Zoos a breed apart for species on the brink Dunno if I like the "why go to Africa and help them save gorillas when we have endangered species here" sentiment, but I'll give Gray the benefit of the doubt and assume it just came out sounding wrong.
I thought that was what Healseville was for? It would be a concern if they went ahead with this at the cost of the other non native programs,
Fantastic news. I think his point about Gorillas was simply that everyone knows they're in trouble and are keen to do something about it. Whereas a lot of the native species have never been heard of in the average household, so most people aren't motivated to help them. Yet we have some of the most threatened species in the world and the rate of decline is very high. Zoos Victoria is in a great position to promote help for these species and doing it through 3 facilities that appeal to a wider "audience" is better than just at Healesville. Exotics are what currently get people through the gates of Werribee and Melbourne and so will always be the focus. I'd also like Werribee to continue doing the good work they have been doing on promoting the threatened native grasslands that the site is built on - with threatened species like golden sun moths, legless lizards, eastern barred bandicoots, southern brown bandicoots, growling grass frogs and perhaps reintroducing earless dragons (regionally extinct and almost nationally).
I would not read too much into that comment if I were you. I applaud that Zoos Victoria devote time and effort to saving more little known unsexy native species at home. Brilliant move methinks ...
I thought it would be worth providing a link to the page that shows all 20 priority threatened native species for Zoos Victoria. Some priorities are as mentioned and expected, others not so obvious.... Threatened Species Programs - Zoos Victoria It's a really good website in terms of providing useful and engaging information on these species (including nicely presented with good pics).
Yeah, that's what I thought - and a couple of other species found on the outskirts of Melbourne....unlike say Lord Howe Island....
