NEWS
APRIL
- Hamilton Zoo opened its new Sumatran Tiger
(Panthera tigris sumatrae) Display with three youngsters
born at Wellington Zoo.There are two female cubs, Molek and Mencari
and a male called Jaka. Jaka will eventually be moved to another home
and an unrelated male will be found for breeding.
- Queensland has started a breeding program for the endangered Mahogany Glider.
This species was thought to be extinct until it was rediscovered in North Queensland
in 1991. The breeding project is sponsered by the State Government and is occuring
somewhere on the Gold Coast.
- Polar Bears in Queensland? Sea World on the Gold Coast has opened its latest attraction
with a Polar Bear World, costing $6 million. Ping Pong and Kanook are
the two residents. Ping Pong is a 5 year old male from Beijing and Kanook a 16
year old female from Reif Park Zoo in Tuscon, Arizona.
- The Brisbane Forest Park has completed the Platypus Breeding Centre. In conjuction with
the University of Queensland and Fleays Fauna Park, its aim is to furth research into
this unique species.
- Four young cheetahs have arrived at Taronga Zoo from South Africa, the first to be
seen at the zoo in twenty years. The eight month old cubs, two male and two female,
are destined to find a home at Western Plains Zoo in a few months. They will form part of the
Captive Breeding Program there. Western Plains has one cheetah at the moment.
- Healsville Sanctuary has continued there success in breeding platypus. A male has emerged
from its nesting hole and can now be seen on display. This is the third time platypus
have been successfully bred at Healsville, the only place to have done so. The parents,
Koorina and N. successfully raised twins in 1999.
- A baby hippo was born in mid March at Victorias Open Plains Zoo (Werribee). Its
mother, Brindabella was also born at the zoo in 1990. There is constant monitering
of the mother and calf as only 1 in 3 calves in the wild survive. According to the zoo
a similar rate exists in Open Range Zoos.
- Bambuti, a seven year old female gorilla from Melbourne Zoo is now on her way
to a new life at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust on the island of Jersey. The young
gorilla is a daughter of Motaba by Betsy. It was decided to send her to Jersey as the only male gorillas
at Melbourne were her father and brothers.
- Adelaide Zoo, previously lionless, now has begun its lion program with the arrival of
two young males. The 18 month old lions were born at Melbourne Zoo in 1999 and are now in
their adolescence. Adelaide is now looking for lioness to create a pride of their own, to
enable the zoo to participate in the regional lion program.
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