Felids in Australasian Zoos – News, History and Discussion

Siberians weren't entirely unsuited to Wellington's climate either. It is indeed a shame we can't have two subspecies of tiger managed within the region's zoos.

Re. Sumatran tiger - there are currently thirteen holders in Australia (Adelaide Zoo, Australia Zoo, Ballarat Wildlife Park, Darling Downs Zoo, Dreamworld, Melbourne Zoo, Mogo Zoo, National Zoo, Perth Zoo, Sydney Zoo, Taronga Zoo; Tasmania Zoo, Taronga Western Plains Zoo); and two in New Zealand (Hamilton Zoo and Wellington Zoo).

Since 2010, we have lost three holders (Symbio Wildlife Park, Auckland Zoo and Orana Wildlife Park). In contrast, we have gained three holders - Darling Downs Zoo (2012), Ballarat Wildlife Park (2018) and Sydney Zoo (2019). Bearing in mind that the loss of Sumatran tigers at Auckland Zoo and Orana Wildlife Park is only temporary (so doesn't count), this amounts to a net gain of two facilities over the last decade.

Eight of the fifteen holders listed above have viable breeding pairs - and of these facilities, two have bred in the last year (Taronga Zoo and Australia Zoo); and another two are actively trying (Adelaide Zoo and Wellington Zoo).

 

That’s strange. It was definitely there earlier this week (next to the Arctic wolf photos). I remember because I was specifically looking for photos of the Siberian tigers; and because of the data from @Nisha, I was able to identify the unnamed tiger in the photo as Brutus based on the dates. Let us know if you find it again.

 

Darling Downs Zoo - Jaguar History

In researching Jaguar in Australasian zoos, I was sent a link to this account of Darling Downs Zoo's last Jaguar:

Her name was "Kera" and she was one of the last in the region, when she was euthanised in July 2008:


Photo courtesy of @MARK

I've tried to research her origin; but as mentioned, Adelaide Zoo have no record of her. Adelaide Zoo's last breeding pair were named Branco and Jasmin (both born 1978) and the only offspring they have on record is a stillborn cub in 1989 (see Post #394). Their ages (born 1978) do fit the timeline of Kera's estimated DOB of the early 1980's however.

What is interesting is the reference to the private zoo by Melbourne Airport. From what I can tell, this was the Ponderosa Zoo Fauna And Wildlife Park that Taronga Zoo sent a male Jaguar (Quito) to in 1985 (see Post #393). While Quito's fate is unknown, it's interesting to know he was provided with a mate.

 

I remember Kera well from her years at Monbulk Animal Kingdom, where the owner used do go in and hand feed her and freely touch her all over. I remember being told Kera had been introduced to a black male but thar could have been at the previous park....

 

That must have been the melanistic male, Quito (born 1984 at Taronga Zoo). He was sent to Ponderosa Fauna Park, but I’m not sure if he was sold on to Monbulk Animal Kingdom with Kera; or whether he died at Ponderosa Fauna Park. Either way, it appears he wasn’t alive by 1996 when Kera was sold to Darling Downs Zoo.

If Kera was indeed born to Adelaide Zoo’s pair, it would be interesting indeed as their male was a melanistic Jaguar. That meant he would have to have been a heterozygous carrier for the recessive melanism allele to have sired a golden cub. I know nothing of his background, other than that he was born at Rotterdam Zoo in 1978; and that he had a littermate (Ali), who was also melanistic. Ali’s offspring were both melanistic, which isn’t a wide enough sample size to draw concrete conclusions - but suggest Ali could have been homozygous for the melanism gene (and therefore only able to sire melanistic cubs).

 

I dont believe Mombulk Animal Kingdom ever had 2 jags... Keras cage was about the size of my lounge room with a very simple concrete roofed shelter that also formed a shelf for her to lie on. Other than Kera, they also had 2 pumas (that went to Buxton zoo) a pair of lions that breed several times (the last 2 males went on to the Lakes entrance wildlife park and then to Mansfield Zoo where they died) and a tiger that shared the enclosure with the lions.

 

They also had a liger/tigon they bred as well. No idea what happened to that.

 

Melbourne Zoo - Jaguar History

In trying to research Adelaide Zoo’s Jaguar, I came across some more information on the history of Melbourne Zoo’s Jaguar:

Melbourne Zoo first successfully bred Jaguar in 1938. The male cub was born to a pair of wild born Jaguar, who arrived in 1936 via the Johannesburg Zoo. They also produced single female cubs in 1940 and 1941; and triplets in 1945.

Dora (1970-1988) was a twin and was born at Melbourne Zoo to a pair named One and Lola. Dora and her twin sister were the fourth litter to this pair - who had previously produced single male cubs (named Mark I, Mark II and Mark III) in 1966, 1967 and 1968. This pair were presumably the parents of Dora’s mate, Lunoc, who was born at Melbourne Zoo in 1972.

There’s a photo of Mark I here: Animal superintendent, 1967 - Melbourne Zoo and You: 150 years - Culture Victoria

There’s a photo of Dora here: For cubs, it s a puzzling old world - SO THE JAGUARS STAY CLOSE - The Australian Women's Weekly (1933 - 1982) - 8 Jul 1970

 

Also don’t know if this has been said but Alma Park Zoo had (1?) species of leopard.

