Is it me or is Australia/NZ declining in zoo species diversity?
- Thread starter Ebirah766
- Start date
It's not such a bad thing. Both countries have a huge number of threatened endemic species. Every non-native zoo species lost is one less potential threat to the endemic species.
It’s not your imagination:
Exotic Mammal Species Lost from Australian Zoos since 2000:
African Elephant (Loxodonta africana)
Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi)
White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)
Gemsbok (Oryx gazella)
Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii)
Sable Antelope (Hippotragus niger)
Greater Kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros)
Red Lechwe (Kobus leche leche)
Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra)
Bengal Slow Loris (Nycticebus bengalensis)
White-fronted Lemur (Eulemur albifrons)
Black (Golden-rumped) Lion Tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)
Common Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Ebony (Javan) Langur (Trachypithecus auratus)
Purple-faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus vetulus)
De Brazza's Monkey (Cercopithecus neglectus)
Stump-tailed Macaque (Macaca arctoides)
Tonkean Macaque (Macaca tonkeana)
Muller's (Bornean) Gibbon (Hylobates muelleri)
Asian Lion (Panthera leo persica)
Tigon (Panthera tigris X Panthera leo)
Persian Leopard (Panthera pardus ciscaucasica / saxicolor)
generic Leopard (Panthera pardus)
Jaguar (Panthera onca)
Clouded Leopard (Neofelis nebulosa)
Asiatic Golden Cat (Catopuma temminckii)
Bobcat (Lynx rufus)
Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis)
Eurasian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos arctos)
Syrian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos syriacus)
Kodiak Bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi)
Dhole (Cuon alpinus)
European badger (Meles meles)
Dwarf Mongoose (Helogale parvula)
White-nosed Coati (Nasua narica)
Greater Tree Shrew (Tupaia glis)
American Beaver (Castor canadensis)
Indian Crested Porcupine (Hystrix indica)
Hoffman's Two-toed Sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni)
Matschie's Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei)
Grey Dorcopsis Wallaby (Dorcopsis luctuosa)
Exotic Mammal Species Gained Since 2000:
Indian Rhino Rhinoceros unicornis
Francois' Langur Trachypithecus francoisi
Dhole Cuon alpinus
Giant Panda Ailuropoda melanoleuca
Brown-nosed Coati Nasua nasua
Mara Dolichotis patagonum
Capybara Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris
Nyala Tragelaphus angasii
South African Crested Porcupine Hystrix africaeaustralis
Caracal Caracal caracal
Red-handed Tamarin Saguinus midas
Sunda Slow Loris Nycticebus coucang
Thanks to @Chlidonias for the info contained in this thread: Exotic Mammals in Australian Zoos
If you’re interested in records of birds and reptiles, @zooboy28 has also compiled some excellent lists in the Australian forum.
Jake
Well-Known Member
what zoo has dholes?
They used to be at Taronga Zoo.
From the exotic mammal thread:
“One captive-bred pair was imported to Taronga Zoo in Feb 2006 from Cambodia. One female pup was born in August 2006 and one male pup in July 2007. The father and daughter went to Singapore Night Safari in 2009, and he has since bred with an unrelated female there (in 2011). Both animals remaining at Taronga Zoo (the mother and son) died around Feb 2015.
The previous population of Dholes at Taronga Zoo, which had died out just a few years before the above animals were imported, were the result of one pair which was imported from China in 1983 and one further animal imported from Canada in 1984.”
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Jake
Well-Known Member
Are they still around in Australian zoos?
No unfortunately, like the post above mentioned, the last dhole died out around early 2015.
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I distinctly remember seeing the Kodiak bear at Taronga when I was a very young child. Probably around 2007 or 2008. Does anybody know what happend to it? I am fairly certain that there was only one very lightly coloured individual.
Also how long ago were Jaguars present in Australia?
Also how long ago were Jaguars present in Australia?
*Kodiak Bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi)
Three siblings were imported to Adelaide Zoo from the Colorado Springs Zoo (USA) in 1978, and then moved on to Taronga Zoo in 1985. Male Barney died in c.July 2005 aged 28, female Cynthia died March 2008 aged 31, and female Bethyl died Oct 2012 aged 35.
*Jaguar (Panthera onca)
The last five in the country all died in late 2000s from old age. A female at Darling Downs Zoo which came from Monbulk Animal Kingdom, but was originally bred at Adelaide Zoo in the late 1970s, died in 2008. The pair at Melbourne Zoo both died in 2008. Of the sibling pair at Mogo Zoo, which had came from Notre Dame Zoo (Mulgoa) when it was closed down in 1991, the female died in 2007 and the male in either 2009 or 2010.
The link to the exotic mammal thread with all this information was given earlier in this thread by @Zoofan15
Jake
Well-Known Member
@WhistlingKite24 then why is it in the species gained since the 2000’s. Do they only live to be 15 or 16 years old?
The Dholes at Taronga died out, new ones were brought in later, then those ones died out. @WhistlingKite24 literally quoted the relevant part of the thread for you in his previous reply.
*Dhole (Cuon alpinus)
One captive-bred pair was imported to Taronga Zoo in Feb 2006 from Cambodia. One female pup was born in August 2006 and one male pup in July 2007. The father and daughter went to Singapore Night Safari in 2009, and he has since bred with an unrelated female there (in 2011). Both animals remaining at Taronga Zoo (the mother and son) died around Feb 2015.
The previous population of Dholes at Taronga Zoo, which had died out just a few years before the above animals were imported, were the result of one pair which was imported from China in 1983 and one further animal imported from Canada in 1984.
