wild! rhinos - Taronga Zoo

Summer 2013/14 • Taronga Zoo, Sydney • Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo • $4.95
WILD!
RHINOS
Aussie artist Ken Done
on painting a masterpiece
WALKING WITH LEMURS
Join us for a preview tour
GORILLA GROUP
Kibali’s cohorts arrive
4
8
As you read this, artists and
students across Sydney and
New South Wales are adding the final touches
of paint to the truly wild masterpieces of the
Taronga Wild! Rhinos sculptures.
Within weeks the 55 life-sized Black Rhino
sculptures will appear throughout Sydney, on
the way to Taronga Western Plains Zoo and
its environs, in what we believe may be
the largest ever public art installation for
conservation in Australia.
Students at NSW schools from Wagga to
Wenona have been hard at work too, creating
works of art that will speak eloquently for our
efforts for wild rhinos.
The joy of community involvement in art
for wildlife is our response to the crisis facing
rhinos in the wild, with two being killed each
day in Africa to supply the spurious traditional
medicine trade in Asia.
I invite you to be part of Wild! Rhinos and
Taronga’s efforts to raise $400,000 for wild
rhino conservation to help, as one of our artists
Ken Done said, ensure there are rhinos for our
children and grandchildren to see.
The Christmas school holidays will also see
the opening of Stage 1 of our exciting Lemur
Forest Adventure. Featuring eight Ring-tailed
Lemurs, it will focus our visitors’ attention on
their remarkable nature and what Taronga is
doing in Madagascar, their natural habitat.
The first stage will include a specially
designed playground to give children the
opportunity to test their climbing skills, with a
forest backdrop simulating the lemurs’ natural
jungle home, as well as views of the lemurs.
At Easter next year the second stage will
open, enabling visitors to walk through among
the lemurs for a truly wild experience.
May I thank all our Wild Life readers for
their support in 2013 and wish you all a safe
and enjoyable holiday season, with great hopes
for wildlife conservation in 2014.
Cameron Kerr
Director and Chief Executive
SEND US YOUR
SNAPS AND WIN!
Turn to page 19 for info on how to enter.
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18
22
Contents
PLAYING LIKE LEMURS........................ 4
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ................... 15
Join us for a preview tour of the long-awaited
Lemur Forest Adventure.
Taronga’s Conservation Field Grants have
helped thousands of animals in recent years.
MAKING A MASTERPIECE ...................... 8
KIBALI & CO ......................................... 16
Celebrated Sydney artist Ken Done shares
the story behind his painted rhino.
A family is formed as two new female gorillas
are introduced to breeding male Kibali.
SOUVENIR POSTER ............................ 11
NEWS BRIEFS ....................................... 18
Hang a wise Ring-tailed Lemur on your wall.
Catch up on all the latest Zoo news.
K-ZONE ................................................. 12
BEHIND THE SCENES ........................ 22
Wild Life spends a day at the beach and
says hello to some shore-dwelling critters.
We chat to Unit 3 Supervisor Jen Conaghan
about the diverse animals in her care.
Wild Life is the magazine of Taronga Conservation
Society (ISSN 1443-7376)
Taronga Zoo, Sydney Tel (02) 9969 2777
PO Box 20, Mosman NSW 2088
Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo
Tel (02) 6882 5888
PO Box 831, Dubbo NSW 2830
Zoo Friends Tel (02) 9968 2822
Published on behalf of Taronga Conservation
Society by The Pacific Plus Company Pty Ltd
(ABN 80 101 323 791), Level 4 West Media City,
8 Central Avenue, Eveleigh NSW 2015
Tel (02) 9394 2944
pacificplus.com.au
The Pacific+ Company – A Pacific Magazines
Company. Printing by Bluestar Printing Group ©2013
Director and Chief Executive: Cameron Kerr
Executive Editors: Jennifer Walter and
Kirsty Deane
taronga.org.au
taronga.org.au/zoofriends
All rights reserved. Reproduction or distribution in any form, in whole or
in part, without written permission is prohibited. Taronga Conservation
Society Australia is not responsible for the views and opinions of
contributing journalists. To the maximum extent allowable by law, Taronga
Conservation Society Australia assumes no responsibility for errors and
omissions appearing herein.
Editor: Nicole Macdonald
Art Director: Katherine Cordwell
Publisher: Abby Cartwright
Cover image: Chris Chen
TARONGA.ORG.AU3
Playing like
lemurs
TARONGA ZOO’S NEW LEMUR FOREST ADVENTURE INCLUDES A UNIQUE
PLAYGROUND TO GET KIDS CLIMBING, SCRAMBLING AND SWINGING LIKE
LEMURS. JOIN US FOR A PREVIEW TOUR.
STORY David Blissett IMAGES Jo Nevin, Lorinda Taylor and Annemarie Hillerman
4
4
SUMMER 2013/14
E
ight lively Ring-tailed Lemurs are
the stars of a brand-new exhibit
at Taronga Zoo that combines
opportunities for educational information,
art, active play and animal encounters in
one amazing space. All this, and you can
buy a coffee as well!
