Indeed - which can have the (rare) effect that even incompetent politicians might pass useful laws when competent people do the groundwork.
Trends in European zoo collections in the 21st century
- Thread starter lintworm
- Start date
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)
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)
Today we will cover the remaining microbat families before moving to the fruit bats.
Vesper bats - Vespertilionidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 0
# Species kept currently: 1 (+1)
# Species gained: 3
# Species lost: 2
With over 500 species this is the most speciose bat family of them all. Despite being the most common wild family in Europe too, zoo holdings are rare. There are multiple zoos with a bat rehabilitation centre on ground (not necessarily managed by the zoo), but as display animals there is only one zoo that has unreleasable vesper bats on show. I decided that all these temporary rescues are not relevant for this thread, so I will leave them out. These animals tend to be not on show, only present for a very short time and in some cases aren't even managed by the zoo staff, but by separate NGO's. The only zoo with an unreleasable native bat exhibition is the British Wildlife Centre in Newchapel which has a small nocturnal house which houses among other species non-releasable native bats. The species turnover is relatively high, but that is to be expected. The entries below are not based on Zootierliste but on recent visits by Zoochatters. As far as I am aware there is only 1 zoo that has rescue bats (for release) on show more or less permanently, that is the Alpenzoo Innsbruck.
In the case of the Parc Animalier d’Auvergne people have mistaken signs about a wild colony of bats (lesser horseshoe bat and greater mouse-eared bat) for animals that were part of the zoo collection itself. As such they were erroneously listed on Zootierliste but I have removed those holdings.
Species gained
Brown long-eared bat - Plecotus auritus A1/2
This species has been on show at the British Wildlife Centre in Newchapel since about 2022.
@Giant Eland Brown long-eared bat are currently the only European bat species on permanent public display
Species gained but lost
Serotine bat - Eptesicus serotinus A2
This species was kept at the British Wildlife Centre in Newchapel 2017-2020, but wasn’t visible anymore at a recent visit.
Common pipistrelle - Pipistrellus pipistrellus A3
This species has been on show in the British Wildlife Centre in Newchapel from 2017-2022. Since 2022 this species is sometimes on show in the Alpenzoo Innsbruck, but this concerns animals that are released when fit again as far as I am aware and merely functions as a way to show the rescue work done behind the scenes.
@Merintia With some luck common pipistrelles can be seen in the Alpenzoo Innsbruck, though practically every European zoo will also have this species living in the wild on their grounds
Free-tailed bats - Tadaridae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 0
# Species kept currently: 0
# Species gained: 1
# Species lost: 1
Another family of insect eating bats that is hardly represented in captivity.
@lintworm Free-tailed bats, like this lesser free-tailed bat are absent from European zoos, bar a short stint in Rome
Species gained but lost
European free-tailed bat - Tadarida teniotis A?
Bioparco di Roma had this species on exhibit at least in 2008, but it is unclear how long it was kept.
Mouse-tailed bats - Rhinopomidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 0
# Species kept currently: 0
# Species gained: 1
# Species lost: 1
Another family which has only been shortly present in European zoos this century.
@Giant Eland Mouse-tailed bats are a rather unique-looking family, which is kept in captivity in Israel, and are one of the few living inhabitants of the Egyptian pyramids.
Species gained but lost
Lesser mouse-tailed bat - Rhinopoma hardwicki A3
This species was kept at least 2005-2011 in the Pension zur Fledermaus in Waren/Müritz, Germany. Only 2 males were kept, so the species did not breed.
Progress
18/22 orders completed
77/106 families completed
363-371 species present in 2000
369-371 species present in 2023
178-186 species gained this century
177-180 species lost this century
Last edited:
Fruit bats - Pteropodidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 13
# Species kept currently: 10 (-3)
# Species gained: 5
# Species lost: 8
This is easily the most well-represented bat family when it comes to the number of species in zoos and the number of holders. The Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegypticus) is by far the most commonly kept member of this family and the most widespread of all bats in captivity.
