Bad geographical mixes in zoos

N

Norwegian moose

Well-Known Member
Do you all know of any unrealistic zoo mixes in zoos, where animals that live in seperate places or habitats in the wild are mixed in a zoo setting. Off course everybody knows of the guanaco, rhea, capybara, mara mix that every zoo has, even though they live in different habitats in the wild. But are there any others? what with schmitar horned oryx in a savannah display. Or ringtailed and ruffed lemurs in the same exhibit (even though they live in different habitats in the wild). Or the Borås zoo mix with south african fur seals and new zealand sea lions. Do you know of any others, or weird mixes that actually works very well or very bad?
 
There are a ton of these. I think you will get a flood of examples. Here are a few off the top of my head.

Reid Park Zoo - galapagos tortoise and common rhea

Out Of Africa - white indian tiger and african lion, indian nyala in african savanna

San Diego Zoo - african and asian elephant

Fossil Rim - emu and addra gazelle, axis deer and wildebeest/gemsbok/sable antelope

Houston Zoo - springhaas and hairy armadillo

Wildlife World Zoo - king vulture and blue duiker
 
Arizona Docent said:
There are a ton of these. I think you will get a flood of examples. Here are a few off the top of my head.

Reid Park Zoo - galapagos tortoise and common rhea

Out Of Africa - white indian tiger and african lion, indian nyala in african savanna

San Diego Zoo - african and asian elephant

Fossil Rim - emu and addra gazelle, axis deer and wildebeest/gemsbok/sable antelope

Houston Zoo - springhaas and hairy armadillo

Wildlife World Zoo - king vulture and blue duiker
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I presume you mean Nilgai instead of "Indian nyala", don't you?:)
 
Norwegian moose said:
Or the Borås zoo mix with south african fur seals and new zealand sea lions. Do you know of any others, or weird mixes that actually works very well or very bad?
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New Zealand sea lion?

UK safari parks are legendary for their inappropriate geographical mixes, with such beauties as white rhino and yak, giraffe and bactrian camel, American bison and fallow deer and on and on.
 
kiang said:
New Zealand sea lion?
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I was kind of wondering about this too, as there aren't any in captivity anywhere as far as I know. There aren't even any NZ fur seals in Europe, according to zootierliste, which says Boras has Cape Fur Seal (and no sea lions...)
 
zooboy28 said:
I was kind of wondering about this too, as there aren't any in captivity anywhere as far as I know. There aren't even any NZ fur seals in Europe, according to zootierliste, which says Boras has Cape Fur Seal (and no sea lions...)
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Sorry, I have written incorectly the Borås zoo mixes grey seals and cape fur seals, not cape fur seals and new zealand sea lions. Anyway I think it would be interesting to see the asian/african elephant mix, as you can see the differences between the two species, although the elephants would have to be of the same gender (We dont want hybrid elephants)

Dont hesitate with correcting me, I am quite young, so I have a lot to learn yet.
 
While seeing the difference between the species is good, there is too great a risk of disease transmission.
 
If it's weird mixes you want, you need look no further than the recently re-branded South Lakes Safari Slum! Lemurs and kangaroos, giraffe and reindeer, sloths and fennecs!!!:confused:
 
If I remember correctly Disney's Animal Kingdom has bontebok, addax, white rhino, and ostrich in an exhibit. They also have the oddest geographically inaccurate mix of gray kangaroos and crowned cranes.
 
The standard white rhino with reticulated giraffe, grant's gazelle, and grant's zebra is subtle but way off.

Shouldn't it be white rhino with South African Giraffe, Springbok, and Selous Zebra?
 
tschandler71 said:
The standard white rhino with reticulated giraffe, grant's gazelle, and grant's zebra is subtle but way off.

