WILDLIFE PARKS AND BOTANIC GARDENS

Zoos, wildlife parks, wildlife sanctuaries, aquaria, and botanic gardens are major tourist attractions. Surveys indicate that almost 50 per cent of overseas tourists visit botanic gardens and parks while in Australia and a similar proportion visit zoos and wildlife sanctuaries.¹¹⁶ Approximately 60 per cent of visitors from Europe and Britain go to gardens and 62 per cent of Japanese tourists visit zoos and sanctuaries.¹¹⁷

As at June 1997, there were 462 individual nature parks, 270 wildlife sanctuaries and 52,164 separate recreational parks and gardens in Australia. These were operated by 684 different private and government organisations.¹¹⁸

Such zoos, aquaria and botanic gardens are labour intensive, with a large part of their income spent on wages and salaries. As at June 1997, Australia-wide, they employed 3,075 paid workers and 3,665 volunteers.¹¹⁹

Research and education programs are key objectives of many zoos and botanic gardens. Their recreational values are also important for the many visitors who may undertake short stays or long and planned visits - to gain mental and spiritual refreshment.¹²⁰

Though many of Victoria's zoos, wildlife parks and botanic gardens are not specifically dedicated to native species, Australian flora and fauna are an important component of a large number of them.

Zoos, Wildlife Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries

At the end of June 1997 (the most recent statistics available) there were 53 zoos and 12 aquaria in Australia.¹²¹ The zoos and aquaria held 62,467 animal specimens between them, 46,867 of which were vertebrates. ¹²² Some zoos are also important for their plant collections.

They are also big business - with almost eight million paid admissions and a gross income of some $142 million. Of this income, $69 million came from admissions and $29 million from sale of goods, $26 million came from government and $9 million from donations or sponsorship.

Some zoos and wildlife parks focus on a particular type of animal. The Koala Conservation Centre on Phillip Island is an example of these. While not strictly a zoo or wildlife park, the `Insectorium of Victoria' in Woodend is another example of an operation based on a particular group of animals.

There is a continuum between the more conventional zoo, in which the animal is held captive, to the `open zoo' where the animal is free in its natural environment and people are confined. The Wildlife Wonderland in South Gippsland is representative of the former; the Seal Rock Sea Life Centre on Phillip Island an example of the latter. Between these extremes are wildlife parks and sanctuaries that restrict the human visitor to walkways, while allowing the animals free movement within a safe sanctuary that is made as similar to their natural habitat as possible. The Healesville Sanctuary and Earth Sanctuary's Warrawong Sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia, are examples.

Wildlife Parks may also be associated with consumptive uses. During its study tour to Zimbabwe, the Committee inspected the Spencer's Creek Crocodile Ranch. While this is primarily a commercial farm - producing crocodiles for skins and meat, it also has a working display/wildlife park facility at a nearby popular tourist area (Victoria Falls) which is run as a tourist venture. Large pens of different-aged crocodiles are kept at the wildlife park. A range of crocodile-skin products are also handcrafted and sold on the premises to tourists.

Location and local support, as well as the quality of the experience offered by zoos and sanctuaries, play a significant part in their success. The Committee were given to understand that location and local support have also served the Phillip Island Nature Park (Penguin Parade and Koala Conservation Centre) well. Warrawong Sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills has similarly gained from being close to a major population centre.

Zoos and wildlife parks are important State-wide and regional tourist drawcards. As noted earlier in this chapter, the Melbourne Zoo attracted more overseas visitors than any other paid-entry destination in Victoria,¹²³ and the Ballarat Wildlife Park, a private venture, is one of the State's biggest tourist attractions. Paying visitors not only provide revenue to support the ongoing maintenance of the animal collections and associated research, but contribute to regional tourism.

