Species in captivity

FelipeDBKO

FelipeDBKO

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Here we will discuss about species that aren't keep in captivity (or are rare/hard to keep):

Are a specie keep in captivity?
If yes, were it can be found?
If no, because this specie isn't keep in captivity?
It's possible to keep this specie in captivity?
How would be keep this specie in captivity?

Some species that you perhaps would say:
. African forest elephant
. Borneo pygmy elephant
. Javan rhinoceros
. Giant sable antelope
. Saiga
. Saola
. Tamaraw
. Narwhal
. Minke whale
. Humpback whale
. Baiji
. Vaquita
. Pink fairy armadillo
. Dingiso
. Platypus
. Bay cat
. Sunda clouded leopard
. Somali ostrich
. Blue-footed booby
. Spix's macaw
. Kakapo
. Blakiston's fish owl
. Leatherback sea turtle
. Thorny devil
. Galapagos marine iguana
. Galapagos land iguana
. Proboscis anole
. Tarzan chameleon
. Lesser chameleon
. Proteus
. Giant/Colossal squid
. Great white shark
. Goblin shark
. Frilled shark
. Basking shark
. Oarfish
. Anglerfish & other deep water fish
. Peanut-head bug
 
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If you look closely at the right upper corner of this website, you might be able to notice both a "Search" and an "Advanced Search" option. By entering any of the species and questions from your list, you will quickly find out that many of your questions have already been discussed and even answered in detail.
 
And if you actually do a bit of research you will find quite a few of the taxa you cite *are* held in captivity...... :p
 
If you do a bit of research, you'll also find out why some of these aren't in captivity. I'll go ahead and tell you one- no baiji in captivity cause they're extinct.
 
As I said before, here we not only affirm if the specie is created in captivity or not, but also discuss how, why, when and where.
 
Don't search exactly, "Why is species X extinct and where" just say X extinction/rare/whatever you want.
 
OP, I think people would've reacted better to this thread if you did just a little more research. Some of the animals you list, such as the Spix's macaw and the platypus, are kept in captivity. And some of the animals, the reason they're not kept in captivity is obvious. Baiji? Extinct. Humpback whale? Very large, captivity would be impractical. Even people within the zoo community debate whether current tanks for orcas are big enough, imagine the size of the enclosure you'd need to comfortably hold a humpback whale! Not to mention the feeding costs would be enormous. A humpback whale would surely attract a lot of guests, but I'm not sure it would make enough money to cover the costs.
 
TheMightyOrca said:
OP, I think people would've reacted better to this thread if you did just a little more research. Some of the animals you list, such as the Spix's macaw and the platypus, are kept in captivity. And some of the animals, the reason they're not kept in captivity is obvious. Baiji? Extinct. Humpback whale? Very large, captivity would be impractical. Even people within the zoo community debate whether current tanks for orcas are big enough, imagine the size of the enclosure you'd need to comfortably hold a humpback whale! Not to mention the feeding costs would be enormous. A humpback whale would surely attract a lot of guests, but I'm not sure it would make enough money to cover the costs.
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As I said before, here we not only affirm if the specie is created in captivity or not, but also discuss how, why, when and where. I overdid it in the humpback whale, and that's why I want to discuss whether it is possible or not. But I don't think that's impossible to keep a minke whale in a huge tank, like in the Georgia Aquarium main tank. They have an approximate size of a orca or of a whale shark. Sea World has managed to keep a young gray whale for a short period. And the tank wasn't even large.
 
the word "specie" is a coin. When referring to different types of animals "species" is both singular and plural.

:p

Hix
 
FelipeDBKO said:
As I said before, here we not only affirm if the specie is created in captivity or not, but also discuss how, why, when and where. I overdid it in the humpback whale, and that's why I want to discuss whether it is possible or not. But I don't think that's impossible to keep a minke whale in a huge tank, like in the Georgia Aquarium main tank. They have an approximate size of a orca or of a whale shark. Sea World has managed to keep a young gray whale for a short period. And the tank wasn't even large.
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Minke whale, now THAT'S a discussion! I think there were a few attempts to keep them in Japan a pretty long time ago, but they didn't last long. Granted, this was early in the days of cetacean captivity so it's not like there was much chance of them lasting long regardless. I am pretty surprised there haven't been more recent attempts. (especially considering that Japan is still doing "research" minke whale hunts) A few years back there were talks of a "whale farm" opening in Taiji, whales (including minke whales and some dolphin species) would be raised not only for meat but visitors would have the chance to see and interact with them. But it seems the concept never went anywhere.

In the US during the 60's and 70's, people were experimenting with lots of different cetacean species for captivity. (a gray whale calf was captured, though eventually released) Minke whales were never attempted, as far as I know. Worth noting that which ceta species are kept in captivity has a lot to do with access. Most species you see captured for captivity are commonly seen in the wild. If you want to capture one, you'll generally need abundant and reliable sightings in an accessible place. (hence why you don't really see Antarctic species, even common ones) I'm not terribly knowledgable on minke whales, does anyone know if there are parts of the US coast where many are seen on a regular basis?

I am pretty surprised that Japan never attempted it again, a lot of their aquariums do like to experiment and it's not like they have a lot of legal barriers that would prevent capture and captivity. (shoot, whalers just got back from a "research" whaling hunt killing 333 minke whales)
 
Lok Kawi Wildlife Park is home to a group of Borneo Pygmy elephants and Oregon zoo has a single Borneo pygmy elephant
Cologne Zoo has had and might still have Saiga antelope
Auckland Zoo has and stilkept Kakapo as well
Many Australian zoos keep platypus.
 
Cologne unfortunately doesn't have saiga but Almaty zoo in Kazakhstan and The Askaniya Nova Zoo Park in Ukraine have them.
 
For around two weeks in 1955 Izu-Mito Sea Paradise in Japan kept a Northern Minke Whale..the source for this information is Richard Weigl`s essential"Longevity of Mammals in Captivity"(2005).This book covers virtually all the mammalian species that have been kept in human care.
 
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Someone could build an good aquarium in Japan to keep and research of some species, like minke whales, goblin sharks and frilled sharks. They already have tried to keep these animals, but in precarious conditions.
 
Has anyone attempted to keep an Andean Mountain Cat in captivity before, or are they too elusive and/or finicky?
 
FelipeDBKO said:
Wow, seriously that humpack, sperm, bowhead, Bryde's and fin whale have been kept in captivity?
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If you include rescue animals then most species found in the northern hemisphere besides the blue whale have been kept. Not so sure about the bowhead though.
 
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