Duikers in UK Zoo

[kiglezi]

Does anyone have any idea how many Cephalophus sp that have been kept in the UK over the past centurary? I briefly looked through ISIS and saw that none are housed in the UK collections at the moment, quite suprised about that as UK collections is among the most diverse in Europe.

Looked on zootierliste.de they only mention Common (Chester), Blue (Marwell and Colchester) and Maxwell (Chessington, Chester, London, Marwell, Edinburg) duiker as having ever been kept in UK collections.

Qurius to know whatever or not any additional species has ever been kept in the UK, I would guess that at least London has kept some other species over the past decades.

The Red duiker is clearly on the increase in Europe and is now kept in 11-12 collections in Europe, also the blue duiker is increasing in numbers. Most other duikers is gone from European collections these days. But
with Bioparc Valencia importing both red-flanked and yellow-backed from USA in 2009 there may be some new hope for this group of mammals in Europe.

Is there any zoos in UK that are interested in getting any duiker species, especially as the numbers seems to grow and make a nice addition to mixed exhibits, included in any zoo masterplan?

 

[Zambar]

The only place I know of including duikers in the masterplan will be the NWCP, apparentley opening 2012.

 

[KEEPER]

Please can anyone tell me where to come for information on duikers that bioparc to be imported? thanks!

 

[zoogiraffe]

The only place I know of including duikers in the masterplan will be the NWCP, apparentley opening 2012.

Its not opening now for the foreseeable future from what i`ve heard from people in the know.

 

[Zambar]

Well, I was only basing that on the exhibition info they have up at Bristol. I suppose putting a date like 2012 is better than putting 'Umm...not really sure' when they have all this stuff up about it there.

 

[kiang]

In the original plans for the Congo exhibit at Edinburgh zoo, the plan included yellow backed duiker to be mixed with the bongo in the main enclosure, but obviously never came to fruition.

 

[bongorob]

Duiker have been mentioned at Chester, can't remember the species but I think they were Blue Duiker.

 

[zoogiraffe]

Duiker have been mentioned at Chester, can't remember the species but I think they were Blue Duiker.

Thats 1 of about 5 that have been mentioned over the last 5 years

 

[zoogiraffe]

Well, I was only basing that on the exhibition info they have up at Bristol. I suppose putting a date like 2012 is better than putting 'Umm...not really sure' when they have all this stuff up about it there.

Personnaly i think no date is better than one that is not going to happen.

 

[Zebraduiker]

@keeper. Bioparco Valencia has imported 1.2 C. rufilatus from the USA and has plans to import C. silvicultor fromt he USA also, but it is not sure, they will get them in 2009. Certain is, some Us-Zoo has bred several silvicultor for europe. Two males will come this year to two german zoos, which are the present only zoos in europe with that species. Another european zoo has tried to import several duiker species from the USA at the same time, but this import has failed.

 

[bongorob]

Thats 1 of about 5 that have been mentioned over the last 5 years

I've heard three other species mentioned but was asked not to make it known.

 

[zoogiraffe]

I've heard three other species mentioned but was asked not to make it known.

Snap may be one day we will get to see them all at Chester.

 

[Tim May]

Does anyone have any idea how many Cephalophus sp that have been kept in the UK over the past century?...........
.... I would guess that at least London has kept some other species over the past decades.

Although this question was posed almost four months ago, I have only just noticed it.

Yes, Flower (1929) confirms that London Zoo had a number of species of duiker in the past. These are listed below, together with the date the species was first received at London Zoo.

• common duiker:- 1851 (exact date not given) (5 born in London Zoo between 1854 and 1885)
• yellow-backed duiker:- 24th March 1870
• Abbott’s duiker:- 1st April 1922
• Natal (red) duiker:- 14th March 1880
• black-fronted duiker:- 16th June 1882
• bay duiker:- 27th August 1861
• red-flanked duiker:- 27th August 1861
• Maxwell’s duiker:- 21st October 1834 (8 were born at London Zoo between 1855 and 1884)
• blue duiker:- before 21 February 1860 (exact date not given)

A hybrid red-flanked duiker x bay duiker was born 25th January 1869.

Flower also lists a black-rumped duiker Cephalophus melanorheus (12 September 1908) although I think that this is now considered a sub-species of blue duiker.

Flower also mentions that the type specimen of bay duiker died in the Surrey Zoological Gardens.

(NB Although these were all listed as Cephalophus by Flower, the common duiker is now put in the genus Sylvicapra while the blue and Maxwell’s duikers now appear to have been moved from Cephalophus to Philantomba.)