ZOO NEWS
Vervet Monkey SPEND A DAY IN THE LIFE OF WERRIBEE OPEN RANGE ZOO KEEPER KIERALIE
ANIMAL
Mysterious monotremes Peer into the wonderful world of the Platypus
CONSERVATION
COMMUNITY
Birds on the brink
Animal artistry
The birds that Zoos Victoria is trying to save from extinction
Zoo Member Harrison Jacobs’ award-winning animal-inspired artwork
VOLUME 46 / WINTER 2022
ZOOS VICTORIA MEMBER MAGAZINE
EXCLUSIVE TO ZOOS VICTORIA MEMBERS
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CONTENTS WINTER 2022
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Animal grooming
The Zoo Files
18
Mysterious monotremes
Birds on the brink
Find out more about the fascinating Platypus
20
Winter at the zoo
04 News at the zoos
16 Scrub-a-dub-dub
Animal grooming and hygiene at the zoo
06 Bunjil the eagle
Elder Murrundindi tells a Dreaming story
Dear Members, Welcome to the winter edition of Zoo News. There is so much to discover at the zoo when the temperature drops, so read on to find out how to make the most of your visit this winter. We look forward to seeing you soon! Dr Jenny Gray CEO, Zoos Victoria
18 Birds on the brink
The species we’re trying to save from extinction
08 The zoo files
Learn about an Australian icon, the Platypus
20 Winter at the zoo
Visit the animals that love the cold months
12 A day in the life of Vervet Monkey keeper Kieralie
22 Animal artistry
14 Inspiring a new generation
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we live and work, and pay our respects to Elders both past and present.
Meet Harrison Jacobs
The partnership that’s helping inspire new conservationists
Zoo News is published for Zoos Victoria by Hardie Grant Media
Zoos Victoria PO Box 74, Parkville Vic 3052 P 03 9340 2780 / F 03 9285 9390 E members@zoo.org.au W zoo.org.au
MANAGING DIRECTOR Nick Hardie-Grant ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Scott Elmslie ACCOUNT MANAGER Hannah Louey EDITOR Georgia Lejeune DESIGN Dallas Budde, Kieran Medici ADVERTISING Kerri Spillane PRINTER Immij ZOOS VICTORIA Eammon Verberne, Olivia Shiels, Tracey Borch
Connect with us: Have you visited lately? Share your visit with us and be sure to use the hashtag #zoomember
Cover: Vervet Monkey (Photograph: Jo Howell)
Printed on FSC® certified paper with vegetable-based inks. Zoos Victoria is a carbon-neutral organisation and powered by 100% renewable energy.
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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COMMUNITY
NEWS at the ZOO
Keep up to date with the news taking place at:
Member VIP Zone
Visit your Member VIP Zone for the latest information on upcoming events at Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. You’ll also find a range of craft activities for kids, keeper talks and exclusive member discount offers.
HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY MELBOURNE ZOO WERRIBEE OPEN RANGE ZOO
Click here
s, Just like humpahnant expectant eleto have mothers get s too! ultrasound
With the elephants’ due dates getting closer (late 2022 and early 2023) the Melbourne Zoo team has been monitoring the herd of expectant mothers. A diet of hay, browse (leaves, twigs and high-growing vegetation), fruit and vegetables is providing the elephants optimum nutrition throughout their pregnancies. In the lead-up to the births, visitors and members won’t notice a change in the appearance or behaviour of the three female elephants (Dokkoon, Mali and Num-Oi); however, it’s important to keep noise low when visiting the Trail of the Elephants so as not to startle the elephants.
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Look!
WINE & WILDLIFE Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 July, 10.30am to 4.30pm, Healesville Sanctuary is once again teaming up with Yarra Valley icons to bring you a weekend of food and wine against the backdrop of the Sanctuary’s stunning bushland setting. Wine & Wildlife helps Healesville Sanctuary rescue and rehabilitate injured wildlife. Tickets go on sale to members on Thursday 9 June.
Click here
IMAGES: CORMAC HANRAHAN, JO HOWELL, GETTY IMAGES
Elephant pregnancy update!
HATCHES & matches
The zoos are places for love, new life and, sadly, sometimes loss. Check out the latest animal happenings at your zoos.
Tips for
MEMBERS
WERRIBEE OPEN RANGE ZOO
PLAINS-WANDERERS
CAR PARKING The City of Melbourne carpark at Melbourne Zoo fills up quickly. To avoid disappointment, come to the zoo via public transport. We have a dedicated tram and train stop right on our doorstep. Getting to Melbourne Zoo via public transport is easy, convenient and eco-friendly. To plan your route Click here
MELBOURNE ZOO
Seven Critically Endangered Plainswanderer chicks were born at Werribee Open Range Zoo.
LORD HOWE ISLAND STICK INSECT We celebrated the arrival of fourth generation Critically Endangered Lord Howe Island Stick Insects, hatched at Melbourne Zoo.
