Auckland Zoo Auckland Zoo News 2023

Auckland Zoo Update

I visited Auckland Zoo yesterday and have a few updates:

Auckland Zoo now has 2.1 Nepalese red panda, following the death of Khela last year. Dalha (2019) is on display in the new exhibit at the top of the zoo; Ramesh (2015) and Tashi (2018) are off display. The old red panda exhibit (1922 bear pit) is currently empty.

No successful Greater flamingo breeding has occurred this year and there were no birds nesting when I visited the exhibit.

There are currently no plans (announced) regarding Burma’s export. Werribee Open Range Zoo remains a possibility, but no decision by Zoos Victoria will be made until 2024 when the elephants have settled in.

The Hamadryas baboon infant (born June 2022) has been named Jabari.

The zoo have a historical exhibition on in the Domes to celebrate their centenary. This will be open until June 2023.

Photos from my visit can be found here: Auckland Zoo - ZooChat
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Kea Update

From socials:

You might remember that earlier this year we introduced two female kea to Whenua Waotu (our High Country habitat) – to the delight of our three males!

Since then, Pahi and Whero have integrated successfully among the circus (the collective noun for a group of kea!) and have recently paired up with two of the males. It’s currently breeding season (August to January) so you’re likely to see them in and out of their nest boxes when you visit.

If you look closely, you might be able to tell the females and the males apart - females have a shorter and lighter coloured beak.

 

Update on Emperor Tamarin Twins

Reported on socials:

The twins born October 2022 have been sexed as two males and will be named next week.

They now weigh 160 grams and 180 grams respectively.

 

It's worth mentioning the update that @WalkingAgnatha provided in the exotic birds thread here - Pale-headed Rosella, Crimson Rosella and Emerald Dove are now at Auckland Zoo in one of the aviaries within the Australian track. I contacted the zoo directly and the rosellas arrived recently from a private breeder and the doves came from Dunedin Botanic Gardens. The Swamp Harrier is also still at the zoo but is currently off-show as it's undergoing further training under the animal experiences team.

 

An update on the future plans with Auckland Zoo's tropical dome received via email. The thirteen fish species - Siamese Algae-eater, Checker Barb, Three-spot Gourami, Odessa Barb, Indonesian Tiger Perch (the datnoid), Pearl Danio, Pearl Gourami, Asian Arowana, Tinfoil Barb, Harlequin Rasbora, Clown Loach, Tiger Barb and Neon Dwarf Rainbowfish - are all still present in the dome in the subsequent months of opening. A new fish species will soon be added to the tanks - the commonly-kept Silver Shark, Balantiocheilos melanopterus which will complement the Tinfoils nicely. The curator in the email also stated that there were still plans for tortoises and turtles for the dome but a little work had to happen to make the habitats suitable.

 

Flooding at Auckland Zoo:

Bearded dragons, alligators and skinks evacuated as Auckland Zoo flooded

Alligators, bearded dragons and skinks had to be moved to higher ground before water rose to chest height and flooded Auckland Zoo.

In a statement, the zoo said its most impacted areas were close to Motions Creek, which normally “flows calmly” through the New Zealand and South America precincts.

The bodies of two small birds – a zebra finch and a kōtare (kingfisher) – were recovered on Monday.

Lower-lying areas of the zoo had sustained significant damage, with bins, picnic benches and other furniture moved around, buildings flooded and equipment and office supplies lost.

 

Update on Floods/Lizard Lane

Auckland Zoo alligators curious about their new neighbours – a bunch of noisy parrots

In an update today (Friday 3 February) the team at Auckland Zoo are happy to reassure Aucklanders that the native skinks and geckos, removed from their habitats at Te Wao Nui, are now back in their original habitats and appear unfazed by their temporary relocation.

The exotic lizards, also relocated before flood waters impacted Lizard Lane, are doing fine. They have settled into their alternative housing elsewhere in the Zoo, but are not visible to visitors. They will remain there until their habitats can be fully assessed for storm damage.

The alligators, Dixie and Tallulah, moved to alternative housing off-show, have settled well and are very interested in their new neighbours - a bunch of noisy parrots. They too will remain off-show until their habitat can be fully assessed for storm damage.

