Animals No Longer At Your Zoo You'd Like To See There Again

BenFoxster said:
For the long term the hippos really would have been better. Not only do I believe they would have brought in more guests (hence more money) than rhinos, but in the long term it would have been easier to save up for a new rhino exhibit, plus the hippos would have better fit the African forest theme than rhinos.
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Given how most zoos exhibit them, hippos are honestly what I'd consider the worst investment a zoo could make right now. Spend millions of dollars to build an exhibit that is barely adequate for a smaller-than-ideal social grouping, and then spend a ridiculous amount of money on life support systems and exhibit maintenance in order to keep the water crystal clear. Rhinos are a species that don't need much for an exhibit to be great, compared to hippos which require as much if not more space than elephants (due to the large water requirement). I'm sure that hippos bring in some new people (Fiona exists, after all), but all in all I doubt hippos are any more popular than rhinos for the average zoo visitor. As far as Houston is concerned, hippos also likely aren't a great investment seeing as at least three major nearby zoos (Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio) keep them.
 
ZooTampa: African lions, cheetah, gerenuk, and zebra
Florida Aquarium: tiger shark (unsubstantiated rumor that when the aquarium first opened they had one in the "Open Ocean" tank)
 
Lincoln Park and Brookfield have many that I wish they still had. Among them:

Lincoln Park - Mandrill, Drill, Arabian Oryx, Waterbuck (they were only at the zoo for a couple years and I never got to see them), Orangutan.

Brookfield - Walrus, Ibex, Nile Hippo.

Both - African Elephant
 
Singapore Zoo: Wolverine, Black backed Jackal, warthog, Greater Kudu, Gnu, Nilghai

Night Safari: Indian Wolves, Asian Golden Cat, Golden Jackal, Banteng, Gaur,

River Wonders: Jaguarundi, Missisipi Paddlefish, Chinese Giant Salamander.
 
To update as I think it's been a few years... in each case the last few animals on the list are species I recognize will not realistically return but continue to miss or associate with the facility.

Lincoln Park Zoo
- Arabian Oryx
- Grant's Gazelle
- Secretary Bird
- Orangutan
- Giant Anteater
- Cavy
- Golden-headed Lion Tamarin
- Fennec Fox
- Sand Cat
- Pallas' Cat
- Koala
- Echidna
- Pama Wallaby
- Drill
- Sun Bear
- Persian Leopard

You could knock off a huge amount of this list by making changes to and expanding the Small Mammal-Reptile House, while the gazelle and secretary bird could return to African Journey and oryx to the Camel-Zebra Area.

If you asked me to pick only one, I would probably pick the gazelle.

Brookfield Zoo
- Elephants
- Hippopotamus
- Mandrill
- Southern Cassowary
- Kiwi
- Pygmy Slow Loris
- Golden Lion Tamarin
- Callimico
- Ostrich
- Warthog
- Cheetah
- Black footed Cat
- Caracal
- Rock Hyrax
- Moholi bush baby
- Aardvark
- Baboon
- Ibex
- Bettong
- Vampire Bat
- Chinchilla
- Orinoco Crocodile
- Raccoon
- Dall Sheep
- Baird's Tapir
- Andean Bear
- Pacific Walrus
- Forest Buffalo

Brookfield's collection has suffered some immense losses in the last decade and a half for almost no gain in return; a lot of these former species could be covered by potential expansion to the zoo's current Africa section, and many remain realistically possible with two or three exceptions. Some of the others could easily fit into the existing map. I would happily expect substitutions for the baboon and ibex in terms of species available.

If you asked me to pick only one, I would pick the aardvark.

Milwaukee County Zoo
- Cougar
- Dall Sheep
- Moose
- Wolf
- Springhare
- Kinkajou
- Owl Monkey
- King Penguin
- King Vulture
- Zebra
- Red Kangaroo
- Koala
- Malayan Tapir
- Polar Bear
- Potto
- Asiatic Black Bear

A few of these are actually likely to come back or return to display, particularly the North American animals, but I'd really like to see some Australian animals return and nocturnal species with the upcoming renovation. The real 'wild card' is I'd love if tapir could return.