MELBOURNE ZOO
SEVEN SNAKES
BRING YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD/S
Melbourne Zoo has welcomed six freshly hatched Eastern Diamond Rattlesnakes and one Reticulated Python.
All members will be asked to present their member card upon entry. Without your member card/s you may be refused entry.
MEMBERSHIPS AREN’T TRANSFERABLE A friendly reminder that memberships are nontransferable and should only be used by the named member.
HEALESVILLE SANCTUARY
CATCH A KEEPER TALK
LEADBEATER’S POSSUMS
The best way to learn more about your favourite animals is from the people who know and love them best – their keepers. To find out daily Keeper Talk times Click here
Together, with our partners Parks Victoria and the DELWP, we translocated 13 lowland Leadbeater’s Possums to form a new home near Mansfield. With fewer than 33 remaining, 13 have made the move to form the current population located at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve. The move followed extensive studies to find suitable habitat in Victoria’s north-east and Gippsland. ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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COMMUNITY
BUNJIL THE EAGLE Learn, listen and gather through Dreamtime
The Dreamtime stories of the Wurundjeri people live on through Murrundindi, an Aboriginal Elder with close ties to Healesville Sanctuary.
T
WORDS
here has been a longstanding connection between Traditional Owners, the Wurundjeri people, and Healesville Sanctuary. Part of the grounds of the Sanctuary were once Coranderrk Station, a former Aboriginal reservation. Today, Wurundjeri Elder Murrundindi continues to tell the Dreaming stories of his people, sharing culture passed down to him by his mother, the last woman born on the Coranderrk Reserve. “Dreamtime stories are traditionally told in the spoken word of the Woiwurrung language, so people can gather to listen, learn and laugh with one another,” explains Murrundindi. In commemoration of NAIDOC Week – celebrated this year from 3–10 July – Murrundindi has generously shared an original creation story of his people.
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Hannah Sly
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jo Howell
The story of Bunjil the eagle
NAIDOC Week Held in the first week of July each year, NAIDOC Week is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures, histories and achievements. This year’s theme is ‘Get up! Stand up! Show up!’, which encourages both Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians to continue pushing for systemic change. Many events take place across the country to amplify this message – to find out more
Click here
The Wurundjeri people believe an ancestral Wedge-tailed Eagle called ‘Bunjil’ created the land. Bunjil originated from a falling star, and as he fell from the sky, he blew air from his beak to create the earth we live on today. He scratched in the soil with his talons, and the first trees and plants started to grow. Bunjil then took off back into the sky, and as he was flying, he saw a small branch from the manna gum tree lying on the ground. He swooped on the branch and shook it, creating his brother ‘Mindi’ the snake. Mindi became the law of the land, and together Mindi and Bunjil created all the animals, including the kangaroo, koala, Platypus and echidna. The last animal to be created was ‘Pally-Yan’ the bat. Pally-Yan flew up
HISTORY is all around you Manna gum scar tree at Healesville Sanctuary: Nestled
on the Wurundjeri Walk, not far from the front entrance, lies an ancient scar tree. This piece of history is more than 250 years old and shows where the Traditional Owners harvested the bark to make a canoe.
WU RU NDJ ERI ELD ER MU RRUND IND I
River red gum scar tree at Melbourne Zoo: Go through the
front entrance, turn directly right and head past the meerkat exhibit. Above the Heads to Tails game, you will find a culturally significant scar tree. Its bark has also been harvested and used to make a canoe.
ILLUSTRATION: MELANIE HAVA
Werribee River: Werribee Open
onto the manna gum tree, stuck his claw into the trunk and slid down to the ground. This caused bark to fall from the tree, creating the first man, known as ‘Kulin’. After stripping the bark, Pally-Yan jumped onto a log floating down the Yarra River and he called on all the animals to come in. As he approached the waterfalls around Warrandyte, he noticed a sapling floating downstream which he stuffed into the bottom of the river. All of a sudden, the mud started to rise, creating a figure of a human, which the animals dragged up onto the bank of the river. Bunjil the eagle then blew air upon the figure, creating ‘Lubra’, the first woman.
And so, Kulin and Lubra came together to live as man and wife. When Bunjil the eagle passed away, he was buried on the land where Healesville Sanctuary is today. Thousands of years later a sacred mountain rose from Bunjil’s resting place, so his spirit could return to the sky, and he became a star again. This star is called Dara. It comes out every year to travel across the sky and is most visible in early spring. If you look closely behind the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Healesville Sanctuary, you can still see the form of Bunjil’s wingspan in the curve of the mountains (Mt Riddell). ZN
Range Zoo flanks either side of the Werribee River, the traditional boundary between Wadawurrung and Bunurong Countries. The banks of the river have been a significant meeting place for people of the Eastern Kulin Nation for thousands of years. Visitors pass over the Werribee River during the Safari Tour experience and can walk to its eastern bank via the Zoo’s Australian Trail Wetland Walk.
LEARN & HEAR To learn about the Aboriginal history connected to the land, visit Healesville Sanctuary on a Sunday to hear stories from Wurundjeri Elder Murrundindi. He also shares insights into this culture during the school holidays and on public holidays.
