Wild Animals in the Wild!

[Dicerorhinus]

I guess there are some species that are much better viewed in a zoo than in the wild, and others which viewing in the wild is superior.

As an example, Orang Utans are extremely difficult to get a good view of in the wild, so zoo watching is superior, whereas a Kiwi in a nocturnal house is always just going to be a dark blur, while one strutting around a beach on Stewart Island provides an excellent view (and gives a huge thrill).

I guess I'm lazy and impatient, but I would prefer to visit a zoo holding species X than spend ages trying to find it in the wild.

I'm sure it's down to the individual but for me they are in two different leagues. Sure you may get better views in a zoo but how often does a zoo animal actually resemble or behave like it's wild counter part?
It's not even true to say you would always get a closer view at a zoo. I've been on a small motorboat within touching distance of a swimming polar. I could smell it's breath a zoo visitor would never get that experience.

It's a challenge with the potential to be very disappointed but I think the rewards are far greater. Would you rather see a group of India rhinoceros wading in thickly vegetated pool framed against the backdrop of the himalayas from a kayak or the back of an elephant or a pair standing in a quagmire at Chester zoo? In my opinion there's no contest.

 

[Pertinax]

I'm sure that was absolutely thrilling to be so close to be so close to a brown bear! What subspecies did you see in Russia? Where were you in India (beside Gir)?
What's the tourist 'traffic' like at Gir Pertinax?

Bears in Russia were in Kamchatka. When I saw Bears (both Brown and Black) in Alaska I was quite nervous about the whole thing. But many years later and 'second time around' in Russia they seemed far less intimidating and part of the scenery.

Gir Forest- it was many years ago. Apart from 'local' tourists its way off the beaten track- I don't know of any tours but I am not up to date on that. Maybe there are some now.

Have been to Kaziranga and Western Ghats also.

 

[Pertinax]

Would you rather see a group of India rhinoceros wading in thickly vegetated pool framed against the backdrop of the himalayas from a kayak or the back of an elephant or a pair standing in a quagmire at Chester zoo? In my opinion there's no contest.

There's a great deal of truth in that. G.I Rhino has always been one of my favourite animals in Zoos, but after seeing them in the wild I had no interest in seeing them in a Zoo for a number of years.

Some other species such as Orangutans are very different in the wild, both in appearance(fine, flowing coats) and behaviour(far more active) than in zoos where the animals are really a poor imitation of their wild relatives.

 

[Dicerorhinus]

Some other species such as Orangutans are very different in the wild, both in appearance(fine, flowing coats) and behaviour(far more active) than in zoos where the animals are really a poor imitation of their wild relatives.

Yes, it's so much better to see Orangutans traversing the canopy where you can really appreciate just how at home they are there! In fact after seeing I find it very difficult to watch orange at all but Paignton zoo here in the UK. I hate to see them slumped on the ground.

zooboy28, I think it's a misconception that they are really difficult to see. Finding good views from rivers is possible.

Well, We'll get to primates later for some good discussion on that (if you guys disagree and would rather throw away the structured thread idea let me know)

 

[dean]

I have often thought that seeing a wild specimen and a zoo specimen is rather like going to the theatre as apposed to seeing a celebrity on the street, you expect to see a star on stage, or in a zoo, but not walking past if you know what I mean.

Pushing my luck with the moderators and as they are not Herbivores or Omnivores which means they must be carnivores right my list will include

Today
European kestrel eats (mice etc)
European grey Heron (eats fish and ducklings)
buzzard (eats meat and insects,)
Sparrow hawk (eats birds)

Plus so far this year I have also seen
A red fox,
weasel
Stoat,
water shrew,
common shrew
Mole

When you think of it even amphibians count as they eat other living things
so they are carnivores, but not on the scale of lions etc I grant you.

I await the moderators sanction

 

[lintworm]

Other african carnivore sightings:

from Etosha:
lion
spotted hyeana
banded mongoose
black backed jackal

and in Botswana traces from African wild cat

Further thousands of south african fur seals in Namibia and in the African cape region.

in Netherlands:
- badger
- stone marten
- pine marten
- weasel
- red fox
- common seal
- grey seal

And in Rumania a possible golden jackal, but could still be a fox....

