Monarto Safari Park Monarto Zoo News 2017

How many calves have the two adult females had each since arriving at Monarto? I believe one is from South Africa and the other from Singapore Zoo.

 

Tundu was the fifth.
Uhura's first baby Watoto (male) was born in 2005, but died at Australia Zoo. Since then, she's had another son, Jabari (Nibbler) in 2007, and a daughter, Kibibi in 2012.
I don't believe Mopani had any calves at Monarto, and she moved to TWPZ.
Umquali has had a male calf at Monarto in 2011, Digger, who died at TWPZ.

It is terribly sad that despite the breeding success, only two of the five calves born are still alive.

 

Cheetah Cub Update:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...s/news-story/8e25492606ea793e1e6e2061939cda3c

The cubs have been sexed as one male and four females.

 

Giraffe Calves Named:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/...s/news-story/f6c11dbac7dc29e5bac4793beccc203f

After a public voting competition, Myeisha’s calf has been named Thando, meaning love in Zulu, while Mabuti, the name of Kinky’s son, means boots in Swahili.

The pair are the 40th and 41st calves to be born at the zoo, making Monarto’s giraffe breeding facility the most successful in Australasia.

But the youngsters, born just two weeks apart, broke an eight-year breeding hiatus.

 

Another article about the Cheetah-cubs :

Five Cheetah Cubs Fluff It Up at Monarto Zoo

 

Cheetah Cubs Named

The male has been named: Akiki (friend).

The females have been named: Zari (golden), Ayana (pretty flower), Tafara (we are happy) and Imani (faith).

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The zoo has released further information on the 'Lions 360' development, including an opening date of 18 November. I'm hopeful that this will be a great drawcard for the zoo. Lions 360 - Monarto Zoo

 

Tasmanian Devil Pups:

Feisty baby Tasmanian devils undergo first health check

Four baby Tasmanian devils have undergone their first full physical examination at South Australia’s Monarto Zoo.

The joeys were born in March, but were today finally old enough to be checked over by zoo keepers.

“We (were) looking for good teeth, all their toes intact, good joint movement and good eyes and pouch condition” keeper Steve Dower told 9NEWS.

Experts at Monarto Zoo also microchipped the little devils and took blood samples.

The litter is crucial to the future of the species, after the contagious Devil Facial Tumour Disease decimated the wild population of Tasmanian devils.

“On the last 20 years we've lost about 90 percent of all wild devils, so one of our main aims is to have an insurance population,” keeper Ms Stockburger said.

“We want our grandkids to be able to see a Tasmanian devil in the wild,” she added.

The Tasmanian devil breeding program at Monarto Zoo has proved a success, with more than 40 joeys born since it launched in 2006.

A separate litter of Tasmanian devils was born recently, and they'll be ready for their first health check in October.

 

A new update on the Australian Rhino Project - The first imports have been put back until 2019 at the earliest. They will also have to go via 12 months quarantine in a 3rd party country (current options for this are being considered in the USA, New Zealand and Europe)
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Monarto is also looking to acquire female Southern Black Rhino's to form a second breeding group in Australia. The other being at Dubbo obviously

 

Whereas, obviously the delay with the white rhino import is deplorable, I am all the more glad that Monarto is looking to start up a breeding group for the southern blacks. I figure the females for this will have to come from the North American continent.

 

White Rhino exchange with Australia Zoo:

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Monarto Zoo on Monday began a “wife-swap” involving female white rhino Kibibi — which means princess in Swahili — and Savannah, a five-year-old southern white rhino from Australia Zoo in Queensland.

Zoo curator of life sciences Beth Pohl said that after weeks of planning the logistics, Kibibi was lured into a crate.

Monarto keepers had to train Kibibi to enter the crate, encouraging her with food, and then quickly shutting the door.

“White rhinos are pretty food oriented when it comes to ... high-quality hay that they don’t get very often,” she said.

A crane was then used to lift her on to the back of a truck for the 24-hour drive to her new home.

“They are given a bit of a calming agent but they are definitely awake,” Ms Pohl said.

“They’ll stop and give her freshwater and a bit of hay.”

