UNTOLD: WHAT IS OPAL FEVER?
Article Nature and wildlife Content
UNTOLD: WHY ARE EXOTIC AFRICAN ANIMALS LIVING IN ADELAIDE?
20 MAY 2024
Journey an hour’s drive from Adelaide and you’ll find a world where giraffes congregate at the watering hole, hyenas cackle and lions roam freely across open plains. Welcome to Monarto Safari Park — the largest safari park outside of Africa, spanning 1500 hectares of land on the outskirts of Adelaide’s CBD. It’s a place so large it could comfortably fit all of Australia’s major zoos within its boundaries — and still leave room to wander. But the odd merge of worlds — safari and city — does beckon the question: why do these exotic residents call South Australia home, so far away from their native habitats?
Zoos SA scientists like Mark Smith and Justine Partoon go to great lengths, and demonstrate remarkable expertise, in their odyssey to prevent entire species from being wiped off the face of the earth. Their work at Monarto Safari Park, and sister site Adelaide Zoo, is often unfolding behind the scenes and goes unnoticed by many. A misconception that Mark admits is common, “people imagine zoos and safari parks to be the menageries of the past." Instead, they are a modern-day Noah’s Ark, made not of wood and nails but of science and compassion, navigating species through the turbulent waters of extinction and habitat loss.
Within these expansively designed conservation hubs, purpose-built for the species they house, Justine and Mark are mastering the balancing act between nature and intervention. They don’t pull the strings as puppeteers, but stand as guardians, guiding their precious cargo toward a hopeful future.
“We have 50 different species at Monarto Safari Park and 70 per cent of those species are endangered,” Justine shares, highlighting the crucial role Zoos SA plays in providing a lifeline for species on the brink of extinction. Together, Mark and Justine are proving that safari parks and zoos are not relics of the past — but vital lifeboats for the future.
Meet Justine and Mark
WHY DO WE NEED ZOOS?
The planet is currently grappling with extinction and biodiversity loss, caused by climate change, poaching and the loss of habitat to urbanisation. When a habitat is fragmented like this, the species that inhabit that environment suffer. Imagine if one day your home — your city or neighbourhood — was suddenly disrupted: roads that you regularly travelled now impassable, places where you used to get food disappeared or became dangerously out of reach. Your community, which was once a short drive down the road, now a patchwork of isolated islands. Climate change and human activity continue to sharpen the blade of extinction, placing animal and plant species that have been irreversibly impacted on the knife's edge of survival.
Monarto is an open-range safari
Take the scimitar-horned oryx. It’s a species of antelope from Africa that until November 2023 was classified as extinct in the wild. With long, spear-like horns and black, shining coats, these exotic creatures are part of a “metapopulation” — a term used to describe the entire population of spatially separated species. With their classification bumping from extinct to endangered, thanks to conservation work, Mark hopes “they might one day thrive throughout their natural habitat.” But, some of that habitat no longer exists and some is inaccessible. “Although they were recently reintroduced into a controlled reserve in Tunisia, much of their natural habitat is in civil strife. Libya, for example, is a pretty war-torn country. So, they’re probably not going to go back there any time soon,” Mark concludes. So where do these horned creatures go?
One of the animals that calls Monarto Safari Park home
What happens when habitat is lost?
Mark, along with most conservationists, is constantly met with misconceptions: that all zoos hold wild animals in glass cages for human amusement. But zoos like Monarto Safari Park and Adelaide Zoo exist to provide vulnerable species with relief from continual threats in the wild. They even provide some species, who might not be under a constant threat in the wild, with a greater quality of life.
A lemur relaxing at home in Monarto Safari Park
It’s the reason why Monarto provides a haven for the scimitar-horned oryx where they are not only protected but cherished. Safe from human disturbance, over-hunting, drought and loss of food, this species may only find a new ‘wild’ home thanks to the tireless dedication of conservationists like Mark. “There are large parks in Africa that are starting to establish populations as a staging area for future potential release to the wild,” he shares. As Mark champions conservation efforts, Justine shares a similar commitment, ensuring that the animals in their care thrive and lead fulfilling lives.
We are here to save species from extinction. Justine Partoon
WHAT DOES 'CAPTIVITY' LOOK LIKE?
Standing inside the lemur enclosure, laptop in hand, is Animal Welfare and Research Manager Justine. She’s laser focused on her screen, seemingly immune to the swinging striped tails teasing her peripheral vision. The playful primates sprint across her feet and swing from tree to tree above her head. Watching them wreak havoc behind Justine’s serene profile brings the voice of Madagascar’s King Julien to mind, along with his catchy theme song I Like to Move It.
Yet, amidst the lively antics of the lemurs, the sparkle in Justine’s eyes is what truly draws attention. “You do have animals whose behaviour indicates they enjoy meeting people,” she says through a smile. As the Animal Welfare and Research Manager for both Monarto Safari Park and Adelaide Zoo, she has one clear mission: “I'm here for the animals and my job is to make sure that all animals are thriving and having great lives.”
Ensuring animals have positive welfare in captivity is as crucial as the decision to bring them into such environments in the first place. With animal wellbeing at the forefront of Zoos SA’s work, Justine explains their main objective is to ensure “the overall balance of experiences provides a positive quality of life for the entirety of their lives.” The concept of animal welfare, while lacking a universal definition, is grounded in the understanding that animals (much like humans) have a hierarchy of needs that spans from physical to psychological.
“Animal welfare is determined by an individual animal’s internal experience of its quality of life, acknowledging what the animals are telling us with their behaviour and promoting positive experiences, such as happiness, playfulness and joy is really at the forefront of what we do,” she adds.
Justine speaks the language of the wild — interpreting every wag, chirp, roar, and squeak — observing and responding, ensuring each animal receives the care and attention it needs. One such signal is how animals are using their enclosure, as opposed to the size of it. “There is a big misconception around giving animals space, which is that space naturally equates to good welfare and that is not necessarily the case,” she clarifies - challenging a common attitude toward animal enclosures. “You can provide an animal a lot of space, but if that space lacks complexity and quality, or the animal is not observed using their space there is likely a welfare concern that requires investigation.”
Beyond basic survival needs such as food, water and shelter, replicating behaviours in the wild plays a pivotal role in an animal's life in human care. “Just like we need stimuli to learn and grow, so do animals,” she says. This is done through the lens of mimicking the way animals forage or hunt in the wild, which not only prepares the animals for potential release, but also ensures their well-being. Meerkats, for example, often burrow for their food - so the zookeepers recreate this when it comes to feeding time. "By learning all of their needs in a controlled setting, it enables us to support their wild counterparts and actually make a difference," she explains. "One of the biggest things that people don't realize is that ‘connection’ when coming to a zoo. It is all about the science, the research,” she states before continuing, “we are here to save species from extinction.”
Experience the magic of Monarto Safari Park
“Working close to animals is a wonderful thing," Mark shares. "It connects you with the planet in a profound way that is often underappreciated." You can experience this deep connection firsthand when you visit Monarto Safari Park. Dare to go beyond preconcieved notions and come eye-to-eye with towering giraffes, leap into the land of lemurs, or even mingle with meerkats. “It is such a rewarding experience to see these animals so close and in such a natural setting, it’s just wonderful,” Mark adds. Visitors can also actively contribute to the global mission of wildlife preservation when they come to Monarto Safari Park or Adelaide Zoo, simply by purchasing a ticket or membership, or by a donation or an animal adoption. “Yes, we are a zoo, we are a safari park, but for me we are like a science hub,” Justine explains. “We do so much more than anyone could ever imagine.”
