Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary News

I am surprised that there is no offical thread for news from Currumbin.
A brand-new stadium and free-flight bird show, ‘WildSkies’ has opened. The show features 18 species of bird! Sounds very impressive, can’t wait to see it!
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Seems like zoos are breeding echidnas more regularly- excellent news.
Currumbin has welcomed an echidna puggle.
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

 

I visited Currumbin today and thought I’d share some interesting points.

- I was surprised to see that Currumbin now has a binturong on display (I couldn’t find a keeper to ask, so I assume it came from Perth?). It had a wonderful enclosure which is viewed from the boardwalk (the enclosure previously had Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo).

-The ‘Wild Skies’ Free Flight Bird Show is excellent and very informative. The following species were featured in the show today: Black Kite, Australian Magpie, Australian Pelican, Crested Tern, Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo, Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, a Chicken, Bush Stone Curlew, Golden Brush-tail Possum (came out briefly for a few seconds- first time seeing them), Barking Owl, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Green-winged Macaw, Long-billed Corella, Major Mitchell Cockatoo, Galah and King Parrot.

-The water rat enclosure in the nocturnal house is now an empty with pieces of rubbish. Labelled, as the ‘The Plastic Monster’ it aims to educate people about littering. To be honest, it seemed like a waste of space. Also, there was no sign of the Yellow-bellied Glider and there was no signage present for them anymore. The rest of the ground floor nocturnal zone remains the same (Spinifex Hopping Mouse, Feathertail Glider- absolute highlight, Cane Toad, Centralian Knob-tailed Gecko, Squirrel Glider/Long-nosed Potoroo).

-I didn’t see as many bird species as usual, however Currumbin maintains an excellent collection of pigeons/doves, parrots and softbills. There was no sign of the Chiming Wedgebill or Orange-bellied Parrot in the conservation aviaries. The Forest Fringe Aviary and Lost Valley Walk-through Aviary were very lush and well-vegetated with many birds breeding.

 

The OBP's will have only arrived this week so presumably are still in quarantine (normally 30 days).

 

I have finished uploading some photos in the Currumbin gallery (including photos of their new bird show).
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary - ZooChat

 

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has welcomed a Glossy Black Cockatoo chick. This is the fifth chick bred at the sanctuary.
These birds are always a highlight when I visit Currumbin.
Security Check

 

A few bits and pieces from my visit to Currumbin yesterday:
-Currumbin’s pair of Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo have been introduced for breeding. They were in close proximity to each other and had access to both enclosures via a small door. Fingers crossed for a joey!
-The Orange-bellied Parrots (I saw two) are now on-display in the second aviary in the row of Conservation Aviaries. They shared their enclosure with Black-breasted Button Quail, Eastern Whipbird, Hooded Robin and a large flock of Chestnut-breasted Mannikins.

Orange-bellied Parrot (Neophema chrysogaster) by WhistlingKite24 posted 4 Jan 2020 at 10:03 PM

-There are now two Blue and Gold Macaws in the main aviary in the Lost Valley precinct. They were very active birds (one even tried to bite a child’s shoe). Volunteers closely supervised the birds and ensured visitors kept one metre away from them (and the lemurs). Speaking of lemurs, it was the first time I saw all the Ring-tailed Lemurs out and about in the main aviary. Also, there were now Brown Cuckoo Doves in the Lost Valley Aviary (I would love to see some fruit doves move into this aviary). I also saw both species of pheasant and the Eclectus Parrot in the aviary after some thorough searching.

Jump! by WhistlingKite24 posted 4 Jan 2020 at 9:46 PM

-Both Red Pandas were very active on my visit. The Binturong managed to get to the top of a palm tree (note the tree had a tree guard to prevent the animal from climbing it). She remained there for the duration of my visit.

Binturong Up a Palm Tree by WhistlingKite24 posted 4 Jan 2020 at 9:37 PM

-The Frill-necked Lizard enclosure (located in the Blinky Bill area) was under renovation. I also saw their Queensland Lungfish for the first time in their enclosure in this area.

 

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary will reopen on 26th June. Quote from Facebook:

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Like clockwork, Currumbin's pair of Glossy Black Cockatoos have produced a female chick. This is Currumbin's sixth Glossy Black Cockatoo chick that has been hatched at the park. From their Facebook page:

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Source: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=199873958095158

 

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has announced the birth of a Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby! The joey is just starting to emerge from its mother’s pouch. These rock wallabies are usually very easy to spot in the wallaby walkthrough enclosure. From their Facebook page:

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Short video of some of the recent births and hatchlings ( Brush-tailed rock wallaby, Glossy black cockatoo and Koala ) :

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=354106878944570

 

Fantastic news! Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have successfully bred the critically endangered Kroombit Tinkerfrog (Taudactylus pleione). This is the first time this species has ever bred in captivity.

