Nice landscape. But why farm animals like this Ankole/Watussi cattle showing here. Why not cape buffaloes? (And when the exhibit is not safe enough for them: Why not another kind of antelope or land bird?)
Two reasons. First, Ankole cattle are inexensive and easy to acquire. Second they have chosen to display Ankole to interpret the conflict between man and wildlife on Africa's shrinking savannas.
Thanks for your reply.
To reason one: True, your point, although I think it could be done without huge costs. Let me tell you my thoughts: As far as I know there are breeding cape buffaloes within USA (Zoos and private holders) but the problem is to find places for the surplus. And if there should be sorrows about space AND sozialisation with other species: Tiergarten Nuernberg (Germany) for example is keeping cape buffaloes with boehm-zebras and an antelope species (eland?) in an exhibit which I would estimate smaller then the one in Denver.
To reason two: How many visitors really understand (or: are interested in) that interpretation of that conflict?
(Also, in this way it is not very close to reality. I miss the herdsmen....)
In response to the first, Cape Buffalo are found in a very small number of US zoos, and their management is difficult. I think the chain-link fence that surrounds this exhibit would be a little suspect if subjected to the force of a Cape Buffalo.
In response to the second, does the public really care about any of the messages we try to present to them in zoos? Most people are only there to stare at exotic animals. Is this any reason why we shouldn't try to teach them something while they are there?
To the first: Unfortunately, I have never been in Phoenix Zoo, so I don't know if the exhibit can be adapted for Cape Buffalos and - if yes - in a nonexpensive way.
All I can say is that dry moats can - as examples in Berlin and the old exhibits in San Diego Zoos Panda Canyon (Forest Buffalo) demonstrates - keep them in without problems.
To the problem of getting CBs: If I remember correctly, then a keeper in a US-Zoo told me about 6 or 8 years ago, that there are many exotic hoofed species in private Animal Institutions like (game) farms and Non-ISIS-Zoos, beyound them also Cape Buffalos. But maybe this message has no longer value.
I also thought that (which was/is the problem in European Zoos too with the CBs) there is not a problem to breed them, but a problem to place the offspring.
By the way: I was talking about another antelope species too. And Greater Kudus for example are not that difficult to acquire in USA (and are not that potencially dangerous) as CBs are.
To the second: Agree in general. But as you say: Most people only stare at exotic animals. So I have my doubts if they will see the link to the threat that human/cattle bring to Savannah species (By the way: Is there a sign that shows the visitors that problem?). I don't believe that people care more about nature and protecting the environment when zoos showing car or plane wrecks, windmills, trash barrels or farm animals in the exhibits of wild animals. I think, most people just wanna enjoy their day at the zoo. They don't wanna be stuffed with negative messages (even if they are reality). But yes, there is not a REASON not to try to teach them.
Regardless of the very valid argument that Ankole Cattle are of conservation significance [except to illustrate the conflict between pastoralism & wildlife], they are wonderful animals to look at, and maybe the zoo visitor can get some idea from viewing them in zoos of the attachment some pastoral peoples have for their stock. Animals as culture.
What I don't like about this exhibit is the flight-restricted vultures sitting around.
I've never seen a vulture in my life, but I object in principle to pinioning. One of the key tenets of zoos in my view is that they're supposed to maintain the range of a species' natural behaviours as broadly as possible. Preventing birds from flying is a pretty fundamental violation of that.