In Victoria, zoos and sanctuaries are owned and managed by a diversity of individuals and organisations. These include:

v) the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board of Victoria;

w) Parks Victoria (for example Serendip Sanctuary and Woodlands Historic Park);

x) local councils (for example Kyabram Faunal Park);

y) not-for-profit, non-government organisations (for example the National Trust);

z) private companies (for example the Ballarat Wildlife and Reptile Park); and

aa) private individuals.¹²⁴

All such animal exhibitions (that is native and exotic animals), wildlife parks (native animals and deer) and zoos (exotic animals) are regulated under the Wildlife Act 1975, as does any other form of display of native fauna.¹²⁵ As at June 1999, there were 47 private operators licensed as `wildlife displayers', the licence required for static display in enclosures such as a private wildlife park. An additional 22 people are licensed to display wildlife as part of travelling or temporary displays or as part of demonstrations. Only prescribed native species may be held, and these currently exclude endangered species.¹²⁶

The Zoological Parks and Gardens Board of Victoria

The Zoological Parks and Gardens Board of Victoria (the Board) is a statutory organisation established under the Zoological Parks and Gardens Act 1995. It operates the Royal Melbourne Zoological Gardens in Parkville, the Open Range Zoo at Werribbee and the Sir Colin McKenzie Sanctuary at Healesville.

The Board is part of a global zoo management network, but also provides support to regional zoos and collections. It is a signatory to the World Zoological Conservation Strategy,¹²⁷ which has conservation as a central objective. This objective is fulfilled through education and the promotion of "public and political awareness for species conservation".¹²⁸

An important function of the Board is to ensure the genetic integrity of species, including native species, held in their collections. That is, ensuring that animal populations in zoos and, particularly for rare and endangered species, the world, retain adequate genetic diversity.¹²⁹

A substantial research program underpins the management of its zoo and sanctuary collections as well as assists the management of many other such enterprises in Victoria, and endangered species-recovery programs.¹³⁰

Species currently encompassed by the species-recovery programs of the Board include the golden sun moth, striped legless lizard, the great barred frog, mountain pygmy-possum, eastern barred bandicoot and brush-tailed rock wallaby. Methods to release captive-bred animals to assist re-establish wild populations have been developed.

Each of the Board's three facilities offers extensive educational programs.¹³¹ These are provided for schools, the general public and higher education.

Melbourne Zoological Gardens and Werribee Open Range Zoo

The Melbourne Zoo, which opened in 1862, is one of the three most popular tourist destinations for overseas visitors to Victoria, but nonetheless around 70 per cent of its visitors come from Melbourne.¹³² It is not focussed on native fauna, but does contain a significant number of native animals. The Werribee Open Range Zoo features grassland species from around the world, including Australia. An important aspect of this zoo is its commitment to conservation of grasses and other herbs of the Western Basalt Plains. These grassland communities are considered endangered.¹³³ As part of its program to promote conservation of native grasslands, the Werribee Zoo has established a native seed orchard. Aims of this include provision of local seed for large-scale replanting and revegetation projects.¹³⁴

Healesville Sanctuary

The Healesville Sanctuary is the most popular native animal sanctuary in Victoria. It was opened in 1934 as a result of the efforts of a few dedicated people whose tenacity overcame the "inertia and bureaucracy" of government.¹³⁵ The substantial involvement of local enthusiasts and voluntary workers enabled the Sanctuary to survive and grow, in spite of official scepticism, scant finance and the constraints imposed by the Second World War. From the vision of the early committees, a Sanctuary with the world's largest collection of Australian wildlife has evolved.¹³⁶

Over 200 species are now represented, with interpretation programs offered. The Sanctuary is a major draw-card for both domestic and overseas tourists¹³⁷ - in 1995, 319,542 people passed through the gates.¹³⁸

Over the years the way that animals are kept at the sanctuary has evolved from formal cage enclosures to `walk-throughs' set among natural vegetation providing habitat for wild populations protected within the fenced sanctuary-compound boundary. A substantive adjoining area, known as the Coranderrk Bushland, consists of fenced remnant bushland, from which visitors are essentially restricted, which is managed to encourage its small mammal population.

