Three Meerkats, adult and two pups who are facing each-other.

Zoo News Weekly

Zoo Members, welcome to Zoo News Weekly! This is a place exclusive for members to stay informed with the latest updates that will make every visit just that little bit different. Plus keep coming back for exclusive member pre-sales, animal naming competitions, special food offers, and so much more!

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LEG UP FOR LIMPING LIZARD

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 10 July 2026

Brace yourselves because this story has got legs. A Bearded Dragon called Ned, who has a sore leg, is receiving state-of-the-art treatment at Healesville Sanctuary, as vets use 3D printing to step up his care.

NEW AVIARY ARRIVALS

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 10 July 2026

Eight more Orange-bellied Parrots have joined our Fighting Extinction aviary at Healesville Sanctuary this week! Having retired from the breeding program, they're now settling into their new home, see if you can spot them on your next visit!

KOALA JOEY HAS A NAME

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 02 July 2026

Thank you for helping us choose a name for Kyabram Fauna Park's adorable new joey! We're thrilled to announce that the newest member of the Kyabram family if officially called...

Gumnut!

SNOW LEOPARDS STOP AND SMELL THE ROSE(MARY)

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 03 July 2026

Melbourne Zoo's snow leopard cubs are growing – and it turns out they're fine dining connoisseurs. The four five-month-olds were presented with palm fronds that were rubbed with a mix of dried herbs and fresh rosemary, a combination of seasoning that literally made the siblings flip out.

MEET BETTY QUOKKA

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 03 July 2026

They're "bonding" and allegedly there have been "no tiffs at all" - Melbourne Zoo has a potential new couple. Betty the quokka has joined male quokka Abe in the leafy Australian Bush habitat at Melbourne Zoo.

A NEW RHINO ENTERS THE SAVANNAH

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 22 JUNE 2026

A five-year-old southern white rhino has completed the journey of a lifetime, travelling from New Zealand to Australia to begin an exciting new chapter at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

MEET PANGI THE CRITICALLY ENDANGERED CROC

conservation UPDATE │ 19 JUNE 2026

Philippine crocodiles are the most critically endangered crocodilian species in the world. There are fewer than 200 left in the wild. Discover Pangi’s journey at Melbourne Zoo and learn how our partners at the Mabuwaya Foundation are working in the Philippines to protect this species in the wild.

LEMUR LOVE TRAIN

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 19 JUNE 2026

Melbourne Zoo's lemur lads are real group hug guys. This cuddle puddle is extra special as Mafana, Shango and Ritchie (three at the front) are some of the older boys, and Roa (at the back) is one of the younger boys, originally from Adelaide. Previously the two groups rarely cuddle together. Did you know: Keepers identify Roa from his 'love heart' shape white marking on his forehead.

PHOTO COMP EXTRAS

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 11 JUNE 2026

We hope you're enjoying your 2026 Member Calendar! Our members submitted so many wonderful photos, and while we couldn't include them all, we couldn't resist sharing some extra favourites. P.S. Don't forget to get your submission in before 30 June!

NEW DIGS FOR RESCUED DINGO

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 8 JUNE 2026

There’s a lively new resident to meet at Healesville Sanctuary! Alpine Dingo Gertie has moved into the main habitat and is delighting visitors with her curious and energetic personality. Relocated from Little Desert Nature Lodge following the 2025 bushfires, Gertie loves exploring her new surroundings, sniffing out every corner and zooming around her habitat.

Did you know female dingoes are the leaders of the pack? In the wild, females are typically the dominant animals, leading their family groups alongside a chosen mate. While dingoes may look similar to domestic dogs, they are highly intelligent, instinctive animals with impressive climbing and jumping abilities.

You can find Gertie on the Dingo Country Track and learn more about this fascinating species during the daily keeper talk at 3.40pm.

QUOLLY SMOKES

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 8 JUNE 2026

Two energetic new residents have moved into Healesville Sanctuary’s Animals of the Night Nocturnal House, giving visitors the chance to get up close to one of Australia’s most fascinating and endangered marsupials.

INSIDE THE DRAGON DEN

CONSERVATION UPDATE │ 8 JUNE 2026

The Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon, a tiny reptile once feared extinct until its rediscovery west of Melbourne in 2023, now has a purpose-built conservation breeding facility at Melbourne Zoo, helping secure a future for this Critically Endangered species.

MELBOURNE ZOO PLAYS DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 2 JUNE 2026

There are some new faces for members to discover at Melbourne Zoo, with four young Tasmanian Devils recently joining the zoo family: Apricot, Plum, Aunt Beru and Egg.

‘BARITONE’ FROGS WHISTLE A HOPEFUL TUNE

CONSERVATION UPDATE │ 29 MAy 2026

East Gippsland’s endangered Watson’s Tree Frog is about to get a lot louder, with 200 froglets and 1,200 tadpoles being released into the wild this season (November 2025 – April 2026).