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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ANIMAL
The Zoo files
MYSTERIOUS MONOTREMES The Platypus is one of the most distinctive and genetically diverse species in the world. While we understand many of its extraordinary traits and behaviours, there’s still so much to learn. WORDS Beth
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Wallace
L
egend has it that when British scientists first encountered a Platypus in the late 1700s, they were so convinced that someone had sewn different animals together they tried looking for stitches. In the scientists’ defence, the Platypus truly is a strange sight to behold. It appears to have the bill and webbed feet of a duck, the sleek, furry body of an otter, and the paddle-shaped tail of a beaver. And its appearance is just the beginning of its weird and wonderful qualities. For starters, it’s one of only two monotremes in the world. Along with the echidna, it’s a mammal, but unlike regular mammals, it lays eggs and feeds milk to its young via sweat glands on its belly, rather than through teats. Both species are also electroreceptive. For the Platypus, this means thousands of tiny receptors on its rubbery bill allow it to navigate, eyes closed, through murky waters. As an added bonus, the receptors pick up electric signals emitted by prey – mostly aquatic invertebrates, such as crayfish, shrimp and worms. Considering the Platypus’ small size (roughly 1.5kg for males and 1kg for females), it has a surprisingly large appetite, and is known to eat around 20 per cent of its bodyweight every day.
Platypus fur is thick and waterproof, which helps keep them warm while swimming around in creeks, ponds and streams.
PLATYPUS
FAST FACTS Like a shark, the Platypus uses electronic impulses to detect underwater prey and locate objects in the darkest depths of the creeks and rivers.
Over-dressed
Platypus have two layers of fur for insulation and waterproofing. They use their fur to trap a layer of air next to their skin so they can remain buoyant and dry when they’re underwater.
Protection Male Platypus have a hollow spur on each hind leg connected to a venom secreting gland. The venom is dangerous to animals.
The Platypus spends about 12 hours every day underwater looking for food. 9
ny Thousands of rtiubbery s receptors ontoit navigate, bill allow it , through eyes closed aters. murky w
Pledged
Help the Platypus survive and thrive Get involved in river clean-ups with local community groups Join a citizen-science initiative, like The Great Australian Platypus Search Click here Use phosphate-free detergents
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Earlier this year, the Victorian Government pledged $5 million to build Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Platypus Conservation Centre. Home to the largest captive collection of Platypus and the only active breeding program, the existing Platypus facility will be upgraded with new rehabilitation areas – both for creatures with short-term medical needs and those requiring more extensive care. The centre will also provide a base for researchers working to support conservation efforts for this much-loved native species.
At mealtime, it will paddle into the depths of its watery home, where it can remain underwater for two-and-a-half minutes, scooping up creatures with its bill. Upon returning to the surface, the toothless carnivore ‘chews’ its food using grinding plates in its mouth.
Curiouser and curiouser
Another peculiar trait of the Platypus is that it’s one of few venomous mammals. Males sport a sharp spur on their hind feet, which is connected to a venom gland. This spur comes in handy during breeding season, when males are compelled to fight one another for the favour of a female. After mating, the female builds a nest in an underground burrow, where she lays one or two soft, leathery eggs. She incubates them for 10 days, until the baby Platypus (called a puggle) emerges, roughly the size of a jellybean (17mm). According to Dr Jess, Life Sciences Keeper at Healesville Sanctuary, Platypus have personality in spades, with each of the nine Platypus in her care – plus male, Sam, at Melbourne Zoo – displaying their own unique temperament and quirks. Twenty-eightyear-old female Platypus Fleay, for example, likes to climb and dive from the waterfall in her habitat. “I think the thing that captures me most about them are their personalities, and their inquisitiveness and playfulness,” Dr Jess says. While the Platypus at our zoos might be easy to spot, those who reside in the rivers, streams and creeks of eastern Australia are far more elusive. “They’re little brown animals living in a brown habitat,” Dr Jess explains. “They spend most of their time swimming underwater or sleeping underground, and they’re nocturnal. They’re all things that aren’t that compatible with humans.”
ANIMAL
MEET KIP Platypus’ best friend
Given their impressive hiding skills, it’s difficult to know how many Platypus remain in the wild, though the species was officially declared Vulnerable in Victoria for the first time in 2021. They face dangers on multiple fronts: habitat destruction, extreme weather events like bushfires and drought, and predators, including foxes and dogs. Yet in a strange turn of events, it’s dogs – one very special dog, to be precise – that offer hope for their dwindling numbers. As part of Zoos Victoria’s Fighting Extinction Wildlife Detection Dog Program, Kip – a seven-year-old kelpiecross – has joined a world-first trial, using his incredible sense of smell to help conservationists find Platypus in Healesville Sanctuary’s natural creek system. Wildlife Detection Dog Officer Naomi Hodgens says the goal of the project is to collect previously inaccessible data about the mysterious monotremes.
