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Taronga Zoo Taronga Zoo Species List

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Jambo, 24 Jan 2022.

  1. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Species List:

    I visited Taronga yesterday and decided to compile a Species list based on species I’ve seen and signage. Even though I don’t visit Taronga often (I’m not a local); hopefully this can be a helpful resource for those who use this website.

    Keep in mind there are also species kept off display.

    Any species signed but seen are marked with an asterisk.

    Mammals:

    Marsupials: (11)
    Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo *
    Koala
    Quokka *
    Swamp Wallaby
    Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat
    Short Beaked Echidna
    Red Kangaroo
    Tasmanian Devil
    Long Beaked Echidna *
    Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby
    Platypus *

    Primates: (7)
    Bolivian Squirrel Monkey
    Chimps
    White Cheeked Gibbon
    Francois Langur
    Cotton Top Tamiran
    Western Lowland Gorilla
    Ring Tailed Lemur

    Carnivores: (9)
    African Lion
    Slender Tailed Meerkat
    Fennec Fox
    Malayan Sun Bear
    Sumatran Tiger
    Binturong (not seen)
    Asian Short Clawed Otter
    Red Panda
    Fishing Cat

    Ungulates: (7)
    Plains Zebra
    Giraffe
    Asian Elephant
    Pygmy Hippo
    Dromedary Camel
    Alpaca
    Domestic Goat

    Pinnipeds: (2)
    Australian Sea Lion
    Long Nosed Fur Seal

    Rodents: (3)
    Domestic Guinea pig
    Capybara
    Spinifex Hopping Mouse

    Rabbits: (1)
    Domestic Rabbit

    Taronga have 39 mammal species in total.

    Notes:
    -Only a single Fennec Fox was seen. From their recent Social Media posts about them it also seems to indicate they have a single individual left which is likely Zalika (2017).
    -Only the trio of Sumatran Tiger Cubs were on display. Their mother Kartika was interestingly not with them.
    -Only a pair of Asian Short Clawed Otters were out on exhibit.
    -A single Fishing Cat was seen. The smaller indoor enclosure was empty. I saw both Cats in both enclosures last year.
    -Taronga are attempting to breed their Red Panda pair again. The exhibit was roped off to give them space.
    -It appears Taronga only has a single Capybara too. There was only one out on exhibit, and this was the same case when I visited last year.


    Birds:

    (Note: I didn’t manage to get through the Australian Rainforest Aviary, so this population list isn’t fully completed)

    Helmeted Guineafowl (free roaming)
    Andean Condor
    Little Penguin
    Fiorland Penguin
    Budgerigar
    Domestic Ducks
    Emu
    Golden Pheasant
    Double Eyed Fig Parrot
    Nicobar Pigeon
    Superb Fruit Dove
    White Rumped Shama
    Pied Imperial Pigeon
    Red Whiskered Bulbul
    White Bibbed Ground Dove
    Luzon Bleeding Heart Pigeon
    Yellow Figbird
    Red Lory
    Java Sparrow
    Red Lored Amazon
    Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
    Wandering Whistling Duck
    Mandarin Duck
    Little Pied Cormorant
    Pied Imperial Pigeon
    Pheasant Coucal
    Pied Heron
    Royal Spoonbill
    Glossy Ibis
    Clamourous Reed Warbler
    Chestnut Breasted Mannikin
    Superb Parrot
    Dollarbird
    Gang Gang
    Noisy Pitta
    Masked Lapwing
    Brush Bronzewing
    Brown Cuckoo Dove
    Superb Lyrebird
    Regent Bowerbird
    Peaceful Dove
    Striped Honeyeater
    Little Lorikeet
    Common Bronzewing
    White Browed Wood Swallower
    Red Rumped Parrot
    Scaly Breasted Lorikeet
    Zebra Finch
    Buff Banded Rail
    Wonga Pigeon
    Rose Crowned Fruit Dove
    Plumed Whistling Duck
    Eastern Whipbird
    Grey Crowned Babbler
    Emerald Dove
    Glossy Black Cockatoo
    Southern Cassowary

    59 Bird species (and counting)

    Reptiles:

