This used to be the african wild dog exhibit. According to the zoo, they still have wild dogs, but for some reason, this exhibit is holding maned wolves nowadays.
This used to be the african wild dog exhibit. According to the zoo, they still have wild dogs, but for some reason, this exhibit is holding maned wolves nowadays.
@David Matos Mendes When last I visited which was about a year ago they still had African wild dog in this enclosure. I think there were a trio of these canids if I remember correctly. I wonder where they have gone.
@Onychorhynchus coronatus Yeah, I was quite surprised when I didnt see them there. The zoo's most recent species list from december 2019 says they still have two individuals...
@David Matos Mendes One must have died since I visited then, because I definitely remember there being three of these animals. Maybe these dogs are being held behind the scenes for some veterinary care or something like that.
There are quite a lot of animals that are kept behind the scenes at SP zoo and I believe this is also where their pampas cats and Lear's macaws are kept (these native species including buffy tufted marmosets are also kept at their private CECFAU captive breeding facility which is located just outside of Sorocaba).
@Onychorhynchus coronatus Ah, yes, that's why I didn't see their pampas cats. Wanted to see them, once they are the ancestors of the ones in BH. It makes sense that they put the reproductive animals in the backstage... Mainly the lear's macaw, who seems to be pretty shy.
When you read the zoo's species list from some years ago, there were 4 wild dogs. In december 2019, they had only 2, so my bet is that they got worried because the two dogs might have died in a considerably small period of time, and maybe they are taking care of the other two, for displaying them again in the future.
@David Matos Mendes Yes, and at least one of the pampas cats at Sorocaba (the male, I think) also came from BH zoo, I believe.
I think you are probably right about the wild dogs and it could be that they are concerned about some kind of infectious disease. I know that toxoplasmosis (spread by feral cats) is a big concern in most Brazilian zoos and particularly in regards to small and large carnivores and new world primates.
@Onychorhynchus coronatus Oh, yes, that makes sense. If I'm not wrong, I've seen feral cats in all the brazilian zoos I've been to. In São Paulo there were some big families...
@David Matos Mendes Yes, its a huge problem in zoos here and causes a lot of illness and mortality in animals kept in them and is especially dangerous for native primate species which are already susceptible to yellow fever.
For example in Sorocaba zoo it is a huge problem and despite the best efforts by the staff to mitigate this problem with education and sterilization programs in the local community it keeps arising.
Why? well, because ignorant people living in the city don't neuter or look after their ******* pet cats (like keeping them indoors for example and not abandoning them in the street).
@Onychorhynchus coronatus Yeah, and there is still the fact that irresponsible people abandon their pets, so these migrate for the entire city, including the zoos...
@David Matos Mendes Yes, it isn't the fault of the cats, I know, like most things it is a problem that arises from humans and must be solved by them too but there are no easy solutions to this problem other than the constant and tireless work of education.
