1.0 ring-tailed lemur, hand-reared after his mother could not produce enough milk, has been reintroduced with his family: Baby lemur reunited with parents at the National Zoo - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A new enclosure under construction..... https://www.facebook.com/canberrazo...05421785644/10153851498845645/?type=3&theater
It's actually for siamang if my memory is correct. Wonder if the large moat could be used by Asian short-clawed otters (thus creating a mixed species exhibit)?
yes, if you go to the album that individual photo is from (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/...53634520150645.1073741860.305421785644&type=3) you can see some other photos and comments. On the fourth photo you can see that the glass viewing panel will actually be above the water of the moat, not below - so not underwater viewing.
Very odd exhibit for siamangs. The lack of shady trees, very open style, tall mock-rock walls and a large deep pond at the front - you'd imagine a number of unrelated species could use the exhibit. And concrete trees??? Does anybody know where they are getting them from?
It does seem odd, hopefully there will be plenty of ropes added. Adelaide has two siamang exhibits, with one an outdated looking cage, so perhaps they might be a source?
more photos of the (basically finished) enclosure, showing even more how, er, "functional" it is: https://www.facebook.com/canberrazo...05421785644/10153937216030645/?type=3&theater They are getting a male from Orana Park. A comment on Facebook says he will be arriving shortly ("from New Zealand"), and may be on display by May. They don't mention any others so perhaps they are starting with just the male, and getting a female when available.
Well that looks suitably... arid. Could do with some really decent planting around the climbing frame, but somehow I fear turf may be the reality.
What is the Siamang situation like in Aust/NZ? They used to be pretty common but again fell out of favour.
there are about thirty animals, in ten zoos. Tasmania Zoo just has one animal but all the others have pairs or groups.
Here is an updated photo of the new siamang enclosure (scroll down to the bottom): https://www.facebook.com/canberrazo...05421785644/10154177787540645/?type=3&theater
Hybrid tiger Bakkar has been euthanased at the grand old age of 21: National Zoo Bengal tiger Bakkar dies - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
National zoo have now got Agouti with 3 coming from Taronga zoo. Pics can be seen on their Facebook page.
A fire started in the maintenance shed yesterday, which caused the roof to collapse, although no animals or staff were thankfully injured: Fire at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium
A pair of siamangs are now on exhibit. Cian the male is from Orana Park (NZ) while Tunku the female is from Mogo Zoo: National Zoo and Aquarium unveils new animals Cian and Tunku the Siamang gibbons
There's been a huge influx of tiger lately in Canberra! Firstly, they have received male Sumatran tiger Aceh from Melbourne Zoo and female Ndari from Dreamworld. They also received two hybrid brothers from Dreamworld, Ravi and Baru: International Tiger Day: National Zoo in Canberra joins Sumatran tiger breeding program - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
the article unfortunately implies the two generic tigers are also Sumatran! On a different subject entirely, here's a 2001 tv advert from Youtube showing some of the former animals at the zoo, including spotted and black leopards and the tigons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqF42m5x9rk
Can we asssume, that since Ndari is a full sibling to their existing female, Rahni (ie she is not of a better genetic match to Aceh), that there is a reason she is not being bred with? I'm not sure if they ever tried to breed her with Aceh but I know she was unsuccessful in breeding with the previous male, Berani. Maybe it is a social issue, as her littermate, Indah has also been unsuccessful at breeding. Ndari and her littermates were peer raised with Sali, who has gone on to breed successfully so maybe their upbringing differed in some small way?