    Aldabra Giant Tortoise
    Red Bellied Black Snake
    Cunningham’s Spiny Tailed Skink
    Eastern Water Dragon (free roaming)
    Komodo Dragon
    Freshwater Crocodile
    Boyd’s Forest Dragon
    Golden Tailed Gecko
    Schletopusik
    Bellinger River Turtle
    Salifin Lizard
    Shingleback Lizard
    Reticulated Python
    Elongated Tortoise
    River Cooter
    Boa Constrictor
    Coastal Taipan
    Monocled Cobra
    Corn Snake
    Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
    Gila Monster
    Broad Headed Snake
    Star Tortoise
    Land Mullet
    Green Anaconda
    Fijian Crested Iguana
    Basilisk
    Amethystine Python
    Green Python
    Green Iguana
    Short Necked Turtle
    Rhinoceros Iguana
    Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard

    33 Reptile species in total.

    Amphibians

    Red Eyed Tree Frog
    White Lipped Tree Frog
    Dwarf Tree Frog
    Yellow Spotted Bell Frog

    Arachnids

    Communal Huntsmen
    Flinders Range Scorpion
    Sydney Funnel Web Spider
    Bird Eating Spider

    Insects

    Goliath Stick Insect
    Spiny Leaf Stick Insect
    Spiny Rainforest Katydid
    Locusts
    Honey Bee
    Burrowing Cockroach

    Fish

    Koi
     
  2. IndianRhino

    IndianRhino Well-Known Member

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    Thanks for the list, wonderful job!
    Perhaps the trio have finally been weaned and separated from Kartika, it's amazing that they've managed to keep them with her for 3 years now, especially since one of the "cubs" is male. Hopefully this means they are getting ready to rebreed Clarence and Kartika and more cubs are on the way! I'm assuming they have the space for another litter of cubs.
     
  3. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Taronga were having issues with Kartika becoming aggressive to her cubs as early as 2020. This was remedied by placing her on contraception, but obviously the cubs have since outworn their welcome as they enter adulthood and seek their own space. Like you say, it was an achievement to keep them together this long.

    The Taronga facility can hold eight tigers, so with 3.3 adults, they’re almost at capacity. The 2019 offspring are well represented on their maternal side, so I’m guessing that’s influenced the delay in placing them. My prediction is one will be paired with one of the offspring from Auckland’s new pair, which will help continue the Indonesian line the Taronga cubs represent via their paternal side.
     
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  4. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It was quite a humid day and the Cubs had access to the last two enclosures. There was one lying right up on top of the Safari truck next to the viewing window, which meant there had to be a line to access the enclosure.

    It’ll be interesting to see the size of their indoor house, as they are now managing six tigers in four groups across three enclosures.
     
  5. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    That's interesting. In which exhibit was the long-beaked echidna signed?
     
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  6. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The night house comprises of six dens, including one double den that functions as a hospital area. Previously, the tigers had to be carried off site to the vet clinic. The dens, which are interconnected can be used as exhibit space for one or more groups, while the others are outside.

    Long term, it’d be ideal for the female cubs to remain together as this maximises efficiency of space and eliminates the need to apply contraception - which has the potential to impact upon reproductive health. My prediction is they’ll move to another zoo together, with Taronga importing a tigress (likely from Auckland) to pair with the male cub.
     
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  7. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    In the Tasmanian Devil House. There was signage for the species in front of the enclosure. His name is JR.
     
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  8. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    Pretty significant news to know that the last long-beaked echidna is on-show (not sure how easy it would be to actually see him though)! It had been assumed with the closure of the nocturnal house for renovations he would have been off-display for the remainder of his days.
     
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  9. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    It’s great news!

    Unfortunately I didn’t catch a glimpse of him. But one of the keepers mentioned he was in a burrow he had dug at the back of his enclosure.
     
    Last edited: 24 Jan 2022
  10. animal_expert01

    animal_expert01 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Does anyone know if the shamas at Taronga are in a breeding situation or are likely to be bred in the future?
     
  11. WhistlingKite24

    WhistlingKite24 Well-Known Member 10+ year member Premium Member

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    Here is the response I received from Taronga last year about them:

    “Yes, we do have White-rumped Shamas now in the collection at Taronga Zoo, Sydney. There is currently one male on display in the Palm Aviary (next to the elephants). We do have a couple of pairs off display in breeding aviaries too. Hopefully with breeding success there’ll be more for you to see in the Asian Walkthrough Aviaries.We brought this species into the collection, and with the help of our interps team, to highlight the illegal songbird trade in Asia.”
     