If you asked me to pick only one, I'd like to see the moose back on display.
 
junglejim said:
Houston also had believe it or not a lone male Eastern lowland Gorilla, before all enrichment stuff they also kept Columbus monkeys in exhibit with him.
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That was something I knew. I even saw him alive! Thanks for that anyway but what about my question about the wedge tailed eagle? And can someone tell me when the last specimen died at Houston Zoo?
 
zoomaniac said:
Houston had wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) in the 90s?!? Where in the zoo they were located?
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I've been going there since I was really little and didn't know they had them. The only birds of prey that I know that were in their collection that are no longer there are the Cinereous Vulture and King Vulture. The wedge tailed must have been a temporary or something.
 
zoomaniac said:
Houston had wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) in the 90s?!? Where in the zoo they were located?
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zoomaniac said:
That was something I knew. I even saw him alive! Thanks for that anyway but what about my question about the wedge tailed eagle? And can someone tell me when the last specimen died at Houston Zoo?
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LadyA91 said:
I've been going there since I was really little and didn't know they had them. The only birds of prey that I know that were in their collection that are no longer there are the Cinereous Vulture and King Vulture. The wedge tailed must have been a temporary or something.
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The original comment about Wedge-tailed Eagle was in response to a post about former species at Los Angeles Zoo - Houston was never mentioned.
 
The Greater Vancouver Zoo's variety of hoofstock has dwindled over the years, but one species I miss in particular is the Père David's deer, of which they used to have a small breeding herd.
 
North Carolina Zoo - This place has seen a ton of species come and go, especially when you consider the zoo had 2 major exhibits close in the last 15 years without replacements. There are some species I did actually see that left collection and would love to see again. Also, thanks to @Breckenridge, I was made aware of a wealth of species that I never knew the zoo even had. I would love to see some of these species, particularly those from Africa, return in the future, as the zoo's Africa region is currently underwhelming from a pure species-list perspective.

Here are some I would love to see at the zoo again in the future.
  • Any freshwater turtle species; the zoo had quite a few like Spiny Softshell (which I've actually seen), Gibba Turtle, African helmeted turtle, New Guinea snake-necked turtle, African forest turtle, and East African black mud turtle (also seen personally).
  • Merriam’s kangaroo rat (their exhibit is actually still there, just unused)
  • Senegal bushbaby
  • Rock hyrax
  • Hartebeest
  • South African springhare
  • Any Monitor species
  • Any Python species.
  • Bowfin
  • Any of the African Otter species
  • Patas Monkey
Greensboro Science Center - Would love to see any of the reptiles from the former Herpetarium return in the future. Also Yellow-headed Amazon River Turtle, Blacknose Shark, and Anaconda.
 
Hello.

Rio de Janeiro zoo:

Boidae:
- Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus);

Chelidae:
- Matamata (Chelus fimbriatus);

Diprotodontidae:
- Grizzled tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus);

Sirenidae:
- West Indian manatee (Tricherus manatus);

Pitheciidae:
- White-nosed saki (Chiropotes albinasus);
- Gray's bald-faced saki (Pithecia irrorata);
- Mittermeier's bald-faced saki (Pithecia mittermeierii);
- Ryland's bald-faced saki (Pithecia rylandsii);

Cebidae:
- Kaapori capuchin (Cebus kaapori);

Cercopithecidae:
- Sooty mangabey (Cercocebus atys);
- Moustached guenon (Cercopithecus cephus);
- Mandrill (Mandrillus sphinx);

Hylobatidae:
- Lar gibbon (Hylobates lar);

Equidae:
- Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi);

Rhinocerotidae:
- Southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simmum);

Giraffidae:
- Northern giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis);
- Okapi (Okapia johnstoni); *

Bovidae:
- White-tailed wildebeest (Connochaetes gnou);
- Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas);
- Lowland nyala (Tragelaphus angasii);
- Sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii);

Viverridae:
- Binturong (Arctictis binturong);
- African civet (Civetta civetta);

Hyaenidae:
- Spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta);

Felidae:
- Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus);
- Jungle cat (Felis chaus);

Ursidae:
- Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus);
- Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus);

Anatidae:
- Red-breasted goose (Branta ruficollis);
- American comb duck (Sarkidiornis sylvicola);

Cracidae:
- Wattled curassow (Crax globulosa);
- Great curassow (Crax rubra);

Numididae:
- Vulturine guineafowl (Acryllium vulturinum);
- Wild helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris);

Odontophoridae:
- Spot-winged woodquail (Odontophorus capueira);

Phasianidae:
- Great argus (Argusianus argus);
- Blue-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon auritum);
- Red junglefowl (Gallus gallus);
- Reeves' pheasant (Syrmaticus reevesii);

Columbidae:
- Luzon bleeding-heart dove (Gallicolumba luzonica);
- Western crowned pigeon (Goura cristata);

Gruidae:
- Sarus crane (Antigone antigone);
- Black crowned crane (Balearica pavonina);
- Blue crane (Grus paradisea);

