Mixed species exhibit ideas

Could I mix an individual or non-breeding pair of African Spurred or Leopard Tortoise with Meerkats or Dwarf Mongoose?
 
Van Beal said:
Could I mix an individual or non-breeding pair of African Spurred or Leopard Tortoise with Meerkats or Dwarf Mongoose?
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The burrowing mongooses could potentially lead to the collapse of the tortoise shelters. Additionally, they might injure the tortoises which can be stressful. It would work if the enclosure is large with the leopard tortoise and banded mongooses (maybe even add a warthog)
 
Would this species list work in a walkthrough aviary?
- Ocellated Turkey (1,3)
- Crested Bobwhite (0,4)
- Scaled Pigeon (2,2)
- Pale-vented Pigeon (2,2)
- Zenaida Dove (2,2)
- Barred Parakeet (4,4)
- Mexican Parrotlet (6,6)
- Orchard Oriole (3,3)
- Lesser Goldfinch (4,4)
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak (1,1)
- Blue Grosbeak (2,2)

And the following mixes in non-walkthrough aviaries?
- Horned Guan (1,0)
- Northern Bobwhite (0,4)
- White-crowned Pigeon (1,1)
- Collared Aracari (0,2)
- Green Jay (1,1)

- New Zealand Black Duck (2,5)
- New Zealand Shoveler (1,2)
- New Zealand Scaup (3,5)
- Buff-banded Rail (1,1)
- Masked Lapwing (1,1)
- Little Pied Cormorant (7,7)
- White-faced Heron (4,4)
- North Island Kaka (2,2)
- Yellow-crowned Parakeet (2,2)

- Laughing Kookaburra (0,2)
- Kea (0,2)
- White-backed Australian Magpie (1,1)

- Grey-headed Swamphen (1,1)
- Oriental White Stork (0,2)
- Black Hornbill (1,1)

- Bar-headed Goose (1,1)
- White-winged Duck (0,3)
- Indochinese Green Peafowl (1,4)
- Milky Stork (3,3)
- Asian Wolly-necked Stork (2,2)
- Black-headed Ibis (6,6)
- Black-faced Spoonbill (5,5)
- Asian Purple Heron (1,1)
- Spot-billed Pelican (0,4)
- Brahminy Kite (0,1)

Additions or replacements are welcome.
 
Now as far as a large, 0.5-acre walkthrough aviary themed to the African Veldt is concerned… Could the following mammals, birds, and reptile feasibly cohabitate with enough private spaces designated as buffalo-proof???

  • Cape Buffalo > {0.4}
  • Lowland Nyala > {4.0} and/or Impala {4.0} ??

  • Kirk’s Dik-Dik > {1.1}
  • Aardwolf > {2.0}
  • Leopard Tortoise > {2.5}
  • Secretary Bird > {1.1}
  • Livingstone’s Turaco
  • Crowned Lapwing
  • Hadada Ibis
  • Western Cattle Egret
  • Hooded Vulture > {4.4}
  • Crowned Hornbill
  • Blue-Bellied Roller
  • Green Woodhoopoe
  • Red-and-Yellow Barbet
  • Magpie Shrike
  • Common Bulbul
  • Red-Winged Starling
  • Superb Starling
  • White-Headed Buffalo Weaver
Note: if the dik-diks, aardwolves, and tortoises are all not feasible, each of these species will have their own separate enclosures away from the main paddock.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Now as far as a large, 0.5-acre walkthrough aviary themed to the African Veldt is concerned… Could the following mammals, birds, and reptile feasibly cohabitate with enough private spaces designated as buffalo-proof???

  • Cape Buffalo > {0.4}
  • Lowland Nyala > {4.0} and/or Impala {4.0} ??

  • Kirk’s Dik-Dik > {1.1}
  • Aardwolf > {2.0}
  • Leopard Tortoise > {2.5}
  • Secretary Bird > {1.1}
  • Livingstone’s Turaco
  • Crowned Lapwing
  • Hadada Ibis
  • Western Cattle Egret
  • Hooded Vulture > {4.4}
  • Crowned Hornbill
  • Blue-Bellied Roller
  • Green Woodhoopoe
  • Red-and-Yellow Barbet
  • Magpie Shrike
  • Common Bulbul
  • Red-Winged Starling
  • Superb Starling
  • White-Headed Buffalo Weaver
Note: if the dik-diks, aardwolves, and tortoises are all not feasible, each of these species will have their own separate enclosures away from the main paddock.
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The Aardwolf could stress the smaller birds and the ground living Secretary Bird, so I would remove them.
The bird mix should work.
The Crowned Lapwing should only breed behind the scenes.
The feeding stations for smaller birds should be placed outside of Secretary Bird‘s reach.
 
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@Paul.Haerle, I only brought up the aardwolves as they are exclusively insectivorous, nocturnal (which can help with avoiding the buffalo), and unique enough for being worthy of interest.

Furthermore, there seems to be no known record of this species going after smaller animals bigger than termites. Although, I also understand how this species may not do so well in such a dynamic setting.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
Now as far as a large, 0.5-acre walkthrough aviary themed to the African Veldt is concerned… Could the following mammals, birds, and reptile feasibly cohabitate with enough private spaces designated as buffalo-proof???

  • Cape Buffalo > {0.4}
  • Lowland Nyala > {4.0} and/or Impala {4.0} ??

