now, or are they going to be bred solely by A.I? If so, that's not a desirable situation.
- I hope they bring in a new bull to the zoo for more diversity as there are only 2 breeding bulls in Australia.
Luk Chai was born in 2009 and Pathi Harn in 2010. I'd always thought that male calves left the herd at about 10 years. At 4 and 3 years these two are still pre teens.
Far too young to leave without suffering trauma (and the mothers too) but no doubt they will go ahead as planned, as they have already convinced themselves by saying they are 'coming up to the age when they would leave in the wild' - not so.
Leopard seal put down at Taronga : Taronga zoo puts down world?s only captive leopard seal | World news | theguardian.com
A damnedest shame for a precious specimen to be incinerated. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/c...-sick-leopard-seal--casey-20140220-333al.html "Casey's carcass was disposed of under Taronga's environmental waste procedures." Bloody human bastards. 99% of vets are enemies of zoology. May they have no grave after death for treating animals as a waste - as well as the law authors. Didn't they bother to ask a museum?! Shame on the zoo and on its 'professionals'. "“We hope that Casey’s interactions with our staff and visitors contributed to an awareness of conservation and appreciation of this amazing Antarctic species,” the zoo’s statement read." His body is thousand times more useful than all your anthropomorphic thoughts.
One of the most unusual, impressive and fearsome looking creatures I've ever had the pleasure of seeing. Not this one but previous ones at Taronga Park and my first one at Napier Marineland in New Zealand. That one did tricks for the audience! A great shame there are now none anywhere for people to see but this is a species that only comes into captivity very rarely and by accident(as with Casey) and that's probably the way it should remain..
