Article about Hamilton zoo hopefully will be getting breeding tiger soon Short paws for zoo's breeding programme | Stuff.co.nz Accordin to the article, Mencari has been spayed, is this because her sister has bred?
She had two sisters who are proven, Molek at Auckland and Malu at Mogo (Ex Perth) The studbook holder clearly feels that she's well represented enough to risk spaying her
It doesn't sound like the best idea in the world. Ideally I would bring in a new 1:1 from overseas but if they can't manage that, then they need to do what Auckland did for Molek and import a suitable female from Europe or the USA for him. His cubs will still be difficult to pair up in years to come though due to the over represented bloodline that he carries from his father.
Thank you Jay for this article, it's great to hear Hamilton Zoo is getting a chance to breed tigers soon. In addition to her over-represented bloodline, the decision to spay Mencari was probably done both due to her age (an 11 year old tiger who is not needed in the next two years will then be too old anyway if the decision changes) and also because Jaka and Mencari can now be reintroduced (allowing the zoo more space). What confuses me though is that we often here about the Shiva-Seletan line being over-represented yet Melbourne Zoo was given permission to breed yet another litter from Ramalon and Binjai and then Soroya (a valuable tiger) was bred with Larry at Mogo Zoo last year! There's obviosuly a good reason I am unaware of but it would appear a match between Soroya and either Oz, Satu (Taronga), the young male at Australia Zoo or even her previous mate Raja would have been more beneficial.
You're welcome. I agree with your observations about Soraya being nred into the old line at Mogo. It is one of my biggest fears that the wild born sumatrans at Aistralia Zoo will also be absorbed into that line. But I'm not a studbook keeper so there most likely is a good reason behind it. I would like to see Hamilton Zoo get another breeding pair, unrelated to this line.
What I think would be a good idea is breed Oz at Auckland with one of the two females at Australia Zoo (the Indonesian cubs). This would create a new line unrelated to any other tigers in Australia (except for Berani, Jalur and Cinta).
I think this is an excellent idea and I've thought it for a long time. If not with Oz, then at least with Raja or Satu (from Germany).
