Zoological Parks Authority - Parliament of Western Australia - The ...

Zoological Parks Authority ANNUAL REPORT 2012
Agency Performance – Report on Operations
Directorate Reports
Life Sciences Directorate continued
Perth Zoo has been working with Frankfurt
Zoological Society (FZS), the Indonesian
Government and other partners in the Bukit
Tigapuluh region since 2006 to protect the
wildlife and habitat of this unique ecosystem.
The Zoo provides staff expertise, advice and
funds raised through its Wildlife Conservation
Action program to support the reintroduction
program, an orangutan sanctuary, wildlife
protection units, education programs and
wildlife surveys.
Born at Perth Zoo in 2005, Semeru was chosen
for the release program based on his age and
temperament. He had reached the natural
age of dispersal for a male orangutan and
Semeru in the forest in Sumatra
was confident, curious and independent of his
mother, all important requirements to adjust to
life in the forest. The release of Temara in 2006
provided valuable experience for the team of
Perth Zoo veterinarians and keepers in their
planning and preparations for Semeru.
The 12 month-long preparations at the
Zoo prior to Semeru’s transfer included the
introduction of Indonesian fruits to his diet,
enrichment items to sharpen his foraging
skills and access to a large fig tree to increase
his fitness and hone his climbing and nestmaking
skills. Approval was gained from the
Indonesian Government to transfer Semeru
to Bukit Tigapuluh in October 2011. He was
released into the forest in November 2011
following two weeks in quarantine. Semeru
was closely monitored by Perth Zoo staff after
his release and two dedicated FZS trackers
continue to track to him daily, monitoring his
movements and behaviours and providing
supplementary food as required. He will be
tracked for around two years. Semeru was
fitted with a radio transmitter implant prior to his
release to assist trackers monitoring him in the
dense terrain. Since his release, Semeru has
made excellent progress adapting to his new
forest environment. His foraging activity, food
intake, travel, nesting and interaction with other
released orangutans is recorded daily.
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Back in Perth, the Zoo’s renowned Sumatran
Orangutan breeding program produced another
two infants. Sekara (Semeru’s mother) gave
birth to a male, named Sungai, in December
2011 and Pulang (a first time mother) gave birth
to a female, named Lestari, in January 2012.
Lestari was the 29th Sumatran Orangutan
born at Perth Zoo as part of the regional
breeding program.
There was also breeding success with another
critically endangered Asian primate species, the
White-cheeked Gibbon. This species is fighting
for survival in the wild with habitat destruction
and poaching for the illegal pet trade the
primary threats in its home range of China,
Vietnam and Laos. Perth Zoo has two breeding
pairs of White-cheeked Gibbons. In June 2012,
the younger breeding female Jermai gave birth
to her first healthy infant after her successful
pairing with a new breeding male gibbon from
France. Jermai has been a very good first time
mother displaying excellent maternal skills.
In August 2011, there was further good news
with the successful reintroduction of the male
White-cheeked Gibbon born to the other
breeding female, Viann. Four-month-old Nakai
was reintroduced to his mother, father and
sibling after being hand-raised by keepers for
the first few months of his life when Viann had
difficulties caring for him.