Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve staff going without pay so lions don't go hungry

Definitely a huge improvement, I'm guessing that creating the new site and getting it up and running took a few months, which accounts for the timing. There are a few minor things that aren't as user friendly as possible but as you said a massive improvement of the old one which reminded me of an angry teen's blog page It is by far more appealing to the target audience looking for a place for the whole family to enjoy.

It also gives the optimist in me some hope for the zoo to continue, but the realist in me is another matter.

 

As much as I would like to be optimistic...... I think the zoos days are drawing to a close, I think it is so tragic that if the owner had simply focused on marketing and drawing in more customers then the facility would do a roaring trade..... I still don’t understand the name change (even though she has changed it twice now Shambhala - Shambala) and I don’t understand her hiring strategies.... no offence to some of the staff but they had no place working in that zoo given some of the talks I heard and the explanations they gave of husbandry techniques...... All I can say is I hope she makes a better lawyer then she did a zoo owner... and while people may feel that is a personal attack.... in a way it is, she didn’t listen to the experts, didn’t take on board any advice, ignored help from people who worked at the zoo before who had experience with the animals, ignored early requests for her to join ZAA..... she is an ignorant woman who has now cost this region valuable animals and all because of her own actions.....

 

Does anyone know if the zoo sold yesterday?

 

Passed in at auction - $950,000.

 

And a deal is being signed within days for "larger" animals to go to "three wildlife parks" in Indonesia. Clearly Taman Safari.

What are the non-ZAA animals? The lions, generic tigers, rhino, both hippo species, most of the primates? That would just about cover the "larger" animals. Fear for the Syrian bears - can only hope they're included in the Indonesia deal.

Overall - not a good outcome for Australian zoos. Not at all. The hippos are a massive loss.

 

Do we know who bid?? Was it a serious contender? with lots of money & a business plan! I believe that is the amount she paid for it so obviously Indonesia made her a better offer & despite her talk of doing whats best for the animals, she's clearly doing whats best for her bank account! Not all the animals will get sent to Indonesia, some will be euthanised
I think the only ZAA animals are the Siamangs & Serval?? Will they stay in australia? Mogo owns one of the sumatran tigers, australia zoo the 2 bengals!

 

Siamangs are definitely from Melbourne Zoo. Provision has to be made for them somewhere in Australasia. There's an island exhibit at Melbourne Zoo that's currently empty (between Japanese garden and the bistro) which isn't perfectly suited to siamangs but can be at least a temporary holding. Servals aren't hard to place.

The otters came from Underwater World, but are quite old now. Don't know where they could end up. Where is the cheetah from?

The bears are also ex-ZAA. Born at Melbourne, via Mogo. Neither zoo has suitable facilities available to take them back to my knowledge. I find the notion of euthanasia purely due to the commercial failure of the zoo repulsive, but I can't see a way out unless they go to Indonesia. It's not climatically suitable for them but then neither is Cairns.

 

Cheetah is from Monarto, she is old but hopefully they can take her back!
There is only one serval remaining, a male.
I think the younger bears may be included in the deal but the old bear will be euthanised!
I hope the otters find a home, they are adorable & although old they have plenty of life left in them & for them to lose their lives due to her bad management is not right!
Its all such a mess

 

Why euthanise? Surely some conservation group can help fund temporary accommodation until a new home is found? Or is it a case of "well if no one wants to buy them, no one is getting them for free"?

Also, why Indonesia? The country is notorious for sub standard zoos. It sounds like a horrible life for the animals.

 

I think TSI are better than your average Indonesian city zoo.

As for a conservation group funding accommodation - for how long? To what purpose? The animals at Cairns - with the exception of a handful such as the Pygmy hippos, Sumatran tiger and probably the rhino - don't have any conservation value of their own. Don't get me wrong - I'd like to see these animals housed (and if possible, in Australia) but I don't think it's plausible or entirely justified for it to be done on a charitable basis. I'm a stickler for being very clear about objectives and prospects for achieving them before asking supporters for money.

 

Better than an average Indonesian Zoo is still worse than some of the 'worst' zoos in Australia, I think, because we don't have the third-world mentality of abusing animals that exists in Indonesia.

If I were a wealthy man (which I just might might be after tonight's lotto jackpot ), I would do everything to keep the animals in Australia. Housing them temporarily while negotiations are ongoing with local zoos seems like a good idea. This would give zoos time to pull together a business plan ("we don't have the space or the money" will not be an issue if there is a generous benefactor of conservation group).

As Australia's contribution to the conservation of exotic species pales in comparison to what is being done by other zoos overseas (Europe and North America) I could argue that few exotic animals in Australia have any conservation value at all, bar education!

I think we often get caught up in the dreaminess of "conservation value", when the truth is that if hippos and rhinos went extinct tomorrow, the animals that are sent back to Africa, would not come from Australia.

 

That's pretty much my point. A charitable drive to "save the animals" might be justifiable on animal welfare grounds, as long as there's a clear plan to quickly return them to a sound financial setting. But for a group focused on "conservation" to intervene with the vast majority of Cairns animals would be pouring money down the drain.

 

Elaine deserves to be drawn and quartered for this, at least Jenny had the integrity to keep the animals alive until a buyer is found.... instead now they will be sent to some substandard zoo and the rest put to sleep, I hope this haunts her for years.

 

This deal was brokered by an Australian who is an individual member of ZAA.

I am sure that he would be fully aware of the welfare standards that Australians would expect to be maintained for these animals.

It could be argued that the animals will be going to a more financially secure home than they have ever had in north Queensland.

I, too am disappointed that some of these specimens are going off-shore but I do know that the future for some of the species in our country is not all that bleak in the short to medium term. So, it could also be argued that sending some genetically over represented animals off-shore will ultimately free up some spaces here for some more genetically valuable specimens in the future.

 

Steve, I assume that individual member currently works at Bali Safari and Marine Park and used to be involved with CWSR?

 

Bingo ...... !!

 

If you knew Sally Padey from Mogo Zoo, you would know that she would never consider euthanasia as an option for the 2 younger bears (Huggie and Pooh).
It is indeed a mess and a "how not to buy a zoo" sadly.

 

From Shambalas facebook page:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shamb...airns-Wildlife-Safari-Reserve/152555538092350

 

"Currently negotiations in progress to keep the zoo open" I'm assuming this is more of the same: 'say what sounds good to the public and save face a bit'

Such a poor outcome for a zoo which had so much to offer.

Where's nanoboy's lotto win when you need it