Snowleopard's Mammals: A Lifetime List of Species Mammalian and Non-Mammalian

[Enzo]

After finishing off Common Eland (58 zoos) and Giant Eland (5 zoos), and reading through a lot of fantastic comments, it's time for TWO more species in this next post.

To see an Impala is to see grace and poise, and this speedy species is so famous that a vehicle was named after it. Chevrolet Impala was discontinued in 2020, but from the 1950s onwards there was a whole series of automobiles named after the African antelope. Almost every single zoo I've seen the species at has been an accredited facility and a dozen of my sightings were in a single month in Western Europe in 2019. On a side note, I wonder how cold tolerant Impala are, as by looking at them I cannot imagine they appreciate frigid winters. But, in all honesty, many warm weather mammals are quite adaptable to chilly temperatures.

Steenbok are incredibly rare species, even now almost extinct anywhere in captivity outside of Africa. Very few zoos have Steenbok and I've only seen them at 3 locations and all in California!

I've seen Impala at 38 zoos:

2019 = 12 zoos

1- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Impala – 2006
2- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2008
3- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Impala – 2008
4- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Impala – 2008
5- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Impala – 2008
6- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Impala – 2008
7- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
8- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
9- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
10- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
11- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
12- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
13- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Impala – 2011
14- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2012
15- Naples Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2012
16- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Impala – 2012
17- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Impala – 2012
18- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Impala – 2015
19- Safari West Wildlife Preserve (USA) – Impala – 2017
20- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2017
21- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Impala – 2018
22- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
23- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
24- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
25- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Impala– 2019
26- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Impala – 2019
27- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Impala – 2019
28- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Impala – 2019
29- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Impala – 2019
30- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Impala – 2019
31- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Impala – 2019
32- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Impala – 2019
33- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Impala – 2019
34- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Impala – 2022
35- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Impala – 2022
36- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) – Impala – 2024
37- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Impala – 2024
38- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) - Impala – 2024

AND...

I've seen Steenbok at 3 zoos:

1- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Steenbok – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Steenbok – 2008
3- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Steenbok – 2008

Impala have been a fixture at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for ages, and here's a herd of them all lining up to take a ride in the ridiculous hot air balloon later in the evening when the crowds die down.

@MGolka

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) has had Impala for many years and in 2019 the zoo even opened Impala Plains as part of the Adventure Africa complex.

@Milwaukee Man

Check out this mixed-species exhibit! When I toured BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) in 2010, this enclosure held Impala, Bongo and Warthog all together as one happy family.

I'm not sure what the situation is like now, but when Giants of the Savanna opened at Dallas Zoo (USA), there was eventually (over a long acclimation period) African Elephants, Giraffes, Impala and other species mixed together.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) has two Impala exhibits and this one is a dusty paddock with a huge pile of tree branches in the middle.

I've been to SEVEN zoos just in Florida with Impala as that antelope species used to be found in vast numbers in that state. ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) has combined African Elephants with Impala and Nile Lechwe for many years. Fresno Chaffee Zoo also had African Elephants with Impala but for some reason that antelope species didn't last long in Fresno.

@Moebelle

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) has a fantastic Giraffe/Impala/Lesser Kudu/Ostrich/White Stork exhibit that is amongst the best of its kind.

There's another stunning African Savanna with Impala, alongside Giraffes, Blue Wildebeest and others, at Opel Zoo (Germany).

@Philipine eagle

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) has a sprawling African Savanna called Serenga and there's Impala amidst the various other hoofstock species.

Yet another vast African Savanna, this time at Ree Park Safari (Denmark), is home to a LOT of animals. During my visit in August 2022 I saw at least 20 Impala, 20 Blue Wildebeest, 20 Waterbuck, Giraffes, Plains Zebras, Common Eland, several Ostriches and even a Black Rhino (!!) all together on the savanna. How do keepers manage those 8 species all at the same time?

Here's a herd of Impala with some Giraffes and Blesbok at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark):

@Javan Rhino

At Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia), visitors stroll down a long hallway, with windows into various African Savanna exhibits on each side. It's an extraordinary setup, designed to encourage families to visit the zoo even in the wet season when there can be thunderous rainstorms. My photo shows a portion of the Impala yard:

I had dinner with @Sicarius while in Indonesia, but he never told me that he once saw Black-faced Impala at Barcelona Zoo (Spain). I've never seen one before, but I'd like to as they are a striking animal.