WINTER READING tials essen
Curl up on the couch with these great books about wildlife conservation.
VISIT THEM! Make a trip to Melbourne Zoo or Healesville Sanctuary to see the wonderful Platypus. To book your free Zoo Member tickets Click here
The Great Forest By // Professor David Lindenmayer
$42.50 members* $50 RRP
Zoo Members get a 15% discount when purchasing online via the Zoo Shop.
Click here
This visually beautiful hardback is a tribute to the extraordinary landscape of central Victoria. The images of mountain ash forests highlight the need to protect the ecology now under threat from logging and bushfires. The book explores the forests that sustained the Gunaikurnai, Taungurung and Wurundjeri people for tens of thousands of years.
“Getting more of an understanding of how they’re living and breeding, and when the juveniles disperse from their maternal burrows in the wild, will help with our captive breeding program, which has big conservation outcomes for the species,” she says. Training involves a new technique, whereby Kip is presented with Platypus odour absorbed into a polymer tube. He then uses this ‘information’ to search for the animals; when he finds one, he communicates with his handler either by sitting or freezing and pointing with his nose at a safe distance. If Kip’s training is successful, Naomi believes there’s potential for detection dogs to continue working with Platypus in future. “With climate change and the rise of extreme weather events, we’ve got to be prepared with more information about how the species is going to respond and where we need to intervene.” ZN
Tiny Possum and the Migrating Moths By // Julie Murphy
$21.25 members* $25 RRP The perfect book for your 6–9-year-old; the illustrations and storytelling will teach young children about the importance of conservation. Follow the Mountain Pygmy-possum as it searches for food and shelter to help it survive the alpine winter. *no further discounts apply
ANIMAL
A day in the life ~ OF A ~
VERVET MONKEY “I Caring for a troop of Vervet Monkeys is all in a day’s work for Werribee Open Range Zoo Keeper Kieralie. WORDS Alegria
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Alano
’d always wanted to work with primates,” says keeper Kieralie. After studying a Bachelor of Science in Biodiversity and Conservation, her passion for primates took her overseas to do volunteer work with Orangutans. When she returned, she completed a certificate in Wildlife and Exhibited Animal Care that led to work in an animal sanctuary, then worked as a volunteer with primates and ungulates at Taronga Zoo. Eventually she landed her current role as a keeper in the team of 14 who take care of the African River Trail at Werribee Open Range Zoo.
PHOTOGRAPHY: JO HOWELL; PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: SAM RANKIN
keeper
The troop
Vervet Monkeys live in groups called troops that are matriarchal (led by a female). Their social hierarchies can dictate who might get more food and grooming – which happens with the Werribee Open Range Zoo troop. “Our dominant female monkey, KayGee, is currently ‘overgroomed’,” says Kieralie. “As she is at the top of the hierarchy, all of the other monkeys tend to spend a little bit of time grooming her, resulting in a couple of bald patches.”
Using the habitat
The troop lives in a single habitat that is separated into the exhibit that members and visitors can see and a back-of-house space. “Their backof-house area has multiple pens that allow us to separate them into smaller groups, which is really helpful for us to get a good, close look at individuals in the morning. This also allows us to work with individuals for training, ensuring other monkeys don’t try to sneak up and steal treats we are giving as reinforcers,” says Kieralie. The exhibit has an island covered in long grass, mulch, tall trees and shelters that allow the monkeys to climb and find resting places to look out over the Zoo.
Morning set-up
In the morning, the monkeys are called into the back so that keepers can clean the exhibit area and put food in among the mulch and grass for foraging. Mornings are also when the monkeys will do training that helps with healthcare and enrichment. “By training the monkeys to move to a target stick, for example, we can see the monkeys up close and look at how they are moving around to check them for any injuries,” says Kieralie. “Training gets the monkeys to think about what they might have to do to get delicious food. This helps them to use their minds and do a bit of problem-solving.”
Did you know? Afternoon stroll
Baby Vervet Monkeys spend the first week of their life clinging to their mother’s stomach. Once they’re three weeks old, they begin to move around by themselves and play with other young monkeys.
After the morning session, the monkeys are free to wander the exhibit. The keepers will return to ‘scatter feed’ where food is thrown into the exhibit. Each monkey will eat about 500–700g of food daily, which can be a mix of vegetables, fruit, cereals and sometimes cooked food like eggs. “This time is also used to do observations of the monkeys, to see how they are moving around, using the exhibit and interacting with each other,” says Kieralie. The keepers will also clean the back-of-house area so that the monkeys can wander around all sections at night.
Hanging about Spending time with the troop means Kieralie has got to know the monkeys’ different traits. There’s Kipili, who loves to show off the spots on his feet by sitting with them in the air, and Funky (with funky sideburns), who loves food. But Kieralie’s favourite is the oldest and fastest monkey, Rhet, who she is currently training. “He used to be a monkey that wouldn’t want to come near the keepers,” she says. “It has been wonderful to watch him build up his confidence and trust.” ZN
SWING INTO THE ZOO Visit the Vervet Monkeys at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Click here to book your free Zoo Member tickets
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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ANIMAL COMMUNITY
INSPIRING A NEW GENERATION OF WILDLIFE PROTECTORS As a not-for-profit organisation, Zoos Victoria values the support of its animal-loving community. This includes a valued partnership with PETstock who are inspiring and educating a new generation of wildlife champions.
