Australasian Zebra Population - Research/Discussion

I thought this thread would be handy to help in my research on the region's Zebra population which I have been delving into over the past few months. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find all the information and that's where this thread comes in - hopefully some of you will be able to share information you may know about your local zoo's zebras to help with the creation of a complete population list.

All help would be greatly appreciated.

 

1. Altina Wildlife Park

What I know:

Current Zebras:

1.0 Atreyu (colt from WORZ)
0.1 Askari (from Dubbo it seems?)
0.1 Shani (from Werribee)
0.1 Fina
0.1 Kanzi (2020) Atreyu x Askari/Shani
1.0 Jafari (2020) Atreyu x Askari x Shani

What I need to know:

Birthdates of the four adult Zebra - just the year of birth is fine.

Complete parentage of all six zebra.

 

This is what I’ve been able to find:

From Werribee Open Range Zoo:

0.1 Shani was born 2005 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

1.0 Atreyu was born 2012 at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Born at Altina Wildlife Park:

0.1 Kanzi was born 04/10/2020 to Atreyu and Askari.

1.0 Jafari was born 18/10/2020 to Atreyu and Shani.

 

Thanks for that.

Now all we need is the birthdates of Askari and Fina; and potentially the parentage of the adult zebra, although it’s okay if that can’t be found.

EDIT: Fina was born in 2018 to Askari.

Altina also had a male named Marty; so I was also wondering if anyone had any info on him as he’s potentially the sire of Fina.

 

One question I would like to know is apart from Werribee zoos import of 8 Zebras back in the 80s?(from Rotterdam zoo ?) is why no other major zoo within the region has not imported some fresh bloodlines?, why does it seem ok to hybridise what's in their collections and also the high amount of inbreeding that has happened for years?

 

Werribee Open Range Zoo imported 2.6 Chapman’s zebra from Rotterdam Zoo in 1980 and made a further import of a stallion in the late 1990’s; while Auckland Zoo imported two Grant’s zebra fillies in 1980 to supplement their purebred Grant’s herd.

I would assume it was decided to hybridise due to the Plains zebra being classified as Near Threatened (none of the subspecies are Endangered) and there being enough founders to sustain the population long term.

To my knowledge, inbreeding has been minor and genetic diversity is high compared to most of our ungulate populations.

I’m not saying I agree with it. My preference would be for the region to focus on the purebred Grant’s subspecies - especially given Darling Down Zoo’s efforts with importing them; but I believe the above is the rationale behind it.

 

From further research:

It appears Marty is in fact Atreyu.

We can also assume Atreyu is NOT the direct son of Shani, and thus, is the son of Myra making him a descendant of the Adelaide line. He was born in October of 2012 - making him Myra's second foal of the year, following his older brother Storm's birth in March. Storm is currently the breeding stallion at Monarto currently too.

 

Atreyu was born in December 2012, so you’re correct in assuming he wasn’t Shani’s son - she gave birth to Melako a month prior in November 2012.

We can also rule out Myra as his dam if she gave birth in March 2012. Gestation in this species is 12 months, so it wouldn’t be possible for her to have two foals nine months apart.

Therefore, I would assume Kitale was Atreyu’s dam; and Christou his sire.

 

This isn't necessarily the info you're after, although Shani also spent time at Taronga in between TWPZ and WORZ. I believe she was transferred to Werribee from Taronga in 2010.

 

That’s correct. Shani was born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in February 2005 and was transferred to Taronga Zoo in March 2006.

From there, she was transferred to Werribee Open Range Zoo in the first half of 2010, where she gave birth to her first foal in June 2011 - a colt named Mandela.

 

Thanks for that. I did read somewhere of a zebra named Shani at Taronga in the late 2000's but wasn't sure if it was Werribee's Shani.

I think her transfer out was a result of Werribee selecting her youngest son, Melako, as their next breeding stallion.

Yes - that would make sense as Kitale was apparently the only other female in the group at that time.

 

2. Auckland Zoo

What I know

Here's their current zebras:

1.0 Carlo (born 2007) Monty x Itika
0.1 Layla (born 2011) Bwana x Marble
0.1 Eve (born 2018) Carlo x Layla
1.0 Unknown (born 2021) Carlo x Layla

What I need to know

All I need here is the name of the young colt born last year.

 

3. Darling Downs Zoo

What I know:

Here's the zebras DDZ currently hold:

1.0 Zinty
0.1 Angel
0.1 Zavannah
0.1 Zara
0.1 Ziva (2018) Zinty x Angel
0.1 Zelda (2018) Zinty x Zavannah
0.1 Zapphire (2020) Zinty x Zavannah
0.1 Zafira (2021) Zinty x Zavannah
1.0 Zion (2021) Zinty x ?

What I need to know:

The name and DOB of a recently arrived mare from Mogo.

Year of births for the original four founders from the US.

The mother of Zion.

And also any other potential zebras DDZ may have - those listed above are only the ones I could find mention of online.

 

A few corrections:

Auckland Zoo transferred out their stallion around two years ago (Gibb’s Farm) and have since received a new mare from Hamilton Zoo named Imka.

The colt you listed actually turned out to be filly and was named Nyota.

They now hold an all female herd:

0.1 Layla (2011) Bwana x Marble
0.1 Imka (2018) Malawi x Zalika
0.1 Eve (2018) Carlo x Layla
0.1 Nyota (2021) Carlo x Layla

 

Thanks for that, that’s Auckland complete then!

 

4. Gibbs Farm

What I know:

I'm only aware of them holding the following male:

Carlo (2007) Monty x Itika

What I need to know:

The names of any other animals they may have alongside their year of birth and their parentage.

 

5. Hunter Valley Zoo

What I know:

They have two males (one from Mogo, the other from the National zoo). Unfortunately due to the many foals both facilities have produced, it's been hard to identify their names and thus, DOB's and parentages.

so,

What I need to know

The names of these two males, their year of birth and their parentage.

 

Received confirmation from Hunter Valley, they currently have three males:

1.0 Tharbo
1.0 Kahari
1.0 Toto (2021) Ken x Kitali

Still need to know the year of births and parentage of both Tharbo and Kahari.

 

@Zoofan15 do you have any info on the stock at Hamilton, Kitenui and Keystone?

 

Hamilton Zoo currently hold the following:

Herd One:

1.0 Malawi (12/03/2012)
0.1 Marble (06/10/2003)
0.1 Zalika (30/11/2011)
0.1 Pebbles (10/01/2021) Malawi x Marble
0.1 Wednesday (31/10/2021) Malawi x Zalika
1.0 Unnamed (20/01/2022) Malawi x Marble

Herd Two:

1.0 Okavango (27/12/2019) Malawi x Marble
1.0 Zambia (30/12/2019) Malawi x Zalika

Marble is a Grant’s zebra; the others are generic Plains zebra.

The colt born January 2022 is named, but I forget the name. I think it began with I or U.

The mares are both pregnant again: Zalika’s due this month; Marble’s due in January.

I don’t know current holdings for Kitenui or Keystone.