The water level reached 1.5 metres on the exhibits at Lizard Lane at one point:


Source: Auckland Zoo

 

A Greater flamingo chick has hatched:

From socials:

We’re pleased to announce a flamingo chick has hatched at the Zoo!

The first to hatch this breeding season, the chick made an exciting entry into the world, hatching out just before our Zoo Lates keeper talk last Thursday (16 February).

Excitingly, this is the third year that parents Richard and Sullivan have successfully had chicks.

In previous years, our team had helped with incubating the eggs (swapping the fertile eggs out for dummy eggs for a period of time) when the flock were not reliably sitting on their mud nests.

This year they have proven to be amazing parents, incubating very diligently even through a flood and cyclone!

 

Auckland Zoo Update

Update from my visit (11/03/2023):

The Bornean orangutan exhibit is temporarily closed. The orangutans have a preference for sitting near the viewing window (which has an overhead shelter), so the zoo have decided to install heaters in this area. The orangutans are currently occupying the Siamang exhibit.

The Bornean orangutans have been successfully integrated with the Siamang. They were ignoring each other on my visit, but no doubt Bahmi (infant orangutan) will have interactions with the Siamang as he grows older.

Kabili the giraffe is not on contraception, but is yet to conceive. She turned six years old in December, so is now past the usual age for a first calf (4-5 years). It’s unknown if she’s a freemartin (due to having a male twin), but she lacks the height observed on the only known/confirmed example of a freemartin giraffe.

The zoo’s meerkat colony currently numbers two males - Jua and Tazama. The zoo plan to acquire females in the near future to start a breeding colony.

No further flamingo chicks have hatched since the last chick hatched on 16/02/2023. The chick is just over three weeks old and thriving.

Part of the New Zealand precinct was closed due to the recent flooding.

Photos from my visit here: Auckland Zoo - ZooChat
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Wow, just two. They certainly had at least four or five when I visited back in September. It'll be nice for Auckland to have a breeding colony again; they haven't had one since the old Meerkat cave days.

 

Looking back on my notes, they had 10 meerkats held across two groups in July 2020 (none of which were the two males). They were all born between 2009-2014, so have likely passed on.

Auckland Zoo struggled since the opening of the meerkat exhibit in 1991 to breed them until 2008, when a mother raised pair successfully bred. They produced at least three litters.

It’s been a while since Auckland Zoo last bred (and Hamilton Zoo, who are also down to two males), but Wellington Zoo have pups every time I visit.

 

Bornean Orangutan Infant Update

From socials:

Happy 1st Birthday Bahmi!

This Bornean orangutan has been progressing in leaps and bounds, becoming more and more interactive with his surroundings every day.

Melur is confident in Bahmi’s abilities and will give him quite a bit of freedom – provided he’s in arms reach so she can step in if needed. When Melur is enjoying some food at our arboreal feeders, you can often see Bahmi climbing high in the tree branches. Bahmi also likes to hang above his dad Charlie and reach down to touch his hands - Charlie will stay very still when this happens.

Bahmi has transitioned to eating some solid foods now – some he’ll take from Melur, while some is set aside especially for him so our keepers can get a general idea of how much he eats. One of his absolute favourite snacks is cucumber.

 

Other 2023 News:

On February 16th, the zoo announced that a (0.0.1) North Island brown kiwi hatched 2 weeks prior and was released back into the wild a couple days later.

Auckland Zoo

On March 1st, the zoo announced they acquired a (0.1) swamp harrier after she was treated for lead poisoning and is now an ambassador animal.

Auckland Zoo

On March 2nd, the zoo announced they are releasing the last of their zoo-bred Kapitia skinks into the wild in April.

Auckland Zoo

 

Cotton-top tamarin twins were born March 27:

From socials:

On Monday this week (March 27) cotton top tamarin mum Mrs Nuri gave birth to twins – her fifth lot of twins since arriving in late 2017.

It’s too early to confirm the sex of the wee ones, but our primate keepers say both twins are healthy, robust and are becoming more aware of their surroundings each day.

 

Auckland Zoo Update

Update from my visit (01/04/2023):

The Greater flamingos were nesting and an egg was visible in one of the nests. It appeared to be a fake egg and indeed the zoo’s current husbandry protocol is to replace the real eggs with fake eggs, incubate them and then return them to the parents as they’re about to hatch. This method has worked well in recent years.

