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Felids in Australasian Zoos – News, History and Discussion

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Zoofan15, 30 Nov 2017.

  1. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    African Cheetah in New Zealand Zoos

    In November 2016, using the International Cheetah Studbook 2015 as my primary source, I compiled a list of every cheetah ever held in a New Zealand accredited zoo, which can be found here:

    https://www.zoochat.com/community/threads/cheetah-in-new-zealand-zoos.465684/

    The International Cheetah Studbook 2016 (published November 2017) is now available online and through a combination of this document and online research, I am able to provide an update on the cheetah from my 2016 lists (current cheetahs held at each zoo are in bold):

    Auckland Zoo:

    Anubis (M) born 05/06/2005 died 14/09/2017

    Osiris (M) born 05/06/2005 died 15/11/2017

    Qiana (F) born 16/11/2015 arrived 10/11/2017 from Cango Wildlife Ranch (via Orana Wildlife Park)

    Quartz (F) born 16/11/2015 arrived 10/11/2017 from Cango Wildlife Ranch (via Orana Wildlife Park)

    Hamilton Zoo:


    Moyo Matusi (M) born 01/10/2004 died ??/10/2017

    Wellington Zoo:

    Charlie (M) born 08/05/2004 died 07/07/2017

    Cango (M) born 09/04/2009 still at Wellington Zoo

    Kunjuka (M) born 09/04/2009 still at Wellington Zoo

    Orana Wildlife Park:

    Kaha (M) born 30/10/2004 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Gemma (F) born 27/09/2006 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Mazza (F) born 09/04/2009 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Lusi (F) born 17/09/2010 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Gorse (M) born 28/10/2014 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Kanzi (M) born 28/10/2014 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Matata (M) born 28/10/2014 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Nia (F) born 28/10/2014 still at Orana Wildlife Park

    Quake (M) born 16/11/2015 arrived 02/11/2017 from Cango Wildlife Ranch

    Quantro (M) born 16/11/2015 arrived 02/11/2017 from Cango Wildlife Ranch


    Additional notes/info:


    There have been a number of changes:

    Auckland Zoo now hold two females, after Anubis and Osiris passed away last year. Qia and Quartz will also be ambassador animals, not breeding animals. Qiana’s name was shortened to Qia by Auckland Zoo staff. She was part of a litter of 2.4 cubs (including Quartz, Quake and Quantro).

    Hamilton Zoo no longer hold cheetah after the death of their remaining male last year. Nothing has been confirmed for importing new cheetah in the short term, although it is in their long term plans.

    Wellington Zoo now have just two males (brothers) after their elderly male, Charlie, passed away last year.

    Orana Wildlife Park now have 10 cheetah after the import of 2.0 cheetah from Cango Wildlife Ranch. The new males (born 2015) will hopefully breed with their females, including successful breeder, eight year old Mazza, and her daughter, three year old female, Nia. Mazza and Nia are the third and fourth generation of their family to be born at Orana Wildlife Park. Their family dates back to the arrival of the first female, Malaika (born 1990), who arrived in 1991 from Edinburgh Zoo: Malaika (1990) > Yatima (1997) > Kura (2004) > Mazza (2009) > Nia (2014). To date, Orana Wildlife Park has raised 22 cheetah to adulthood, all from this family line.
     
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  2. zooboy28

    zooboy28 Well-Known Member

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    Melbourne Zoo now has four snow leopards, with the recent (late 2017) passing of one of the two elderly animals kept off-display (not sure which one though).
     
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  3. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Article about Male Lion Lazerus at Taronga Western Plains Zoo

    Dental surgery fit for a king

    Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital delivers veterinary care for a vast range of animals and the Hospital recently treated a most impressive visitor.


    Male adult African Lion Lazarus underwent dental surgery at the Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital on Monday 8 January. Even Lions experience similar everyday dental issues that can affect humans, like a broken tooth! Keepers had noticed a fracture on one of his teeth, and just like the human kind, Lazarus underwent root canal therapy to prevent infection. We interviewed Wildlife Hospital Senior Veterinarian Dr Benn Bryant to get an insight as to how the surgery went.

    Patient bio: Lazarus is a 17-year-old male, weighing approximately 185kg. He is in great physical shape for a big cat of his age.

    Can you tell us about Lazarus’ dental procedure? Lazarus had root canal therapy, as well as a general health check, including physical examination and blood and urine sampling for laboratory testing. The duration of the procedure was approximately one hour. It went very well, and Lazarus is now back to his normal self – bright and hungry!

    Who operated on Lazarus? Specialist Veterinary Dentist, Dr David Clarke undertook the surgery. Dr Clarke has supported Taronga for many years by making his specialist veterinary dental expertise available for treating these kinds of issues. Over the years he has treated lions, tigers, cheetah, African wild dogs, Tasmanian devils and spider monkeys for us.

    What prompted the surgery? Lazarus’ Keepers had noticed he had unfortunately fractured one of his canine teeth. This had exposed the pulp canal (otherwise known as the tooth root canal; a tubular canal that runs up the centre of the tooth from the root and contains blood vessels and nerves). An exposed pulp canal is at risk of infection which can then travel down the tooth, setting up a painful and difficult-to-treat infection/abscess around the root of the tooth. Treatment to prevent this requires cleaning out and sterilising the pulp canal with specialised instruments (i.e. root canal therapy) and capping the tooth to seal it - just like in people, however we used specialised lion-sized dental equipment!

