Trends in European zoo collections in the 21st century

[lintworm]

Spoiler: Key to abbreviations & symbols

Number of zoos kept (current and former during the holding period):
A 1 zoo
B 2-5 zoos
C 6-10 zoos
D >10 zoos

Time period kept:
1 < 1 year
2 1-5 years
3 6-10 years
4 11-20 years
5 > 20 years

* Species successfully bred
♱ Dead end (in case of species gained)
↑ Species gaining popularity (in case of species gained)

INSECTIVORES - EULIPOTYPHLA
569 species across 4 families
16 species kept this century (3%)

This order is what remains of the taxonomic waste bin that once was Insectivora. With all Afrotherians, tree shrews and colugos safely removed the remaining 4 families are finally something that is monophyletic. Of the 4 families, 3 have been kept in Europe this century, with the solenodons (Solenodontidae) being absent from Europe since a short stint in the 1960s and 1970s. For such a big order it is hardly represented in captivity, with hedgehogs making up the bulk of the species kept.

Shrews - Soricidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 1
# Species kept currently: 1
# Species gained: 5
# Species lost: 5

For a family with 479 species worldwide this group is hardly present at all in zoos. In fact many zoos will have more species of wild shrew on their own zoo grounds than are currently kept in all European zoos combined.

Species gained

Etruscan shrew - Suncus etruscus C3*↑
While only appearing in European zoos in 2016 in Tierpark Goerlitz, this species has spread so quickly that there have never been more shrews on show in Europe than now. Every zoo keeps them in similar subterranean tunnel settings and their main attractivity probably lies in the fact that this is Europe’s smallest mammal and one of the smallest mammals in the world. The species isn’t hard to breed, but given their short lifespans continued breeding is necessary for a zoo to maintain this species.

@Fat-tailed dwarf lemur Etruscan shrews are always kept in the same tunnel-like structures

Species gained but lost

Greater white-toothed shrew - Crocidura russula A3*?
This species is present wild on most zoo grounds, but in recent decades has only been kept in Zoo/Citadelle de Besancon, France from at least 2012-2017.

Piebald shrew - Diplomesodon pulchellus A2*
Zoo Moscow kept a successful breeding group of this species from 2008-2018 and they sent 12 animals to Tiergarten Schoenebeck, Germany in 2015. While bred in at least 2016, the last animal died in 2019.

Water shrew - Neomys fodiens B3*
A British speciality that was kept and bred in multiple UK zoos this century. The first holding appears to be Slimbridge World Wetlands Trust and the final animals were kept in the British Wildlife Centre, Newchapel until 2021/2022.

Pygmy shrew - Sorex minutus A?
This species was kept at least in 2013 in the Wildwood Trust in Herne Bay, UK.

@gentle lemur Water shrews were kept in British zoos for over a decade this century

Species lost

Asian house shrew - Suncus murinus C5*
This shrew was kept in multiple zoos around the start of the century, but disappeared from Europe in 2007 with the final holding in Tierpark Berlin. Zoo Plzen imported this species from Madagascar in 2008 and achieved some breeding success, but the final animals passed away in 2016.

@amur leopard Asian house shrews were the most commonly kept shrew in Europe for many years


Moles - Talpidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 0
# Species kept currently: 0
# Species gained: 1
# Species lost: 1

Being fossorial isn’t conducive to being kept in zoos and even the most famous underground mammals have a hard time in zoos. No European zoo has ever managed to duplicate something like Tama Zoo’s mole house, which means that although moles have been kept this century, it has always been short term.

Species gained but lost

European mole - Talpa europaea B2
A few zoos have kept moles this century: Zoo Dresden around 2006, Zoo Osnabrueck 2010-2011 and the British Wildlife Centre, Newchapel, around 2015. But nowhere was any long term success achieved.

@^Chris^ European moles didn't thrive in the underground zoos in which they could be the native star species

Progress
17/22 orders completed
71/106 families completed
352-360 species present in 2000
357-359 species present in 2023
168-176 species gained this century
168-171 species lost this century

 

[lintworm]

Hedgehogs - Erinaceidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 6
# Species kept currently: 5 (-1)
# Species gained: 3
# Species lost: 4

With 9 out of 28 species kept this century, the hedgehogs are easily the best represented insectivore family in European zoos. Their active behaviour (if not sleeping) and popularity as pets will certainly have contributed. Additionally there are multiple indigenous species regularly popping up as rescues.

