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

[Enzo]

It's interesting to pause and take stock of the massive number of statistics and facts that I've been immersed in during the course of compiling this thread. Looking at my list of Bovidae, it's worth noting a few items.

American Bison are practically off the charts with a whopping 104 zoos. Bison are almost double the next species and I must have seen one thousand American Bison in zoos. It's a sobering thought that the species was close to extinction and yet incredibly common these days in captivity. A real success story.

Then there's a whole group (Bongo, Common Eland, Greater Kudu, Blue Wildebeest, Blackbuck, Scimitar-horned Oryx, Waterbuck, Aoudad) that are quite common in zoos across the world. Even in Australia, with its famously strict ungulate importation laws.

As I glance through my list, a few surprises for me personally would be Banteng (27 zoos and driven higher by my recent Asia trip), Cape Buffalo (21 zoos), Gerenuk (19 zoos) and even Gaur (16 zoos). Those numbers are all much higher than I would have initially guessed and I've been very fortunate to have had so many zoo-based road trips over the years. It's not like I'm some mega-rich guy as I'm a schoolteacher, and I have a schoolteacher wife and we have 4 kids, and so we work hard to provide for our family and earlier in my career I worked two jobs for 5 years. Many of my early zoo trips were cheaper affairs (AZA reciprocal membership agreement saved a fortune on admission fees, I slept in my vehicle on numerous nights) and even though I've been spending more on flights in recent times, I use a credit card and loads of debt and traveling with @twilighter this time around saved a fortune on hotels and transportation. There's many folks reading this thread that don't have 4 children (who cost a fortune!) and I honestly think if you've got a half-decent paying job then you could do all of the same trips I've done and in fact you could do far more of them. It boggles my mind to consider how much travelling I would be doing if I were single, but then again I'd miss the chaos and energy of my loving family. Maybe.

It's remarkable that I have 14 species that I only ever came across in one zoo each. In fact, there's 34 species that I saw in 5 zoos or less. That means 38% of all the Bovidae species I've ever seen have been at 5 zoos or less. That points to a huge lack of diversity in zoos.

Of course, there's been a lot of talk from me and others about all the phase-outs that have occurred and how a great deal of the species listed below are now in less zoos than ever before. It really has been a crying shame in some cases, especially with species that were found in large numbers and now they are totally gone. However, the flipside is that with some species, such as American Bison, Takin and Arabian Oryx, the numbers are healthier than they've ever been. But, overall, there's no doubt that diversity has been lacking and how many zoos have big African Savannas with the same homogenous group of ungulates?

My last comment on Bovidae is that it's always a little amusing to see the geographical location of zoo nerds and how that influences the species they've seen. I've seen Gerenuk at 19 zoos while there are nerds in Europe who have seen that species only once or twice. I've seen Klipspringers at 13 zoos and Bighorn Sheep at 26 zoos, while some zoo nerds overseas have never seen either species. In contrast, there are species that are common elsewhere that I've struggled to find. All of this showcases how wonderful it is to travel, to gain a new perspective of what can be seen elsewhere, and sometimes there are genuine shocks to be had. Just this morning it was announced that Beauval Zoo (France) will be receiving a trio of Golden Snub-nosed Monkeys in 2025 and I'm not sure that anyone saw that coming!

Family Bovidae: 89 total species

American Bison - 104 zoos
Bongo - 58 zoos
Common Eland - 58 zoos
Greater Kudu - 51 zoos
Blue Wildebeest - 47 zoos
Blackbuck - 45 zoos
Scimitar-horned Oryx - 43 zoos
Waterbuck - 43 zoos
Aoudad - 40 zoos
Nilgai - 40 zoos
Impala - 38 zoos
Addax - 36 zoos
Dama Gazelle - 36 zoos
Bontebok - 33 zoos
Sable Antelope - 32 zoos
Sitatunga - 29 zoos
Banteng - 27 zoos
Bighorn Sheep - 26 zoos
Yak - 26 zoos
Nyala - 25 zoos
Takin - 23 zoos
Mouflon - 22 zoos
Southern Lechwe - 22 zoos
Cape Buffalo - 21 zoos (including 7 with African Forest Buffalo)
Kirk's Dik-dik - 21 zoos
Yellow-backed Duiker - 21 zoos
Gemsbok - 20 zoos
Gerenuk - 19 zoos
Lowland Anoa - 18 zoos
Thomson's Gazelle - 18 zoos
Asian Water Buffalo - 17 zoos
Arabian Oryx - 16 zoos
Blue Duiker - 16 zoos
Gaur - 16 zoos
Lesser Kudu - 16 zoos
Muskox - 16 zoos
Rocky Mountain Goat - 16 zoos
Springbok - 16 zoos
Wisent - 15 zoos
Markhor - 14 zoos
Roan Antelope - 14 zoos
Alpine Ibex - 13 zoos
Dall Sheep - 13 zoos
Klipspringer - 13 zoos
Nile Lechwe - 12 zoos
Grant's Gazelle - 11 zoos
Speke's Gazelle - 11 zoos
Beisa Oryx - 10 zoos
Chinese Goral - 10 zoos
Himalayan Tahr - 10 zoos
Nubian Ibex - 9 zoos
Red-flanked Duiker - 9 zoos
Guenther's Dik-dik - 7 zoos
Slender-horned Gazelle - 7 zoos
Cuvier's Gazelle - 6 zoos
Black Duiker - 5 zoos
Giant Eland - 5 zoos
Goitered Gazelle - 5 zoos
Siberian Ibex - 5 zoos
Soemmerring's Gazelle - 5 zoos
West Caucasian Tur - 5 zoos
Black Wildebeest - 4 zoos
Japanese Serow - 4 zoos
Mainland Serow - 4 zoos
Northern Chamois - 4 zoos
Urial - 4 zoos
Bharal - 3 zoos
Steenbok - 3 zoos
Bay Duiker - 2 zoos
Cavendish's Dik-dik - 2 zoos
Dorcas Gazelle - 2 zoos
Mountain Anoa - 2 zoos
Natal Red Duiker - 2 zoos
Royal Antelope - 2 zoos
Sand Gazelle - 2 zoos
Argali - 1 zoo (Berlin Tierpark - Germany)
Burmese Goral - 1 zoo (Chiang Mai Night Safari - Thailand)
Common Duiker - 1 zoo (San Diego Zoo - USA)
Hartebeest - 1 zoo (Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park - Canada)
Iberian Ibex - 1 zoo (San Diego Zoo - USA)
Jentink's Duiker - 1 zoo (Gladys Porter Zoo - USA)
Kob - 1 zoo (San Diego Zoo Safari Park - USA)
Maxwell's Duiker - 1 zoo (Bronx Zoo - USA)
Mountain Reedbuck - 1 zoo (Berlin Tierpark - Germany)
Northern Bushbuck - 1 zoo (Gladys Porter Zoo - USA)
Red-fronted Gazelle - 1 zoo (San Diego Zoo Safari Park - USA)
Rhebok - 1 zoo (San Diego Zoo - USA)
Saiga - 1 zoo (Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park - Canada)
Topi - 1 zoo (San Antonio Zoo - USA)

