Look what the stork brought

Milky storks that were released by the Taiping Zoo have started nesting and breeding.

THE Taiping Zoo and night Safari has successfully bred 41 milky storks in captivity under its conservation programme.

Zoo director Dr Kevin Lazarus said its release of the endangered birds within the confines of the zoo’s grounds is thought to be showing positive results.

“The original stock for the programme was 10 birds from Zoo Negara and two from Singapore’s Jurong Bird Park.

“At the start of 2016, we conducted an initiative to release 12 birds within the zoo. Ten remained within the zoo’s grounds,” he said during a familiarisation trip to the zoo last Thursday.

“Some of the released birds began nesting, a sign they were getting ready to breed and lay eggs,” he added.

Lazarus said the birds continued to thrive and the zoo released four more last year.

A baby male orangutan, seen here with its mother Wasabi, was also born at the zoo in December.

“We hope they too will breed and add to the population,” he said, adding that the zoo also welcomed a new “family”, with the birth of a male orangutan last year.

A 16-year-old female named Wasabi gave birth to a 1.5kg infant on Dec 22.

“Wasabi herself was born in the zoo in 2002. Under an agreement with the Singapore Zoo, a male orangutan brought to Taiping for a breeding programme.

A common marmoset was also donated to the zoo by the Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden in Hong Kong.

“The infant orangutan will stay by its mother’s side for about seven years and stops breastfeeding at four years old,” he said, adding that this was the second birth of an orangutan at the zoo.

“An orangutan can live up to between 35 and 45 years. The zoo’s ability to breed the endangered animal is something valuable,” he added.

Lazarus also said the zoo has received a female black tufted marmoset and a male common marmoset as its latest exhibits.

“The marmosets were donated by the a rescue centre, Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden, in Hong Kong.

“There are now two common marmosets at the zoo. The animal weighs between 300 and 350g,” he said.