    How was Lazarus anaesthetised? Lazarus was anaesthetised with an intramuscular dose of anaesthetic drugs. Keepers he is familiar with trained him to stand against the fence in his nightyard for an injection. We then managed his anaesthesia just like a domestic cat, by putting a tube into his trachea. The anaesthetic gas and oxygen kept him safely asleep while we transported him to the Wildlife Hospital, where the procedurewas undertaken.

    Although Lazarus is a happy and well adjusted zoo-based cat he is still a wild animal and potentially very dangerous. During the transport to and from the wildlife hospital and throughout the medical procedure we are reliant on general anaesthesia to keep everybody safe. Taronga’s vets are very experienced with lion anaesthesia but we still take every precaution.

    Can you tell us a quirky fact about Lazarus? Lazarus is a Kiwi! He was born at Auckland Zoo and moved to Dubbo to take up a very important role in Taronga’s African Lion conservation breeding program. Since his arrival he has sired two litters of cubs. Lazarus and his extended family will soon take up residence in the Zoo’s exciting new African Lion Pride Lands exhibit, opening in March 2018.


    Note: There are two mistakes in this article. Lazerus was born 2002 so is currently 15-16 years old, not 17 years old. He was also wild born and came to Auckland Zoo from South Africa in 2003. He lived at Auckland Zoo for 9 years but was not born there.
     
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  4. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Big Cat Baby Booms:

    Unlike snow leopard and cheetah births which have occurred at relatively regular intervals over the years and showed few identifiable clusters, both Sumatran tigers and African lions in our region have had baby booms, most recently in 2006-2011 (Sumatran tigers) and 2013-2017 (African lions).

    Sumatran Tigers:

    Melbourne Zoo:

    Satu (M)
    28/10/2006 Ramalon x Binjai
    Isha (F) 28/10/2006 Ramalon x Binjai
    Nakal (M) 28/10/2006 Ramalon x Binjai

    Hutan (M) 09/02/2010 Ramalon x Binjai
    Aceh (M) 09/02/2010 Ramalon x Binjai
    Indrah (F) 09/02/2010 Ramalon x Binjai
    Rani (F) 09/02/2010 Ramalon x Binjai

    Dreamworld:

    Indah (F) 31/03/2007 Raja x Soraya
    Rahni (F) 31/03/2007 Raja x Soraya

    Jaya (F) 09/06/2008 Raja x Soraya
    Shanti (F) 09/06/2008 Raja x Soraya
    Ndari (F) 09/06/2008 Raja x Soraya

    Auckland Zoo:

    Jalur (M) 12/06/2008 Oz x Molek
    Cinta (F) 12/06/2008 Oz x Molek
    Berani (M) 12/06/2008 Oz x Molek

    Perth Zoo:

    Sali (F) 10/04/2008 Hari x Setia

    Jaya (M) 20/08/2008 Hari x Setia
    Satri (M) 20/08/2008 Hari x Setia
    Melati (F) 20/08/2008 Hari x Setia

    Mogo Zoo:

    Senja (F) 21/08/2010 Lari x Soraya
    Mati (M) 21/08/2010 Lari x Soraya
    Indra (M) 21/08/2010 Lari x Soraya

    Taronga Zoo:

    Kembali (M) 20/08/2011 Satu x Jumilah
    Kirana (F) 20/08/2011 Satu x Jumilah
    Sakti (M) 20/08/2011 Satu x Jumilah

    Note: These statistics only include births of cubs that survived to the age of 3 months, the usual age for the media debut for this species. There have been other births, including three cubs that died shortly after birth at Perth Zoo in 2008 and a stillborn cub born at Taronga Zoo in 2010, and that have not been included in this data. This data also does not include 1.2 tigers born 2007, that were imported from Indonesia in 2008 to Australia Zoo as they were not born in the region.

    African Lions:

    Monarto Zoo:

    Jelani (M) 24/04/2013 Leroy x Tiombe
    Husani (F) 24/04/2013 Leroy x Tiombe
    Nia (F) 24/04/2013 Leroy x Tiombe

    Mlinzi (M) 18/06/2013 Leroy x Kiamba
    Makena (F) 18/06/2013 Leroy x Kiamba

    Mogo Zoo:

    Chitwa (F) 10/08/2014 Mac x Snow
    Zuri (F) 10/08/2014 Mac x Snow

    Werribee Open Range Zoo:

    Kubwa (M) 20/10/2015 Johari x Nilo
    Kashka (M) 20/10/2015 Johari x Nilo
    Kito (M) 20/10/2015 Johari x Nilo

    Zuberi (M) 12/12/2016 Johari x Nairibi
    Ndidi (M) 12/12/2016 Johari x Nairibi
    Aziza (F) 12/12/2016 Johari x Nairibi
    Kibibi (F) 12/12/2016 Johari x Nairibi

    Asali (F) 12/08/2017 Johari x Nilo
    Ato (M) 12/08/2017 Johari x Nilo
    Lwazi (M) 12/08/2017 Johari x Nilo
    IIola (F) 12/08/2017 Johari x Nilo