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

Gayal - 2 zoos

I am sure you are aware about this, but you have surely seen lots of American bison mostly because you are based in North America. I would say someone in Europe would have wisent in first place, though Bison bison are also surprisingly "common" there.

I thought banteng were waaay more common, especially in North America. Apparently, I was wrong. Same thing with forest buffalo, I though they were even more common in NA than their Cape counterparts (although I know you counted them as a single species). Sadly, no Syncerus caffer in South America currently. I am not even sure if any have been held here at all, because the "African buffalo" in São Paulo were of debatable origin.

Gerenuk, however, seem to have been way more common than I expected. I thought they were super rare (only found in a few zoos in California, St. Louis and both Berlins), though it appears this is (or was) not the case anymore.

Anyways, Bovidae is my second favourite family overall (only behind elephants) and I would love to see more coming to South America.

I am eighteen at the moment, with an official zoo/aquarium/petting zoo count of 31 and a tetrapod species count of 642 (began keeping track in 2021, so any animals I have only seen before that year are not counted.). Hope to reach the one-hundred mark soon. Are your kids as interested in animals as you are? I hope mine (if I ever have any) are lol.

 

[CMP]

There's many folks reading this thread that don't have 4 children (who cost a fortune!) and I honestly think if you've got a half-decent paying job then you could do all of the same trips I've done and in fact you could do far more of them. It boggles my mind to consider how much travelling I would be doing if I were single

You're not wrong, however, half the trouble is finding time and/or people to go with for such an admittedly niche hobby. I'm certainly aching to do just what you are recommending, with at least some concrete near-term plans.

 

[snowleopard]

Onwards and upwards to Perissodactyla.

Zebras are iconic zoo animals and they are common absolutely everywhere. I think that all zoo nerds take zebras for granted, as they are striking animals with their black-and-white patterns, but we see them so often that we generally don't stand and watch zebra for long. Gone are the days when I was a kid at the Alberta Game Farm (Canada), and the two guidebooks that I have of that zoo list FIVE zebra paddocks almost all in a row, for Hartmann's, Damara, Grevy's, Grant's and Chapman's Zebras. Those were the days, but now typically zebras are to be seen in sprawling African Savanna exhibits.

I've seen zebras at 197 zoos and that adds up to 213 exhibits and 3 species (153 Plains, 49 Grevy’s, 11 Hartmann’s Mountain, with 13 zoos having more than one species)

There's 5 summers when I saw a staggering number of zebras in zoos:

