Brooklands Zoo

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Meet the Animals

Brooklands Zoo is home to over 25 different types of species. Find out more about what they eat, where they come from and a bit about their personalites.

• Birds
• Aquatics
• Exotics 
• Farmyard animals
  

Birds

Love Bird
Agapornis personatus

Diet: Fruit, vegetables, some grasses and seeds.
Home: Mainland Africa

Love birds are very social and affectionate animals and are among the smallest parrots in the world, being between 13 and 17cm in length. They are also vocal and active, with a love of chewing things. 

They are monogamous with a strong bonding behaviour and are best kept in pairs, if not being held as a pet. They have a life span of between 10 to 15 years.

Derbyan Parakeet
Psittacula derbiana

Diet: The natural diet consists of fruits, berries, seeds and leaf buds. 
Home: India and China.

The Derbyan Parakeet is also known as The Lord Derby's Parakeet or Derby’s Parakeet. The adult male and female are easily distinguished because they have different beak colours and slightly different coloured plumage.

In the wild this species is poached for the illegal wildlife trade. 
   

Golden Pheasant
Chrysolophus pictus

Diet: Berries, grubs, seeds and other types of vegetation.
Home: Native to forests in mountainous areas of western China but feral populations have been established in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

Despite the male's showy appearance, these hardy birds are very difficult to see in their natural habitat which is dense, dark young conifer forests with sparse undergrowth. Consequently, little is known of their behavior in the wild.

Although they can fly in short bursts they are quite clumsy in flight and spend most of their time on the ground. They are otherwise known as the Chinese pheasant. 

Lady Amherst’s Pheasant
Chrysolophus amherstiae

Diet: Grain, leaves and invertebrates.
Home: South-western China and Myanmar (Burma).
The lady amherst is a game bird and is closely related to the golden pheasant. The adult male is 100-120cm in length (its tail accounting for 80cm of the total length). It is unmistakable with its black and silver head, long grey tail and rump, and red, blue, white and yellow body plumage. The ‘cape’ can be raised in display. The male has a gruff call in the breeding season.

They roost in trees at night. While they can fly they prefer to run, but if startled they can suddenly burst upwards at great speed with a distinctive wing sound. 

Musk Lorikeet

Glossopsitta concinna

Diet: They eat mainly pollen and nectar from eucalypts using their specialised brush-tipped tongues  but also eat seeds and fruits plus insects and their larvae.
Home: South-east Australia

They are often seen in large flocks when trees are flowering and in mixed flocks with other parrots and birds.

Musk lorikeets feed in all levels of the canopy and are very active when foraging.
  

Rainbow Lorikeet

Trichoglossus haematodus

Diet: Lorikeets eat the nectar and pollen from flowers and have brush-like tips to their tongues to get the most out. Their love of fruit makes them a pest to Australian orchardists.
Home: A common sight throughout most of Australia, rainbow lorikeets can also be found on nearby South Pacific islands, such as the Solomon Islands, Indonesia and New Guinea.

Like all parrots, lorikeets have zygodactyl feet (two toes facing forward; and two facing backward).  This makes it more difficult to move on the ground, but is excellent for hanging upside down to feed on flowers high up in trees.

Lorikeets are natural clowns and can often be seen playing with each other or by themselves.

Sun Conure
Aratinga solstitialis

Diet: Fruit, flowers, berries and nuts.
Home: North-eastern South America.

Also known as the sun parakeet, they are very social and typically live in groups of up to 30 individuals.

This species is very popular in captivity, and large numbers have been caught for the pet trade. Today they are regularly bred in captivity but the capture of wild individuals potentially remains a very serious threat as the wild population is declining. This has fuelled recent discussions regarding the bird’s status leading to it being up-listed to endangered in the 2008 International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. 

Superb Parrot 
Polytelis swainsonii

Diet: Eucalypt flowers, fruit, nectar and pollen.
Home: Native to south-east Australia

Also known as a barraband’s parakeet, parraband parakeet, scarlet-breasted parrot or green leek. The superb parakeet is classified as a vulnerable species.