NEW SPIDER MONKEY EXPERIENCE

experience UPDATE │ 29 MAy 2026

A new experience has just launched at Melbourne Zoo! Step behind the scenes for a unique encounter with our Spider Monkey troop, including a guided tour of the Primate Kitchen and exclusive access to help keepers scatter enrichment items throughout the habitat. Members can book this new experience for 10% off!

Book your experience

FANG-TASTIC RECOVERY: BONITO THE TASMANIAN DEVIL VISITS THE DENTIST

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 29 MAy 2026

A cheeky carnivore is back crunching on dinner after receiving specialist dental work at Healesville Sanctuary’s Australian Wildlife Health Centre. During a routine health check, vets noticed Bonito the Tasmanian Devil had a fractured tooth that needed attention, so, they brought in dental specialist Dr David Clarke to help perform a root canal. Tasmanian Devils have powerful jaws and sharp teeth designed for tearing and crunching. This is great for mealtimes, but it also means any tooth trouble can quickly become a big deal.

Fun fact: Did you know Tasmanian Devils have a much stronger bite than lions? Their bite force is around 1200 PSI, compared with about 650 PSI for lions.

WALLABIES GET SOME GLAM

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 19 MAy 2026

During recent training sessions, the Red-necked Wallabies at Healesville Sanctuary had their nails painted! The splash of colour helps keepers quickly identify and monitor each wallaby. Keep an eye out for their bright new nails next time you visit.

WEIGH-IN WINS

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 19 MAy 2026

Our keepers build foundation behaviours that support animals to comfortably take part in their daily care and health checks.

At Healesville Sanctuary, Wombats Gem and Milo recently took part in their routine weigh-in using a stationing behaviour with keepers Ben and Taylah, while Long-nosed Potoroo Paddlepop also participated in voluntary weighing sessions with the Nocturnal House team. Keepers are even using creative remote set-ups with scales and cameras to obtain weights for species like sugar gliders and squirrel gliders, including Tarra.

blog │ 19 may 2026

Whether transporting animals interstate by road, overseas by air or even between habitats within the zoo, at Zoos Victoria everyone ensures the focus is on animal welfare.

From Zoo News Magazine Autumn 2026

HIPPOS AND ELEPHANTS GO FULL SMASHING PUMPKINS

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 15 MAY 2026

When you’ve got the biggest mouth of any land animal, you need snacks to match. With pumpkin season in full swing, the team at Werribee Open Range Zoo grew giant pumpkins especially for our three hippo girls, giving their powerful jaws the ultimate seasonal challenge.

BEN & JERRY'S DINO SUNDAE-SAURUS

cATERING UPDATE │ 27 aPR 2026

Dinosaurs have taken over the zoo, and Ben & Jerry's is joining the fun! To celebrate all things prehistoric, you can dig into a limited-time Dino Sundae-saurus on your next visit. It’s the perfect sweet treat to enjoy between spotting life-sized dinos and exploring the zoo.

Any 2 flavours of ice cream with fresh baked choc chip cookies & whipped cream, only $12.50!

blog │ 21 apr 2026

There’s double the trouble (and double the cuteness) waiting for you at Werribee Open Range Zoo, with our two lion cubs making their very first appearances out on habitat.

A COOL NEW SPACE FOR OUR SNOW LEOPARD FAMILY

ANIMAL UPDATE │ 20 Apr 2026

You may have noticed something new in the snow leopard habitat, a purpose-built cold cave designed especially for our growing family.

This cool, shaded retreat better reflects the snow leopard’s natural alpine environment and gives the cubs a comfortable place to rest, play, and escape the warmer temperatures.

The cubs are already making the most of it, often curled up together inside for a cosy nap. With improved viewing into the space, visitors can now get closer than ever to these incredible animals.

Next time you visit, take a peek inside, you might just catch the cubs in their cutest moment yet.

blog │ 16 apr 2026

Melbourne Zoo’s four snow leopard cubs - the only snow leopard cubs in the whole of Australia – are described as “feisty”, “energetic” and at least one of them is “quite snoozy”. Now the tiny, three kilogram balls of soft fur have names – and they’re out on habitat.

A DOZEN DELIGHTFUL PYGMY-POSSUMS

conservation UPDATE │ 05 aPR 2026

Twelve tiny Mountain Pygmy-possums have been born at Healesville Sanctuary as part of our breeding program for this Critically Endangered species, a huge milestone for conservation.

The team has embraced a moth-inspired naming theme for some of the joeys, a nod to the Bogong Moths that are vital to the species’ survival during spring. Names include Behemoth, Mothilda, Woolly Mammoth and Mothball, inspired by one of the mums, Mammoth.

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