Blog Archive

Zoos SA Announces New CEO

The Royal Zoological Society of South Australia (RZSSA) is pleased to announce that Elaine Bensted has joined the organisation in the role of Chief Executive Officer.

Save the Tripa Peat Swamps!

Recently, the world’s attention has been shone on northern Sumatra where conservation organisations are currently fighting to save the last remaining Sumatran Orangutans and the forest of the Tripa peat swamps, in the Aceh Province Indonesia. The Tripa forest once held the largest orangutan population density in the world but the critically endangered species is now facing local extinction. If you aren’t already aware of what is happening, the Tripa forest is being converted for large scale palm oil plantations. But the legality of this forest conversion is being contested in a high profile legal case as much of the forest clearing has been done illegally as has the burning of the land and the illegal establishment of huge drainage canals that will drain this unique and critically important wetland of its principal life force.

Monarto Celebrates Digger’s 1st Birthday

While ANZAC Day is celebrated across the country it bears a double significance at Monarto Zoo, marking the birth of its Southern White Rhinoceros, Digger, named in remembrance of this important day.

Born on April 25, 2011, weighing just 45 kilograms, Digger has grown dramatically over the past 12 months now tipping the scales at 720 kilos.

Zoos SA CEO Resigns

The Royal Zoological Society of South Australia (RZSSA) has today announced the resignation of CEO Chris West following his acceptance of the role as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland.

RZSSA President Kevin McGuinness said Dr West has led the organisation through a challenging chapter in its history following a period of significant growth and redevelopment.

'Switch-off' at Warrawong for Earth Hour

As part of the 2012 Earth Hour celebration Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary will be ‘switching off’ by holding a candlelit dinner and nocturnal walk in support of the global movement.

The package offers Adelaide Hills residents a chance to participate in Earth Hour, which during the 2011 celebrations saw hundreds of millions of people worldwide switch off their lights for an hour.

White-cheeked Gibbon takes first swings at Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo’s White-cheeked Gibbon baby, born September 14, 2011, has taken her first swings alone under the watchful eye of doting mother, Viet.

After spending the first few months of life clinging safely to mum the baby girl is now venturing out to explore her treetop home.

Fennec Fox Kits on Display at Adelaide Zoo

Adelaide Zoo is pleased to announce the birth of two healthy Fennec Fox kits, one male and one female, born October 17, 2011.

Matt and Scamp, Adelaide Zoos breeding pair of Fennec Foxes, are proving to be great parents caring for their kits diligently.

It's a Girl!

Adelaide Zoo is pleased to announce the critically endangered White Cheeked Gibbon baby, born September 14, 2011, has been confirmed as female.

After waiting patiently to discover the gender of this special baby, Adelaide Zoo staff are now calling on the public to help name her. All are invited to make suggestions by posting on the wall of Adelaide Zoo’s Facebook page.

Much Loved ‘Chook’ the Superb Lyrebird Passes Away

Adelaide Zoo identity and YouTube star, Chook the Superb Lyrebird, passed away this week after 20 years at the Zoo.

Chook arrived at Adelaide Zoo in 1991 from Healesville Sanctuary and has since been delighting the public with his amazing repertoire of calls and mimics, which made him a YouTube sensation with nearly 1.2 million viewings.

Playtime for Adelaide Zoo’s Giant Pandas

From December 17, for the first time, visitors to Adelaide Zoo can view the Zoo’s two Giant Pandas Wang Wang and Funi sharing an exhibit daily.

Statement - Chris West

The last 6 months has been a time of uncertainty and anxiety. We believe that what we do in Zoos SA is of real value to our local community in many ways and goes above and beyond the support of endangered species.

We have been warmed by a groundswell of community support and concern and feel that some key points are now better understood:-

• Zoos SA is an independent charitable organisation and not part of government
• Adelaide Zoo is a major heritage site
• Zoos SA has grown very significantly over the last few years and now has very significant impacts

• Economically
  -  $116M/year
  -  Pandas up to $57M/year

• Socially
  - 2,000 dependent jobs in SA80,000 school students/year
  - 500 volunteers
  - 30,000 members
  - Community Partnerships
  Cultural events

• We work in partnership with Government across DENR, DECs, SATC and other stakeholders and beneficiaries
• We take our moral responsibility for addressing increasing animal welfare standards extremely seriously

Going forward, we will build on a strong tradition and pride in achievements that are recognised internationally. We will re-focus on our conservation mission activities and our business activities.

Statement - Kevin McGuinness

We are pleased to advise that we have reached agreement with both Westpac and the State Government on a plan to restructure the financial position of Zoos South Australia that will enable it to move forward with certainty.

The key elements of the agreement reached are as follows:

• The Westpac debt will be reset to $7.5 million. The debt will have a 5 year term with the principal to be repayable at the end of the 5 year term if not repaid before this
• The State Government has agreed to increase the annual Operating Grant to the Society from $3.2 mill to $4.5 mill effective 1 July 2011. This grant will be indexed on an annual basis moving forward. In addition the State Government will meet the interest costs on the Westpac debt.

We believe that the agreement on the Westpac debt combined with agreement with the South Australian Government on the Operating Grant means a viable and more certain future for this iconic South Australian organisation.

Critically Endangered White Cheeked Gibbon Born at Adelaide Zoo

Day Two Highlights

Our Giant Panda introductions continue to progress well. Here are some photos from Day Two, which shows our Wang Wang and Funi getting along very well. There hasn't been a mating yet but signs are looking great :-)

It's Panda Day!

It’s Panda Day at Adelaide Zoo today, with Wang Wang and Funi introduced for breeding purposes. The introductions are taking place in the off-limits area where the Giant Pandas can be closely monitored. The panda exhibit will remain closed during this time as it is important there is minimal disturbance to the pair.

National Threatened Species Day

Did you know Tasmanian Devils patrol an area in a large figure of eight pattern in the wild? And so, with a little poetic license, the legend of the Looney Tunes cartoon character, Taz, spinning around from place to place, was born.

With their large heads, wide jaws and big, sharp teeth, Tasmanian devils are an iconic Australian species

Meet Jahzara

Our little lioness has a name – Jahzara – an African name meaning ‘blessed princess’. She certainly represents the name well as we feel we are very lucky to have her. We would like to thank PETstock (the winners of our eBay naming auction) and their members for all of the suggested names.

Jahzara will soon be four months old and she is averaging weight gain of 1kg per week. She is brave enough to walk onto the scales on her own now and is weighed weekly. Her most recent weight was 15.2kg. She is still helping Kiamba to eat her daily feed but will soon be big enough to be given her own piece.

Baby Zebra at Monarto Zoo

Check out our little foal who was born at Monarto Zoo last week :)

 

 

Sad News at Warrawong

Sad news at Warrawong with the passing of one of our hand raised Bandicoot joeys.

During a recent census at Warrawong, two Southern Brown Bandicoot joeys were found thrown from mum's pouch. The sisters were hand reared for a time, named Isa and Obel and became quite friendly.

A Beautiful Day for a Party!

