Werribee Open Range Zoo Werribee Open Range Zoo News 2018

I believe if any rhino species were to move into the elephant exhibit it should be another pair of Indian rhino since they have taken up the species in Australia adding to the pair they have at the TWPZ

 

They are breeding pretty good in the US, so some probably would be avaliable. My biggest issue is having 2 pairs in Australia would not solve the issue of having 1 pair. You have far to little of this rare species and are basically importing it just for exhibitation purposes. Now if 5 or 6 zoos got up here and wanted to breed Indian Rhinos, then it would actually be sustainable but right now any Indian Rhino sent to Australia is just a loss from the North american genepool. In an ideal world, Melbourne, Perth & Taronga would replace their elephants with Indian Rhino, potentially mixed with a deer species. If you get an open range zoo on board, then you would likely be able to support the species longterm, but I don’t see all those zoos working together to support a third rhino species.

Anyways considering the massive import of White Rhinos that is coming from South Africa and the still small Black rhino program, their are species more in need of resource allocation at the moment.

 

I feel having two unrelated apairs in oz would be better than just having the one pair any calf's born could be moved out to other zoos in the region if the interest was there. I could not agree with you more about having 5 or 6 zoos here keeping the species but feel you are expecting a little to much of the zoos here since much of there scope has been to reduce or delete animals, The pair have bred here so they were not just here to be exhibited. Not long ago our zoos wanted to import impala and Sable antelopes for the regions zoos but as expected "lost interest" in this idea also there were futher plans to bring in some more Bongos to help out with the regions small population but aprat from the one female that came in from Singapore zoo nothing futher has happened to date, the on off again planning of species in the regions zoos is a joke

 

Something can be said for either option Indian GOH rhino or souther black. Given that Melbourne has giraffe, it would be nice to compliment these with black rhino. At Werribee it would be nice to have another Indian rhino pair ... in all fairness (as complimentary to Asian area).

 

Not exactly. They are being moved 40mins down the road. You now have to go to an open range zoo to see elephants. Just as you currently do to see rhino.

 

I feel the entire ZAA needs to look to EAZA and AZA as models. When AZA started ssp’a for species the picked I think like 10 species at first bali mynah/Mongolian wild horse and once those were being adopted slowly phased in more species over time. Now these are only possible because for each group of animals, member zoos are surveyed to see anticipated space now and in future (aka a zoos commitment to the species). Australian zoos seem to lack this semi firm commitment and I really don’t think adding new species will help right now.

TWPZ is the only zoo breeding Black Rhino right now and in regards to American zoos Black Rhino are likely the least space intensive in regards to their exhibit. Also being more solitary, the layout of the trail of the elephants would work well and could accommodate several. Would not hurt for Werribee to pick up the species as well. The issue with having less zoos to work with is that the only way to make populations sustainable is to have the same species at many zoos, but besides zoochatters most people do not visit more than 1 zoo in a year if that.

 

IF Melbourne zoo did move its elephants to a new 20 Hectare exhibit by 2024 I would feel moving the Perth bull to the new location might be worth considering since really at Perth he is only housed with two non breeding females, being in a much larger area and with breeding females I believe would be a big bonus, He may even want to breed naturally given a chance

 

That would make sense indeed.

 

Also just two add maybe Perth could take one or two of the young bulls bred by Melbourne or Taronga zoo in place of the adult bull there now.

 

The zoo has recieved 2.6 nyala from Wellington zoo.

New species arrives at Werribee Zoo | Zoos Victoria

 

I assumed that they have been off display since their arrival in 2016, or is this a new group that has arrived recently?

 

They are a new group who arrived from Wellington zoo in June. They recently finished quarantine.

 

Quite possible ... I assume.

 

I already assumed Werribee held Nyala, however the zoo states it’s a new species for the zoo. A bit perplexing...

 

Thank you for clarifying.

 

5.10 African black ostritch have arrived at Werribee zoo to join the zoos current two males.

Ostrich flock grows at Werribee Zoo | Zoos Victoria

 

That number of birds would be quite a sight

 

WORZ has welcomed four Plains Wanderer chicks- a fantastic achievement!
Zoos Victoria

 

That's great news for the future of this endangered species!