@Sicarius

As for Steenbok, glancing through the ZooChat gallery it's possible that San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) has held Steenbok continuously since my first visit in 2006. I've toured that zoo on 5 occasions and over the years Steenbok have been mixed with species such as Sitatunga, Soemmerring's Gazelle, Yellow-backed Duiker, Red-flanked Duiker, Black Crowned Crane, Kori Bustard, South African Shelduck, White-faced Whistling Duck, Abdim's Stork and Yellow-billed Stork. Steenbok must be quite amiable to be with such a wide variety of species.

@Julio C Castro

San Diego Zoo (USA) used to have Steenbok, but my guess is that the species has not been there for at least a decade. The most recent ZooChat photo is from 2012 and you can see a Steenbok in my photo (below) that was a mixed-species enclosure with Red-flanked Duikers being the other occupants.

Just like at San Diego Zoo, the last photos of a Steenbok at Los Angeles Zoo (USA) date from 2012 and so I don't think this species is there any longer.

@Blackduiker

Family Bovidae: 22 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos

Saw impalas only once, at the Lisbon zoo in 2018.

Once again, impala are gone from South America, but they are still present at the close Emperor Valley Zoo, in Trinidad and Tobago.

As with many other antelope, São Paulo was a holder of the species in the past. Three impalas were imported from Italy in 1972 and were exhibited in the Antelope Plain in 1973. Twenty years later, when the enclosure was refurbished (and renamed to African Plain), impala were still present at the zoo, but they were gone by the early 2000s, despite the births that had happened a few years prior.

Itatiba was also a holder, but for a very short time frame.

My local zoo tried importing impala from South Africa three years ago, but the whole operation was ceased when three giraffes were accidentally killed after they escaped their paddock.

 

[Dassie rat]

I saw impalas pronking at Cologne Zoo

 

[anitaj94]

Have you visited any zoo in India @snowleopard ??

 

[biggest_dreamer]

It's super disappointing that Disney keeps the steenbok at their lodge on a savanna that's only visible to guests staying on the property. It's not like it's a species that will appeal to non-nerds more than any other antelope!

 

[snowleopard]

Keep the South American facts and figures coming @Enzo as I like reading them. I would love to visit some zoos in nations such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, etc., but I'm not sure for a variety of reasons (scarcity of top-class facilities, personal safety), but my wife isn't thrilled by that notion....haha! A friend of hers went to Brazil maybe 10 years ago and was robbed at gunpoint...but just think of all the new species I'd see! To be honest, the Canadian government website for international travelers has a ton of warnings all about Indonesia and @twilighter and I found the citizens there to be incredibly helpful and kind. We had zero issues whatsoever and we spent 10 days going across Indonesia via Bali (2 days) and Java (8 days).

There is something really appealing about adding South American zoos to my all-time totals, which would put me at 5 continents. Right now, I'm at these numbers (rounding off): North American zoos 410, European zoos = 120, Asian zoos = 60, Australian zoos = 20. Total zoos/aquariums is exactly 610 and it will likely stay that way for at least a year or two as all my traveling is done in the northern hemisphere summer months of July/August.

No @anitaj94 I have never been to India and I only just visited Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) this summer for the first time in my life.

 

[Enzo]

I was over thirty years too late when I visited São Paulo for the first time. They held royal antelope in the 1970s, with a birth recorded around 1975. I am not very sure what happened to the specimens there, but they surely have been fone for a few years. Nothing worth saying about the kudu, on the other hand.

The Royal antelope was actually born in 1976 and died in 1987, making it the longest-living individual of the species under human care.

 

[Enzo]

Keep the South American facts and figures coming @Enzo as I like reading them. I would love to visit some zoos in nations such as Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, etc., but I'm not sure for a variety of reasons (scarcity of top-class facilities, personal safety), but my wife isn't thrilled by that notion....haha! A friend of hers went to Brazil maybe 10 years ago and was robbed at gunpoint...but just think of all the new species I'd see! To be honest, the Canadian government website for international travelers has a ton of warnings all about Indonesia and @twilighter and I found the citizens there to be incredibly helpful and kind. We had zero issues whatsoever and we spent 10 days going across Indonesia via Bali (2 days) and Java (8 days).