What a beautiful day for a party!! Kluet and Karta were spoilt rotten on Saturday, when their keepers threw them a big party in celebration of Kluet's 16th and Karta's 29th birthday.

A large crowd of excited zoo visitors sang "Happy Birthday" to the lucky pair as they tucked into their many birthday presents

Flying Foxes in Botanic Park

As you may be aware, we have a small colony of the Grey Headed Flying Fox (GHFF) roosting in Aleppo Pines in Botanic Park . This is the same colony that originally set up shop and bred in the Botanic Gardens last year .

Baby Bison

In mid-2010, all 5 female Bison at Monarto Zoo were introduced to our breeding bull in the off limits area. They were then put back onto exhibit at the end of the year, making August the latest due date for possible calves.

On Tuesday 5th July, Monarto had its first much anticipated Bison calf birth. It was noted that a female was off on her own in the early morning and at 1.30pm the Visitor Centre called with a report from the bus driver that the suspected female was in labour.

It’s Party Time!

Kluet and Karta, our beautiful Sumatran Orangutans, both have a birthday coming up next week and it’s time to celebrate!

We have some nice surprises in store for them with 3 days of festivity. Kluet is having his birthday first and he will be turning 16 this coming Monday, 18th July. Karta has her birthday a few days later on Friday 22nd July and she will be turning 29 years old.

Cuddling a Rhino

Since our last blog things have been going along nicely. Uhura, Umqali and Digger have been residing in the Contact Boma most days which suits Digger just fine. They have had the odd day off to allow our bull, Ibutho, the chance to run around and stretch his legs. He has taken a real shine to his ‘aunty’ Uhura who is now the best play toy ever. Digger calls out to Uhura every time they are separated but as soon as we put them back in together poor Uhura is bombarded with head butts, mock charges and horn fighting.

It's a Girl!

Our little lion cub is 9 weeks old already! I weighed her mum, Kiamba, this morning then managed to coax the cub onto the scales with mum for the first time too – a healthy 6.5kg. She is showing a keen interest in her mum’s food, and Kiamba is slowly learning to share. While she is definitely still drinking mum’s milk to increase her strength and immunity, she has very sharp teeth to steal small bites off the 4kg pieces of meat we feed Kiamba daily.

Final Chance to Make a Difference

As you may have seen recently, the Bill to make labeling for palm oil a mandatory requirement on food, cosmetics and palm oil was passed in the House of Senate on Thursday 23rd June 2011.

Now it has one more step to go on Monday 4th July, when it goes through the House of Representatives. If it successfully goes through there then it will become law.

Enrichment is Best Served Randomly

Thought I would share some photos taken by our photographer Dave Mattner of our latest "Enrichment Day". This was Adelaide Zoos 3rd Enrichment Day. They are proving to be very popular with our visitors - and are doing a brilliant job of pushing the message out there of how important enrichment is - the need for both mental and physical stimulation to animals that have all their needs supplied with very little effort on their part.

A Statement from Zoos SA

The Royal Zoological Society of South Australia is a not for profit, non-Government organisation. Significant capital investment was required for the development of the new front entrance precinct, the perimeter fence – required in order to meet National Zoo Standards – and the Giant Panda exhibit. The organisation attracted an enormous amount of community and business support, and valuable partnerships but far less national sponsorship than expected, largely due to the onset of the Global Financial Crisis at a critical point in the project.

Isa and Obel

Warrawongs' bandicoot sisters have definitely grown up! They have left their inside nursery and now live in a large enclosure which they have made their own. Their digging practice is being put to good use, with dozens of little cone shaped holes found every morning.

Enrichment is for Everyone

Life is a routine. Or is it?

Every day, we deal with routines in our world. Eat, drink, and sleep. Get up, deal with our family, feed the budgie, get to work, go to school, and walk the dog, plus whatever others you may care to add. Predictable routines, though, are a relatively recent thing in the evolution of us Humanimals.

Local Plants for Local Species

This year, Adelaide Zoo celebrated World Environment Day alongside cabaret star, David Campbell, who helped plant a Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) on the tented Envirodome roof garden. World Environment Day is all about raising awareness of environmental issues and encouraging people to think and act green.

Living Under the African Stars

Well, we have successfully completed the field work with The Brown Hyena Project in Namibia for 2011. Three weeks of camping, living under the African stars and searching for hyenas in the night!

We were able to dart and fit GPS collars on 4 animals over the 3 weeks.

Little Lion Cub

The cub is much more mobile now and being seen out of the den most days, which has the other lionesses intrigued. They can’t access it yet but are certainly interested. It has also been seen from a distance by a lucky few visitors, viewing it from the lion exhibit on their bus tour.

Cheeky Little Monkey

Our Dusky Langur baby is growing up quickly, meaning she has lost the brilliant colouring she was born with, but continues to be a cheeky and confident little monkey.

A keen explorer, she has been spending more time way from her Mum, Flier, who seems happy for her baby to become more independent. On exhibit in the large Moreton Bay Fig in the middle of Adelaide Zoo, be sure to come visit our precocious baby langur soon!

More about Digger

Digger, the Southern White Rhino calf, is now a month old, I know it seems like only yesterday he was fifty kilograms. Mum, Umqali, and he are doing really well. Umqali continues to be an exceptional mother, responding in kind to Digger’s every demand, including being there for him when he kisses the electric fence...for the third time.

Our Hyacinth Macaws

This has all changed however, with the arrival of two spritely, young South American chaps that have taken up permanent residence within our new South American bird aviary. The two beautiful Hyacinth Macaws have finally been cleared to come onto display, and haven’t they made an entrance into the public world! Whilst striking in colour, their very loud, raucous call ensures that I (and perhaps the rest of the creatures nearby) are quickly woken up in the mornings now.

Darting Hyenas

Wow, what an exciting few days in the field! We have spent three nights in camp and so far we have been able to dart one Brown Hyena a night. This is very good odds and we hope our luck will continue. I will never forget these nights, such a highlight in life and career to be able to be so close to such a wild hyena. Amazing experience!

More on our Lion Cub

Monarto Zoo’s new lion cub is already almost two weeks old and growing quickly – although not as rapidly as the rhino calf! Its eyes are open and it has been heard calling should mum wander too far. Kiamba is doing a fantastic job of ensuring the little one has a plump belly. She is also very protective, warding away too many prying eyes.

Lion Cub

More exciting baby news at Monarto Zoo... one of our female lions, Kiamba, gave birth to a cub on Tuesday, 3 May. Mum and baby are doing well, they will be off-exhibit for awhile but stay tuned for regular updates and photos (these two photos were taken when the cub was only one day old!)

African Adventures

Well, I am here is sunny Namibia, Africa, to be a volunteer with The Brown Hyena Project. Participating in this field work is a dream come true for me and I am so excited! Over the next 3 weeks our small team, led by Dr Ingrid Wiesel, will dart and fit GPS collars to Brown Hyenas.

It's a Boy

For some time now staff at Monarto have been eagerly waiting, and waiting, AND……waiting, the birth of a rhino calf.