They roost in the forest canopy during hot parts of the day and forage both in the canopy and on the ground at dawn and in the evening. It is also the official emblem of New South Wales Boorowa Shire.   

Red-crowned Kakariki
Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae novaezelandiae

Home: New Zealand

Also known as the New Zealand parakeet and red-crowned parakeet, kakariki is Maori for ‘small parrot’. The kakariki has become an endangered species as a result of introduced species and habitat destruction.

This species is found in both the north and south islands of New Zealand as well as the Stewart and Auckland islands. It prefers to inhabit relatively open spaces in and around forested areas, and frequently forages on the ground. It also prefers lower altitudes than the yellow crowned kakariki. 

Indian Ringneck Parakeet
Psittacula krameri manillensis

Diet: Fruit, vegetables, flowers, berries, seeds and nuts.
Home: Native to open areas in India, and also found in Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Pakistan and Rameswaram Island. 

Parakeets are available in different colours from bright greens, blues and yellows and are very popular as pets. They are a non-migrating bird in the wild and are known for their squawking call.   

Java Sparrow
Padda oryzivora

Diet: Mostly grain and other seeds.
Home: Indonesia, although they have spread throughout the world, and inhabit grasslands, rice fields, mangroves and forests.

They are also known as the Java finch and due to ongoing habitat loss and hunting, they are declining in numbers in their natural environment. They are a favourite in the pet trade and classed as a pest in the rice fields. Their conservation status is vulnerable in the wild.

Both sexes are similar but the immature birds have brown under-parts. They can be up to 17cm long. Their calling sound is a ‘chip chip’ and is very pleasant to listen to. 

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Aquatics

African clawed frog
Xenopus laevis

Diet: Mainly arthropods (insects and spiders), fish and other amphibians.
Home: These frogs live in ponds, rivers and stagnant pools in their native land in the south of the Sahara Desert.  (They have also become established in Southern California, in the USA and are spreading in numbers and area.)

Their conservation status is stable in the wild and they rarely, if ever venture out of water. They don't have vocal cords but make clicking sounds under water.

African clawed frogs hang very still just below the surface of the water with their arms outstretched, waiting for prey to swim by - and because they don't have tongues they rely heavily on their hands to capture their food. 

African clawed frogs were once used for testing for human pregnancy throughout the world; however, newer technology has changed this practice. 

Guppy
Poecilia reticulata

Home: Barbados, Brazil, Guyana, Netherlands Antilles, Trinidad and Tobago, the US Virgin Islands and Venezuela.They have also become established in many other countries throughout the world.

The guppy is also know as the millionfish and is one of the most common freshwater aquarium fish species in the world. 

These are live-bearing fish, and their colours and patterns vary between populations depending on the number of predators in their habitats. Populations with fewer predators tend to be more brightly coloured, whereas those with more predators tend to be less coloured.     

Bristlenose Pleco
Ancistrus temminckii

Diet: A bristlenose pleco is a herbivore and mainly eats algae, although males are known to cannibalise another male’s young.

Home: In their natural environment, they are found in rivers and floodplain areas. However, Bristlenose pleco are widely available and are bred for the purpose of modern-day aquariums – mainly for their ability to manage algae growth, and for being compatible with most freshwater fish. 

They have a ventral sucker mouth which gives them the ability to eat algae from any surface; and they are one of the smallest pleco species, growing to an average size of 15cm. They can live up to 12 years of age.

It is in their nature to hide and will only come out to feed, so see if you can find them! 

Red Devil Cichlid
Amphilophus citrinellus hybrid

Diet: In the wild they eat other fish, snails, small aquatic plants and insects.
Home: Found in freshwater lakes and in lower river valleys in Central America, Southern Mexico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the Honduras. 

Our red devil cichlid’s name is Simon. These are very territorial and aggressive fish – when Simon rushes up to the side of his tank to ‘kiss you’, this is him acting aggressively towards you. Please step back and watch him from a distance. Red devil cichlids generally live to at least 15 years of age and will grow to approximately 30cm.   

