ZooChat Challenge (Global) 2014

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ThylacineAlive

ThylacineAlive

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Alright! While the 2013 ZooChat Challenge (Penguins) wasn't that big of a success, I had fun with it and like the idea of having a zoo challenge. I understand it's harder to do these as oppose to the UK ones because not everyone has the same zoological advantages as others but I tried to be as fair as I could!

All credit goes to Shorts and his UK Challenges.

So what's this years topic? Well, I thought hard and played with different groups and tried to pick a group everyone has access to and I finally decided one.... Pheasants!

Now, when I say 'pheasants', I don't just mean Phasianinae, I mean all of Phasianidae! From pheasants to junglefowl to peafowl, there are many, many species around in captivity for us to find!

As far as I'm aware, everyone has pheasants (or, at least, I know North America, Asia, and Europe do! Sorry Oceania!:o). Another reason for going with this is because it's a bit of a challenge! I mean, penguins are pretty easy to find. Just walk up to the enclosure and BAM!, done. With pheasants, you might have to look for a minute. My final reasoning is because there's a lot of diversity and available species in this group.

The rules go as followed:
1. You have to actually see the animal, even if just for a second. You don't score if you visit a collection but don't see the animal (harsh, but fair);
2. Proof via photographs is not required, your word is your bond;
3. You have to see the animal via normal public access (i.e. not including zookeeper for the day or photography days behind the scenes) during normal public opening hours (i.e. no scoring because you know the keeper and can get access before/after hours). Basically the species has to be seen as Joe Public would;
4. Any limited opening or private collections don't count for this challenge. Controversial I know, but see previous point and I didn't think it fair to include a handful of days these collections might be open to the public as this might logistically disadvantage a large number of people.
5. Report/update your progress on this thread as you go along;
6. Except for the unlikely event that someone gets to see all the species potentially see-able by 31/12/14 the winner will be deemed to be the person(s) who's seen the most at that date.
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Now I'd personally like to throw in a 7th rule:
7. Wild animals don't count. Sorry Baboon and Chlidonias but there are certainly a lot more potentially see-able species in the wilds of Asia than in Europe and America!

So have fun and good luck! And sorry if I messed up anyone's chances with this one due to the group not being well represented in your country/continent!

~Thylo:cool:
 
I think pheasants are a great idea Thylo, although obviously there's little chance anyone in Australasia will take out the challenge! I think there are maybe 20 species of Phasianidae present in the region, so those in the northern hemisphere definitely have the advantage! Maybe the 2015 challenge should be marsupials... :D
 
zooboy28 said:
I think pheasants are a great idea Thylo, although obviously there's little chance anyone in Australasia will take out the challenge! I think there are maybe 20 species of Phasianidae present in the region, so those in the northern hemisphere definitely have the advantage! Maybe the 2015 challenge should be marsupials... :D
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Well, you never know! Pretty much the only reason I one last year's challenge was because no one else besides TeaLovingDave and I posted our winnings:p And then I only won by one! I just did a quick count anyhow and I've only ever seen 28 (unless I miscounted) species of Phasianidae and that took me a few years to get to so you never know!

Yeah! 2015 will totally be Didelphimorphia!:p;)

~Thylo:cool:
 
I've seen about 60 species of Phasianidae, but most were in Europe.

And you definitely cannot do Didelphimorphia in 2015, but I will accept Diprotodontia. :D
 
zooboy28 said:
I've seen about 60 species of Phasianidae, but most were in Europe.

And you definitely cannot do Didelphimorphia in 2015, but I will accept Diprotodontia. :D
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Monotremata, perhaps?

:p

Hix
 
I have Congo Peafowl, Lady Amhurst's and Argus Pheasants to start off the year.

Are guineafowl included?
 
bongorob said:
Are guineafowl included?
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It has since been pointed out to me that the current thinking is that guineafowl do belong to Phasianidae so, yes, guineafowl can be included. Just as long as they can be found in Australasian zoos as well.

~Thylo:cool:
 
It seems I need to visit "De Rooie Hoeve" again which is a small zoo in Netherlands which just has pheasants. They have around 50 species currently.


One question TA: Do you count subspecies separately and what do you do with Lophura hatinhensis?
 
DDcorvus said:
One question TA: Do you count subspecies separately and what do you do with Lophura hatinhensis?
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Just like with the UK Challenges, subspecies do not count. Lophura hatinhensis will be counted as Lophura edwardsi at the moment.

~Thylo:cool:
 
Thanks Thylo, I ll participate this year. I should get some under my belt quite soon with a visit to Antwerp Zoo. Rooie Hoeve is only opening the 5th of May so I ll make a big bang then.
 
I just did a zootierliste check and Europeans could get all European available Phasianinae species except congo peafowl at one collection. That collection has no Perdicinae though.
 
I got 6 species already after visiting the Prospect Park Zoo. Will visit the bronx zoo next month and have a few more big zoos planned this year.
 
ThylacineAlive said:
Could you please list the species you've seen?

~Thylo:cool:
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Sure here they are:
1.Silver Pheasant (Lophura nycthemera)
2.Golden Pheasant (Chrysolophus pictus)
3.Crested Partridge (Rollulus rouloul)
4.Indian Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)
5.Helmeted Guineafowl (Numida meleagris)
6. Satyr Tragopan (Tragopan satyra)
 
I'd just like to add something I forgot to mention earlier: Domestics don't count. So if you're looking to add that Red Junglefowl, make sure it isn't a Domesticated Chicken!

~Thylo:cool:
 
Well I'm in now!

From Central Park:
1) Crested Wood Partridge Rollulus rouloul
2) Green Peafowl Pavo muticus
3) Himalayan Monal Lophophorus impejanus
4) Brown Eared-Pheasant Crossoptilon mantchuricum

~Thylo:cool:
 
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