@MagpieGoose The critically endangered Livingstone's fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is more numerous then in 2000, but still limited to only 3 zoos
Species gained
Hammer-headed fruit bat - Hypsignathus monstrosus B3*
This is mainland Africa’s largest bat and the males have a bizarrely shaped head (hence the name) to be able to make a lot of noise. Which really means a lot of noise! Zoo Plzen shortly kept this species in 2000-2001, but that was nothing compared with what was to come. In recent years this species reappeared in a number of collections, of which only Zoo Wroclaw still keeps them. Wroclaw obtained animals in 2017 and 2019, but the majority of animals died shortly after the zoo received them. Despite that a few young were born in 2021 in what is a dwindling group. Given the lack of success in other zoos it seems zoos certainly haven’t figured out how to keep these unique bats alive.
@ro6ca66 Hammer-headed fruit bats are a species whose husbandry hasn't been figured out, but has appeared in captivity recently
Species gained but lost
Indonesian short-nosed fruit bat - Cynopterus titthaecheilus A4
Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Vienna, kept but never bred this species from 2002-2012.
Franquet’s epauletted fruit bat - Epomops franqueti A2
Zoo Plzen kept but never bred this species 2001-2005.
Little red flying fox - Pteropus scapulatus B3*
The RSCC imported a small group from Wellington Zoo in 2008 and sent these animals to the Wingham Wildlife Park, UK. Wingham bred them at least in 2011, but the final animal died in 2017.
Wallace stripe-faced flying fox - Styloctenium wallacei B3
Both Tierpark Berlin (2002-2005) and Zoo Plzen (2013-2015) have briefly kept this cool looking bat, but neither zoos managed to breed them.
@WhistlingKite24 While little red flying foxes are gone from European zoos, they can be found in the wild in Australian zoos
Species lost
Greater short-nosed fruit bat - Cynopterus sphynx A4*
Tierpark Berlin kept a small breeding group of this species from 1997-2007.
Sulawesi naked-backed fruit bat - Dobsonia exoleta A2
The only known holding of this species is a short stint in Zoo Berlin from 1998-2000.
Gambian epauletted fruit bat - Epomophorus gambianus C5*
This species was maintained in Zoo Krefeld from at least 1983-2020, but their small breeding group perished in the fire that destroyed the whole ape house. The breeding in Krefeld took place especially in the 1990s and early 2000s and so successful that offspring was sent to a about 10 other zoos. Multiple of those new colonies also bred, but none was maintained. The longest surviving group was held in the Bush in Burgers’ Zoo from 1992-2007.
Swift fruit bat - Thoopterus nigriscens B5*
This species was only ever kept in Berlin. Both the Zoo and the Tierpark acquired this species in 1996, but after 2006 the species was only ever kept in Tierpark Berlin, where it was also bred. The final individual died in 2017 after being the only representative of this species for years.
@Chlidonias Greater short-nosed fruit bats, just like the other small fruit bat species have disappeared from European zoos
Species gaining popularity
Rodriquez flying fox - Pteropus rodricensis
The European population was founded by an import of Jersey Zoo in 1976. Until the start of the century this was still a rarely kept species, but in the past 23 years an increasing number of zoos has taken up this species. With 25 holders it is still somewhat uncommon, but it is now the second most held Pteropus species in Europe.
Lyle’s flying fox - Pteropus lylei
Somewhat under the radar this Asian species has also made some inroads and is now the most widely kept Pteropus species in Europe.
Straw-coloured fruit bat - Eidolon helvum
Another uncommon species that has made some inroads this century and is now more widely kept then before. There are multiple successful breeding colonies around that can easily produce offspring for any interested zoo. As a species that prefers to roost in noisy places such as next to busy roads, they are uniquely adapted to the acoustics of an average zoo building with kids.
@Therabu Straw-coloured fruit bats love busy roads to roost next to, so should be suited to the average nocturnal house
Species losing popularity
Indian flying fox - Pteropus medius
This species, often signed as Pteropus giganteus, used to be the most common fruit bat in Europe, but has lost popularity in recent years. To the why I am not sure, but I imagine that at least part of the population consists of hybrids with the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) hasn’t helped. Fruit bat naming can be confusing in general and currently Pteropus giganteus is considered a synonym of Pteropus vampyrus, though animals identified as Pteropus giganteus are in fact Pteropus medius. They will have lost popularity to Rodriquez fruit bats due to their common status in the wild.