2008 = 24 zoos
2010 = 30 zoos
2015 = 20 zoos
2019 = 35 zoos
2024 = 20 zoos

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Grevy’s Zebra, Plains Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 1975
2- Alberta Wildlife Park (Canada) – Plains Zebra – 1975
3- Perth Zoo (Australia) – Plains Zebra – 1987
4- Woodland Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 1996
5- Greater Vancouver Zoo (Canada) – Plains Zebra – 1998
6- Edmonton Valley Zoo (Canada) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2001
7- Zurich Zoo (Switzerland) – Plains Zebra – 2003
8- Oregon Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2005
9- San Francisco Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2006
10- San Diego Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra (2006) & Plains Zebra (2011)
11- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2006
12- Denver Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2006
13- Calgary Zoo (Canada) – Grevy’s Zebra (2006) & Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra (2022)
14- Taronga Zoo (Australia) – Plains Zebra – 2007
15- Adelaide Zoo (Australia) – Plains Zebra – 2007
16- Monarto Zoo (Australia) – Plains Zebra – 2007
17- Melbourne Zoo (Australia) – Plains Zebra – 2007
18- Lincoln Park Zoo - Illinois (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
19- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra, Plains Zebra – 2008
20- Toledo Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
21- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
22- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
23- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
24- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
25- Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
26- Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
27- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
28- Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
29- Memphis Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
30- Knoxville Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
31- Zoo Atlanta (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
32- Fort Worth Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
33- Oklahoma City Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
34- Phoenix Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
35- Los Angeles Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
36- Mountain View Conservation Centre (Canada) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
37- Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2008
38- Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Plains Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2008
39- Jacksonville Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
40- White Oak Conservation Center (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
41- Zoo Miami (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2008
42- Wildlife Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
43- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
44- Sedgwick County Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2010
45- Tulsa Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
46- Kansas City Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
47- Saint Louis Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2010
48- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
49- Louisville Zoo (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2010
50- Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
51- Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
52- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
53- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
54- Buffalo Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
55- Roger Williams Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
56- Philadelphia Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
57- Maryland Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
58- North Carolina Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
59- Riverbanks Zoo & Garden (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
60- Nashville Zoo at Grassmere (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
61- Birmingham Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
62- Montgomery Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
63- Baton Rouge Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
64- Audubon Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
65- Houston Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
66- Caldwell Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2010
67- Dallas Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2010
68- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
69- El Paso Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
70- ABQ BioPark Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2010
71- Zoo Boise (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2010
72- Oakland Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2011
73- Reid Park Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2011
74- Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2011
75- The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2011
76- Fresno Chaffee Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2011
77- Sacramento Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2011
78- Great Plains Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2012
79- Potawatomi Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
80- Erie Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
81- Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra, Plains Zebra – 2012
82- Virginia Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
83- Naples Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
84- ZooTampa at Lowry Park (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2012
85- Busch Gardens Tampa Bay (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2012
86- Hattiesburg Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
87- Jackson Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2012
88- Little Rock Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
89- Dickerson Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
90- Tautphaus Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2012
91- Roosevelt Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
92- Chahinkapa Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
93- Hemker Park & Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
94- Pine Grove Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
95- Como Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
96- Irvine Park & Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
97- Wildwood Wildlife Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
98- Timbavati Wildlife Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
99- Niabi Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
100- Peoria Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2014
101- Scovill Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
102- Grant’s Farm (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2014
103- Tanganyika Wildlife Park (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2014
104- Pueblo Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2014
105- Riverside Discovery Center (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
106- Arbuckle Wilderness Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
107- Frank Buck Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
108- Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
109- Wild Wilderness Drive-Through Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2015
110- Gone Wild Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
111- Gators & Friends: Alligator Park & Exotic Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
112- Cherokee Trace Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
113- Franklin Drive-Thru Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
114- Bayou Wildlife Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
115- Animal World & Snake Farm Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
116- Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
117- Exotic Resort Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
118- Capital of Texas Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
119- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2015
120- Abilene Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
121- Hillcrest Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
122- Out of Africa (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
123- Sierra Safari Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
124- West Coast Game Park Safari (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2015
125- Olympic Game Farm (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2016
126- B. Bryan Preserve (USA) – Plains Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra – 2017
127- Safari West Wildlife Preserve (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2017
128- Monterey Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2017
129- Wilderness Trails Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2018
130- Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2018
131- Washington Park Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2018
132- Shalom Wildlife Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2018
133- Special Memories Zoo (USA) – Plains Zebra – 2018
134- Artis Royal Zoo (Netherlands) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
135- Van Blanckendaell Park (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
136- Diergaarde Blijdorp (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
137- Lille Zoo (France) – Plains Zebra – 2019
138- Maubeuge Zoo (France) – Plains Zebra – 2019
139- Zoo Antwerp (Belgium) – Plains Zebra – 2019
140- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
141- Pakawi Park (Belgium) – Plains Zebra – 2019
142- Pairi Daiza (Belgium) – Plains Zebra – 2019
143- Safari Parc Monde Sauvage (Belgium) – Plains Zebra – 2019
144- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra – 2019
145- Aachener Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
146- Frankfurt Zoo (Germany) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
147- Opel Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
148- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
149- Dortmund Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
150- ZOOM Erlebniswelt (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
151- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
152- Krefeld Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
153- Zoo Veldhoven (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
154- Beekse Bergen (Netherlands) – Grevy’s Zebra, Plains Zebra – 2019
155- Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
156- Burgers' Zoo (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
157- Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
158- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
159- Berlin Tierpark (Germany) – Plains Zebra, Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
160- Erlebnis Zoo Hannover (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
161- Serengeti-Park (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
162- Tierpark Strohen (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
163- Osnabruck Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
164- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
165- NaturZoo Rheine (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
166- Nordhorn Zoo (Germany) – Plains Zebra – 2019
167- Wildlands Adventure Zoo Emmen (Netherlands) – Plains Zebra – 2019
168- Dierenpark Amersfoort (Netherlands) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2019
169- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Plains Zebra – 2022
170- Ree Park Safari (Denmark) – Plains Zebra – 2022
171- Jyllands Park Zoo (Denmark) – Plains Zebra – 2022
172- Aalborg Zoo (Denmark) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2022
173- Odense Zoo (Denmark) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2022
174- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – Grevy’s Zebra – 2022
175- Boras Zoo (Sweden) – Plains Zebra – 2022
176- Kristiansand Zoo (Norway) – Plains Zebra – 2022
177- Copenhagen Zoo (Denmark) – Plains Zebra – 2022
178- Sriayuthaya Lion Park (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
179- Khao Kheow Zoo (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
180- Chiang Mai Zoo (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
181- Chiang Mai Night Safari (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
182- Songkhla Zoo (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
183- Safari World Bangkok (Thailand) – Plains Zebra – 2024
184- Taiping Zoo (Malaysia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
185- Lost World of Tambun (Malaysia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
186- Zoo Negara (Malaysia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
187- Zoo Melaka (Malaysia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
188- Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Grevy's Zebra – 2024
189- Bali Zoo (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
190- Taman Safari III Bali (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
191- Surabaya Zoo (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
192- Taman Safari II Prigen (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
193- Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
194- Solo Safari (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
195- Bandung Zoo (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
196- Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024
197- Royal Safari Garden Resort (Indonesia) – Plains Zebra – 2024

Choosing 20 memorable zebra photos is a tricky proposition out of almost 200 zoos I've seen the 3 species at, but here goes nothing!

When I toured Taronga Zoo (Australia) in 2007, I snapped the photo that you can see below. This African Savannah exhibit has been renovated since then, but hopefully it still has iconic views!

When Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo (USA) opened its 28-acre African Grasslands complex in 2016, the zoo began breeding African Elephants like rabbits and this whole section of the zo has been a resounding success. It's easy to forget that zebras have been combined with elephants there, but very few zoos have that combination. You can see several zebras in this photo:

@pachyderm pro

An underrated African Savanna is the one found at Fort Wayne Children's Zoo (USA), which is arguably the best savanna in the state of Indiana. Plains Zebra, Blue Wildebeest and some birds can be found here on several acres of verdant land.

@Moebelle

Milwaukee County Zoo (USA) has opened a new zebra exhibit (which like the new elephant one is simply okay and nothing really special whatsoever), but when I toured this zoo in 2010 the Plains Zebras were with species such as Common Eland, Waterbuck, Ostrich and Marabou Stork in a Predator/Prey setup with small background carnivore enclosures holding African Lions and Spotted Hyenas.

Contrast the space at Milwaukee for any of their animals (it's a noticeably outdated zoo that was mostly built between 1958 and 1968) with Binder Park Zoo (USA), which opened its African Savanna in 1999. Here can be seen Giraffes, Plains Zebras and Addax (see below) and probably another half-dozen species at any one time in an enormous, 18-acre paddock that is larger than many entire zoos.

@Rhino0118

Another exhibit that is several acres in size is the Forest Edge enclosure at North Carolina Zoo (USA), which has contained Plains Zebras and Giraffes for many years.

Grevy's Zebras must endure stifling temperatures in the parched environment at Living Desert Zoo (USA), as summer is months of unrelenting heat at that particular zoo.

