Endangered Fiordland Penguin Roxy Nursed Back To Health By Perth Zoo After Epic 4000km Trip From New Zealand Tuesday, 17 October 2017 8:41PM Article from the The West Australian Newspaper There are far more fearsome members of the animal kingdom, but few are as intrepid as Roxy the Fiordland penguin. Roxy was found close to death on a beach near Denmark about three months ago. Her rescuer, who happened to be a Parks and Wildlife Officer, took her to a local wildlife carer. Endangered Fiordland penguins only breed in the south of New Zealand, so Roxy had made a journey of truly epic proportions. Roxy the intrepid Fiordland penguinPicture: Perth Zoo She covered about 4000km to get to the south coast of WA - a swim which could have taken months. It was the first report of a Fiordland penguin making landfall in WA since the last one appeared near Denmark more than five years ago. When it became clear Roxy had a serious foot injury, she was transferred to Perth Zoo for more intensive rehabilitation. Her weight has bounced back from a dangerously low 1.6kg to a healthy 3kg. Today, she boarded a plane bound for Sydney where she will join three other members of her species at Taronga Zoo. Roxy travelled 4000km to a Denmark beach where she was found by a local wildlife carerPicture: Perth Zoo Perth Zoo vet Alisa Wallace said they were the only Fiordland penguins in captivity in the world. It was safer for Roxy to go to Sydney, rather than risk introducing a disease to the remaining populations in New Zealand. “I know they turn up on the east coast of Australia every now and then but to get here is a massive effort,” Ms Wallace said. “They’re a species that are hard to study because they live in remote areas and there aren’t many of them left. “Whether it’s misadventure or just a penguin that decided to go on an adventure, who knows?” The endangered Fiordland penguins can only be found on the South Island in New Zealand.Picture: Perth Zoo Fiordland penguins have a more relaxed temperament than the little penguins based at Perth Zoo. Ms Wallace said it was a sad farewell for staff because Roxy was so loveable. “She’s not aggressive at all and she doesn’t bite like the little penguins sometimes will if they’re hungry,” Ms Wallace said. “As soon as you go in to see her she bolts across the room to say, ‘Hello’, and if you leave the room she comes running over to say, ‘Where are you going’? “We love her so we wouldn’t have any arguments with her staying, but it’s best for her to be with her own kind.”
This was posted about three posts ago... Yes, one male and three females ... as was posted about three posts ago.
Wild Life Magazine that Taronga zoo puts out has some really good articles. The magazine is only available to Zoo friends or your can purchase a copy for $4.95 at the Zoo. The magazine is only going to be print 3 times a year now. Spring, Summer and Autumn. Its a great read.
Good to hear Wild Life has improved - its deteriorating usefulness was one of the main reasons I let my membership lapse (back around 2012). There were fewer and fewer articles that had anything directly to do with the zoo - there would be entire articles about a species of animal, for example, and then it might briefly mention that "Taronga Zoo is home to three individuals" right at the end. Even the "news snippets" section became mostly full of padding. I suspect, in view of this, the move to three issues a year rather than four is probably a good thing.
Just saw this on Taronga's maintainance page: African Safari trail is closed – Bongo and Meerkats have been relocated to exciting new habitats. In the meantime, Barbary Sheep, Himalayan Tahr, Zebra and Fennec Fox cannot be seen. Where have the bongos been moved to? Does anyone know why the trail is closed?
I wonder if it's the start of the African Savannah construction? It was supposed to be starting in 2018. The thread about it: Taronga Zoo - African Savannah and Congo Forest development plans
I am not following this to well, Okapi cant be imported until a IRA is worked out for them which could take years at the rate which things are done now, Now I believe ZAA are asking around the zoos to see if an IRA should be done for Giraffe "OR" Hippos with both of these needing much new bloodlines in our region One species which could be imported and included in a African rain-forest "the Mandrill" does not even get a mention for the exhibit?..So Adelaide zoo will have to shoulder the Mandrill by itself in the region or phase them out?. Please correct me if I have this wrong!.
Not "or" - they are deciding which should be done "first". Now that the Bovid IRA is completed (or as good as), they are going to be moving on with the IRAs for giraffids and hippos. The Congo Forest plans are not scheduled until 2020 I think it was, and both hippo and giraffid should (in theory) be done by then.
Hey,: Meerkats being moved to area/enclosure where Little Penguins were displayed in the late 90s to mid 00s until the 'Souther Ocean' exhibit opened in whatever year it was again in 00s (as far as i can tell from the map, the nice lady i spoke to on the phone at taronga this morning didnt have any info unfortunately). Remembering the large (more than 5m high??) glass wall the Penguins swam behind was viewed right off that pathway between Mary's island and the old Elephant's exhibit (now the bull Elephants exhibit). Since the Penguins left more than 10 years ago if i'm correct i hadnt even noticed what had become of that exhibit and am curious if tge same high glass wall is being used to view the Meerkat family living there now?? As for the Bongo no idea. But i noticed that the Spotted Deer have been taken off the map in the Asian trail exhibit and even though it is a very small exhibit especially for a species like Bongo, im still half curious if that is where they are intended to be moved. Incidentally if they are being phased out eventually and dont make a place in the upcoming Africa display upgrades i'll be very upset ☹️. I'm certain Fennec Fox's spot at Taronga is secure in the future (and Zebras of course) but is this goodbye Tahrs and Barbary Sheep? Tahr mountain being more than three quarters of a century old if i remember correct. P.s: its only because Pygmy Hippos are in the Asian trail in the Tapir's old exhibit and the fact that i thought these Bongo and Meerkat moves are only meant for a couple of years at most (until African upgrades are complete) that i even considered the Bongos may move to the Deer exhibit in the Asian area.
The Meerkats are in a newly built enclosure and have been there for a few months now. As for the bongo, I believe they are all moving out to Taronga Western Plains Zoo, the two females have been introduced to each other and will soon be introduce to a male. The fennec fox and zebra are both supposed to be included in the new African zone according to the plans, but the barbary sheep will be leaving. The plans also show the Tahr mountain remaining so I assume they are safe. here links to the plans, I'm posting both because they are slightly different: https://majorprojects.accelo.com/pu...745b000b5cc32c81/16527_SEARs Request_RevB.pdf (the site plan is at the bottom) https://majorprojects.accelo.com/pu...ural Drawings_Taronga Zoo SSDA 8008_Part1.pdf
You mean this enclosure? It was built for the penguins in the late 70's and housed them until early 2008 when GSO opened. As you can see, the glass panels were nowhere near 5m high. Once the penguins moved out the pool was filled in and it was made into a native garden. I see on the plans for the Congo Forest that as well as Okapi they have plans for Colobus. I also notice the proposed gorilla enclosure will include the area currently occupied by the Horseshoe Aviaries. I'd be interested to know if any new aviaries will be constructed to replace them. I'd also be interested to know what the plans are for the current gorilla enclosure. Hix
At last! An Australian zoo taking an old world monkey species seriously!!!! I'm very pleased about this!!!!!
One of the plans had colobus, the slightly-newer one didn't (see the other thread I linked earlier). I'd like to think they will be included, but we'll see.
On Facebook, through a post from someone who visited recently. However, I don’t know this person, so I’d like another source, hence why I asked here.
