Would it be safe to say they are yet another species phase out from one of our major zoos?. Why would they not retain some of the babies for further breeding in the future? or even pass on young to other interested zoos within the region?. why go to this much trouble to import these then just to let them go a little down the track, is this just bad planning or something else, to my mind this could be done a lot better!
No, its just bad planning. And a total waste of taxpayers dollars that have usually contributed to these short-lived exhibits.
I agree this again appears to me to almost be on a whim of someone in charge what a waste of time and money, I believe some of our major zoos need to lift their game!
Just a few notes from this mornings visit to Melbourne Zoo. Social distancing appears to be working well most of the time, only bottlenecks were at the snow Leopard exhibit (the babies are very cute and attract a lot of attention) and the lions. The biggest surprise was the island area between the tiger and orangutan (which was previously just a wild area with a breeding colony of wild white ibis), has been cleared of all tall trees - only palm trees remain around perimeter. One lives in hope that this is going to become a new exhibit for gibbons. The first orangutan enclosure (on the left if you are in the viewing house is still empty with an almost ubiquitous "something exciting coming soon" .... they were working on replacing some of the mesh. Orangs out in RHS exhibit Tree-top apes and monkeys - more enclosures have been combined. First two on rhs now contain cotton top tamarins. ( the first enclosure that used to house the elderly male White cheeked Gibbon that died earlier this year, is still signposted for gibbon, but they were definitely cotton tops!) 2 enclosures on LHS spider monkeys, 3rd and 4th enclosures on RHS black and white colobus - who had obviously missed people as they were both sitting up by the glass and one interactive with visitors. The last two enclosures on RHS contained pair of White Cheeked Gibbon. The female is adjusting to the return of visitors and there was a rope barrier 1 metre from the glass to prevent people getting too close. The former cotton top tamarin enclosure was not signposted with anything, but there was possibly something in the enclosure but nothing was sighted. (Contained pelleted food, wood wool and small bedding boxes) The last enclosure on LHS that previously held birds .... "something exciting coming soon". Reptile House, interior of wild seas, butterfly house and keeper kids all closed under covid 19 restrictions. I was not expecting half of Australian Bush to be closed - speaking with keeper i got the impression that restrictions eased earlier than anticipated. ( Great Flight Aviary open, koalas in former kookaburra aviary and emu / kangaroo walk through open.) Dinos at the zoo has taken over a large area beside the carousel park and the largest red panda exhibit is no longer accessible. The Siamangs are still signposted at their old exhibit next to the Japanese Garden, but were not sighted. ( very sensible of them as it was cold and drizzling ). Work is progressing with the former Philippines Crocodile exchibt next to the lions having work done reshaping the pool for the Reticulated Python. Good day out in the zoo. Staff and many animals happy to see a return of visitors.
That’s all cool to know. It’s good to see that MZ are expanding their Treetop Trail, and not demolishing it. The enclosures were always a bit small. MZ planned to have that enclosure next to the Orangs inhabited by Febuary, so it’s quite a shock that they haven’t put anything in there yet. It seems, that if they’re keeping the White Cheeked Gibbon pair in the Treetop Trail, than maybe the Saimangs won’t be leaving their island in the Japanese Garden. Either that, or the island in the Japanese Garden will be empty. Tbh, I don’t see MZ importing a new pair of Saimangs or any other Gibbon species for the enclosure, though it would be good if they did! Did you see the Otter pups by any chance? And was Man Jai seperate from the girls (in Ongard’s former Paddock, the one with the giant pool)? I’ll be visiting on Wednesday, which will be a better day, so hopefully they animals will be out and about, and I can add to your notes.
Hi Jambo, hopefully the weather will be better for you on Wednesdays. Our trip was sped up towards the end. Yes there was only one elephant in the enclosure with the large pool. Sorry i don't know the elephants well enough to recognize them. The otters were a no show. I could see the glow of a heater in the den so they were all sensible and warm and stayed inside. The other news i forgot to mention was the enclosure next to the pygmy hippo, which formerly contained koi carp, is empty of water.
That's interesting to hear. Despite being handraised at Perth Zoo, it seems like Li-Lian the female gibbon isn't a fan of people getting too close in general. When I visited a few years ago, she threw herself at the glass. Moving the gibbons to a larger area of the zoo would be ideal. Does the enclosure that housed the ruffed lemurs [this one: Ruffed Lemur Enclosure - ZooChat] - right outside the walkthrough enclosure have any new occupants yet? When I contacted the zoo last year they said that their last ruffed lemur recently died but I'm not sure if there were plans on reacquiring the species or moving something else into the exhibit.
Sadly the enclosure that formerly housed the ruffed lemurs is empty. I had hoped that they would move the ringtailed lemurs into this exhibit, as they tend to only use the back quarter of the walk through exhibit. Speaking with the keeper -she said that the ringtailed lemurs had loved the return of visitors, but they were all curled up in their heated pods avoiding the wet weather. (I didn't know that the pods were heated before and as there are quite a few of them, it allows for everyone to be warm regardless of group hierarchy ) The walk through would make a lovely aviary IMHO.
It would make a lovely aviary wouldn't it - with some lovebirds or maybe even Radiated tortoises. Anyways that's wishful thinking and something tells me those Ring-tailed Lemurs aren't going anywhere.
It would make a lovely aviary but you have to admit the lemurs do have charm, one time they all attacked my dads esky full of food and drinks, it was hilarious.
Thats a shame they have removed the large eucalypts. If indeed it is for gibbons I suppose the concern is they could have leapt across. Still, it was also a big part of the appeal of the space as a primate island! What exactly has been combined? Also my count has just four enclosures on the RHS, not six.
I contacted Zoos Victoria in regards to the Crimson-bellied Conures as they are a species I am quite fond of as well. They are still at the zoo but are currently off-display.
The person that emailed me said to check back with them again in the next month for an update - presumably indicating that the conures will go back on-display.