The eight male lemurs moved into their
new exhibit back in November, Senior
Primate Keeper Claire Chiotti says. Four of
these lemurs were born in Auckland, New
Zealand, then relocated to Taronga Zoo,
where for the past several years they have
been housed next to the Gorilla Forest. The
other four were born in Hong Kong then
moved to the breeding colony at Taronga
Western Plains Zoo.
Bringing the two lemur groups together
has raised some challenges, Claire says,
since lemurs are intelligent animals
with complex social relationships that
take time to fully develop. Since their
introduction keepers have worked hard
to build rapport between the animals and
prepare them for life in their new home.
The Lemur Forest Adventure exhibit is new
territory for all eight, which has made the
process easier.
THE OLD AND THE NEW
The Lemur Forest Adventure is located
on the site of Taronga’s old seal pools.
Key heritage elements have been retained
and rejuvenated, including the original
boundary walls, stonework and staircases.
The site retains its scenic outlook over
Sydney Harbour.
The exhibit includes state-of-the-art
facilities such as solar heating for the
animals’ night dens, and, for visitors,
wheelchair ramps have been installed to
improve access to this section of the Zoo.
ADVENTURE ZONES
There are three zones in the exhibit.
Starting at the eastern end nearest the
Floral Clock, the play area invites visitors
to follow a trail winding through dense
forest gardens. Throughout the gardens
are 10 discovery poles clustered into four
geographical zones: Australia, South
America, Madagascar and South-East
Asia. The poles deliver sensory-based
information suitable for all ages. Visitors
can touch, look and listen to what the
»
TARONGA.ORG.AU5
MEET THE LEMURS
The Sydney Four
• A
ndriba is 14 years old. He is
often the first to participate in
training sessions.
• S
oalata is 15 and the oldest of the
eight lemurs. He can be cautious
around strangers.
• A
ndre is 13. He is a quietly
confident animal and the current
leader of the Sydney group.
• M
akili is Andre’s twin brother and
the largest of the Sydney Four.
The Dubbo Boys
• J ulian is five years old. He is a
confident lemur and best friends
with Maki.
• C
asper is Julian’s twin brother and
is very confident with people.
• M
aki is four, the youngest of all eight
lemurs but also the largest.
• B
amboo is seven and also confident
around people.
LEMUR FOREST
ADVENTURE FACTS
• O
ver 730 cubic metres of landfill
was extracted, cleaned and re-used
in the exhibit.
• The exhibit features recycled and/
or sustainably grown raw materials,
such as timber.
• 5100 individual trees and shrubs
have been planted in the exhibit.
• A highlight of the Lemur Walk-thru is
a 6 metre tall, 95-year-old bottle tree.
discovery poles have to tell them about the
world’s forests and the unique creatures
that call them home.
There’s also a series of brightly coloured
‘promise trees’. These trees introduce
visitors to the cartoon ambassador of
the Lemur Forest Adventure, Harry the
Ring-tailed Lemur. It’s Harry’s job to pass
on important conservation messages to
visitors about a range of topics including
recycling, saving energy and buying
products from sustainable sources.
From the play area, visitors move
into the centre of the exhibit and the
6
SUMMER 2013/14
Here kids can
climb, balance,
swing, sway,
slide and splash
on a range of
exciting new play
structures...
Observation Outpost. Here kids can climb,
balance, swing, sway, slide and splash on a
range of exciting new play structures and
mimic the behaviour of the Ring-tailed
Lemurs living in the adjacent enclosure.
Adult visitors can relax while watching
the kids and lemurs play, soak in harbour
views and enjoy refreshments available
from a nearby cafe stall.
An old-fashioned penny press housed
in a tree sculpture is the last ‘promise tree’,
where kids are prompted to make a promise
to help protect forests. The press, which
will be installed soon, can create a souvenir
of your visit for a small fee. Funds raised
by the penny press will support Taronga’s
Madagascan lemur conservation projects.
COMING SOON
The third zone, the Lemur Walk-thru, will
be the first of its kind in Australia. It’s an
open-air enclosure where visitors can get
up close to the colony of eight Ring-tailed
Lemurs. The enclosure replicates typical
Southern Madagascan habitat, with spiny
scrub in a beautiful yellow stone valley. A
moat and waterfall ensure the lemurs stay
in their enclosure, while visitors enter the
area through an airlock system, similar
to current walk-in aviaries. Taronga
staff or volunteers will be in attendance
at all times.
Though the lemurs will be on display
from December, the Walk-thru won’t be
fully opened to visitors until April 2014.
The exact timing will be determined by
the lemurs and how they accept visitors
into their space. Keepers are working on
helping the lemurs become accustomed
to visitors by introducing them to new
sounds, new people and objects such as
umbrellas and prams.
FOREST CONSERVATION,
LEMUR-STYLE
STORY Jane Marshall and Addy Watson
Along with showcasing a group of
fascinating primates, Taronga hopes
its exciting new interactive exhibit will
also raise awareness about the forests
of the world.
This is especially important for lemurs
because their natural habitat, the African
island of Madagascar, used to be
covered in dense forests that have been
reduced to just 10 per cent of their
original size. Madagascar is one of the
biodiversity hotspots on the planet and
home to some of the most endangered
creatures, including lemurs.