    Taronga Western Plains Zoo:

    Baako (M) 28/02/2015 Lazarus x Maya
    Zuri (F) 28/02/2015 Lazarus x Maya
    Makeba (F) 28/02/2015 Lazarus x Maya

    Bakari (M) 19/11/2016 Lazarus x Maya
    Karoo (M) 19/11/2016 Lazarus x Maya
    Sheru (M) 19/11/2016 Lazarus x Maya
    Virunga (M) 19/11/2016 Lazarus x Maya

    Darling Downs Zoo:

    Lazy Boy* (M) 13/01/2015 Shaka x Shenzi
    Terror* (F) 13/01/2015 Shaka x Shenzi
    Mummy’s Girl* (F) 13/01/2015 Shaka x Shenzi

    *Temporary name prior to export

    Note: These statistics only include births of cubs that survived to the age of 3 months. There may have been other births, especially at Mogo Zoo which are notoriously limited on their info/media releases. Births of lions at zoos which are not accredited have also not been included e.g. Paradise Valley Wildlife Park in Rotorua, New Zealand.
     
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  5. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Wellington Zoo Preparing to Breed Sumatran Tigers

    Wellington Zoo starts 'complex' process to breed Sumatran tigers

    Love is in the air - almost.

    Wellington Zoo's keepers are hoping that will become more definite though as they carry out the "complex" process to introduce and breed their critically endangered Sumatran tigers.

    Zoo staff are already seeing positive signs as they gradually introduce the tigers, 10-year-old male Bashii and 7-year-old female Senja, animal care manager Jo Richardson said.

    "This is quite an exciting time for us for many reasons, one of the main reasons being the plight of the Sumatran tigers in the wild," she said.

    Since November the team have been doing "protected contact introductions" with the two tigers, who have separate habitats due to their solitary nature.

    "This is where the tigers, they can see each other, they can hear each other, they can have semi-contact between the mesh barrier."

    Keepers carefully monitor the introductions to make sure the tigers are displaying positive and neutral behaviours "until we see that we're at a stage where we can put the tigers in together".

    One such behaviour is the flehmen response, where the tiger takes a scent deeply into their nasal passages through their mouths. It can look as though the tiger is grinning.

    It is how tigers and many other mammals investigate and pick up the scent and pheromones of another animal's presence.

    "Basically they get more intense smell from this," Richardson said.

    Bashii was showing a great deal of interest in Senja's scent, which was a "positive sign".

    They had also rubbed cheeks through the mesh fence and "chuffed" at each other, which was a form of greeting.

    If keepers are feeling confident about the behaviours the tigers show towards each other, the next step will be allowing them to swap habitats. Eventually it is hoped they will reach a point where they can be fully introduced for breeding.

    "The most important aspect for us is the tiger's welfare. There's no guarantee that the tigers will be introduced together. If there's anything at any point that would say to us that it wouldn't be wise to do that, then we won't introduce the tigers, because their welfare is the most important thing."

    Richardson said the process to reach a breeding phase was "complex". It's been at least a few years since the zoo team last tried to introduce tigers, and never Bashii and Senja together.

    There was no certainty any of this would result in tiger cubs being born, and it could be months before the tigers are fully introduced.

    "It's amazing for people, for visitors to be able to come in and connect with these animals anyway, but to be involved in a breeding programme that is CHEK such an important role for a critically endangered animals is really important, not just to the zoo team, but for our community as well."
     
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  6. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    A Bit of Light Reading on the Hand Raising of Big Cats

    This journal article details the socialisation of a single hand reared Sumatran tiger cub and it’s successful reintroduction to its mother:

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23282293

    Given the drawbacks of hand-rearing nonhuman animals in captivity, the practice is generally avoided, but it is sometimes necessary. A few scientific publications are available to guide managers toward best practices in hand-rearing, but the majority of articles focus on hand-rearing captive primates. Less is known about hand-rearing carnivores, but early socialization appears to be critical for adult social behavior. This article documents the successful hand-rearing and reintroduction of a single female Sumatran tiger cub at Zoo Atlanta. Reintroduction included a systematic procedure that used scent trials and introduction sessions through a barrier to gauge interest and determine whether or not aggression was a problem. Based on signs of interest, reduced stress-related behaviors, and a lack of aggression, animal managers decided to proceed with reintroduction. During the introductions, the animals were not aggressive and did occasionally interact, although typical mother-infant interactions were rare. The cub has since bred naturally and successfully delivered and reared two litters of cubs. These data suggest limited exposure to an adult tiger may be adequate socialization for normal reproduction even if it is provided relatively late in the cub's development.