Monday 25th April put an end to our waiting game with the arrival of a wrinkly, big footed baby rhino. Staff arrived early ANZAC day to find mum resting inside her boma, which is unusual for that time of morning, and upon hearing staff Umqali promptly greeted us revealing a tiny baby hiding behind her.

Sneak Peek at Our Baby Rhino

Our female rhino, Umqali, gave birth to a male calf, which we found looking adorable and strong on the morning of ANZAC day.

All is going well so far and we hope to have him and mum on exhibit shortly. Stay tuned!

Beth
Curator of Living Collections, Monarto Zoo

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Our Baby Bandicoots Need Names!

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary is excited to introduce the newest members of our daily animal shows, two Southern Brown Bandicoots joeys! We stumbled across the two sisters during a recent census; they had been thrown from mum’s pouch just a bit too early, and still required milk.

Scrap Metal Recycling

I have noticed recently in the eastern suburbs that the annual hard rubbish collection is in full swing. All that interesting stuff neatly stacked by the suburban roadsides waiting for re-use, people trawling the streets for useful items that are no longer required by others.

Re-use is the most desirable fate for discarded items with recycling coming in second.

A Tiger with Webbed Feet

On February 26 the Zoo held a special “Enrichment Day” which was a chance for us to showcase some of the behavioural and environmental enrichment that we provide for our animals on an everyday basis.

One of the many highlights of Enrichment Day was seeing Tuan, our 12 year old male Sumatran Tiger, getting his paws (and all the rest!) wet while he stalked a large blood ice-block (or “bloodsicle”) which we floated in the lagoon at the front of his exhibit.

Puspa, our Budding Artist

At the moment, we allow Puspa to come back into the building to her bedroom areas when she decides to. By taking it at her own pace, we are ensuring that we can keep building on all the positive experiences Puspa is having… As the old saying goes, slow and steady wins the race.

But don’t worry we are certainly keeping Puspa happy when she is inside during the day. We have discovered she is a budding artist - Puspa seems to love to paint.

International Women's Day

It’s hard to believe that in 1984 Adelaide Zoo’s very first female zoo keeper was employed.

I started working at Adelaide Zoo way back in December 1991 as a casual zoo keeper and by this time it appeared that women were well and truly ensconced into the zoo culture and work ethic.

Enrichment Day Wrap

On Saturday 26th February, Adelaide Zoo hosted an all day showcase of animal enrichment activities designed to stimulate zoo animals’ ‘wild’ behaviours and enhance their lives.

Enrichment is an everyday part of zoo life however on this special day we gave the public a chance to see a wide range of species receiving their treats

Baby Langur

On 23 January, Adelaide Zoo welcomed the latest addition to our Dusky Langur group.

Three-time Mum, Flier, gave birth to a healthy little girl, who is already proving to be a very mischievous, cheeky monkey...

Karta, Kluet and Puspa Update!

Many of you have heard how Puspa is doing but I know a few people are also wondering how Kluet and Karta are doing with Puspa’s arrival and the mammoth change that this brings…

The afternoon Puspa had arrived, Adelaide received a fair amount of rain. So that Kluet and Karta would not get soaking wet, they had been given access to certain bedroom areas so that they could stay dry during Puspa’s unloading. That was the plan anyway

And her name is...

Hi All

Things have slowed down a little since the last entry, however we have had two momentous occasions. Firstly our little Cocky has been given a name; the staff involved in rearing her have chosen to call her Seisia. This name was chosen from the many entries we received from the website naming competition.

Up, Up and Away

Since last writing, the big transfer day for our male Southern White Rhino Jabari has come and gone without any hiccups.

Everyone is always a little nervous when it comes to transfers but after months of training, the big day finally arrived

New Fennec Foxes

The Carnivore team would like to welcome three new Fennec Foxes to Adelaide Zoo. Matt, Scamp and Amber arrived in Adelaide from Los Angeles in November, just in time for a warmish Australian Christmas.

After spending a month in quarantine at the Animal Health Centre they joined our other two Fennec Foxes, Tizga and Kira, in the exhibits across from the Lions. You can visit Amber in with Tizga and Kira in the exhibit right of the Servals and next door to them are Matt and Scamp.

Diary of a Palm Cockatoo (part 5)

Hi All

There have been a lot of developments since the last entry. The chick has continued to develop very quickly both mentally and physically, and has progressed from being housed in our incubation room to living full time in an aviary. This was a gradual change to ensure that she was ready. Some of the signs indicating that she was ready included; climbing out of her tub and insisting on perching on the edge and also needing to perch to get enough traction to enable copious and very enthusiastic bouts of wing flapping.

Puspa's Arrival

Well, Puspa is here and has spent her first week here at Adelaide Zoo.

On the night she arrived Puspa came flying out of her transport box obviously very happy to have some space and a good stretch. She immediately started checking out her new surrounds munching on apples, grapes and lettuce. Puspa climbed all around her new bedroom, hanging from the roof and having a good look at everything.

New Orang-utan Arriving Today

It is exciting times in the orang-utan building at the moment. Today we are receiving a female Sumatran Orang-utan from Perth Zoo. Her name is Puspa which means flower bud in Indonesian.

Puspa was born in Perth Zoo on the 30th of January 1975 so she will be turning 36 soon. She is coming to Adelaide Zoo in the hopes that eventually she will breed with Kluet our male Sumatran Orangutan.

Orang-utan Arriving at the Adelaide Zoo

MEDIA RELEASE

Today Zoos South Australia is pleased to announce the arrival of a female Sumatran Orang-utan at Adelaide Zoo as part of the international breeding program. Puspa will be making the journey via Adelaide Airport from Perth Zoo with her keeper who will also assist in settling her into her new home alongside Karta and Kluet at Adelaide Zoo.

Santa Arrives Early for Kluet and Karta

Yesterday Kluet and Karta, our Sumatran Orangutans, got an early Christmas present from our wonderful volunteers. The BEEZA (Behavioural and Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Animals) volunteers made Kluet and Karta a huge box filled with many smaller boxes, which were in turned filled with all sorts of treats like dried fruit, popcorn (unsalted and unbuttered!!) and also a few peanuts.

Kluet didn’t spot the box for a few minutes

Diary of a Palm Cockatoo (part 4)

Hi Everyone

It’s a girl ! We have received results from DNA sexing and they have confirmed that our chick is a female.

Baby Mandrill

In October, Adelaide Zoo welcomed a newborn female Mandrill to first time mother Niari.

Diary of a Palm Cockatoo (part 3)

Hello All

It's time for another entry in the Palm Cocky Diary.

Our little chick isn't so small any more. In the last two weeks the chick has more than doubled in weight

Our Tawny Frogmouth chick

 

Diary of a Palm Cockatoo (part 2)

Although our little chick is growing quickly, it will require feeding potentially for the next 5 or 6 months. They generally don't leave the nest until they are about 4 months old and are notoriously slow at weaning.

Luckily this extended period in the nest is coupled with a slow digestive system.

A Busy Day For Us All Once Again

Hi all

You haven’t heard from me for a while but I will try and update you on some of the happenings in the health centre.