@baboon Long-eared hedgehogs are a picturesque but uncommonly kept species in European zoos

Species gained

North African hedgehog - Atelerix algirus B3?
This species was kept around 2004 in Reptilium Landau, Germany, and in Newquay Zoo, UK, around 2015. It reappeared in Skaerup Zoo in Borkop, Denmark in 2023.

@vogelcommando Present in the private trade, North African hedgehogs have popped up a few times this century

Species gained but lost

Southern white-breasted hedgehog - Erinaceus concolor A?
Kept in Zia Natural Park, Greece, until 2021, but unclear when the species was acquired.

Indian hedgehog - Paraechinus micropus A?
This species was held for an unknown amount of time at Five Sisters Zoo Park, Polbeth, UK, until 2013.

@alexkant Southern white-breasted hedgehogs are one of 3 native European hedgehogs, but the rarest one in captivity

Species lost

North African desert hedgehog - Paraechinus aethiopicus B4*
This species was kept in Zoo Berlin 1993-2008 and later in Diergaarde Blijdorp, Rotterdam, from 2008-2010, which was the final holding. Additionally it was also kept in a few other zoos in the first half of the century. The species bred at least in Zoo Berlin.

Brandt’s hedgehog - Paraechinus hypomelas A?
This species was only kept in Zoo Plzen until 2000, but it is unclear when the species was acquired.

@alexkant Brandt's hedgehogs are kept in Asian zoos, but have long been absent from European ones


Progress
18/22 orders completed
72/106 families completed
358-366 species present in 2000
362-364 species present in 2023
171-179 species gained this century
172-175 species lost this century

 

[remar]

Etruscan shrew - Suncus etruscus C3*↑ Every zoo keeps them in similar subterranean tunnel settings

You mewn every zoo without Tierpark Berlin wete they live unsigned in a casual terrarium

 

[lintworm]

BATS - CHIROPTERA
1460 species across 21 families
30 species kept this century (2%)

This incredibly speciose family is only barely represented. The majority of this order consists of small insect eating species and those species are hardly kept at all. The vast majority of bats in Europe are either fruit bats or (mostly) vegetarian American leaf-nosed bats.

Leaf-nosed bats - Phyllostomidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 5
# Species kept currently: 6 (+1)
# Species gained: 1
# Species lost: -

This family of small nectar, fruit or blood eating bats contains the most numerous bat kept in European zoos, the Seba’s short-tailed bat (Carollia perspicillata) of which multiple zoos keep groups of over 100 strong. Most members of this family are much more rarely kept though.

@Maguari Based on the number of individuals kept Seba's short-tailed bats are likely one of the most common mammals in European zoos, with multiple colonies with hundreds of animals

Species gained

Lesser long-nosed bat - Leptonycteris yerbabuenae A1
Zoo Karlsruhe became the first holder of this species in 2023 when it acquired a group of 20 bats from Tuebingen University.

Species gaining popularity

Pallas’ long-tongued bat - Glossophaga soricina
These nectar feeding bats are slowly gaining popularity in zoos and especially in Germany there are some huge colonies from which animals can be sourced. This is still a rare species, but they tend to do well in rainforest- and even butterfly houses.

@Gil Long-tongued bats can be mixed with basically anything and are often even active early in the day

Species losing popularity

Common vampire bat - Desmodus rotundus
These blood drinking bats are surprisingly rare given their fame in popular culture. Their relative abundance in the US is a sign that there could be enough interest for further holders. But instead the number of European holders has declined from a handful to just Poznan Nowe Zoo. Without new stock that group is possibly also doomed to go extinct in the near future.

@Moebelle Despite their claim to fame, vampire bats are extremely rare in European zoos, unlike in the US

Bulldog bats - Noctilionidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 0
# Species kept currently: 0
# Species gained: 1
# Species lost: 1

Whereas this family is represented in US zoos currently, it is absent in Europe.

Species gained but lost

Lesser bulldog bat - Noctilio albiventris A1
Zoo Berlin briefly kept this species in 2007.

@Giant Eland Greater bulldog bats are rarely kept in US zoos

Progress
18/22 orders completed
74/106 families completed
363-371 species present in 2000
368-370 species present in 2023
173-181 species gained this century
173-176 species lost this century

 

[Batto]

These blood drinking bats are surprisingly rare given their fame in popular culture.