    This journal article examines the effects of hand rearing on the reproductive success of captive large cats (Siberian tiger, cheetah, snow leopard and clouded leopard):

    https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27214261

    Species Survival Plans and European Endangered Species Programmes have been developed for several species of endangered felids in order to build up captive reserve populations and support their conservation in the wild. The Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), snow leopard (Uncia uncia), cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) and clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa) are managed in such ex situ conservation programmes. Many zoological institutions hand-rear offspring if rearing by the mother fails. Hand-rearing can cause behavioural problems, resulting in decreased copulation and lower breeding success in some species. In this study, studbook data subsets were examined: from 1901 to 2011; and 2000 to 2011. We analysed records from 4273 Siberian tigers, 2045 snow leopards, 3435 cheetahs, and 804 clouded leopards. We assessed the number of offspring produced, litter size, age at first reproduction, longevity, infant mortality and generational rearing of hand-reared versus parent-reared individuals. Hand-reared Siberian tigers (p<0.01; p = 0.0113), snow leopards (p<0.01), male cheetahs (p<0.01) and female clouded leopards (p<0.01) produced fewer offspring than parent-reared individuals. Hand-reared snow leopard breeding pairs had larger litters than parent-reared pairs (p = 0.0404). Hand-reared snow leopard females reproduced later in life (p<0.01). Hand-reared female Siberian tigers lived shorter lives, while hand-reared cheetahs lived longer (p<0.01; p = 0.0107). Infant mortality was higher in hand-reared snow leopards (p<0.01) and male cheetahs (p = 0.0395) in the 1901-2011 dataset and lower in hand-reared female Siberian tiger and male snow leopard cubs (p = 0.0404; p = 0.0349) in the 2000-2011 dataset. The rearing of the mother and subsequent rearing of offspring showed a significant relationship for all species (p<0.01 for Siberian tiger and snow leopard cubs; p<0.001 for cheetah and snow leopard cubs). Taking into account the limited carrying capacity of zoos, the results of this study highlight that careful consideration should be taken when deciding whether or not to hand-rear individuals that are part of Species Survival Plans and European Endangered Species Programmes.

    This book, regarding the introduction of dogs, had a section in the preface about big cats, who the author worked with from 1994 at Taronga Zoo:

    https://books.google.co.nz/books?id=7XnVBgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=isbn:1617811602&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwii4o-K5-DYAhUEzbwKHUJKAWEQ6AEIJzAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

    Solitary species are at a higher risk of poor socialisation in zoos. As a young keeper, I saw one year old big cats removed from the mother so that she could breed again. At one year of age, these cats are not ready to live a solitary life. The longer they spend alone at this early stage of their life, the harder it will be to introduce them to a breeding partner later. This was particularly true of hand reared cats. One tiger (Kemiri) that I knew was hand reared by keepers and as a result of a lack of socialisation with her own species, failed to ever be able to introduced safely to another tiger. She just didn’t have the range of tiger social behaviours to make other tigers feel at ease and every attempt to pair her up with a male ended up with the male attacking her.

    Very early on, my policy was to leave cubs or young of any species with their mother (or parents where possible) for at least one or two years past normal age of dispersal with the goal of only transferring the young to another zoo once it had a mate waiting for it. If this was not possible, as timing of animal transfers can be difficult for various reasons – then with good early solid socialisation, past the usual age of dispersal, the animal had a good foundation that would carry it through even if there was a six month lag in meeting another of its own species.

    Light Discussion

    The Australasian region provides many examples of the three different types of rearing of big cats: parent raised, hand raised and peer raised. As noted in the first article, the reintroduction of the Sumatran tiger to its mother was its ultimately successful. While the mother and cub did not develop the typical parent/offspring relationship, it clearly provided critical socialisation which allowed the cub to develop into a socialised adult, capable of rearing its own offspring without human assistance. In contrast, Kemiri, who was born at the Taronga Zoo in November 1994 and was hand raised by zoo staff, did not have the opportunity to socialise with her own species and as noted in the book above, this led to her being unable to introduced to the male tiger at the Adelaide Zoo. Unlike the tiger cub described in the first journal article, Kemiri was never reintroduced to her mother Selatan, who gave birth 11 months later to her second litter. If reintroduction to the mother is not possible, the saving grace for a cub can often be its siblings, which upgrade its rearing/socialisation from hand raised to hand raised-peer raised. Unfrotuantely for Kemiri, this was not possible. Her littermate died in their first week, leaving Kemiri a single cub.

    In April 2008 at the Perth Zoo, newborn Sumatran tiger Sali found herself in a similar situation. Her mother Setia gave birth to a litter of four cubs, but when three died shortly after birth, she rejected the fourth. The decision was made to transfer Sali at six weeks of age to Dreamworld on the Gold Coast, where their Sumatran tigress, Soraya, was heavily pregnant. Soraya delivered triplets in due course and Sali, only a few weeks older, was hand raised alongside them. As with all tiger cubs at Dreamworld, she was also introduced to a large cross section of sub adult and adult tigers of a range of ages, allowing her excellent socialisation opportunities. This ultimately paid off, with Sali being transferred to Hamilton Zoo in 2012, and after being successfully introduced to the mother reared male Oz, producing two cubs in 2014. Sali has reared both cubs well and despite having a closer relationship with her keepers than you’d expect from a mother reared tiger, shows no behavioural signs of being hand raised.

    When Kemiri was born in Novemeber 1994, there were few zoos holding Sumatran tigers, let alone breeding them. The last litter born had been in 1990, and there would be only two further litters born that decade (in 1995 and 1996). It initially appears understandable that the breeding programme was unable to socialise her with same age Sumatran tigers cubs as was provided for Sali in 2008, in the height of a Sumatran tiger baby boom in the region, but frustratingly there was in fact an excellent opportunity. Tiger Island opened in early 1995, with the arrival of six Bengal tiger cubs, born between November and December 1994. This would have been an ideal opportunity for Kemiri and without a doubt would have provided her with the socialisation she never had.