Last Monday, we were busy checking our carnivore section including our female sealion ‘Ady’ after her anaesthetic for

Platypus Spotting at Warrawong

We had a nice surprise at Warrawong this week with a sighting of a pair of Platypus, with all the tell tale signs that there had been some mating activity. A general hint of this is chasing activity, bite wounds to the tail and the particular pond they were sighted in generally serves as a preferred mating pond.

Playful Mujambi

If you have been to Adelaide Zoo you would have noticed how lush and green it is with an array of different plants, from the pink flowered Violet Maple in the Giant Panda exhibits to the vast array of palm trees around the grounds.

Our great horticulture team maintains the grounds of the zoo and some of the trimmings made can be used as enrichment for our animals. Palm fronds are a favourite for a few animals,

Diary of a Palm Cockatoo (part 1)

We recently had a very exciting “hatch” at Adelaide Zoo, with the arrival of a little Palm Cockatoo chick on 5 October. This little chick is the first one to be successful reared in Australia since 1973.

We were very exciting to find a fertile egg as we weren’t sure whether our pair were capable of breeding

Zoos SA and Santos Partners in Conservation

MEDIA RELEASE

Zoos South Australia as part of a joint commitment to sustainability has partnered with Santos to announce the official launch of the Santos Conservation Centre at Adelaide Zoo.

South Australian Premier Mike Rann will officially launch the Santos Conservation Centre, which provides the community with a centre for people to meet, share ideas and be inspired by the natural world.

Happy Birthday Kemiri

Kemiri turns 16 tomorrow! Check out our gorgeous girl and listen to two of her keepers talk about how much they enjoy working with this friendly tiger. 

Przewalski's Horse Born

A couple of weeks ago, one of Monarto Zoo’s breeding pairs of Przewalski's Horses  produced another valuable foal for this critically endangered species.

The foal is the first born to the pairing up of Kolya and Rosanna. These two animals were introduced to each other a little over 12 months ago in our off-display breeding area, and right from the word go, indications were very encouraging that they would breed.  Kolya showed a lot of interest in her

Much Loved Sea Lion Pup Passes Away

Media Release

Adelaide Zoo’s much loved female Sea Lion pup passed away through the night of 10 November due to a medical condition.

The female pup was born 31st October to first time Mum Ady, who rejected her upon birth. The pup was being hand-raised at Adelaide Zoo’s Animal Health Centre and seemed to be doing very well for being orphaned.

Trapping SA's Most Endangered Mammal

Hello all,

Recently I had the privilege to spend time in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytatjara (APY) Lands (northern SA near the NT boarder) representing Zoos SA in the annual Black-footed rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis MacDonnell Range race) trapping event. 

The Warru, as they are called by the Anangu people, is SA’s most endangered mammal,

Singapore Bound

I would like to introduce you to little (or not so anymore) Jabari our 3 year old, 1200kg, Southern White Rhinoceros. Jabari is the second Southern White Rhinoceros to be born at Monarto to pair Uhura and Satara, with hopefully many more to come.

World's First 'Power Neutral' Wildlife Park

Leading Adelaide-based solar energy company, ZEN, have partnered with Monarto Zoo to create the world's first 'power neutral' wildlife park.

The innovative ZEN Dual Axis Power Tracking system will offset Monarto Zoo's entire energy needs, including our heating, cooling, communications, perimetre fencing and water pumping systems.

More On Our Sea-lion Pup

Check out the video on our gorgeous Sea-lion Pup :)

Sea-lion Pup

Adelaide Zoo had a very happy Halloween with the birth of Ady’s first pup!

Ady gave birth to a beautiful baby girl pup at 11am on Sunday 31st October, under the watchful eyes of keepers and vet staff. The pup weighed in at a healthy 4.5kg and it looks like she has Tasko’s big brown eyes and her mother’s stubborn demeanour.

Update: Baby Meerkats (part 2)

Our baby meerkats at five weeks of age :)

Persistence and Patience - Orangutan Style

One thing that you can definitely say about Karta is that once she has an idea in her head, she will do whatever it takes to make it happen!

Last night, as Karta was coming into her bedroom area after a day lazing in the spring sunshine, she spotted half a coconut that was in the siamang bedrooms which had rolled right up alongside the door that separates the orangutan area from the siamang area. 

Update: Baby Meerkats (part 1)

Check out photos of our baby meerkats at two weeks of age!

The Chimp Girls Arrive

Singapore Airlines made a special detour to Adelaide on 2nd October to deliver four new chimpanzees. The new arrivals - 11-year-olds Zwala, Galatea and Soona and 16-year-old Zombi –  must spend 30-40 days in quarantine at Adelaide Zoo before they travel up to Monarto.

The Fussy Pregnant Lady

Yes, we are still waiting for our Australian Sea Lion, Ady, to give birth (hopefully sometime in the next two months(. I don’t think a day goes by where someone doesn’t ask me if Ady has given birth - even my Mum calls me weekly for an update and I give the same response to everyone... “nope, still very pregnant and fussy.”

This is my first time working with Sea Lions so I am learning lots, including how everyday is different with Ady - especially with eating.

Up until a couple of months ago, Ady's favourite fish was yellowtail mackerel, she couldn’t get enough of them.

Restoration Project at Monarto Zoo

Are you interested in helping with our new restoration project at Monarto?  We are working on a large scale restoration and habitat expansion project that will provide opportunities for a lot of people to get involved in hands on conservation work.  The work will involve establishing facilities, plant propagation and establishing bio-surveys.

If this is something you would like to be part of, field days will be run at Monarto on Saturdays and Sundays over the next few months starting on the 13 November.  Group size may range from 5-50, depending on the activity.  We would also be happy to consider corporate groups if you would like to get your business involved.

Please email Briony Horner and let her know whether you are interested in being involved in these conservation projects - bhorner@zoossa.com.au.

Dental Day (part 3)

Check out what happened when our Orangutan, Tiger and Sunbear recently visited the dentist!

Glenelg and Gordon... and Gracie!

Many Zoos around the world have a pair of gay penguins in their collections and sometimes they are even used to foster eggs or chicks from pairs that are unable to breed successfully.

Our pair of Little Penguins, Glenelg and Gordon, have gone one step further and have found themselves a surrogate female to lay eggs and help them rear their young.

Dental Day (part 2)

Does the thought of going to the dentist make you squirm? But how do you make a dentist squirm? How about having a 95 kilo Tiger as a patient?!

Recently Adelaide Zoo had a dental day for some very special and large patients and one of those was our beautiful male Sumatran Tiger, Tuan. About once a year, Adelaide Zoo brings in Dr David, a specialist animal dentist, to do dental work on our animals. This dental day he had booked in an Orangutan, Sumatran Tiger and Sun Bear…quite a line up.

After a successful appointment with Karta the Orangutan,

Dental Day (part 1)

Even orangutans have to go to the dentist sometimes. When the keepers noticed that Karta seemed to have a sore tooth, they booked her into the vets to have it looked at.

Adelaide Zoo uses a specialist dentistry veterinarian from Melbourne when animals have the need for major dental work. Dr David came over to Adelaide to do procedures, not only on Karta’s sore tooth but also work on Tuan, our male Sumatran Tiger, and also have a look at Akbar, our male Sun Bear .

