Summer 2013/14 • Taronga Zoo, Sydney • Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo • $4.95
WILD!RHINOSAussie artist Ken Done on painting a masterpiece
WALKING WITH LEMURS Join us for a preview tour
GORILLA GROUP Kibali’s cohorts arrive
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 KerrDirector and Chief Executive
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Contents PLAYING LIKE LEMURS ....................... 4Join us for a preview tour of the long-awaited Lemur Forest Adventure.
MAKING A MASTERPIECE ...................... 8Celebrated Sydney artist Ken Done shares the story behind his painted rhino.
SOUVENIR POSTER ............................ 11Hang a wise Ring-tailed Lemur on your wall. K-ZONE ................................................. 12Wild Life spends a day at the beach and says hello to some shore-dwelling critters.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE ................... 15Taronga’s Conservation Field Grants have helped thousands of animals in recent years. KIBALI & CO ......................................... 16A family is formed as two new female gorillas are introduced to breeding male Kibali. NEWS BRIEFS ....................................... 18Catch up on all the latest Zoo news. BEHIND THE SCENES ........................ 22We 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 Director and Chief Executive: Cameron Kerr Executive Editors: Jennifer Walter and Kirsty Deane taronga.org.au taronga.org.au/zoofriends
Editor: Nicole Macdonald Art Director: Katherine Cordwell Publisher: Abby Cartwright Cover image: Chris Chen
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
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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.
SEND US YOUR SNAPS AND WIN!
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Turn to page 19 for info on how to enter.
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Playing like lemursTARONGA 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 HillermanEight 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 NEWThe 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 ZONESThere 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
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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
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 SOONThe 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.
Here kids can climb, balance, swing, sway,
slide and splash on a range of
exciting new play structures...
MEET THE LEMURSThe Sydney Four• Andriba is 14 years old. He is
often the first to participate in training sessions.
• Soalata is 15 and the oldest of the eight lemurs. He can be cautious around strangers.
• Andre is 13. He is a quietly confident animal and the current leader of the Sydney group.
• Makili is Andre’s twin brother and the largest of the Sydney Four.
The Dubbo Boys• Julian is five years old. He is a
confident lemur and best friends with Maki.
• Casper is Julian’s twin brother and is very confident with people.
• Maki is four, the youngest of all eight lemurs but also the largest.
• Bamboo is seven and also confident around people.
LEMUR FOREST ADVENTURE FACTS• Over 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.
FOREST CONSERVATION, LEMUR-STYLESTORY 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.
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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
“This 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 TOPOGRAPHYIt’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 CONNECTIONKen 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.” »
Making a masterpiece
TARONGA.ORG.AU 9
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KEN DONE BIOGRAPHYBorn 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.
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RHINOS IN CRISISTaronga 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.
TO SEE A VIDEO OF KEN DONE PAINTING HIS RHINO, HEAD TO TARONGA.ORG.AU/WILD-RHINOS/KENDONE
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TARONGA.ORG.AU
Ring-tailed Lemurs have a
special reflective layer behind the retina of their eyes that helps
them see at night.
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Max Williams, 6
Rose Gladstone, 6Elizabeth Whelan, 4
THREE CHEERS FOR
EVERYONE WHO WON
A TOTALLY AWESOME
LEGO SET!
WIN YOUR
VERY OWN
FURBY BOOM!
Send us your drawing of your fave sea- or shore-
livin’ critter to win one of five super sick Furby
Booms thanks to Hasbro and Wild Life.
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 names will be published online at bit.ly/IT6Qx6 on 24/01/14. The Promoter is Pacific Magazines Pty Ltd (ABN 16 097 410 896). For full terms and conditions please visit bit.ly/IT6Qx6
Faith Waterhouse, 11
Macy Gordon-Heywood, 7
Lachlan Rec, 9
Yani Kunko, 6
Charlie Shu, 4
Emerson Cobby, 8
William Arrowsmith, 6
Aamos Peltonen, 7Ada Kelly, 10 Joel Murray, 7
Find more
fascinating
animal facts at
SHORE THINGS
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!
Do not SNIFF
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.
Smash AND GRAB
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!
It’s a hard CRAB LIFE
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!
Jelly BELLIES
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!
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!
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!
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MAKING A DIFFERENCEIN 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
Over 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...
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 RESOLUTIONIn 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.
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.
THE YEARS AHEADThis 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.
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Kibali & Co.
Kibali looks on while Mbeli struts her stuff; below, Johari
munches on a snack.
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
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He’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-year-
old 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-
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
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 minglingWhen 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.
HOME IMPROVEMENTSThe 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.
THE BIG MEETINGAllan takes us through what happened, step by step.
“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!”
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STORY Michael Shiels IMAGE Nick Atchison
A world of cute! From left to right: Feathertail Glider joeys; Red-tailed Phascogale joeys.
TARONGA.ORG.AU 1918 SUMMER 2013/14
WINNER
For the birds
DID YOU KNOW?
Currawongs have yellow eyes, magpies have red eyes, Aussie
crows and ravens have white eyes!
From 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
adaptation to a captive diet, interactions, weight gains or
losses, overall health and other observations that were
recorded daily.
After a thorough health check by Taronga veterinarians
the birds were released on 18 October by the LHI Board staff
to the same places they were captured at the start of the trial.
Joeys in the houseIf 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
manage this, keepers rotated one of the boys in with the girls every four days.
Visitors can see the eight phascogale joeys on display in the Australia’s Nightlife exhibit along with the ever-energetic feathertails. These active little gliders
have fast metabolisms fuelled by a mixture of
honey, Sustagen and high protein baby cereal, Elli says. As
they grow too big to fit in their mothers’ pouches the feathertails’ mums create a creche for the joeys, taking it in turns to keep watch over the young ones.
DID YOU KNOW?
Feathertails don’t let their small stature stop them – they can leap
and glide up to 25 metres!
Stars sp tted at the ZooCongrats to our lovely winner, three-year-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 [email protected] before 17 January 2014. Conditions apply, for more information see taronga.org.au/wildlife/photocomp
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, Free-
range 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.
Italian flavourShe 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.
Winning her wings
STORY June Downs
IMAGES Bec Pedemont and Leonie Saville
IMAGE
Tessa Baker
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Luckydevils
Devils once lived across Australia,
but it’s believed they became extinct on the mainland 400
years ago.
Taronga 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.
Twiga & Digger
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 three-day 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.
Zoo gifts
Whether 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-the-
scenes visits.
For more information head to
taronga.org.au/ZooFriends or
taronga.org.au/ZooParentsWant 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! 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.
Bundle of chimp joy
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.
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BEHIND THE
SCENES
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
Seventeen 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.
What does your day involve?Unit 3 looks after Black
Rhinoceros, Greater
One-horned Rhinoceros,
Cheetahs, African Wild
Dogs, Galapagos Tortoises,
Oriental Small-clawed Otters
and a number of primates: Siamangs,
Ring-tailed Lemurs, Black and White-
ruffed 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!
“If you’re coming to the Zoo in warmer weather, come early in the
morning because the animals are more active in cooler temperatures,” Jen
says. She recommends utilising a two-day pass to have the opportunity of
seeing different animal activity at different times of
the day.
Jen’s Zoo visit tip