All those shrews (5 species seen in NL) and other insectivores do not really count, as do all the bat species (about 17 species seen in NL/Belgium)

 

[Ituri]

All from North America:

COYOTE - Arizona, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Washington
GRAY WOLF - Wyoming
GRAY FOX - Arizona
KIT FOX - Arizona
RED FOX - Idaho, Wyoming
AMERICAN BLACK BEAR - Arizona, Wyoming
GRIZZLY BEAR - Wyoming
CALIFORNIA SEA LION - California
PACIFIC HARBOR SEAL - California
NORTHERN RIVER OTTER - Arizona, Wyoming
SHORT-TAILED WEASEL - Alberta
AMERICAN MINK - Idaho
AMERICAN BADGER - Arizona, Idaho
STRIPED SKUNK - Arizona, Idaho
RINGTAIL - Arizona
NORTHERN RACCOON - Arizona, Idaho

 

[Dicerorhinus]

Some exciting species there lintworm! How many Hyeanas did you see?

Did you do Namibia and Botswana in one trip?

 

[Dicerorhinus]

Ituri, I'm glad you brought your ball back

That's a lot of species. What sort of view did get of the wolf/wolves?
Is there any species you'd particularly like to see in North America still?

 

[sooty mangabey]

In East Africa, sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, black-backed jackals and spotted hyenas are all fairly common.

Regarding the wild v zoo debate above, I'd throw my hat into the "different but equal" camp - I'd compare it with watching sport live and on TV: a very different experience, with each having its definite benefits. But what about the difference between seeing a wild animal in a protected place - such as a national park - and seeing one in the 'real' wild? I had hyenas sniffing around my front door when I lived in Tanzania, and there was something very exciting about that. It was also rather thrilling to walk home at night and stumble across a side-striped jackal - much as, here, I might stumble across a fox.

Less frequent sightings included dwarf, slender and banded mongoose; serval; bat-eared fox; common genet; African civet and African palm civet - the latter two only ever as roadkill, sadly, which probably doesn't count. I have seen also seen African civets just outside Bangui, in the Central African Republic: I presume the parent had been killed and the two cubs (kittens?) were attempting to return themselves to the wild. Again - probably doesn't count!

The species I'd have loved to have seen, but didn't, were honey badgers, hunting dogs and aardwolves.

 

[jbnbsn99]

I guess I can play too, my list is far shorter than I'd like.

Coyote
Red Fox
Bobcat (up close and personal)
Striped Skunk
Raccoon

 

[devilfish]

To date, I've not had much luck with cats or bears. The list is a little bit longer than I was expecting though.

South America:
Patagonian sealion (Islas Palomino, Peru)
Galapagos sealion (Isla de la Plata, Ecuador)
Neotropical river otter (Ecuador)
Giant otter (Brazil)
Culpeo fox (Ecuador)


Egypt:
Nile (red) fox
Ruppell's fox
Egyptian weasel


UK:
Red fox
Badger
Least weasel
Grey seal
Common seal

 

[Ituri]

Ituri, I'm glad you brought your ball back

That's a lot of species. What sort of view did get of the wolf/wolves?
Is there any species you'd particularly like to see in North America still?

The wolf was stalking a buffalo calf in Yellowstone National Park. It was visible for a short while. The wind shifted and the bison cow smelled it and ran it off.

As far as North American carnivores go, I'd like to see any of the felid species and the northern elephant seal ranks high on my wish list as well.

 

[Gulo gulo]

I'll keep this just to NH, VT, MA and ME. Some species overlap, and will be noted as such.

Moose - NH, ME, MA
Canadian Lynx - NH, ME, VT
Bobcat - NH, ME, VT
Black Bear - NH, ME, MA
Red Fox - NH, ME, VT, MA
Fisher - NH
N. A. River Otter - NH, VT
N. A. Porcupine
Gray Fox - NH, ME, MA
Eastern Coyote - NH, ME, MA
Mink - NH, ME
Ermine - ME
Marten - NH, ME
Snowshoe Hare - NH, VT
Long-Tailed Weasel NH, VT

Those are my mammal highlights.

 

[zooboy28]

I'm sure it's down to the individual but for me they are in two different leagues. Sure you may get better views in a zoo but how often does a zoo animal actually resemble or behave like it's wild counter part?
It's not even true to say you would always get a closer view at a zoo. I've been on a small motorboat within touching distance of a swimming polar. I could smell it's breath a zoo visitor would never get that experience.