Busch Gardens Tampa (USA) is not everyone's cup of tea, as it's a big Florida theme park that's half crazy rides and half zoo that's not opened anything zoological in many years (just like DAK!), but this place does have its moments. The vast and grandiosely named Serengeti Plain has Plains Zebras and other ungulates roaming a large expanse of land.

@SwampDonkey

At Monterey Zoo (USA) in 2017, I saw African Elephants, Asian Water Buffalo, Plains Zebras and Ostriches all together in a spacious yet barren enclosure. When I went back in 2023 the buffalo, elephants and Ostriches were all gone, and instead this exhibit held Plains Zebras and a trio of White Rhinos.

There's a lot of rather boring, uninspired zebra exhibits at a whole range of American zoos that are at times forgettable. Let's head off to Europe to see some rich character associated with zebra exhibits. Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) has a Bovine House that opened circa 1909 and it's a gargantuan structure as seen from behind this White Rhino and Plains Zebras.

@KevinB

Also at Antwerp Zoo (Belgium) is the 1856 Egyptian Temple building, which has housed Hartmann's Mountain Zebras over the years. Even if you don't enjoy seeing captive animals, one can stroll through the great zoos of Europe and see incredible architecture everywhere.

@Valvas

The iconic panorama set of exhibits at Tierpark Hagenbeck (Germany) has Plains Zebras as one of the showcased species.

@Animal

Berlin Zoo (Germany) has zebras in an all-white building that opened in 1910 and seeing such incredible architecture makes a simple zebra paddock stand out from hundreds of others. This sort of character is mainly absent from North American zoos other than a few notable exceptions such as Toledo, Saint Louis, Bronx, etc.

And, naturally, Berlin Tierpark (Germany) had Plains, Hartmann's Mountain and Grevy's Zebras when I toured that zoo in 2019. Bravo! Why not illustrate the diversity of life on Earth with all three zebra species? Here are some Hartmann's Mountain Zebras as part of the new African Savanna complex, which opened after my visit.

@twilighter

How stereotypically German is this building? Tierpark Strohen (Germany) has yet another memorable Zebra House for their Plains Zebras. It looks vaguely like a Gingerbread House.

Herds of Plains Zebras and other mammals can be seen via the 30-minute gondola ride at Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden):

An all-sand floor for Plains Zebras and Sitatunga is interesting at Bali Zoo (Indonesia):

I'll never forget seeing a number of exhibits as part of the African Savanna at Batu Secret Zoo (Indonesia) behind glass! This particular area had Plains Zebra and Scimitar-horned Oryx as the featured species.

At some of the big Asian zoos there are safari park sections where visitors are transported through vast areas to see a large variety of mammals. Taman Safari I Bogor (Indonesia) has a beautiful Cheetah exhibit as a backdrop to an area where animals such as Plains Zebras can wander to their leisure. There's actually a steep drop behind this particular zebra and likely a hungry Cheetah waiting for an accident!

At the Royal Safari Garden Resort (Indonesia), one can dine in the restaurant and look out of massive glass windows at Plains Zebras in their yard. There's a Meerkat exhibit in the foreground and it's all very stylish.

 

[Panda_Fan]

I've seen Common Bottlenose Dolphins at 13 zoos. Tomorrow I will bang off the rest of my cetaceans with one big post. I'm inching closer to my August 1st to August 23rd Snowleopard Road Trip, which will see me visit approximately 55 zoos and I keep dropping subtle clues here and there. Today's one is this: how many of the upcoming zoos have I been to before? Zero! Literally every single zoo I will visit in August will be brand-new to me and right near the end of the trip I will walk through zoo #600 all-time. Craziness.

Even though I've been obsessed with zoos all my life, my thoughts on captive cetaceans have always been conflicted, even back in my early zoo-going days. There must be loads of quotes from me on this site from 15 years ago, talking about my distaste with some cetacean exhibits. Seeing dolphins swimming around and around in their concrete tanks, in almost endless boredom, has been disheartening at times. Having an annual membership to Vancouver Aquarium, and seeing 5 Beluga Whales in a far too small pool was thrilling for my 4 kids, who adored the whales before the last ones died in late 2016 in a mysterious case involving an "unknown toxin". The autopsies were inconclusive and since then legislation has made it illegal for any facility in Canada to maintain cetaceans in captivity, including rehabilitated animals. The annual attendance at Vancouver Aquarium has since plummeted, partly due to the lack of whales or dolphins, and partly due to the post-Covid years. But, when I visit and see the Steller Sea Lions in the old Beluga Whale pool, I can hardly believe that there used to be 5 big cetaceans in there.

Looking down my list of facilities with dolphins, my conclusion is that the pools are almost all far too small. There's only one exception and that's Harderwijk. The rest of the tanks are downright puny in some cases, with dolphins in sterile, bland surroundings and dolphin shows have never engaged me as I can easily skip them and not feel as if I've missed anything. Vancouver, Minnesota, Baltimore (eventually), Siegfried & Roy, Boudewijn (eventually) and Kolmarden (eventually) means that 6 of the 14 zoos listed here either no longer have dolphins or in the near future they will be gone. That's what makes Brookfield's recent announcement of building a new dolphin pool really surprising, as it goes against the trend, and I'm not entirely comfortable with Brookfield sticking with dolphins in the future. Why not turn that area into a spacious pinniped habitat?

1- Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 1986
2- SeaWorld San Diego (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2006
3- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2008
4- Brookfield Zoo (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2008
5- Indianapolis Zoo (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2008
6- National Aquarium in Baltimore (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2010
7- Texas State Aquarium (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2015
8- SeaWorld San Antonio (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2015
9- Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2015
10- Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2017
11- Boudewijn Seapark (Belgium) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2019 * animals not seen
12- Duisburg Zoo (Germany) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2019
13- Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Netherlands) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2019
14- Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) – Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 2022

Vancouver Aquarium (Canada) had Common Bottlenose Dolphins for many years, including in the 1980s when I first began to visit the facility. In recent times, they've had Pacific White-sided Dolphins and now of course they have zero cetaceans and never will again.

SeaWorld San Diego (USA) is famous for not only Killer Whales but also Common Bottlenose Dolphins. There's a big stadium with dolphin shows, as well as a pair of connected pools that are surprisingly shallow in several spots. I visited this particular SeaWorld in 2006 and then twice in 2011.