Said fame might be one reason why real vampire bats are not that common: most visitors do not expect tiny hardly visible creatures, mostly huddled together in the dark, when they hear the word "vampire". Furthermore, the legal requirements in various countries (Austria being an exceptionally silly example here) demanding large enclosures might also be detrimental to successful vampire husbandry. Unless there will be another university vampire bat colony that can offer surplus specimens, I'm afraid that the Poznan vampires will be the last ones in Europe. *sad Nosferatu noises*

 

[Coelacanth18]

We'll trade you all some vampire bats for those long-tongued bats the former is prevalent in zoos here, but sadly nectar-drinking bats seem to have failed the popularity test in the States and are on their way out.

 

[PossumRoach]

Common vampire bat - Desmodus rotundus
These blood drinking bats are surprisingly rare given their fame in popular culture. Their relative abundance in the US is a sign that there could be enough interest for further holders. But instead the number of European holders has declined from a handful to just Poznan Nowe Zoo. Without new stock that group is possibly also doomed to go extinct in the near future.

Does the diet of the vampires also factor the lack of interest towards the species as well? Or is supplying blood easier than it sounds?

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL mentions a short-tailed gymnure at Moscow Zoo in 2014.

 

[Haliaeetus]

ZTL mentions a short-tailed gymnure at Moscow Zoo in 2014.

It is in Russia, so out of the perimeter of "Europe" definited according to @lintworm in its works.

I wonder nonetheless if any European zoos have kept Desmans.

 

[Dassie rat]

ZTL says that the Paris Menagerie had a Pyrenean desman and 3 Russian zoos had Russian desmans

 

[15399]

Common vampire bat - Desmodus rotundus
These blood drinking bats are surprisingly rare given their fame in popular culture. Their relative abundance in the US is a sign that there could be enough interest for further holders. But instead the number of European holders has declined from a handful to just Poznan Nowe Zoo. Without new stock that group is possibly also doomed to go extinct in the near future.

@Moebelle Despite their claim to fame, vampire bats are extremely rare in European zoos, unlike in the US

Granted, while I knew there were of course some species common in US zoos that are absent or rare in Europe, this is not a species I expected to fall into that category! They are ubiquitous enough here it didn't even dawn on me that they could possibly be rare in Europe.

Does the diet of the vampires also factor the lack of interest towards the species as well? Or is supplying blood easier than it sounds?

I've heard of enough zoos (even those without vampire bats) sourcing blood for enrichment for big cats, so at least in the US it is not hard to supply blood. That said, I'd be interested to know if there are different regulations about livestock blood in Europe that could make this more difficult.

 

[Batto]

The use of animal blood as a food source is regulated in the EU (among others) by Regulation 853/2004. Obtaining, preparing and storing animal blood for vampire bats is doable in accordance with said regulation, but it requires still some work and adequate technical and hygenic conditions.

From what I've heard though, the vampire bat population in US zoos isn't as stable as some here suggest, but also prone to an (albeit slow) decline, with additional animals occasionally sourced from research facilities.

 

[lintworm]

Said fame might be one reason why real vampire bats are not that common: most visitors do not expect tiny hardly visible creatures, mostly huddled together in the dark, when they hear the word "vampire". Furthermore, the legal requirements in various countries (Austria being an exceptionally silly example here) demanding large enclosures might also be detrimental to successful vampire husbandry. Unless there will be another university vampire bat colony that can offer surplus specimens, I'm afraid that the Poznan vampires will be the last ones in Europe. *sad Nosferatu noises*

I think legal space requirements are not a problem in most of Europe, most of Europe doesn't seem to have them and in a case like Belgium they tend to be very low.

Zoos have no problem overselling boring creatures like koala and giant panda either and for zoos to spice up their nocturnal house, vampire bats at least make for some name recognition. I can't think of any other mammal species which is so well known and can be kept quite readily in captivity that is so rare in European zoos as vampire bats. Their common status (while not necessarily sustainable) in the US sounds like something should be possible. Though I wouldn't be surprised if the Poznan colony will die out this decade without any other zoo starting with these bats.

 

[Batto]

Sorry for being blunt, but what you "think" is of little concern for the local lawmakers; the consequences of such requirements are there, for those who actually work with these animals. And, "thanks" to EAZA, there will be even more internal ones in various aspects in their member zoos.
Vampire bats are not as accessible/visible to modern zoo visitors as the "boring" species you've mentioned. Not even for specialised institutions like NOCTALIS. And I'm stating this as someone who is very fond of bats. Furthermore, as you've mentioned nocturnal houses: such are also decreasing in numbers and relevance as well, for various reasons.

 

[PossumRoach]

Sorry for being blunt, but what you "think" is of little concern for the local lawmakers; the consequences of such requirements are there, for those who actually work with these animals. And, "thanks" to EAZA, there will be even more internal ones in various aspects in their member zoos.

