Update time. Thank you to all the members who contributed information!
Using all that great info, and continuing research from both on and off the forum, I've made a more comprehensive list that will only cover species
COMPLETELY GONE FROM USA ZOOS (unless proven otherwise). I may do another list of species nearly gone/rarely held, but that will probably take months more of research to complete.
Additionally there were some exceptions for a species to be added to the list as follows:
1. Had to have been kept at any point starting from 1990 until recently. I'm not including older dates. No doubt many other very rare species were kept during the mid-20th century (usually with bad results for the animal).
2. Species needs to be displayed at a facility open to the public, whether through a normal admission or through a private (but easily booked) tour. Private breeders or exotic pets are not counted.
3. Species should have at least at one point been on-exhibit, though I'll still include some species where I'm not sure what their status was.
4. I only focused on tetrapods. Fish and inverts were not added to list (lord knows how many species came and went).
5. I did not include terrestrial animals that are native to the USA. Many native rodents, rabbits, insectivores, bats, passerines, lizards, snakes, salamanders and frogs that were kept here in the past are likely not currently kept at any facility, but are likely to show up sporadically at refuges and other local spots in the future. Pinnipeds and cetaceans native to US waters, were included in this list.
6. I'm taking a liberal approach with taxonomy, and some recent/questionable splits won't be included. For example, African and European Wildcats were officially split by some major authorities; I don't believe there are anymore European Wildcats here, but there are African Wildcats. But I will count them as the same species, and thus it won't be included on the list.
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I'm sure I am still missing quite a few species, so feel free to continue adding them to this thread. If you know a species on this list that is still kept in the US, please let me know, I'll be happy to remove it in the future!
MAMMALS
Sooty Mangabey
Not sure when exactly the last one died and what facility last had them. They were definitely in the US recently, one was at Brookfield a little while back.
Barbary Macaque
Last known individual here died at the Primate Rescue Center in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
Proboscis Monkey
At Bronx or San Diego during the 90s. Unsure what year they left but its been a while.
Red-shanked Douc
Held in San Diego and Philadelphia in the last decade. May have still been in Philadelphia as recently as 2018.
Bald Uakari
Last individual died at LA Zoo a month or two ago. Probably at a small number of other facilities in the 90s.
Brown Spider Monkey
Philadelphia held this species but sent last individual to Europe to breed. May return one day?
Western Tarsier
Last individual died at the Cleveland Zoo in the 2000's.
Sunda Slow Loris
Last held at either Minnesota or Duke Lemur Center within the last 5 years.
Daurian Pika
Bronx and Minnesota held them up until a few years ago.
Pemba Flying Fox
Held at Phoenix up until a few years ago.
Side-striped Jackal
Trustworthy members mentioned in a different thread it was here in the US until recently but I honestly cannot find any info as to where. Probably at San Diego like all the others
Yellow-throated Marten
At San Diego in the 90s
Asian Golden Cat
Not sure exact facility, but they were apparently kept here during the 90s/early 00s
Kiang
Kept at the San Diego Safari Park until the recently. Maybe still in private hands?
Sumatran Rhinoceros
Once in several facilities in the 90s. Last individual at Cincinnati around 2015. Sent back to Indonesia.
European Bison
I believe the last ones on display were at San Diego Safari Park.
Goitered Gazelle
Last individual recently passed away at Minnesota.
Oribi
At San Diego in the 90s. Possibly other places as well.
Royal Antelope
Was at San Diego until a few years ago.
Gunther’s Dik-dik
Was kept at several facilities within the last decade, but seems to have died out. Possibly last kept at Cameron Park Zoo.
Hartebeest
Last individual died at Lion Country Safari around 2-3 months ago. But there may be some in the private sector?
Hirola
Was kept at a small number of facilities since the 90s, like SD Safari Park. Researching the forum, I believe the last individual in US died at Gladys Porter Zoo in the early 2010s.