Both photos by @geomorph

When I first toured Minnesota Zoo (USA) in 2008, they still had Common Bottlenose Dolphins in the large yet bland Discovery Bay building near the zoo's entrance. I revisited this zoo in 2014, just before they added Hawaiian Monk Seals in place of the departed dolphins in 2015. These days, there are California Sea Lions in this all-indoor pool. The whole building is very industrial looking, as if it's a big empty warehouse. One might as well convert it into an Amazon factory!

@geomorph

Brookfield Zoo's (USA) old Common Bottlenose Dolphin tank, known as Seven Seas, recently had a $10 million renovation and has now reopened to the public. The long-term plan is to build some kind of mangrove-themed dolphin tank and it's genuinely surprising for a zoo to commit to dolphins in this modern age.

@MeiLover

The famous Dolphin Dome at Indianapolis Zoo (USA) is a wonderful attraction for visitors, as the Common Bottlenose Dolphins literally swim over people's heads.

@Grizzly Hound

In my photo from 2008, you can see the outline of the Dolphin Dome in the pool, which unfortunately means less swimming space for the dolphins.

On Pier 4 at the National Aquarium in Baltimore (USA) is a Common Bottlenose Dolphin exhibit, entirely indoors and destined to eventually no longer hold dolphins as there has been talk of a phase-out for probably a decade now. Originally, back in 1990 when it opened, this exhibit held Beluga Whales and dolphins at the same time, but the mix didn't work and in 1992 the whales were sent to SeaWorld San Antonio.

@geomorph

@Astrotom3000

A small, 400,000-gallon pool for Common Bottlenose Dolphins at Texas State Aquarium (USA) didn't impress me when I was there in 2015.

Dolphin Cove at SeaWorld San Antonio (USA). Reach in and pet a Common Bottlenose Dolphin!

@geomorph

Is this a Mirage Hotel swimming pool for guests? Close, but no cigar. It's the exhibit for Common Bottlenose Dolphins at Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden & Dolphin Habitat (USA) and it's a ridiculously tiny pool. This place closed down recently, but it was open for something like 30 years in the heart of Las Vegas. I also saw keepers go in with full-grown African Lions in the mini-zoo on the same premises.

Common Bottlenose Dolphins perform tricks and flicks at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (USA) near San Francisco in a show called Drench!

There's also a secondary area where people can pay to pet and possibly swim with dolphins.

I didn't see the Common Bottlenose Dolphins at Boudewijn Seapark (Belgium) because the animals are only available to be viewed during showtimes and I didn't want to hang around for that "excitement". I actually did walk into the big cement arena and visitors can come and go as they like, but the dolphin pool is blocked off from public viewing and so it's essentially a waste of time. Boudewijn was planning on phasing out dolphins forever and I'm not sure of the status on that announcement. Here are my two photos of the Dolfinarium:

In my personal opinion, even with the grandiose rockwork, this pool for Common Bottlenose Dolphins is nowhere near acceptable in terms of size. When I was at Duisburg Zoo (Germany) in 2019, I saw several protestors outside the entrance handing out leaflets and they were telling people that the zoo was a good one...except for the indoor dolphin pool.

@Green_mamba

Dolfinarium Harderwijk (Netherlands) has the best dolphin exhibit I've ever seen, although I've yet to visit Nuremberg Zoo in Germany. My photo from 2019, looking over an expanse of grass, shows the vast size of the dolphin pool and it's a Dolphin Lagoon using real seawater. The habitat forces viewers to hang around and try to spot the pod of dolphins, although there's an underwater viewing area and public shows as well. This exhibit at Harderwijk is a thousand times better than any of the other dolphin enclosures I've ever seen, and one that I feel I can support in terms of the discussion around cetaceans in captivity.

Kolmarden Wildlife Park (Sweden) has Common Bottlenose Dolphins within an old-fashioned indoor stadium setting. However, it's better than most I've seen because of the large windows that allow natural light inside, and that rock formation at the back is spectacular. Kolmarden apparently announced that they were phasing out dolphins forever, but I'm not sure of the status of that at the moment. Does anyone know an exact timeline?

Non-primate or carnivore mammals:

Asian Elephant - 61 zoos
Giant Anteater - 57 zoos
African Elephant - 53 zoos
Tree Kangaroos - 33 zoos (2 species: 24 zoos with Matschie's, 9 Goodfellow's)
Virginia Opossum - 26 zoos
Koala - 25 zoos
Short-beaked Echidna - 22 zoos
Tamandua - 21 zoos
Wombats - 18 zoos (2 species: Common, Southern Hairy-nosed)
Aardvark - 15 zoos
Common Bottlenose Dolphin - 13 zoos
Tasmanian Devil - 10 zoos
Platypus - 5 zoos
Cuscuses - 4 zoos (3 species: 2 zoos with Spotted, 1 Ground, 1 Sulawesi Bear)
Gray Short-tailed Opossum - 2 zoos
Murine Mouse Opossum - 2 zoos
Common Brushtail Possum - 1 zoo
Common Ringtail Possum - 1 zoo
Peruvian Dwarf Opossum - 1 zoo
Striped Possum - 1 zoo

* On the top of page 60, I have my final lists for Carnivora (130 species) and Primates (141 species) = 271 species at the 551 different zoos/aquariums I've visited.

Just to update this, Belgium has declared itslef as a free-dolphinarium country, and so Boudewijn Seapark has been given told to close the doors of their dolphinarium by 2037 at the latest. This is the 4th european country to declare itself as dolphinarium-free, and 7th on the world.

 

[NNM.]

Franklin Park Zoo (USA) – Grevy’s Zebra, Plains Zebra – 2012

What’s funny about this is now they have neither. Their current species is the Hartmann’s mountain zebra.

 

[NATY]

Singapore Zoo (Singapore) – Plains Zebra – 2024

Singapore Zoo has not had plains zebras since around 2020, they have a herd of Grevy's zebras

 

[carlos55]

In Mexican zoos, Plains zebra are common, grevy s zebra are found in some collections, but not many and only Africam Safari Puebla has mountain zebra.

 

[Austin the Sengi]

When you combine the two together, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and its respective lodge now display all three species of zebra; as listed with the use of @snowleopard’s formation style.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Plains Zebra

 

[snowleopard]

This next species is a true success story, as it was once declared extinct in the wild and due to the help of zoos Przewalski's Horses have gradually emerged from the shadow of extinction and they can now be a positive emblem of the power and prestige of zoos.