There is something really appealing about adding South American zoos to my all-time totals, which would put me at 5 continents. Right now, I'm at these numbers (rounding off): North American zoos 410, European zoos = 120, Asian zoos = 60, Australian zoos = 20. Total zoos/aquariums is exactly 610 and it will likely stay that way for at least a year or two as all my traveling is done in the northern hemisphere summer months of July/August.

No @anitaj94 I have never been to India and I only just visited Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia) this summer for the first time in my life.

Sure thing. If you ever visit Brazil, make sure to visit ZooParque Itatiba (there's a silky anteater + Brazilian mergansers and short-tailed parrots) and Parque Zoológico Municipal Quinzinho de Barros (full of South American rarities). Make sure to warn me if you want to visit Rio, so we can meet.

 

[pachyderm pro]

I did not see any Royal Antelope at Brookfield Zoo (USA), but this is the gallery's best image of the species:

Late to the party here, but I just realized royal antelope are probably the only mammal I've seen that's now extinct in captivity. I remember when the individual at Brookfield pictured above briefly went on exhibit in for a few months in 2017 after being off-show for a while; such an endearing species. It passed away later that year (or early 2018), but it was amazing to have pangolins and royal antelope under the same roof from a short period of time.

 

[Kudu21]

After finishing off Common Eland (58 zoos) and Giant Eland (5 zoos), and reading through a lot of fantastic comments, it's time for TWO more species in this next post.

To see an Impala is to see grace and poise, and this speedy species is so famous that a vehicle was named after it. Chevrolet Impala was discontinued in 2020, but from the 1950s onwards there was a whole series of automobiles named after the African antelope. Almost every single zoo I've seen the species at has been an accredited facility and a dozen of my sightings were in a single month in Western Europe in 2019. On a side note, I wonder how cold tolerant Impala are, as by looking at them I cannot imagine they appreciate frigid winters. But, in all honesty, many warm weather mammals are quite adaptable to chilly temperatures.

Steenbok are incredibly rare species, even now almost extinct anywhere in captivity outside of Africa. Very few zoos have Steenbok and I've only seen them at 3 locations and all in California!

I've seen Impala at 38 zoos:

2019 = 12 zoos

1- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Impala – 2006
2- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2008
3- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Impala – 2008
4- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Impala – 2008
5- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Impala – 2008
6- Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Impala – 2008
7- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
8- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
9- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
10- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
11- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
12- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2010
13- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Impala – 2011
14- Brevard Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2012
15- Naples Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2012
16- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Impala – 2012
17- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Impala – 2012
18- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Impala – 2015
19- Safari West Wildlife Preserve (USA) – Impala – 2017
20- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Impala – 2017
21- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Impala – 2018
22- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
23- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
24- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Impala – 2019
25- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Impala– 2019
26- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Impala – 2019
27- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Impala – 2019
28- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Impala – 2019
29- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Impala – 2019
30- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Impala – 2019
31- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Impala – 2019
32- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Impala – 2019
33- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Impala – 2019
34- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Impala – 2022
35- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Impala – 2022
36- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) – Impala – 2024
37- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Impala – 2024
38- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) - Impala – 2024

AND...

I've seen Steenbok at 3 zoos:

1- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Steenbok – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Steenbok – 2008
3- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Steenbok – 2008

Impala have been a fixture at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for ages, and here's a herd of them all lining up to take a ride in the ridiculous hot air balloon later in the evening when the crowds die down.

@MGolka

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) has had Impala for many years and in 2019 the zoo even opened Impala Plains as part of the Adventure Africa complex.

@Milwaukee Man

Check out this mixed-species exhibit! When I toured BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) in 2010, this enclosure held Impala, Bongo and Warthog all together as one happy family.

I'm not sure what the situation is like now, but when Giants of the Savanna opened at Dallas Zoo (USA), there was eventually (over a long acclimation period) African Elephants, Giraffes, Impala and other species mixed together.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) has two Impala exhibits and this one is a dusty paddock with a huge pile of tree branches in the middle.

I've been to SEVEN zoos just in Florida with Impala as that antelope species used to be found in vast numbers in that state. ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) has combined African Elephants with Impala and Nile Lechwe for many years. Fresno Chaffee Zoo also had African Elephants with Impala but for some reason that antelope species didn't last long in Fresno.

