NEWS
MARCH
- A baby Nepalese Red Panda underwent its first health check and was given
the all clear. The healthy young male was born at the end of 2001 or early Jan 2002 and
is the seventh to be born at Perth Zoo.
- A young Red Panda born at Wellington Zoo in New Zealand will shortly be arriving at
a new home somewhere in Australia.
- Taronga and Western Plains News Time. Much of the news I get from these zoos
are several months old as I rely upon their Friends of the Zoo Newsletter. These two
zoos rarely anounce births etc to the papers, unlike Melbourne and Perth.
- Birth of a Condor Chick. On January 4th 2002 a female Andean Condor was successfully
hatched in an artificial incubator. This is the third chick bred at the zoo, both of her
parentsConnie and Bruce, were also born there. The chich was named
Megan and will be reared by humans Though the male initially sat on the egg, the
zoo decided to take the egg as the parents were young and it was feared that they would
not successfully rear the youngster. Hopefully next time they will allow the parents to
parent.
- Two colts were born at Western Plains recently, a Persian Onanger and a Przewalski
Horse. Both of these equines are endangered and so the births were much awaited. Western
Plains has a successful breeding program with the Przewalski Horse and have sent
some over to Mongolia as part of the reintroduction program.
- Another special birth was that of a banteng female. She was conceived using artificial
insemination. This method is used regularly by cattle breeders and the use of the
technology for a wild species is much applauded. It is much easier to transfer
frozen seman around rather that the adult bull. A bull in the US or Europe will be able
sire calves here in Australia without the trouble it would otherwise have caused.
- The rainforest Aviary in Taronga Zoo is to undergo a significant upgrade. The
excisting aviary was built in 1969 and the upgrade will improve visibility and replanting
of the understory. A water feature will also be included.
- A new vaccine for a deadly virus has been developed. The EMCV causes a disease
which kills the heart mucle and sometime sthe brain tissue, causing sudden death in
otherwise healthy animals. It affects many species and turns up unpredictably. At Traonga
it has affected the great apes, squirrel monkeys, tree kangaroos and a pigmy hippo.
The vaccine was developed by a Sydney research team and was tested on a number of Zoo animals
and tests have shown that the animals have developed a significant increase in virus
neaturilising antibodies.
- Two fishing cats, born at Taronga in January, received their first vaccinations and
check up on the 8th March. The cubs, a male and female, were taking their first steps
out into the enclosure.
- A quarantine regulator signed an agreement to allow further importation
of big cats. This will allow zoos to bring in tigers, cheetahs and lions to
introduce new bloodlines into the existing stock.
- Perth Zoo is celebrating the birth of a female cheetah. The little ball of gray
fluff is especially special for two reasons. She is the firat cub to be born in Australia
in twelve years, the last being born at Western Plains. The yet to be named youngster
is also the first cheetah in Australia to be conceived using Artificial Insemination.
The mother Kitoko was sent to Monarto Zoo where she was inseminated using
sperm from a five year old cheetah called Nyomfoza. The birth occured on
the 8th March and staff watched anxiously as infant mortality is high. Kitoko
appears to be a good mother and the cub is suckling and putiing on weight well.
- Melbourne Zoos mandrills are celebrating the birth of a youngster as well.
The female youngster is the second for mother, Louise but the first for
father, Yonaton. Mandrills are vulnerable due to habitat destruction
and the bushmeat trade.
- Orana Wildlife Park in New Zealand are raising money to have a young giraffe transferred
to the zoo. The giraffe in question is one year old Tambo,
from Melbourne Zoo. Orana Park has four Rothschilds Giraffes,
the young female being the daughter of their breeding male, Harold. If the zoo
wantes to breed from her they need to obtain an unrelated male, hence Tambo.
Apparently Tambos bloodline is unrelated to the giraffes at Orana. It is estimated that it will
cost $25 000 to transport the giraffe by sea.
- At times it is hard to find out information and sometimes I find out a little bit late.
This bit o news is an example of that.
In 2001 a male Rothschilds giraffe was sent from Perth Zoo to Hamilton.
Chitumbi was the last calf sired by Perth Zoos breeding male,
Anthony.
At just over a year old he was sent to Hamilton as part of that zoos program for Rothschilds
giraffes. By mid November however, Chitumbi was losing condition and at just
18 months old, the youngster passed away on the 20 January 2002. It appears that
Chitumbi had
contracted a deadly disease called yersiniosis, a disease that causes severe damage
to the digestive tract. As a fast growing youngster he needed to obtain
plenty of nutrition but he the damage was too great. This shows that even in captivity
wit the best of care, unfortunate deaths can occur.
- I can't let March end on such a sad note though. Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo
has some very positive news. On the 28th March a healthy black rhino calf was born, a
healthy FEMALE calf! She is the fifth calf to be born at Dubbo but the first
of her gender. Her mother is Kalungwizi, who
has already given birth twice before. The young calfs
brother is Kusomona, who is now at Fossil Rim zoo in the US.
Let's hope that all goes well with her.
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