You can bring back one extinct species to your local zoo

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D2K4

Member
Fun game idea I thought I'd suggest: You can bring back one extinct species. Just one to get reestablished in zoos around the world. But here's the catch. Your local zoo is going to get your species of choice reestablished and so you have to make the case that they're currently equipped to care for and hopefully breed the animals.

My local zoo, the Memphis Zoo, has had great success in the past with hippos so my choice is one of the extinct Madagascar dwarf hippos, specifically Lemerle's dwarf hippo (Hippopotamus lermerlei). From what we can tell from its relatively recent fossils and folklore from Madagascar, these animals, which may have gone extinct less than 600 years ago, lived lives very much like their larger cousins from mainland Africa. The Memphis Zoo not only has shown the ability to care for larger, extant hippos but, as they began preparing for their new master plan, have a number of places in the zoo that could be converted into a new habitat just for the dwarf hippos. For example-the area with the old sea lion exhibit (currently housing pelicans) and the Round Barn, an old building that has long housed a number of smaller African animals.
 
FBBird said:
My local zoo is Axe Valley Wildlife Park, so it has to be them. Why Passenger Pigeons? Well, they’re very beautiful, and bred well at London Zoo back in the day, so we know they’re suited to aviculture.
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I agree. As the passenger pigeon bred in zoos, zoos could have saved it from extinction. I think it was the worst extinction of a species in the 20th century.
 
My local zoo, Roger Williams Park Zoo, has been very successful in recent years in the breeding of Xenarthrans- having successful births of Giant Anteater, Southern Tamandua, Linneaus' Two-toed Sloth, and Nine-Banded Armadillo. Given this success, the best candidate for the zoo to receive an extinct species would be a species of Ground Sloth. While giant ground sloths would make an exciting species to exhibit, I don't think the zoo has enough room to justify acquiring the species, as it'd require major changes (i.e. eliminating elephants). Rather then the giant ground sloths, I propose that the zoo acquires one of the smaller, more recently extinct, species- specifically the Cuban species of Megalocnus rodens, which went extinct approximately 6,000 years ago and is similar in size to a black bear, making it a much more reasonable zoo animal! The big question remaining would be where in the zoo to place this new ground sloth exhibit. One appealing option would be near the existing Neotropical exhibit, Faces of the Rainforest, but I don't think there is enough room in that vicinity to construct a new habitat for this species, unless something else was removed. However, removing something doesn't necessarily mean the removal of an animal exhibit- as this area of the zoo is directly next to the education center. With a new education center already on the zoo's docket for the next major project (if construction hasn't started already), demolishing this building to house the Megalocnus rodens exhibit would be an ideal use of that space. This area of the zoo is approximately 18,000 square feet- providing ample space to construct two, 5,000-square foot habitats for these incredible and unique animals, along with enough room to incorporate some smaller exhibits into the new "ground sloth plaza" as well. Perhaps the zoo could move one of its two pairs of Linneaus' Two-toed Sloths into this area, to compare them to their smaller relatives, or could partially keep the idea of a reptile house with a small exhibit for caribbean herps, such as Puerto Rican Crested Toads, Jamaican Boa, and Jamaican Iguana. Regardless, this would be a very exciting opportunity for the zoo, and the Megalocnus rodens is a very unique species that I suspect would be a popular attraction for zoo visitors.
 
For me, I'm divided between the Thylacine, Dodo, & Atlas Bear, as I think each are quite interesting species.
 
Dinosaur - Triceratops

Before the year 0 - Sabre-Toothed Cat

0-1499 - South Island Giant Moa

1500-1899 - Steller's Sea Cow or Aurochs too hard to pick which one

1900-1999 - Carolina Parakeet

2000-2022 - Zanzibar Leopard
 
Oh boy, this is a tough one. Local zoo is Detroit.

Paleozoic - Stethacanthus, supposably the interpretive gallery used to have an aquarium so maybe they could go there.

Dinosaur - Microraptor. they're small enough to not cause moral arguments:p and I could imagine them being put in either the Free-Flight Aviary or the Hangout.

Before 0 BC - Smilodon, maybe doing something about the underdeveloped space taken up by picnic tables.

1500-1899 - Quagga. They could be mixed with the giraffes.

1900-1999 - Thylacine, going into the old grotto behind the bears since it's near Australia.

2000-2023 - I don't know any besides Pyrenean Ibex and ibex populations aren't doing well in AZA zoos.
 
Japanese wolf, (Even though I personally believe they still exist in Chichibu, Saitama) in Tama Zoo. They have large enclosures, and they also house closely related(though this is debated) Korean wolves.
 
In Alaska has to be the Berengian Lion for the Alaska Zoo, the Woolly Mammoth for the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (in addition to the not exactly extinct Wild Horse), and the absolutely massive Steller Sea Cow exhibit at the Alaska SeaLife Center.
 
Here's what I would do for Franklin Park Zoo.