@Moebelle

Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) has a fantastic Giraffe/Impala/Lesser Kudu/Ostrich/White Stork exhibit that is amongst the best of its kind.

There's another stunning African Savanna with Impala, alongside Giraffes, Blue Wildebeest and others, at Opel Zoo (Germany).

@Philipine eagle

Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) has a sprawling African Savanna called Serenga and there's Impala amidst the various other hoofstock species.

Yet another vast African Savanna, this time at Ree Park Safari (Denmark), is home to a LOT of animals. During my visit in August 2022 I saw at least 20 Impala, 20 Blue Wildebeest, 20 Waterbuck, Giraffes, Plains Zebras, Common Eland, several Ostriches and even a Black Rhino (!!) all together on the savanna. How do keepers manage those 8 species all at the same time?

Here's a herd of Impala with some Giraffes and Blesbok at Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark):

@Javan Rhino

At Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia), visitors stroll down a long hallway, with windows into various African Savanna exhibits on each side. It's an extraordinary setup, designed to encourage families to visit the zoo even in the wet season when there can be thunderous rainstorms. My photo shows a portion of the Impala yard:

I had dinner with @Sicarius while in Indonesia, but he never told me that he once saw Black-faced Impala at Barcelona Zoo (Spain). I've never seen one before, but I'd like to as they are a striking animal.

@Sicarius

As for Steenbok, glancing through the ZooChat gallery it's possible that San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) has held Steenbok continuously since my first visit in 2006. I've toured that zoo on 5 occasions and over the years Steenbok have been mixed with species such as Sitatunga, Soemmerring's Gazelle, Yellow-backed Duiker, Red-flanked Duiker, Black Crowned Crane, Kori Bustard, South African Shelduck, White-faced Whistling Duck, Abdim's Stork and Yellow-billed Stork. Steenbok must be quite amiable to be with such a wide variety of species.

@Julio C Castro

San Diego Zoo (USA) used to have Steenbok, but my guess is that the species has not been there for at least a decade. The most recent ZooChat photo is from 2012 and you can see a Steenbok in my photo (below) that was a mixed-species enclosure with Red-flanked Duikers being the other occupants.

Just like at San Diego Zoo, the last photos of a Steenbok at Los Angeles Zoo (USA) date from 2012 and so I don't think this species is there any longer.

@Blackduiker

Family Bovidae: 22 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos

The steenbok is another species that the San Diego Zoo Safari Park has gone out of in recent years. With the animals at Disney being functionally behind-the-scenes, Abilene is now the only facility where this species can be reliably seen in North America. (The Texas Zoofari Park, which recently opened in Kaufman, Texas, is also a holder, but I do not know if they are on display there.)

 

[snowleopard]

On some days, I've been discussing two species and using them as a contrast, with one being a popular, common mammal while the other has been a genuine rarity. I'll keep that trend going by analyzing TWO more species in this post.

However, in this case both of these species haven't been very common, with Springbok being a species that I'd hardly ever seen before my first European zoo trip in 2019, when I ended up seeing almost 50% of my lifetime sightings in the space of one month. If Zootierliste is somewhat accurate, there's less than 30 zoos in the world with the species and many zoos have permanently phased them out. They are beautiful antelope and it would be a shame to see them eventually gone forever from zoos.

As for Saiga, that's a sad state of affairs with a similar tone to the captive history of Sumatran Rhinos. Not a single set of zoos ever 'cracked the code' in order to create a self-sustaining group of Saiga and at this point there might only be a couple of zoos in Ukraine and that's it for the species.

I've seen Springbok at 16 zoos:

2019 = 7 zoos

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 1996
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2006
3- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
4- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
5- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2011
6- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2012
7- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Springbok – 2014
8- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Springbok – 2015
9- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Springbok – 2019
10- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
11- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
12- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
13- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
14- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
15- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
16- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Springbok – 2023

AND...

I've seen Saiga at 1 zoo:

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Saiga – 1975

Ahh, San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA), you were hardly seen when I was spending months and months going through primates and carnivores, but ever since I hit ungulates you pop up on a daily basis. Ha! Springbok have been at the Safari Park for as long as I can remember and there's even a photo of mine in the gallery (from 2011) that shows the Nursery Kraal and I typed on there that the occupants were Springbok, Mouflon, Red River Hog and Nubian Ibex. Here's a stunning portrait of a Springbok from last year:

@Julio C Castro

Kansas City Zoo (USA) has often maintained a large herd of Springbok and they are eye-catching animals with their black-and-white flanks. They look ready to take off across the savanna at a second's notice.