It's a challenge with the potential to be very disappointed but I think the rewards are far greater. Would you rather see a group of India rhinoceros wading in thickly vegetated pool framed against the backdrop of the himalayas from a kayak or the back of an elephant or a pair standing in a quagmire at Chester zoo? In my opinion there's no contest.

I smelt a polar bears breath (or at least what it was eating) at the Tallinn Zoo, and patted an Indian Rhino at Plzen Zoo, both were absolutely amazing experiences. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see them in the wild too, or that the experience wouldn't be amazing, just that seeing them in zoos is a different experience (which I generally prefer). I'm happy to agree to disagree on this .

 

[Dicerorhinus]

In East Africa, sightings of lions, cheetahs, leopards, black-backed jackals and spotted hyenas are all fairly common.

Regarding the wild v zoo debate above, I'd throw my hat into the "different but equal" camp - I'd compare it with watching sport live and on TV: a very different experience, with each having its definite benefits. But what about the difference between seeing a wild animal in a protected place - such as a national park - and seeing one in the 'real' wild? I had hyenas sniffing around my front door when I lived in Tanzania, and there was something very exciting about that. It was also rather thrilling to walk home at night and stumble across a side-striped jackal - much as, here, I might stumble across a fox.

Less frequent sightings included dwarf, slender and banded mongoose;
serval; bat-eared fox; common genet; African civet and African palm civet -
the latter two only ever as roadkill, sadly, which probably doesn't count. I have seen also seen African civets just outside Bangui, in the Central African Republic: I presume the parent had been killed and the two cubs (kittens?) were attempting to return themselves to the wild. Again - probably doesn't count!

The species I'd have loved to have seen, but didn't, were honey badgers, hunting dogs and aardwolves.

I understand your point about seeing an animal in a protected place. Some National Parks are certainly more "protected" and I believe there are many which are entirely fenced in in some of the African Nations? This is true of at least one or two in India, I have never been to such a place but the sad truth is many species can now only be found in these areas.

Thats an impressive list of species, am I right in thinking you were in Tanzania? I'm curious if it which species of Hyeana was sniffing around your door and if it was a particularly urban area?

Yeah, Honey Badgers are way up on my list of species to see. When I was in India I had planned to visit Sultanpur National Park as they're apparently reasonably common there (I also wanted to try and catch a glimpse of a Sarus Crane in flight and there're caracal also present in the park), however my girlfriend had been unwell and I decided it best to go straight to Goa and spend an extra week at a beach resort (this wasn't all bad as I managed to get my hands on something I'll share when we get to discussing primates)
Has anyone seen a wild Honey Badger?

Incidentally, if anyone thinks we should open up to discussing everything it's fine by me. I just figured it would make more sense to structure the discussion.. ad we won't be flooded with long lists.



Ituri, that's fantastic. It's the sort of event that I travel in the hope of witnessing. Definitely something that isn't supposed to happen in zoo, although a few accidents have occured!

Jbnbsn99, What do you mean by "up close and personal"? My immediate thought is you may have hit one with your car?

 

[jbnbsn99]

Jbnbsn99, What do you mean by "up close and personal"? My immediate thought is you may have hit one with your car?

Close enough that my camera lens wouldn't focus properly. Momma bobcat was within 5 feet of me with her 3 cubs.

 

[nanoboy]

I smelt a polar bears breath (or at least what it was eating) at the Tallinn Zoo, and patted an Indian Rhino at Plzen Zoo, both were absolutely amazing experiences. I'm not saying I wouldn't like to see them in the wild too, or that the experience wouldn't be amazing, just that seeing them in zoos is a different experience (which I generally prefer). I'm happy to agree to disagree on this .

Were these behind-the-scenes encounters, or did you just stuck your hand through the bars?

(PS folks, this is a top thread but I can't really contribute because all I have seen are a few seals and a fox. Not even a dingo for me!)

 

[Ituri]

Were these behind-the-scenes encounters, or did you just stuck your hand through the bars?

(PS folks, this is a top thread but I can't really contribute because all I have seen are a few seals and a fox. Not even a dingo for me!)

You guys will have your moment in the sun when we get to marsupials.

 

[nanoboy]

You guys will have your moment in the sun when we get to marsupials.

And monotremes!