Karta was first off the ranks and, as you can probably imagine, she needed to be fully sedated to have the work done.

Don't Palm Us Off

Our CEO, Chris West, recently spoke to 891 ABC about palm oil labelling on food products in Australia. Click here to listen to this interview or read the transcript and let us know what you think about this important debate. 

Zoos South Australia Back Jennifer Croes

MEDIA RELEASE

Zoos South Australia is proud to support Jennifer Croes, Australian representative for the Chengdu Panda Base and Research Facility’s competition to become a ‘Global Panda Ambassador’.

Ms Croes is one of twelve representatives from across the globe who will fly to China this Tuesday to face an expert panel of judges from the Chengdu Panda Base.

Orangutan Blankets

We all love to snuggle up with a blanket on a cold winter’s day and the orangutans are no different!

Both Kluet and Karta enjoying playing with blankets or hessian sacks and these items can provide hours of fun for them as they cover their heads with the sacks and blankets or wrestle with each other under the blankets.

More Meerkats Babies!

On the morning of Sunday, September 12th, we discovered that our expectant breeding pair of meerkats had finally delivered another litter of pups here at Adelaide Zoo.

Over the next few weeks their mum, together with the rest of the family and keepers, will keep a very close eye on them while they remain in one of their heated dens.  However, occasionally you may see the babies being carried out by mum and left in the sun for their siblings to fuss over.

Our Little Boy is Growing Up

Anyone that has been to visit our two little Fennec Foxes lately would have noticed that they are sleeping curled up with each other and, no, it is not to keep warm during these last days of winter (they have a heat lamp for that)... it's because Tizga, our little boy, is becoming a man.

Tizga (3 years old) came to Adelaide Zoo last year from Taronga Zoo, where he was hand raised by keepers, meaning he has a natural affection towards people. I worked with Tizga at Taronga Zoo and when I started at Adelaide Zoo I was very excited to work with this friendly little man.

Teresa Palmer Visits Adelaide Zoo for National Threatened Species Day

MEDIA RELEASE

Teresa Palmer understands the importance of conservation and protecting indigenous species, so she is an enthusiastic ambassador to the cause.

“Conservation is a passion of mine as one of my early dreams was to work with an animal rescue service, and eventually open my own animal welfare agency,” said Ms Palmer.

Freezer Full of Poo

So, we have an Australian Sea Lion pup on the way and have three beautiful Serval Kittens... so what about some cubs from our Sumatran Tigers? Our breeding pair, Assiqua and Tuan, have both been at Adelaide Zoo for about a two years and after several unsuccessful introductions we are trying some new slides and some very interesting scientific tests.

First of all, we wanted to increase the interaction time between our breeding pair. We have 3 tigers and 2 exhibits; being that Tigers are solitary animals, only two Tigers will be on exhibit, with the third one spending the day off exhibit. If the Tiger spending the day off exhibit happens to be one of our breeding pair then they had no interaction all day with the other one due to our solid slides. So we got out fantastic Maintenance welder, Mark, to make some mesh slides, allowing our Tigers to see, hear and smell each other.

ZIMS

Adelaide and Monarto Zoo are amongst a select few Zoos around the world selected to be first users or early adopters of the Zoo community’s brand new all encompassing records program Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS).

It replaces a handful of older outdated stand alone programmes and integrates them all in a web based, real time record and management system that enables zoo staff to share a huge amount of animal data instantly.

Ady & Tasko Update

Well, the most exciting news would be that Ady is pregnant (see video blog), due any time in the next couple of months. Yes, I am going to be a Sea Lion auntie! Words can not describe how happy our team is.

Ady is doing very well, steadily putting on the kilos; she has gone from a trim 83 kilos to 100 kilos, making movement a bit slower and she does a very pregnant waddle. She is a little less active at the moment, as any pregnant lady is allowed to be, so if you are looking for her she may be sleeping on the rocks, having a day off exhibit or hanging out in the maternity pool.

African Wild Dog Enrichment

You can probably tell from my other blogs that I love enrichment, however I am finding that what I think the animals will love is not always the case!

Recently I saw Gary, one of our great BEEZA (Behavioural and Environmental Enrichment for Zoo Animals) volunteers, with a shopping trolley full of paper mache balls for the Tasmanian Devils at Monarto Zoo. I took one look at them and thought they would be the perfect size for our African Wild Dogs. Gary happily agreed to make six and also put some dry kibble and dried liver treats inside, not only making the ball rattle but a nice surprise inside for the dogs.

Orangutan Birthdays (part 2)

The orangutans had a brilliant day for their birthday bash! Kluet and Karta shared a party celebrating their birthdays, which are only 4 days apart. The wonderful Zoo volunteers prepared them a huge birthday box that was filled with other boxes and cardboard rolls which had all sorts of treats inside like sultanas, peanuts and some popcorn (unsalted and unbuttered of course so it is nice and healthy!) .

They both gobbled up the treats quickly but that did not mean the fun was over!

Sea Lion Surgery

Find out about the recent surgery on our female Sea Lion, Ady.

 

Sunbears vs Pumpkins

Zookeepers use various methods to enrich the lives of the animals in their care.  These enrichment items can vary from scatter feeds, scent trails or markings to novel items such as balls or boxes, and helps alleviate boredom or stereotypic behavior, encourages natural behavior and often just challenges the animal with something ‘new’ to deal with.

We recently had some huge pumpkins donated to the zoo

A Little Bit About Our Other Carnivores

It has been about 2 months since I started on the Mixed Carnivore Round and it has been, and still is, an amazing learning experience. As I said in my previous blog I had not worked with most of the animals on this round so there has been a huge learning curve. So I thought I better write down some things I have seen so far...

I will start off with the smallest and I must say the most elusive carnivore on the round…the Dwarf Mongoose. In winter they are little bit hard to spot but they do love to bask in the winter sun. These guys love their insects and it is very funny watching them chase and pounce on cockroaches and crickets…they can be very fast when they want. Fast enough even to take on and bite a greedy seagull trying to steal their food.

Orangutan Birthdays (part 1)

Hi everyone

Kluet and Karta, our two beautiful Sumatran Orangutans, have both recently celebrated birthdays.

Kluet celebrated his birthday on the 18th July and Karta celebrated her birthday only 4 days later on the 22nd. At 28 years of age, Karta is middle aged but Kluet is still only a teenager as he has only just turned 15. While Kluet is already a bit bigger than Karta, he has a lot more growing to do and he will probably put on another 30 or 40 kilograms before he is fully grown.

E-waste Recycling

Over the last few months I have been asked by members of staff of how best they may dispose of large electronic items. E-waste is a generic name applied to domestic or commercial electrical products that are nearing or at the end of their useful life, such as computers, mobile phones, TVs, microwaves, DVD players, light globes, play-stations etc.

Waste Management Changes

There have been a few changes to the waste management arrangements recently. It has been a few weeks since the changes were made and so far there do not appear to be any major problems. There may be some slight changes to improve the recovery rate of recyclable material.

