The best thing about conferences! Look forward to hearing your updates, I'm really hoping to get over there for a few days later this year too.
It's a fabulous zoo. I just relaxed and strolled around, chatted with a few keepers, was entrusted with a few secrets, the usual. I only saw a small portion of the zoo in my 3hrs - mostly birds.
Beautiful sign, but it is a little misleading - it suggests that there is no importation because it could harm the flamingo's wild population, when in fact it means wild bird populations in Australia (and potentially domestic ones too I suspect).
I read it the other way: to protect Australian birds no importation, but that is perhaps because I already knew what it meant. I agree it is worded a little ambiguously.
Same here. I suppose most of us automatically knew what they meant. And the graphics department thought the way we did, and didn't realise that non-zoo people might think something else. Hix
2 new golden lion tamarins have been born to parents Aurora and Rio Source Adelaide Zoo facebook page-https://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Adelaide-Zoo/160021607359286?hc_location=stream
Panda not Pregnant Adelaide Zoo have announced that female Giant Panda Funi has not fallen pregnant this year, following both natural mating attempts by male Panda Wang Wang, and then artificial insemination. Article here: 2013 Giant Panda Breeding Season Outcome -
I visited Adelaide Zoo for the first time yesterday in about 2 years. For many years I was a member, but with the introduction of the pandas (and evidently the loss of many of my favourite areas of the zoo) I decided that I would not renew my membership for the latter half of 2001 and so on. I was really disappointed in what has happened to the Adelaide Zoo. It feels very empty, with nothing really going on. Species that I used to love seeing had disappeared, such as the dwarf mongoose, pygmy hippo, black lion tamarin, and a vast number of different bird species (madagascar weaver, red avadavat and inland dotterel). While I did see one or two new species, such as the varied lorikeet, which was a highlight for me, I just feel like this zoo is going downhill, and instead of the prime collection of animals they used to have, has been replacing twenty species for one 'star' species. While I also detest the pandas, I did make a visit to their enclosure, only to be disappointed again by them sitting in the corner, as I have never seen them move (after about 6 visits since their arrival), and for something that costs $1 million per year in the form of a loan from China, they do not seem worth it. Personally I do not think Adelaide is big enough (especially financially) to have these animals, and I think the introduction of them was a mistake. I apologise if this is not news, however I thought I would share my opinion after not being on this forum for a very long time. I also understand that many people probably love the pandas and how the zoo looks, but this is just my opinion. Regards
From Facebook: "At the start of winter our beloved flamingo, known affectionately as Greater, was experiencing some age related medical issues and, at the time, it was thought he wouldn’t survive the winter. Well, he did! Greater’s carers say he’s responding well to regular treatment and, although he’s still a bit wobbly, he’s doing very well considering being an 82 year old bird!"
Mara now at Adelaide! From the Adelaide Zoo facebook page today, a mention of a new species - Mara: Given that these are the only ones in Australia, it seems likely they came from Melbourne Zoo, which imported them last year, but haven't actually been seen there (at least by me). Alternatively, Melbourne's could have died, and these represent a second import, but that seems less likely. EDIT: Adelaide Zoo confirmed on their Facebook page today that the mara did come from Melbourne, and that they have three.
There is now a sign up at the old pygmy hippo enclosure announcing that the exhibit is being remodeled slightly for the arrival of capybara. I'm very excited to be seeing this species in Australia- to me they're much more interesting than giant pandas! Along with the recent additions of coatis and mara, it is very nice to see some more South American mammals at Adelaide Zoo.
That's interesting. I hope a sustainable population will be established as they'd make a good addition to many Australian collections. Any ideas on where they are coming from?
Adelaide had a large number of maras for a long time up until the pandas, which from that point I think the remaining group was sent to Western Plains Zoo. Great to hear they are back in the collection!