Dinosaur: I would have Triceratops horridus in a massive enclosure in the former hoofstock yards. Maybe it could be a herpetarium aviary.
Before 0 BC: I would have Dinornis robustus, completely renovating the entire Outback area to have moas, kiwi, tuataras, etc. in a New Zealand complex
Medieval Era: Behind the Bird House, I would have Pinguinus impennis in an aquatic birds house having them, penguins, puffins, etc.
Early Modern Era: In the Children's Zoo, I would have a walkthrough aviary with Ectopistes migratorius
20th Century: I would have Thylacinus cynocephalus, replacing the Franklin Farm area with that enclosure with sheep next to it showing how this species was incorrectly though to have hunted them.
 
Here are my ideas for each of my 3 "local zoos". To be quite honest, a lot of this just kinda boils down to species that I think could be interesting, so apologies if my explained reasoning below isn't exactly 100% sound.

Brookfield Zoo
Paleocene: Some species of Lystrosaurus could maybe serve as a solid choice for something to repurpose the former aardvark exhibit.
Mesozoic: Edmontonia longiceps, mostly because I think it could serve as an interesting hypothetical addition to the planned North American expansion mentioned as part of the later phases of the Next Century Plan.
Cenozoic (pre-Holocene): Meiolania platyceps could probably serve as a nice addition to the zoo's collection of tortoises.
Holocene (prehistory): Dire Wolf (Aenocyon dirus). I mean, Brookfield's had a Mexican gray wolf pack for quite some time, so I imagine they could figure out how to do something similar with dire wolves.
Before Year 0: Steppe Bison (Bison priscus). Similar reasoning to the dire wolf, but swap Mexican grey wolves for American bison.
0-1499: Eastern Moa (Emeus crassus). Brookfield's has emus and has had cassowaries, so I imagine they can figure out a way to house moas.
1500-1899: Thylacine (Thylacinus cynocephalus). There's a planned expansion to the zoo's Australian-themed area as part of the Next Century Plan, so I feel that the thylacine would make for a nice hypothetical addition.
1900-1999: Yunnan Lake Newt (Cynops wolterstorffi) could make sense as an inclusion to Clouded Leopard Rain Forest considering that they were native to Yunnan and because it's where the zoo houses its emperor newts
2000-2024: Rabbs' Fringe-Limbed Treefrog (Ecnomiohyla rabborum) feels like it could be a pretty solid addition to the zoo's collection of amphibians.

Shedd Aquarium
Paleocene: Tully Monster (Tullimonstrum gregarium), mostly just because they're a very unique species that's only been found in Illinois, and I'd love to see how they tackle building an exhibit for them.
Mesozoic: One of the species of Onchopristis could be interesting, and the aquarium has some experience with sawfish
Cenozoic (pre-Holocene): Knightia eocaena, partially because the aquarium has some experience working with some other members of Clupeoidei and some other species that fill the same general niche as Knightia
Holocene (prehistory): Dow's Puffin (Fratercula dowi). Could potentially make for an interesting hypothetical addition to the renovated Changing Oceans gallery as part of some sort of seabird aviary.
Before Year 0: Leeward Islands Curlytail (Leopcephalus cuneus). IDK, it could potentially work in one of the reptile and amphibian enclosures between the Islands & Lakes and Rivers galleries.
0-1499: Richdale's Penguin (Megadyptes antipodes richdalei). I mean, the aquarium has a lot of experience with multiple penguin species, so I imagine that they could find a way to make it work.
1500-1899: Giant Auk (Pinguinus impennis). Same general concept as with Dow's puffin.
1900-1999: Golden Toad (Incilius periglenes). Same general idea as with the Leeward Islands curlytail.
2000-2024: Chinese Paddlefish (Psephurus gladius), mostly just based on the Shedd already having experience with their American relatives.

Lincoln Park Zoo
Paleocene: Petrolacosaurus kansensis might make for a neat addition to one of the large terrariums in the Small Mammal-Reptile House.
Mesozoic: Beelzebufo ampinga feels like it could potentially make for a rather interesting addition to either African Journey or the Small Mammal-Reptile House.
Cenozoic (pre-Holocene): Gastornis gigantea, mostly because I feel like it could make for an interesting species to add (potentially in juxtaposition to the birds of prey outside the Bird House).
Holocene (prehistory): Giant Cape Zebra (Equus capensis). I feel like it could potentially work in either one of the hoofstock yards or in African Journey.
Before Year 0: Tongan Giant Iguana (Brachylophus gibbonsi). Could potentially be a neat addition to the Small Mammal-Reptile House.
0-1499: Giant Elephant Bird (Aepyornis maximus). As with Brookfield, Lincoln Park has experience caring for other ratities.
1500-1899: Dodo (Raphus cucullatus). Could probably make for a good addition to the Bird House, especially considering that they already house Nicobar Pigeons.
1900-1999: Bishop's ʻōʻō (Moho bishopi). Again, could potentially make for an interesting addition to the Bird House.
2000-2024: Bramble Cay Melomys (Melomys rubicola). Again, it could potentially be an interesting addition to the Small Mammal-Reptile House.
 
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