Its natural habitat includes the Amazon river basin in Peru, Colombia, and Brazil, particularly the Ucayali, Solimões and Amazon rivers, as well as the rivers of Amapá in Brazil, the Oyapock River in French Guiana and the Essequibo River in Guyana. It is found in swamps or flooded grounds where vegetation is dense and the water is either clear or silty. 

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Exotics

Cotton-top Tamarin
Saguinus oedipus

Diet: In the wild cotton-top tamarins eat a variety of insects, fruit, saps and plants.

Home: Cotton-top tamarins are an endangered species, found in the rainforests and woodland areas of South America (throughout Amazonia into Guianas, Columbia and Central America).

There are currently more of these primates living in captivity than in the wild as they are threatened by the pet trade and deforestation of their natural habitat. 

They are social animals and live in pairs or family groups. Tamarin females always give birth to twin offspring and the male plays a significant role in caring for the young, primarily by carrying them around. Without this help the female would not be able to cope with the extra energy demands of lactation.

In most cases, non-reproductive animals help the parents to carry and rear their offspring. Among monkeys this form of cooperative breeding is found only in the tamarin and marmoset species.

Bolivian Squirrel Monkey
Saimiri Boliviensis

Diet: Squirrel Monkeys are omnivores and eat insects, fruit, flowers and seeds. 
Home: Throughout Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela.

Although squirrel monkeys are captured for medical research and for the pet trade; they are not threatened in the wild.  They are found in the canopy layers of tropical lowland rainforest.  They are excellent climbers and leapers and are very active during the day.  

They use their long tails for balancing and for marking territory – squirrel monkeys will rub their tails and their skin with their own urine.  In the wild their small body size makes them susceptible to predators such as snakes and felids (cats).  On average they can live up to 20 years.

 

Brown or Black-capped Capuchin
Cebus apella

Diet: Primarily fruit and insect eaters.
Home: Central America.

Capuchin are highly intelligent primates and love to explore their surroundings. They are expert climbers and use their prehensile tails like an extra arm to move around the canopy.   

They live in groups and although they are small in size, they are deceptively strong! They communicate with each other by using a variety of vocal and facial expressions.

Capuchin monkeys can live up to 40 years of age.

Small-clawed Otter
Aonyx cinerea

Diet: In the wild small clawed otters eat a variety of crustaceans and molluscs.  Here at the zoo we feed them a variety of food including minced meat, fish, day-old chicks, eggs and seafood
Home: Indonesia, southern China, southern India, the Philippines and Southeast Asia. 

Small clawed otters are threatened by habitat destruction, hunting and pollution.

They are the smallest members of the otter family (the mustelid) and are highly social animals and communicate with each other by noise and scent.

They prefer shallow freshwater areas and have slightly webbed paws which are very dextrous. They use their forepaws to feel for molluscs and crustaceans in rocks, vegetation and mud.  Their water-resistant fur keeps them warm and they are able to close their nostrils and ears to keep water from getting in them when they are under the water.

Meerkat
Suricata suricatta

Diet: In the wild meerkats eat insects, spiders, eggs and other small animals, roots and bulbs, and occasionally small birds. 

Home: Meerkats are widespread in parts around the Kalahari Desert and Southern Africa.  They are considered to be of ‘least concern’ by the IUCN Redlist and there are no major threats to this species.

Meerkats spend a lot of time in large underground tunnels and are social animals.  At least one member of the group watches for predators.  They are vocal animals and communicate to the rest of the group to let them know when all is well and will warn of any potential predators.  

Meerkats also spend a lot of time foraging for food.  They have long front claws that are used to dig burrows and to find food.  Their tails are used to help them balance and the black coloration around their eyes act like natural sunglasses to help them see against the bright sun.  

 

 

Farmyard animals

Chicken
Gallus gallus domesticus

Diet: Chicken pellets, vegetables and small bugs such as worms.

