UK’s only koala joey is a girl!

UK’s only koala joey is a girl!

credit RZSS/Sian Addison

The UK’s only koala joey has had her first health check at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s (RZSS) Edinburgh Zoo.

Staff at the wildlife conservation charity have confirmed that the youngster, born in July last year, is a girl and currently weighs 759g.

Keepers will now choose an Aboriginal inspired name for the young joey, as they did with her sister who was born in 2018 and named Kalari, meaning ‘daughter’.

Lorna Hughes, team leader for koalas at Edinburgh Zoo, said, “We are thrilled our youngster is doing well after her first health check.

“Like all young koala joeys, she spends most of her time clinging to her mum, so we gave her a soft toy to hold on to while she was being weighed.

“At nearly eight months old, she’s now almost too big to fit inside mum Alinga’s pouch and has started to venture outside and onto Alinga's back more regularly.”

As well as being part of the international breeding programme for Queensland koalas, RZSS supports conservation projects for the species in Australia. In January keepers at the zoo held a fundraiser for Science for Wildlife who worked to rescue koalas in the Blue Mountains region following wildfires that swept the country earlier this year. The campaign raised £1,790 and gave those who donated the chance to win one of three original framed paw prints from the zoo’s koalas.

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Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +66 (0) 93 0835 862 | elvinhow@gmail.com https://iizc.org/ | Skype: peter.dickinson48

SCOTTISH BOAR STIMULATES ARNHEM SHE-BEARS

SCOTTISH BOAR STIMULATES ARNHEM SHE-BEARS

All the hope of Burgers’ Zoo is focused on a sun bear boar from Edinburgh, Scotland, to provide the European breeding programme with the necessary cubs 

Arnhem, 29 November 2018 – The biologists and zookeepers of Royal Burgers’ Zoo are looking forward to the incoming transport of a male sun bear on Friday 30 November 2018. All hope is on this sun bear boar from Edinburgh Zoo, Scotland, and the two Arnhem she-bears to jointly provide the European breeding programme with the much-needed growth of the species.

Small Chance

Royal Burgers’ Zoo has all the required facilities: a spacious outdoor area, several heated indoor enclosures (both open to public and private) and a specially designed birthing room for the sun bears. Still, it won’t be easy. A fertility study done by German specialists from IZW Berlin (Institut für Zoo- und Wildtierforschung) on 12 January 2018 showed that one of the bears is almost infertile. The other female has about fifty per cent chance of a successful pregnancy. Age plays a role in this: both females are over 18 years old.

A European challenge

The studbook data of the European Breeding programme for sun bears show that there is a total of 39 sun bears living in European zoos that are members of EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria): 13 boars and 26 she-bears. The average age of the sun bear population in Europe is quite high, and there is, therefore, a clear surplus of females. The European breeding programmes are very successful for most species, but this is unfortunately not the case for the sun bears.

Stimulating effect?

The hope is that the arrival of the sun bear boar will have a stimulating effect on the hormone balance of the she-bears. Both she-bears came to Burgers’ Zoo from the zoo in Cologne, Germany, on 22 April 2018 and are over 18 years old. The boar from Scotland is 15 years old. If, in time, it turns out that the presence of the new boar does not bear fruit, exchanging the she-bears for a younger she-bear might be considered. However, this decision is up to the coordinator of the breeding programme and still lies far ahead.

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

The Highest Ranking Penguin in the World

Photo credit Dawn Nicholl/RZSS

Sir Nils Olav – RZSS Edinburgh Zoo’s very own knighted king penguin – celebrated the anniversary of his appointment as brigadier ofHis Majesty the King’s Guard by welcoming the newest edition to the northern rockhopper group at Penguins Rock.

The endangered rockhopper chick met Sir Nils Olav as he was moved into the large enclosure for the first time. The chick became the first northern rockhopper penguin to be born at the Zoo in eight years when it hatched on World Penguin Day on Tuesday 25 April.

Dawn Nicoll, Penguin Keeper at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “It’s already been a year since Sir Nils became the highest-ranking penguin in the world. In that year a lot has happened at Penguins Rock, including the arrival of the first northern rockhopper chick born at the Zoo in over eight years, so it’s been very exciting.

“The pair met once the chick was big enough to move out of the penguin creche and into the large enclosure at Penguins Rock with the other gentoo, king and northern rockhopper penguins. They noticed each other and seem to get on very well. The chick has taken a liking to scurrying over when Sir Nils calls, which is fun to watch. They are both very special members of the penguin group.”

In 2008, Nils Olav was given the prestigious honour of a knighthood – a position so high it had to be approved the King of Norway, King Harald V.  On 22 August 2016, 120 Norwegian servicemen gathered again at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo to attend Sir Nils’ latest promotion to brigadier. 

Penguins have been an integral part of the Zoo for over 100 years and the Zoo has the largest outdoor penguin pool in Europe. Penguins were one of the first animals to arrive at the Zoo, and the Society became world-renowned when they were the first outside the southern hemisphere to breed king penguins.

For all the latest from Penguins Rock, visit our dedicated penguin webcam: http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/webcams/penguin-cam/

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

19 Zoo-per additions at Penguins Rock

Photo credit RZSS

19 Zoo-per additions at Penguins Rock

Penguins Rock at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo is now home to 19 gentoo chicks and one northern rockhopper chick as breeding season comes to a close. These once tiny chicks are now growing into adorably fluffy youngsters.

