wild life magazine summer 2014

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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TARONGA.ORG.AU 54 SUMMER 2013/14

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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.


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


20 21

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.

22 23


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

wild life magazine summer 2014

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