The chicken is one of the most common and wide spread domestic animals, with a population of more than 24 billion. They were domesticated around 8,000 years ago. There are more chickens in the world than any other bird, with more than 150 different varieties of domestic chickens.

The rooster is a male chicken and crows all day round. Chickens’ life expectancy is between five and eleven years, with the world’s oldest chicken living until 16 years of age.  They have four to five toes on each foot and have a heart beat of up to 315 beats per minute.  The largest chicken egg ever laid weighed 450g and an egg was once found that contained nine yolks.

Kunekune Pig
Sus scrofa domestica

Diet: The pig is an omnivore, which means it eats plant material and meat.

Home: New Zealand. 

Kunekune are intelligent and have a placid nature. They are believed to have descended from an Asian domestic breed introduced to New Zealand in the early 1800s by whalers or traders. Kunekune were kept by the native Maori people - kunekune means ‘chubby’ in the Maori language. In the late 1970s the population of purebred kunekune was believed to be around 50. With the effort of dedicated people they were saved from extinction and now number in the thousands around the world.

They are hairy and mostly have two tassels hanging from their lower jaw.  They also have four toes and use the middle big toes for walking. Pigs can be trained and are great truffle finders. 

Goat
Capra aegagrus hircus

Diet: The digestive systems of a goat allows them to eat nearly any organic substance; however,
at the zoo their varied diet only includes grass, leaves and vegetables.  

They are a ruminant, which means they have a fore-stomach with four chambers to help digest food. Goast are the oldest domesticated animals in the world, domesticated around 10,000 years ago. They were used to help transport goods and for their milk.

Did you know that goats are great swimmers, and they can produce around 1,800L of milk per year?     

Guinea Pig
Cavia porcellus

Home: Andes

Also known as a cavy and belonging to the rodent family, guinea pigs were first domesticated as early as 5,000 BC for food by tribes in the Andean region of South America. Spanish, Dutch and English traders brought guinea pigs to Europe, where they quickly became popular as exotic pets among the upper classes and royalty, including Queen Elizabeth I.

There are many specialised breeds of guinea pig, with varying coat colors and compositions. 

Alpaca
Lama “pacos”

Cinnamon, Ricotta and Liquorice have all been born in New Plymouth, on an alpaca farm. 

Alpaca were first domesticated by the Inca people of South America, about 5,000 years ago. They have been kept by the people of Peru, Bolivia and Chile ever since. They are well adapted to the thin air and low oxygen of the mountains in this region.

Alpaca, and their cousins the llama, belong to the same family of animals as camels (the cameloids).

Modern alpacas are kept for their fleece, which is even finer and softer than merino sheep wool. It is spun and knitted in the same way as sheep wool. Baby alpaca are called cria. 

Helmeted Guinea Fowl

Numida meleagris

Diet: Crawling insects, seeds, rodents, fruit and vegetation.
Home: Africa

The Guinea fowl population is unknown worldwide as their numbers are too high. In the wild they inhabit grasslands, forest and bush areas. They prefer to run rather than fly and roost in trees. 

They are a social animal with a life span of up to 15 years, and are monogamous. They are often used and raised on farms to control parasites on farm stock. 

Our Guinea Fowl are pearl grey and lavender in colour. They can lay up to 20 eggs at a time and the young are called keets. They are also both momomorphic and monochromatic – both sexes look and act alike, although a male’s wattle is much larger a female’s.   

Donkey
Equus asinus

Diet: Donkeys are herbivores, which means they are a grazing animal and eat mostly grass and hay.

The donkey is a domesticated species and is used mostly as a working animal to transport goods. There are estimated to be more than 44 million donkeys worldwide. 

They are known to be very intelligent, friendly and playful animals. Donkeys vocalise very loudly, with the sound they make called a bray. They have developed larger ears than a horse, which allows them to communicate with other donkeys over a 3km distance. A male is called a Jack and female is known as a Jenny.  Their pregnancies last 12 months.  

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