    Many zoos in the region have hand raised litters of African lion cubs. Hunter Valley’s male lion Jambo was hand raised alongside his two sisters in 1999 and went on to be paired successfully with a lioness at the Taronga Zoo, producing two cubs in 2003. Sheeka, born 1999 at the Mogo Zoo, was hand raised with initially own a dog for socialisation. Before she was a year old, Sheeka joined a similar aged mother raised cub, Kura, at the Auckland Zoo which provided invaluable education on natural lion behaviour. Upon Sheeka’s death last year, Auckland Zoo commented that “Sheeka was very different in personality to any other lions. She could be a little vague and off in her own world at times, but she seemed to really enjoy her relationship with her keepers and was always pleased to see us.” While Sheeka never fully acted as a mother raised lioness would, the socialisation she was provided through her introduction to Kura ensured she lived a full filling life as a member of Auckland Zoo’s pride. The last time I saw Sheeka, she was sleeping in the sun alongside either Kura or Amiria. Sheeka may have biologically been on the outside of Kura and Amira’s mother-daughter relationship, but socially she was as much a part of the pride as either of them.

    The preface of the book mentioned above describes the benefits of allowing cubs to remain with their mother/family group beyond the natural age of dispersal. Due to adequate nutrition among other factors, Sumatran tigresses in a captive setting often come into season around 12 months after the birth of their cubs, well before the natural age of dispersal. Wellington Zoo separated their breeding female, Cantic, from her two litters (born 1996 and 2000) around this age as she was becoming aggressive to them. This was likely the reason Selatan’s second litter (born 1995) were also shifted on to Taronga Western Plains Zoo at a similar age. These days, it’s more common for zoos in the Australasian region to give the mother a contraceptive, which allows her to tolerate the presence of her cubs well into adulthood. This was done with Molek at the Auckland Zoo, who gave birth in 2008 and still lives with one of her cubs and also at the Taronga Zoo. Assiqua gave birth in 2003 and her litter remained with her for four years until 2007. Her daughter Jumilah gave birth in 2011 to triplets and still lives with two of her cubs.

    In 2016, the Werribee Open Range Zoo made the seemingly bizarre decision to introduce their soon to leave adolescent African lion cubs to their three month old half siblings. This appeared a risky decision, but the zoo justified it was good education for the young males by providing them with experience with young cubs. Whether this socialisation experience will benefit the young males, should they ever produce cubs of their own remains to be seen. Orana Wildlife Park attempted to establish a pride in the early 2000s with a male Toby (hand raised-peer raised) and females Priscilla (hand raised) and Kiara (unknown). After Priscilla gave birth to twins in 2002, she was reintroduced to the pride, where Toby attacked the female cub, to the point where she had to be euthanised. Of course many factors could have led to this, including the possibility that Toby was an unusually aggressive male or the introduction caught him on a bad day, but it is interesting to note Toby never had any experience with younger cubs prior to arriving at Orana Widlife Park. Another contributing factor could have been the inability of the hand raised mother, Priscilla to pre-empt warning signs of aggression from Toby, something a mother raised lioness may have recognised and acted on. After this, Toby was kept separate from the females and cubs, and only introduced to the females for breeding. He died in 2006 at the age of eight.

    The second journal article identifies a strong relationship between the rearing of the offspring and the subsequent rearing of their offspring. Orana Wildlife Park has excelled in breeding cheetah, raising several cubs to adulthood since 1993, all from the same family. The last two generations (born 2009 and 2014) were both hand raised after being rejected by their mother. The generation prior to this (born 2004) were initially mother raised but orphaned around the age of 3 months and were peer raised (but not hand raised) by zoo staff who allowed the cubs to develop on their own with minimal interference as they were just approaching the age of weaning and eating solids.

    The same journal article also turns up some surprising and seemingly unexplainable results including the fact hand reared snow leopard pairs produced larger litters than mother reared pairs and that hand raised Siberian tigresses live shorter lives than their mother raised counterparts. The dataset in our region is probably too small to draw any conclusions on this hypothesis but I’m pleased to note that despite never being able to be paired with a male or rear her own litter of cubs, Kemiri the hand raised tiger did not live a short life. She died in June 2017 aged 22 years and currently holds the record for longevity in the region.
     
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  7. Sheather

    Sheather Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Really interesting post.
     
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  8. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Update on New Lion Enclosure at Taronga Western Plains Zoo

    Keepers prepare Lion pride for big move

    As construction of African Lions Pride Lands nears completion, TWPZ Keepers are preparing the pride of eight African Lions for the big move to their new exhibit!

    Adult male Lazarus, adult female Maya and her four 14-month-old male cubs, and sub-adult females Makeba and Zuri are all undergoing crate training to condition them for the move, happening soon.

    Keepers are pleased with the progress of conditioning, with training now occurring three times daily. Lioness Maya is showing her confidence the most, and is accepting the crate door being fully shut. Male Lazarus and the sub-adult females are not far behind, as are the four cubs, who are growing more relaxed with the process each day.