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hrough storytelling, education programs and research support, PETstock is helping Zoos Victoria to work toward its greatest goal: to fight extinction. Now in year two of a three-year partnership with Zoos Victoria, PETstock – and its charity foundation – is dedicated to supporting conservation work and animal care and welfare, while educating the next generation of conservationists. One of the ways PETstock is working towards this collaborative aim is by funding educational readers for Victorian primary schools. The Zoos Victoria Readers are designed to make kids more aware of their local wildlife – and, importantly, to care about it. These captivating readers, filled with engaging stories, were provided to
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schools in time for Term 2 (which began in April 2022) and are supported by a range of online workshops and teaching resources, to help teachers create meaningful lessons about wildlife. “We are believers in leaving the world a better place than we found it, and inspiring our youth to do the same can only be good for the planet,” says Dion Collard, Head of Marketing, Operations and Communications at PETstock. In-store colouring activities and competitions are also part of PETstock’s commitment to supporting Zoos Victoria. Mel Wyatt, Zoos Victoria Senior Manager, Education, says, “One of the first steps in protecting our wildlife is knowing that it exists in the first place. Often with Australian species that tend to be either nocturnal and secretive in behaviour, or more rarely encountered,
we only begin to understand our own local wildlife diversity at an older age.” The readers will ensure Foundation to Year Two students are well informed about the Critically Endangered animals. “The readers have been brought to life through eliciting the story and connection of our Threatened Species team members working directly with these species in their wild habitats. I cannot wait for children to read them,” Mel says. Another example of how PETstock’s support has made a significant difference to Zoos Victoria’s work is by establishing the role of Animal Welfare Research Officer – a position that Amy-Rose Fraser has passionately undertaken. “Collaboration is so important in the world of animal welfare and
IMAGES: JO HOWELL
WORDS Sonya Gellert
“We are committed to continuous improvement in the way in which we house and look after animals.” The amazing new readers
AMY-ROSE FRASER Animal Welfare Research Officer, Zoos Victoria
conservation,” says Amy-Rose. “We’re all working towards similar objectives – happy animals, respected animals and fighting extinction.” Amy-Rose is relishing the chance to actively help meet those objectives. “We are committed to continuous improvement in the way in which we house and look after animals,” she says, “which is why it is so important for Zoos Victoria to have specialised staff dedicated to animal welfare research.” In Amy-Rose’s daily interactions with animals, she’s been able to gain useful data and information about how Zoos Victoria can further prevent extinction. “Each day typically involves some form of animal observations,” she says. “I might watch Hutan the Sumatran Tiger for a few hours to observe and record how he reacts to certain changes
in his environment, like a new enrichment opportunity. This type of behavioural data, whether it’s for a Sumatran Tiger or a Lord Howe Island Stick Insect, is imperative for our understanding of the animals in our care.” The research – conducted during the zoo closures (due to COVID-19) – gave keepers the opportunity to observe the behaviours of animals when visitors weren’t around. “The results showed us that some short-term behaviour changes were observed, but there was surprisingly very little significant difference in behaviour during the zoo closures and when visitors returned.” Thanks to the support of PETstock, Amy-Rose and her team are able to continue the important work they do monitoring and understanding the animals in Zoos Victoria’s care.
This helps with making evidence-based decisions and changes to continually improve the lives of animals. “We have supported and seen firsthand the results Zoos Victoria has accomplished over the last couple of years,” says Dion. “We are so very proud to partner with an organisation that takes real action when it comes to the conservation of species.” ZN
WANT TO LEARN MORE? To learn more about the Critically Endangered species Click here to learn more
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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ANIMAL
Scrub -a -dub -dub
ANIMAL CLEANING AND CARE WORDS Beth
Wallace
From dust-bathing elephants to nit-picking baboons, animals are experts at cleaning and self-care. Find out how these animals maintain good hygiene and health.
Sand-bathing might not seem like an effective cleaning practice, but for Ostriches it’s a great way to keep their skin and feathers in prime condition. “It helps to absorb excess oils to ensure feathers don’t get oily or matted, and helps to remove pests, like mites and flies,” explains Alison, Savannah Keeper at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Daily check-ups are optional for the
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Zoo’s Ostriches. If they choose to enter the training area, keepers will assess their body condition, eyes and demeanour, and monitor how well they’re eating and moving. Cooperative birds are rewarded with edible treats, says Alison. “This ensures the Ostriches are happy and engaged while in the training area and allows keepers to safely perform health checks.”
