North American Bush Dog Population

JVM said:
Completely understood, but to clarify, are these general statements as to why bush dogs are not exhibited or doing well here or has any of these come up in regards to the individual institutions in specific? I'm still unclear on if they were phased out intentionally.
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The phase-out isn't intentional, clearly some institutions are interested, but they are difficult to maintain, so they don't usually stick around long when imported.
 
birdsandbats said:
The phase-out isn't intentional, clearly some institutions are interested, but they are difficult to maintain, so they don't usually stick around long when imported.
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I mean, if there are institutions still interested outside the four holders and Miller Park, that's exactly what I am unclear on and trying to figure out. I was just thinking on the fact Miller Park had a clear interest in the species when it was already down to so few holders, leading me to wonder what other institutions may be (or were) interested if a hypothetical import were to occur. It seemed blatantly speculative to ask about it that way so I was trying to come at it from the angle if anyone knew their history at their respective recent holders. Detroit, Atlanta and Saint Louis are all zoos I've visited or plan to visit next year which furthered my curiosity about their former holdings; not because I expect them to suddenly show up, but what their individual relationships with the species were.

I fully expect the species to die out from US zoos at this stage, and plan to see them during my UK trip, but I'm still curious about the historical population, basically.
 
JVM said:
I mean, if there are institutions still interested outside the four holders and Miller Park, that's exactly what I am unclear on and trying to figure out. I was just thinking on the fact Miller Park had a clear interest in the species when it was already down to so few holders, leading me to wonder what other institutions may be (or were) interested if a hypothetical import were to occur. It seemed blatantly speculative to ask about it that way so I was trying to come at it from the angle if anyone knew their history at their respective recent holders. Detroit, Atlanta and Saint Louis are all zoos I've visited or plan to visit next year which furthered my curiosity about their former holdings; not because I expect them to suddenly show up, but what their individual relationships with the species were.

I fully expect the species to die out from US zoos at this stage, and plan to see them during my UK trip, but I'm still curious about the historical population, basically.
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I suspect, given there are zoos interested in bush dogs and the fact it's relatively common in European zoos, that there could be an import sometime in the next few years. It'd be a prime candidate for more international management. That said, even with an import, if the US wants its population to be sustaining, there needs to be more dedication of coordinating breeding and moving animals relatively quickly to breeding recs. Species with a short lifespan are notoriously difficult to manage (which bush dogs fall into), as are species with variable litter sizes (also bush dogs), so there would need to be real dedication not just in having bush dogs, but in breeding and coordinating breeding recs and transfers.
 
Neil chace said:
I suspect, given there are zoos interested in bush dogs and the fact it's relatively common in European zoos, that there could be an import sometime in the next few years. It'd be a prime candidate for more international management. That said, even with an import, if the US wants its population to be sustaining, there needs to be more dedication of coordinating breeding and moving animals relatively quickly to breeding recs. Species with a short lifespan are notoriously difficult to manage (which bush dogs fall into), as are species with variable litter sizes (also bush dogs), so there would need to be real dedication not just in having bush dogs, but in breeding and coordinating breeding recs and transfers.
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I may be mistaken, but I believe bush dogs were originally a candidate for international management. I'm curious to learn why the plans did not come to fruition.

As we all know, the United States do not have nearly as many zoos as Europe does, so it makes managing a wider range of species quite difficult. I'm assuming the AZA will discourage facilities from acquiring bush dogs so they can focus on other canid species. It is a shame, though. I've personally never seen them, but I would love to.
 