Ciconidae:
- White stork (Ciconia ciconia);
- Marabou stork (Leptoptilus crumenifurs);
- Greater adjutant stork (Leptoptilus dubius);
- Lesser adjutant stork (Leptoptilus javanicus);
- Painted stork (Mycteria mycteria);

Cathartidae:
- Andean condor (Vultur gryphus);

Acciptridae:
- Black-collared hawk (Busarellus nigricollis);
- Black-and-white hawk-eagle (Spizaetos melanoleucos);
- Ornate hawk-eagle (Spizaetus ornatus);

Bucerotidae:
- Silvery cheeked-hornbill (Bycanistes brevis);
- Diademed hornbill (Rhyticeros undulatus);

Cacatuidae:
- White cockatoo (Cacatua alba);
- Sulphur-crested cockatoo (Cacatua galerita);
- Galah (Eolophus roseicapilla);

Psittacidae:
- Blue-throated macaw (Ara glaucogularis);
- Burrowing parrot (Cyanoliseus patagonus);
- Spix's macaw (Cyanopsitta spixii);
- Short-tailed parrot (Graydidascalus brachyurus);
- Aymara parakeet (Psilopsiagon aymara);
- Congo grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus);
- Blue-crowned parakeet (Thectocercus acuticaudatus);

Psittaculidae:
- Yellow-collared lovebird (Agapornis personatus);
- Black-capped lory (Lorius lory);

Ptilonorhynchidae:
- Satin bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus); *

Paradiseaedae:
- Bird-of-paradise (Paradiseaedae sp.)

Cotingidae:
- Banded cotinga (Cotinga cayana);
- Bare-throated bellbird (Procnias nudicollis);
- Guianan cock-of-the-rock (Rupicola rupicola);

Sturnidae:
- Nias hill mynah (Gracula robusta);

Fringilidae:
- Blue-naped chlorophonia (Chlorophonia cyanea);

Thraupidae:
- Brazilian tanager (Ramphocellus bresilius)
- Seven-colored tanager (Tangara fastuosa);
- Green-headed tanager (Tangara seledon);

*The okapi in question (1.0 Alafu) died en route from Antwerp.

*Unsure if actually held there. Victor Costa's collection was sent to Rio de Janeiro after he died, though I'm not sure if the bowerbird was still alive.

Interestingly, the aviary with the exotic storks and cranes was the main inspiration for the Jurong Bird Park.

You might reckon I'm asking for too many species, but I did not even scratch the surface of Rio de Janeiro's massive past collection.
 
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Here’s some from the zoos I typically visit multiple times a year:
Bergen County Zoo
  • Bobcat
  • Ocelot (Is returning ‘Soon’)
  • Hyacinth Macaw
Turtle Back Zoo
  • Common Eland
  • Grey Wolf
  • Grey Fox
  • Prevost’s Squirrel
  • Reeves Muntjac
  • Saiga
  • Aardvark
  • Hyacinth Macaw
Bronx Zoo
  • African Buffalo
  • African Forest Elephant
  • Aoudad
  • Barbary Macaque
  • Bay Duiker
  • Bharal (Blue Sheep)
  • Blue-eyed Black Lemur
  • Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby
  • Chimpanzee
  • Common Genet
  • Cuban Solenodon
  • Daurian Pika
  • Eastern Gorilla
  • European Bison (Wisent)
  • Gemsbok
  • Gerenuk
  • Giant Panda
  • Great Balkhan Mouse-like Hamster
  • Green Acouchi
  • Green Monkey
  • Guanay Cormorant
  • Impala
  • James Flamingo
  • Kea
  • Leopard Cat
  • Lesser Spot-nosed Monkey
  • Malagasy Jumping Rat
  • Mantled Howler Monkey
  • Maxwell’s Duiker
  • Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat
  • Moustached Tamarin
  • Mule Deer
  • Musk Ox
  • Orangutan sp.
  • Persian Fallow Deer
  • Platypus
  • Polar Bear
  • Proboscis Monkey
  • Pygmy Hippopotamus
  • Red Howler Monkey
  • Roan Antelope
  • Rocky Cavy
  • Sable Antelope
  • Siberian Ibex
  • South American Tapir
  • Sumatran Rhinoceros
  • Sunda Slow Loris
  • Tasmanian Devil
  • Thylacine (Totally possible)
  • Wied’s Marmoset
  • Wolverine
  • Yellow-cheeked Gibbon
And that’s only a fraction of the animals for the Bronx ;)
 
RandomZooVisitorYT said:
How would any zoo display moles as they spend most of their time underground
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The exhibit at the wildlife park was small and almost completely barren, it did not work out long term unfortunately. As for the display of moles in general, I've done a few deep dives on the subject that can be found on this forum. It can (arguably) be done.
 
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