Shouldn't it be white rhino with South African Giraffe, Springbok, and Selous Zebra?
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I think I remember reading that springbok are on the phase out list and I don't think Selous zebras and South African giraffes are in US zoos. That being said, there are plenty of liberties taken with African savannah exhibits. Some I don't mind as much, like a reticulated giraffe with a wildebeest, but mixes like addax and white rhinos would be a bit much. I do think there is room for a bit more "creative license" in safari parks. Fossil Rim, for example, looks like a neat attraction and it has European, Asian, African, and North American species mixed together.
 
I think i have winner for this one. It's in Best-Zoo in the Netherlands it holds:

1.1 Southern Screamer
1.1 Sitatunga
and a small group of Parma wallabys
 
Many, if not most free-fligh ( walk-through ) aviaries and tropical halls have a mix of animals of several continents for example Burgers Bush - Arnhem, the Netherlands were Asain Fairy blue birds, Imperial, Nicobar and Crowned pigeons, African Turacos and Robin chats, Madagascar weavers and South American Cotingas and Honeycreepers ( and some European Sparrows which actualy shouldn't be there ), together with herps from Asia ( several turtles, geckos and agamid lizards ), Africa ( several Day geckos ( Phelsuma ) and Chameleons and South America ( several turtles, iguanas anolis-species and Basilisks ( Caimans are kept in and seperate enclosure within the Bush ).
Also mammals from 3 continents are kept in this Hall but they are kept in enclosures for their own ( Manatee, Capybara, Aardvark, Small clawed otter ), with some Asian and African bats are free ranging within the Hall.
 
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African Safari Wildlife Park, Oh-
I have never visited this but the drive-through part has bison, fallow deer, kudu, etc. without separation from each other.
Columbus Zoo-
The big turtle tank in the reptile house has turtles from around the world mixed in.
Cincinnati Zoo-
Wildlife Canyon has crap from around the world mixed in with each other.
 
cloudedleopard said:
Cincinnati Zoo-
Wildlife Canyon has crap from around the world mixed in with each other.
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They don't have any species mixed together in Wildlife Canyon. The attraction, since 1878, has been almost entirely dedicated to exhibiting hoofstock. Up until 2007, it has done that job until the emu came around. It has 6 species in total, 5 from Asia and the one emu throws it off. It is a "Species mix" (hoofed animals), not a "Geographical mix".

As for Columbus's Reptile building, the most thrown off geographical exhibit out of 40 other exhibits is the one that contains the Siebenrock's Snake-necked Turtle (New Guinea/Australia), Malaysian Giant Turtle (Malaysia), Serrated Snapping Turtle (Australia), Annam Pond Turtle (Vietnam) so I'm glad you pointed that out.
 
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cloudedleopard said:
Cincinnati Zoo-
Wildlife Canyon has crap from around the world mixed in with each other.
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1. Moebelle is right, as it's not a geographically-themed exhibit, and no animals that can't be found together don't share the same display.
2. You can't say "crap" when one of the animals you refer to is a Sumatran Rhinoceros. :D
 
Lincoln Park Zoo infamously had an Asian and African elephant sharing an exhibit when Regeinstein African Journey was still Regeinstein Large Mammal House.

Red River hogs at Brookfield were moved to the Savannah area when part of The Forest was closed.
 
Arizona Docent said:
There are a ton of these. I think you will get a flood of examples. Here are a few off the top of my head.

Reid Park Zoo - galapagos tortoise and common rhea

Out Of Africa - white indian tiger and african lion, indian nyala in african savanna

San Diego Zoo - african and asian elephant

Fossil Rim - emu and addra gazelle, axis deer and wildebeest/gemsbok/sable antelope

Houston Zoo - springhaas and hairy armadillo

Wildlife World Zoo - king vulture and blue duiker
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Galapagos tortoise and common rhea is not that bad. A mainland South American tortoise species would be better, though.
Emu and addra gazelle is ridiculous, so is axis deer and wildebeest/gemsbok/sable antelope (Africa and Asia). Springhaas and hairy armadillo (Africa and South America), and king vulture and blue duiker (Africa and South America).
African Safari Wildlife Park in Port Clinton, Ohio (near Cedar Point) has bison, elk and fallow deer together.
 
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