 

Was Dora descended from the pair that produced the first cub in 1938?

 

It's hard to say but it's entirely possible that either one or both of Dora's parents (One and Lola) were born at Melbourne Zoo and did indeed descend from the pair imported 1936. It would be cool if that was the case as Dora's line remained at the zoo until the death of her son, Errol, in 1995. This means he could have been the last in a line which had been at Melbourne Zoo for almost 60 years!

Adelaide Zoo had been breeding Jaguar well before Melbourne Zoo; and Auckland Zoo successfully reared their first cubs in 1938, so there were multiple exchanges between the zoos around this time however.

 

Hamilton Zoo have just announced that they have euthanised Oz, their 15-year-old male Sumatran tiger due to renal issues. He was originally imported from Israel, and of course, made a significant contribution to the regional breeding programme both at Auckland and Hamilton.

Full article: Zoo bids farewell to Sumatran tiger

 

I dont ever recall any big cats there!

 

Oz was a popular tiger, who will be much missed. He came to Auckland Zoo with much fanfare as the long awaited mate of Nisha, who sadly died shortly before he arrived.

This note about Oz was interesting:

He was especially courteous in the way he interacted with the female tigers, giving Mencari and Sali their space but chuffing close by so they knew he was there.

While Oz was paired with Sali, it was Mencari with whom he had a special friendship. The two spent most of their time together, which is rare for typically solitary animals but testament to his gentle manner.

After Sali arrived from Dreamworld, Mencari was speyed so she could be housed with her brother, Jaka. Keeping the three tigers in two groups (instead of separately) meant none of them had to be confined to the cages, while the others were on exhibit. Jaka and Mencari fought and had to be separated after Mencari sustained an injury to her leg. It was nice that in her old age, she could be successfully integrated with Oz.

Oz sired 3.2 cubs (2.2 surviving):

1.0 Jalur (12/06/2008) Tasmania Zoo
1.0 Berani (12/06/2008) Died 2019
0.1 Cinta (12/06/2008) Tasmania Zoo

1.0 Kembali (16/11/2014) Adelaide Zoo
0.1 Kirana (16/11/2014) Hamilton Zoo

 

The death of Oz leaves Hamilton Zoo without a male Sumatran tiger:

0.1 Mencari (2000)
0.1 Sali (2008)
0.1 Kirana (2008)

I would be surprised if they import a male tiger in the next few years however. Mencari still needs to be housed separately from mother and daughter, Sali and Kirana, and could easily live for another two or three years.

By that time, Hamilton Zoo will be looking to redevelop their tiger exhibits, which includes the plan to construct a new exhibit where the larger African wild dog exhibit is; and install an overhead walkway connecting this new exhibit to the two current tiger exhibits. With all the disruption, the zoo may be glad to have a mother/daughter pair that can easily be shifted between the two existing exhibits as construction work dictates.

Then they can look at options, whether that's to import a new breeding pair; or a mate for Kirana, who will be around 10-12 years old by the time the redevelopment is complete.

In the meantime, Auckland Zoo will have the opportunity to breed; and Wellington may finally experience success with their pair.

 

Don't know how interested anyone is, but I found these pictures of a mature jaguar and two cubs in two Melbourne Zoo Guide Book's published in 1980 and 1983 respectively. I'm going to make the assumption that the cubs are the twins born in 1979, Brian and Errol, and that the mature Jag is either Dora or Lunoc. I also previously owned a book containing a great picture of Melbourne Zoo's last melanistic Jaguar, Maya, that passed away in 2008, however I cannot currently locate it. I have many memories of seeing both Maya and Muana as a kid. Also, I think Melborune must have had a Melanistic Jaguar in it's collection prior to the arrival of Maya, as I remember seeing one in the TV show Zoo family that was shot at the Zoo and aired in 1985, two years before Maya was born.

Species of big/small cat also depicted in the guide books include: Sumatran Tiger, Puma, Caracal, Asiatic Golden Cat, Leopard Cat, a Lynx of an unspecified subspecies, Serval, Ocelot, Snow Leopard and of course, Lions. Futhermore, I also recall owning a magazine that had an article on Melbourne's last Clouded Leopard. As a kid I also remember seeing a bobcat, fishing cat and Persian Leopard at Melbourne.

Sorry if I'm repeating any information another member has given.

 

Thank you for the info and pics Bill any info relating to Big cats would be welcome

 

Wow, what a find! The adult Jaguar is Dora (1970-1988). I compared it to the photo I posted in Post #410 of Dora and her littermate; and the markings on the adult in your photo matches the cub on the right in mine. I’d agree it’s likely the two cubs are her 1979 litter. Her last litter (quadruplets) was born 1981 and only one cub (Jacunda) survived infancy.

Yes, I believe there was a melanistic Jaguar at Melbourne Zoo prior to Maya’s arrival. I found a 1992 Melbourne Zoo guidebook recently that contained a photo of a melanistic-golden pair. While Maya was at the zoo by 1992, I believe the only other Jaguar at the zoo at this time was Errol (a male). They wouldn’t have been housed together.

The melanistic Jaguar must have been an import since Dora, Lunoc and their offspring were golden Jaguar. He/she must have been a mate of Errol/Jacunda.