Great news about orange-bellied parrots. 22 birds have already returned to Tasmania, which is up from last year's total and more than the pre-season estimate. Even better, four of them are young birds bred during last summer at Moonlit Sanctuary and released in Tasmania last March as part of a trial program. These birds have now completed the migration both ways. This is very exciting as it shows a way ahead for the species.
Some news. Two sacred kingfishers have recently fledged, the first time this species has bred at Moonlit, and can be seen in the aviary with their parents. Recent health checks found the feathertail glider colony has produced eleven young over the last breeding season. A recently acquired pair of king parrots are now on display, sharing an aviary near the spot-tailed quolls with Astro the gang-gang cockatoo. Astro was hatched at Moonlit. 38 orange-bellied parrots were bred this season, down on last year due to a reduced number of pairings and the fact that we did not double clutch this year. Double clutching is very labour intensive and overall the captive population is in good shape with increased capacity in Tasmania. Three birds have been sent down to South-West Tasmania as part of the juvenile release. On the critically endangered bird front, two regent honeyeaters were also bred. Mary the common wombat is now giving encounters. They don't happen every day, check the website for details.
Thrilled that Moonlit Sanctuary won Bronze for Ecotourism in the Australian Tourism Awards held in Canberra last Friday night.
Although Moonlit Sanctuary is currently in lockdown, conservation work continues. As part of the mainland release 12 orange-bellied parrots were released on a nearby property two weeks ago. Two birds are seen exiting the release aviary. Clearly intent on escape.
Moonlit Sanctuary will reopen from the 1st June, with restrictions. Details are not clear at the moment, please check website for details closer to the date. It looks like restriction will further ease from the 22nd June.
White-mauve is one of two critically critically endangered bred at Moonlit Sanctuary and recently released in the upper Hunter, NSW, in a Birdlife Aus / Taronga Zoo sponsored release. White-mauve refers to it's leg rings.
Unfortunately Covid restrictions have been reintroduced in the Melbourne metropolitan area, and Moonlit Sanctuary will have to shut for 6 weeks from this coming Thursday the 9th July.
Moonlit was on 9 News tonight, the segment was about two dingo pups and a naming competition has been started. EDIT: 2 NEW dingo pups, a tan furred male and a white furred female. I entered the naming competition and as all Moonlit Dingos are named after fire I chose two names which keep fire blazing being Timber and Breeze. (Fuel and Oxygen)
Moonlit news update. The dingo pups names have been chosen being Coal and Sootie. Unfortunately and I am sad to announce that Moonlit Sanctuary's oldest Tiger (Spot Tailed) Quoll 'Quinnie' has passed away at the age of six years and a couple weeks.
Are you kidding me???? Not one but two wild Tawny Frogmouths at Moonlit Sanctuary, it was posted on their Facebook. Its almost like it was done to taunt me.
Moonlit News update. Not much to report although I thought I might share a couple pictures from their facebook page. Spence the Spencers Monitor (Varanus spenceri) a species I would love to see in the future (I haven't seen one yet) . Spence is at an off display enclosure at the park. and Dusty the Major Mitchells Cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri) which can be found in the parrot aviary. Source: Moonlit Sanctuary Facebook Page.
Nine critically endangered Orange-bellied Parrots bred at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park were released into the wild in Tasmania’s world-heritage West Coast wilderness today.The release is part of the national recovery effo View attachment 461722 View attachment 461723 rts to save the Orange-bellied Parrots, a Critically Endangered species, from extinction. The release took place at the birds only known breeding ground at Melaleuca and at the time when the wild birds started to arrive from their winter feeding grounds in Victoria. The birds from Moonlit Sanctuary were accompanied by three birds from Adelaide Zoo, which in a COVID emergency had a layover in their trip to Tasmania at Moonlit Sanctuary due to the lack of direct flights. Moonlit Sanctuary Director, Michael Johnson said, “This release is part of Moonlit Sanctuary’s commitment to the recovery of Orange-bellied Parrots in the wild, including breeding over 180 birds since 2013, and management of the National Captive Program,” he added. Orange-bellied Parrots are one of only three migratory parrot species in the world and are Critically Endangered with fewer than 50 individuals returning annually to breed in Tasmania over recent years. The release is part of a joint program with DELWP, Adelaide Zoo and Zoos Victoria.
@MRJ This is a bit of a random question, but I'm sort of curious (I guess my fascination with the Potoroidae is pretty obvious by now from the other thread), what do you feed your potoroos and what are their temperaments like in captivity ?
Chopped carrot, apples, mushrooms and seasonal fruit & veg, some grain and kangaroo pellets, some mealworms. Potoroos are friendly enough and will feed from your hands.
That is really interesting! Thanks for sharing that. I was reading that the potoroos feed mostly on fungi in the wild so I was wondering what they are fed with in captivity and if it was difficult to replicate a diet similar to that in the wild. It seems that from what like two of the species you mention, this isn't too much of a problem and their dietary requirements can be met easily. It does seem that the Gilbert's potoroo is quite the opposite though in terms of ease of care as from what I've read it hasn't done too well in captivity due to the mycophageous diet.
@Onychorhynchus coronatus if your interested I have a photo of the moonlit potoroos with their food. Long Nosed Potoroo by Yoshistar888 posted 23 Oct 2020 at 5:46 PM