The Healesville Sanctuary experience suggests that strong community support, solid research, visionary leadership, an excellent location and openings for local people to be actively involved are a powerful combination where tourist development is concerned.¹³⁹

Koala Conservation Centre

The Koala Conservation Centre was established to assist in the protection of Phillip Island's diminishing koala population. The Centre has a captive colony of koalas - stocked with animals that for various reasons would not be able to survive in the wild, as well as a wild population. Both populations are afforded protection from predators by fencing. Extensive plantations of manna gums, swamp gums and blue gums have been established to supplement remnant eucalypt habitat in the vicinity and are used for habitat for the wild population and a source of harvested fodder for the captive animals.

The facilities include elevated board-walks that enable visitors to view animals in a near-natural bushland setting without disturbing them. A visitor centre has been constructed, incorporating displays as well as a gift shop and amenities. The Koala Conservation Centre is part of the Phillip Island Nature Park and current planning is to redevelop the area as a model ecotourism site.¹⁴⁰ It attracts approximately 100,000 visitors a year.¹⁴¹

Serendip Sanctuary

Large numbers of native animals can be observed in near-natural conditions at Serendip Sanctuary, Lara.¹⁴² It was originally developed as a research station for basalt-plain species and a number of recovery programs were run, such as those for the plains wanderer and the brolga. In recent years it has targeted visitors, with landscaped grounds and an interpretation centre constructed. It aims to be self-funding. Serendip was established on farmland, with natural habitats restored and enhanced to provide an `open sanctuary'. In recent times it has provided drought refuge for a free-ranging mob of kangaroos.

Wildlife Wonderland - Incorporating the Giant Worm

Wildlife Wonderland is a private wildlife park that was visited by the Committee as part of its inspection program. It provides an interesting example of the development of a wildlife park.

The original tourist development was focussed on one species - the Giant Gippsland Worm. This species grows to 2 metres in length and is the largest earthworm in the world - and its live display proved to be of particular interest to tourists. However, it proved difficult to keep and breed in captivity. Moreover, its wild population status is

precarious - its status under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 was changed from `threatened' to `endangered'. As a consequence it cannot now be collected from the wild.

To meet visitor demand and compensate for reduced opportunities to view the giant worms, the centre has expanded the number of species displayed. The wildlife park now includes a wombat display and enclosures with koalas and kangaroos. Given the restrictions of wildlife trading in Victoria, all animals on display were obtained from interstate (Western Australia). The park operates under authority of a wildlife licence and is subject to regular inspections. Ongoing development in recent years has included tea-rooms, a shop and a shark display.

The wildlife park benefits greatly by being on the key access road to the Penguin Parade. It targets the passing bus traffic - and has been successful in doing this, with approximately 270,000 visitors per year.

From discussion with the proprietor of the wildlife park,¹⁴³ the key success factors are understood to be good marketing, with access to animals, a good location and collaboration between all tourist facilities in the district. Issues adversely affecting its operations include:

bb) complicated regulations;

cc) restrictions on handling of koalas;

dd) lack of consultation when regulation changes are being considered; and

ee) restriction on obtaining animals from animal shelters (where many animals, once they recover, are not suited to release into the wild).

Warrawong Sanctuary

Warrawong Sanctuary in the Adelaide Hills is one of six wildlife sanctuaries owned by Earth Sanctuaries Limited.¹⁴⁴ The Committee inspected Warrawong Sanctuary during its study tour to South Australia. The Sanctuary is located on former farmland, which has been replanted to provide feed and shelter for a number of native animals. To date the main focus has been on small ground-dwelling mammals, especially those that are rare or endangered in their natural habitat. Stocks have been obtained from those States that permit trading in native animals. Viable breeding populations have been established.