Taronga is taking action to help
Madagascar’s people, animals and
forests by partnering with a conservation
initiative by the Madagascar Biodiversity
Partnership, Conservation Fusion and
Omaha Henry Doorly Institute to focus
on reforestation, animal protection,
sustainable agriculture and education.
Lemurs also play a vital role in repairing
the spiny forests they call home. The
lemurs’ diet is made up of 95 per cent
fruit and the seeds pass unharmed
through their guts, falling to the forest
floor in the lemurs’ droppings, where
they germinate and become seedlings.
This reforestation process is slow but
effective and, with a bit of help from the
local community, can make significant
positive changes in these forests for
years to come.
Taronga’s partners in Madagascar are
taking advantage of this process by
collecting lemur faeces and germinating
the seeds they contain at a nursery. This
nursery is run by school children who
also learn about how lemurs are looking
after the forests and need protection.
The seedlings are then planted by
community members trained to monitor
the regenerated areas and protect the
trees and animals. So far an impressive
30,000 trees have been planted in
areas that have been heavily affected
by deforestation and the forests are
beginning to regenerate.
TARONGA.ORG.AU7
Making a
masterpiece
WHO BETTER THAN CELEBRATED SYDNEY ARTIST KEN DONE
TO JOIN TARONGA’S RHINO TRAIL OF PAINTED SCULPTURES
HIGHLIGHTING THE SPECIES’ ENDANGERED STATUS?
STORY Gillian Samuel IMAGES Chris Chen
“T
his is my first rhino. In life
you always remember the
first one,” quips Ken Done
as he puts the finishing touches to his
painting of Sydney Harbour by night on
the rhino sculpture that will be part of
Taronga Zoo’s 2014 Rhino Trail.
Ken is one of 85 artists selected by
the Zoo to participate in the project,
along with 2010 Archibald finalist Kevin
Connor, Sydney graffiti artists Beastman
and Numskull, Marty Rutledge, Gillie
and Marc Schattner, and kaftan queen
Camilla Franks. The Rhino Trail, which
will feature painted rhinos in different
locations between Sydney and Dubbo, will
run from 2 February to 28 April 2014. The
sculptures will then be auctioned in May
to raise funds for rhino conservation.
TRICKY TOPOGRAPHY
It’s not the first time that the artist, who
has close links with Taronga, has worked
on an unusual canvas. He’s previously
painted a cow and a bear for charity, a
BMW M3 and even a fridge.
“My subject was Sydney Harbour by
night, with the rhino head providing the
profile of the Opera House. It was very
tricky in some ways!” Ken says.
“My job was to take the plates and folds
of the rhinoceros form and transform
them into Sydney Harbour and the Opera
House. Fortunately there were a couple
of big folds in the rhino skin up near
the head that I was able to use to make
the Opera House, and on one side of the
figure I’ve been able to write the word
‘rhino’ with text that says, ‘No rhinos will
survive unless we look after them’. I’ve got
three grandchildren and I want them to be
able to see a rhino in the wild.”
Ken did his rhino project in a single
day. “I started some drawings late
yesterday afternoon and made some marks
on the rhino and then started about 9.30
this morning and finished the same day.
“The act of making the first mark on
the rhino is very exciting. It’s where the
journey starts, it’s like the first note of a
piece of music.”
ZOO CONNECTION
Ken says he’s long been a frequent visitor
to the Zoo. “As a boy I can remember the
immense excitement of getting on the
ferry at Circular Quay and going to the
Zoo – I’m old enough to have ridden on
the elephant – and then I had the great
good fortune to move to Mosman in
1955.” Since the 1980s his home and studio
have been in Chinamans Beach. “I’ve been
a visitor to the Zoo a lot, with my children
and now my grandchildren.”
He says it would be a tragedy if rhinos
disappeared. “It would be a criminal act if
we allow rhinos to become extinct.
“There’s not too much we can do about
nature but there’s a great deal we can do
about making people aware of the plight
of the rhinos, and making governments
change their laws to protect them.”
»
TARONGA.ORG.AU9
KEN DONE BIOGRAPHY
Born in Sydney in 1940, Ken Done’s
colourful, splashy images of the harbour
city’s bridge and beaches, as well as
the country’s fauna and flora, came to
represent Australia to the world.
After studying at the National Art School
Ken worked in London and New York as an
award-winning art director in advertising.
By the early 1980s he was back in Sydney
and painting again. When he publicised
an exhibition with screen-printed t-shirts
featuring a stylised outline of the Opera
House, they got more attention than the
artworks! With the help of his fashion
designer wife Ken built an international
empire of stores selling clothing and
household goods emblazoned with his
artwork, which reached its zenith with his
designs for the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Since then he has scaled back to a single
signature store in The Rocks and overcome
financial and health setbacks to produce
new works. His 2011 self-portrait was
selected for the Archibald Prize and his
most recent collection of paintings, Attack:
Japanese Midget Submarines in Sydney
Harbour, has won accolades from art
critics. To date he has staged more than
50 exhibitions dedicated solely to his work.