Source: 9 News Gold Coast

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=2076491429150575

 

Currumbin's Conservation Plan 2019-2025
I recently found some of Currumbin’s future plans on their website and it provides a relatively detailed outline of the park future ambitions (which have presumably since been impacted/delayed by COVID). Here are some of their key goals:

*upgrade their echidna facility with cameras, video/audio recording equipment and data storage [cost: $500,000] and support a long-beaked echidna project in Papua New Guinea in the long term [cost: $100 000 to $1 000 000]. Interestingly, last year Currumbin housed a total of 25 echidnas and have bred 19 puggles.

*acquire a younger breeding pair of Southern Cassowary and construct a third cassowary enclosure to house three individuals [cost: $30 000]

*build a multi-species avian facility including incubation and hand-rearing rooms to increase their number of bird species. This new area would allow visitors to see the incubation room and access “visitor walk throughs, appropriate interpretation and creative habitat design.” It is intended to combine the space taken up by the conservation and rainforest aviaries. [cost: $750 000]

*expand their Bilby facilities with the construction of new off-display enclosure and nocturnal display facilities [cost: $200 000]. A similar goal for Tasmanian Devils with the construction of new facilities to accommodate more devils for breeding and improved visitor viewing opportunities; “this facility would feature an enclosed air-conditioned walkthrough for visitors to see inside the Tasmanian Devils lairs along with creative interpretation.” [cost: $300 000]

*enclosure modifications to appropriately house a female Red Panda to be paired with their male [cost: $3 000]. Note: Currumbin received another male last year rather than a female so I assume this goal has since changed or will be completed at a later date.

*pair one of their male Cotton-top Tamarins with a female and establish a breeding facility for this species [$200 000]

For full document see here: https://currumbinsanctuary.com.au/a.../5807/JN00131_CWS_ConservationPlan_online.pdf

 

Another intresting article about the breeding and history of this species at Currumbin :

There are only about 200 left, so breeding this tinker frog in captivity is a 'huge success'

 

Currumbin have created a new animal show called Aussie Scales and Tails. The show has reptiles, a dingo and a possum (either their Golden Brushtail Possum or Short-eared Brushtail Possum). I will have to check it out on my next visit.

Link: Aussie Scales & Tails | Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

 

Visit to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary - 8/12/2020:

I visited Currumbin today after almost a year since my last visit. Here are a few interesting things I noticed:

*in the Forest Fringe Aviary near the front of the park, there is now a Wompoo Fruit Dove on-display which means there are now three aviaries across the zoo that house this magnificent species. The kingfishers were busily attending to their nestbox throughout my visit and the stilts were guarding their nest. The keepers have fenced off a portion of the walkthrough aviary so that visitors don't get too close.

Sacred Kingfisher Entering Nestbox by WhistlingKite24 posted 8 Dec 2020 at 4:16 PM

*the row of Conservation Aviaries was a bit sparse in terms of bird species compared to previous visits but the overall diversity is still solid. The fifth aviary along the path has been boarded up for quite a while now - not sure what the plans are for it. The Superb Fairywren and Musk Lorikeets have moved from the aviaries near the hospital to this area since my last visit. The signage for the Black-breasted Button Quail has been taken down and there was no sign of it. Also, the pitta and the pair of Regent Bowerbirds have moved to other aviaries around the park.

*the Black-necked Stork enclosure opposite the wildlife hospital was closed for renovations. The pond has been drained and there were signs of recent construction. I wonder if they have plans to replace them or it’s an exhibit upgrade for them.

*the Frill-necked Lizards are now mixed with the Jungle Carpet Python in the indoor area right before the nocturnal zone. Their former enclosure stands empty. A pair of alligators have replaced the Freshwater Crocodile near this area as well.

*their most recent Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby joey was out and about in the walkthrough enclosure.

Joey and Female - Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) by WhistlingKite24 posted 8 Dec 2020 at 5:01 PM

*the wildlife hospital was busier than ever – teams of vets and nurses were treating a Brisbane River Turtle, a Sacred Kingfisher and a small furry mammal that I have emailed them about to find out what it was. I only saw its furry body slightly moving, waking up from the anaesthetic.

Wildlife Hospital Patient - Sacred Kingfisher by WhistlingKite24 posted 8 Dec 2020 at 4:54 PM

More photos of today's visit: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary - ZooChat

 

I seem to have missed an update (Dec 2020) Currumbin released about their Eastern Bristlebirds (Dasyornis brachypterus). They are the only zoo to currently house a captive breeding population of this species and a few of their recent young are shown in the video below:

Source: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary's Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=148513116725096

 

None of them are on display unfortunately.

 

Some updates found via social media:

*Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have acquired Radiated Tortoises. They are now one of five Queensland zoos to hold this species (the others being Darling Downs, Hartley's Crocodile, Wildlife HQ and Snakes Downunder). Visitors can do an encounter with them: Scaly Tales | Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

*a new Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo seems to have arrived recently; three-year-old Torembi. The name wasn't familiar to me but after a quick search I found out he was born at Taronga Zoo in September 2017 to the same female (Kwikila) that currently has the joey: Meet A Tree Kangaroo | Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary