“Five-year-old Jakarta is quite a character,” said Senior Keeper Arliah Hayward, “He can be a bit elusive but he does love to sit in the sun and sometimes hang by his prehensile tail. We expect that he’s pretty lively at night that’s why we thought it would be good to film him overnight and see what he gets up to.

“Binturongs emit a smell like popcorn and you’ll often get a waft when you are looking at Jakarta. We thought people could engage with World Binturong Day by tucking into popcorn – we’ll be selling some in the shop for zoo-goers over the weekend,” finished Arliah.

Binturongs hail from South and South-east Asia where their population has declined by more than 30% over the last 18 years. In fact, the IUCN estimates that the species is vulnerable to extinction with a real threat of extinction in certain range countries.

Habitat loss and degradation are major threats to the Binturong as is hunting for its meat, use in traditional medicines and the illegal pet trade.

Described as looking like a ‘bearcat’, the Binturong is actually a member of Viverridae family (the same as civets and genets). With a thick tail, shaggy black-grey fur and huge whiskers Jakarta is a striking figure as he snacks on his breakfast of ‘mash’ and tucks into his favourite bananas and grapes.

Binturongs emit a buttery popcorn smell to mark their territory and to attract females. A fan of the warmth, Jakarta or ‘Jak Jak’ as his keepers fondly call him, often spends a sunny late afternoon on his perch at the front of his exhibit.

Do the Bintu-right thing this weekend and visit Jakarta at Adelaide Zoo!

To celebrate its 140th birthday kids can go free to Adelaide Zoo. Children aged up to 14 can enjoy free entry with one paying adult (terms and conditions apply).

Anyone who is called ‘mum’ can visit on Sunday and receive a free candle from the Australian Native Food Co (while stocks last). Popcorn is on sale in the zoo shop.

For more information, visit www.adelaidezoo.com.au.

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This is no exception for the species at Zoos SA, who have shared some adorable cuddly moments in the lead up to Mother’s Day this Sunday.

Here are our top 10 utterly adorable fluffy mums and bub moments from around Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park:

1. Hannah and Happy – Chimpanzee
Little four-month-old Chimpanzee Happy continues to melt hearts at Monarto Safari Park snuggling with mum, Hannah and big sister four-year-old, Hope.

Hannah is a wonderful mum who often uses both hands (and feet!) to juggle her playful pair, while aunt, Galatea, helps out with lots of cuddles.

2. Delilah, Susu, Marni and Ketambe – Sumatran Tigers
Tiger trio, Susu, Marni and Ketambe, have been delighting visitors playing, pouncing and getting up to mischief around their habitat.

Delilah has shown what a patient and paws-on mum she is, often joining in the fun with her rambunctious cubs while they try to catch her tail.

3. Adale and Jamila – Black-and-white Colobus
Jamila, the first Black-and-white Colobus baby to be born at Adelaide Zoo is now three-month-old and her colobus colouring is now on full display!

When Jamila isn’t exploring the colobus tunnels above the Central Lawn, she loves to cuddle in close to mum, Adale, even if the remnants of snack time fall on her head.

4. Lilo, Lalaina and Ravo – Ring-tailed Lemurs
Twins can be hard work – but Ring-tailed Lemur mum Lilo has all paws covered!

Joining the troop in October last year, the seven-month-old duo, Lalaina and Ravo, are now more independent than ever swinging high in the treetops but they never miss the chance to come in for a stripy snuggle.

5. Kimya and Matumi – Giraffe 
Adopted giraffe mum, Kimya, took little four-month-old Matumi under her lanky wing when he was rejected by his birth mother at Monarto Safari Park in January.

The little calf is now thriving at Adelaide Zoo with Kimya offering gentle nose boops to her new companion.

6. Waffle, Frappe and Churro – Guinea Pigs
A little tiny twosome, Frappe and Churro, joined the Guinea Pig family at Adelaide Zoo in January.

Despite these sweet pups’ miniature size, their chomping and squeaking noises are up to scratch and they love sharing lunch with mum, Waffle.

7. Forest and Jabali – Spotted Hyena
Spotted Hyena mum, Forest, and her eight-month-old cub, Jabali, share a very special bond.

Jabali’s spots have certainly come in and the little fluff ball is now exploring his new surrounds, but making sure to stick close to mum just in case!

8. Tinka and Ninu – Greater Bilby
Despite three-month-old Ninu’s shy personality and taking after his dad, Rocky, the Greater Bilby joey is always just a tail away from mum, Tinka.

The pair love bouncing around their habitat in the Nocturnal House at Adelaide Zoo and snacking on tasty dog kibble together.

9. Qailee and her cuddly cubs – Cheetah 
Qailee is the ultimate spotty mum and foster mum, not only raising her two cubs but also welcoming in her sister Quella’s singleton cub.

The little female cub was cross-fostered into Qailee’s litter in an Australasian first, and the spotty trio are now thriving under the watchful eye of their doting mum.

10. Rita and Louie – Cape Porcupines 
Sass must run in this porcupine family! Little Louie definitely takes after mum, Rita, with the prickly porcupette stomping their feet and rattling their tail to demand sweet potato from keepers.

Not only that, but this cheeky chops will also steal a snack straight from mum’s mouth before running off with a case of the zoomies (a feeling most mums know well!).

Your kids go free! 
We’d love for you to bring your cubs (all cubs are free during May)* to see us at Adelaide Zoo on Mother’s Day for a day full of wild fun. Plus, the mum in your life will be treated to a free Australian Native Food Co candle on entry (while stocks last).

And if you’re looking for a last minute gift, an adventure around Adelaide Zoo or Monarto Safari Park is the perfect present, or you could take a trip along the new Grapes for Good Tasting Trail, pick up a experience gift voucher or drop into the shop a selection of beautiful treats that all give back to conservation!

*Plus, don’t forget that kids (up to 14 years) go free to Adelaide Zoo during May as part of Adelaide Zoo’s 140th Birthday celebrations.

To find out all you need to know for your visit or more about the amazing species Zoos SA, please visit zoossa.com.au.

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Named Paddy, as she was found the day before St Patrick’s Day on 16 March, the female turtle, estimated to be approximately 35-years-old, spent two weeks at Adelaide Zoo resting and recuperating and undergoing examination from the veterinarians to ensure she was in good health.

With no sign of injury or long-term illness, the teams involved decided it was time to release Paddy, choosing a release site of Rapid Bay for its protected nature, currents and warmer waters.

Erring on the side of caution, Paddy’s guardian angel, in the shape of Murray Bridge Central Olympic Motel owner and volunteer turtle expert, Aub Strydom, got in touch with the zoo and offered to assist with his expertise and a tracking device.
Aub visited Paddy at Adelaide Zoo on the 31 March, the day of her release and secured a tracking device to her carapace. Aub also added a large red ‘P’ to her shell so that anyone who encountered her on the waterways could easily identify her P Plate without having to get too close or interfere with her swim.

Animal Hospital Manager, Di Hakof from Adelaide Zoo who was at the release site, said:  “Paddy swam straight away, she followed the shore line and cleared fishing lines.

“We kept following her up the beach, and then she got her bearings and started swimming out.

“It was amazing to see and to be there and to share it with some locals. It was one of the best collaboration efforts in terms of the cooperation between all the stakeholders. Everyone did everything they were asked – and more!

“We all wanted to make sure we did it right and did the best thing by the Green Turtle. The best thing was to get a tracking device on her, which could show us where she travels and also what is going on in South Australia in terms of the population of the species.

“We hope that we can satellite track Paddy and find out where her home is (East/West or in SA) and check she’s ok. As a 35-year-old female, she’s coming up to or has just completed her first laying and breeding season so it will be important for us to be able to watch her movements,” finished Di.

Excitingly, over the last few weeks Paddy has been closely monitored by the teams involved and has been followed swimming in the Gulf of St Vincent. Her movements since release have seen her journey past Port Wakefield before deciding to head back towards Adelaide earlier this week.

Members of the public who wish to monitor Paddy’s adventures can follow her here or, adopt her here

If you spot a turtle in the wild, please remember to keep your distance and make sure to report it to DEW, especially if it has a big red P on its back!

National Parks and Wildlife Service’s Regional Coordinator of Marine Parks Jon Emmett said green sea turtles and leatherback turtles could sometimes be spotted in South Australian waters.

“Generally we don’t get green sea turtles here very often, they are thought to be transient, and live in warmer waters in WA or further up the eastern coast,” he said.

“We do have sightings almost yearly, but we don’t know how many are in SA waters. So having a tracker on Paddy may help us to fill in these gaps in our knowledge.

“It’s been fantastic to have NPWS be a part of this experience and to have strengthened our relationships through cooperating to help return Paddy to the ocean.

“Being able to be there in person, and help with her release at Rapid Bay was wonderful.”

“We feel very privileged to have had the opportunity to play a role in Paddy’s recovery, transporting her between various sites and ultimately to her release site,” said RSPCA SA rescue officer Soraya Megaw.

“Carrying her to the water’s edge, then watching her swim away and having one of our Animal Ambulance volunteers, Richard Tee, film her with his drone, was priceless – I’ll never forget that day.”

Aub Strydom, who has involved in turtle monitoring and nest protection on K’gari-Fraser Island since 1993, as a Volunteer, and as a QPWS Park Ranger has specialised in the Satellite Tracking of 95 turtles, including Paddy.

“When migrating most turtles move steadily and directly from their foraging area to their courting, then their nesting area, and afterwards back to their foraging home range – which can vary from less than a hundred to a few thousand kilometres apart. However, a few can take surprising detours, or pause somewhere along the way home.  A few tracked turtles have surprised us by nesting on 2 or 3 different beaches up to 200km apart,” said Aub.

“Foraging turtles generally stay in an area with a radius of 5 to 10 kilometres, but some will make excursions to other nearby areas for short periods,” finished Aub.

Justin Biddle, Wildlife Centre Team Leader of Wildlife Welfare Organisation (WWO) said: “Having cared for over 30 freshwater turtles that have been impacted by the recent flooding event of the Murray Mouth it was an amazing opportunity to be able to help Paddy the green sea turtle.

“Seeing Paddy get released and have all the organisations come together and work as team to ensure the best outcome for this animal was encouraging. As Wildlife Welfare Org is a multi-species rescue organisation we hope that we can endevour to continue this trend of working together with more specialised groups within the South Australian wildlife rescue sector, with the hope in the future to secure better outcomes for our unique animals.”

According to the IUCN Red List, Green Turtles are endangered in the wild with a decreasing population. Threats to Green Turtles include:

• Harvesting of eggs from nesting beaches
• Bycatch in marine fisheries
• Habitat degradation at nesting sites

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Adelaide Zoo is home to three Brazilian Tapirs females Talara (35), daughter Chiquita (20) and 17-year-old male, Arturo, plus one Malayan Tapir, 22-year-old, Jelita.

“Our visitors love the tapirs as they’re great fun to watch. They’ve got a very short trunk which they use to grip. They also love to use the water and can stay underwater for a few minutes using their trunk like a snorkel,” says Adelaide Zoo keeper Jade Koek.

“Just as well they do keep their trunk above water because they use the water to go to toilet as well as for keeping cool and eating.

“Sadly all tapir species are endangered with the Brazilian Tapir categorised by the IUCN as vulnerable to extinction while the Malayan Tapir is endangered with less than 2,500 thought to survive in the wild.

“By visiting the zoo we hope our visitors will learn more about this species and how they can help through supporting conservation organisations such as ourselves,” finished Jade.

While three of the four tapir species live in Central of South America, the Malayan Tapir is the only one to live in South East Asia. It’s unusual colouring of half black and half white is a form of camouflage in its native forests. The Malayan Tapir is also the largest of all tapir.

To learn more about tapir and how you can support this amazing species at Adelaide Zoo, please visit adelaidezoo.com.au.

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Joining favourites Panda Playtime, Skink Park and Underwater World are new Light Creatures’ recruits the fiery Falcon, clawsome crabs and Evolution, a thrilling projection through time taking place in the historic Rotunda.

In addition, The Andu Project sees the interior of Adelaide Zoo’s heritage Elephant House adorned with enchanting projected illustrations of the Flinders Ranger’s Yellow-foot Rock-wallaby – or ‘Andu’ as it is known in Adnyamathanha language.

Located near the lands of Leigh Creek, the children from local schools in the region created drawings of the miniature marsupial to then be digitized and animated for inclusion as part of Light Creatures third iteration for Illuminate Adelaide.

“We are so excited to see the amazing Light Creatures return to Adelaide Zoo as part of Illuminate Adelaide,” says Elaine Bensted, CE of Zoos SA.

“We wanted to ensure that the event remains fresh and so have redesigned the layout of the event. As well as fan favourites such as the endearing Panda Playtime and the mesmerizing Underwater World there are new lanterns and more atmospheric lighting as well as roving lanterns Cahaya the Tiger and a group of naughty and nippy crabs.

“Light Creatures is fun for all ages. As well as warming up your winter nights it’s an opportunity for us to talk about conservation in a different light!” Finished Elaine.

Treat a date, family and friends to a very special night out and enjoy winter warmers, wines and frothy hot chocolates thanks to our caterers. Join the Light Creatures from 29 June

Illuminate Adelaide’s co-founders and creative directors, Rachael Azzopardi and Lee Cumberlidge said: “Light Creatures has been one of Illuminate Adelaide’s most popular events and we can’t wait for young and old to experience this incredible event once again.

“Light Creatures evokes a sense of childlike wonder while also being a celebration of conservation. It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore Adelaide Zoo and encounter new up close and immersive experiences.”

Light Creatures, as part of Illuminate Adelaide, is brought to life thanks to SA Power Networks and through the creative talents of the Zoos SA team as well as A Blanck Canvas, Carla O’Brien, Leigh Creek Area School, Jack Buckskin and Elizabeth Close.

Tickets go on sale from 19 April. To purchase tickets, for corporate rates and for more information, head to: www.adelaidezoo.com.au/lightcreatures.

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Along with colourful Easter enrichment items created by Zoos SA’s Behaviour and Environmental Enrichment of Zoo Animals (BEEZA) team, there was also an extra special delivery who made his big debut.

Just in time for Easter, a little Greater Bilby joey, born to six-year-old Tinka, popped his snout out to sniff and scratch some egg-cellent goodies in the Adelaide Zoo Nocturnal House.

Keeper, Kasey Fenwick, said welcoming the three-month-old fluffy joey out of mum’s pouch was the perfect start to a very hoppy Easter weekend.

“The joey has been a very cute addition to the Nocturnal House, he is quite shy, but can often be seen hopping around his habitat with Tinka,” she said.

“He takes after his dad, Rocky, and is following mum around closely and trying different foods including Tinka’s favourites; mealworms and dog kibble.

“We hope to have a naming competition soon for him soon – watch this space!

“The birth of a bilby is always exciting as their species’ numbers are declining with less than 9,000 remaining in the wild. Cats and foxes have had a huge impact on the species, which has disappeared from over 80 per cent of its former range.

“As a conservation charity, it is really special for us to have this little one make his debut, particularly in time for Easter, so we can raise awareness about these beautiful animals and their protection in the wild.”

The Easter fun spread around the zoo, with Giant Pandas, Wang Wang and Fu Ni, cracking into a giant carrot and rabbit filled with panda cake, the Asian Small-clawed Otters munching on mealworm-filled Easter eggs, residents of the Envirodome and Nocturnal House receiving some colourful rabbit enrichment and Dingo pair Lara and Indi tucking into bunnies filled with kibble.

Meanwhile, the native species at Monarto Safari Park were also treated to some bilby-themed snacks including Ruby the Warru, the Greater Bilbies and Curly the Brush-tailed Bettong.

You can learn more about eggs and the conservation of species this weekend at Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park with a range of egg-citing activities.

At Easter we often celebrate with chocolate eggs, but eggs symbolise so much for wildlife and the environment around us.

Hop in and find the three giant Easter eggs around Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park while learning about nesting sites, species that lay eggs and how we can protect and support their conservation in the wild.

Once you’ve discovered all three eggs along the Easter the trail, visitors can collect a delicious Easter bilby from the Zoo or Safari Shop, thanks to our pawsome pals at Melba’s Chocolates and Confectionery.

For more information, visit adelaidezoo.com.au or monartosafari.com.au.

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The furry trio are set to make their official public debut tomorrow, Friday 7 April, just in time for Easter and the School Holidays.

Set to leave a pawprint on your heart, the adorable cubs have also been given roarsome names thanks to a long-term supporter, Zoos SA’s staff and volunteers, and the public.

The female cubs have been given the Indonesian names Susu (soo-soo) meaning milk, and Marni (mar-ni) meaning loyal and persistent and fittingly also meaning good in Kaurna, the language of the land on which she was born.

Last but not least, the male cub has been named Ketambe (ket-tahm-bay) after a village in Aceh.

“We are just chuffed to welcome the cubs out into the world – the perfect celebration for Easter and the School Holidays,” Zoos SA Chief Executive, Elaine Bensted, said.

“Over the past week, Adelaide Zoo’s carnivore team has been working hard to get the cubs used to life outside of the den, while volunteers and staff assisted as ‘tiger testers’ for the furry felines to get used to crowds.

“There has been a lot of sniffing, playing and exploring and the trio have adapted wonderfully to their new environment.

“We just can’t wait to welcome people into the zoo to see them – it is such a historic milestone for us. Not only are they the first Sumatran Tiger cubs to be born at Adelaide Zoo, their species is critically endangered in the wild.

“For our visitors to have that chance to get up close and connect with a species – that moment is irreplaceable and is one that will last forever.

“We hope that it will spark a love of wildlife and a passion to protect animals and the environment so that our natural world can thrive for years and years.”

Elaine said that visitors will also have the opportunity to meet Susu, Marni and Ketambe during a brand new animal experience – Tiger and Friends.

“If any of our supporters have had the chance to take part in our Panda and Friends tour, Tiger and Friends will have a similar feel of adventure and fun,” she said.

“Guests will join us as the snuggly trio wake up for the day ready to pounce and play, before taking a tour of the zoo to meet some more furry friends and enjoy morning tea at Wisteria Café.”

The Tiger and Friends experience will start from 21 April, however for those eager to get their paws on a spot, tickets are now on sale.

Please remember, the cubs are still only little. This is a big adjustment for them and so they may often get tired and go off for a snooze in the bamboo. We ask that if visitors are unable to see the cubs, please try and visit their habitat again later in the day.

Sadly, the Sumatran Tiger is classified as critically endangered by the IUCN Red List.

It is estimated that there are less than 400 of the species remaining in the wild due to habitat loss, poaching and the human-wildlife conflict.

Sumatran Tigers now only survive in pockets of protected land that is being encroached upon by agriculture for unsustainable palm oil plantations and road building.

Visiting the tiger cub trio and taking part in a Tiger and Friends experience, will not only get you within a whisker of these ferocious felines but also help make an impact for their wild cousins.

As a conservation charity, Zoos SA supports Sumatran Tigers in the wild through conservation group Wildlife Asia, which as one of its many projects, operates a tiger patrol team in the Sontang Village, Cubadak, Pasaman District, West Sumatra.

The patrol aims to protect the tiger population and focuses on working with locals to avoid human and tiger conflict. Members of the local community are employed as forest rangers and help to document illegal activities and track tiger paths.

Zoos SA is also working to protect the species by working alongside sixteen other zoo-based conservation and wildlife organisations across Australia and New Zealand to drive the global transition to Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO).

Unsustainable palm oil is found in around half of all supermarket products. Its unsustainable cultivation sees approximately six football fields of pristine rainforest cleared per minute, threatening countless jungle-dwelling creatures.

By switching to using CSPO, consumers know the oil is produced in a way that aims to protect the last remaining habitat for wildlife and preserve the livelihoods of producers.

