Melbourne Zoo Melbourne zoo species list 2019 work in progress.

Sumatran?

Can you list Melbourne's current Orangutans?

What % of each species does her parentage make Gabby?

 

Melbourne Zoo's Current Orangutans:

0.1 Kiani/Suma (Hybrid) born 24/06/1978 Bobby x Olga
0.1 Gabby/Kamil (Hybrid) born 01/01/1990 Santan x Kiani
1.0 Malu/Menyaru (Sumatran) born 29/07/2003 Santan x Maimunah

The logical assumption is that the next stage in their breeding programme is to import an unrelated female Sumatran orangutan for Malu to breed with.

Genetics:

Gabby is 7/8 (87.5%) Sumatran:

Rufus (Bornean) x Helen (Sumatran) = Bobby (Hybrid)

Bobby (Hybrid) x Olga (Sumatran) = Kiani (Hybrid)

Santan (Sumatran) x Kiani (Hybrid) = Gabby (Hybrid)

 

Thanks.

Gabby-thats an unusual % mix. Most hybrids are straight 50/50.

What happened to Santan and Maimunah?

 

True, each generation bred at Melbourne added a purebred Sumatran to the mix; but the damage was already by the initial mating of a Bornean and a Sumatran to produce Bobby in 1964. Taronga Zoo bred many orangutans (all hybrids) as the founders of their previously large colony were two Bornean males and two Sumatran females. Their last hybrid was born 1987.

Santan, Maimunah and Dewi (their adolescent daughter) were sent to Sydney Zoo last year.

 

The new Sydney zoo, not Taronga Park?

 

I'm pretty sure that is correct as I have seen photos of Santan at the new zoo.

 

Correct, you can read more about them here:

Three orang-utans settling into their new home

Sydney Zoo welcomes first animals in newly completed Africa precinct

Taronga Zoo no longer has orangutans. The last two were sent to Mogo Zoo in 2017.

 

Do they plan on having orangs again? TZ was always pretty chuffed to have the full set of great apes (bonobos and over splitting aside).

 

Taxonomical pride went out the window a long time ago (not just at Taronga, but at many of the regions main zoos); however, orangutans were in Phase Nine of Taronga Zoo's 10 year masterplan (announced 2015):

1. Sumatran Tiger Adventure

An Indonesian-themed exhibit where visitors can get close to the mysterious Sumatran Tigers, and learn why choosing sustainable palm oil products can help preserve their native habitat.

2. Australia

An up-close animal habitat experience including a walk-through exhibit where visitors can interact with and explore iconic and unknown Australian fauna.

3. Wildlife Hospital

State-of-the-art upgrades to the Taronga Wildlife Hospital and wildlife clinic to continue the excellence of zoo animal care and wildlife rehabilitation.

4. African Savannah

A multi-species habitat including a lion breeding facility, expanded savannah for giraffes, zebras and Fennec Foxes, and a specialised meerkat exhibit and encounter space.

5. Welcome to the Wild

A unique multi-media experience that will engage and inspire visitors for a shared future for wildlife and people.

6. Congo Forest

A lush forest exhibit for the growing gorilla family, adjoining Pygmy Hippo pools and a tree-filled landscape for the rare Bongo antelope.

7. Elephant Trail

A scenic path traversing the zoo where Elephants will walk.

8. Serpentarium

Upgraded specialist exhibits for an amazing array of Reptiles and Amphibians including critical breeding facilities to support zoo-based conservation programs.

9. New Orang-utan exhibit

Drawing from their native Indonesian habitat, this facility has a range of climbing structures complete with an overhead canopy playground for these fascinating primates.

Five years on, it's likely there have been amendments to this plan; though they seem to have followed it fairly closely so far.

Phase Seven sounds really exciting. I know with Perth Zoo announcing plans to phase out their elephants; and Melbourne Zoo relocating their herd to Werribee, there's pressure on Taronga to follow suit. I don't know if this was designed to address the welfare concerns the public had (even prior to Perth and Melbourne's annoucements); or whether any plans regarding elephants will be scrapped and the remnants of their herd relocated to Dubbo.

 

According to the online census and plan:
- Melbourne Zoo has 1.1 emperor tamarins (as of 14 Dec 2019). Golden lion-tamarins haven't been listed in some time.
- Melbourne Zoo has 1.1 b&w colobus and they are listed as 'acquire and breed', with plans to have 1.4.
- I also note that they have 1.1 Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo - does anyone know if these are on display? I have not seen them since pre-Growing Wild. Would be good to see these back on display.
- They currently have 2.0 African wild dogs but they are listed as 'delete'.
- Melbourne Zoo's total mammal list is just 36 species now, with no specific plans to acquire any new species (according to the census).

- Also, not specifically Melbourne Zoo related, but I found this tid-bit in the program notes for black and white ruffed lemurs pretty intriguing:
“The regional population of BWRL continues to increase moderately however there are limited options for breeding given the current genetic profile. There has been some discussion about reviewing species choice and whether or not Red Ruffed Lemur may be an option. To be discussed further in 2020.”

 

Tree kangaroos are not on display.

 

Where exactly can you find the report on Zoos Victoria's online census and plan?

 

I have been using the following categories below (which Zoos Victoria have been following for about the last decade), to try find out which of MZ’s mammal species will be phased out in the future:

The categories are ''recovery'' (endangered species being bred then released in the wild); ''ark'' (endangered species being bred and held until there is a safe wilderness to release them into); ''ambassador'' (animals that are the public face of a conservation campaign, such as gorillas and mobile phone recycling); and ''enabling'' (popular animals that help attract visitors to the zoo, such as meerkats).

Out of MZ’s current 37 mammal species, only three of their current species didn’t fit the above criteria:

Collared Peccary (Pecari tajacu) : MZ currently have 1.3 individuals*
South American Coati (Nasua nasua) : MZ currently have 1.2 individuals
Bolivian Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri) : MZ currently have 2.0 individuals

All of the above species are non-breeding.

*only three were sighted on my last visit to MZ (03/06/2020)

 

I really hope Melbourne do stick with the Colobus monkeys and expand with them, I believe Adelaide has 3/4?, Perth use to have a breeding group are they gone from their collection?

 

Are you sure these figures are correct? On my last visit, I saw only three peccaries all huddled up together sleeping. Maybe the fourth one was somewhere else? For the Coatis, I'm pretty sure there are a lot more than 3 and for the Squirrel Monkeys, I saw at least five of them.

 

Their current pair is elderly, and they may be related, so they would require new imports to continue breeding them.

 

Yes, I think they might have separated the male Peccary, as they do have another large BTS yard, which used to hold the elderly male Pickles (considering he is now deceased).

MZ have three Coatis on display in the Carnivores precinct; though they might have more off-display:

On my last visit, I counted two Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys in their enclosure next to the Elephants. They had about three of four when they lived behind Keeper Kids, and they were all males. There could’ve been more, but I doubt it as I didn't see any movement in the enclosure aside from the two that were jumping around. When did you see the five Squirrel Monkeys?

 

I saw them on Saturday two weeks ago. At the Elephant Squirrel Monkey enclosure, there were definitely more than two. Two of them were chasing each other while at least three were eating from a plate. Also, I saw at least four at the Keeper Kids enclosure, so I don't think MZ only have 2.0 individuals.

 

Ok, i’ll see how many I can see next time.