Wild-caught herds of these horses never did very well in captivity in the early 20th century and there became more urgency in the late 1960s when the only Przewalski's Horses on the planet were the small number in zoos. By 1977, there was the announcement of the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse (in the Netherlands), and renewed conservation efforts since then has seen both the captive population and the wild population skyrocket. There's been many reintroduction programs in a wide variety of countries and even a cloned Przewalski's Horse in 2020. There's certainly some parallels between the story of these horses and Arabian Oryx.

I've seen Przewalski's Horses at 28 zoos:

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 1975
2- Langenberg Wildlife Park (Switzerland) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2003
3- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2006
4- Denver Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2006
5- Monarto Zoo (Australia) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2007
6- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
7- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
8- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
9- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
10- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
11- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
12- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
13- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
14- Dakota Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2014
15- Arbuckle Wilderness Park (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2015
16- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2015
17- Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2018
18- Natuurpark Lelystad (Netherlands) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
19- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
20- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
21- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
22- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
23- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
24- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
25- Scandinavian Wildlife Park (Denmark) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
26- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
27- Nordens Ark (Sweden) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
28- B.C. Wildlife Park (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022

Przewalski's Horses look magnificent when galloping, with their stiff manes and black legs quite eye-catching.

@Therabu

Denver Zoo (USA) is a facility that I've not talked about a great deal on this thread when it's come to ungulates (they were perhaps mentioned a lot for their 20+ primate species collection), but it's easy to forget that Denver Zoo has always had a fantastic hoofstock collection. When I visited the zoo for the first time in 2006 there was a total of 22 ungulate paddocks, but on my second and last visit (2012) 6 of them had been renovated and turned into Toyota Elephant Passage. That still means the current setup could well have 16 paddocks and that includes one for Przewalski's Horses. It would be a shame if Denver ever overhauled this old yet solid part of the zoo as a lot of species diversity would be lost.

Monarto Zoo (Australia) had at least a dozen or more Przewalski's Horses when I toured that facility in 2007. Apparently, these days the horses are mixed with American Bison in a typically huge, Monarto-sized paddock.

@Simon Hampel

At Minnesota Zoo (USA), Przewalski's Horses have been mixed with Bactrian Camels on the Northern Trail loop in what was formerly a Muskox enclosure.

@Dhole dude

I'm not sure if Detroit Zoo (USA) still has Przewalski's Horses on-show these days, but I saw them mixed with Fallow Deer and White-lipped Deer in 2008 and later on Bactrian Camels were with the horses.

Toronto Zoo (USA) had a herd of Przewalski's Horses when I toured that zoo in 2008 and here's a crisp shot of a pair of the animals from a much later year.

@StellarChaser

Przewalski's Horses have been a notable animal at Smithsonian's National Zoo (USA) for many years, in a simple yet attractive enclosure. There's no German 'gingerbread house' type accommodation here.

@Sarus Crane

My photo from 2010 at Mesker Park Zoo (USA) shows 3 species (Przewalski's Horse, Axis Deer, Reeves's Muntjac) all together in a grassy exhibit. The enclosure is quite spacious and the smaller areas are for the muntjacs to duck under the wire and get some peace from their bigger neighbours.

Dakota Zoo (USA) has a whole series of perhaps a dozen hoofstock paddocks along its southern edge, with one of those enclosures containing Przewalski's Horses.

My photo of the Przewalski's Horse exhibit at Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) reveals a fairly small, nondescript enclosure that isn't that exciting.

But this photo, taken at the same zoo, has some excitement to it!

@ZooFuss

Natuurpark Lelystad (Netherlands) has a Wisent/Przewalski's Horse exhibit that is a walk-through, as I did just that in 2019. I probably showcased this photo when I discussed Wisent earlier in the thread, but it's worth repeating here. I literally walked across that steel structure in the ground, which prevents hooved animals from leaving, and strode through a nicely shaded area that then cuts past a grassy paddock. I waved at Wisent and Przewalski's Horses and I obviously wasn't gored or trampled to death as that wild experience was 5 years ago now. Maybe one day this zoo will let visitors actually ride around on one of those species.

@vogelcommando

It was with great pleasure that I toured Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) in 2019, as it's a wonderful establishment. Perhaps a little overshadowed by the grandiose Pairi Daiza (which overshadows everything in its wake!) and the historic Antwerp in the same nation, but I loved Planckendael and it's a superb zoo. Belgium might be a little light on zoos after those three, but they are each one of Europe's truly GREAT zoological establishments and Planckendael was the only one with Przewalski's Horses in 2019.

You can just about see 8 or more Przewalski's Horses at the top of this photo, taken at GaiaZOO (Netherlands) in the Taiga section of the zoo. Gaia is a bit like Planckendael as both zoos are full of modern, naturalistic looking exhibits.

@Mr Gharial

The only single photo of Przewalski's Horses at Zoo Neuwied (Germany) in the gallery is this one, taken by me in 2019.

For such a legendary establishment, it's also a bit surprising that there's only 5 images of Przewalski's Horses at Berlin Zoo (Germany).

@Maguari

This is a facility that gives 6 acres to Polar Bears and 6 acres to Brown Bears, so it should not be a shock to see another mammoth enclosure at Scandinavian Wildlife Park (Denmark), this time for Przewalski's Horses.

As I've said before, Scandinavian zoos don't mess around with their exhibits as quite frequently there are some massive ones there. You can see a half-dozen Przewalski's Horses feeding at their trough at the top of my photo at Givskud Zoo (Denmark). This is the same zoo that has a whole corner of the park, and three enormous habitats, just for a single species: Andean Bear.

In an exhibit that held Moose for many years, the addition of two Przewalski's Horses at B.C. Wildlife Park (Canada) was a recent surprise as this zoo usually focuses on rescued native animals.

Perissodactyla: 4 total species so far

Plains Zebra - 153 zoos
Grevy's Zebra - 49 zoos
Przewalski's Horse - 28 zoos
Hartmann's Mountain Zebra - 11 zoos

 

[USZOOfan42]

I'm not sure if Detroit Zoo (USA) still has Przewalski's Horses on-show these days, but I saw them mixed with Fallow Deer and White-lipped Deer in 2008 and later on Bactrian Camels were with the horses.