    The Lions will spend a couple of weeks in a holding area at Pride Lands as they adjust – not only to their new environment, but also the safari truck that will tour visitors through the exhibit daily. All going well, they will be introduced to the main exhibit at Pride Lands from the beginning of March and can get to work exploring the vast 3.5 hectare space. Maya and her four cubs will be transported in one box on the first moving day, while Lazarus, Makeba and Zuri will be moved in individual boxes on the following day.

    Best of luck to the Keepers assisting with the move – we’re looking forward to the opening of Pride Lands in late March!
     
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  9. Sheather

    Sheather Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    3.5 hectares is a huge lion exhibit!
     
  10. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Hopefully the pride will expand in the future, either with more female cubs born to Lazerus and Maya, or a new breeding male brought in on Lazerus' passing.

    I wonder what happened to Baako? Maybe he is destined to be Perth Zoo's new breeding male?
     
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  11. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Jaguar in Australasian Zoos

    I’m interesting in learning more about Jaguar kept in our region’s zoos. Information is hard to find on the internet as many zoos phased them out decades ago but any information people have would be appreciated. I have been able to find out a small amount about the jaguar at Auckland Zoo via online sources:

    Auckland Zoo

    Auckland Zoo received 1.1 Jaguar from Lincoln Park Zoo in 1969. I’m not sure if this was the first pair or if there had previously been jaguar held at Auckland Zoo.

    The male was born 11/06/1968 at Topeka Zoo (transferred to Lincoln Park Zoo at 3 months of age) and arrived 01/08/1969. He died at Auckland Zoo 20/04/1979.

    The female was born 06/06/1968 at Lincoln Park Zoo and arrived 10/01/1969. She died at Auckland Zoo 27/02/1987.

    1.2 cubs were born 18/12/1977 and were sent to Hamilton Zoo in 1978. I’m not sure of the names/parentage of these three cubs, but it seems likely they were born to the pair imported in 1969 as it would have been uncommon for Auckland (or any other zoo in the region) to have held multiple pairs of jaguar.

    An article about natural enrichment of Chacma baboon at Auckland Zoo (dated 2000) referred to an encounter between the dominant male Chacma baboon (Nicholas) and the “old jaguar” named Lima, who was a male. Considering Nicholas was born approximately 1983 (i.e.) he wouldn’t have been the dominant male at the age of 1, we can assume the encounter described took place between the late 80s but most likely the early-mid 90s. It was implied Lima was the last jaguar held at Auckland Zoo.

    We know from the history book, Tiger by the Tail (1992), that an attack on a keeper occurred in 1985 involving two jaguars (who were kept together). Again assuming multiple pairs were not kept at Auckland, one of these would have been the female imported 1969 (died 1987), the other I’m guessing would be Lima.

    From here there are two possibilities: 1) Lima was born at the zoo and was the son of the female, 2) He was born at another zoo and imported as a mate for the female, after her original mate died in 1979. Since the female would have turned 11 years old the year her mate died, I’m guessing it’s unlikely they would have imported a new male with the intention of breeding her and therefore it’s most likely Lima was her son.

    Lima’s birthdate is unknown, but if he is the son of this female, it’s likely he was born between 1978 and mid 1979 as the imported male died in April 1979 and the female gave birth to cubs in December 1977, indicating Lima was born after them as it would been unusual to separate him from his mother for the birth of a subsequent litter, then reintroduce him at a later date (when they were no longer familiar with each other). This would have made him 18 years old by the mid-1990s, which is believed to be around the time Auckland Zoo’s last jaguar died.

    If anyone can add to this information, or contribute information on jaguars held at Taronga, Melbourne or Hamilton Zoo, I would be very grateful.
     
    Last edited: 1 Feb 2018
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  12. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Adelaide Zoo - New Sumatran Tiger Pair

    As mentioned by @Astrobird in the Adelaide Zoo News 2018 thread, the Adelaide Zoo will be receiving a pair of Sumatran tigers this year. The male will be coming from Hamilton Zoo; the female will be coming from the National Zoo.

    The National Zoo is home to two female Sumatran tigers, Rahni (2007) and Ndari (2008), who are full sisters. I'm guessing Rahni will the one going to Adelaide as last I heard, the National Zoo are introducing Ndari to their male for breeding.

    Hamilton Zoo is home to two male Sumatran tigers, Oz (2004) and Kembali (2014), who are father and son. It's anyone's guess who will be the one going to Adelaide. Kembali is now at the natural age of dispersal and may need relocating, however I think his father Oz is the more likely candidate. Born in Israel, Oz is a genetically valuable tiger in the region, much more so than his son, who descends from the well represented Nico-Meta line. Breeding Oz, who turns 14 this year, one more time with a relatively genetically valuable female is certainly a good idea in my opinion. In addition, Rahni never bred with her previous mate (who died in 2014). I'm not sure if this was due to a lack of incompatibility between the pair or for another reason but surely they will have the best chance of success with Oz, who has successfully been introduced to three different females over the years.

    In conclusion, my guess is that the new pair at the Adelaide Zoo will be Oz (2004) and Rahni (2007).
     
