Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo News 2022

News mentioned in Taronga’s television program from their season finale which aired tonight:

• Two (1.1) Tasmanian Devils arrived from Taronga Western Plains Zoo recently. They were transferred with the hopes of breeding as the zoo haven’t bred devils in Sydney for a few years now.

• Several fish species have arrived at Taronga; various native freshwater fish including saratoga, archerfish, eel-tailed catfish, salmontail catfish and a glassfish. They are on-display in a recently established tank in the wildlife retreat. Additionally, four Short-finned Eels also arrived soon afterwards and were moved into a brand new pool. The keeper mentioned that Taronga traditionally rarely housed fish (at least in recent times post-aquarium) so this is a welcome development.

 

As mentioned by @Jambo in his species list, Taronga’s last Barton’s Long-beaked Echidna is temporarily on-display at the zoo near the Tasmanian Devils. The email response from Taronga: “The long-beaked echidna is only on display for the school holidays. He is on one side of the Tasmanian devil exhibit.”

 

A new breeding facility has been opened at Taronga for 58 Booroolong Frogs. The project was a $178,000 government-funded upgrade: https://www.miragenews.com/rare-frog-species-jumping-for-joy-in-new-home-716726/

 

An update on the construction of their new Reptile House:

Taronga Zoo’s reptile residents will soon have a new place to call home, with the NSW Government giving the green light for a purpose-built Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Centre in Mosman.

The brand-new facility will replace the zoo’s popular Reptile World, also known as the Serpentaria, which will soon be demolished to make way for a new on-site Wildlife Hospital.

Minister for Planning and Homes Anthony Roberts said the centre will be a drawcard for tourists and locals, giving them the opportunity to meet an array of reptiles and frogs and learn about the zoo’s conservation work to protect species now and for generations to come.

Construction is expected to begin in the middle of this year.

New residence for reptiles at Taronga Zoo

 

Two red panda cubs were born on December 8.

 

Red panda birth:

The parents are Pabu and Amala. This is their third litter following the birth of triplets in Dec 2018 and a single cub in Nov 2016.

Taronga Zoo Has Just Welcomed Two Adorable Red Panda Cubs and You Can Watch Them From Home

 

Spitter has died:

Sad news from Taronga Zoo, Spitter the Common chimpanzee has passed away. She was euthanised after suffering an acute medical issue.

I have written a tribute to her in this thread: Australasian Common Chimpanzee Population

 

The Nepalese red panda cubs have been sexed as two females.

 

100 Southern corroboree frogs have been released:

From social media:

100 critically endangered southern corroboree frogs are leaping into a new life in Kosciuszko National Park, thanks to a joint conservation operation between NSW Parks, Taronga Zoo Sydney and Zoos Victoria.

The zoo-bred alpine amphibians will grow and complete their life cycle in a large purpose-built field enclosure where they'll be protected from a deadly fungal disease and other threats taking the species to the brink of extinction.

They’ll spend autumn getting used to their new home and preparing for hibernation ahead of their first winter in the wild.

 

@Zoofan15 That wonderful news; there's going to be an issue coming up again soon in regards to the feral brumbies/horses in Kosciuszko National Park; an ecological report recommended culling the vast majority of the feral horses in the park to majorly decrease the impact that their movement with their hooves and their foliage eating habits were having on the ecosystem in order to give the threatened and endangered animals some re-generation of their needed natural habitat (Southern Corroboree Frogs were mentioned and given big acknowledgement as one of the species of major conservation concern in the report of course) but while the report recommended a culling of most of the horses it didn't say all of them, just seemed to strongly indicate that removing the majority would give the S' Corroboree Frogs and other species more of a 'fighting chance' to return to optimal populations. Now here's my 5c worth, in 2006 met a man named Ross who owns a large property down that way and he captures feral horses and keeps them on his farm and he has friends with properties down there who do the same thing, my (possibly naïve) thinking was instead of culling the horses could they not be caught and removed to properties like these instead of being culled because it sucked to think of them dying but also strongly want to see protected (and un-protected) ecosystems get the best conditions again for natural revival of course.