  • Kirk’s Dik-Dik > {1.1}
  • Aardwolf > {2.0}
  • Leopard Tortoise > {2.5}
  • Secretary Bird > {1.1}
  • Livingstone’s Turaco
  • Crowned Lapwing
  • Hadada Ibis
  • Western Cattle Egret
  • Hooded Vulture > {4.4}
  • Crowned Hornbill
  • Blue-Bellied Roller
  • Green Woodhoopoe
  • Red-and-Yellow Barbet
  • Magpie Shrike
  • Common Bulbul
  • Red-Winged Starling
  • Superb Starling
  • White-Headed Buffalo Weaver
Note: if the dik-diks, aardwolves, and tortoises are all not feasible, each of these species will have their own separate enclosures away from the main paddock.
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Secretary birds will swallow any fledglings that come down to ground level
 
I've been reading the AZA Ungulate TAGs Mixed-Species Manual 2017, and it says that the San Diego Zoo Safari Park kept Black Rhinos (as of 2017) in a 60-acre mixed species safari park exhibit including White Rhinos. I always thought that Black Rhinos had to be kept alone and were never put in a drive-through exhibit. The manual did say that the Black Rhinos started trying to fight the bull White after the Black cows calved and that the Black Rhinos had to be removed from the exhibit. My question is it possible to have Black Rhinos in a mixed species safari park exhibit (without White Rhinos) or was this just a one-off that shouldn't be reattempted?
 
Hello, could any species of bird be mixed safely with Cuban crocodiles in an indoor setting? I presume any “Herons” would be unsafe, but how about any smaller swamp species? Thanks.
 
Mr Gharial said:
Most small, free-flying birds like Cuban grassquits or Montserrat oriole
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I’ve made a brief description of the area and will list the birds I aim to mix below:

This naturally lit area is designed to imitate the remarkable Zapata Swamp in southwest Cuba, featuring an approximately 90,000-litre naturalistic pool (with additional land space) for two or more Cuban Crocodiles. Positioned to the left of the main path and bordered by a waist-height glass barrier, the habitat includes a shallow wetland planted with tall reeds, southern cattails, floating Nymphaea odorata, and young red mangroves that reflect the swamp’s shoreline vegetation. Surrounding the tank, the landscape continues with dense foliage and layered plantings that not only provide basking areas for the crocodiles but also a variety of perches, thickets, and sheltered understorey spaces to create naturalistic habitats for several bird species. This enriches the exhibit’s ecological authenticity while offering visitors an immersive glimpse into one of the Caribbean’s most biologically diverse environments.

Birds*
  • Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus)
  • Cuban Grassquit (Phonipara canora)
  • Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
  • Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala)
Any help appreciated.

*all birds can fly between the crocodiles enclosure, a separation zone, and the main pathway. Unsure of suitable population numbers.
 
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Dr. Loxodonta said:
I’ve made a brief description of the area and will list the birds I aim to mix below:

This naturally lit area is designed to imitate the remarkable Zapata Swamp in southwest Cuba, featuring an approximately 90,000-litre naturalistic pool (with additional land space) for two or more Cuban Crocodiles. Positioned to the left of the main path and bordered by a waist-height glass barrier, the habitat includes a shallow wetland planted with tall reeds, southern cattails, floating Nymphaea odorata, and young red mangroves that reflect the swamp’s shoreline vegetation. Surrounding the tank, the landscape continues with dense foliage and layered plantings that not only provide basking areas for the crocodiles but also a variety of perches, thickets, and sheltered understorey spaces to create naturalistic habitats for several bird species. This enriches the exhibit’s ecological authenticity while offering visitors an immersive glimpse into one of the Caribbean’s most biologically diverse environments.

Birds*
  • Cuban Trogon (Priotelus temnurus)
  • Cuban Grassquit (Phonipara canora)
  • Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
  • Blue-headed Quail-Dove (Starnoenas cyanocephala)
Any help appreciated.

*all birds can fly between the crocodiles enclosure, a separation zone, and the main pathway. Unsure of suitable population numbers.
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I would remove the ground living Blue-headed Quail Dove, as this species could be caught easily by the Cuban Crocodiles. You could replace them with Zenaida Doves (2,2 or 3,3).
My ideas for the population numbers would be:
1,1 Cuban Trogon
2,2 Cuban Grassquit
4,4 Painted Bunting.
Edit: And I wouldn't plant any trees in the crocodile's range, Cuban Crocodiles are very good bird hunters.
 
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Paul.Haerle said:
I would remove the ground living Blue-headed Quail Dove, as this species could be caught easily by the Cuban Crocodiles. You could replace them with Zenaida Doves (2,2 or 3,3).
My ideas for the population numbers would be:
1,1 Cuban Trogon
2,2 Cuban Grassquit
4,4 Painted Bunting.
Click to expand...
Thank you. Is it feasible to exhibit the Quail-Doves along the main visitor pathway, potentially having a small, densely planted piece of land to the right? Rather than housing them in an aviary, could they simply have a “natural” barrier such as some logs or branches? However, how might the Quail-Doves respond to being in closer proximity to the public pathway, and would they be able to access the path? The goal is to preserve the open design of the crocodile habitat without the use of large glass panels. I’m sorry if it seems that I’m bombarding you with questions, and feel free to pass if you wish.
 
Dr. Loxodonta said:
Thank you. Is it feasible to exhibit the Quail-Doves along the main visitor pathway, potentially having a small, densely planted piece of land to the right? Rather than housing them in an aviary, could they simply have a “natural” barrier such as some logs or branches? However, how might the Quail-Doves respond to being in closer proximity to the public pathway, and would they be able to access the path? The goal is to preserve the open design of the crocodile habitat without the use of large glass panels. I’m sorry if it seems that I’m bombarding you with questions, and feel free to pass if you wish.
Click to expand...

They'd be able to surpass to basically any non-aviary barricade by flying over it. They'd be fine in a walkthrough aviary but they really should be kept separate from the crocodile hall, as should any ground-dwelling bird
 
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