I think they just petered out in the end. Not the easiest spp to breed from what I understand (even giants like Jersey have difficulty with consistant breeding).
I only wish the smaller zoos could pick up more of the species which our major zoos are phasing out but due to limited income I guess they are doing the best they can, its a real shame zoos like Taronga with almost unlimited money are doing such a half ass job of it, they need to focus more on captive breeding of a wide range of endangered species rather than building multi million $$ Hotels.
I may have missed the news - what's the latest with the Congo Rainforest development? I couldn't find anything about it while searching the various threads here, or on Taronga's website. I believe the latest modification to the project proposed construction commence in 2021. Has the zoo quietly canned this, or is this delayed as a result of lockdowns etc?
It was last discussed on the first page of this thread back in January 2021 with this appearing on the zoo’s website at the time: The Congo Forest Precinct will deliver a new lush simulated forest experience, whereby Taronga’s guests will be able to find the growing gorilla family nestled in natural environment. The exhibit will be deliberately designed to deliver the optimal environment and ambience that will enable the gorillas to display natural behaviours in a comfortable and embracing space. This will in turn offer our guests with a breathtaking and highly immersive experience that will provide a solid platform to engage and influence guest on how they can supportthe future of gorillas in the wild. Design of the Congo Forest Sydney is currently scheduled to commence in 2021/22 and construction is currently programmed to commence in 2023. This is the most recent update I can find.
Thank you! I think I missed that bit with the construction date when I searched the forum. With the number of (admittedly exciting) developments at the zoo currently I guess they had to phase things appropriately.
The original plan to import Okapi have long been canned and unfortunately the mention of their replacements (Bongo and Pygmy hippopotamus) appear to have since been dropped as well. A large gorilla complex would be great, but I’d like to see other species included in the precinct. Mandrill would be a dream come true and offer an interesting compare and contrast against the main primate species, but Pygmy hippopotamus seem the simpler choice - the zoo already has a pair and they don’t take up a lot of room.
Surely they cant have a one species rainforest,lol I assume that the Okapi are on the back burner until they are approved
I’m sure they could at least shoehorn some monkeys in there. It would be great if Taronga imported Okapi and even better if other zoos came on board. I won’t hold my breath though. For interest’s sake, this document provides details of the original Congo precinct plans (Western lowland gorilla and Okapi): https://majorprojects.planningporta...nt?AttachRef=SSD-8008!20190228T003507.260 GMT It details two gorilla exhibits (breeding troop and bachelor troop), an Okapi exhibit and a rainforest room. Presumably this is a temperature controlled room for reptiles and other ectotherms.
From what I have heard, the Congo forest originally envisioned with the Africa Savannah has been scraped. Taronga are still looking to develop a Congo themed area. They are looking to place this new development where the male elephant and saltwater crocodile exhibits were, in between the concert lawn and GSO bordered on the top by the new reptile house. Okapi are still included in the plans provided they can be imported. This development is still being conceived and is at least a few years away.
The okapi were apparently originally coming from San Diego in replacement for the Platypus’s they had sent them. I don’t believe this is still the plan now. The area where it’s planned to be is quite a small area though, especially if exhibits for multiple species are planned. Two decent sized Gorilla enclosures and some for Pygmy Hippo would pretty much take up the entire space. I’d have hoped they could at least add an enclosure for their Bongo too somewhere among the complex.
I would love to see bongo at Taronga zoo but I would not right off the Okapi yet. It’s likely to take a while to happen and I do hope it does come to pass, but I can’t see any going to other Australian zoos
Given permission has finally been granted to import Bovidae species, I think it’s a pretty sure bet we’ll see a decent sized breeding herd of Bongo established at Dubbo, with Taronga holding a couple of surplus bulls that can be subbed in and out of the breeding herd as required. Management has worked hard on getting this approved, so will presumably be looking to maximise use of it and by integrating a Bongo exhibit into the Congo precinct can kill two birds with one stone, as well as maximising cost effectiveness. Okapi remain the dream, but the costs involved would undoubtably have management questioning their worth.
I can’t see cost being a factor for Taronga the main factor being waiting for the nod for importation
It would be great to even see a Zoo like Melbourne get Bongo back. It’s quite a joke that they phased them out purely due to their female dying after running into a fence. It’s quite a common occurrence for bovids if spooked. It would be amazing if Taronga could get Okapis. Considering the hype San Diego have got and are still getting for their platypus, they’d be wanting to give back. Okapis in return were obviously the original plan, and would still be high on Taronga’s list.
I agree I believe Melbournes reason was a bad management mistake and phasing out Bongos because one animal ran into a fence was a total cope out. I have little doubt Taronga will get Okapi but I can not see any other zoo in the region other than them obtaining them
I’m hoping a number of zoos will take up the opportunity to import bongo to create large herds at Dubbo, Werribee and Monarto; with Taronga, Melbourne and Adelaide holding surplus bulls. Our entire bongo population (bar the Singapore female) descends from a single pair imported in 1996. We will soon have the opportunity to import multiple founders. I’m not aware of any other zoos in the region considering Okapi, but with elephants being phased out of several city zoos it’d be nice if they considered them as one of the replacement species. It’s unlikely to happen, but it’d be of great support to Taronga in founding a breeding programme - which will otherwise be reliant on the success of one pair.
From what I can remember the pair were a birthday gift from the San Diego zoo and yes the Singapore female has never bred to my knowledge. I saw on a live video feed from Monatro zoo that someone asked the keepet if they were going import any females and they said perhaps 1. I hope some of our larger zoos will import them in numbers but I will be surprised if it happens
Melbourne deciding to phase out their Bongos has left Dubbo as the sole breeding zoo for them in the entire region. Hopefully zoos like Monarto and Melbourne get back on board with breeding them. I too see Taronga getting Okapi. I think the matter of other zoos getting them really depends on if Taronga’s pair breeds successfully. If they do, than another big zoo like Melbourne could possibly afford to getting a surplus calf from Taronga. This really depends on their genetic value though.
That’s correct. The original pair were Nyeri (23/03/1995) and Nambala (19/08/1995). They were imported 27/08/1996 - a gift from San Diego Zoo to celebrate the centenary of both zoos. The Singapore female (Maisha) has sadly never bred.
