News for January 2019 The female Orange-fronted parakeet has laid 6 eggs, which it is currently sitting on. Another 6 chicks (hatched last year) will soon be released into the wild. 16 South Island whio (blue duck) were hatched this season, and will be released into the wild once mature. An Orana bred Kiwi chick will be released into the wild this month; Paru (male Kiwi) is currently incubating another two eggs. Upcoming Projects for 2019 -New native fauna habitats -New education facility -New White rhinoceros facility (increase holding capacity to 20 rhinoceros) -Upgrade to on-site catering facilities Also, in case anyone was wondering...the 8 African wild dogs that arrived in June last year were from Taronga Western Plains Zoo and are 8 females aged 18 months to 6 years.
There’s some info on the White rhinoceros here: Orana Wildlife Park to build new $500,000 rhino facility to help save animals from extinction in 2024 Some of the new arrivals will just be quarantined here, prior to being sent to Australia. I’m guessing additions to the breeding herd will involve swaps with Hamilton Zoo and possibly Auckland Zoo. Having two mature bulls at a facility (though obviously not housed together) is thought to stimulate the breeding bull to breed; and Auckland Zoo have a herd of 2.1 (and no space to hold two herds) so the logical solution appears to be to send one of these to Orana and import a second female for breeding. Imani (born 2007) is the only female not to have bred at Hamilton Zoo, so I’d consider her a likely option for export (if the current breeding situation isn’t working for a female, it usually never will). As for the African wild dogs, Orana Wildlife Park have previously imported a similar size pack of 7 young female littermates that they never bred from, so I’d imagine they have the same intention for this pack (several adult females in a breeding pack would be chaos); HOWEVER...Hamilton Zoo appear to be repeating history with their pack and may in a couple of years acquire one of the youngest females in Orana’s pack to pair with their 2 newly imported young males.
Sumatran Tiger, Sendiri has been PTS after developing Leukaemia. He was 15 years old and arrived at Orana from Dubbo in 2006. His brother remains well Rare Sumatran tiger dies at Christchurch wildlife park
Orana Wildlife Park is going to received four Tasmanian Devils from the wildlife sanctuary ‘Devils @ Cradle’. Tasmanian devils go on 3000km journey
Orana has welcomed two addax calves. They are believed to be the first of their species to be born in New Zealand. Security Check
Orana is due to receive another female Giraffe - 20 month old, Kamili is currently in transit from Perth. She should arrive in early December
This is really surprising considering their herd of 1.3 already contains three young females. Orana Wildlife Park has previously had a herd of four females (all breeding); but space wise, this would have pushed the boundaries for the capacity of the exhibit. Three breeding females (and their calves) would appear to be a more comfortable fit.
New species for Orana : 100 Canterbury mudfish moved from the Isaac Conservation and Wildlife Trust to Orana and next year 200 more are planned to make the same move : Endangered Mudfish Move to Orana Wildlife Park | Scoop News
Orana has received a male Geoffroy’s Spider Monkey from Hamilton Zoo. It is hoped that he will breed with Orana’s females. According to the Facebook post, the last time Orana has a spider monkey birth was in 2005. Security Check
They haven’t bred that well at Hamilton Zoo either. The last birth (1.0) was in 2016; and that was the first birth in a decade. The original breeding male (Diego) sired several infants from the 1990s until 2006; but his replacement, Burrito (born 1997 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo) never bred, following his import in 2010. At least two (there might have been three) new males were then imported, which included Salsa (born 1994) and Tostada (born 1996). Salsa sired the 2016 infant; I don’t believe Tostada is a proven breeder (at least not in the approx 6 years he’s been at Hamilton Zoo).
In mid-January 2020, the three orangutans at Orana Wildlife Park will move back to Auckland Zoo. Orang-utans’ Two Year Stay in Christchurch Ends Mid-January | Scoop News
Nasibu’s import should be imminent, with one half of the ape complex being vacated next month; and the other half presumably about to be vacated by the bachelor group heading to the new Sydney Zoo. Gorillas are arguably Orana’s biggest draw card, so I doubt the bachelor group will leave until Nasibu is on display.
Orana wrapped up an exciting year with the hatching of five Whio chicks earlier last month (40 chicks have been hatched by their breeding pair since their arrival in 2017). All of the other news in this article (giraffe and spider monkey imports, addax calves etc.) has already been mentioned in this thread, except for the import of a new waterbuck breeding bull in October 2019. Rare blue ducklings' first aquatic lesson goes swimmingly
Auckland Zoo received a male Waterbuck from Werribee in October 2019. I'm wondering whether there actually were two (i.e. both were imported via Orana) or whether there has been a mistake in the reporting (i.e. one male was imported to Orana but was only en route to Auckland).
Its interesting to see so many movements of Ape groups (mainly Gorillas and Orangutan) in the Australia/NZ region currently and in recent past. This is pretty rare in the European region and probably reflects the current on-going expansion of the regional population.
Yes, the two most influential factors have been the opening of the new Sydney Zoo, where zoos have sent non breeding groups (which will allow them in turn to import breeding animals); as well as the opening of Auckland Zoo’s new orangutan exhibit. The previous orangutan exhibit was built in 1987, so well and truly due for an upgrade. Confirmed imports (all in the near future): Sumatran orangutan at Auckland Zoo Western lowland gorilla (breeding troop) at Orana Wildlife Park Western lowland gorilla (non breeding troop) at Sydney Zoo Likely imports: Sumatran orangutan at Orana Wildlife Park (after gorillas are sorted) Sumatran orangutan for Melbourne Zoo (new breeding female) Sumatran orangutan for Taronga Zoo (in their masterplan)