@Therabu Regardless of naming Indian flying foxes are losing popularity
Progress
19/22 orders completed
78/106 families completed
376-384 species present in 2000
379-381 species present in 2023
183-191 species gained this century
185-188 species lost this century
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 13
# Species kept currently: 10 (-3)
# Species gained: 5
# Species lost: 8
This is easily the most well-represented bat family when it comes to the number of species in zoos and the number of holders. The Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegypticus) is by far the most commonly kept member of this family and the most widespread of all bats in captivity.
@MagpieGoose The critically endangered Livingstone's fruit bat (Pteropus livingstonii) is more numerous then in 2000, but still limited to only 3 zoos
Species gained
Hammer-headed fruit bat - Hypsignathus monstrosus B3*
This is mainland Africa’s largest bat and the males have a bizarrely shaped head (hence the name) to be able to make a lot of noise. Which really means a lot of noise! Zoo Plzen shortly kept this species in 2000-2001, but that was nothing compared with what was to come. In recent years this species reappeared in a number of collections, of which only Zoo Wroclaw still keeps them. Wroclaw obtained animals in 2017 and 2019, but the majority of animals died shortly after the zoo received them. Despite that a few young were born in 2021 in what is a dwindling group. Given the lack of success in other zoos it seems zoos certainly haven’t figured out how to keep these unique bats alive.
@ro6ca66 Hammer-headed fruit bats are a species whose husbandry hasn't been figured out, but has appeared in captivity recently
Species gained but lost
Indonesian short-nosed fruit bat - Cynopterus titthaecheilus A4
Tiergarten Schönbrunn, Vienna, kept but never bred this species from 2002-2012.
Franquet’s epauletted fruit bat - Epomops franqueti A2
Zoo Plzen kept but never bred this species 2001-2005.
Little red flying fox - Pteropus scapulatus B3*
The RSCC imported a small group from Wellington Zoo in 2008 and sent these animals to the Wingham Wildlife Park, UK. Wingham bred them at least in 2011, but the final animal died in 2017.
Wallace stripe-faced flying fox - Styloctenium wallacei B3
Both Tierpark Berlin (2002-2005) and Zoo Plzen (2013-2015) have briefly kept this cool looking bat, but neither zoos managed to breed them.
@WhistlingKite24 While little red flying foxes are gone from European zoos, they can be found in the wild in Australian zoos
Species lost
Greater short-nosed fruit bat - Cynopterus sphynx A4*
Tierpark Berlin kept a small breeding group of this species from 1997-2007.
Sulawesi naked-backed fruit bat - Dobsonia exoleta A2
The only known holding of this species is a short stint in Zoo Berlin from 1998-2000.
Gambian epauletted fruit bat - Epomophorus gambianus C5*
This species was maintained in Zoo Krefeld from at least 1983-2020, but their small breeding group perished in the fire that destroyed the whole ape house. The breeding in Krefeld took place especially in the 1990s and early 2000s and so successful that offspring was sent to a about 10 other zoos. Multiple of those new colonies also bred, but none was maintained. The longest surviving group was held in the Bush in Burgers’ Zoo from 1992-2007.
Swift fruit bat - Thoopterus nigriscens B5*
This species was only ever kept in Berlin. Both the Zoo and the Tierpark acquired this species in 1996, but after 2006 the species was only ever kept in Tierpark Berlin, where it was also bred. The final individual died in 2017 after being the only representative of this species for years.
@Chlidonias Greater short-nosed fruit bats, just like the other small fruit bat species have disappeared from European zoos
Species gaining popularity
Rodriquez flying fox - Pteropus rodricensis
The European population was founded by an import of Jersey Zoo in 1976. Until the start of the century this was still a rarely kept species, but in the past 23 years an increasing number of zoos has taken up this species. With 25 holders it is still somewhat uncommon, but it is now the second most held Pteropus species in Europe.
Lyle’s flying fox - Pteropus lylei
Somewhat under the radar this Asian species has also made some inroads and is now the most widely kept Pteropus species in Europe.
Straw-coloured fruit bat - Eidolon helvum
Another uncommon species that has made some inroads this century and is now more widely kept then before. There are multiple successful breeding colonies around that can easily produce offspring for any interested zoo. As a species that prefers to roost in noisy places such as next to busy roads, they are uniquely adapted to the acoustics of an average zoo building with kids.
