Taronga Western Plains Zoo Taronga Western Plains Zoo News 2019

TWPZ has welcomed two giraffe calves (male and female). These were born on the 16th and 28th January.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo
According to another video they mark TWPZ’s fourth generation of giraffes.

 

Here is an article on the births:

Seeing double! Two Giraffe calves born in Dubbo

 

Zoo mourns the loss of elderly elephant Gigi

 

That’s very sad. She lived to a good old age, though. I’m very happy she got to spend the last 11 years at TWPZ rather than the circus she was originally in. Leaves TWPZ with 4.4 Asian elephants. Best wishes with the TWPZ team and Burma.

 

TWPZ has welcomed 4:4 bilbies to commence their breeding program. They will be released into their 110-hectare conservation and breeding sanctuary.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo

 

TWPZ has welcomed an echidna puggle.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo

 

Squirrel Monkeys head to new home

The six Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys that have called Taronga Western Plains Zoo home for the past six months have headed off to their new permanent home at Melbourne Zoo.

Their time in Dubbo was temporary and both keepers and visitors alike have enjoyed watching these very quick and agile monkeys.

Keepers have really enjoyed getting to know the six Squirrel Monkeys’ individual personalities and learning more about their species. The team is sad that they are heading off however also excited to have Ring-tailed Lemurs returning to the Savannah Lake island.

Five Ring-tailed Lemurs males that were all born at Dubbo in 2016 and 2017 will move to the front island in early April.

 

TWPZ has welcomed another giraffe calf (the third giraffe born at TWPZ this year). The male was born 25th March.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo

 

Awesome! This is Ntombi's fifth calf:

Ntombi (F)
Born at Auckland Zoo 25/07/2007
Arrived at Taronga Western Plains Zoo 26/11/2008

Offspring:

Fanana (M) born 21/08/2012 (deceased)

Nkosi (M) born 03/08/2014

Nyah (F) born 01/01/2016

Malaika (F) born 11/09/2017

Unnamed (M) born 25/03/2019

Ntombi was the last of a family line at Auckland Zoo that began in 1960 with the arrival of her great grandfather from London Zoo; and ended with Ntombi's export in 2008. She is related to many giraffes in the region through her maternal great grandmother, who was born at Taronga Zoo.

giraffes in New Zealand (Post #98)

 

Spider Monkey Birth

It's good to see the Spider monkey baby boom continuing in the region. Hopefully, they'll be more births to come from Melbourne Zoo, following the birth of an infant in 2018 (their first in 7 years); and Hamilton Zoo, following the birth of an infant in 2016 (their first in 10 years).

"Keepers at Taronga Western Plains Zoo were delighted by the birth of a Spider Monkey baby on 24 February 2019 to first time mother Havana.

Havana has been displaying all the right maternal behaviours to date, caring for and nursing her baby and ensuring some of the other members of the group don’t come too close.

The baby is yet to be named as it has been keeping its gender under wraps. It stays close to mum’s tummy and doesn’t reveal much, making it difficult for keepers to determine if it is a male or female.

This is the fourth baby born to the group over the past 18 months with male Pedro siring all four.
The most recent new arrival is a little difficult to see at present but if you look closely you can see it clinging to its mother’s tummy. A great time to see the Spider Monkeys is at the 12:50pm keeper feed.

Over the coming months the baby will grow and develop in confidence. It will start looking around more and reaching out to try and grab items from the security of mum’s tummy.

Keepers are looking forward to watching all four babies grow up together and begin interacting with each other, especially the older juveniles with the more recent arrivals."

 

The male calf has been named ‘Shingo’.
Zoo's cute newcomer already sticking his neck out to make friends
This article mentions that Unami (his father) has sired 25 offspring. He will now be retired to their bachelor group at 13 years of age. A young male from Mogo is expected to replace Unami.
Interestingly, the article also mentions that the zoo will expand the giraffe exhibit as the zoo holds 19 giraffe!

 

Introductions will begin with two lionesses (arrived from San Diego last year) and a male from Monarto.
Zoo Chat | New lions make Pride Lands their home

 

That’s great news that TWPZ has imported some new lions! Lazurus is almost 17, and getting on in his years; so I guess the most likely circumstance for the future will be to export the four young males, and send Maya elsewhere for retirement after Lazurus passes. I guess the export of Mlinzi from Monarto will free up space to hold and breed the new males from Melbourne. It’s also great that zoos in the Australasian region are importing lions from overseas.

 

I still think the most logical idea was to send Maya as a (non breeding) companion to her daughters at Perth Zoo, when they were exported last year. Lazarus could go for another five years, which will leave Maya alone and post reproductive (difficult to introduce to a new male).

I believe Mlinzi was living separately from the other lions at Monarto in a fourth pride, the other three being:

1) Three males from Melbourne
2) Six related lionesses
3 Two brothers (sons of Tiombe)

Mlinzi’s export will definately free up some space. The export of Tiombe’s sons also seems logical since they are related to all the females at Monarto. Maybe they will go to the new Sydney Zoo?

 

That would be a great idea to send Maya to Perth to join her two daughters. Lazurus could then live out the rest of his years solitary, which would surely be a relief for him.

Tiombe’s sons could also be exported in the future. To the Sydney zoo could be an option, but then again there were a lot of zoos that they could go to. Monarto has a lot of space though, so could manage to keep the males for another few years.

 

Taronga Western Plains Zoo has welcomed four Asian Small-clawed Otter pups (1:3).
Their father ‘Harry’ arrived from Singapore earlier in the year.
Dubbo Zoo welcomes four Otter pups!
In other news, the zoo has welcomed a female Black-handed Spider Monkey baby. According to the article, this is their fifth spider monkey birth in 18 months.
More breeding success

 

Taronga Western Plains Zoo welcomed a female white rhino calf on 18th August to mother ‘Mopani’.
The calf was sired by male, ‘Khulu’ who according to this article passed away earlier this year.
Dubbo Zoo welcomes female White Rhino calf

 

Happy the Common hippopotamus has died:

Farewell Happy Hippo

Happy was born 24/12/1985 at Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

There is now only one male Common hippopotamus in the region (also at Taronga Western Plains Zoo).

 

Very sad news.
I believe Adelaide Zoo still has their elderly male.
Hippopotamus Fact Sheets - Adelaide Zoo

 

Be worried and very worried for the future status of "common" hippo in Australia.
The species being part and parcel of any zoo with savannah type habitats or exhibitry they are indispensable. It is high time zoos start taking both the IUCN status of the species and their exhibit. conservation, educational and other value(s) and appeal to the general public more seriously in population management of the species.
(BTW: This not just restricted to Australia-NZ ZAA region - by any halves ..).