In the United States of America there are approximately 700 zoos (including everything from reptile facilities to drive-thru parks) and there are almost zero serows left anywhere. Sad but true.
What is the history with serows in captivity? Have they always been quite rare or were they more common at one time? What is the main cause of their near disappearance from captivity, difficult to keep alive or breed in zoos? Has there been a gender bias in any births, Or have they had a point where they have bred so freely there were no homes to put the young, and then when numbers dropped and breeding was again needed none of the animals were receptive due to breeding inactivity as can be with hoof stock?
Allmost all European serow originate from Japanese imports by Vienna & Berlin, Vienna got thei 1,1 in 1993 and had the first european breeding a year later and had a few more succesfull breedings, also Berlin bred a few times. But at the moment the only male left in Europe was one that was imported by Magdeburg from Los Angeles a few years ago, he also spends part of his time in Berlin, in the hope to breed there. But they have never been common.....
I doubt many people will have even noticed it's departure as, if I'm not mistaken, it was in a poorly signposted and difficult to view enclosure next to the Japanese Macaques. Everyone viewed the macaques but I doubt many realised there was a serow next door! So hopefully it will be better displayed in its new home.
They are doing well in Japan, but not in our climate-to hot for them, serows suffer under the heat in middle euroepan summer extremly.None of the animals became very old, and they never did well in europe. Maybe they should try to keep them in northern europe.
