Melbourne Zoo Future of Melbourne Zoo 2022 (Speculation / Fantasy)

I can see in the next few year Melbourne zoo importing more animals, i would love to see mandrills, i am assuming that they will go in the exhibit where zillie the cassowary is maybe Melbourne will export zillie to the zoo that is importing mandrills, but there is also when i visited on the 15th of April about three exhibits free in the tree top apes a big one, a small one that i think on Ed house a tree shew or loris, and a medium sized on, when i visited in 2016 there were tree kangaroo and coatis inhabiting them, the small one said being renviated for a subtle animals
I think Melbourne zoo will start importing a lot of animals around 2023, 2024 because of them losing elephants and that would be a massive draw card for visitors but the mandrills could the in the zillie exhibit or the big one in tree tops and apes
I will make a full import list for Melbourne zoo soon and it will run now to 2025

 

I would love to see Mandrills to return again as well. They were quite a beautiful species to see.

Melbourne would probably keep Zillie. She used to be kept in the Rainforest part of the Great Flight Aviary, so they could easily move her back there.

The small one hasn't held species in ages. It used to hold Tree shrews in the past. The enclosure that used to hold Coati (medium sized one) has a pair of Emperor Tamirans. They're hard to spot as they're so small, so i'd advise to just take your time looking next time, usually takes a few minutes to spot them. The other large one i'm assuming to you referring used to hold Capuchins, and now has sat empty for ages.

This was the order from when I visited earlier this year (starting from Zillie's enclosure):

- (right) Cotton Top Tamarin
-(left) Black Handed Spider Monkeys
-(left) Black Handed Spider Monkeys
-(right) empty
-(right) Black and White Colobus
-(right) White Cheeked Gibbon
-(left) Emperor Tamarin
-(left) empty

 

I doubt Zillie the Southern cassowary will be exported. She may be transferred within Victoria if there's no space for her at Melbourne Zoo. Like @Jambo has mentioned, she will likely be kept.

Melbourne have been tight lipped on what will be replacing their elephants, but clearly have a few things up their sleeve - including Mandrill. The elephant exhibit comprises a decent sized space that could easily be redeveloped. Two ideas that have received a lot of support on here have been an exhibit for Indian rhinoceros; or an expansion of the orangutan and Siamang exhibits via an aerial pathway. The latter makes sense given the proximity of the two apes to each other and the minimal floor space the aerial pathway would encompass.

 

I've asked multiple times and have been told management will have something planned to replace the elephants, but they haven't even got to alerting their keepers yet. I'm assuming this means they have something big planned and would like to introduce it as a surprise around the time the elephants leave, to engage the public with an exciting development.

I've heard and I doubt the Elephant enclosures will be largely changed, so the Orangutan/Siamang idea is probably not going to happen. It would be much better for them to make use of the island opposite the orangutans, which could also make use of an aerial pathway to link with a second Orangutan enclosure.

I'd imagine Indian Rhinoceros are likely, but considering Melbourne does have three specific elephant enclosures, they be looking to replace the elephants with more than one species. I'd love to see a mixed species area including Bactrian Camel, Indian Rhino and Blackbuck. The three enclosures could then be used to seperate all three species if needed.

 

Indian Sub-precinct:

Indian rhinoceros are one of the few species that would qualify as a drawcard on the same level the elephants do. They'd be an exciting addition to the zoo.

A mixed species exhibit would be exciting and Indian antelope would be ideal. Not sure how likely Bactrian camel would be. They may prove difficult to import given the issues surrounding feral Dromedaries (despite the reality Bactrian camels wouldn't pose the same risk).

Water buffalo may be suitable, occupying an adjacent exhibit to the rhino, with Indian antelope sharing access to both exhibits. A similar concept has been proposed for Auckland's integrated Savannah with giraffes and rhinos seperated; with fencing allowing the smaller Nyala to pass through. Chital could fulfill a similar role.

 

Hi guys,
Melbourne local here, I always thought it was interesting that they have an almost fully aquatic enclosure for the elephants during the hot days, my thought was maybe this would be utilised for something like the Pygmy hippo if they expanded that program again. I suppose the Water Buffalo may also fill that some niche potentially. It would seem like such a waste to just infill the large water area. I suppose a left field answer could be the barn being upgraded for something like Komodo Dragons considering ARP (Aus Rep Park) have produced some that they will be unlikely to keep in the long term.
Just a thought, keen to hear others thoughts too!

 

I'd like to see Bactrian Camels. They're actually quite a popular species amongst the public, and could also be used as an encounter animal.

Water Buffalo could fit in well. There could be two enclosures for Indian Rhino (one shared with blackbuck), and another for Water Buffalo (also shared with blackbuck).

 

Just a stab in the dark but by the time Melbournes elephants are ready to leave the young male Indian rhino at Dubbo would be looking for a new home so Melbourne win in not having to import and not having to spend big money for a new exhibit plus they are a big drawcard its a win win for them

 

Welcome to Zoochat, great to have another Melbourne local here.

The enclosure i'm assuming your referring to is the waterhole paddock with the large pool? The pool is actually very deep but not entirely large. The pool also only takes up around one fifth of the enclosure so its not almost fully aquatic.

The barn for Komodo Dragon is actually quite a superb idea. Although I suppose if they plan to have large ungulates such as Indian Rhinos as a replacement, they'd want to keep the barn for them.

 

It would be the first time Melbourne have had Rhinos in a very long time too. When visiting i've always overheard people complaining about the lack of rhinos, but I guess that's where Werribee comes in. Indian Rhinos are also the most cost effective option as not much changes will need to be made to the current elephant complex, if any at all!

 

Correct and they need a major drawcard after losing the elephants

 

That's very true. Melbourne could stock an Indian subprecinct entirely with transfers from within the country. The Indian rhinoceros from Dubbo; the Indian antelope from Werribee; Chital from Bredl's Wild Farm; and Water buffalo from multiple holders. Hog deer (held at Altina) are also a possibility.

 

If they do want a massive drawcard replacement, a mixed species area seems to be their best bet. They could go with just Indian Rhinos, but having Water Buffalo and smaller antelope alongside that, will make it much better.

 

I believe many of the public would just see water buffaloes and blackbuck as just a bunch of cows but rhinos and hog deer like in Toronto would work well. Also we need another pair of Indian rhino in the country with importing a unrelated cow to match the male calf from Dubbo

 

It'd be nice to see an unrelated pair of Indian rhinoceros imported with the option to pair female offspring from that pairing with the young bull at Dubbo at a third facility (maybe Perth when they phase out elephants). He's still several years away from reproductive age, so a second adult pair would be preferable.

 

I was reading a couple of weeks ago that European zoos have stopped breeding them as they are running out of new holders but I can see a few places for some here

 

I can definitely see a second breeding pair being formed at Melbourne, with Dubbo's young male and another female from overseas. A third unrelated breeding pair though will be needed into the future, maybe to Perth.

 

What animals have inhabitant Melbourne zoos tree top apes and monkeys area and where can i find the latest satellite images as the on ones on google don't show the lion gorge expansion

 

In the past do you mean or now? There's a list that I made of the current inhabitants a few posts back.

The google maps should be updated..at least it is on mine.

 

i mean in the past
how many exibits