22 Helmeted Honeyeaters have been released into Bunyip State Park. 30/04/10 Largest ever release of Helmeted Honeyeaters - Zoos Victoria
Very good to see. It's a shame more zoos aren't on board. According to ISIS Melbourne has one male and Taronga have 2 pair. Healesville is the only one breeding them. Hix
thats because taronga is releasing Regents instead Chiltern Gets Ready For The Regents - Taronga Conservation Society Australia together with Adelaide Adelaide Regents Meet the Zoos - Taronga Conservation Society Australia
What I meant was: Healesville has several dozen, Taronga has 4, Melbourne 1. I'd like to see Adelaide, Perth, Western plains, Australia Zoo and the some smaller fauna parks take at least a pair each. If the Victorian bushfires had gone through Healesville last year (and they came right to the edge of town, people were evacuated), then the conservation program would now consist of 3.2 birds. Hix
Spot on, Hix. Involvement in programs like this will be right up our alley once the Darling Downs Zoo achieves ZAA membership.
If only Helmeted Honeyeaters came from the Northern Territory, I know exactly where we could put them!
The Healesville honeyeater programme IS a conservation success story. Admittedly, to have ideally 2 more breeding flocks elsewhere to not have the eggs in one basket IS equal conservation rationale. If Darling Downs would participate ... any third zoo willing to take a breeding flock and replicate the Healesville breeding success?
Unfortunately Darling Downs Zoo is ready and willing, but not able. Participation in such programs is restricted to members of the Zoo and Aquarium Association and it will be some years yet before we are able to join the Association and fully participate in their conservation programs. However, programs like these are ideal for smaller zoos such as ours.
Will this situation apply to any collections that are provisional members of ZAA, rather then full members? It would seem a shame that the smaller collections are excluded from the 'club'. There are many examples outside Australia where private individuals and smaller zoos participate (and often have more involvement then state-run zoos) in breeding programs, due to a particular interest or money. I'm thinking mainly fish, herps and inverts here, but also applies to some birds and mammals. Back to the hemeted honeyeater program, it probably isn't that feasible to have colonies as far flung as Perth and Darwin for a species found only in Victoria (I see possible problems of transport and stress as a start). The big zoos usually have their own local programs for native species that they concentrate on - YFRW (Adelaide), Dibbler, Western Swamp Tortoise, Chuditch (Perth), Green & Gold Bell frog (Taronga) etc. Some species are better suited for more national programs, like Bilby and Tassie devil. The smaller local collections need to be able to feed into the larger zoos closest to them to provide suitable spaces for these species. I'm not sure who that would be for Tasmania or Qld..
All 43 regents have been released now. Regents Explore The Bush - Taronga Conservation Society Australia
thats great to hear about the Helmeted Honeyeaters, I was recently dicussing them in class and how only a small population exists, I had no idea that this was occuring at the same time!