But here is the issue also; some folks got a bill through parliament courtesy of a now resigned corrupt state politician and the bill was about protecting the feral horses in the park from any culling under a 'heritage' guise (Brumbies being iconic to the region etc etc); but the approval of that bill meant that the native species will continue to have the same problems to their natural habitat (possibly increasing if feral horse breeding is prolific), however do believe that this issue will resurface very soon in regards to the status of the threatened species within Kosciuszko National Park and think removing the majority of the feral horses to nearby properties that have the capacity would be a decent compromise in the situation. Would be interested to hear other opinions about it

 

We have a similar situation in New Zealand. Kaimanawa horses are a population of wild horses descended from domestic horses released in the 19th and 20th centuries. They inhabit the Kaimanawa mountain range where at least 16 endangered plants species live and were in danger of overpopulating the area.

Since 1993, an annual muster of horses removes part of the wild population. Some are culled but many are successfully rehomed through the dedication of volunteers in domesticating them.

 

@Zoofan15 So glad to hear that they have managed to rehome many of them, really really hope that New South Wales and Victoria follow New Zealand's example and don't end up just culling most of them in the future, there's a good precedent you've just shown with NZ's approach and that guy Ross down in the Monaro region of NSW and his associates are still hopefully able to capacitate many more horses if the means can be found to remove them from the nat' parks.

 

Having read up on the situation, it’s clear the numbers need to be drastically reduced as it’s reached the point where they’re having a significant negative impact on the eco-system.

I hope that domestication or rehoming is an option for some of them, with the remainder culled as humanely as possible.

 

Rehoming is an option that is being persued. However the number of animals that need to be removed far exceed the spaces available. Meanwhile those that are left continue to reproduce.

 

Given the numbers that sounds a tad bit unrealistic and while the feral horses - brumbies - remain in the national park all those vulnerable and at risk species have no way to recover their populations. It is a travesty that a political decision on animal welfare nothing to do with wildlife or habitat conservation supersedes any informed scientific recovery efforts for endangered species. But then, what is new .... the environmental record is not particularly good (but evidently given all the opportunities could be so much better).

BTW: I could not help but have a vision like culling or rehoming cats and dogs as some of the major groups impacting native wildilfe, which includes the dingo (of course ...). While the evidence is stark, it will create a emotive media storm ... But is that a reason not to proceed with culling?

 

Taronga’s interesting link to Sumatran rhinoceros birth:

It’s great to see Taronga actively contributing to the conservation of this crtitically endangered species (with less than 80 remaining).

From social media:

In fantastic news for the species, a Sumatran Rhino calf has been born in Way Kambas National Park in Indonesia to Rhino mum, Rosa!

The Sumatran Rhino is one of 11 Legacy Species that Taronga has committed to lending our expertise and support to assist, and Taronga’s Conservation Science Manager, Dr Justine O’Brien and Taronga Western Plains Zoo’s Senior Veterinarian, Dr Benn Bryant, have both provided technical expertise to support Rosa’s fertility, and in the care of Sumatran Rhinos.



Moderator Edit: further non-Taronga discussion on this topic has been moved to this thread: Sumatran Rhino news thread

 

Six Bolivian Squirrel Monkeys have been born bringing Taronga’s group up to 24 individuals. The most recent one was born on 24th March: Squirrel Monkey Baby Boom at Taronga Zoo Sydney!

 

The two female Red Panda cubs born in December have been named Zeya and Daiyu.

Zeya means success and Daiyu means black jade. The cubs are finally beginning to explore their enclosure with mum, Amala.

 

Rescued Yellow-bellied glider joins breeding programme; welcomes joey:

From socials:

We are thrilled to announce the arrival of a Yellow-bellied Glider joey! Late last year we shared the story of the joeys father Milfield who was blown into a barbed wire fence during strong winds and as a result, suffered injuries to his gliding membrane. Unfortunately Milfield was deemed unfit for release, but in good news joined our Yellow-bellied glider breeding program that has now welcomed this fluffy addition.

This joey is a testament to the hard work of our vets, nurses and the keeping staff's tireless effort to ensure the continued success of Taronga’s Yellow-bellied Glider breeding program and securing a shared future for wildlife and people.

 

Upgrade to Sky Safari planned:

From socials:

Our much-loved Sky Safari is set to be transformed into an unforgettable and accessible family experience, thanks to funding from the NSW Government.

For more than a century, Taronga Zoo has been at the heart of Sydney’s community and this important project ensures our zoo remains easily accessible and welcoming for everyone for decades to come.

The Sky Safari has been a fixture of the Taronga Zoo experience since 1987 when it was first opened and was upgraded to the current experience you know and love today in 2000.

We’re really excited about this project which will provide a new, more accessible way for our guests to connect with our wildlife and iconic Sydney Harbour, all while supporting our important conservation work.