The horses have left the collection, that habitat is now renovated and rebuilt for wolves. The camel habitat now is just white lipped deer and camels.

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

even a cloned Przewalski's Horse in 2020.

There's actually two of them now!

The original Kurt, and his little "brother" Ollie.

Two of a Kind

[Kurt and Ollie are clones of the same stallion: Kuporovic.]

Natuurpark Lelystad (Netherlands)

Fun fact about Natuurpark Lelystad, it actually occupies an incredibly important place in Przewalski's horse history.

It was one of the semi-reserves that supplied P-Horses for the original 1992 reintroduction effort to Hustai National Park in Mongolia!

In fact, it was the first protected area where zoo-born P-Horses were brought to, released to form a natural harem, and allowed to rear foals with limited contact with and intervention from humans.

P-Horses from Natuurpark Lelystad (In addition to five other semi-reserves. Three in the Netherlands and two in Germany) were continously released in Mongolia until 2001, when the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse's breeding program formerly wound down.

I've had personal correspondence with someone who interned at Natuurpark Lelystad recently and they told me that only two elderly P-Horse mare remain at the park. They've actually had to bring in four young Exmoor ponies to help keep the foliage down!

 

[NNM.]

For whatever reason, Bronx Zoo insists on calling them "Mongolian wild horses." I'd think such an acclaimed and conservation-heavy establishment as them would flaunt the name "Przewalski."

 

[Wisp O' Mist]

For whatever reason, Bronx Zoo insists on calling them "Mongolian wild horses." I'd think such an acclaimed and conservation-heavy establishment as them would flaunt the name "Przewalski."

Admittedly, Nikolay Przhevalsky was a pretty awful guy, even by the standards of his day.

Nikolay Przhevalsky - Wikipedia

I know that there's a growing movement to discourage the use of eponymous names, so that might be why the Bronx uses an alternative name for them.

That aside, the studbook for the species is Asian Wild Horse. So one has to wonder why the Bronx doesn't just use that.

 

[USZOOfan42]

Admittedly, Nikolay Przhevalsky was a pretty awful guy, even by the standards of his day.

Nikolay Przhevalsky - Wikipedia

I know that there's a growing movement to discourage the use of eponymous names, so that might be why the Bronx uses an alternative name for them.

That aside, the studbook for the species is Asian Wild Horse. So one has to wonder why the Bronx doesn't just use that.

Also, I pretty sure Asian or Mongolian is a lot easier to say than Przewalski

 

[Aardwolf]

There’s a reason that most zoo folks I know just say “P horse”

 

[Nile Hippo Expert]

The official correct pronunciation is prih-zhi-val-skees or Prijivalski's. I used to mess up the third and fourth letters, thinking it was "prez-wall-skees".

 

[birdsandbats]

When you combine the two together, Disney’s Animal Kingdom and its respective lodge now display all three species of zebra; as listed with the use of @snowleopard’s formation style.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Grevy’s Zebra

Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge (USA) – Hartmann’s Mountain Zebra, Plains Zebra

When I visited in 2022, DAK had all three zebra species. Is that no longer the case?

This next species is a true success story, as it was once declared extinct in the wild and due to the help of zoos Przewalski's Horses have gradually emerged from the shadow of extinction and they can now be a positive emblem of the power and prestige of zoos.

Wild-caught herds of these horses never did very well in captivity in the early 20th century and there became more urgency in the late 1960s when the only Przewalski's Horses on the planet were the small number in zoos. By 1977, there was the announcement of the Foundation for the Preservation and Protection of the Przewalski Horse (in the Netherlands), and renewed conservation efforts since then has seen both the captive population and the wild population skyrocket. There's been many reintroduction programs in a wide variety of countries and even a cloned Przewalski's Horse in 2020. There's certainly some parallels between the story of these horses and Arabian Oryx.

I've seen Przewalski's Horses at 28 zoos:

1- Alberta Game Farm/Polar Park (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 1975
2- Langenberg Wildlife Park (Switzerland) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2003
3- San Diego Zoo Safari Park (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2006
4- Denver Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2006
5- Monarto Zoo (Australia) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2007
6- Minnesota Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
7- Detroit Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
8- Toronto Zoo (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
9- Bronx Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
10- Smithsonian’s National Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2008
11- Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
12- Binder Park Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
13- Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2010
14- Dakota Zoo (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2014
15- Arbuckle Wilderness Park (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2015
16- Fossil Rim Wildlife Center (USA) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2015
17- Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2018
18- Natuurpark Lelystad (Netherlands) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
19- Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
20- GaiaZOO (Netherlands) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
21- Zoo Neuwied (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
22- Cologne Zoo (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
23- Berlin Zoo (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
24- Allwetterzoo Munster (Germany) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2019
25- Scandinavian Wildlife Park (Denmark) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
26- Givskud Zoo (Denmark) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
27- Nordens Ark (Sweden) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022
28- B.C. Wildlife Park (Canada) – Przewalski’s Horse – 2022

Przewalski's Horses look magnificent when galloping, with their stiff manes and black legs quite eye-catching.

@Therabu

Denver Zoo (USA) is a facility that I've not talked about a great deal on this thread when it's come to ungulates (they were perhaps mentioned a lot for their 20+ primate species collection), but it's easy to forget that Denver Zoo has always had a fantastic hoofstock collection. When I visited the zoo for the first time in 2006 there was a total of 22 ungulate paddocks, but on my second and last visit (2012) 6 of them had been renovated and turned into Toyota Elephant Passage. That still means the current setup could well have 16 paddocks and that includes one for Przewalski's Horses. It would be a shame if Denver ever overhauled this old yet solid part of the zoo as a lot of species diversity would be lost.

Monarto Zoo (Australia) had at least a dozen or more Przewalski's Horses when I toured that facility in 2007. Apparently, these days the horses are mixed with American Bison in a typically huge, Monarto-sized paddock.

@Simon Hampel

At Minnesota Zoo (USA), Przewalski's Horses have been mixed with Bactrian Camels on the Northern Trail loop in what was formerly a Muskox enclosure.