For more information about Sumatran Tigers, CSPO and how you can shop with purpose; to save endangered species, please visit adelaidezoo.com.au.

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A very spe-shell visitor has popped into Adelaide Zoo for some rest and recuperation.

Last week, teams from Zoos SA, the Department for Environment and Water, the Wildlife Welfare Organisation SA Inc. (WWO) and RSPCA SA came together to help a Green Turtle, who was discovered stranded on Middleton Beach.

After local volunteers, residents, and wildlife experts from the WWO in Goolwa helped the exhausted marine reptile on the beach, it was taken to the Adelaide Bird and Exotics Vet Centre to be assessed before coming to Adelaide Zoo to be cared for by the veterinary team.

Weighing in at 82.5kg and confirmed as female, the turtle has been affectionately named ‘Paddy’ by her carers at the zoo because she is a Green Turtle and she arrived at the zoo on 16 March – the day before St Patrick’s Day.

Zoos SA’s Veterinary Nurse and Hospital Manager, Dianne Hakof, said since arriving at the zoo, Paddy has been getting stronger each day.

“We often have wildlife emergency cases come through the Animal Health Centre, it was quite unusual for us to have a marine animal arrive but very exciting!” she said.

“When she arrived, our veterinary team did a full health check and recorded her weight.

“She was in pretty good shape, we now have her in sea water and she is slowly improving each day. At the moment, we’re still looking into why Paddy beached herself and ruling out what caused her to be so ill.”

Green Turtles are mainly found in tropical and subtropical waters, however they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beach where they hatched.

Di said the fortunate news was that Paddy’s improved health means that she will hopefully be eligible to be released back into the wild.

“Marine turtles are a common but infrequent sighting in South Australian waters as they usually live in much warmer waters,” she said.

“We want to make sure that Paddy is returned to her home, particularly as she is female, because her species return to the same nesting beach each year.

“What is amazing is that we can undertake DNA testing that might tell us where Paddy is from, however the results could take some time to come back. Our veterinary team will then need to make a decision that is best for Paddy’s welfare; whether that is returning her to the waters off South Australia or transporting her to the East Coast.”

Department for Environment and Water Director of Conservation and Wildlife, Lisien Loan, said wildlife rescuers and carers along with vets and other experts provide valuable services to injured and sick wildlife across SA, which is appreciated by the department.

“In this case, the collaborative work of a number of organisations to come to the aid of the turtle has been critical in getting it the care that it needs,” she said.

“Green Turtles are seen from time to time along our coasts and they are beautiful animals. We are heartened to hear that the great care the turtle has received means that it can hopefully be released back into the wild very soon.”

WWO Wildlife Centre Team Leader, Justin Biddle, said his team was excited to have been involved in the rescue of “such a beautiful and rare creature along our South Australian coastline”.

“Whilst we have been busy rescuing many freshwaters turtles that have been victims of the floods, this is definitely the first marine turtle we have had the pleasure of saving,” he said.

“WWO are proud to have been able to work alongside DEW, Zoos SA and the RSPCA to ensure that a positive outcome was achieved for this amazing endangered creature.”

RSPCA SA CEO, Marcus Gehrig, said it was fantastic to see a collaboration of organisations protecting native wildlife.

“We’re very proud to be among the agencies that helped with Paddy’s rescue – this kind of collaboration demonstrates how much we all prioritise caring for our precious wildlife,” he said.

“We’ll be able to contribute much more to wildlife recovery, and better assist all the wonderful volunteer organisations that rescue and rehabilitate wildlife, once our new Animal Care Campus, with its dedicated wildlife hospital, opens at O’Halloran Hill next year.”

The Green Turtle is one of the largest sea turtle species and is named for their green colouration of their fat rather than their external features. This colour results from the pigments in the sea grass, which forms a significant part of their diet.

Sadly, the species is classified as endangered with numbers decreasing due to overharvesting of eggs, hunting, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites.

The Adelaide Zoo Animal Health Centre cares for approximately 250 wildlife emergency cases each year, which are brought in by wildlife organisations and government agencies.

For more information about Zoos SA, please visit zoossa.com.au.

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