TO SEE A VIDEO OF KEN DONE
PAINTING HIS RHINO, HEAD
TO TARONGA.ORG.AU/WILDRHINOS/KENDONE
10
SUMMER 2013/14
RHINOS IN CRISIS
Taronga is deeply involved in rhinoceros
conservation through sending staff to
the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary and
supporting the Way Kambas National
Park in Indonesia and providing grants
to the Asian Rhino Project and Indian
Rhino Vision 2020.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo is also a
world leader in managing and breeding
rhinoceros.
Wild rhinos desperately need our help.
Three out of the world’s five surviving rhino
species are in danger of extinction through
loss of habitat and poaching. Numbers
of Sumatran Rhinoceros are estimated
at less than 200. The Javan Rhino is the
rarest of the rhino species with fewer than
50 animals surviving only in Indonesia’s
Ujung Kulon National Park in West Java.
If they disappear, that’s it. African Black
Rhinoceros numbers are in the few
thousands, Indian Rhinoceros slightly
less. Around 20,000 of Africa’s Southern
White Rhinos remain but the Northern
White Rhinoceros is believed to already
be extinct.
Ring-tailed
Lemurs have a
special reflective
layer behind the
retina of their
eyes that helps
them see at
night.
TARONGA.ORG.AU
S FOR
THREE CHEER
HO WON
EVERYONE W
ESOME
A TOTALLY AW
LEGO SET!
Smash
AND GRAB
Pacific gulls are native to
Australia and can be found chillin’
near the coastline alone or in pairs, or
swooping high above the water. Those
big orange beaks aren’t just for show,
though. These large black and white
gulls walk the squawk by using them
to pick up shellfish and drop them
from a great height on rocks
below. Geronimo! It’s
chow time.
Do not
SNIFF
Sea anemones may look like
pretty flowers but they’re actually
armed and dangerous. Those ‘petals’
are stingers that paralyse small sea
creatures silly enough to strut into their
territory. Sea anemones don’t get around
much, preferring to lie in wait, although
they can creep about on their pointy
bases. Some species grow super
old and can spend a century
at the same address!
It’s a hard
CRAB LIFE
Hermit crabs act like they’re
tough, but they’re not real crabs
’cause they don’t have a permanent
shell. Instead they have to fake it by
finding someone else’s discarded shell
to live in. Problem is they keep growing,
which forces them to moult the hard
exoskeleton and expose their soft
little bodies. Time to hide away
in borrowed temporary
housing – again!
Elizabeth
Charlie Whelan,
Shu, 4 4
Gladstone, 6 7
MacyRose
Gordon-Heywood,
Yani Kunko, 6
Max Williams, 6
Faith Waterhouse, 11
Lachlan Rec, 9
William Arrowsmith, 6
Star
POWER
DID YOU KNOW?
Sea anemones produce their
fully developed young through
their mouths, with the kids
staying in the same ’hood
as their ’rents. Ew,
baby breath!
Emerson Cobby, 8
SHOREGS
THIN
Starfish number over 2000
different species, from tiny 1
centimetre midgets to 5 kilo giants.
If you turn them over you’ll spot their
hundreds of little tube-like feet! Starfish
can drop an arm to escape from a
predator that has grabbed them, and
they can grow a new one back, and –
sometimes – a brand new starfish
from the dropped arm. Yikes,
zombie arm alert!
Ada Kelly, 10
12
SUMMER 2013/14
Aamos Peltonen, 7
WIN YOUR
VERY OWN
FURBY BOOM!
Jelly
BELLIES
Jellyfish are made up
of 95% water, not jelly! They
don’t have any backbone, but before
you start dissing on them for being
spineless, just remember some jellyfish
have poisonous stingers. Others are
harmless to humans and some live only
a couple of hours! If you’re too scared
to swim with the jellyfish, protect
yourself by wearing pantihose
- and send us the
photo!
Joel Murray, 7
Send us your drawing of your fave sea- or shorelivin’ critter to win one of five super sick Furby
Booms thanks to Hasbro and Wild Life.
DID YOU KNOW?
A group of jellyfish can be
called a bloom, a smack or
a swarm. We reckon they
should make up their
darn minds!
Entrants must be 12 years or younger and have prior permission from
a parent or guardian to enter. Entrants may enter the competition
by sending their drawing, age and contact details to ‘Shore Things’
competition, GPO Box 7825, Sydney, NSW 2001. More than one entry per
envelope will be accepted. Entries cannot be returned.
Competition opens 6/12/13 at 9am AEDST and
closes 17/1/14 at 5pm AEDST. Total prize value is
$529.95 as at 1/11/13. The winners will be judged
at the Promoter’s premises on 20/01/14 at 11am
AEDST. Winners will be notified by mail and their
Find more
names will be published online at bit.ly/IT6Qx6
fascinating
on 24/01/14. The Promoter is Pacific Magazines
animal facts at
Pty Ltd (ABN 16 097 410 896). For full terms and
conditions please visit bit.ly/IT6Qx6
TARONGA.ORG.AU13
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IN RECENT YEARS TARONGA HAS HELPED ITS CONSERVATION PARTNERS ACHIEVE GREAT
THINGS IN THE AREAS OF HABITAT PROTECTION AND RESTORATION, HUMAN–WILDLIFE
CONFLICT AND DIRECT SPECIES PROTECTION. STORY Dr Rebecca Spindler
O
ver the past five years Taronga
has committed staff expertise and
$550,000 in grants to tackling key
threats to species and finding innovative
ways to help communities value local
wildlife. Here are just a few examples of
what we’ve been up to...