A larger crate was also loaded on the truck, so Kibibi could be swapped with Australia Zoo’s white rhino Savannah, who was the victim of a dominant female in her herd.

Ms Pohl said a dominant female can suppresses the cycle of other female rhinos, so keepers needed to “change things up” to encourage breeding.

Monarto agreed to swap with Australia Zoo in Queensland because “there is no ownership of animals that are managed”, Ms Pohl said.

“They’re kind of owned by the region and they’re meant to be traded and moved as needed.”

Kibibi had previously been in a breeding situation but did not show any interest.

Savannah is due to leave Australia Zoo this weekend and arrive at Monarto early next week. She will then be quarantined for 30 days before being integrated into the female herd.

“She’ll be one of the three females we have and all of them can breed,” Ms Pohl said.

“Their gestation is about a year and a half so it takes a while to turn them around.”


I'm guessing this phrase: "A larger crate was also loaded on the truck, so Kibibi could be swapped with Australia Zoo’s white rhino Savannah, who was the victim of a dominant female in her herd. Ms Pohl said a dominant female can suppresses the cycle of other female rhinos, so keepers needed to “change things up” to encourage breeding." Refers to her mother, Caballe, as she appears to be the only female breeding in the herd, which also includes another female named Inyeti (who has not bred for four years).

 

A curious - probably reporter way - of putting it: I am sure they commented that a mother will suppress her female calves from breeding when with her. In the wilds, white rhino breeding females have consorts that are completely unrelated to them (which also breed) with a dominant bull in the area.

The swap is a thus good thing for breeding.

BTW: What is Inyeti's relationship to Caballe?

 

Caballe and Inyeti are not related. Caballe was wild born in 1994 (imported by Hamilton Zoo in 1999) and Inyeti was captive born in 2005 (born at Taronga Western Plains Zoo to wild born parents).

Mother/daughter cycle suppression seems a bizarre phenomenon, but perhaps it has evolved to encourage genetic diversity (through dispersal) in wild populations.

 

Monarto Zoo has had two new Hyena cubs born. They are now 8 weeks old and doing well with first time parents.

Double-delight with two adorable Spotted Hyena cubs born at Monarto Zoo

 

Apparently siblicide is common in the wild (especially when food is scarce). The first born cub (usually an hour older than the next cub) has an advantage from the start, and will emerge as the dominant and larger cub, though if the first born is male, and the second born is female, then the female will almost always overtake the male.

Obviously availability of food won't be an issue at Monarto Zoo but since neither cub has killed the other (not uncommon in female-female litters) and one cub doesn't look twice as big as the other (common in male-female litters), I'm guessing two males.

 

Lions 360 Opens This Week

lions-360-ready

South Australia’s newest attraction – Lions 360 fed to you by ElectraNet – will be officially launched today ahead of being opened to the public from this Saturday.

Zoos SA Chief Executive Elaine Bensted said visitors would be able to walk through a tunnel and emerge within clawing range of one of Australia’s largest lion prides.

“Lions 360 fed to you by ElectraNet is a truly hair-raising experience with visitors able to enter the cage and get closer than ever before to our amazing lions,” Elaine said.

“It’s the first of its kind in Australia and we’re excited that it will allow us to bring an additional 3,000 new visitors to Murraylands each year.

“With a number of tickets sold already, Lions 360 is set to be incredibly popular so we’re encouraging people to get in early and book their experience.

“With as few as 20,000 Lions remaining in the wild, Lions 360 will help us continue our work as a conservation charity raising awareness for this species.

“Originally announced as part of our 20-year Master Plan, we were thrilled to enjoy support from the South Australian Government, the Australian Government and from our major partner ElectraNet to bring this unique project to life.”

Zoos SA allocated $720,000 towards this project, the South Australian Government allocated $360,000 through the Economic Sustainability Program, and the Commonwealth Tourism Demand Driver Infrastructure program contributed $350,000.

South Australia’s electricity transmission network service provider, ElectraNet, has partnered with Zoos SA as major sponsors of Lions 360.

Some articles about the opening which don't mention their sponsor every couple of lines:

Zoo's people cage tipped for roaring success as visitors get close to lions

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Another article about the spotted hyena-birth :

Spotted Hyena Twins Born at Monarto Zoo