Werribee Open Range Zoo Werribee Open Range Zoo News 2022

A male Plains Zebra has been born to female Zaide - the first male born to the herd in four years. He has been named Zintlanu: First male zebra born at Vic zoo in years

 

Seven Plains-Wanderers have hatched at Werribee: Log into Facebook | Facebook

Additionally, another release of Plains-Wanderers occurred recently with zoo-bred birds from Werribee, Taronga and Dubbo. They were released into private properties in New South Wales: Endangered Goldilocks bird released in NSW

 

A new lion has arrived. Male Sheru from Sydney Zoo has been transferred to Werribee. He will soon be introduced to females Nilo and Asali.

Source: Zoos Victoria Facebook page

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=977613116212019

 

Mother and daughter Nile Hippo pair Brindabella and Pansy will be moving to Monarto Safari Park in 2023. This will leave Werribee Open Range Zoo with just three remaining female hippos, Primrose and her two daughters Tulip and Lotus.

 

Does anyone know what the complex will entail or planned numbers to be held?.

 

There's been no specifics released regarding Monarto's hippo facilities however I imagine the plan is to receive a bull and breed from there.

Brindabella (1990) is getting on in years, but potentially has a decade of reproduction left in her; while Pansy (2003) is in her prime.

They will initially have the capacity to house the two females and their calves separately for the first few months, with the view of introducing them when the calves are more robust; and from then on, would likely rotate the cows breeding (with non breeding hippos remaining in the main pod).

Long term, this could potentially create a pod of six to eight hippos, which is probably as large as they'd aim to go.

 

One thing is for sure they will never run out of room there

 

Nothing has been confirmed, they've only just received funding. Plans, I imagine would already be created. The hippos are planned to be featured in the Wild Africa Safari, and will apparently have access to a multitude of waterholes, indicating they plan to hold more than just the two females from Werribee.

 

Monarto like to do things big. If they were to receive a bull in the next few years (either Kani or imported), they could potentially achieve numbers of six to eight in the main herd within a decade. The best chance of achieving this is via related females.

 

Well, I wouldn't imagine the numbers getting into the late teens, but they'll definitely have more space than Werribee (eight max) and Dubbo (also maximum of eight).

It'll also be interesting to see how they design the complex. It'll be part of a drive through safari, so I wonder whether they'll drive through the actual hippo enclosure. Werribee's goes through a shallow ledge of their pool.

 

I agree its going to be interesting to watch the development as it happens, I have no doubt they will do a good job of it. I was looking forward a few year’s ago to the proposed 500 acre African safari at dubbos Western plains zoo which got shrunk down to the current 50 acres. I believe Monatro 500 hectare African safari will be in a class of its own, I take my hat off to the people involved in the planning of development of this.

 

It will in time become one of the best in the world. To say the spacious exhibits are unlike anything people will see in their regional zoos is an understatement.

They have one of the most ambitious masterplans I've seen to date; with their masterstroke being how they and Adelaide will compliment each other with their collections - both displaying different species in their zoos; while collaborating on others.

 

As far as I am aware zoos SA are run by a society and not a state run zoo as with the other states?

 

Zoos South Australia is the only not-for-profit metropolitan zoo in Australia that is not government owned and operated.

Therefore a lot of their funding comes from sponsorship and donations, which makes their success all the more impressive.

 

I truly take my hat off to them simply outstanding

 

Sponsorship isn't easy to secure, especially on the scale they require but projects like Lions 360 couldn't exist without it.

With the tourism industry experiencing a post-Covid resurgence, a growing number of visitors from overseas will soon give the zoo a financial boost and hopefully speed up some of the developments on the masterplan, which are otherwise lagging.

 

The potential this has is truly enormous if they can and do manage to import a number of African antelope and perhaps even some new zebras the sight would be unparalleled on this scale for bringing in tourists

 

It'd be great to see them undertake a Grant's zebra import. They have the space to house an immense herd and working alongside Darling Downs Zoo, could sustain a genetically healthy population of this subspecies in the region long term. Potentially, as other zoos acquire them, it could even lead to a phase out of generics in the region - though I acknowledge that's unlikely.

Monarto's main interest is in holding large herds for a point of difference and visual effect; but I hope they have an interest in importing to maintain genetically healthy populations in parallel to that goal, especially now that they have an opportunity to do so with the Bovid IRA.

 

One would believe it would be in the best interest of every major zoo to keep their stock healthy with minimal inbreeding, for a major zoo importation of a few zebra would be pocket money to them.

 

Agreed. Grant's zebra are a long lived species, with mares producing foals well into their late teens/early twenties. If even a few males and females were imported, no further imports would be needed for close to half a century.

As with many species, the open range zoos could hold large herds, with small zoos supporting them through holding surplus.