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Discussion in 'Australia' started by Chlidonias, 30 Nov 2012.

  1. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    No. However I do know that a very old name (pre-dating me) was bullfinch.
     
  2. CGSwans

    CGSwans Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Cassowaries are bully birds. You can see it in their eyes.

    Magpies are bully birds, at least in spring. They attack out of nowhere, just like bullies.

    Swans - yes, swans - are also bully birds. Don’t believe me? Try to approach one.

    Even kookaburras are bully birds - one literally stole my girlfriend’s lunch once, which is the definitive act of a bully.

    Finches, however, are not bully birds.
     
  3. Kifaru Bwana

    Kifaru Bwana Well-Known Member 15+ year member

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    Hate that mobile autocorrect: barley bird.
    Link: The Chestnut Breasted Mannikin - Lonchura castaneothorax
     
  4. Chlidonias

    Chlidonias Moderator Staff Member 15+ year member

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  5. MRJ

    MRJ Well-Known Member 15+ year member Premium Member

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    Agreed
     
  6. Patrick Keegan

    Patrick Keegan Well-Known Member

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  7. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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  8. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    That was quick! The builders only started the exhibit renovation around late November where the Eastern Tiger Snake used to be housed in the reptile house. This is very good news to finally see poison-dart frogs go on display in a south-east Queensland zoo and I look forward to seeing them in due course. The photo attached shows a Dyeing Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates tinctorius) but the zoo should also have Blue (D. t. "azureus") and Splash-backed (Adelphobates galactonotus) as well. It will be interesting to see if they placed a variety of poison-dart frogs on display or just the Dyeings.

    @Zorro There is no mention of them on their website nor their Facebook page. Looking at their recent magazine publication though they do mention that a bachelor group of dart frogs is now on-display. The article further discusses that Australia Zoo have had them for two years and have been breeding them to establish a secure population of over 20 individuals. They currently have tadpoles and eggs off-display as well.
     
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  9. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    @WhistlingKite24
    One would tend to believe that the zoo would inform the public to generate visitor interest.
     
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  10. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    Speaking of announcing it on social media, Australia Zoo have just officially announced that the poison dart frogs are on-display. From photos, it seems like both Blue and Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs are in the exhibit. The new terrarium can be seen via this link (it looks like a fantastic display):Log into Facebook | Facebook

    Edit: The frogs also made the local news - five individuals are on-display. The group arrived from Adelaide Zoo originally and the zoo have been planning their enclosure for six months.
     
    Last edited: 21 Dec 2020
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  11. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    They have been reading my comments again :D
     
  12. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Well in that case, could you make a comment about their choice of names for the animals? DJ, Mango and Winston the rhinos, Reggie the tiger, Fatboy the Komodo dragon, Talbert the giraffe. What’s next? Photocopier the Frilled-neck lizard? Lamination the lemur?
     
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  13. Zorro

    Zorro Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I think you would be flogging a dead horse with that one ;)
     
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  14. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    Visit to Australia Zoo – 23/12/2020:

    Notes from today’s visit:

    *the main bit of news from my visit is that as mentioned above, a bachelor group of poison dart frogs is now on display in the zoo’s reptile house – five Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs to be exact (no sign of the blue morphs). Considering that poison dart frogs are the only group of exotic frogs we have in Australia their presence in the reptile house really augments the zoo’s overall collection. Their newly renovated exhibit [Poison Dart Frog Enclosure - ZooChat] has some detailed rockwork with draping foliage and live plants complete with an automated misting system for the frogs. The frogs themselves make for an absolutely delightful display being such an active group. It’s a nice way to finish 2020 by seeing my first ever poison dart frogs.


    *the zoo has been trying to breed their Southern Cassowaries recently. The zoo currently has a 1.1 pair - Kevin and Babinda. The female laid six eggs earlier in the year [two placed in incubator and four parent-incubated]. The male abandoned the clutch, cracking one of the eggs, so the five remaining eggs remained in incubation but were unsuccessful. The cassowaries have since produced a second clutch but it remains to be seen if this time round has been successful.

    *the finches are now very well-established in the rainforest aviary and are multiplying rapidly. I saw Red-browed Finch and Gouldian Finch fledglings everywhere. Emerald Doves and Torresian Imperial Pigeons were also busily attending to their nests high in the canopy of the aviary. The only fairywren in the aviary was also particularly showy today coming down from the thick foliage to the main path which was nice.


    *an area between the otters and the echidnas is currently closed off for construction – not sure what they are building there. Said echidna enclosure [this one:Echidna Enclosure - ZooChat] is also currently empty.

    For more photos of today’s visit see here:Australia Zoo - ZooChat
     
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  15. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I don't really understand how your "what's next" names correlate with the zoo's names, or what your problem is with their names in general?
     
  16. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It’d probably be simpler for you to explain what you like about them.
     
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  17. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    They're perfectly normal names.
     
  18. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    And a synonym for normal is ordinary. I could pull better names out of the phone book.

    Most zoos in Australasia choose names for their animals that reflect their heritage, which forge a greater association in the visitor’s mind of that animal in relation to it’s country of origin; as opposing to choosing names that range from anthropomorphic to degrading.
     
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  19. TinoPup

    TinoPup Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    And those names can get really boring, when you're on your tenth cheetah named Duma. Names in general are anthropomorphic, none is more than another. Names like these are more memorable and help visitors relate to the animals, becoming more attached to their stories.
     
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  20. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Well then that’s ten examples of zoos that disagree with this point you’re trying to make.
    Given a zoo animal a name is indeed anthropomorphic; but since it serves a practical function, let’s not begrudge them that.

    Also, not everything is black and white @TinoPup. Geographically relevant names can be just as memorable. Auckland Zoo called their last orangutan infant ‘Madju’ and I can honestly say visitors found him as relatable and memorable as visitors in the 1970’s did ‘Topsy’ and ‘Turvey.’
     
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