In Zambia the South Luangwa
Conservation Society responded directly
to already high levels of wildlife poaching.
The project rescued over 200 snared
animals and is estimated to have saved
1046 animals through snare removal and
patrols, apprehending 74 suspects and
confiscating 26 firearms.
HABITAT PROTECTION AND
RESTORATION
With the New Nature Foundation,
Taronga is helping build a shared future
for people and primates in Uganda. Over
half of the neighbours of the Kibale
National Park now grow trees for fuel and
use efficient stoves, reducing deforestation
of vital habitat by 1.48 million kilograms
of wood a year.
In Nigeria the Tropical Research and
Conservation Centre has reduced hunting
and deforestation through sustainable
agriculture workshops.
Thanks to the Friends of National
Parks Foundation replanting 40 hectares
of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve in
Borneo, Orang-utans and other species in
the area have vital habitat restored.
HUMAN–WILDLIFE CONFLICT
RESOLUTION
In Nepal, Himalayan Nature identified
many farms located in fishing cat and
otter habitat as areas of potential conflict
for mitigation.
Effective action by the Mabuwaya
Foundation has seen the planting of a
vegetation buffer zone on both sides of a
creek habitat in the Philippines, providing
a food resource for nearby communities. As
a result the number of Philippine Crocodile
nests raided for eggs has decreased.
THE YEARS AHEAD
This year’s applications were of an
excellent standard and, as always, our
funds never stretch far enough to meet the
growing need for wildlife action.
We’re proud to announce that
over the coming two years we will be
continuing our commitment to habitat
protection across Africa and Asia, helping
communities live with wildlife and taking
direct action to conserve Tapirs in Brazil,
Monitor Lizards in the Kimberley and
carnivores in Zimbabwe.
»
TARONGA.ORG.AU15
THE BIG MEETING
Allan takes us through what
happened, step by step.
Kibali
& Co.
TARONGA ZOO’S YOUNG MALE GORILLA KIBALI NOW HAS
A HAREM OF BREEDING PARTNERS WITH THE ARRIVAL OF
TWO NEW FEMALES.
STORY Sarah Marinos IMAGES Paul Fahy
H
e’s still a blackback but Taronga’s
breeding male gorilla Kibali is set
to follow in some big footsteps.
The Zoo’s former silverback Kibabu sired
an impressive 14 offspring and all eyes are
now on his successor.
In mid-September two female gorillas
arrived from Melbourne to join 12-yearold Kibali, who arrived from France in
2012. Ten-year-old Mbeli was born at
Taronga Zoo and is the daughter of Kibabu
and Mouila. She moved to Melbourne Zoo
three years ago but has returned home
and brought 13-year-old Melbourne-born
Johari with her, with Taronga’s seven-year-
16
SUMMER 2013/14
old female Kimya swapping places and
moving to Melbourne.
“Kibabu’s genes were over-represented
here so we couldn’t continue to breed with
him,” says Senior Primate Keeper Allan
Schmidt. “Plus he’s 36 years old so we had
to have a changing of the guard.”
Ideally a new gorilla family needs a male
and three unrelated females. Mbeli, Johari
and Frala, who is in her late twenties and
lives at Taronga with her two sons, have
been selected as the three females the Zoo
will breed from for the next 20 years.
Introducing the females to Kibali
was carefully controlled. Each female
“The introduction between Kibali
and Mbeli went about as well as we
hoped for. He strutted around initially
and made several mock charges,
while Mbeli was very respectful and
deferred to him at all times. She
started initiating contact by touching
him with branches, throwing bits of
straw at him and generally being a
flirt. This, of course, worked wonders
and by the end of the day they had
mated several times and were happily
sitting together.
His introduction to Johari started
exactly the same way but by midday
Johari had not made any attempt to
initiate contact and it appeared that
Kibali was losing interest. We thought
if we added Mbeli to the mix it might
give Johari a good example to follow
and boost her confidence.
Mbeli’s presence definitely gave
Johari confidence – she proceeded
to go after Kibali with Mbeli backing
her up. He showed great restraint by
not fighting back, but later in the day
decided enough was enough and
attempted to dominate and discipline
Johari. This would have worked well,
except she was backed up by Mbeli
so he ended up facing two females
at once!
Things settled down that day and all
three looked relaxed and spent the
night together. Currently Mbeli and
Kibali have a good relationship but the
relationship between Johari and Kibali
needs to develop. It is early days!”
has her own personality and the keepers
watched closely as the group got to know
each other.
“When Mbeli went to Melbourne she
was very confident and had a reputation
for standing up for herself,” Allan says.
“Since she’s arrived back she’s been more
timid and Johari has been more dominant.