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  13. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Adelaide Zoo's New Tigers

    More stripes for Adelaide Zoo's wild family: two Sumatran Tigers!

    We’re excited to share the news that Adelaide Zoo is expecting some new resident felines – two Sumatran Tigers!

    Keepers are busy preparing for the arrival of the striped duo, who are only weeks away from making their South Australian debut.

    Ten-year-old female tiger Rhani will call Adelaide Zoo home from late March after making the journey from National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra.

    She will later be joined by 3-year-old male, Kembali, who is expected to arrive before the end of May from Hamilton Zoo in New Zealand.

    The two tigers will then spend some time apart while they settle in and get used to their new homes.

    Once the cats are comfortable in their surroundings, keepers hope to begin introductions between the two for breeding.

    Zoos SA Chief Executive Elaine Bensted says the pitter-patter of little paws would be a fantastic outcome for conservation.

    “Given how critically endangered Sumatran Tigers are, successful breeding between our new pair would be incredibly exciting,” Elaine said.

    “Any cubs born at Adelaide Zoo would not only be delightful for visitors, but would mark an important contribution to the vital international breeding program we’re proud to be working towards.”

    With less than 400 Sumatran Tigers believed to be left in the wild, tiger populations are at an all-time low.

    The iconic species is facing a rapidly decreasing population trend due to habitat destruction for palm oil plantations and poaching for the illegal wildlife trade.

    As a conservation charity that exists to save species, we’ll work tirelessly to make sure tigers stay a pounce ahead of extinction.

    The pair will join our resident Sumatran Tiger,
    18-year-old Assiqua, who has called Adelaide Zoo home for 11 years.

    Stay tuned for more details on their arrival!
     
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  14. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Adelaide Zoo's New Tigers Discussion

    As posted in the article above, Adelaide Zoo's new breeding pair of Sumatran tigers will be Rahni (2007) and Kembali (2014). So I was right about the female and mistaken about the male.

    As a founder, I'm really surprised Oz (2004) wasn't chosen instead of his son, who's maternal line is so well represented in our region.

    It's also surprising that they didn't choose Oz's older son, Berani (2008) at Auckland Zoo instead of Kembali, when you consider their mothers are from the same family line, but Berani is third generation and Kembali is fifth:

    Nico/Meta (founder) > Jambi (first generation) > Molek (second generation) > Berani (third generation)

    Nico/Meta (founder) > Jambi (first generation) > Malu (second generation) > Setia (third generation) > Sali (fourth generation) > Kembali (fifth generation)

    In addition, Auckland Zoo are in the process of demolishing their Sumatran tiger exhibits and dens as part of the Wild Indonesia Development so rehoming Berani, would have been perfect timing.

    However, I'm certainly not complaining at the choice of Kembali. It's refreshing to see a young tiger going almost immediately into a breeding situation, as oppose to the many cubs produced over the years that have just become non breeding animals in our region.

    Rahni turns 11 years old this month, which means Adelaide Zoo will only have 1-2 years to breed from this pair. Rahni failed to breed with her previous mate, an older male who died in 2014, so hopefully this pairing will be more successful.
     
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  15. MattyP

    MattyP Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The National Zoo and Aquarium are hand raising a cheetah cub named Solo and raising him with a puppy named Zama as an ambassador animal, similar to what happens frequently in the USA.
     
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  16. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Interesting to hear they chose Zama for her collie genes, as they wanted a dog with the energy and endurance to keep up with the cheetah cub as it grows. There have been many cases in the Australasian region of lion, tiger and cheetah cubs being raised alongside a dog, yet this is the first time I’ve heard of a dog being chosen for this reason. I’ve previously been given the impression that the dog of choice was whatever friendly, large dog was kept amongst one of the keepers.

    http://www.news.com.au/technology/environment/conservation/cheetah-cub-solo-forms-friendship-with-puppy-zama-at-canberras-national-zoo-and-aquarium/news-story/02039191cdcf492ad0a163b0a09f609a
     
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  17. Nisha

    Nisha Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Wild Animal Encounters received two female Cheetah from South Africa last week - Ziva and Zane
     
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  18. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Taronga Western Plains Zoo - New African Lion Exhibit

    Article One:

    New Lion Exhibit the Pride of Taronga

    On 28 March 2018, Minister for the Environment, the Hon Gabrielle Upton MP welcomed the opening of Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s new Lion Pride Lands precinct, featuring an immersive safari adventure for guests to get up close to the Dubbo Zoo’s Lion pride.

    A $9 million joint investment between the NSW Government and Taronga Conservation Society Australia, the 3.8 hectare precinct is the largest investment in an animal exhibit in the Zoo’s history, and represents the first major change to the Zoo circuit since its opening in 1977.

    Minister Upton today said that the new precinct, which consists of two Lion exhibits and walkthrough goat kraals, will help enhance understanding of Lions and also living with Lions, in addition to driving visitation to the Dubbo region.

    “Lion Pride Lands at Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo sets the bar for world-class guest experiences,” Minister Upton said.

    “In addition to offering space and an unrivalled environment for the Lions, the precinct offers up-close viewing from a replica African Maasai village, home to a herd of goats, as well as an immersive drive-through experience in Pride Lands Patrol. These experiences will inspire the Zoo’s guests to connect with Lions, to understand what it’s like to live in close proximity to Lions and to understand their plight in the wild.”