Macaw Search & Rescue

Find out more about our young macaw, Tambopata, who recently escaped from Adelaide Zoo.

Adelaide Zoo Wins Award

Entrance into Giant Panda Forest, Adelaide, South Australia

HASSELL has received a total of five awards for its work on the Adelaide Zoo Entrance Precinct and Giant Panda Forest at the Australian Institute of Architects, South Australia Architecture Awards held on Friday 2 July.

Tracking Our Water Usage

Adelaide Zoo’s water consumption is now being tracked with mains and bore meters. The maintenance department installed meters on the Adelaide Zoo’s 4 bores in early October 2009. This work was accompanied by fitting of pressure switches, fixing of leaks, isolation of cross-connections and changes to flow discharges.

Together Again

Our two Orang-utans, Karta and Kluet, have been back on exhibit together for just over a month now, having given Kluet time to grow and mature a little more.

Each afternoon they are brought into their off limit area and separated for the  night,  for management reasons, after spending the day together. They are more than happy to go their separate ways once inside the building and receive their evening meal from keepers.

Pandas Celebrate Six Months in Australia and Unveil Plans to Go Solar Thanks to AGL

Wang Wang and Funi, the Adelaide Zoo’s much-loved Giant Pandas today celebrated their six month anniversary in Australia with the announcement that they will soon receive solar power to their enclosure courtesy of AGL Energy, Australia’s largest integrated renewable energy company.

The pandas were officially welcomed to Australia by Governor General, Quentin Bryce almost six months ago and have been settling well into their new habitat. They have attracted around 70% more visitors to the zoo than ever before, including over 25% of people from interstate.

Extension of the Lion Exhibit

Myself, Jason (Horticulture) and Mark (Maintenance) have been very busy little bees over on the Big Cat Round, renovating an exhibit for our three African Lions. Unfortunately our Persian Leopard, Cubba, passed away but we wanted to put his exhibit to good use and give our Lions so more room to move.

This could have been a very large and involved job, but when this exhibit was built it was connected to the Lion exhibits so the sliding gates were still there, much to our relief. Mark and I got to work on removing boards that formed a wall between the exhibits, checking all the slides and locks work, checking the fencing and stabilising the platform at the front of the exhibit (lions weigh almost three times as much as Cubba did!).

Learning a New Round

Since starting at Adelaide Zoo in December I have been on the Big Cat Round, which I absolutely love. Now I am being trained on the Mixed Carnivore Round which consists of the Sea Lions, Binturong, Dwarf Mongoose, Meerkat and Africa Wild Dog.

Some of you may be surprised the Sea Lions fall under the Carnivore umbrella

Peeping Tuan

Ever get the feeling like your being watched? I get that feeling everyday I am at work and it's not just a feeling... I am usually being watched when I walk along the back service road behind the big cats.

No, it is not a camera or a person watching me, it’s a very nosey Sumatran Tiger named Tuan!

Tuan is our 12 year old male tiger from Germany

Kittens? What Kittens?!

Yes our Serval kittens certainly don’t look like kittens anymore! Our three Servals are four months old and, if you look quickly, can be mistaken for their mum, Kali.

At the last vet check and vaccination, they were weighing in at a healthy 3-4 kilos, so by now they would be in the 5 kilo range. Yes, we feed them very well, especially now that they are predominantly eating solid foods and are suckling from Kali much less.

A Heavy Heart for Dewi

Even when you know it’s the right thing to do, euthanasing an animal because of a debilitating incurable disease is always done with heavy heart – especially when that animal had been around for as long, and had touched as many zoo staff and visitors, as Dewi, one of our Malayan sun bears.

When the time came, keepers from around the zoo came to see Dewi for one last time, and her primary keeper came in on her day off to say goodbye.

Rescued Sea Eagle

Saw a White-bellied Sea Eagle this morning, brought in by the Australian Marine Wildlife Research and Rescue Organization (AMWRRO). A beautiful bird with impressive powerful talons that we made sure we avoided!

Travelling Bison

Just got back from a trip with one of the keepers taking two male American Plains Bison from Monarto Zoo over to the zoo at Hall’s Gap in Victoria. All went incredibly smoothly... well, except for it taking 2 hours to get them to walk up the raceway into the trailer – nothing happens with 800kg bison bulls until they’re good and ready!

RIP Cubba

We recently said goodbye to Cubba, our Persian leopard. Born here at Adelaide Zoo, Cubba had lived a long healthy life and rarely required veterinary attention. About a month ago, Cubba was found suddenly lame on his right front leg one morning with an obvious swelling just above his wrist.

Time at Monarto

Hi all,

Today I am working at Monarto Zoo. I generally only work at Adelaide, but as the usual Monarto nurse is on leave I was asked to cover for her. I always enjoy working at Monarto and, as they say, a change of scenery can be as good as a holiday.

First up I attended in-house gun training.

Regent Honeyeater Reintroduction

It's been a very rewarding day today, and it started at about 6am this morning. We have been quarantining eight endangered Regent Honeyeaters in the Animal Health Centre. Regent Honeyeaters are extinct in South Australia and it is thought that there is only about 800 - 2000 individuals left in the wild.

We have been quarantining the honeyeaters in the health centre before sending them to Taronga Zoo to be released into the wild as a large group

Sunbear Surgery

Hello all,

As usual it's been a very interesting day! Over the last week our female Malayan sun bear Dewi, has been noted by her keepers to have a very swollen abdomen. Her attitude and appetite has remained normal, however keepers and veterinary staff were a bit concerned. So it was decided to plan to anaesthetise her so that we could examine her closely.

Serval Kitten update

Our beautiful “little” Serval kittens are 11 weeks old and growing so fast! Their ears and legs are starting to getting bigger and longer and they are getting more confident by the minute. A lot has happened since we first released news of our kittens to the world - they have had their first and second vet check and now can be seen out in their exhibit across from the African Lions.

At the six week health check our kittens were vaccinated, micro-chipped, weighed, sexed and given a visual check over by our Senior Veterinarian, Wayne Boardman. We are pleased to announce we have three very healthy Serval kittens consisting of two girls and a boy, each roughly weighing 2kg. Once the kittens were given the all clear by our vet it was time to work on getting the exhibit ready to let them out.

Settling into Panda-land

About the same time that the Giant Pandas moved into their beautiful new home, the Red Pandas were packing their bags and moving from their home near the Lions to their new homes in the Bamboo Forest

There are two Red Panda enclosures. The three girls, Sogyal, Imandari and Maya, are in one and two boys, Shahin and Himal, in the other.

Some cats DO like water

Some very lucky visitors (and myself!) were surprised to find a tiger taking a morning dip in the pond at the start of our Big Cat tour last week. Yes, contrary to popular belief, some cats do like water and some, like the Sumatran Tiger, actually like to swim in it.

Sumatran Tigers are one of the few big cats that can swim and they even have webbing between their toes, making them very efficient swimmers.

So who was the tiger in the water you ask…

It's Festival Time Again!