@Therabu Straw-coloured fruit bats love busy roads to roost next to, so should be suited to the average nocturnal house
Species losing popularity
Indian flying fox - Pteropus medius
This species, often signed as Pteropus giganteus, used to be the most common fruit bat in Europe, but has lost popularity in recent years. To the why I am not sure, but I imagine that at least part of the population consists of hybrids with the large flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus) hasn’t helped. Fruit bat naming can be confusing in general and currently Pteropus giganteus is considered a synonym of Pteropus vampyrus, though animals identified as Pteropus giganteus are in fact Pteropus medius. They will have lost popularity to Rodriquez fruit bats due to their common status in the wild.
@Therabu Regardless of naming Indian flying foxes are losing popularity
Progress
19/22 orders completed
78/106 families completed
376-384 species present in 2000
379-381 species present in 2023
183-191 species gained this century
185-188 species lost this century
Green_mamba
Well-Known Member
Are the hammerhead bats on-show at Wroclaw?
around easter time they were in the afrykarium, in a very tall aviary with single layer viewing, however they must be very hard to see as i assume they prefer the top of the aviary whilst viewing is towards the bottom. A worker there (in a rather rude manner) told me i had to move so i didnt really have a chance to view them anyways
Green_mamba
Well-Known Member
Thank you, I thought that they might might be in there. I suppose if they are on-show there is a chance of seeing them, even if you might need some luck.around easter time they were in the afrykarium, in a very tall aviary with single layer viewing, however they must be very hard to see as i assume they prefer the top of the aviary whilst viewing is towards the bottom. A worker there (in a rather rude manner) told me i had to move so i didnt really have a chance to view them anyways
SUMMARIZING INSECTIVORES, RODENTS, HARES & BATS
With around 164 species at the start of the century and around 174 species kept currently, the overall number of these small mammal species has slightly increased. In theory part of that increase could be because of a lack of entries for species around 2000, but combined with data from ZIMS I am quite sure that the small increase is not far from the truth. These numbers hides the huge influx and often quick subsequent loss of these small mammals. Close to 100 species of these orders have both appeared and subsequently disappeared from European zoos this century. These groups do somewhat better then expected by some members. Rodents, bats and murids were mentioned as groups that were expected to decline, though there was also a sizable group that thought rodents would actually have increased in popularity. With the number of bat species relatively stable and the increase in rodent numbers being driven by the murids, the past posts should have come as a surprise to some.
@Maguari The Southern African spiny mouse is one of many murids to be gained this century and this species has spread since its first appearance too
Whereas over 170 species are currently represented these orders have some of the lowest representation when it comes to total number of species versus how many are actually kept in captivity. Given these are not the most popular animals in general that might not be surprising, but the near absence of shrews, microbats and smaller rodents from most zoos is staggering. It is true that with their short lifespans you need to breed regularly and in big numbers to sustain a population. But given they are often commonly available in the private trade and don’t need much space it shouldn’t be difficult for zoos to find space. But there is just a general lack of interest for a group which doesn’t get visitors to the zoo. A small group of zoos is driving most of the diversity present, but is also responsible for most of the losses. Zoo Plzen especially seems to bring in new species on an extremely regular basis, often for them to disappear within a few years. There are some instances where Zoo Plzen has acted as a source of subsequent spread throughout Europe, but more often it looked more like an airport terminal where animals arrived from anywhere and quickly disappeared within a few years. Importing a small number of animals does make it very unlikely for a species to establish long term, though there are a few exceptions. It makes one wonder why all this time and effort is spent on animals that are often around only for a short period of time and in many cases never make it on show. In cases like the hammer-headed fruit bat it appears zoos are importing new animals, without having a clear idea how to care for them, leading to high mortality. While this would be unacceptable for larger mammals, small mammals are “boring” enough to fly under the radar and experimenting with husbandry is still accepted (or ignored).
@HOMIN96 Emin's pouched rat is one of many species that was newly kept this century, but has subsequently disappeared
But there are some species in which a larger spectrum of zoos is interested. Both the Chacoan mara and the northern Luzon giant cloud rat were absent at the start of the century, but they are 2 of the 3 new species that have spread to most zoos in the meantime from all the newcomers. In general it seems that the rodents that are somewhat peculiar, often belonging to small families, do better. Species like gundi, naked mole-rat, the American porcupines and lowland paca have spread considerably. In many cases this starts with one zoo being very prolific, such as Aquazoo Dusseldorf with gundi and Papiliorama Kerzers with lowland paca. There are however also some small species that don’t stand out but have spread, such as Etruscan shrews. Though their smallest of the continent status might have contributed to that. In a world where special species with high name recognition tend to thrive, it might be somewhat surprising that vampire bats are having a hard time, with only one group remaining and hardly any breeding. The contrast with the US is particularly large here, but they don't exactly look like Dracula either...
