Species on the brink of disappearing from U.K Collections
- Thread starter zoogiraffe
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No, they aren't.
There are now only a couple of Zoos where they are breeding with any frequency, Leipzig is the main one. Mulhouse sometimes breed too I think. There is a thread for this species in the Europe Forums.
In the 1990's there were five Zoos in the UK with this species, and they bred at four of those. The last to keep them were Edinburgh. Now there are none at all.
Marwell have 1.1, as did Newquay when I visited in January.
As well as the species I noted in my reply to Al, they still hold a few unique bird species - many of them offshow due to ongoing work on expansion - and the only Nine-banded Armadillo in the UK. Sadly they have now dispersed much of their excellent toucan/aracari collection across other collections
but they still hold the only Mountain Plate-billed Toucans in Europe.Afraid the green acouchi is also gone, Al, as I noted in my posts above. They still have their plains viscacha and the only Little Screaming Armadillo in Europe onshow, but the prehensile tailed porcupine is currently offshow.
A sad tale, and one shared by many guenon and macaque species in the UK - by the end of the decade I am certain at least another half-dozen taxa will join the Hamlyn's in departing the UK. Other than singletons like the Whiteside's Guenon I saw a week ago, I think the next one to go is bound to be the Allen's Swamp Monkey.
Almost certainly.
I think the only Guenons that have a longer term future in the UK are Diana, DeBrazza and L'Hoests, and even the first two are a bit dodgy.
Regarding Macaques, the two 'common' ones now are Lion-tailed and Sulawesi (and Barbary at the Trentham Forest place) I can't remember the last time I saw any Pig-tailed, Stump-tailed(Bear) Bonnet or Crab-eaters in a UK Zoo. Do any UK collections still have any of these?
Thought I would do a summary of all the remaining macaque species in Europe, being as I was rooting out the information for the ones you mentioned (which I will highlight in bold) anyhow
Assam macaque (Macaca assamensis) is pretty much gone from Europe; there's one Russian collection on the border of Georgia but that's it.
Barbary macaque (Macaca sylvanus) is held by 6 collections in the UK, at least two of which - Trentham and Edinburgh - breed regularly; this, plus the fact well over 100 collections in Europe hold the species, means it is secure overall.
Bonnet macaque (Macaca radiata) is now absent from the UK, and only 8 collections hold the species in Europe as a whole. Think they are breeding relatively well though.
Crab-eating macaque (Macaca fascicularis) is now only held by three collections in the UK - Shepreth, Curraghs and Wales Ape & Monkey - all elderly and non-breeding, so the species is doomed in the UK but with about 60 collections in Europe as a whole may hopefully hang on for a while yet overall.
Sulawesi black macaque (Macaca nigra) is, as you noted, doing well in the UK with a total of 11 collections holding the species. It is actually not doing as well in Europe as a whole when compared to some of the species faring poorly here, with a total of only 29 collections holding the species, but as it breeds prodigiously this hopefully will not be an issue.
Heck's macaque (Macaca hecki) is only found at Howletts in the entirety of Europe, and has been offshow for some time. This species likely will not last the decade in Europe.
Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) are only held at two collections in the UK; Wales Ape & Monkey and Highland Wildlife Park. However, the success the latter collection has had in breeding the species, and the fact about 65 collections hold the species in Europe as a whole, means it is hopefully going to stick around.
Lion-tailed macaque (Macaca silenus) is held by 5 collections in the UK, and 39 in Europe as a whole. As it breeds very well in the UK, this species is secure I think.
Moor macaque (Macaca maura) is absent from the UK, and only found in 5 collections in Europe - the population is elderly and non-breeding.
Pig-tailed macaque (Macaca nemestrina) is now only held in the Uk at Drayton Manor; however there are a total of 40 collections holding the species overall in Europe so it hopefully might stick around there.
Rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) is only held at 4 collections in the UK, although as I observed last week the population at Owl/Monkey Haven on the Isle of Wight is healthy and expanding. 65 European collections hold the species in total, so this species too may hopefully have a future.
