• Aldabra giant tortoise

Primate Islands

• Cotton-top tamarin
• Bolivian squirrel monkey

Chimpanzee community

Taronga Zoo is currently home to a multi-male, multi-female troop of 19 chimpanzee of various ages, The group is currently led by alpha male, Lubutu.

Males

Lubutu is the alpha male and was born in June 1993 to Lisa. Lubutu took on the role of alpha male, at the age of eight years, after the previous alpha male died suddenly. Lubutu is tolerant of the infants in the group and through his fair leadership and support from the females in the troop, has attributed to his success and continuity as a leader. Lubutu is the father of Samaki, Lani, Furahi, Shikamoo, Sembe and Sule. He was vasectomised in 2009 as his genetics are well represented in the region.

Shabani is the beta male and was born in September 1994 to Shiba. Shabani is less tolerant of the infants in the group and will occasionally redirect aggression towards the females of the group. Shabani has attempted many times to oust Lubutu from his position as alpha male, but his lack of popularity means the females support Lubutu during any conflicts.

Samaki was born in November 2001 to Shiba. Shabani and Samaki are known as the "S boys" and if they were to team up, would stand an excellent chance of taking over the alpha role. It seems this is unlikely to happen as Samaki is very supportive of his father, Lubutu, playing the role of his right-hand man. The pair often spend time bonding together and Samaki receives benefits for his support, including access to food and females. Samaki is the father of Sudi.

Furahi was born in February 2003 to Kuma. He is one of two adolescent males in the troop and has a close relationship with his mother, Kuma. Furahi offers support to his mother, particularly since the birth of his brother, Fumo, last year. Furahi enjoys displaying, like the adult males in the troop and will occasionally harass the females. Furahi is the father of Liwali.

Shikamoo was born in July 2003 to Sasha. Shikamoo has a close friendship with Furahi and is often seen bonding with him. Shikamoo is protective of his brother, Sule, and is popular amongst the females of the troop, particularly Kuma and Kamili. Shikamoo is the father of Fumo.

Sule was born in April 2008 to Sasha. Sule was the youngest member of the troop for five years until the birth of Fumo and enjoys babysitting the infant. He is frequently seen carrying Fumo around, or returning him to his mother if he wanders away. He has likely learnt this behaivour from his elder brother, Shikamoo, who used to interact with Sule in a similar way. Sule has shown advanced social skills from a young age and often acts as a peacemaker during altercations. He is popular amongst the troop and enjoys showing off to the visitors.

Fumo was born in October 2013 to Kuma. He is the oldest of three infants in the community. Kuma has encouraged Fumo's development from an early age and he is advanced in his climibing skills for his age. Fumo has recently begun using the artificial termite mound.

Sudi was born in August 2014 to Shiba. Sudi has been kept under close protection from his mother, and has not been allowed the freedom to explore, Kuma has allowed Fumo. Shiba has recently been encouraging Fumo to interact with Sudi.

Liwali was born in September 2014 to Lisa. Liwali is the youngest chimpanzee in the group and is expected to develop a close bond with the other two infants, Fumo and Sudi, as they grow up together.

Females

Spitter was born at Taronga Zoo Sydney in June 1960 to Biddy and is the most senior female in the community. Spitter has had seven offspring including an unnamed son who was born and died in January 1972, an unnamed son who was born and died in July 1973, a daughter Speedy who was born in May 1975 and died in July 1975, a daughter Sheba who was born in June 1978 and died in September 1978, a daughter Sacha who was born in June 1980, a daughter Sally who was born in January 1985 and a son Gombe who was born in December 1988 and died in May 2001. Sally was exported to Wellington Zoo in April 1992. Spitter is now post reproductive.

Koko was born in January 1972 in the wild, and came to Taronga Zoo Sydney in February 1993. She has had five offspring including an unnamed daughter who was born and died in August 1994, a daughter Kamili who was born in September 1995, an unnamed daughter who was born and died in June 1999, an unnamed daughter who was born and died in February 2003 and an unnamed son who was born and died in September 2014. Koko is now post reproductive.

Lisa was born at Taronga Zoo in August 1979 to Lulu and is the highest ranking female. Lisa has had four offspring including a son Lobo who was born in June 1989 and died in November 1996, a son Lubutu who was born in June 1993, a daughter Lani who was born in May 2002 and a son Liwali who was born in September 2014.

Sasha was born at Taronga Zoo in June 1980 to Spitter. Sacha has had six offspring including a son Sokwe who was born in August 1989 and died in October 1989, a daughter Kike who was born in April 1991, a son Sandali who was born in February 1996, a unnamed daughter who was born and died in September 2002, a son Shikamoo was born in July 2003 and a son Sule who was born in April 2008. Kike was exported to Perth Zoo in June 1998 and Sandali was exported to Adelaide Zoo in December 2008.