@HOMIN96 No other mammal has gone from zero to hero as much as the Northern Luzon giant cloud rat this century
Most zoos are still relatively uninterested in the smallest mammals and the number of zoos that are interested seems a bit smaller than at the start of the century with Tierpark Berlin downsizing their rodent & bat collection and several Schulzoos shutting their doors again. The diversity is now mainly driven by Czech and Polish zoos, with the addition of Tiergarten Schönebeck in Eastern Germany. This hasn’t led to a net decrease in species though. There is a case to be made that diversity of rarely seen smaller mammals is somewhat moving away from EAZA zoos (though EAZA zoos are still dominant) to (private) non-EAZA zoos. The private zoos often have close ties with the private trade in which the number of species kept is higher than in zoos. This is however not too visible with rodents, squirrels a clear exception, but is more visible with the next order to be covered.
@ThylacineAlive Tierpark Schoenebeck has developed a lot of name recognition on Zoochat for housing many rare rodents, such as the last mountain viscacha of the continent
An interesting trend that is becoming apparent is an increasing interest in (endangered) European rodents. Multiple rare and (locally) endangered native European species have recently appeared in zoos as part of breeding and/or research programs.. Such small (locally) endangered species are a very cost- and space effective way in which zoos can promote themselves as protectors of (local) biodiversity which helps them to attain the increasingly important conservation goals. These small animals are much more easily re-introduced in the wild, so there are very tangible benefits and this is where captive breeding has the potential to have a much larger contribution than is currently realised. For now only involves a few species and most rodents kept are still listed as Least Concern, but fortunately the trend is going in the right direction and I expect more zoos to take on native rodents in the future. A few threatened rodents from other continents have also increased their presence in Europe, including Palawan porcupine and the Votsotsa from Madagascar.
@NRJMelvinT European garden dormice are a newly found conservation breeding darling which has seen a noted increase in Europe when the wild populations have collapsed in some regions
While it is unclear what the future holds for small mammals, as diversity is driven by a few zoos (and thus a few individuals), it is clear the future for this thread is carnivores.
With around 164 species at the start of the century and around 174 species kept currently, the overall number of these small mammal species has slightly increased. In theory part of that increase could be because of a lack of entries for species around 2000, but combined with data from ZIMS I am quite sure that the small increase is not far from the truth. These numbers hides the huge influx and often quick subsequent loss of these small mammals. Close to 100 species of these orders have both appeared and subsequently disappeared from European zoos this century. These groups do somewhat better then expected by some members. Rodents, bats and murids were mentioned as groups that were expected to decline, though there was also a sizable group that thought rodents would actually have increased in popularity. With the number of bat species relatively stable and the increase in rodent numbers being driven by the murids, the past posts should have come as a surprise to some.
@Maguari The Southern African spiny mouse is one of many murids to be gained this century and this species has spread since its first appearance too
Whereas over 170 species are currently represented these orders have some of the lowest representation when it comes to total number of species versus how many are actually kept in captivity. Given these are not the most popular animals in general that might not be surprising, but the near absence of shrews, microbats and smaller rodents from most zoos is staggering. It is true that with their short lifespans you need to breed regularly and in big numbers to sustain a population. But given they are often commonly available in the private trade and don’t need much space it shouldn’t be difficult for zoos to find space. But there is just a general lack of interest for a group which doesn’t get visitors to the zoo. A small group of zoos is driving most of the diversity present, but is also responsible for most of the losses. Zoo Plzen especially seems to bring in new species on an extremely regular basis, often for them to disappear within a few years. There are some instances where Zoo Plzen has acted as a source of subsequent spread throughout Europe, but more often it looked more like an airport terminal where animals arrived from anywhere and quickly disappeared within a few years. Importing a small number of animals does make it very unlikely for a species to establish long term, though there are a few exceptions. It makes one wonder why all this time and effort is spent on animals that are often around only for a short period of time and in many cases never make it on show. In cases like the hammer-headed fruit bat it appears zoos are importing new animals, without having a clear idea how to care for them, leading to high mortality. While this would be unacceptable for larger mammals, small mammals are “boring” enough to fly under the radar and experimenting with husbandry is still accepted (or ignored).