  12. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Some more updates from my visit today;

    • Taronga is indeed down to a single Fennec Fox.

    • I saw both Fishing Cats.

    • Right as it looked ready, unfortunately a fence has been installed in front of the Chimp enclosure and it appears some more work will be done on it.

    • Kembali was in the first Tiger enclosure, and was having a dip in his pool (it was an extremely hot day)
      The trio of cubs were in the second enclosure, two of which, Pemanah and one of the girls, were resting on the Safari Jeep right next to the viewing window. Quite an experience getting to see them so up close!
      Kartika was in the final enclosure, where she was resting on a shaded platform underneath a giant fig tree.
      The complex has two den areas; one which Kartika and the Cubs share and the other for the two males.
     
    Last edited: 27 Jan 2022
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  13. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    This is the complete species list for Taronga Zoo (27/01/2022)

    Mammals:

    Marsupials: (11)
    Goodfellows Tree Kangaroo *
    Koala
    Quokka *
    Swamp Wallaby
    Southern Hairy Nosed Wombat
    Short Beaked Echidna
    Red Kangaroo
    Tasmanian Devil
    Long Beaked Echidna *
    Brush Tailed Rock Wallaby
    Platypus *

    Primates: (7)
    Bolivian Squirrel Monkey
    Chimps
    White Cheeked Gibbon
    Francois Langur
    Cotton Top Tamiran
    Western Lowland Gorilla
    Ring Tailed Lemur

    Carnivores: (9)
    African Lion
    Slender Tailed Meerkat
    Fennec Fox
    Malayan Sun Bear
    Sumatran Tiger
    Binturong
    Asian Short Clawed Otter
    Red Panda
    Fishing Cat

    Ungulates: (7)
    Plains Zebra
    Giraffe
    Asian Elephant
    Pygmy Hippo
    Dromedary Camel
    Alpaca
    Domestic Goat

    Pinnipeds: (3)
    Australian Sea Lion
    Long Nosed Fur Seal
    Californian Sea Lion

    Rodents: (3)
    Domestic Guinea pig
    Capybara
    Spinifex Hopping Mouse

    Rabbits: (1)
    Domestic Rabbit

    Taronga have 40 mammal species in total.

    Birds:
    Palm Aviary, Wetland Aviary, Blue Mountains Bushwalk, Australian Rainforest Aviary

    Helmeted Guineafowl (free roaming)
    Andean Condor
    Little Penguin
    Fiorland Penguin
    Budgerigar
    Domestic Ducks
    Emu
    Golden Pheasant
    Double Eyed Fig Parrot
    Nicobar Pigeon
    Superb Fruit Dove
    White Rumped Shama
    Pied Imperial Pigeon
    Red Whiskered Bulbul
    White Bibbed Ground Dove
    Luzon Bleeding Heart Pigeon

    Yellow Figbird
    Red Lory
    Java Sparrow
    Red Lored Amazon
    Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
    Wandering Whistling Duck
    Mandarin Duck
    Little Pied Cormorant
    Pied Imperial Pigeon
    Pheasant Coucal
    Pied Heron
    Royal Spoonbill
    Glossy Ibis
    Clamourous Reed Warbler

    Chestnut Breasted Mannikin
    Superb Parrot
    Dollarbird
    Gang Gang
    Noisy Pitta
    Masked Lapwing
    Brush Bronzewing
    Brown Cuckoo Dove
    Superb Lyrebird
    Regent Bowerbird
    Peaceful Dove
    Striped Honeyeater
    Little Lorikeet
    Common Bronzewing
    White Browed Wood Swallower
    Red Rumped Parrot
    Scaly Breasted Lorikeet
    Zebra Finch
    Buff Banded Rail
    Wonga Pigeon
    Rose Crowned Fruit Dove
    Plumed Whistling Duck
    Eastern Whipbird
    Grey Crowned Babbler
    Emerald Dove
    Glossy Black Cockatoo

