Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2013

The first births of the year (technically late last year): three Fennec Fox kits have been born to the pair imported from Europe, taking the regional population to 16 animals at three zoos (Taronga, Mogo & Adelaide).

Story & Photos here: Fennec Foxes of new bloodline are Taronga Zoo?s new residents | Taronga Conservation Society Australia

 

'Red menace'??? Are they referring to Red foxes?

 

I'm not sure why that is there - Taronga has no red foxes, and fennecs are certainly not red. Damned journalist.



Hix

 

Rather unusual news from Taronga's facebook page:

Not so much unusual news I guess, but rather unusual that they would announce it at all. I guess they are trying to show that they are comitted to health and safety.

 

I'm guessing this was during the giraffe keeper talk and feed, and bumping by neck is commonplace - it's when they hit you with their head, or neck you over, that the situation is a bit more serious.



Hix

 

just the thought of that if the giraffe was to have hit her hard like they do in necking oh she would be lucky to live lucky it wasnt serious.

 

I was at the Giraffe keeper talk yesterday and I didn't see anything unusual.

 

They're not able to do that, the structure of the platform prevents them from doing so.

It may have happened afterwards during the photo opportunity.



Hix

 

Visited yesterday, not a lot to report..but here goes.
-P Hippo off display
-At least one Fiordland Penguin still hanging on
-New Sun Bear very active
-Fennec Fox kits on display and very cute
-Cassowary have now moved to the 'African Waterhole' which is a hodge-podge, run-down section that counts Sumatran Tigers, Brazillian Tapir and Bongo and Zebra, as well as the Barbary Sheep, as its residents.
-Juvenile Komodo on display

 

Mr Munro the fiordland crested penguin is the last one. The two females die some years ago.

I think the cassowaries have moved temporarily due other Lemur Fitest Adventure construction disturbing them. And I know what you mean in terms of the African Waterhole: zebras, bongo, Barbary sheep and then suddenly Brazilian tapir and Sumatran tiger, an now cassowary!

 

Which specific exhibit have the cassowary moved into? Presumably this is only a relatively temporary move until they can move back into their old enclosure?

Here is an article on the new sun bear - it says she is very active and destructive! There is also a great photo of her up a dead tree: Mary Gets Busy with the Furniture | Taronga Conservation Society Australia

 

The cassowary are in the exhibit that has been used to hold oryx, camels and ostrich...what cracks me up is that Taronga has gone to the expense of refurbishing the exhibit; id rather of seen them housed behind the scenes, as it is obviosly only a temporary measure.
the waterhole exhibit is kind of laughable; the zoo really needs to do something about this area because as it is, it really does not have much 'value' IMO.

 

Well thats just weird, I would have thought they would be in one of the exhibits holding zebra or bongo. It would have made more sense to keep them off-display than refurb that enclosure temporarily. The lemur exhibit should be finished mid-year, so they can move back then can't they?

The African Waterhole has got less and less African over the years, and shouldn't really be called that anymore. I think they should keep it as an African area, but clearly it needs major work, but this can't happen until they make space for the redundant animals (especially the tigers) in other parts of the zoo.

 

What would be great is if Taronga constructed a new lion enclosure; a good site would be where they are currently keeping the cassowary. That would then mean that the whole Cats of Asia exhibit could be used to concentrate on Sumatran Tigers.
The African Waterhole 'brand' needs to be dropped and a more logical sequence of exhibits planned for that area long-term.

 

I do like that idea, I think that would be a great site for a lion pride. The rest of the area is a bit tricky (given the steep-ness), but could be developed into a very nice area. It would be nice if it followed a progression from savannah (lions, giraffes, zebra) to woodland (nyala) to rainforest (bongo, pygmy hippo), ultimately linking in to the gorilla exhibit. Other enclosures for small mammals (meerkats, fennec foxes), birds and reptiles could flesh the area out very nicely.

 

Zooreaucracy gone mad.


I'm off on the Zoo Friends history walk tomorrow.

 

How was it? It sounds like a cool idea, zoo history is something that I find fascinating, and I can imagine that Taronga would have a very rich history. Do they run these walks often?