@HOMIN96 Emin's pouched rat is one of many species that was newly kept this century, but has subsequently disappeared
But there are some species in which a larger spectrum of zoos is interested. Both the Chacoan mara and the northern Luzon giant cloud rat were absent at the start of the century, but they are 2 of the 3 new species that have spread to most zoos in the meantime from all the newcomers. In general it seems that the rodents that are somewhat peculiar, often belonging to small families, do better. Species like gundi, naked mole-rat, the American porcupines and lowland paca have spread considerably. In many cases this starts with one zoo being very prolific, such as Aquazoo Dusseldorf with gundi and Papiliorama Kerzers with lowland paca. There are however also some small species that don’t stand out but have spread, such as Etruscan shrews. Though their smallest of the continent status might have contributed to that. In a world where special species with high name recognition tend to thrive, it might be somewhat surprising that vampire bats are having a hard time, with only one group remaining and hardly any breeding. The contrast with the US is particularly large here, but they don't exactly look like Dracula either...
@HOMIN96 No other mammal has gone from zero to hero as much as the Northern Luzon giant cloud rat this century
Most zoos are still relatively uninterested in the smallest mammals and the number of zoos that are interested seems a bit smaller than at the start of the century with Tierpark Berlin downsizing their rodent & bat collection and several Schulzoos shutting their doors again. The diversity is now mainly driven by Czech and Polish zoos, with the addition of Tiergarten Schönebeck in Eastern Germany. This hasn’t led to a net decrease in species though. There is a case to be made that diversity of rarely seen smaller mammals is somewhat moving away from EAZA zoos (though EAZA zoos are still dominant) to (private) non-EAZA zoos. The private zoos often have close ties with the private trade in which the number of species kept is higher than in zoos. This is however not too visible with rodents, squirrels a clear exception, but is more visible with the next order to be covered.
@ThylacineAlive Tierpark Schoenebeck has developed a lot of name recognition on Zoochat for housing many rare rodents, such as the last mountain viscacha of the continent
An interesting trend that is becoming apparent is an increasing interest in (endangered) European rodents. Multiple rare and (locally) endangered native European species have recently appeared in zoos as part of breeding and/or research programs.. Such small (locally) endangered species are a very cost- and space effective way in which zoos can promote themselves as protectors of (local) biodiversity which helps them to attain the increasingly important conservation goals. These small animals are much more easily re-introduced in the wild, so there are very tangible benefits and this is where captive breeding has the potential to have a much larger contribution than is currently realised. For now only involves a few species and most rodents kept are still listed as Least Concern, but fortunately the trend is going in the right direction and I expect more zoos to take on native rodents in the future. A few threatened rodents from other continents have also increased their presence in Europe, including Palawan porcupine and the Votsotsa from Madagascar.
@NRJMelvinT European garden dormice are a newly found conservation breeding darling which has seen a noted increase in Europe when the wild populations have collapsed in some regions
While it is unclear what the future holds for small mammals, as diversity is driven by a few zoos (and thus a few individuals), it is clear the future for this thread is carnivores.
Small remark about history of Plzen´s collection of small mammals.
In rural northeastern corner of Czech republic exists a small botanical garden called Arboretum Nový Dvůr. It is run by Slezské zemské museum and is virtually unknown to anybody than locals. It was built in 1950s when coal mining was dominant (and very profitable) industry in that area. It used to have a heated greenhouse and a spirited young botanist that was also private animal breeder. He used said greenhouse to realise his idea of exhibiting plant species in context of their ecosystems. Plants were exhibited side by side with small animals of same origin, mostly birds, small mammals and reptiles. If you visit said main museum today you can see stuffed animals that used to live in Arboretum (like bulwers pheasant). In 1999 the greenhouse was already in such bad shape it needed to be demolished and Arboretum was too broke to build it again. Staff was laid off, plant collection downsized and all animals kicked out. By lucky chance the botanist got hired by zoo Plzen and was allowed to take his animal collection with him. This is a reason why so many species arrivals have year 1999 mentioned on ZTL.