But Mbeli is very intelligent and she has
mother-rearing experience so we’re hoping
she’ll teach that to Johari.”
Meeting and mingling
Kibali looks on while Mbeli
struts her stuff; below, Johari
munches on a snack.
HOME IMPROVEMENTS
The gorilla exhibit has had an overhaul to
accommodate the new family’s dynamics.
When gorillas arrived at Taronga in 1996
they were a stable 11-strong gorilla
family overseen by a mature silverback
male. Kibali is still a blackback – and
blackback males are more likely to test the
boundaries. As well as a full review of the
exhibit’s security measures, the night dens
have been freshly painted, while outside
the plants have been pruned, grass and
mulch have been laid and there are new
climbing ropes for exercise.
When they arrived at Taronga the two
females stayed in quarantine together,
then introductions to Kibali began in
early October.
This involved first placing the two
females in an area next to Kibali where they
were unable to see him. Then the visual
barriers were removed and a few days later
the gorillas were allowed limited physical
contact via a mesh slide.
Step three was to house Kibali in the
female area while the girls hung out in
his space. Then Mbeli was introduced
to Kibali, then Johari. Frala will join the
group later.
“What keeps a gorilla family together is
the relationship the females have with the
male – they need to respect him and to be
submissive. It’s his job to keep the females
in line,” Allan explains. “So we sent Mbeli
in with him first because she’s shown
herself to be more submissive. Ideally
Kibali will dominate Mbeli and Johari will
see that and it will reduce any aggression
she might display with him. But I think it
may take longer for Johari to understand
that Kibali is her new ‘boss’!”
Frala was part of Kibabu’s harem so
Kibali will have a harder job on his hands.
“She’s been living with an impressive
silverback male so she isn’t going to look
at this young guy and go, ‘Wow!’” says
Allan. “She’s going to see him as a young
whippersnapper and wonder why she
should be subservient to him!”
But Kibali’s measured personality is
perfect for uniting his new family.
“Kibali is confident enough to discipline
the females when he needs to but he isn’t
overly aggressive. He’ll take a lot of stick
from the girls before he retaliates,” Allan says.
Visitors to Taronga can see the new
gorilla group from November. There is no
fixed schedule for breeding. Neither Mbeli
nor Johari are on contraception so breeding
begins whenever the gorillas are comfortable
enough to mate.
TARONGA.ORG.AU17
F
STORY Michael Shiels
IMAGE Nick Atchison
For the
birds
rom July to October 2013 Taronga Zoo bird keepers
worked on Lord Howe Island (LHI), keeping a close
eye on the LHI Woodhen and Currawong. The purpose
of this husbandry trial was to ensure that the Zoo’s methods
for keeping these two endemic local bird species are suitable
for the Lord Howe Island Board’s proposed rodent eradication
program planned for 2016.
This project aims to eradicate all rodents from the island
while minimising negative impacts on the delicate ecosystem.
Over a 100-day period rodent bait will be distributed via air in
the forested parts of the island and by hand casting bait and
bait stations in the settlement area.
To protect the LHI Woodhen and Currawong from the
risk of consuming the bait directly or suffering secondary
poisoning from eating affected rodents, a substantial number
will be taken into Taronga Zoo’s care on the island until
the baits have disintegrated. Specially designed aviaries
were constructed to house 20 woodhen and 10 currawongs,
with the woodhen occupying one large enclosure and the
currawongs kept in pairs in large freestanding aviaries.
Keepers monitored the birds closely, noting their
DID
adaptation to a captive diet, interactions, weight gains or
YOU KNOW?
losses, overall health and other observations that were
Currawongs have
recorded daily.
yellow eyes, magpies
After a thorough health check by Taronga veterinarians
have red eyes, Aussie
the birds were released on 18 October by the LHI Board staff
crows and ravens
to the same places they were captured at the start of the trial.
have white eyes!
Joeys in the
house
If you visit the Australia’s Nightlife exhibit
at Taronga Zoo this summer you’ll be
able to see a whole bunch of young
Feathertail Glider and Red-tailed
Phascogale joeys born this spring.
This is the first breeding season
for the Zoo’s Red-tailed Phascogales
with nine males and eight females
born in three clutches from two males
and four females imported from Alice
Springs Desert Park. Taronga has
successfully bred feathertails in the past
and shared the joeys with other zoos and
wildlife parks.
Phascogales are tricky to breed, with
the short-lived males typically extremely
aggressive towards each other, according
to Australian Fauna Keeper Elli Todd. To
18
SUMMER 2013/14
Stars sp tted
at the Zoo
Congrats to our lovely winner, threeyear-old Cate Davies-Weir, who had
the brilliant idea to turn up at the
zebra exhibit looking like a zebra!
She’s won a giraffe feed for eight.
If you’d like to win an exclusive
behind the scenes tour of the reptile
house for eight people, simply visit
Taronga or Taronga Western Plains
Zoo before 17 January 2014 and take
a photo of yourself in front of your
favourite exhibit to go in the running to
win. Don’t forget to include this issue
of Wild Life magazine with Ken Done’s
painted rhino on the cover.