Jake
Well-Known Member
@Chlidonias shouldnt they be on the species LOST list??
They are. On both the exotic mammals thread and on the lists @Zoofan15 posted in this thread they are listed under both because they were gained after 2000 and also lost after 2000. Go to the thread and actually read it.
Jake
Well-Known Member
Yes sir
Until very recently I felt that Zoos in Australasia were all about phasing out species and big pointless exhibits (The Taronga plane ride to see the Tigers is my favourite "worst pointless exhibit of all time"), however having recently been fortunate to visit some of the privately run collections in Victoria and Queensland I am hopefully that things can improve.
It appears to me that the major Zoos have been run as corporations for such a long time that they have forgotten what there core purpose is, which (IMHO) is the care and display of animals - which is why everyone goes to the zoo. People still have a desire to see animals and as the world is becoming more urbanised, Zoos are the most likely place that City folk will get to see non-native animals.
The Major zoos have a large population base on which to attract customers and most people would only visit a zoo once or twice a year. They do not have to change anything - so long as they can import meerkats, ring-tailed lemurs and the other ABC's they will have a ready audience.
The privately run zoos however have the drive, purpose and passion that seems to be lacking in the corporates. Halls Gap Zoo, Wildlife HQ and Moonlit Sanctuary are three organisations that I have recently been able to visit and they all have done amazing things on small budgets and they all have expanding collections.
Mogo Zoo, Altina, Darling Downs, Tasmania Zoo, Hunter Valley Zoo - all collections on the to visit list, all appear to be doing great things with their collections. Altina's recently announced 5 year plan is very promising and their work with Maned Wolves has been a real success story.
If you want to see things improve in Zoos in Australia and New Zealand - support the privately run Zoos.
It appears to me that the major Zoos have been run as corporations for such a long time that they have forgotten what there core purpose is, which (IMHO) is the care and display of animals - which is why everyone goes to the zoo. People still have a desire to see animals and as the world is becoming more urbanised, Zoos are the most likely place that City folk will get to see non-native animals.
The Major zoos have a large population base on which to attract customers and most people would only visit a zoo once or twice a year. They do not have to change anything - so long as they can import meerkats, ring-tailed lemurs and the other ABC's they will have a ready audience.
The privately run zoos however have the drive, purpose and passion that seems to be lacking in the corporates. Halls Gap Zoo, Wildlife HQ and Moonlit Sanctuary are three organisations that I have recently been able to visit and they all have done amazing things on small budgets and they all have expanding collections.
Mogo Zoo, Altina, Darling Downs, Tasmania Zoo, Hunter Valley Zoo - all collections on the to visit list, all appear to be doing great things with their collections. Altina's recently announced 5 year plan is very promising and their work with Maned Wolves has been a real success story.
If you want to see things improve in Zoos in Australia and New Zealand - support the privately run Zoos.
I believe you have it all in a nut shell here, I agree it appears most of the major zoos are losing their way with the smaller regional zoos picking up the slack of what the big guys should be doing. If it was not for Altina zoo picking up maned wolfs they would of been gone from the region since Western plains zoo wanted to drop them, Altina have bred quite a few sending off-spring out to a number of other regional zoos also importing new bloodlines. I believe we have not seen the last of phasing out of more species from aussie collections even some of the endangered species now breeding well in some of our zoos. Its almost like a small number of people within the zoo world just make some of these decisions on almost a whim. Do not be to surprised what goes out of collections in the next few years!
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@ zorro - sorry i cant seem to quote your reply using my phone.
You mention the potential phasing out of endangered animals in the near future. Do you have any ideas on what might be phased out?
I still haven't gotten over the phase out of the successful breeding Sitatunga herds which were meant to be replaced with okapi.
Don't get me started on the beautiful De brazza monkeys which were also phased out on a whim, with the major zoos planning to replace them with something else which hasn't occurred to my knowledge.
You mention the potential phasing out of endangered animals in the near future. Do you have any ideas on what might be phased out?
I still haven't gotten over the phase out of the successful breeding Sitatunga herds which were meant to be replaced with okapi.
Don't get me started on the beautiful De brazza monkeys which were also phased out on a whim, with the major zoos planning to replace them with something else which hasn't occurred to my knowledge.
@kiwimuzz. You in your other post have hit the nail right on the head in regards to some of our major zoos dropping the ball only for the smaller regional zoo to pick it up and run with it. I do believe "some" within the powers to be do some things without to much thought of the long term out come will be for "said species', At the end of the day zoos big or small are there to show case animals to the public for a number of reasons including captive breeding of endangered species of which some are returned to the wild to boost wild populations.I am worried about a number of species held within the region which "can be saved" if the will is there to save them, Mandrills are just one case in point and others of which you have mentioned. I believe we need to be able to see long term goals for species populations not just the big few like Sumatran tigers or Gorllias ect but most of the species now in care. The pygmy Hippo is a case in point which fell down between the cracks years ago within our major zoos where individuals that should have been put together much sooner than they were only to bring them together at the 11th hour.This phasing animal species in and out as a whim must stop, I do take my hat off the the smaller regional zoos for doing a outstanding job and in many cases fighting above their weight class as for our big gun zoos time to get your act together and soon!
Endangered animals I’m not sure but it appears binturongs will most likely be phased out
On a very resent visit to the DDZ I learnt that 2 Binturongs had resently been imported and Quarantined there for a southern zoo. Also more imports of of a pure sub species are on their way to be imported in 2020!