The six week old Greater flamingo chick is growing fast and appeared to be well integrated with the flock.

No final decision on what will happen to the seal pool once the elderly Subantarctic fur seal dies, but the two options being considered are a Little blue penguin exhibit or draining the pool. Sea turtle rehabilitation and other maritime options (e.g. sharks) are not being considered.

Sumatran tiger introductions are progressing well and there’s hope a face to face introduction won’t be far away. Both tigers are responding very positively to each other.

No official confirmation on Burma’s destination. I can’t believe it’s been a year since Anjalee left and Burma’s export to Australia Zoo was cancelled last minute. Her export crate remains in place.

Photos from my visit here: Auckland Zoo - ZooChat
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Three Pied stilt have hatched:

From socials:

Three beautiful Pied stilt have recently hatched at our Zoo!

This is the first time we’ve bred Pied stilt and we’re pleased to say both birds have been incredible parents; they reliably incubated their eggs throughout Auckland’s recent bad weather events and have been very protective of their chicks since they hatched.

We’re privileged to care for the only breeding pair of Pied stilt in a zoo in New Zealand. The female came to us as a rescue bird in 2015 as she was unable to be released to the wild, and we recently welcomed the male in 2022 as a loan from the Otorohanga Kiwi House – and the rest is history!

The chicks are currently growing big and strong (enjoying a high-protein diet of insects) in one of our behind-the-scenes aviaries and will eventually be introduced into our wetlands habitat.

 

First successful rearing of Little blue penguin chick:

Auckland Zoo are celebrating the successful rearing of a Little blue penguin chick - the first at Auckland Zoo. The chick hatched late last year and was incubated and raised by zoo staff after the breeding pair failed to undertake the process themselves.

The chick has survived to adulthood and been successfully integrated into the colony. I saw it on my visit last weekend and the chick appeared well integrated.

The zoo’s intention is to build up a sustainable colony of Little blue penguins, adding to the argument they’re the most likely replacement species for the pinnipeds when they’re phased out.

Video on socials for those interested.

 

Orange-fronted parakeet breed and release:

Auckland Zoo participate in a breed and release programme of this critically endangered endemic bird and have welcomed 27 chicks this season. It will be the last breeding season for Auckland Zoo, with future breeding consolidated in the South Island.

From socials:

It’s been a bumper breeding season for the Orange fronted parakeets.

Despite having just one breeding pair this season, it’s been a remarkably productive one with the determined and dedicated parents having laid and hatched four clutches of eggs – a total of 27 chicks.

Auckland Zoo has been part of the breed for release programme with the Department of Conservation and The Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust for several years, but with Orana Wildlife Park recently joining the team, capacity for breeding within Canterbury is growing and DOC has decided to consolidate its breeding programme in the South Island.

This is therefore our final season with the breed for release programme but fortunately we will continue to have some non-breeding birds in the New Zealand precinct so we can continue sharing these extraordinary little parakeets with our visitors and advocating for their ongoing conservation.

 

Auckland Zoo release last Kapitia skinks to the wild:

Critically endangered native skinks returned to West Coast habitat after five years at Auckland Zoo

In November 2021, 42 skinks were moved into the newly finished reserve, with the 20 gravid females and three juveniles remaining at Auckland Zoo released last November.

Another 21 offspring, too young to release last year, made the trip this week.

Auckland Zoo head of animal care and conservation Richard Gibson said the final release of Kapitia skinks from the zoo was a bitter-sweet moment for his team.

 

Intruder enters rhinoceros exhibit:

Watch: Man breaks into Auckland Zoo rhino enclosure

A man entered the Southern white rhinoceros exhibit they share with Waterbuck and Lowland nyala this morning. He entered from the waterhole expansion side (former Common hippopotamus exhibit) and waded in the water before walking up the hill towards the ungulates.

There was no injury reported to the intruder or the animals, which avoided him. He was subsequently removed and arrested.

While this will no doubt go down on record as the first and last time man or beast is observed utilising the waterhole section of the exhibit ; in all seriousness, I’m relieved it ended without incident for the zoo’s sake and commend them for taking quick action to protect the visitor and the animals.