    “With a history spanning four decades and a record for breeding conservation and guest experience excellence, Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo is the most visited zoo in regional NSW. The investment in Lion Pride Lands from the NSW Government will reinforce the importance of tourism in regional NSW, and help draw more people to this region, who are eager to experience everything the central west has to offer,” said the Minister.

    Taronga Conservation Society Australia Chief Executive and Director Cameron Kerr said that with as few as 20,000 Lions remaining in the wild, to have a pride of eight was a privilege.

    “Big cats such as Lions represent everything that is powerful about nature. It’s a tragedy to see Lions experience a population decline of 43 per cent in the last 21 years due to their range and habitat becoming increasingly fragmented. This is only made worse by conflict and tensions between traditional farming and carnivores such as Lions, and the threat of poaching,” said Mr Kerr.


    “Through the journey of this precinct, guests can see the power of Lions as an apex predator and better understand the relationship between humans and Lions in the wild. Guests can also understand how Taronga is working with partners such as the Northern Rangelands Trust to make a real difference for wildlife and people in African communities.”

    Lion Pride Lands will be open every day from Easter onwards, and entry is included in the cost of admission. The Pride Lands Patrol safari experience costs in addition to zoo admission. For further information please visit
    taronga.org.au/lionpridelands.

    Article Two:

    Lion Pride Lands: The mane attraction these holidays!

    Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s major new precinct for the African Lion will take pride of place these school holidays, with an unforgettable experience in store!

    The all new Lion Pride Lands precinct is set to launch Easter 2018. Home to the Zoo’s pride of eight majestic African Lions, the vast 3.8-hectare precinct consists of two exhibits, with the visitor area replicating an African Maasai village setting offering incredible views from shelters across to the Lions in their savannah habitat.

    “Easter and the school holiday period will be an incredibly exciting time for us as our visitors experience Lion Pride Lands for the first time,” Taronga Western Plains Zoo Director, Steve Hinks, said.

    “There’s been a huge amount of anticipation for this opening for some time now, and our visitors will have seen construction taking shape from the Zoo circuit. We are delighted with the finished product and we’re looking forward to sharing this amazing experience with our visitors!”

    Visitors to the Zoo from Easter will be able to spot the Lions prowling the Pride Lands, with an uninterrupted outlook from floor to ceiling glass windows or across a water-filled moat. The pride includes male Lion Lazarus, lioness Maya, two sub-adult females and four juvenile male cubs.

    There’s also a thrilling tour on the cards. Visitors can jump on board ‘Pride Lands Patrol’; a purpose-built safari truck, and drive through the Lion’s enclosure on an exciting guided tour running multiple times daily.

    “Overall, Lion Pride Lands takes visitors on a journey through an African Maasai village, highlighting the plight of African Lions in the wild and their role as apex predators, living in close proximity to domestic livestock including goats,” Mr Hinks said.

    “With Lion populations in the wild experiencing a significant decline in recent years, and just 20,000 Lions remaining in the wild today, Lion Pride Lands will raise much-needed awareness and knowledge about this incredible species.”
     
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  19. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Wellington Zoo Snow Leopards/Big Cats

    $3.5m from council purrs for Wellington Zoo snow leopards

    A plan to bring snow leopards to Wellington is back on the agenda – and this time it has funding.

    The endangered big cats have been on Wellington Zoo's wishlist for years but plans were delayed by money issues.

    Wellington City Council, which owns the zoo, has now set aside about $3.5 million in its draft 2018-28 Long-Term Plan (LTP) to rehome a pair from a zoo in the United States within roughly two years.

    Wellington Zoo chief executive Karen Fifield said the zoo would fundraise 25 per cent of the costs for all its LTP projects.

    The snow leopards would complete the zoo's Asia precinct and would be one of the final pieces in its 10-year capital programme.

    "They are my favourite cats. They live in high areas in the Himalayas and have feet the size of dinner plates," she said.

    The zoo did not plan to breed the cats.

    "As the only zoo in New Zealand with snow leopards, we would be part of the international commitment to protect this species."

    She believed the New Zealand climate would not be an issue for the cats, which had been bred in a US zoo.

    International research cited in zoo documents showed big cats were the biggest draw card for visitors.

    The funds have been pegged for years two, three and four of the 10-year plan.

    A further $5m had been earmarked for expansion of the cheetah and lion habitats towards the end of the plan.

    They required newer housing and viewing arrangements and the work would complete the Africa precinct.

    The upgrade would mean the male and female lions could go on display together.

    In the meantime, the zoo has started working on a plan to breed its Sumatran tigers, Senja and Bashii.

    "We could see cubs at the end of next year, but it could be longer."

    Genetically, Bashii was the most important male tiger in human care outside Indonesia because his parents were born in the wild.
     
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  20. MattyP

    MattyP Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It’s quite common in the US to choose a puppy to suit the cheetah. Rhodesian ridgebacks are often chosen for their similar size, energy level, and life expectancy and because their confidence helps to put the cheetah at ease. Personally I would have thought a border collie x malinois would be too busy for the job.
     
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