The least known animals in captivity.

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Lots of zoos have the typical Meerkats, Parakeets, Cownose rays, and other crowd favorites. But are their any animals in zoos that not many scientists even know that much about them? Such as Aardvarks, Clouded leopards, and more. But lets talk obscure. What are some very little known animals that mother nature has hidden in corners of the earth, that are so elusive that even scientists dont know much about, but of course, Are kept in zoos. I am excited to hear your lists below.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Generally speaking there are enormous gaps in our scientific knowledge of a huge number of animal species kept in zoos and so much so in fact that it is really quite hard to point to one and say that this or that animal is emblematic of this problem.

We possess much more knowledge about the ecology of many "ABC" African and Asian charismatic megafauna (tigers, lions, elephants, African rhino, gorillas, chimpanzee,orangutan etc **yawn**) because there have been exhaustive long-term field studies conducted on the ecology and conservation of these species in the wild. However, even with these animals we are obtaining new data through research (not that this justifies the inordinate and frankly ridiculous research bias towards these animals though).

I would say that it is mostly the smaller and more cryptic mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians that are not typically kept by zoos that remain the most poorly known in terms of their ecology.

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Generally speaking there are enormous gaps in our scientific knowledge of a huge number of animal species kept in zoos and so much so in fact that it is really quite hard to point to one and say that this or that animal is emblematic of this problem.

We possess much more knowledge about the ecology of many "ABC" African and Asian charismatic megafauna because there have been exhaustive field studies conducted on the ecology and conservation of these species in the wild.

Very true. Our animal knowledge is limited. However, just for a little fun, we could list some animals that stand out to us.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Very true. Our animal knowledge is limited. However, just for a little fun, we could list some animals that stand out to us.

Ok, so a couple that come to mind that are kept by many zoos are small and cryptic carnivores such as the fossa, clouded leopard and the bush dog.

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Ok, so two that come to mind that are kept by many zoos are small and cryptic carnivores such as the fossa and the bush dog.

Fossas are pretty cool. Possibly more than the ring-tailed vontrisa.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Fossas are pretty cool. Possibly more than the ring-tailed vontrisa.

The Euplerids in general are a very good example of a really poorly known group and many species are quite in need of long-term field studies because of the worsening conservation situation in Madagascar.

 

[birdsandbats]

Some of those animals that Monterey Bay has in preparation for the deep sea exhibit like Bloodbelly Comb Jelly and boneworms (are they Rosy Boneworms)?

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Some of those animals that Monterey Bay has in preparation for the deep sea exhibit like Bloodbelly Comb Jelly and boneworms (are they Rosy Boneworms)?

Not sure if there rosy, But I agree. The deep sea is so vast and so unexplored that many of the deep sea animals in captivity are very experimental, and we dont know much about them.

 

[Westcoastperson]

Weirdly eels, they can be found at almost every aquarium but in reality, we don't know as much as we should about them. Also, the different species of booby bird.

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Weirdly eels, they can be found at almost every aquarium but in reality, we don't know as much as we should about them. Also, the different species of booby bird.

Yeah, whenever people think about booby's, usually they think of blue-footed booby's. But in reality, there is a lot more out there. Also, Maybe eels just do not really want to be known about anyway, as they usually hide in aquariums. European eels are in captivity, arent they? Well, they are so elusive in the wild and them being endangered just makes it even more hard to study them.

 

[Westcoastperson]

Yeah, whenever people think about booby's, usually they think of blue-footed booby's. But in reality, there is a lot more out there. Also, Maybe eels just do not really want to be known about anyway, as they usually hide in aquariums. European eels are in captivity, arent they? Well, they are so elusive in the wild and them being endangered just makes it even more hard to study them.

For the eels, I was mainly referring to the green moray eel and the mystery surrounding their breeding cycle in the wild and where they do it

 

[dinosauria]

Monterey is also rearing salmon snailfish and giant larvaceans, which are fairly unknown too

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

For the eels, I was mainly referring to the green moray eel and the mystery surrounding their breeding cycle in the wild and where they do it

I know!. I just brought European eels up.

 

[RatioTile]

Although, the similar Japanese eel is now bred in some Japanese universities that managed to allow the species to undergo its full lifecycle in captivity.

 

[CheeseChameleon1945]

Although, the similar Japanese eel is now bred in some Japanese universities that managed to allow the species to undergo its full lifecycle in captivity.

Thats good to hear!

 

[imaginarius]

I’d say the smaller animals are the most obscure ones, simply because they’re small and thus less charismatic for the general zoo-going crowd. So invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small burrowing mammals, birds. Things like golden moles, hagfish, tunicates, corals, anoles, etc.

 

[birdsandbats]

I’d say the smaller animals are the most obscure ones, simply because they’re small and thus less charismatic for the general zoo-going crowd. So invertebrates, reptiles, amphibians, small burrowing mammals, birds. Things like golden moles, hagfish, tunicates, corals, anoles, etc.

No golden moles in captivity.

 

[Dassie rat]

Quite a few zoos have Lake Malawi cichlids, many of which look very similar. I wonder how much non-specialists know about any of the species.

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Fossas are pretty cool. Possibly more than the ring-tailed vontrisa.

Lies!

~Thylo

 

[ThylacineAlive]

Although, the similar Japanese eel is now bred in some Japanese universities that managed to allow the species to undergo its full lifecycle in captivity.

The endangered American Eel can be bred and reared in captivity, at least in aquaculture. I'd be surprised if the same techniques used for the Japanese and American Eels couldn't be (and arne't being) utilized for the European.

Quite a few zoos have Lake Malawi cichlids, many of which look very similar. I wonder how much non-specialists know about any of the species.

I've attempted to keep note of all the various African Great Lakes cichlids I've seen over the years. It's quite difficult, and sometimes impossible, but I've been able to note quite a variety of species in those generic mixed tanks.

As for other animals poorly known about in captivity, I'd say a lot of herps fly well under the radar. I've seen a lot of uncommon and rarely discussed species in zoos (and not to mention the pet trade!). Even some of the more obscure members of well known families such as iguanas and poison dart frogs can go unnoticed quite easily. This is especially true for species not kept on public display. For example, I only very recently learned that there are at least five endangered species of coquí frogs being bred behind the scenes at US zoos, whereas I always thought it was just the Common Coquí which existed in captivity. I also doubt many people know about the single Travancore Tortoise in the US, which I hadn't even heard about until it popped on-exhibit at Philadelphia at the beginning of the year.

~Thylo