Rare/Absent species from the UK.

I agree about giant otters, I think they are one of the most noticable additions in recent years. I still haven't seen one. Would love to see sea otters make an appearance in the UK.
 
I agree about giant otters, I think they are one of the most noticable additions in recent years. I still haven't seen one. Would love to see sea otters make an appearance in the UK.

I agree, that would be brilliant. Giant Otters are very cool (only seen them at Chester) but they make a nice addition to the zoo and definately better than the sealions that they used to have (probably just because they are rarer).

I'd also like to see more variation in subspecies for certain animals. Maybe African Forest Elephants, Indochinese Tigers or Masai Giraffes.
 
I would love to see more in the way of unusual species come into Britain, and have devised a minor list of species that, if I had the choice, would be high on the list of animals that would come over to Britain:

Invertebrates
Bullet ant
Japanese giant hornet
Blue weevil
Kirby's dropwing dragonfly
African rainbow shield bug
Chinese water stick insect
Indonesian yellow crab spider
Japanese harlequin tiger beetle
Indian giant red velvet mite

I no we are not talking about private collections but it would be quite easy to get these inverts for UK zoos due to the ammount of unusual invertebrates kept in private hands in the UK... Ive personaly kept 2 species on the list and im not even really into inverts.
Stu
 
I find it a real shame that most collections have started to steer clear of insects. Bristol in particular shows how an insect collection can be pulled off. They really could be a great attraction for any zoo, with a great diversity of species to choose from and many potentially very active species that are relatively simple to care for.

P.S. What species of invert have you kept? I have an interest in over half the species I listed. If you could PM me any information on their care, that would be great.
 
Chestnut's have bred, and Chester and South Lakes have breeding pairs, so if all goes to plan I think the may become established quite quickly over here (does anybody know if anywhere else is interested in this species?)

When did SL receive their male? :confused:
 
When did SL receive their male? :confused:

Oh, I don't know if they have to be honest. I just thought there was a pair there so I am most likely wrong (I've probably read that they are 'getting' a pair, so maybe the male hasn't arrived). Sorry for any confusion :).
 
Wow, that is fascinating info. I am now waiting until the next generation, just to see which species become common-place in UK zoos. Placing all bets :D.

I'm going for giant anteaters. 5 years ago it was just London that had them, now quite a few have them. Or maybe Komodo Dragons?
 
It's also worth adding that animals which are now everywhere such as ring-tailed lemurs and meerkats were once quite rare in zoos. From another thread I know that only a generation ago there weren't any meerkats on display at all in the UK.

In the late 1960's there was only ONE Ruffed Lemur in the UK- at London Zoo. At that time Hunting Dogs were only to be found at Whipsnade and later Marwell (and then Howletts). ZSL also had the only Snow Leopard in the UK at one time. Jersey had the only Spectacled Bear(s). Red River Hogs were an extreme rarity.
 
I would love to see more in the way of unusual species come into Britain, and have devised a minor list of species that, if I had the choice, would be high on the list of animals that would come over to Britain:

Grey Gulls are at Paignton and Red-legged Kittiwakes at Living Coasts.
 
Grey Gulls are at Paignton and Red-legged Kittiwakes at Living Coasts.

And West Mexican chachalacas at Tropical Wings. :D

For the few animals already kept in Britain on my list, I included them simply because I would love to see more of them in Britain.
 
This is such a good thread to be involved with at the moment, with UK zoos bringing in so many rare and unusual animals into their collections over the past few years, there could be a good chance of seeing many of the species mentioned popping up in the future.
As has been said before there is a wave of originality regarding collection management happening.
 
Of course the bear situation must get a look in on this thread. Only spectacled bears and european brown bears can be considered NEARLY common, whilst sun bears have recently come into vogue. only whipsnade hold sloth bears and dudley hold asiatic black bears. Dartmoor keep syrian brown bear. And that is the extent of britains dismal bear collection.

+ polar bears (thanks kiang) :D
 
Of course the bear situation must get a look in on this thread. Only spectacled bears and european brown bears can be considered NEARLY common, whilst sun bears have recently come into vogue. only whipsnade hold sloth bears and dudley hold asiatic black bears. Dartmoor keep syrian brown bear. And that is the extent of britains dismal bear collection.

As well as of course one female polar bear at HWP, as well as one at Heythrop.
If the experimental polar bear enclosure works out successfully, there could be a resurgence in polar bear keeping in the UK, using a relatively inexpensive way of enclosing them, perhaps.
 
As well as of course one female polar bear at HWP, as well as one at Heythrop.
If the experimental polar bear enclosure works out successfully, there could be a resurgence in polar bear keeping in the UK, using a relatively inexpensive way of enclosing them, perhaps.

I certainly hope so. I would love to see Polar Bears become more common, as well as all other bears (would love to see grizzlies or kodiaks as well).

We've also forgotten what is the most abundant bear species, the Red Panda. Very many zoos have these now (though whether they are bears or raccoons, I think, is an area of debate. I have two reference books, one listing it in the raccoon family and one in the bear family, though I think the one in the bear family is more up-to-date).
 
I would like to see a few more collections take an interest in takins, goral, serow and any kind of caprinae too.
With HWP's enormous herd and Marwells success with mishmi takin, surely a few more collections could be interested in these fascinating mammals.
 
I would like to see a few more collections take an interest in takins, goral, serow and any kind of caprinae too.
With HWP's enormous herd and Marwells success with mishmi takin, surely a few more collections could be interested in these fascinating mammals.

I agree, I practically ran to the takin enclosure at Marwell (well, I did run actually when I saw it, I got a bit over excited) but the people who came along later said 'oh it's just a buffalo or something'.
 
So many species and groups to tempt me here:
  • Australian parakeets, lories (but we probably have enough lorikeets at the moment), waxbills, sea ducks and hummingbirds
  • skinks, dwarf chameleons and the giant Rhacodactylus geckos
  • tree shrews, elephant shrews, small carnivores like martens, genets and civets
  • finally two Asian species that have died out completely - tarsiers and four-horned antelopes
Alan
 
I'd love to see more raccoon dogs. I love the 2 old girls at the Yorkshire wildlife park, and whilst they seem to be very common in collections in the rest of the world, they are only held in 2 uk collections.
 
@ gentle Lemur

i do believe the only zoos outside of India to house the Four-Horned Antelope was Paris Zoo, Howletts and Port Lympne, (later 2 collections population died out due to inbreading) and i believe the Pris Heard is Down to One Indervidual, sad story however i think it is one of the most unlikely animals to enter The United Kingdom at the moment

hope this helps u :)
 
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