Email your high resolution
photo and contact details to
Wildlife.Magazine@zoo.nsw.gov.au
before 17 January 2014. Conditions
apply, for more information see
taronga.org.au/wildlife/photocomp
WINNER
A world of cute! From left to
right: Feathertail Glider joeys;
Red-tailed Phascogale joeys.
DID
YOU KNOW?
Feathertails don’t let
their small stature stop
them – they can leap
have fast metabolisms
and glide up to 25
fuelled by a mixture of
metres!
honey, Sustagen and high
manage this, keepers rotated one of
protein baby cereal, Elli says. As
the boys in with the girls every four days.
they grow too big to fit in their mothers’
Visitors can see the eight phascogale
pouches the feathertails’ mums create a
joeys on display in the Australia’s Nightlife
creche for the joeys, taking it in turns to
exhibit along with the ever-energetic
keep watch over the young ones.
feathertails. These active little gliders
Italian flavour
Winningherwings
Fancy a Sardinian-inspired breakfast or lunch in the company
of a tree kangaroo or strolling peacock? Then try Taronga
Zoo’s latest eatery, Taronga Piazza inspired by Giovanni Pilu.
A collaboration between Restaurant Associates, Taronga’s
catering partner and Giovanni Pilu of the two-hatted Pilu at
Freshwater, Taronga Piazza is located just inside the entrance
piazza and is open from 9.30am to 5pm, seven days a week.
With 90 minutes of free parking, no entry fee, and items
like Giovanni’s Salt-baked Salmon Salad and Pancetta, Freerange Egg and Tomato Panini on the menu, it has become a
favourite destination for Mosman’s foodies. Taronga Piazza is
also available for private functions.
She was starving and unable to fly. When she was found,
the fledgling Wedge-tailed Eagle’s first set of feathers had
not grown in correctly and the grounded bird couldn’t feed
herself. The youngster arrived at Taronga in June 2012
and it has taken 15 months but now her feathers have
grown in normally and with the help of the Zoo’s bird show
trainers she has learned to fly.
She started with short 5 metre hops and now, trained
to return to a gloved handler, has graduated to 80 metre
flights from parks around Mosman.
Bird Show Supervisor Matthew Kettle is full of hope
that the feisty young eagle will eventually perform in public.
TARONGA.ORG.AU19
Lucky
T
devils
IMAGE
Tessa Baker
Devils once lived
across Australia,
but it’s believed they
became extinct on
the mainland 400
years ago.
Twiga and Digger both arrived recently at
Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Their names may
rhyme but that’s where the similarity ends. Twiga
is a giraffe from Perth Zoo and Digger a white
rhino from Monarto Zoo in South Australia.
Eighteen-month-old Twiga made the threeday journey to Dubbo to join the giraffe breeding
program, bringing a big bag of her favourite
treats: carob nuts. Keepers say she is settling
in well and the knowledge that there will be
a carob nut as a reward is a big incentive for
her to do what they ask. A bit wary of her new
surroundings at first, she will pretend she’s not
interested in what the keepers are doing, but as
soon as they have left the area she will go over
and investigate.
You can understand how Digger came by
his name when you learn his birthday is Anzac
Day. He will turn three next April. In the wild his
mother would by now have had another little
calf to look after, so Digger would have gone
off to find another herd where an ‘auntie’ would
console him. After his period in quarantine
where he was given lots of attention – this
touchy-feely young rhino loves contact – he has
now joined the group and settled in well.
20
SUMMER 2013/14
aronga Western Plains Zoo can confirm it has two little
devils on its hands: six-month-old Tasmanian Devil
joeys, that is. First time mother Lentil is very protective
of her young who will stay close to her for about a year until
they are weaned.
The new joeys bring the number of devils born at the
Zoo since the start of the breeding program in 2007 to
18. These Australian native animals are seriously at
risk from the devil facial tumour disease discovered
in 1996, which has destroyed up to 85 per cent of
the population in some areas. The incurable cancer
is spread through devils biting each other and kills
infected animals in six to 12 months. No effective
treatment has been found.
The Zoo has also sent one female and three
male devils to the San Diego Zoo in California, a
partner in the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program
formed in 2003 to ensure the survival of the species.
After their 30-day stopover in quarantine, the
arrival of Usmar and the boys, Bradley, Bixby and
De-Vos, has made San Diego Zoo the first in the US with
a Tassie Devil exhibit. It is hoped the Aussie expats will help
educate North American zoo visitors about devil conservation.
So far the four devils have settled in nicely and each has its own
enclosure to reflect their solitary behaviour in the wild.
STORY June Downs
IMAGES Bec Pedemont
and Leonie Saville
Twiga &
Digger
W
Zoo gifts
hether it’s for an animal lover
or one of those people who
has everything, a Zoo gift
makes a meaningful Christmas present –
one that keeps on giving.
Gift a Zoo Friends membership to
someone you love. It will give them
unlimited access to Taronga Zoo in Sydney,
Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo and
free admission to Adelaide, Melbourne
and Perth zoos for 12 months. Zoo Friends
members also receive discounts and
admission to special events and, of course,
the award-winning Wild Life magazine.