This is such a great time of year in Adelaide. I moved to SA in 2008 so last year was my first Fringe, my first Womad... I love it. And it’s so great that Adelaide Zoo is such a part of it all; even more so from this year with the new spaces for performance and exhibition at the new front entrance of the zoo.

You smell like a Giraffe but look like a Lion

Hi everyone

In addition to the food that we feed our animals on the Big Cat round, we like to stimulate them with enrichment - these may be food, sense or physical based. The animals all react differently to enrichment, they can have positive, negative or neutral reactions. Out of all the cats the two female African Lions, Amani and Yizi, have the best interactions with enrichment.

Recently, the girls have been given giraffe faeces...

Making Friends with a Leopard

Hi everyone

My first week as a Carnivore Keeper at Adelaide Zoo was incredible, meeting all the animals of the Big Cat round and learning how to care for them. Don't tell the other big cats but our Persian Leopard “Cubba” has fast become my favourite cat on the round!

Cubba was born here so has seen his fare share of new faces at Adelaide Zoo, and just like every keeper before me I have had to build up a relationship with him.

Hello from Arliah

Hi, my name is Arliah and I am Carnivore Keeper at Adelaide Zoo. I am a fairly new keeper to the zoo and I am absolutely loving it.

At the moment I am working on the Big Cat round and have the pleasure of working with our African Lions, Sumatran Tigers, Servals, Persian Leopard, Fennec Foxes and Red Pandas.

Serval Kittens On Display

Born to mum Kali and dad Marji on Boxing Day, the boy and two girls are the first Servals to be born at Adelaide Zoo.

Already showing off their wildcat nature, the young siblings are flashing their kitten-teeth and being pro-active in attaining nourishment.

Tour Down Under Visits Warrawong

The team from the Tour Down Under visited Warrawong and took a good look around the Sanctuary.

Carnivore Fun and Games

Hi All,
 
We recently had some enrichment fun with the Lions and Hyena at Monarto Zoo.
 
The lovely volunteers at Monarto Zoo kindly donated some money so that special toys could be purchased through 'Aussie Dog Products'. These toys had to be ultra strong and durable as the jaw pressure of the Lions and especially the Hyenas are amazing!

Giant Pandas Now Exploring "Australia's Great Outdoors"

MEDIA RELEASE

The milestone allows greatly enhanced viewing of Wang Wang and Funi following the quarantine period during which they were seen behind plate-glass windows.

The pandas had been confined to their day rooms and off limits areas since their arrival in Adelaide a little over a month ago.

Platypus Sightings

Platypus sightings at Warrawong can happen almost every day around dawn and dusk. One of our visitors managed to capture a great afternoon sighting with the sun shining right through the water, clearly showing the detail of this guy going down and under to look for food!

Platypus sightings at Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary from Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary on Vimeo.

Carnivore Viewing Platform Opening

MEDIA RELEASE

‘Windana’ meaning ‘to hunt together’, describes the three carnivore groups which visitors have the opportunity to watch throughout the day; African Painted Dogs, Lions and Hyenas.

As part of these new all-day viewings, visitors can now witness the latest additions to Monarto’s Hyena population: two six-month-old Spotted Hyena cubs, Armani and Makhali.

Full Recovery for Flamingo One Year On

MEDIA RELEASE

The partly blind flamingo, believed to be among the oldest in the world, now stands back in his favourite spot with his ‘friends’ (two sculpture flamingos), still unafraid of humans.

When the docile bird was attacked on October 29 last year, news reports literally travelled across the world and sparked public outrage.

Rocking for Rhinos

Zoos SA Planetkeeper programs are active education programs that are designed to help students learn about, and raise money for in situ conservation programs.

Panda Float Launched

MEDIA RELEASE

Creative director and event manager of the Credit Union Christmas Pageant, Brian Gilbertson, said this is the first time in the long running history of the Credit Union Christmas Pageant that such a tribute has been bestowed.

“With a bright, typically quintessential Australian summer design the Wang Wang and Funi float will be a fabulous addition to this year’s float line up,” said Brian Gilbertson.

Monarto Zoo Opens Its Doors to Investors

MEDIA RELEASE

Monarto Zoo, which can now lay claim to being the world’s largest zoo thanks to its recent acquisition of an additional 500 hectares, and Zoos SA, are looking to develop a personalised safari experience combining African and Australian wildlife, fine dining and overnight accommodation set in a secluded natural Australian bush landscape.

And Zoos SA and the South Australian Tourism Commission (SATC) are inviting people to invest in a signature resort development at Monarto Zoo, already one the state’s premier tourist attractions.

Ambassador Met CEO of Zoos SA

On 8th September 2009, the Ambassador Zhang Junsai met with Dr. Chris West, the CEO of the Zoos SA and Mr Edmung Ng, Asia Business Executive of ZoosSA, at the Ambassador's residence.

Mr. West said that the Chinese giant pandas "Wang Wang" and "Fu Ni" will arrive in Adelaide Zoo next month and is scheduled in December this year to meet with the Australian public. Adelaide Zoo is very grateful to China for agreeing to work with Australia in a joint research project based on the giant pandas and will make every effect to complete the final preparatory work to ensure that the giant pandas will live in Australia healthily and happily.

Little Penguin chick

Hear the full story about our Little Penguin chick who was recently rescued from the River Torrens.

 

More about Chook

Chook the Superb Lyrebird has recently become a web sensation in a Youtube clip, where he shows off his extraordinary mimicry skills. Watch this new video to learn even more about Chook and Superb Lyrebirds.

 

More about Chook >

Meerkat Procedure

Whew.... another busy day. Only have time for a quick chat, so will just write about the patient of the day.... a very cute 4 year old female meerkat, who about a week ago poked her front paw into another meerkat enclosure and had it bitten.

More about Mujambi

Listen to our Head Vet talk about the medication that Mujambi, our male lion, is being given to try to control his seizures.

 

Go to our "Zoo Bites" blogs to find out more Mujambi.

The day I met the bravest person in the world

One of my roles as a zoo photographer is to photograph zoo events both inside the zoo grounds and at outside venues. The most recent one I had to photograph was the opening of the ‘Panda Countdown Clock’ on top of the ETSA building on Anzac Highway. For event photography I try and plan ahead for the shots that people require, then move about the crowd and try to be invisible while I take the photographs. The media were there also, photographing The Premier Mike Rann who officially started the clock on its countdown to the arrival of the pandas in adelaide. Also in attendance was the Adelaide Zoo’s CEO Chris West, zoo staff, ETSA staff and of course ‘Funi’ the panda was putting in a guest appearance.

Computed 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

Panda Countdown Is On!

MEDIA RELEASE

The official countdown is about to begin to the first public appearance of Giant pandas Wang Wang and Funi’s at Adelaide Zoo with the launch of a Giant panda countdown clock today.

The huge 6m x 4m panda–shaped clock is attached to the side of the ETSA Utilities building on Anzac Highway.

Adelaide Zoo Launches Bamboo Plantation at Bolivar

MEDIA RELEASE

Zoos SA CEO Dr Chris West says the Adelaide Zoo’s giant pandas will arrive in October, but the process of ensuring they will be well fed is underway.
 