Sorry if I am driving away from the topic but I did want to ask this when you first brought up legal requirements. I was wondering if these requirements are made by people who actually keep these animals or work with them or not.

 

[DDcorvus]

The situation on legal husbandry requirements differ from country to country and in several countries even from region to region. Also how these are decided varies between them. In some countries zoos are part of the bodies deciding on them and in others they are not. Vampire bats is one of these species that zoos could acquire if they want even if it would mean some investment (like it would for many species). For some reasons this is not happening and as zoos are still deciding on their own collection the reasons for not picking these species will vary. Although it will cover the elements mentioned above: nocturnal houses are getting scarcer, the diet is regulated so feeding them might be perceived as an additional investment that is not worth it and the expectation that it is not a species that will attract visitors or attention. Also how many curators and or directors are bat experts and have the species on their radar. Especially for animal groups you are not that knowledgeable on, you might go for the easy choices.

Also perceived obstacles by those doing the collection planning might be more relevant than the fact if these "obstacles" are real.

 

[lintworm]

Sorry for being blunt, but what you "think" is of little concern for the local lawmakers; the consequences of such requirements are there, for those who actually work with these animals. And, "thanks" to EAZA, there will be even more internal ones in various aspects in their member zoos.
Vampire bats are not as accessible/visible to modern zoo visitors as the "boring" species you've mentioned. Not even for specialised institutions like NOCTALIS. And I'm stating this as someone who is very fond of bats. Furthermore, as you've mentioned nocturnal houses: such are also decreasing in numbers and relevance as well, for various reasons.

It is not about what I "think", but in countries like the Netherlands and the UK there are no minimal space requirements. They have animal welfare laws that require the animals to be housed "appropriately" or something along similar lines. As far as I am aware countries which have minimum enclosure sizes set in law are actually the minority, so what is relevant for Austria (and Germany & Belgium) is not the whole continent.

That vampire bats are boring exhibit animals is true. Nocturnal houses are also declining, but nocturnal exhibits remain common across the continent, if only as part of exhibit complexes and less as nocturnal houses as such.

Sorry if I am driving away from the topic but I did want to ask this when you first brought up legal requirements. I was wondering if these requirements are made by people who actually keep these animals or work with them or not.

That probably differs between countries, in Belgium Zoo Antwerp was involved with setting the minimum requirements, not sure how that goes in other countries. Zoos will probably be consulted, but if they are listened too is another question.

 

[Batto]

It is not about what I "think",

Given that you had to retort so abruptly, it is, at least for you.

so what is relevant for Austria (and Germany & Belgium) is not the whole continent.

Given that I'm not an American, I'm very much aware of that.
However, Germany in particular is a key player in regard to the development of relevant regulations within the EU. And the general trend within the EU (including the countries you've mentioned) is towards more (strict) regulations regarding exotic wildlife husbandry, not less - that will be translated into national law. Future extensions of existing EU zoo regulations for more legal uniformation within the EU are therefore to be expected.
Furthermore, the aforementioned EAZA guidelines regarding their members (in various countries) are putting even more limitations on what and what not will be kept in zoos.

I further strongly agree with @DDcorvus : perceived obstacles ("Too much trouble, don't bother") also factor in; and they seem to become more commonplace.

 

[Batto]

Sorry if I am driving away from the topic but I did want to ask this when you first brought up legal requirements. I was wondering if these requirements are made by people who actually keep these animals or work with them or not.

Per usual, they are set by politicians - with more or less previous consulations with relevant experts, stakeholders, lobbyists et. In the case of Austria and Germany, this has included in the past national zoo associations, federal animal rights offices, animal welfare/environmental associations etc.

 

[DDcorvus]

Per usual, they are set by politicians - with more or less previous consulations with relevant experts, stakeholders, lobbyists et. In the case of Austria and Germany, this has included in the past national zoo associations, federal animal rights offices, animal welfare/environmental associations etc.

To be fair, although they are signed off by politicians, these are not the ones drafting or setting them. This is usually a more technical exercise done at much lower level and in most cases involving those you mention. For the non-Europeans. We have global zoo legislation covering the EU. This is then translated by the EU countries into national legislation and this leads in some cases to a further legal act that sets out minimum standards.

On the EU level the legislation is nothing more than stating that EU countries need to adopt legislation for licensing facilities that are open 7 days per year or more and have animals of wild species. Furthermore that the keeping is such these animals can display normal behaviour and can't escape. Also zoos need to do conservation, research or education. So it gives a lot of space to the countries.