From the New Plymouth District Council: New Species Comes to Brooklands Zoo Brooklands Zoo is saying ‘welcome’ to a new Aussie inhabitant. Mulloka the brolga will arrive from Auckland Zoo tomorrow (WEDNESDAY) and make his home in a newly renovated enclosure near the farmyard. The juvenile bird, which is part of the crane family, is 1.3m tall and has been ousted by his flock as his parents are breeding again. “Brolga live quite happily alone but if a pair mate, they will stay together for life,” says Assistant Curator Brooklands Zoo Eve Cozzi. “They are a common wetland species in tropical and eastern Australia and they’re the official emblem of Queensland. “We’re very happy to get Mulloka as he’s a new species for zoo visitors and we can use his presence to talk about the loss of wetland habitats, which is one of the biggest threats to cranes in the wild.” Mulloka, which is aboriginal for ‘water spirit’, was hatched at Auckland Zoo in August last year. About brolga Brolga forage for a wide variety of food on both dry land and in shallow water. They have powerful beaks to tear up the ground to eat vegetation such as seeds, roots, buds and leaves, and will also eat small amphibians, birds, fish, reptiles and mammals. Brolga are well-known for their mating dances that involve jumping and leaping around, flapping their wings, bowing to each other and calling out. This species is classified as lower risk by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Jun 2013 22:21:06 +0000
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