Fanfin anglerfish
Well-Known Member
From USA, Didn’t know platypuses aren’t rare.
What is the most common zoo animal that you haven't seen yet?
- Thread starter HungarianBison
- Start date
Only one zoo outside Australia keeps them, That being SDZSP.
For me all the zoos that now have Takins in their collections I saw years before (Cleveland 2017 & Omaha 2018) so I have yet to see one.This is what came to mind for me, as well! Thought I was finally going to see one last month but they were a no show
However, I'm excited and hopefully Cleveland will still have theirs if I go there over the holiday break.
For me all the zoos that now have Takins in their collections I saw years before (Cleveland 2017 & Omaha 2018) so I have yet to see one.
Same for Omaha, went in late 2018, shortly before that section opened!
I've been lucky enough to see the only Golden takin herd in the US at SDZ but haven't been able to see the much more common Sichuan Takin! 
On the other side of the world, i dont really know what are common or what arent in USA. But i'd say gazelle and duikers. never seen any duikers and the only "gazelle" i've seen is blackbuck and maybe springbok.
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
I could also add the Moose and, for the birds, the Little Owl, Sandhill Crane, Gannet and the Brown Pelican.
You missed them on your Mega Lowland tour at Pairi Daiza ???
Are they really common though? I don't know many zoos that have them in the UK, for example.
As for platypus, I think someone has the wrong end of the stick-these are definitely not common outside of Australia, and I don't know that they are that common there.
Interesting to contrast some of the commonly held European and US species and see what a big divide exists. Takin certainly not common in the UK.
They're the most common wild pig in UK zoos now. About 20 holders across UK and Ireland - more than Red River Hog or Wild Boar (the only others in double figures). They went from incredibly exciting novelty to pleasantly familiar in double-quick time.
Much like @pipaluk , there's nothing that could be considered common that I'm missing in European zoos, so the most obvious candidates would be something that I've either missed out on in my US zooing, or something very widely-kept in Australia but not outside it.
Given the number of holders in the US, the one that leaps to mind as the most likely candidate is American Badger.
(don't think they're as widely kept but my other annoying US-specialist gaps are California Condor, Black-footed Ferret, and Black Duiker, the latter of which no-showed me twice in Miami).
Given the number of holders in the US, the one that leaps to mind as the most likely candidate is American Badger.
(don't think they're as widely kept but my other annoying US-specialist gaps are California Condor, Black-footed Ferret, and Black Duiker, the latter of which no-showed me twice in Miami).
I’m thinking Takin is probably my biggest gap, unless I think of something else (Orca perhaps, although I want to see wild only).
What's takin' so long for us to see Sichuans???I've been lucky enough to see the only Golden takin herd in the US at SDZ but haven't been able to see the much more common Sichuan Takin!
Doesn't the Sichuan Takin get bigger on average than the Golden?
I think Black Duiker is only at 3 US zoos or something like that.
6 actually.
Jambi
Well-Known Member
For me it would be:
- Bengal tigers, supposedly very widespread in captivity but I've never seen one, Sumatrans and Siberians are more common for zoos in my country.
- any type of brown bear. I've never been to a zoo that has them, I know of a couple that do, I've just never been to them.
- African elephants. Again I know of a handful of zoos that do have them, I've just never been to any.
- Bengal tigers, supposedly very widespread in captivity but I've never seen one, Sumatrans and Siberians are more common for zoos in my country.
- any type of brown bear. I've never been to a zoo that has them, I know of a couple that do, I've just never been to them.
- African elephants. Again I know of a handful of zoos that do have them, I've just never been to any.
Last edited:
I haven't seen any bears except Sun and Spectacled (Andean) Bears.
Jambi
Well-Known Member
I would almost be the same, but I have seen a polar bear at Edinburgh and an Asian black bear at Dudley a long time ago. But yes, sun and Andean bears are the two I've seen the most.