Warrawong and the other `Earth Sanctuaries' - which now cover a total of 90,000 hectares - offer training, educational and recreational opportunities focussed on attractive native animals. The provision of large feral-free enclosures is considered, by the Managing Director of Earth Sanctuaries, to be the key to ensuring the survival of Australia's small mammal fauna.

Unlike the public zoos and sanctuaries and most privately owned sanctuaries, Warrawong is financed by a growing number of shareholders. It identifies itself as a "Conservation company [with] core business [as] conservation". In particular, it is "committed to saving Australia's vanishing wildlife ... in the wild, together with the whole ecosystem necessary for its survival".¹⁴⁵

The company expressed interest in developing an `Earth Sanctuary' at the You Yangs Regional Park in Victoria,¹⁴⁶ however, the then Minister for Conservation and Land Management while welcoming the company's interest did not support giving the company exclusive access to such a high profile area of public land at no cost and offered to:

Expedite [Earth Sanctuary's] proposal and facilitate [its] acquisition of private freehold land ... [or lease of] appropriate areas of Crown land.¹⁴⁷

The company has now purchased land adjoining the You Yangs Regional Park which it intends to develop as an `Earth Sanctuary'. It intends to spend $12 million on the purchase and development of the 1000 hectare site and expects to attract about 110,000 visitors a year.¹⁴⁸

Botanic Gardens

At June 1997 there were 53 organisations operating botanic gardens, arboreta and herbaria in Australia on 92 separate locations.¹⁴⁹ The botanic gardens averaged 2,488 living species each, with many more species grown by the largest gardens.

The gardens are supported by `friends' groups and a number of sponsors, but the majority (86 per cent) of financial support (totalling $71 million) is provided by State government funding. Private-sector donations and sponsorship provided $2 million out of the total. Admission charges were made by 16 operators and raised less than $1 million.¹⁵⁰

The Royal Botanical Gardens Board, a statutory body established under the Royal Botanic Gardens Act 1991, is responsible for the Royal Botanic Gardens at South Yarra and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne. The former was founded in 1846. It contains a total of 10,919 plant species, 2,100 (20 per cent) of which are native to Australia.¹⁵¹ It also houses the National Herbarium of Victoria. The Gardens attracted 1.5 million visitors in 1997-98, of whom nearly 30,000 were part of school groups. It is one of the three most popular destinations for overseas visitors to Victoria and a major attraction for local people as well.¹⁵² It has only a limited collection of plants native to Victoria.

To provide a collection more representative of Victorian flora, the garden at Cranbourne was established, in 1970. It is a protected area of native heathland, low native forest and wetlands, with an arboretum containing representatives of Australia's diverse flora. This garden is popular with bushwalkers and birdwatchers as well as local picnickers and tourists.¹⁵³ In 1997-98 it was visited by 80,000 people, including 7,570 students and 270 teachers.¹⁵⁴

The plant collections are managed for scientific and reference purposes, with the gardens also managed to provide for "education, public enjoyment and tourism".

Strengths

Zoos, wildlife parks and botanic gardens are proven visitor draw-cards. They offer visitors close interaction with wildlife that may foster respect and understanding. Education is generally an integral part of their operation.

The public and larger private operations undertake or subsidise research into native wildlife's biology and management, and may offer veterinarian and identification services. Community-benefit programs of captive breeding of rare and endangered species for their recovery are undertaken.

They also offer economic benefit to local communities through employment and attracting regional tourism.

Challenges

Zoos and wildlife parks involve the maintenance of wild animals in captivity. Though most of the animal population are captive bred, the keeping of animals in captivity is an issue of concern for many.

Zoos and wildlife parks are expensive to run and rely on access to adequate expertise to ensure animal health. Commercial requirements to maintain `attractive' animals or provide for `contact' experience may override objectives such as providing representative collections and meeting animal-welfare needs.

The difference between the public institutions and private parks is becoming increasingly blurred. Both are now commercially driven and the rationale for different regulatory regimes may not be as valid now as it was in the past.