Does anyone know of the status of capybaras and beavers in Australia? I remember about 10 years ago Adelaide Zoo used to have a big group of capybaras, but last time I went there didn't appear to have any. Also have the beavers at Adelaide Zoo bred lately?
I've never seen the beavers at Adelaide zoo. I've seen the enclosure many many times, but I'm starting to think that they don't actually have any, and the enclosure is just there for show Has anyone actually ever seen them ? I'd love to see a photo!
What a shame...another interesting species that is now extinct in Australia... Like the golden agouti...
Do you mean Brazilian Agoutis? We haven't had golden agoutis (also called Mongolian gerbils) in this region. There are Brazilian agoutis at Adelaide, Alma Park, Gorge Wildlife Park, Melbourne Zoo and Taronga Zoo, and 3 zoos in New Zealand. There are also more due to be imported in the future as Biosecurity Australia has recently given approval to import (http://www.daff.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/722406/2008_19.pdf).
golden agouti is an alternative common name for the Brazilian agouti. "Golden agouti" when used for gerbils (or any other animal) is a reference to the colouration, it is not an alternative common name
Thats what I meant, I just haven't seen any of them recently on exhibit... Does Adelaide Zoo still house them in the aviary with the macaws and the tamarins?
the Brazilian agouti has several vernaculars: golden agouti, golden-rumped agouti, red-rumped agouti, yellow-rumped agouti...
What will be the reality of Australian zoos coming together and organising an import of these rodent species, in such numbers perhaps as the genetic line of these animals is not lost again? All four species capybara, mara, agouti and the porcupine are taken for granted as exhibits here in the UK, (though i do think we are seeing less zoos exhibiting mara here) but in Australia where "exotics" are starting to get a little thin on the ground, i think they would enhance any of the major zoos there. I realise there would be budget constraints on a large one off import, but surely the chance is there to secure these animals for future Australians to admire.
Having worked with both beavers and otters in the UK I can understand your view. However this isn't quite true. Otters are a quintessential zoo exhibit, no matter which species, regularly interacting with people, social and mostly active. Beavers are not a great display. In fact I had real difficulty in displaying them well where I was working. They are mostly nocturnal, obviously destroy any vegetation above 10 cms tall, perform massive landscaping to any exhibit, **** and feed in the water, and are very aggressive to non-members of the family unit. That said when they were on exhibit the public loved them. If you try and set up an artificial lodge in order to view during the day they ultimately look like a sleepy ball of fur. Great animals, useless display. I think it would be very impressive if the Australasian region could import a serious population of agoutis, capys, porkeys and maras. None are endangered, but all would fit easily into collections. I was impressed that the guidelines would consider other hystrichomorph rodents on a case by case scenario. Opens the door just a little... Will it happen though?
Have you been to Whipsnade lately???? Actually maras turn up at alot of agricultural colleges and small private zoos.
I'm very pleased but quite surprised that Biosecurity Australia has given permission for Australian zoos to import agoutis, considering that the government is reluctant to allow any exotics which could go feral successfully, and would probably have preferred exotic rodents to quietly die out. Maybe ZooPro and his colleagues have been able to soothe the government's paranoia a bit?
If that is so, then congratulations are in order. 2008 is shaping up to have been a good year for our region - what with the import of Sumatran Tigers from Indonesia and now this proposed importation. Roll on 2009!
Just because BA has given approval for these species to be included on the import list doesn't automatically mean the VPC will give approval for import, or AQIS or DEWHA will approve import permits - it will still be some time before animals are actually imported I suspect.
I'm almost certain they are still in either the macaw or conure exhibit, across from the entrance to Serpentaria.
When was the last time you went to taronga, ZooPro? The macaws and conures have been moved from their avairies near serpentaria and are now in the big avairy above the old seal pools.
OK. I've never actually looked in that cage closely, because I can see the birds fine from a distance. Last time I saw agoutis was in the Squirrel Monkey cage beside the Meerkats. And what is the VPC? Boof: ZooPro is at the zoo most days, but probably rarely walks past that part of Taronga.
yeah, sorry. I sounded like a smart arse in that post. The agoutis were in the sun conure avairy and were hard to spot in all the plants, but they would sometimes come out and sun themselves at the front of the avairy on cold days. I have tried to up load some photos to the gallery, but for some reason my photo won't load. i don't know there the agoutis are now that the avairies have been turned into assuie parrot avaires. I'm not sure if they were moved with the macaws and conures. Does anyone know where they are? Also the razor billed currosow?