Bear macaque (Macaca arctoides) is held at 3 collections in the UK, all with elderly individuals, and a total of 22 collections in Europe - the majority in Russia. I think they are breeding okay in a few collections on the continent, so they might not be doomed.
Tonkean macaque (Macaca tonkeana) is entirely absent from the UK, but breeds regularly in the 10 continental collections holding the species.
Toque macaque (Macaca sinica) is only held by 3 collections in Europe, none in the UK - however the Berlin group regularly breeds and has done so since the 1980's so it might hang on in small numbers.
In summary, Bear Macaque, Pig-tailed Macaque, Crab-eating Macaque and Heck's Macaque are all likely to disappear from the UK, and in the case of the latter Europe too. Moreover, Assam and Moor Macaque are likely to disappear from Europe entirely.
If anything, I think it demonstrates that macaques are not yet in quite as dire a situation in the UK, and indeed Europe, as guenons are - there is still a chance for a variety of taxa to be saved.
Of the 22 recognised species of macaque still extant, 19 have been held in Europe - of these, 14 are still around in greater or lesser numbers, with 5 taxa having disappeared prior to the present, and 3 taxa never having been held. If we assume that the three taxa I predicted would die out in Europe are indeed doomed, that still leaves us with 50% of the taxonomic diversity still to be found - which is a *lot* better than can be said for guenons.
For reference, the 5 taxa which have ceased to have been held were:
Booted macaque (M. ochreata), which was last held by Berlin Zoo in 1990.
Northern pig-tailed macaque (M. leonine), which is a recent loss - the last individual died at Roma sometime in the past 12 months.
Pagai Island macaque (M. pagensis) - much like the Heck's Macaque, this was an isolated import - the last and only individual to have been held in Europe died at Bristol in 1997.
Formosan rock macaque (M. cyclopis) - as far as I can tell, the last individual died at Wassenaar Zoo sometime in the early 1980's.
Tibetan macaque (M. thibetana) - another relatively recent loss, the final individual died at Barcelona in 2002.
Of the 22 recognised species of macaque still extant, 19 have been held in Europe - of these, 14 are still around in greater or lesser numbers, with 5 taxa having disappeared prior to the present, and 3 taxa never having been held. If we assume that the three taxa I predicted would die out in Europe are indeed doomed, that still leaves us with 50% of the taxonomic diversity still to be found - which is a *lot* better than can be said for guenons.
For reference, the 5 taxa which have ceased to have been held were:
Booted macaque (M. ochreata), which was last held by Berlin Zoo in 1990.
Northern pig-tailed macaque (M. leonine), which is a recent loss - the last individual died at Roma sometime in the past 12 months.
Pagai Island macaque (M. pagensis) - much like the Heck's Macaque, this was an isolated import - the last and only individual to have been held in Europe died at Bristol in 1997.
Formosan rock macaque (M. cyclopis) - as far as I can tell, the last individual died at Wassenaar Zoo sometime in the early 1980's.
Tibetan macaque (M. thibetana) - another relatively recent loss, the final individual died at Barcelona in 2002.
I remember this Monkey. They had it labelled as a 'Mentawi Island Macaque' while in Yearbook listings I think it was listed as a 'hybrid'- I don't think they knew what it was when it was alive. It was rather like a small Moor Macaque but lighter brown/grey.
Do you know which are the three UK collections that still have Bear/Stump-tailed Macaques?
Mentawi Island Macaque is another correct name for the species, I believe.
Monkey World, Gentleshaw and Thrigby Hall are the three collections which currently hold Bear Macaque; I believe the former collection holds a non-breeding group of elderly individuals, and the latter two hold elderly singletons.
Thrigby Hall, by the by, seems to be a hotspot for taxa dying out in captivity; it is also the location of the last Chinese Golden Cat (Pardofelis temminckii dominicanorum) in captivity, certainly within Europe and possibly worldwide, as even in the native range I only know of P.t.tristis and P.t.temminckii being held.
