Southern ocean exhibit » Taronga Zoo

Southern ocean exhibit
23-02-2006

Does anyone know what is planned for Tarongas Great southern oceans precinct. I have read a little bit about it but haven't seen any thing that goes into great detail about it. It will be taking up a large chunk of the zoo. How many seal pools are planned? Will they have under water viewing of the seals and penguins? Are they planning on displaying any new species not seen at Taronga before? Taronga is listed on the I.S.I.S site as the only zoo in the world that has a leopard seal. What is planned for that animal? Will taronga display elephant seals again? I know I have asked a few questions, hopefully one of you guys might be able to answer some of them.

23-02-2006

i have no idea boof, but i can imagine that there would have to definately be underwater viewing! that leopard seal by the way (they used to have 2 i believe) is absolutely scary looking. i have seen elephant seals in argentina and they are massive, but that leopard seal is both big AND vicious looking. no wonder they call them LEOPARD seals. one killed a man recently in antarctica.

i hope they display some other species of penguin. i love the magellanic penguins. ocasionally they, and virtually every other species of penguin, turn up on our shores.

a coastal aviary would be nice too, as long as there are no seagulls!

24-02-2006

I hope they get a costal aviary just a bit bigger than adeliades, at the moment they have star finches Orange Brested Parrots and Black Winged Stilts, and we have Pelicans and Beach Thicknees/Curlews

28-03-2006

I spoke to a keeper today about the great southern ocean precinct. While she didn't give away to many secrets she did say a exibhit for leopard seals was planned. They are going to have a chiller to keep the water nice and cool for thier female.I asked if they planned to take any from the wild. The keeper said that the zoo board would have to approach national parks and wildlife and that she doesn't think that will happen. The female at Taronga was a rescued animal that was deemed unfit for release back into the wild. While I do not like the idea of taking any animal from the wild it would be great to see a male animal at the zoo.

28-03-2006

at one stage i believe they had two female leopard seals. does anyone know if they still have fiordland penguins from new zealand? fairy penguins might be small but they are far from the cutest or most attractive penguins. i would love to see the zoos aquire more leopard seals (what about elephant seals!) and some magellanic, king or emporer peguins...

29-03-2006

There are two fiordland penguins swimming around with the fairy penguins.

29-03-2006

taronga, from memory actually has..

afro-australian fur seal, leopard seal, new zealand fur seal, australian sea lion AND californian sea lion.

thats a pretty impressive collection of pinnepeds! melbourne just has the (afro-) australian fur seals and one subantarctic fur seal. i believe adelaide has the australian sea lion and the sydney aquarium (at least used to) have a harbour seal, which come from the northern hemisphere.

30-03-2006

taronga used to have four fiordland penguins, all rescue animals.
the conceptual plan i accquired for the oceans exhibit shows a series of wet edge pools on an upper cliff face. this is where the show seals will be exercised and trained. the old fascade of the aquarium and moore park aviary, both heritage featues-have been incorporated. a miniature lighthouse may be included.
on the lower level will be the penguin rookery, sandy coasts and roacky coasts and heath aviaries, as well as an area for beach combing activities. the leopard seal pools will replicate the antarctic with, as you said, chilled water as well as bergs and underwater cracks, caves and crevices for live fish to hide in. this area will showcase taronga's extensive range of marine mammal research projects.

30-03-2006

and taronga also used to keep 3 southern elephant seals but they all died out by the late 1990's

31-03-2006

not sure bout the lighthouse but with that taronga sandstone location i'm sure the precinct will look really great. i wonder how much effort they actually will go to with the leopard seal exhibit though, on account of the fact that they have only one animals and may never be able to get any more. do you remember how many individual seal pools there are glyn? there must be quite a few....