EsserWarrior said:
As we all know, the United States do not have nearly as many zoos as Europe does, so it makes managing a wider range of species quite difficult. I'm assuming the AZA will discourage facilities from acquiring bush dogs so they can focus on other canid species. It is a shame, though. I've personally never seen them, but I would love to.
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The AZA would (or should, anyways) really only actively discourage institutions from acquiring a species if it is in direct competition with one of their programs. Bush dogs are not a species that will really be competing for space with other species, seeing as the only canid species from the Americas the AZA manages are the three species with wolf in their name, each of which is much larger and has much greater spatial requirements. I highly doubt the zoos that would theoretically get bush dogs are going to instead use that space for a different canid if the AZA doesn't want bush dogs, so not really a concern in this case. Granted, there are cases where, yes, it makes sense for the AZA to actively discourage institutions from housing a species. Striped hyenas are in direct competition for space with the SSP-managed spotted hyena, and there isn't room to manage both species. Same thing with sun bears taking space away from sloth bears. Bush dogs really don't fall into that same category.
 
Neil chace said:
The AZA would (or should, anyways) really only actively discourage institutions from acquiring a species if it is in direct competition with one of their programs. Bush dogs are not a species that will really be competing for space with other species, seeing as the only canid species from the Americas the AZA manages are the three species with wolf in their name, each of which is much larger and has much greater spatial requirements. I highly doubt the zoos that would theoretically get bush dogs are going to instead use that space for a different canid if the AZA doesn't want bush dogs, so not really a concern in this case. Granted, there are cases where, yes, it makes sense for the AZA to actively discourage institutions from housing a species. Striped hyenas are in direct competition for space with the SSP-managed spotted hyena, and there isn't room to manage both species. Same thing with sun bears taking space away from sloth bears. Bush dogs really don't fall into that same category.
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Great points to bring up! They really do not take up as much room as the other canid species.
 
USZOOfan42 said:
0.0.2 bush dogs are now bts at the Detroit zoo. Is this an importation from Europe or an elderly pair from the states?
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Strong possibility this represents an import. The duo show on their Aug report, and Stone still had theirs after this report. The duo at Sequoia Park were reported present less than a week prior to the ones at Detroit. Little Rock and San Antonio had one each, and the one at SA was there 2 weeks before the Aug Detroit report. So the only likely possibility is an import, because that's a narrow timeframe, as I'm not aware that there were many left to ship about.
 
If it isn't an import then hopefully one is on the horizon. There's at least one interested zoo that is not a current holder and Saint Louis could easily come back to them. Perhaps there are others.
 
King of Komodo Dragons said:
Little Rock zoo now has a pair of Bush Dogs, named Paku and Luz. They came from a unspecified overseas facility. The zoo hopes to breed them and kickstart a regional breeding program.

Little Rock Zoo
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With all the phase-outs we've been hearing about recently, it's nice to hear about an attempt to revive a rare and unique species population for a change. :) Fingers crossed this turns out to be a success, and some zoos that previously had them can bring them back. Perhaps even Miller Park could try obtaining bush dogs again down the line, or they could be implemented into some future South American complexes like Milwaukee County.
 
Milwaukee Man said:
With all the phase-outs we've been hearing about recently, it's nice to hear about an attempt to revive a rare and unique species population for a change. :) Fingers crossed this turns out to be a success, and some zoos that previously had them can bring them back. Perhaps even Miller Park could try obtaining bush dogs again down the line, or they could be implemented into some future South American complexes like Milwaukee County.
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Yep! I'm personally hoping San Antonio reacquires them, and hope that Fort Worth can add them into the upcoming South America section in Forest and Jungles of the World!
 
Additionally, while we are in the subject of speculation*; I would love it if the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens joined in on the bush dog bandwagon. Especially since their current capybara enclosure is the most adequate place I could see them going into.

*hopefully controlled, that is
 
Detroit, Little Rock, Sequoia Park and Stone currently hold the species. San Antonio, Atlanta and Saint Louis have held them relatively recently, and I know for sure at least the Saint Louis exhibit is still present and pretty much the same, and hasn't been used for any sensitive program species, and I assume the case for San Antonio, and from what I heard the Atlanta exhibit was only loosely repurposed. Miller Park obviously had some interest and hopefully still does.

If there is some breeding success, I think reaching eight holders is a possibility provided none of the above facilities have changed their minds too firmly against them.
 
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