@KCZooFan

Here's my photo of the chain-link fenced Springbok/Egyptian Geese yard at Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) in 2010. According to @zoocentral this particular female lived for 26 years before dying on September 24th, 2010, exactly one month to the day from when I took this photo on August 24th, 2010.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) not only has one of America's greatest hoofstock collections, but there are quite often multiple yards for their ungulates. I saw Springbok in two exhibits last year.

A spacious African Savanna at Jackson Zoo (USA) held a multitude of species when I toured the zoo in 2012, including a few Springbok.

For some reason, a number of European zoos have phased out Springbok in recent years. Are they poor breeders? What's the story? Pakawi Park (Belgium) is one of those zoos, having sent the last Springbok away in 2021, but I was lucky enough to see the species in 2019.

@KevinB

Check out my photo from my visit to GaiaZOO (Netherlands) in 2019. That is a melanistic/black Springbok!

There was a bachelor group living together and the black Springbok was apparently castrated.

@KevinB

A herd of Springbok at ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany):

@Javan Rhino

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has had Springbok for many years.

@Prochilodus246

I visited Hannover Zoo (Germany) in 2019 and saw Springbok in the African Savanna, but I don't recall seeing a melanistic/black specimen then. This photo is from 2022 and one of the animals is clearly a black individual:

@twilighter

In 2021, Living Desert Zoo (USA) opened a stunning Black Rhino habitat that consists of two exhibits and includes other animals (such as Springbok) in with the rhinos.

As for Saiga, I saw the species when I was a young kid at Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada), but the closest I've been to a Saiga in recent years is at the Royal Alberta Museum (Canada), which is in the same city as the old 'Game Farm'. This Edmonton attraction just opened a brand-new building in 2018 and there's a Berengia display that includes a Saiga.

This superb photo of a Saiga at Cologne Zoo (Germany) is an important addition to the ZooChat gallery. The image is from June 2008 and the last Saiga died in Cologne in October 2009. The end of an era.

@KevinB

Family Bovidae: 24 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo
Saiga - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos

 

[USZOOfan42]

As for Saiga, I saw the species when I was a young kid at Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada), but the closest I've been to a Saiga in recent years is at the Royal Alberta Museum (Canada), which is in the same city as the old 'Game Farm'. This Edmonton attraction just opened a brand-new building in 2018 and there's a Berengia display that includes a Saiga.

Now that’s a species I was not expecting to be listed, what’s next a whole display of the tarsiers you’ve seen?

 

[Enzo]

On some days, I've been discussing two species and using them as a contrast, with one being a popular, common mammal while the other has been a genuine rarity. I'll keep that trend going by analyzing TWO more species in this post.

However, in this case both of these species haven't been very common, with Springbok being a species that I'd hardly ever seen before my first European zoo trip in 2019, when I ended up seeing almost 50% of my lifetime sightings in the space of one month. If Zootierliste is somewhat accurate, there's less than 30 zoos in the world with the species and many zoos have permanently phased them out. They are beautiful antelope and it would be a shame to see them eventually gone forever from zoos.

As for Saiga, that's a sad state of affairs with a similar tone to the captive history of Sumatran Rhinos. Not a single set of zoos ever 'cracked the code' in order to create a self-sustaining group of Saiga and at this point there might only be a couple of zoos in Ukraine and that's it for the species.

I've seen Springbok at 16 zoos:

2019 = 7 zoos

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 1996
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2006
3- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
4- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
5- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2011
6- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2012
7- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Springbok – 2014
8- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Springbok – 2015
9- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Springbok – 2019
10- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
11- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
12- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
13- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
14- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
15- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
16- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Springbok – 2023

AND...

I've seen Saiga at 1 zoo:

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Saiga – 1975

Ahh, San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA), you were hardly seen when I was spending months and months going through primates and carnivores, but ever since I hit ungulates you pop up on a daily basis. Ha! Springbok have been at the Safari Park for as long as I can remember and there's even a photo of mine in the gallery (from 2011) that shows the Nursery Kraal and I typed on there that the occupants were Springbok, Mouflon, Red River Hog and Nubian Ibex. Here's a stunning portrait of a Springbok from last year:

@Julio C Castro

Kansas City Zoo (USA) has often maintained a large herd of Springbok and they are eye-catching animals with their black-and-white flanks. They look ready to take off across the savanna at a second's notice.