In the past, Thrigby Hall was the last European collection to hold Hog badger (Arctonyx collaris) in 1992, and Japanese giant salamander (Andrias japonicus) in 2010 along with Large Treeshrew (Tupaia tana).
I think initially Bristol may have listed it as a hybrid but then got it right with the later definition.
I had totally forgotten about MW's stumptails- originally they had 18(?) elderly animals that came from a Lab who I think paid for the housing. A number have died since and I don't know how many are left- presumably not many now.
I was somewhat tempted to visit MW for the stumptail lifetick last week, being as I was staying just outside of Wareham, but to be honest I'll be getting my quota of "Zoo which hates it when people call it a zoo" at Port Lympne next weekend
their website claims there are 10 stumptails at the park, but I suspect this will be out of date.
Edinburgh had stump tails more recently (until about 5 years ago?). I think they were also elderly ex lab animals housed in the little brick enclosure behind the monkey house.
Stump tails are fascinating, albeit not particularly attractive; but I think moor macaques are my favourites - anyway more macaques of any sort would suit me
Alan
Stump tails are fascinating, albeit not particularly attractive; but I think moor macaques are my favourites - anyway more macaques of any sort would suit me
Alan
Their website says they still have 10. They rescued some new ones a few years ago from a laboratory in Scotland, I think.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
It does seem to me that what might be termed "intermediate primates" , i.e. monkeys (both New World and Old World) and gibbons are neglected taxa these days. Callitrichids have their devotees, lemur walk-through exhibits are seemingly the first idea for any vacant space in a zoo, and there seems no end to the fascination with gorillas.
But guenons, the supreme example of primate radiation in Africa, seem to attract little interest. And there must surely be a link between the relative abundance of Macaca nigra and M silenus , and their strking appearance when compared to the norm for their genus.
If zoos really do want to be showcases for diversity then some fresh thinking, and carefully managed importation plans are going to be needed, IMHO.
But guenons, the supreme example of primate radiation in Africa, seem to attract little interest. And there must surely be a link between the relative abundance of Macaca nigra and M silenus , and their strking appearance when compared to the norm for their genus.
If zoos really do want to be showcases for diversity then some fresh thinking, and carefully managed importation plans are going to be needed, IMHO.
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Edinburgh had stump tails more recently (until about 5 years ago?). I think they were also elderly ex lab animals housed in the little brick enclosure behind the monkey house.
Stump tails are fascinating, albeit not particularly attractive; but I think moor macaques are my favourites - anyway more macaques of any sort would suit me
I must have seen them too, but can't remember them. I agree Macaques are great but do not seem to have many devotees among Curatorial staff.
Very true. The middle-sized and larger Monkeys seem to be the least represented in many Zoos. Possibly its easier for many Parks to display Tamarins, Marmosets and Lemurs than the larger and more demanding/dangerous species.
I think the abundance of both Sulawesi and Liontailed Macaques is connected with their status in the wild- collections took them on originally because of their 'conservation' value' then found they bred well so there were surplus for other collections to take on. In the case of Sulawesi Macaques, they are active and very social and rather resemble 'mini-gorillas' -all factors which I think may also contribute to their popularity.
Most Guenons on the other hand are not endangered, or their status is indeterminate, so they aren't focused on. Coupled with the fact they are generally shyer and slower/poor breeders in many places, you have almost the reverse situation of the two most popular Macaque species.
I do agree the Guenons are a most overlooked and under-rated group of Monkeys and I for one would like to see them better represented and in many more collections, instead of struggling to maintain any populations at all.
what you need in the UK is some sort of, I dunno, like a "world primate centre" or something like that which could specialise in guenons and macaques and all those other neglected monkeys.
IanRRobinson
Well-Known Member
H'mm. A certain place beginning with "T" has, to the best of my knowledge, never once exhibited a macaque, a mangabey, Drill or mandrill, or a baboon. Maybe they might have spoiled those lawns...