The eight-hectare plantation of bamboo has been planted at Bolivar and should be ready for harvesting within 12 months.

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.

Historic Agreement to Result in Giant Panda Conservation

MEDIA RELEASE

With Panda excitement building in Adelaide ahead of the arrival of Wang Wang and Funi in September for their 10 year stay, the two organisations have agreed to team up and deliver products which will support conservation programs for Giant Pandas.

Dr Chris West, CEO of Zoos SA said as an ambassador species for conservation, the Giant Panda will help to educate the Australian public about the importance of conserving endangered wildlife.

Mujambi's Surgery

Watch our male lion, Mujambi, undergo surgery to investigate any potential issues with his central nervous system.

 

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.

Westpac Envirodome Opens

MEDIA RELEASE

The Westpac Envirodome – expected to bring conservation education to 60,000 children and more than 500,000 zoo visitors each year – opens to the public on Sunday (April 5).

The result of major donations and sponsorship from Westpac and the Department of Education and Children’s Services, the Westpac Envirodome includes an interactive learning centre, rooftop open-air camping area, outdoor stage, classrooms, libraries and other support rooms.

Wombats Receive Conservation Award

MEDIA RELEASE

A long term study of Southern hairy-nosed wombats has been occurring in the Murraylands examining population dynamics, assisted reproduction, seasonal breeding patterns, disease and their relationship to climatic variables, with the hope that this research will assist both the Southern and the critically endangered Northern hairy-nosed wombat.
 
Chief Executive Officer of Zoos South Australia, Dr Chris West said, “Winning an ARAZPA award for our science based conservation work is a signal honour as it demonstrates how Zoos SA's Conservation Ark program is recognized by fellow conservationists as being world class.

Water Tanks Help Prevent Fire at Monarto Zoo

Peter Jefferies (left) from Rhino Water Tanks, with one of the donated tanks

The entire project consists of 5 tanks in various sites across the Zoo property for emergency fire fighting water and was funded with a $30,000 Community Water Grant and a $12,000 donation from Rhino.

Zoos SA recognises the importance of overt and passive education, with the tanks being a visible reminder to the public of the value of water collection and storage.

Update on Matilda

Thank God I don’t have to get up at night for Matilda anymore! I’ve moved her out of my room now, she’s been out for about a month because she was waking up at 3 or 4am to play. Sometimes I can still hear her next door but she doesn’t call out for me so she’s obviously okay.

She hasn’t been as playful lately, she’s been a bit sick for the last few weeks. She dropped a bit of weight, reached over a kilo and then went under, and is now back up again. It was a bit stressful during that time, as I didn’t know whether she would crash and die as koalas are so sensitive. But now she seems a bit brighter.

Lion Introduction Updates

Zoo Photography

Hello I’m Dave and I’m the zoo photographer.
 
I photograph the zoo animals, zoo staff and the zoo grounds for use by the Adelaide and Monarto Zoo. The images appear in zoo publications, on the zoo website and in any media the zoo uses to promote the animals and conservation.
 
Some of the photographs were easy to capture with the animal doing exactly what I needed. More often than not though the animal would look away or stand when I needed an animal sitting or sitting when I needed the animal standing. Who was it that said 'never work with animals'?

Carnivore Update

Well, as so often happens when working with animals…things have not exactly gone to plan. 

Our female Fennec Fox did go to Sydney on the Monday and the Serval and the male Fennec Fox arrived safely on the Tuesday.  Yesterday however, did not see our Sea lions arrive. 

The weather in Western Australia was simply far too hot to send them over.  We have a ‘Hot Weather policy’, so while I’m disappointed they are not here, I’m very happy their welfare remained the number one priority. They will be arriving some time in the near future when conditions are more comfortable and a suitable flight is available.

Back to Normal

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.

My Working Week

So far in this blog I’ve told you about events that have already taken place…so to change things up a bit I thought I’d tell you about my up coming working week.

Monday the 9th of February (day 1) is going to be a big day…so much is happening… I’ll arrive at work tomorrow around 7:30am and will have maybe 30 minutes to check, catch, box, weigh, recheck…and finally send a female Fennec Fox to Taronga Zoo in Sydney (she’s booked on a flight early morning so there’s not much room for error on my part).  She’s left here for breeding purposes and on Tuesday we will receive a male from Taronga…also for breeding purposes…Exciting!

Raising Matilda

Hi, I’m Liza, one of the mammal keepers at Adelaide Zoo. Since December I’ve been hand raising our new baby koala, Matilda.

Her mum was hit by a car and had to be put down due to her bad injuries. Approximately 7 months old at the time, Matilda came to Adelaide Zoo  a healthy 512gm and has never shown any signs of trauma since I’ve had her (her weight has only gone up which is a good indicator).

Lion Introductions

Over the last three weeks the Lions have taken a large and important step closer to being housed together as a small pride.  The daily introductions were progressing well and we were confident the few, brief altercations between them were simply natural hierarchy behaviours seen in many social animals.

On 29th December 2008, Mujambi and Yizi looked very comfortable in each others space…so we left them together overnight.

Flamingo Update

A follow-up Zoowatch has been done on the flamingos with a roster of volunteers stationed in front of the exhibit eight hours a day for seven days.

From the data obtained there has only been a small variation in the enclosure spatial usage, the Greater Flamingo is on the lawn area for 72% of the time and in the pond for 24%.

Dental Day

Nothing further to report on the Lion Introductions as the Lions took a back seat to our other Big Cats.

The Carnivore Department had a very busy day on December 18th.  A dental specialist was in Adelaide for a couple of days and the Zoo’s Carnivore Department took day one.  Animals we had detected may have dental issues were looked at on a priority basis…and “Carnivore Dental Day” started very early.

Establishing a New Pride

G’day everyone and welcome to the new Lion Introduction blog.  I’m Steve McKee and I am one of the Big Cat keepers at the Adelaide Zoo.  I’m a Carnivore keeper which means some days I work with Big and Small Cats; other days I work with Australian Sealions and African Wild Dogs; and sometimes I work with Otters, Meerkats…and Giraffes (?)…just to keep me on my toes.

Our Lion introduction has been taking place for sometime now so I’ll start this blog with a bit of history and how we got to where we are now.

Meet the Flamingo Keeper

Hi there

I'm Vaughan, the keeper normally responsible for looking after the Flamingos as well as another 300+ birds at Adelaide Zoo. I have been working here for about six years and have looked after the flamingos for about four of those years. I also used to be a volunteer guide here at the zoo for close to twenty years before that so I have a long history of being around Adelaide Zoo, and being around the flamingos. I have also been fortunate enough to have observed flamingos in the wild in Africa.

I hope you enjoy our website and the information that we can provide to you. I’ll be weighing the flamingo again soon so will write another update over the weekend.

Merry Christmas.

 

Flamingo Update

The Greater Flamingo has been doing fine all week. Its weight today is 4.04kg. Though this is down on the last weighing, it is a return to the likely standard weight. Another Zoowatch will be starting next week to enable a comparison of present behaviour to the results of the last Zoowatch post incident.