@KCZooFan

Here's my photo of the chain-link fenced Springbok/Egyptian Geese yard at Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) in 2010. According to @zoocentral this particular female lived for 26 years before dying on September 24th, 2010, exactly one month to the day from when I took this photo on August 24th, 2010.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) not only has one of America's greatest hoofstock collections, but there are quite often multiple yards for their ungulates. I saw Springbok in two exhibits last year.

A spacious African Savanna at Jackson Zoo (USA) held a multitude of species when I toured the zoo in 2012, including a few Springbok.

For some reason, a number of European zoos have phased out Springbok in recent years. Are they poor breeders? What's the story? Pakawi Park (Belgium) is one of those zoos, having sent the last Springbok away in 2021, but I was lucky enough to see the species in 2019.

@KevinB

Check out my photo from my visit to GaiaZOO (Netherlands) in 2019. That is a melanistic/black Springbok!

There was a bachelor group living together and the black Springbok was apparently castrated.

@KevinB

A herd of Springbok at ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany):

@Javan Rhino

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has had Springbok for many years.

@Prochilodus246

I visited Hannover Zoo (Germany) in 2019 and saw Springbok in the African Savanna, but I don't recall seeing a melanistic/black specimen then. This photo is from 2022 and one of the animals is clearly a black individual:

@twilighter

In 2021, Living Desert Zoo (USA) opened a stunning Black Rhino habitat that consists of two exhibits and includes other animals (such as Springbok) in with the rhinos.

As for Saiga, I saw the species when I was a young kid at Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada), but the closest I've been to a Saiga in recent years is at the Royal Alberta Museum (Canada), which is in the same city as the old 'Game Farm'. This Edmonton attraction just opened a brand-new building in 2018 and there's a Berengia display that includes a Saiga.

This superb photo of a Saiga at Cologne Zoo (Germany) is an important addition to the ZooChat gallery. The image is from June 2008 and the last Saiga died in Cologne in October 2009. The end of an era.

@KevinB

Family Bovidae: 24 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo
Saiga - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos

Guess which was the only South American holder of the species? You've guessed it: São Paulo!

Two springbok were imported from Italy in a batch of twenty-one antelope. They bred at least one, but they were gone by the late 1990s.

I, however, have never seen either saiga or springbok.

 

[Panda_Fan]

On some days, I've been discussing two species and using them as a contrast, with one being a popular, common mammal while the other has been a genuine rarity. I'll keep that trend going by analyzing TWO more species in this post.

However, in this case both of these species haven't been very common, with Springbok being a species that I'd hardly ever seen before my first European zoo trip in 2019, when I ended up seeing almost 50% of my lifetime sightings in the space of one month. If Zootierliste is somewhat accurate, there's less than 30 zoos in the world with the species and many zoos have permanently phased them out. They are beautiful antelope and it would be a shame to see them eventually gone forever from zoos.

As for Saiga, that's a sad state of affairs with a similar tone to the captive history of Sumatran Rhinos. Not a single set of zoos ever 'cracked the code' in order to create a self-sustaining group of Saiga and at this point there might only be a couple of zoos in Ukraine and that's it for the species.

I've seen Springbok at 16 zoos:

2019 = 7 zoos

1- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 1996
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2006
3- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
4- Utah’s Hogle Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2010
5- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Springbok – 2011
6- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Springbok – 2012
7- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Springbok – 2014
8- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Springbok – 2015
9- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Springbok – 2019
10- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
11- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
12- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Springbok – 2019
13- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
14- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
15- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Springbok – 2019
16- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Springbok – 2023

AND...

I've seen Saiga at 1 zoo:

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Saiga – 1975

Ahh, San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA), you were hardly seen when I was spending months and months going through primates and carnivores, but ever since I hit ungulates you pop up on a daily basis. Ha! Springbok have been at the Safari Park for as long as I can remember and there's even a photo of mine in the gallery (from 2011) that shows the Nursery Kraal and I typed on there that the occupants were Springbok, Mouflon, Red River Hog and Nubian Ibex. Here's a stunning portrait of a Springbok from last year:

@Julio C Castro

Kansas City Zoo (USA) has often maintained a large herd of Springbok and they are eye-catching animals with their black-and-white flanks. They look ready to take off across the savanna at a second's notice.