In rural northeastern corner of Czech republic exists a small botanical garden called Arboretum Nový Dvůr. It is run by Slezské zemské museum and is virtually unknown to anybody than locals. It was built in 1950s when coal mining was dominant (and very profitable) industry in that area. It used to have a heated greenhouse and a spirited young botanist that was also private animal breeder. He used said greenhouse to realise his idea of exhibiting plant species in context of their ecosystems. Plants were exhibited side by side with small animals of same origin, mostly birds, small mammals and reptiles. If you visit said main museum today you can see stuffed animals that used to live in Arboretum (like bulwers pheasant). In 1999 the greenhouse was already in such bad shape it needed to be demolished and Arboretum was too broke to build it again. Staff was laid off, plant collection downsized and all animals kicked out. By lucky chance the botanist got hired by zoo Plzen and was allowed to take his animal collection with him. This is a reason why so many species arrivals have year 1999 mentioned on ZTL.
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Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
Additional information : Microbats (at least European and North American species) haven't a "short lifespan", most species have lifespans of 10 to 30 years, or even more.
So the management of short lifespans isn't an issue for these species.
The main issue is a lack of interest for these animals, most zoos aren't interested on investing money for them ; nonetheless some of them promote the settlement of wild bat colonies as local biodiversity, offering even views on them by webcams.
For me, the Squirrels aren't the sole rodent taxon to be common among the private holders but comparatively rare in zoos. It is also the case of the Gerbils, Jerboas and Hamsters.
Out of interest, are you referring to Mister Peš?
Very interesting summary, especially that much of Europe is in economic crisis and zoos downsize. Maybe they can help small animals for a bit longer.
It would be good if zoos purposefully discovered and promoted such scarce enthusiasts, for they can make a very big positive impact on zoos and conservation.
I remember Gerald Durrell, who started essentially as a child who liked unusual pets. He became a famous conservationist and saved several smaller animals from extinction.
It would be also great if zoos maintained closer ties with private keepers. A handful of private keepers could make a big difference in a small mammal population - the same with herps etc.
It looks like most of small mammals in European zoos are give away private pets and research centres. In practice, even small mammals common in zoos, like degus, often come from local hobbyists, not other zoos. With big mammals it is the opposite - zoos maintain populations, and few excess young are sometimes given to private keepers. The same is about few big or difficult to keep rodents, like capybaras, cloud rats etc.
So the real discussion topic is the scene of private keeping of small mammals. It would be interesting to learn more about it. Perhaps the diversity of exotic small mammals increased since 2000, so more gerbills, spiny mice and such find their way to zoos.
It is strange contradiction, isn't it? That rodents are popular private pets, but in zoos they are not popular. Zoos may rethink presentation methods of small mammals. Add contact possibilities? Add wild rodents, say European hamsters, dormice and spiny mice to guinea pigs in a children farm?
While I agree with you in regard to the long lifespans of Chiroptera, let me tell you, as someone who has taken care of several species of bats in real life: it's not just a "lack of interest". Thanks to Batman and the work of many dedicated bat supporters, the public image and interest in bats is improving and increasing.
However, keeping Yango- and Yinchiroptera alive, healthy and properly fed in captivity is, depending on the physiology, diet (no other mammalian group has such a dietary diversity) and behaviour, anything but an easy task and requires plenty of dedication, time, knowledge, ressources and manpower - something less and less zoos are willing/able to afford. Especially not for small mammals.
OkapiJohn
Well-Known Member
Once a zoo curator told me that a great and well-maintained reptile house can be as costly (or even more expensive) than an elephant herd. This just highlights that just because animals are small it does not mean they are cheaper. Ok, they are cheaper per individual, but we can possibly agree that "attraction-wise" an elephant herd and a reptile house are comparable. From my own experience, taking care of tanks, aquariums, terrariums or vivariums can be very time-consuming for the staff. And personnel is one of the biggest expenses for any zoo. I imagine that it might not be very different regarding small mammals.
Many can live that long indeed, but their average lifespan is often only a few years, still longer then the average mouse lasts in the wild
I think you misunderstood what I wrote. I tried to say that squirrels are a group where diversity in zoos is higher in (smaller) private zoos then in EAZA ones, whereas for gerbils etc. most diversity is still held by EAZA zoos. But comparing private collections with zoos it is obvious that there is a lot more diversity in private hands then in zoos for small mammals, but also for birds & herps.