An onsite Water Recycling Plant collects around 90 per cent of water from the grounds at Melbourne Zoo. Each year, the facility recycles approximately 100 megalitres of water, which is repurposed for irrigation, flushing toilets, filling water bodies (artificial pools and lakes) and washing down animal areas.
IMAGES: JO HOWELL
Ostrich
WASHED UP!
Tips for saving water at home Just like animals, we need to clean ourselves regularly to maintain health and hygiene. Here are some tips for creating sustainable habits to ensure we’re looking after the planet by saving water while we scrub-a-dub-dub. Take shorter showers
HAMA DRYAS BABO ON
Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth Install a water-efficient showerhead and dual-flush toilet
ASIA N ELEP HANT
Save excess water from your shower to use on the garden or to wash the car
Asian Elephant
SNOW LEOPARD Baboon
For highly social Hamadryas Baboons, grooming sessions are about so much more than getting clean. Grooming is important for hygiene purposes – like when removing lice; but, according to Melbourne Zoo Primates Keeper Morgan, these silvery-grey-coated creatures are just as likely to use their hands and mouths to remove parasites, dirt, dead skin and other nasties from one another to release stress, bond, climb the social hierarchy or even steal food. This cleaning and grooming for non-hygiene purposes is known as allogrooming in primate species. Melbourne Zoo’s resident baboons clean their teeth with plenty of browse (such as leaves and branches) and hard vegetables – nature’s greatest toothbrushes! They also engage in enrichment activities that stimulate natural behaviours, like foraging for food and climbing. Morgan explains that the intelligent primates are currently being encouraged to enter their dens as a whole troop for health assessments. “This is all done voluntarily,” she says. “If the baboons are willing to participate, they receive a reward.”
Snow Leopard
Just like domestic cats, Snow Leopards ‘bathe’ by licking, chewing, scratching and rubbing their fur – a process known as autogrooming, explains Melbourne Zoo Carnivores and Ungulates Keeper, Meryl. “Snow Leopards groom to maintain good hygiene, but it can also be a calming behaviour,” she says. “The licking may help cool their body down or even reduce their scent to help mask their presence.” Although Snow Leopards are masters of self-care (they even avoid trips to the dentist by gnawing on furred and boned meat), keepers perform daily visual checks to make sure they’re moving and behaving normally, eating and defecating regularly, and that their coat, eyes and ears appear healthy. Likewise, they provide stimulation for the acrobatic felines with a selection of objects and scents, or even food presented in a way that challenges them. “All of these things help to encourage natural behaviours, which keeps them physically and mentally healthy,” says Meryl.
It might surprise you to learn that Asian Elephants follow a complex skincare regimen. Patrick, Melbourne Zoo Trail of the Elephants Keeper, explains that the majestic animals use their trunks to splash water on their bodies, to which they add a generous serving of substrate (mostly dust and dirt). “The mud and substrate protect the skin from UV and abrasions, but also from microbes and bugs that may sit on the surface of their skin,” Patrick says. Aside from applying this special brand of ‘elephant sunscreen’, you might catch the herd at Melbourne Zoo rubbing their bodies up against trees or rock walls to scratch and exfoliate their skin. And if you’ve ever wondered why an elephant blows water out of its trunk, Patrick has the answer: “This clears the inside of their trunk of any trapped dust, hay, bits of food or excess mucus. Elephants use their trunks to detect smells and pheromones, so keeping it clean is a must.” ZN
WATCH THEM IN ACTION See these animals cleaning and preening themselves in person. Click here to book your free Zoo Member tickets
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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CONSERVATION ANIMAL
Birds ~ ON THE ~
BRINK
Saving Victoria’s most endangered bird species requires time, patience, expertise, dedication and support from generous donors who care about wildlife conservation.
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Stewart
t’s a confronting truth that some of Victoria’s most unique bird species are under threat, but it’s this knowledge that’s inspired Zoos Victoria and its partners to take action to save these species from extinction. A new fundraising campaign focused on Zoos Victoria’s six Fighting Extinction bird species will help to raise awareness and funds for recovery programs that support the survival of species, which include the Critically Endangered Orange-bellied Parrot, Helmeted Honeyeater and Plains-wanderer. “People come to the zoo for a nice day, but beyond the walls there’s plenty of work Zoos Victoria does that people don’t see,” says Angie Retallack, General Manager Philanthropy at Zoos Victoria. Birds have long captivated many of us, and a growing number of people enjoy admiring the colourful plumage of a native parrot or the warbling of a magpie. “People have become more aware of birds during the past couple of years because they have been out and about
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in their communities more. There were fewer cars around too, so you could hear and notice the birdlife,” says Angie. Experts predict that the birding boom will continue, so there are hopes that this reverence for birds inspires people to contribute to their ongoing survival. “If we don’t look after them, who will? Who is going to care if we don’t?” says Angie.
Many birds, such as the Helmeted Honeyeater, also pollinate plants. Birdlife International reports that around 5 per cent of the plants we use for food and medicine are pollinated by birds. If bird pollinators are lost from the ecosystem, many of the plants they pollinate will also face extinction.
