Newari

Newari was born on 12 July 2016 and later arrived at Night Safari as part of an international breeding programme. In his early days, shifting him between spaces proved challenging for the care team. Around the same time, he also developed hoof pad lesions that required daily treatment and regular close contact with his keepers.

Over time, these routine sessions became familiar to him, and his hoof condition eventually resolved. Interestingly, Newari still appears reliably at the usual conditioning hour each evening — despite no longer needing treatment. One suspects the routine itself may now be part of the appeal.

Despite weighing over two tonnes, Newari engages enthusiastically with enrichment items, particularly his boomer balls, which he moves around his habitat with surprising energy. He has also been observed responding calmly to music enrichment and often settles when familiar keepers remain nearby.

During training sessions, he produces a range of vocalisations — snorts, whistles, and low calls that his keepers insist sound remarkably like mooing. Once the evening routines are complete, however, Newari’s priorities become considerably simpler. He naps.

Today, Newari weighs approximately 2.1 tonnes, with his diet and body condition carefully managed by the animal care team. Through positive reinforcement training, he voluntarily participates in behaviours that support routine health checks, including underbelly inspections conducted while he lies calmly on his side.

Much of this conditioning is guided through tactile reinforcement such as brushing. Among the keepers, Senior Keeper, Enduin, is particularly familiar to him — and Newari is often at his most cooperative during their sessions together.