Topi/Korrigum
Present in several facilities like San Diego back in the day. Last individual was at San Antonio Zoo I believe less than 10 years ago.
Saiga
Was at least held at San Diego in the 90s, maybe as small number of other zoos as well. Probably died out at the end of the decade/very early 00's
Jentink's Duiker
Only known individual here was held at Gladys Porter. Died in 2013.
Nilgiri Tahr
At San Diego in the 90s. Apparently still present in US in private breeding farm Iron Mountain Ranch, but this facility doesn’t appear to be accessible to public or through private tours, so its counted as gone. But if they're being bred, its a good possibly they could return in near future.
Spanish Ibex
Another San Diego species lost over a decade ago.
Pampas Deer
At San Diego in the 90s.
Bush Pig
At San Diego until the 2000s.
Gray Whale
A calf, JJ, was kept at SeaWorld San Diego as rescue in 1997 for 14 months before being released back into the wild. Theoretically possible another calf will need to be kept again as a rescue, but highly unlikely.
False Killer Whale
Last individual died off-exhibit at Sea Life Park in Hawaii in 2019. It was also kept on-exhibit in the mainland US in SeaWorld Orlando during the 00s. Still possible they wind up as rescues at facilities in the future.
Risso’s Dolphin
A rescue individual was briefly kept on exhibit at Long Island Aquarium in the 2000’s. Never established in captivity here, but may wind up in facilities as a rescue.
Amazon River Dolphin
Last individual died at Pittsburgh Zoo in 2002.
Pygmy Sperm Whale
They were kept as rescues in at least a few facilities over the last 30 years. I'm not sure if they were ever on-exhibit to the public, though.
Chinese Pangolin
Kept at several facilities during the 90s and early 00’s. I believe National or Brookfield Zoo might have had the last ones.
Yapok
Only known individual in USA in recent years was at Dallas World Aquarium. Gone since a couple of years ago.
Tiger Quoll
Last individuals died out, probably in the 2000s.
Common Ringtail Possum
Kept at San Diego and Aquarium of The Pacific, though off-exhibit in most recent years. Last members passed away within only the last 2-3 years.
BIRDS - (No doubt I'm missing many species)
Tinian Monarch
Only captive population in USA was held at Memphis Zoo until a few years back.
Bearded Manakin
Last held at San Diego.
Hoopoe
Last individual died at Bronx Zoo a while back.
Greater Yellownape
Last individual was at San Diego until very recently.
Chestnut-Tipped Toucanet
Emerald Forest Bird Gardens in California was the only holder, but they are not on website anymore so I assume they’re gone.
Double-toothed Barbet
Last one was at San Diego until a few years back.
Yellow-rumped Tinkerbird
Last individual was at San Diego a few years back.
Resplendent Quetzal
Was at Dallas World Aquarium until recently. Possibly still kept off-exhibit?
Talaud Lory
At San Diego until a few years ago
White-rumped Vulture
At Miami up until several years ago.
Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo
No info on where or when last US individual passed.
Whiskered Auklet
Last at Cincinnati a few years back.
Least Auklet
Last at Cincinnati a few years back.
Greater Adjutant
Kept at Gladys Porter until recently.
Jabiru
They were kept at Dallas World Aquarium, both on and off-exhibit over the last several years. I'm assuming last one died less then 3 years ago?
Goliath Heron
Last individual was at San Diego up until a few years ago.
Black Heron
Last individual was at San Diego Safari Park until very recently. Not sure when it died but when I went back in February and there was no signage so unless it was held off-exhibit it probably passed away a bit before.
Guanay Cormorant
Kept at Bronx Zoo until at least a few years ago. Not sure when last individual died.
REPTILES & AMPHIBIANS - (Probably missing many species)
Rabb’s Fringe-limbed Treefrog
Toughie, the last known individual not only in captivity but of the entire species, was kept at Atlanta Botanical Gardens until 2016. Species is probably now extinct.