That would indeed be good and necessary for zoos to maintain a diverse collection. The ones that already hold many rare birds/reptiles/small mammals often work together extensively with private keepers, as it is a prerequisite as other zoos aren't interested.
At least for birds the tendency in private hands seems that diversity has gone down, but that was also the gut feeling for zoos and until now that hasn't materialized. I honestly wouldn't know, given that it is still possible to buy plenty of wild caught species if you know where to look, species supply might well be higher or at least comparable to 23 years ago.
When looking to the children farms that are common in many Dutch towns (which tend to be free city-owned places with lots of petting opportunities) they often tend to have a hamster and a jird species as well as some other rodents. It is often nothing out of the ordinary, but zoos could translate that indeed to having wild rodents near their own petting zoos that fit the geographic theme
CARNIVORES - CARNIVORA
306 species in 16 families
161 species kept this century (53%)
One of the most popular mammal groups containing some of the most instantly recognizable and popular zoo animals. No generic zoo would dare not to include some members of this family in their collection. This order contains some of zoochat’s favourite animals and also one of the most disliked. Bar the linsangs (Prionodontidae), which were last kept on the continent in Dierenpark Wassenaar in 1982 and had always been huge rarities, all carnivore families are currently represented in Europe.
@gentle lemur Banded linsangs were kept in Europe from 1968-1982, but despite breeding at Wassenaar never spread beyond 2 zoos
African palm civets - Nandiniidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 1
# Species kept currently: 1
# Species gained: -
# Species lost: -
This family only contains a single species which is rarely kept in captivity: the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata). Long this species was only kept in Poznan Nowe Zoo which has kept the species since 1988 and bred from time to time. Currently there is only a single African palm civet remaining in Poznan, a female was born there in 2014. Two other zoos have in recent years acquired individuals. Given that this is a widespread species that is common in the bushmeat trade, it is a relatively easy species to acquire if one is willing to import a brown nocturnal carnivore from Tropical Africa.
@Michal Sloviak African palm civets are more unique then they look at first sight
Progress
19/22 orders completed
79/106 families completed
377-385 species present in 2000
380-382 species present in 2023
183-191 species gained this century
185-188 species lost this century
306 species in 16 families
161 species kept this century (53%)
One of the most popular mammal groups containing some of the most instantly recognizable and popular zoo animals. No generic zoo would dare not to include some members of this family in their collection. This order contains some of zoochat’s favourite animals and also one of the most disliked. Bar the linsangs (Prionodontidae), which were last kept on the continent in Dierenpark Wassenaar in 1982 and had always been huge rarities, all carnivore families are currently represented in Europe.
@gentle lemur Banded linsangs were kept in Europe from 1968-1982, but despite breeding at Wassenaar never spread beyond 2 zoos
African palm civets - Nandiniidae
# Species kept 1-1-2000: 1
# Species kept currently: 1
# Species gained: -
# Species lost: -
This family only contains a single species which is rarely kept in captivity: the African palm civet (Nandinia binotata). Long this species was only kept in Poznan Nowe Zoo which has kept the species since 1988 and bred from time to time. Currently there is only a single African palm civet remaining in Poznan, a female was born there in 2014. Two other zoos have in recent years acquired individuals. Given that this is a widespread species that is common in the bushmeat trade, it is a relatively easy species to acquire if one is willing to import a brown nocturnal carnivore from Tropical Africa.
@Michal Sloviak African palm civets are more unique then they look at first sight
Progress
19/22 orders completed
79/106 families completed
377-385 species present in 2000
380-382 species present in 2023
183-191 species gained this century
185-188 species lost this century
One of a few species which, due to the inadequacy and inaccuracy of its common name, and lack of any alternative, I've taken to solely referring to by its genus
Birdsage
Well-Known Member
Apparently, “Nandinie” is in fact its common name in French.One of a few species which, due to the inadequacy and inaccuracy of its common name, and lack of any alternative, I've taken to solely referring to by its genus
Haliaeetus
Well-Known Member
Yes, I confirm.
One of a few species which, due to the inadequacy and inaccuracy of its common name, and lack of any alternative, I've taken to solely referring to by its genus
There are 2 alternatives: two-spotted palm civet and tree civet, but they are not an inch better... I also mostly refer to this species as Nandinia