You could also give a lucky animal
lover the gift of becoming a Zoo Parent by
adopting their favourite animal. From only
$48 a year, adoption benefits range from
regular updates to exclusive behind-thescenes visits.
For more information head to
taronga.org.au/ZooFriends or
taronga.org.au/ZooParents
Want more choice? Don’t forget to pop
into our Zoo Shops or go online for the
latest range of animal and wildlife related
books, homewares, gifts and toys!
Growing in leaps
and bounds!
Bundle of
chimp joy
Walter the male Red-necked
Wallaby is now nine months old
and is regularly spotted out and
about at Taronga Western Plains
Zoo. Up until about eight months
of age Walter stayed mainly in
mum’s pouch, emerging
occasionally to have a
stretch before clambering
back in again. The
young wallaby will
still feed from mum
Leila for another few
months until he’s fully
independent.
Leila is doing a
great job of raising the
young joey and allows
the keepers to get up
close and check on
Walter during the day.
The Taronga Zoo
chimpanzee group welcomed
its newest addition, the first in
five years, on 16 October. Mum
Kuma gave birth in just four minutes,
8 metres above the ground on a climbing frame, immediately
scooping up her newborn and cradling the baby close.
Her eldest son Furahi, who is 10, and two mothers of juveniles
attended the birth. Other curious young chimps visited the new
mother and her baby.
Primate Keeper Katie Hooker says it’s important for younger
chimpanzees to learn parenting skills and Kuma is a model mum.
The baby chimp will suckle for two years, wean at around four and
reach full maturity at 14 or 15. The new arrival brings the number
of Taronga chimpanzees to 18.
TARONGA.ORG.AU21
S
eventeen years ago, animal lover
Jen Conaghan took a leap of faith
and resigned from her job for the
chance to do six weeks’ temporary work at
Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo –
and never left.
How did you get into
this industry?
I knew when I was at high school that I
wanted to do something with animals.
When I left school I got a job, did the
zookeepers’ certificate and became a Zoo
Friend, and volunteered in order to get
myself known as a candidate. Then the
opportunity to do temporary work at the
Zoo came up. I couldn’t get the time off
from work so I quit my job in the hope the
Zoo would want to keep me when the
time ended – and they did.
I think you have to take a
gamble sometimes if you
really want something.
“If you’re coming to the Zoo in
Jen’s
Zoo visit tip
warmer weather, come early in the
What does your
morning because the animals are more
day involve?
active in cooler temperatures,” Jen
Unit 3 looks after Black
says. She recommends utilising a twoRhinoceros, Greater
day pass to have the opportunity of
One-horned Rhinoceros,
seeing different animal activity
Cheetahs,
African Wild
at different times of
Dogs,
Galapagos
Tortoises,
the day.
BEHIND
THE
SCENES
22
SUMMER 2013/14
TARONGA WESTERN PLAINS
ZOO UNIT 3 SUPERVISOR
JEN CONAGHAN WORKS
WITH A VERY DIVERSE
BUNCH OF HIGH-CARE
ANIMALS – AND LOVES
EVERY MINUTE OF IT.
IMAGE Heidi Quine
Oriental Small-clawed Otters
and a number of primates: Siamangs,
Ring-tailed Lemurs, Black and Whiteruffed Lemurs, Spider Monkeys and
White-handed Gibbons. Unit 3 is a little
different from the other divisions, and you
have to approach each species differently
in regard to their care.
The Zoo is like a jigsaw and we all have
our own little pieces to put in place. Every
day brings something different: juggling
all the facets of animal husbandry and
the keepers who look after our collection,
liaising with various departments at the
Zoo – such as the maintenance staff – and
in-depth discussions with vets, curators
and other supervisors.
What are some of the
challenges of the job?
Blending staff, visitors and management’s
goals can be a challenge. In general the
animals are much easier to manage than
the people!
It’s a thinking challenge most of the
time. Almost every species is involved in
breeding programs and some of them are
quite high maintenance, including both
social and solitary species. Some animals
have specific feeding requirements, or
we have to manipulate the introductions
between pairs for breeding. Black Rhinos
and Cheetahs are notoriously challenging
to breed so we have to create breeding
opportunities. No matter how long you’ve
been here you never know it all.
Favourite part of the job?
Having that close bond with some of those
animals – each species I have worked with
has its own highlights – and the breeding
programs’ successes. Our first Galapagos
Tortoise hatchling NJ is three years old
now. They can live between 100 and 150
years so we expect NJ to be around long
after we’ve all gone!
I get a buzz from seeing the progression
of staff too, through their development
as keepers to being ready to spread their
wings. That’s very satisfying.
I’ve also had the good fortune to travel
to Africa about once a year since I started
with the Zoo to keep up to date with
what’s happening in the wild – particularly
with rhinos. Going looking for rhinos on
foot or driving through the scrub, there’s
more leeway for adventure and freedom
that never ceases to surprise and delight
me. You can get closer and see more, and
you never know what’s round the next
corner or what situations you will find
yourself in. You can be looking for rhinos
and suddenly find a herd of elephants in
your path, or spend an hour watching
some obscure little species that becomes
the highlight of your day!
TARONGA.ORG.AU23