Blogs
Our zoo blogs are written by contributors throughout Adelaide and Monarto Zoo. They will be updated regularly and are a great way to keep up to date about what is happening at both zoos.
Boyd and his Mirror
Hi guys...I wanted to share a moment I had in chimp world today with you all,
I had a beautiful moment this morning when I put a plastic mirror in the chimp play-room. Usually if the boys see a mirror it's through mesh so that they cannot break it. Today however I had a donated mirror that the boys could actually hold and move by themselves as it was ‘chimp friendly’. >>
More on Cross Fostering
Tonight we are doing our first cross foster procedure. The tiny little joey gets flown down and a staff member will meet the plane at the airport and bring the joey back to the zoo. To transport such a tiny delicate animal, they place it in a warm, moist, specially designed container with a thermometer to regulate the temperature and transport it immediately to the zoo. More >
More Cotton-top Tamarin Babies
Giant Panda Trip - 11th May
The procedure was done with a keeper and a vet. Each panda den has a section in the bars where the panda can put its whole arm through into a tube-like extension. At the end of this extension is a bar for the panda to hang on to. This is a similar action to holding a stalk of bamboo. The keeper asks the panda to hold on to the bar while the vet shaves and sterilises the site in preparation for the needle. The keeper feeds the panda pieces of apples, carrot and “cake” while the vet is drawing the blood. The panda didn’t flinch once or seem bothered in any way by this procedure. Taking blood regularly like this is vital for their research and can also detect pregnancies and signs of bad health.
We were also extremely fortunate to witness a full training session today with one of Funi’s exhibit mates. More >
Meet Cassandra, Tsotsi and Sandali
Levi
One of Monarto Zoo’s African Lions, Levi, sadly passed away recently after a week of deteriorating health.
Levi underwent numerous tests and x-rays to try to determine the cause of his lack of appetite and dehydration but the results failed to indicate a direct cause for his ill health. Unable to raise himself one morning, our vets decided urgent action was needed and exploratory surgery was performed. Levi survived the surgery, which uncovered an enlarged spleen that was removed, but despite staff efforts he did not survive the night. More >
More "Births, Deaths & Marriages" blogs >
Computer Radiography machine
Hi All,
Things are really moving along at the moment in the Animal Health Department. From a nursing point of view, we have a terrific team of nurses here that work incredibly hard to ensure that all the animals under our care get the very best care available.
We are still working hard at raising enough money by the end of the year to keep our Computed Radiography machine ($45 000 to go.........). This machine has been invaluable to not only the staff but to many of the animals that pass through our way. More...
Update on Mujambi
Listen to Head Vet, Wayne Boardman, talk about our male lion's recent seizure.
Check out our "Zoo Bites" blogs for more information on our lion introduction.
Is that him?
One of my roles as a zoo photographer is to take photos of the animals for the keepers. The keepers use the photos to identify individual animals that may require specialised food or medicine. It’s very important to make sure the right animal is given the right attention. More...
Back to Normal
Thursday, February 12, 2009 3:06pm
The flamingo is still doing well, activity patterns have settled back into a daily routine though it can still adapt to changes. We recently removed a plant from its enclosure and this now creates a new path that the flamingo uses often. Weight is still good, most recently at 4.10kg. With its last few weights varying from 4.1kg to 4.3kg (with the variation possibly caused by whether it has recently fed or not) its weight is consistent enough to be of no further concern. More...
Click here to read more "Greater Flamingo" blogs.