    Southern Cassowary
    King Parrot
    Rainbow Lorikeet
    Topknot Pigeon
    Metallic Starling
    Eclectus Parrot
    Musk Lorikeet
    Superb Fruit Dove
    White Headed Pigeon
    Silver Eye
    Forest Kingfisher
    Regent Bowerbird
    Black Faced Monarch
    Rose Crowned Fruit Dove

    Variegated Fairy Wren
    Green Pygmy Goose
    Crimson Finch
    Gouldian Finch
    Rufous Whistler
    Crimson Finch
    Masked Finch


    79 Bird species

    Reptiles:

    Aldabra Giant Tortoise
    Red Bellied Black Snake
    Cunningham’s Spiny Tailed Skink
    Eastern Water Dragon (free roaming)
    Komodo Dragon
    Freshwater Crocodile
    Boyd’s Forest Dragon
    Golden Tailed Gecko
    Schletopusik
    Bellinger River Turtle
    Salifin Lizard
    Shingleback Lizard
    Reticulated Python
    Elongated Tortoise
    River Cooter
    Boa Constrictor
    Coastal Taipan
    Monocled Cobra
    Corn Snake
    Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake
    Gila Monster
    Broad Headed Snake
    Star Tortoise
    Land Mullet
    Green Anaconda
    Fijian Crested Iguana
    Basilisk
    Amethystine Python
    Green Python
    Green Iguana
    Short Necked Turtle
    Rhinoceros Iguana
    Eastern Blue Tongue Lizard

    33 Reptile species in total.

    Amphibians

    Red Eyed Tree Frog
    White Lipped Tree Frog
    Dwarf Tree Frog
    Yellow Spotted Bell Frog
    Southern Corroberee Frog
    Northern Corroberee Frog

    Arachnids

    Communal Huntsmen
    Flinders Range Scorpion
    Sydney Funnel Web Spider
    Bird Eating Spider

    Insects

    Goliath Stick Insect
    Spiny Leaf Stick Insect
    Spiny Rainforest Katydid
    Locusts
    Honey Bee
    Burrowing Cockroach

    Fish

    Koi
     
  14. steveroberts

    steveroberts Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    No Moore Park Aviary birds?
     
  15. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    I did visit the aviary twice and both times there were no birds in sight.
     
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  16. steveroberts

    steveroberts Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    @Jambo So awesome, thanks so much for doing this species list, its so cool you took the time doing a full inventory of all the species across the zoo currently. Really interesting to read through (have more than once today) can see where the species numbers have dwindled in the birds and reptiles also not only the mammals. But the return of some too which is great (pretty sure Basilisk lizards that were there in the mid 90s through the 00s were gone for a while but are back if not mistaken about them being gone for a few years, just one example; also changing certain species from a genus like Forest Kingfisher now instead of Azure or Sacred Kingfisher's before).
     
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  17. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Updates from my visit today (30/03/2022)

    • Saw a single Tree Kangaroo; the other enclosure was empty and looked like it hadn't been inhabited for ages.
    • The Chimps have access to the main enclosure once again.
    • Didn't see Ekundu.. hopefully all is well with him.
    • Taronga have no immediate plans to breed from their gorillas.
    • Charlie the Australian Sea lion bull's enclosure was under construction. He was off display.
    • Seba the Red Panda was in the Moore Park Aviary; Amala had access to both main enclosures.
     
  18. Abbey

    Abbey Well-Known Member

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    I visited on Monday and saw Ekundu in his exhibit.

    That said, I did see Charlie on Monday as well (if we're thinking of the right exhibit - is that Seal Cove at the bottom of the zoo?), so if something has happened to poor Ekundu, it's been in the last 48 hours. Hopefully just off-display for the day for a checkup or some other reason.
     
  19. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    No, didn’t see Ekundu. His enclosure is quite small and open so there was definitely no where he could have been hiding. He could’ve been in the house but it looked like it was closed off meaning he was locked in there which doesn't make a lot of sense.

    Charlie’s enclosure in seal cove was drained with signs up saying it was being renovated. He was off display behind the other enclosure for the females.


    Charlie can be seen here:
     
  20. steveroberts

    steveroberts Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    @Abbey @Jambo Hi guys, I called Taronga last friday and asked if Erkundu was ok. They said they'd email the keepers who work with him and would call back or email back (gave them email) but haven't heard back from them unfortunately
     
    Last edited: 8 Apr 2022
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