@KCZooFan

Here's my photo of the chain-link fenced Springbok/Egyptian Geese yard at Utah's Hogle Zoo (USA) in 2010. According to @zoocentral this particular female lived for 26 years before dying on September 24th, 2010, exactly one month to the day from when I took this photo on August 24th, 2010.

Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) not only has one of America's greatest hoofstock collections, but there are quite often multiple yards for their ungulates. I saw Springbok in two exhibits last year.

A spacious African Savanna at Jackson Zoo (USA) held a multitude of species when I toured the zoo in 2012, including a few Springbok.

For some reason, a number of European zoos have phased out Springbok in recent years. Are they poor breeders? What's the story? Pakawi Park (Belgium) is one of those zoos, having sent the last Springbok away in 2021, but I was lucky enough to see the species in 2019.

@KevinB

Check out my photo from my visit to GaiaZOO (Netherlands) in 2019. That is a melanistic/black Springbok!

There was a bachelor group living together and the black Springbok was apparently castrated.

@KevinB

A herd of Springbok at ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany):

@Javan Rhino

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has had Springbok for many years.

@Prochilodus246

I visited Hannover Zoo (Germany) in 2019 and saw Springbok in the African Savanna, but I don't recall seeing a melanistic/black specimen then. This photo is from 2022 and one of the animals is clearly a black individual:

@twilighter

In 2021, Living Desert Zoo (USA) opened a stunning Black Rhino habitat that consists of two exhibits and includes other animals (such as Springbok) in with the rhinos.

As for Saiga, I saw the species when I was a young kid at Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada), but the closest I've been to a Saiga in recent years is at the Royal Alberta Museum (Canada), which is in the same city as the old 'Game Farm'. This Edmonton attraction just opened a brand-new building in 2018 and there's a Berengia display that includes a Saiga.

This superb photo of a Saiga at Cologne Zoo (Germany) is an important addition to the ZooChat gallery. The image is from June 2008 and the last Saiga died in Cologne in October 2009. The end of an era.

@KevinB

Family Bovidae: 24 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo
Saiga - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos

How is it that animals with big noses like proboscis monkey, saiga and blob fish don't do well in captivity?
It's quite strange...
So jealous yo got to see saiga! I have, for a long time, wanted to see this animals.

 

[NNM.]

I've seen Springbok at 16 zoos:

I believe springbok have replaced Thompson's gazelles at Disney's Animal Kingdom on Kilimanjaro Safaris. I saw them there in 2022.

As for Saiga, I saw the species when I was a young kid at Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada), but the closest I've been to a Saiga in recent years is at the Royal Alberta Museum (Canada), which is in the same city as the old 'Game Farm'. This Edmonton attraction just opened a brand-new building in 2018 and there's a Berengia display that includes a Saiga

I heard someone once say they thought this animal was long extinct.

 

[Austin the Sengi]

@snowleopard @NNM. the Springbok at Disney’s Animal Kingdom are still there, and have been a signature part of the current savanna mix for quite some time now.

 

[Tetzoo Quizzer]

I have a memory of seeing a single female Saiga at Highland Wildlife Park a long, long time ago. Can’t imagine seeing another unless I do a trip to Mongolia!

 

[Jurek7]

Black-faced impala are an endangered subspecies, and apparently available from Namibia and South Africa game farms. It is a pity that Western zoos were never much interested in them.

Currently there are plans to replace springbok in Europe by mhorr gazelle and other smaller antelopes. I am not sure if it is a good idea to replace them completely.

Brown springbok are apparently especially valued as hunting trophies in South Africa and bred selectively.

 

[Komodo Dragon]

It's crazy how saiga where on the brink of extinction in the wild less than a decade ago due to disease, but they quickly managed to heavily reproduce to a stable level all without human intervention.

 

[turkeyfox]

It's crazy how saiga where on the brink of extinction in the wild less than a decade ago due to disease, but they quickly managed to heavily reproduce to a stable level all without human intervention.

Saiga apparently breed like rabbits. Even in captivity they by all accounts seem to reproduce readily. They just die even faster than they replace themselves so that’s why zoos haven’t had success with them.