Penguin breeding season began in early March, with the annual placing of the nest rings and pebbles into Penguins Rock, before the male penguins sought out the best looking and smoothest pebbles to ‘propose’ to their potential mates. The first gentoo chicks hatched on 7 May and a special arrival of a northern rockhopper chick on 25 April was just in time for World Penguin Day.

Dawn Nicoll, Penguin Keeper at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “This is our favourite time of year as the new penguin chicks are moved into the crèche. The entire breeding season is an incredibly busy time, but it is all worth it when you see them grow and learn all the skills essential to being a penguin, such as how to swim and feed.

“We had a very successful breeding season and are really pleased to have had 19 chicks, particularly as gentoo penguins are classified as near threatened in the wild. It’s really nice to see all 20 of our chicks learning the ropes together as the gentoos join our northern rockhopper chick in the crèche area of Penguins Rock.”

Due to the decline in their populations, gentoo penguins are listed as near threatened on the IUCN Red List. Reasons for their decline include increased illegal egg collection and oil exploration around the Falkland Islands, as well as disturbance from tourism which is leading to decreased breeding productivity.

Penguins have been an integral part of RZSS Edinburgh Zoo for over 100 years and the Zoo has the largest outdoor penguin pool in Europe. They were one of the first species that arrived and the Zoo and the Society became world-renowned when they were the first outside the southern hemisphere to breed king penguins.

The world-famous daily Penguin Parade began in 1951 when a keeper accidentally left the gate open and the penguins went for a short walk and then returned to their enclosure – keepers still open the gate every day at 2.15pm and birds who voluntarily want to take part go for a short walk outside their enclosure.

For all the latest from Penguins Rock, visit our dedicated penguin webcam: http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/webcams/penguin-cam/

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

Zoo gets gold for going green!

Zoo gets gold for going green!

RZSS Edinburgh Zoo has been awarded a gold Green Tourism award just in time for World Environment Day on 5 June.

With the Zoo being part of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland – one of Scotland’s leading conservation charities – every effort has been made to help the environment in a number of different ways. From hosting green events and engaging in conservation projects, through to environmental credentials such as ISO 14001 and creating a dedicated Green Team amongst staff, the Zoo is committed to reducing its impact on the environment.

Our catering partners Compass have also ensured that we use Vegware cups and cutlery. These items are fully compostable and are in fact made from materials derived wholly from plants.

The inspection covered all aspects of sustainability, from energy and water efficiency and waste management to biodiversity, social and ethical choices.

Bruce Ritchie, Head of Business Operations and Visitor Experience at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said:

“We are so pleased to have been given a gold award from Green Tourism. To get the news that we have been awarded the gold standard in time for World Environment Day is very special.

“As the Zoo is so large, with so many different facets which can have an environmental impact, it is essential that we have a strong focus on sustainability and our impact on the environment. With everything under scrutiny, from preventing pollution to educating the public about the environment, reducing our carbon footprint to becoming more energy-efficient, Zoo staff and visitors are hard at work turning objectives into reality and it is great to see that rewarded.”

Thanks to the widespread use of recycled materials and a focus on sustainability, the Zoo has managed to divert an incredible 5.2 tonnes of waste away from landfill in the past year. We hope to continue this trend and, through close cooperation with our employees, suppliers, sub-contractors and customers, we aim to be a role model for sustainable businesses across Scotland.

To find out more about RZSS Edinburgh Zoo’s sustainability programme, please visit the RZSS Edinburgh Zoo website - http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/sustainability/

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48

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Snail mail: RZSS reintroduces rare Partula snails to Tahiti

 Photo Credit RZSS

Snail mail: RZSS reintroduces rare Partula snails to Tahiti

Conservation charity the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has provided hundreds of critically endangered Partula snails to be reintroduced to their native habitat of French Polynesia. Most species of the tree snails became extinct as a result of predation by the introduced rosy wolf snail; however, thanks to the combined conservation efforts of RZSS Edinburgh Zoo and its partners, a number of the species were rescued from complete extinction.

RZSS Edinburgh Zoo has sent off five different species of Partula snail to be returned to the wild this September, with further reintroductions planned for later this year and next. The critically endangered Partula affinis will return to its native Tahiti, whilst Partula mooreana, Partula suturalis vexillum, Partula tohiveana and Partula taeniata simulans (which are all extinct in the wild) will be returning to the island of Mooreana.

RZSS has been involved with the conservation of the Partula snail since 1984 and was given the very last captive individual of the Partula taeniata simulans subspecies in 2010, which RZSS Edinburgh Zoo has subsequently bred back to a safe level of several hundred, helped by the fact that this individual had been fertilised and produced viable young. The Zoo was awarded the prestigious “BIAZA Award for Significant Contribution to Conservation Breeding” in 2012 for saving this subspecies of Partula snail from extinction.

Gareth Bennett, Senior Presenter at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “It is extremely exciting to be able to send some of our Partula snails, which we have been breeding for years, to be reintroduced directly back into their native habitat."

“This is a wonderful conservation success story and further demonstrates the critical role zoos can play in species conservation. We hope that the Partula reintroduction will provide a model framework for other species reintroduction programmes worldwide.”

The various subspecies of Partula snails kept in captivity are managed under the International Partulid Conservation Programme, which is coordinated by ZSL London Zoo and combines the breeding programme for 17 species in 16 different zoos around the world with conservation work in the Polynesian islands. Approximately 46 out of 65 identified species of Polynesian Partula are extinct.

Peter Dickinson Independent International Zoo Consultant +971 50 4787 122 | elvinhow@gmail.com | Skype: peter.dickinson48