The benefits of birds
Apart from filling the air with melodious birdsong and giving birdwatchers a reason to smile, birds have far-reaching impacts on the health of our population, economy and production of food. Birds help to maintain the balance of precious ecosystems like forests, wetlands and grasslands. Birds also control pest insects, spread seeds that improve forest biodiversity and maintain the health of coral reefs by fertilising marine ecosystems.
“We’ve made a commitment to not allow any of these species to become extinct. That is why we are so driven to do this work.” ANGIE RETALLACK General Manager Philanthropy, Zoos Victoria
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community and raise awareness about this special species,” says Angie. “We’ve made a commitment to not allow any of these species to become extinct. That is why we are so driven to do this work.”
Reversing the decline
Give birds a chance
With so much at stake, continued investment in Victoria’s endangered bird species is paramount. But recovery programs require a significant, ongoing financial outlay to fund technology, equipment and staff. For instance, the Helmeted Honeyeater recovery program cost more than $2 million to run over five years. Donations from Zoo Members and donors are crucial to the viability of the programs that help endangered birds to thrive against the odds. Whether it’s making a one-off donation via the Zoos Victoria website or leaving a bequest in your will, every donation makes a real difference. “Zoo Members can also now make a regular gift to the program by adopting one of the Fighting Extinction species,” says Angie. Angie notes that Zoos Victoria’s continued focus on Victoria’s faunal emblem, the Helmeted Honeyeater, is particularly vital to the survival of the species. “Their population numbers are so very low. We’re trying to educate the broader
Threatened-species recovery programs may be complex and costly, but despite the challenges there’s much to be optimistic about. The establishment of the Plainswanderer breeding program at Werribee Open Range Zoo led to the first successful release of the highly unique species back into the wild. It was thanks to Zoos Victoria Members that the program was first established in 2017 – by joining and renewing memberships, you are directly contributing to conservation programs just like this one. The Orange-bellied Parrot breeding and ranching program has resulted in several releases, with the number of birds setting off from Victoria on their annual migration to Tasmania significantly increasing over the years. The long-running Helmeted Honeyeater recovery program continues to improve the genetic diversity of the species, which has gone from 50 to more than 200 birds in the wild since the program began more than 30 years ago. Seeing the hard work and investment pay off is highly rewarding for Zoos Victoria’s staff, Zoo Members, donors and partners. Angie explains that recovery programs are a team effort, with every contribution making a big difference to the survival of bird species on the brink. “Large or small, every gift is appreciated,” she says. ZN
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WANT TO HELP? Help save endangered, local bird species by making a tax-deductible donation online Click here to donate
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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ANIMAL
Cosy creatures
WINTER AT THE ZOO Pull out your warm woollies and embrace winter at the zoo. It’s the best time of year for finding cosy corners, seeing the active animals and participating in activities at Healesville Sanctuary, Melbourne Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo. WORDS
Georgia Lejeune
PHOTOGRAPHY
Jo Howell
Preparing for winter Some animals go through significant changes in the lead-up to the colder months. You may see some of our animals growing extra fur, seeking out sunny spots and eating more as the temperature drops. Look out for some of these changes when you visit the zoos this winter.
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Snow Leopards are made for the cold! Their thick white-grey coat with black rosettes is perfect for camouflaging in rocky habitats. As well as having a thick layer of fur to protect them from the cold, Snow Leopards use their furry tails to wrap around themselves to keep warm while sleeping during the colder months.
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In the lead-up to winter, bison start growing an extra-thick woolly coat to protect them from the wind and cold. You may be able to spot the cape-like fur on their shoulders, a ‘bonnet’ of fur on their heads and a ‘beard’ under their jaws.
Look out!
You might spot the Snow Leopards at Melbourne Zoo curled up together on a ledge in the sun. These animals love winter and are often more active during the colder months.
COSY COR NERS OF THE ZOO
Butterfly House
When the weather is windy and cold outside, the Melbourne Zoo Butterfly House is always a delightfully warm 28°C. The butterflies love the warmth and you will too! Make sure you take in your copy of Zooper Kids for a fun game of butterfly bingo (page 13).
Nocturnal House
Safari tour
Cold-blooded animals like Visit the mysterious world snakes and lizards need to of Nocturnal House at maintain their warmth during Healesville Sanctuary winter – which is why the for respite from the cold Reptile House at Melbourne outside. The animals of Zoo is always kept at a Nocturnal House are most comfortable temperature for why is active at night, which these animals. You can bask and quiet the exhibit is dark, undercover in the warmth, see l You’l . delightfully cosy like the Grassland Earless animals like the Eastern red), and spot Barred Bandicoot (pictured), Dragon (pictu resident animals such as the tiny Feathertail Glider and Philippine Crocodile and the the Greater Bilby. Reticulated Python.
Rainy winter days are the favourites of many native species of frogs. The rain provides amphibians the perfect environment to feed, breed, drink, breathe and cool off. Make sure you listen out on rainy days near the creek at Healesville Sanctuary for the sound of frogs celebrating the wet weather.