Shiba was born in May 1981 to Susie and has produced five offspring. A son, Shabani in 1994, an unnamed male who died at birth in 1999, a son, Samaki in 2001, a daughter Sembe, in 2008 and a son, Sudi in 2014. Shiba is the second highest ranked female in the troop and is independent and tough. Her mother, Susie, died in 1995, leaving Shiba without the maternal support Lisa and Sasha had from their mothers. Today, Shiba has support in conflicts from her two adult sons, Shabani and Samaki. She did not initially accept Lubutu's take over as alpha male in 2001 as he was only eight years old, and she likely realised his threat to her son Shabani's chances of becoming the alpha male. Shiba is fiercely protective of her offspring and access to her newborn son, Sudi, by the troop is still very restricted.

Shona was born in October 1987 and is the lowest ranking adult. Shona was sterilised during the 1990s and has never produced any offspring. Shona has a good relationship with the alpha male, Lubutu, but receive little support from the other chimpanzee, including her aunt, Shiba. Shona is a small chimpanzee and is often harassed by the males.

Kuma was born in December 1991 to Ficha and has given birth to three offspring, a son Furahi who was born in February 2003, a unnamed daughter who was born and died in October 2012 and a son Fumo who was born in October 2013. Kuma, then an adolescent, had a difficult time raising her first son, Furahi, due to a lack of family support. Furahi, now fully grown, supports Kuma in raising her second son, Fumo. Kuma has made significant advances in the hierarchy and is currently the second highest ranking female. This success is due to her large size, the support of an adult son, and her ferocity. It is not uncommon to see Kuma take on the alpha or beta male and win, especially if she is defending Furahi in conflicts.

Kamili was born in September 1995 to Koko, and has had three offspring. Her first offspring, was an unnamed daughter, born in 2005. She was attacked and killed shortly after birth by Shiba. Kamili gave birth again in 2013, to an unnamed son, which again was attacked and killed by Shiba shortly after birth. Kamili gave birth to her third offspring in 2014, which died shortly after birth due to mismothering. Kamili had been separated, along with her pregnant mother, Koko, to allow the two low ranked females to raise their young in safety during the critical first weeks, but this was unsuccessful. Koko, and Kamili are often involved with conflicts within the group and receive little support from the others. in 2004, Koko and Kamili attacked Shiba's juvenile son, Samaki, who probably would have been killed, had Shiba not intervened. It is thought Shiba's infanticide of Kamili's offspring was a result of Koko and Kamili's attack on Samaki. The father of Kamili's baby in 2013 was Shiba's eldest son, Shabani. Kamili is close to Shikamoo and the pair often spend time grooming each other.

Lani was born in May 2002 to Lisa. With her brother being the alpha male, and her mother Lisa, the highest ranking female, Lani has enjoyed a high social status since birth. Lani is confident and well respected in the troop. She has shown a great interest in Fumo and was one of the first Kuma allowed to hold him. Lani enjoys interacting with Sule who often engages her in chasing and climbing games on the high ropes. Lani is being considered for breeding in the immediate future.

Sembe was born in February 2008 to Shiba. Sembe has always been very close to her mother, Shiba, and has struggled to adjust to the birth of her new sibling, Sudi. Sembe was still riding on her mother's back at the age of six but as Shiba's pregnancy advanced, she grew less tolerant of this. Sembe will often walk, one arm draped over her mother. Sembe is a feisty young female who is struggling to adjust to life within the community now her mother is fully absorbed with Sudi. Sembe lacks the social skills displayed by Sule and will have to work hard if she is to make any connections outside of her family. She remains close to her adult brothers, Shabani and Samaki and often interacts with Sule, who is two months younger. For many years, Sembe was dominant to the smaller Sule, but as they enter adolescence, these roles are quickly reversing.

Transport

The Taronga Zoo ferry services are, for many tourists, the preferred mode of travel to the zoo, providing a 12-minute ride from the city to the zoo.^[15][16] Passengers disembarking at the ferry wharf, located on Bradleys Head Road, can enter the zoo via a gondola lift or connect with local State Transit Authority bus services. Sydney Ferries offers combined "ZooLink" tickets covering ferry fares, park entry, and gondola ride.

Taronga Zoo Sydney also works heavily with various other Sydney Harbour transport operators, such as Captain Cook Cruises and Yellow Water Taxis. Both of these operators offer combined tickets/packages which include tickets covering transport fares, park entry, and gondola ride.

Conservation

Taronga Zoo engages in a number of conservation efforts aimed at minimising human impact and ensuring ecological sustainability, working both in Australia and internationally. In 2016, the legacy commitment was launched, focused on the conservation of ten critical species.^[17] These species included five native to Australia, namely the Regent Honeyeater, Southern Corroberree Frog, Marine Turtle, Platypus, and Greater Bilby, as well as five Sumatran species; the Sumatran Rhinoceros, Sumatran Tiger, Asian Elephant, Sun Bear, and Sunda Pangolin.

The zoo also focuses on minimising waste, diverting 84% of waste away from landfill and towards 20 different recycling streams.^[18] One main focus is on single use plastics, encouraging reusable bags, water bottles, and coffee cups on site, and distributing biodegradable bags and food packaging. As part of the Seal Show, the zoo encourages sustainable seafood choice through the MSC label.^[19]

See also

• Taronga Conservation Society
• Taronga Western Plains Zoo
• Taronga by Victor Kelleher, a work of fiction using Taronga Zoo as its setting

References

External links

• {{Official website|https://taronga.org.au/taronga-zoo}}

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