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

I want to say that in the last 10-15 years it’s been mostly Capuchins, Spider Monkeys, Colombus, Siamangs, Coatis, Tree-kangaroos (maybe) and White-cheeked Gibbons. Plus the end one which changes every couple of years, it’s had African Grey Parrots I think from memory and some Conures, and Cotton-top Tamarins.

 

A decade ago this was the following order (based on memory)

White Cheeked Gibbon
Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo + Echidna
Black Handed Spider Monkey
Capuchins
Black and White Colobus
Coati
Tree Shrew

There's also been Lion Tailed Macaques there in the past, and De Brazzas Monkey a while back. New additions within the last decade have included African Grey Parrots (now no longer there), Emperor Tamirans and Cotton Top Tamirans.

 

I believe also Javan langur’s

 

I don't recall seeing any, so that would have to be a while back.

 

After the gorillas opened there were lovebirds (I think Fishers) in the north end enclosure as well as ruffed lemurs(the plan was for the complex to only have African animals, but that was never achieved). For many years there were also squirrel monkeys.

 

Melbourne Zoo Primate List (2009)

@phoenix supplied this list of primates held at Melbourne Zoo in 2009 (some of which featured in the tree tops). Javan langur are indeed among the species Melbourne once held.

Ring-tailed lemur
Black and white ruffed lemur
Slow loris (off display)
Brown capuchin
Spider monkey
Cotton-top tamarin
Emperor tamarin
Golden lion tamarin
Pygmy marmoset
Squirrel monkey (off display)
Lion-tailed macaque (off display)
Hamadryas baboon
Mandrill
De brazza guenon
Guereza colobus
Javan langur
White-cheeked gibbon
Siamang gibbon
Sumatran orangutan (and hybrid)
Western lowland gorilla

 

I do recall Squirrel Monkeys being albeit temporarily in the enclosure now home to Cotton Top Tamirans. I believe it was before their transfer to their current enclosure in the Elephant trail.

 

I'll highlight the ones of which were in the Treetop trail:

Ring-tailed lemur
Black and white ruffed lemur
Slow loris (off display)
Brown capuchin
Spider monkey
Cotton-top tamarin
Emperor tamarin
Golden lion tamarin
Pygmy marmoset
Squirrel monkey (off display)
Lion-tailed macaque (off display)
Hamadryas baboon
Mandrill
De brazza guenon
Guereza colobus
Javan langur
White-cheeked gibbon
Siamang gibbon
Sumatran orangutan (and hybrid)
Western lowland gorilla

8 species for eight enclosures so it works out perfectly.

The Slow Loris used to live in the final enclosure along the trail I believe, which now sits empty. The Tamirans were held in the small cages near the old elephant enclosure, and still were up until a few years ago.

 

Primate Species Lost Since 2009

And for comparison, here are the primate species Melbourne Zoo have phased out since 2009 (in red):

Ring-tailed lemur
Black and white ruffed lemur
Slow loris
Brown capuchin
Spider monkey
Cotton-top tamarin
Emperor tamarin
Golden lion tamarin
Pygmy marmoset
Squirrel monkey
Lion-tailed macaque
Hamadryas baboon
Mandrill
De brazza guenon
Guereza colobus
Javan langur
White-cheeked gibbon
Siamang gibbon
Sumatran orangutan (and hybrid)
Western lowland gorilla

Hopefully we’ll be getting Mandrill back in the not too distant future!

 

The Colobus are still there.

Melbourne still have 14 primate species of 22 though, so they're still doing decently. Most disappeared more than a decade ago, aside from Mandrill which died out, and Capuchins, which were phased out due to breeding being discontinued (lack of support within the region for breeding the species).

 

Not sure what era we are talking about. Can remember squirrel monkeys in that complex for most of the '80's and 90's.

 

They were there recently in around five or so years ago, but only for about half a year.

 

Thanks everyone for this info I will use it for my importation and exportation list
I will have the full 2025 zoo animals soon

 

That sounds interesting. What time period are doing your list on? eg.the last twenty years? Also, are you focusing on just mammals?

If you need any assistance, i'm happy to help you with it.

 

Just out of curiosity does anyone else remember the end enclosure (smaller one than the rest) holding I think they may have been Crimson-bellied Conures? It was incredibly brief, maybe a matter of months from memory.

 

That specific enclosure used to hold Tree Shrews up until maybe 2013?, it was then empty for a while then had African Grey Parrots for a few years and has since sat empty. I do recall the Crimson Bellied Conures actually, they came in after the Grey Parrots although the signage still named the Grey Parrots.

 

Yes that's it! They weren't there for long I don't think.

 

They were there in December of 2018. They must have moved out sometime during 2019. The enclosure has since sat empty, but last time I visited there was a sign which said 'something exciting was coming'. Golden Lion Tamirans would suit the enclosure.

 

Yeah I went a couple weeks back and it was quite disappointing to see how there was mostly double ups or empty enclosures out there compared to when I was younger 10ish years ago maybe where each enclosure had something different in it.

 

Thats been happening for a while along with a few other major city zoos unfortunately