Couldn’t find a news thread for this place so I’m starting one up, but some very exciting news! Alligator snapping turtles have been successful bred for the first in in Australia in 25 years. The park built a breeding facility in 2017 and has paid off for them. The photos show at least 3 of them but potentially they may have bred more. Info from their Instagram account
Wild Cat Conservation Centre has announced the arrival of Ball Pythons from Wildlife Reserves Singapore. According to the recently-updated exotic reptiles of Australia thread, only this facility, Melbourne Zoo and the Australian Reptile Park hold this particular species in Australia. Security Check
@Riley May I suggest you use this thread New Gallery Request Thread 2020 [New] to request that Wild Cat Conservation Centre be added to the Australia listings? Once you get notice that is done you can request this thread be moved there.
Well this made my day!! Australia has caracal kittens. Their female caracal Kaia gave birth to two kittens. The regional population of caracals now stands at eight individuals (1.5.2). Security Check Source: Wild Cat Conservation Centre Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=547650072828764
The caracal kittens have been sexed as 1.1. The male has been named Kian and the female, Kora. Security Check
Clouded Leopard are back in the country! Wild Cat Conservation Centre has imported a pair of Clouded Leopard! From the zoo’s Facebook page: Wild Cat Conservation Centre
Now that is VERY cool and most unexpected. If there was a poll surely this would be most armchair naturalists favourite big cat. It's certainly mine. And I expect it would also rate high on a list of species we wish to see return to Australian zoos. I am actually really pleased to hear they are in a private facility. Hopefully they have lots and lots of space, quiet and no other big cats nearby.
I can’t help but ask the question, is it really that great to have clouded leopards back when its a single pair? I have seen time and time again individuals discuss how for example the import of indian rhino (or the planned okapi import) was a mistake or misguided. That was also an import of a single pair. Due to a lack of regional commitment to species often sending them to Australia is a loss to the global breeding program or a way to send away overrepresented individuals in the genepool. This while snow leopards barely hang on in Australian zoos, and certain zoos have now decided to import sri-lanken leopard instead. And now this import. I just don’t understand how its any different. I don’t mean to sound depressing or pessimistic, I just think its another example of a lack of regional collection planning. And view the claims of contributing to the global population skeptically.
It's still early days yet but their Facebook post does mention that the Wild Cat Conservation Centre will import more clouded leopards in the near future for breeding. I imagine these clouded leopards will be a bit like Australia Zoo's Sumatran elephants - managed inter-regionally rather than attempting to establish a separate population within Australia. The relevant section in below: Wild Cat Conservation Centre
Plus the cubs are clearly a sibling pair. The fact they are five months old suggests they were orphaned or rejected by their mother. The odds of two unrelated litters in European zoos of the exact same being orphaned/rejected at the exact same time are pretty slim. Clouded leopards are a medium sized cat species, so it’s not hard to imagine many facilities will be eager to acquire them. Small zoos/wildlife parks will have the drawcard of an exciting cat species that doesn’t cost as much to feed as a larger cat; while they are suited to any city zoo, which hasn’t got the space to exhibit a pride of lions etc. Wellington Zoo have faffed around talking about Snow leopards for the best part of a decade; maybe this could be an alternative for them?
I believe since this time they were imported by a smaller private zoo instead of a big major public zoo whom are backed up by the tax payer things this time should be more focused with the species with perhaps some other regional zoos might come on board with them.
"The 5-month-old cubs, Tai (male) and Cinta (female) are the first of their kind in the country." Not true. Taronga had a pair in the '90's.
How do we know they came from Europe? As far as I could observe, European zoos let newborn cubs be reared by their parents and send them away at age of 1 year or slightly older. US zoos hand rear all their cubs and thus can send them away at age of few months or even weeks. One problem with clouded leopards is male agresivity toward females. New pairs must be introduced before they reach sexual maturity, under cca 1,5 years of age, otherwise the female might be killed. If those imported cubs are really siblings, the WCCC must get partners for them asap (considering how laborous is any import to Aus from overseas).
Not to go on a tangent but the import of Sumatran elephants was interesting, and maybe not the best decision for regional cooperation between zoos. Moving elephants is hard anywhere, but moving them out of Australia I imagine is a logistical nightmare. The one thing that aids the regional management of species such as elephants, orangutans, or gorillas is they live long lives. Clouded leopards are a hard case though, due to them having an extremely narrow window in which they must be paired with a mate. This is hard enough in European and American zoos to begin with, yet i’d imagine it would be nearly impossible for an isolated zoo to actively participate. If clouded leopards are really wanted in Australia it would probably be best to just take overrepresented or older animals. Or you know zoos could just focus on an easier to manage small cat species like fishing cats, which I know Taronga has.
US zoos regularly "pair up" unrelated clouded leopards cubs that are born around the same time as a method to placate the males aggression towards the female upon maturity. It's a silly system IMO as clearly the real issue is not enough space for the female to escape the male during the aggressive phase of courtship, but it's what they do. So it's possible they are a true pair. Alternatively they could indeed be sibling cubs born in a window where no others where born, and thus with no mates to be paired with, where considered surplus.... ?