 

[snowleopard]

My next choice of species is Gerenuk, an almost mythical beast in European zoos. It's amazing to think that arguably the best continent in the world for zoos has rarely ever showcased this extraordinary species. I've been extremely fortunate with Gerenuk, as I saw these mammals at 8 zoos in a single summer in 2008 (!!) and in the U.S. there's always been a few zoos here and there with these long-necked antelopes. They are currently quite rare worldwide, with the two Berlins and then a handful in America and that's it according to Zootierliste. A lot of the AZA zoos I've seen Gerenuk at have now phased out the species and I've come across very few Gerenuk in the last decade. Thank goodness for the two Berlins and the two San Diegos!

I've seen Gerenuk at 19 zoos:

2008 = 8 zoos

1- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
2- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
3- Denver Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2006
4- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2007
5- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
6- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
7- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
8- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
9- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
10- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
11- White Oak Conservation Center (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
12- Zoo Miami (USA) – Gerenuk – 2008
13- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
14- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
15- Cameron Park Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2010
16- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2014
17- Houston Zoo (USA) – Gerenuk – 2015
18- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Gerenuk – 2019
19- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Gerenuk – 2019

San Diego Zoo (USA) has done well with Gerenuk and the zoo still showcases the species in the remaining Horn & Hoof Mesa zone. That section of the zoo is a mythical beast all on its own! Here are two Gerenuk eating:

@Ding Lingwei

Gerenuk have been at San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) for a long time, with both San Diego facilities having multiple species mixed with Gerenuk over the years. At one point in time, there must have been at least 15 on-show Gerenuk between the two zoos.

@geomorph

Denver Zoo (USA) had Gerenuk with Crowned Cranes and Southern Ground Hornbills when I was last there in 2012.

It's been more than a decade since there's been a photo of a Gerenuk at Oregon Zoo (USA) in the ZooChat gallery, but I saw the species there on my 2008, 2010 and 2011 visits. Plains Zebra shared this yard with Gerenuk.

When I was at Memphis Zoo (USA) in 2008, their Antelope Barn (which dates from 1923) had an exhibit for Gerenuk. Gone baby gone.

My photo shows 6 Gerenuk at Fort Worth Zoo (USA) in 2008 and yet there's been zero photos of the species in more than a decade. Another one bites the dust...

There was probably a half-dozen Gerenuk at Phoenix Zoo (USA) not that long ago...now all gone.

Another half-dozen Gerenuk in this photo, taken at Los Angeles Zoo (USA), and this time the zoo still has the species!

@Blackduiker

Even Zoo Miami (USA), often that last bastion of hoofstock in an American zoological setting, phased out Gerenuk.

@Maguari

Here's an extremely rare ZooChat image of a Gerenuk inside an Antelope Barn at Saint Louis Zoo (USA):

@Blackduiker

Saint Louis Zoo (USA) still maintains Gerenuk to this day and over the years the species has been combined (at different times) with Giraffes, Lesser Kudu, Soemmerring's Gazelles and Ostriches.

@pachyderm pro

Here's the last ZooChat photo of a Gerenuk at Dallas Zoo (USA), taken 6.5 years ago. I remember seeing the species on the monorail tour and if Dallas ever opens up that area again as a walking zone then it would be brilliant for zoo nerds everywhere.

@ThylacineAlive

Here's the Giraffe Barn at Cameron Park Zoo (USA) and the Giraffes shared their enclosure with Greater Kudu and Gerenuk when I was there in 2010. Apparently the zoo still has Gerenuk in its collection.

While at Peoria Zoo (USA), a relatively obscure facility, I saw a single Gerenuk in with two Giraffes and some Thomson's Gazelles in 2014.

Houston Zoo (USA) had Gerenuk back in 2015:

@TheMightyOrca

Does Berlin Zoo (Germany) still have Gerenuk these days? What a silly question. Of course Berlin Zoo has Gerenuk and in gorgeous accommodation too!

@SivatheriumGuy

Berlin Tierpark (Germany) also has Gerenuk, much to the delight of zoo nerds across the globe. As soon as some zoo nerds see that green fencing, they begin to squeal with pleasure.

@Rhino00

Family Bovidae: 25 species so far

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Gerenuk - 19 zoos
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo
Saiga - 1 zoo

Bonus species: (similar to my New Guinea Singing Dog example)

Gayal - 2 zoos