@Dhole dude

I'm not sure if Detroit Zoo (USA) still has Przewalski's Horses on-show these days, but I saw them mixed with Fallow Deer and White-lipped Deer in 2008 and later on Bactrian Camels were with the horses.

Toronto Zoo (USA) had a herd of Przewalski's Horses when I toured that zoo in 2008 and here's a crisp shot of a pair of the animals from a much later year.

@StellarChaser

Przewalski's Horses have been a notable animal at Smithsonian's National Zoo (USA) for many years, in a simple yet attractive enclosure. There's no German 'gingerbread house' type accommodation here.

@Sarus Crane

My photo from 2010 at Mesker Park Zoo (USA) shows 3 species (Przewalski's Horse, Axis Deer, Reeves's Muntjac) all together in a grassy exhibit. The enclosure is quite spacious and the smaller areas are for the muntjacs to duck under the wire and get some peace from their bigger neighbours.

Dakota Zoo (USA) has a whole series of perhaps a dozen hoofstock paddocks along its southern edge, with one of those enclosures containing Przewalski's Horses.

My photo of the Przewalski's Horse exhibit at Assiniboine Park Zoo (Canada) reveals a fairly small, nondescript enclosure that isn't that exciting.

But this photo, taken at the same zoo, has some excitement to it!

@ZooFuss

Natuurpark Lelystad (Netherlands) has a Wisent/Przewalski's Horse exhibit that is a walk-through, as I did just that in 2019. I probably showcased this photo when I discussed Wisent earlier in the thread, but it's worth repeating here. I literally walked across that steel structure in the ground, which prevents hooved animals from leaving, and strode through a nicely shaded area that then cuts past a grassy paddock. I waved at Wisent and Przewalski's Horses and I obviously wasn't gored or trampled to death as that wild experience was 5 years ago now. Maybe one day this zoo will let visitors actually ride around on one of those species.

@vogelcommando

It was with great pleasure that I toured Planckendael Zoo (Belgium) in 2019, as it's a wonderful establishment. Perhaps a little overshadowed by the grandiose Pairi Daiza (which overshadows everything in its wake!) and the historic Antwerp in the same nation, but I loved Planckendael and it's a superb zoo. Belgium might be a little light on zoos after those three, but they are each one of Europe's truly GREAT zoological establishments and Planckendael was the only one with Przewalski's Horses in 2019.

You can just about see 8 or more Przewalski's Horses at the top of this photo, taken at GaiaZOO (Netherlands) in the Taiga section of the zoo. Gaia is a bit like Planckendael as both zoos are full of modern, naturalistic looking exhibits.

@Mr Gharial

The only single photo of Przewalski's Horses at Zoo Neuwied (Germany) in the gallery is this one, taken by me in 2019.

For such a legendary establishment, it's also a bit surprising that there's only 5 images of Przewalski's Horses at Berlin Zoo (Germany).

@Maguari

This is a facility that gives 6 acres to Polar Bears and 6 acres to Brown Bears, so it should not be a shock to see another mammoth enclosure at Scandinavian Wildlife Park (Denmark), this time for Przewalski's Horses.

As I've said before, Scandinavian zoos don't mess around with their exhibits as quite frequently there are some massive ones there. You can see a half-dozen Przewalski's Horses feeding at their trough at the top of my photo at Givskud Zoo (Denmark). This is the same zoo that has a whole corner of the park, and three enormous habitats, just for a single species: Andean Bear.

In an exhibit that held Moose for many years, the addition of two Przewalski's Horses at B.C. Wildlife Park (Canada) was a recent surprise as this zoo usually focuses on rescued native animals.

Perissodactyla: 4 total species so far

Plains Zebra - 153 zoos
Grevy's Zebra - 49 zoos
Przewalski's Horse - 28 zoos
Hartmann's Mountain Zebra - 11 zoos

A few things relating to Minnesota:

The horses and camels at Minnesota were never mixed, they were rotated in the same enclosure. Before this they had a separate enclosure, but the camel exhibit has since been converted into a kangaroo walkabout, which recently became a Llama exhibit. None of these was a former Musk Ox enclosure, rather the horses were recently moved to the old Musk Ox enclosure which had stood empty for many years.

Admittedly, Nikolay Przhevalsky was a pretty awful guy, even by the standards of his day.

Nikolay Przhevalsky - Wikipedia

I know that there's a growing movement to discourage the use of eponymous names, so that might be why the Bronx uses an alternative name for them.

That aside, the studbook for the species is Asian Wild Horse. So one has to wonder why the Bronx doesn't just use that.

Pretty sure the reason the reason some zoos have moved away from the name "Przewalski's Horse" has nothing to do with its eponymous nature, rather it is simply because "Prewalski" is hard to pronounce for most visitors.

 

[Austin the Sengi]

@birdsandbats to my knowledge, the main park never had all three species together at one time; with Plains Zebras not being not present on Kilimanjaro Safaris since their removal several years ago.

As for the other two species of zebra, they are still on display at the respective theme park, as stated above.

 

[Aardwolf]

When I visited in 2021, DAK had all three zebra species. Is that no longer the case?

A few things relating to Minnesota:

The horses and camels at Minnesota were never mixed, they were rotated in the same enclosure. Before this they had a separate enclosure, but the camel exhibit has since been converted into a kangaroo walkabout, which recently became a Llama exhibit. None of these was a former Musk Ox enclosure, rather the horses were recently moved to the old Musk Ox enclosure which had stood empty for many years.

Pretty sure the reason the reason some zoos have moved away from the name "Przewalski's Horse" has nothing to do with its eponymous nature, rather it is simply because "Prewalski" is hard to pronounce for most visitors.

In general, there is also a tendency to move away from eponymous species names, though it's applied unevenly. For example, Edward's pheasant is now usually referred to as the Vietnam pheasant. The philosophy caught public attention when the American Birding Association showed support for the "Bird Names for Birds" movement.

 

[birdsandbats]

@birdsandbats to my knowledge, the main park never had all three species together at one time; with Plains Zebras not being not present on Kilimanjaro Safaris since their removal several years ago.

As for the other two species of zebra, they are still on display at the respective theme park, as stated above.

I saw all three species on exhibit during my visit in June of 2022. You can see my full species list here: Disney's Animal Kingdom® Theme Park Full Species List [Disney's Animal Kingdom® Park]