FROGS
Reptile House
All aboard the undercover Safari Tour bus at Werribee Open Range Zoo! You’ll be able to spot zebras, giraffes, camels and American bison from the comfort of your bus seat. This fun safari trip is suitable for all ages and is wheelchair accessible.
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Head inside for indoor play this winter at Keeper Kids (Melbourne Zoo), Future Vets (Healesville Sanctuary) and Ranger Kids (Werribee Open Range Zoo). Keeper Kids offers daily activities for children – check for updates at zoo.org.au/melbourne/keeper-kids
RED PAN DA A thick coat and bushy tail provide Red Pandas protection from the cold during winter. They live in high-altitude areas of the Himalayas, where temperatures can get as low as –8°C. Seba and Roshani, the Red Pandas at Melbourne Zoo, are most active during cold weather.
WARM UP Stop by one of the zoo cafes for a deliciously warming hot chocolate, coffee or babycino. Try the new babycinos with marshmallows and chocolate sprinkles or, for the adults, a Baileys hot chocolate at Lakeside Cafe (Melbourne Zoo) and Meerkats Bistro (Werribee Open Range Zoo). Or, for something more filling, there is a range of hot food options, including soup of the day, at Lakeside Cafe and Meerkats Bistro.
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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COMMUNITY
dHarrison’s awarng winning painti My Friend Sam
painting Zoo Member Harrison Jacobs has found comfort in combining his two passions, oil painting and animals, while raising awareness for one of his favourite Australian animals – the Platypus. WORDS
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Georgia Lejeune
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ike many Victorians, 19-year-old Zoos Victoria Member Harrison Jacobs took up a new hobby to get him through the boredom and social isolation of lockdown. Unlike many people, Harrison’s newfound skill of oil painting has continued long after restrictions eased, earning him a place in a recent exhibition at Kapi Art Space in the Dandenong Ranges and winning him the People’s Choice Award for his work My Friend Sam. At the beginning of 2020, Harrison’s mum Catherine enrolled him in an art class with Kapi Art Space teacher Heather Bradbury, who specialises in photo realism. After only three lessons, Victoria entered its first lockdown to stop the spread of COVID and lessons had to continue through Zoom.
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A passion for
“I am a very proud young man with autism… I have found that painting has been my safe place that I can go to relax, dream and just breathe.” HARRISON JACOBS Kapi Art Space People’s Choice Award winner
“I have always enjoyed drawing animals, nature and Pokémon. But it wasn’t until I started oil painting that I learnt how to do finer details and see the difference in colours, allowing me to enjoy painting more animals and nature,” Harrison says. It was thanks to Heather’s encouragement that Harrison felt confident to complete his first painting of a lemur he’d photographed at Melbourne Zoo. Harrison found the social connection of a regular online art class and the safe space that Heather created particularly beneficial. “I am a very proud young man with autism,” Harrison says. “Most people see the autism first, they don’t see me.” “Heather is a great teacher,” says Harrison’s mum Catherine. “When you’re a parent of a child with a disability and you find somebody that comes into your life who is wonderful,
you breathe. I know he’s getting so much out of it and she’s so calming and gentle and just a lovely person.” Participating in the weekly online classes helped Harrison get through some of the challenges of the lockdowns and helped keep away any loneliness he may have felt being disconnected from friends. “I have found that painting has been my safe place that I can go to relax, dream and just breathe. I would hum tunes while we all painted together and everyone would try to guess what theme it was,” he says. Regular visits to Melbourne Zoo sparked Harrison’s idea to paint his largest painting yet of Sam the Platypus. “My favourite Australian animal is the Platypus and I have learnt that they are Vulnerable in Victoria,” says Harrison. “I can’t imagine our world without them.
I decided if I painted one, maybe it would get people talking about them and raise some awareness.” The exhibition Still Standing – organised by the committee of Kapi Inc. and the Yarra Ranges Council in March – was Harrison’s first opportunity to showcase the skills he’d honed over the past two years. He was invited to give a speech on opening night and relished the chance to bring attention to the plight of the Platypus and how everyday people can help protect them. Through his artwork, Harrison found people could see him authentically. “I am no different from any other person who loves, cares and worries about losing these animals that we must save for years to come,” he says. “If everyone does a little bit then we can all enjoy our home, Victoria. Even just going for a walk and picking up rubbish as you go is cool.” Already planning his next large-scale oil painting, Harrison is keen to inspire others to have a go at something they may never have tried before. “I want to encourage all people with disabilities who think that they are only seen for their disability to have a go,” he says. “Pick up a brush or pen and create to show everyone who you truly are. “Maybe you could pick your favourite Victorian animal to create awareness in your family and community to help save our amazing wildlife.” ZN
SUBMISSIONS WELCOME Submit your Zoo Member story to win a behind-the-scenes experience at any of your three zoos. Click here to submit your story
ZOONEWS MEMBER MAGAZINE • WINTER 2022 •
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