The gorillas have a new system which launches their food into their enclosure saving them having to be locked in. Also a pair of meerkats were born earlier this year.
Thanks for moving that TLD. Completely slipped my mind. Some more news. Werribee is starting a trial with maremma sheep dogs to protect the Eastern Barred Bandicoots from foxes and cats.
I went to Werribee on Sunday, completing the Zoos Vic trifecta for the first time this year. The Australian Journey development is looking very nice. The Nocturnal House development is small, but the exhibits were great, although I don't think Tawny Frogmouths should be in small indoor exhibits. Exhibits in here include a large Growling Grass Frog terrarium, a similarly sized terrarium for Fat-tailed Dunnart, with an adjacent tank for Stick Insects. The main exhibit is a L-shaped, and contains Eastern Barred Bandicoots, Sugar Gliders and Frogmouths. Overall tidy, but I'd prefer the birds were outside. And really, who would have thought any zoo would construct a new nocturnal house? Nearby is the new Koala exhibit, a new species for Werribee, with a simple walk-through enclosure set around mature Eucalypts. This is done extremely well. A set of large aviaries are also under construction behind the shearing shed, and will display Orange-bellied Parrots, hopefully among other species, when they open this winter. Didn't notice any changes in the Pulu Trail, although the Grass Frogs have been removed and not replaced in the Reptile House. Similarly there were no major changes to the Safari Tour, the Longhorn Cattle are in a side yard near the Addax paddock, and apparently will be released into the drivethrough area once they are used to the vehicles. But I'm not sure if they are destined for the Desert area with the Camels and Oryx, or the Waterhole area with the Waterbuck, Kudu and Zebra. Sadly, one of the two remaining kudu was put down due to age-related issues a few weeks previously, so there is now just a single aged female left in Australasia. She was hanging out with the Waterbuck family instead of skulking in the trees like every other time I've seen them.
sigh By the time I get round to finishing my updated zoo mammal list half the species on there will have died out!
Oh, come now! There's no need to be like that. And as the bus driver explained to me, there is no point importing any more, as its too difficult due to import and quarantine regulations, and they are just a "least concern" species. I didn't get into the irony of trying to import Nyala...
In horse racing winning a trifecta is picking winners in three races. The odds of that are quite long so the payout is big.
Koala joey: Koala joey at Werribee Zoo | Zoos Victoria 16 Eastern barred bandicoots (8 of which were bred at "Zoos Victoria") released onto Churchill Island (right next to Phillip Island): http://www.zoo.org.au/news/island-ark-for-eastern-barred-bandicoots
Innovative program using Maremma sheepdogs to protect the Eastern barred bandicoot: Guardian Dogs as Bandicoot Bodyguards | Zoos Victoria
Three lion cubs have been born to lioness Nilo in a first ever breeding for Werribee: Lion Cubs born at Werribee Open Range Zoo | Zoos Victoria Well done Johari!
