Andean species in zoos

NATY

NATY

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
I'm creating an Andes Mountains area for a fantasy zoo and I'm trying to look for Andean species that are kept in zoos, mostly European and North American ones. Not counting things like llamas and alpacas coz they're domesticated and cougars since they're mostly from North America

So far I've got down a few obvious choices and there needs to be more
  • Andean cock-of-the-rock
  • Andean condor
  • Chilean flamingo
  • Guanaco
  • Helmeted curassow
  • Mountain tapir
  • Southern pudu
  • Spectacled bear
Cheers
 
I've seen Andean tinamou and Andean goose in US zoos, for starters (I've also seen a few other less common species, but they were in Ecuadorian facilities, so probably not as accessible to European or American collections). Lake Titicaca frogs are becoming an increasingly common species in the US as well. I also wouldn't discount puma - they have a broad range, it's true, but they are still very much a creature of the Andes and play a very important role in the ecology and cultural history of the region.
 
Other mammals - Vicuna, Chinchilla, Geoffroy's Cat, Long-tailed Weasel, South American Coati, Kinkajou, Night Monkey sp. White-tailed Deer and Screaming Hairy Armadillo if you are a taxonomic lumper.

Lesser Rhea (also if you are a taxonomic lumper).

Cloud forest birds - Plate-billed mountain toucan, Golden-headed Quetzal. Many of the standard "Amazon" birds (Motmots, Tanagers) occur in cloud forest also.

Water birds - Puna Ibis, Puna Teal, many widespread resident or migratory species (Common Gallinule, various sandpipers, Cinnamon Teal, etc.)

Birds of prey - Crested Caracara, Aplomado Falcon, American Kestrel, Burrowing Owl, Great Horned Owl
 
Atelopus toads are associated with mid- to high elevation Andean streams. Quite a few of the fast water specialist sucker mouth catsfish come from high elevations as well
 
Crested Quetzal ; held at Amazon World Zoo until 2010, still bts at DWA?
Mountain Vizcacha ; only one left in Europe in Germany, exists in South American captivity
 
Are there any zoos which have Andean themed areas aside from Nashville and Queens?
 
noobmaster69 said:
I'm creating an Andes Mountains area for a fantasy zoo and I'm trying to look for Andean species that are kept in zoos, mostly European and North American ones. Not counting things like llamas and alpacas coz they're domesticated and cougars since they're mostly from North America

So far I've got down a few obvious choices and there needs to be more
  • Andean cock-of-the-rock
  • Andean condor
  • Chilean flamingo
  • Guanaco
  • Helmeted curassow
  • Mountain tapir
  • Southern pudu
  • Spectacled bear
Cheers
Click to expand...
While not breeding any more, mountain tapirs are also kept in San Francisco, Fresno and in Zoo de Cali in Colombia
 
noobmaster69 said:
Are there any zoos which have Andean themed areas aside from Nashville and Queens?
Click to expand...
In Europe, these types of facilities or complexes are relatively common in zoos. From memory, I remember the Paris Zoo (Vincennes) or the Leipzig Zoo. Although it is true that they do not usually refer to them as Andean enclosures, but rather as South American or Patagonian. They usually keep species such as guanacos, vicugnas, rheas, ducks...

In many zoos, Andean species are kept together with forest or plain species such as tapir, capybara, anteater...
 
Randomname0183 said:
While not breeding any more, mountain tapirs are also kept in San Francisco, Fresno and in Zoo de Cali in Colombia
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I don't believe Fresno or San Francisco keep Mountain Tapir (Could you be thinking of Baird's?), Only Las Angeles and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo currently keep the species in the US.
 
Nix said:
I don't believe Fresno or San Francisco keep Mountain Tapir (Could you be thinking of Baird's?), Only Las Angeles and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo currently keep the species in the US.
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My bad, I got the zoos mixed up. Thanks for the correction.
 
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Cougars can be found all across South America including the Andes and would educationally really help teach people about their massive distribution. If you really need species Giant Anteaters can be found in Andean Foothills.
 
European zoos are now rarely importing Andean species, but there are some in the recent years.

But I do see some posts on Andean species on Softbillsforsale.com, they could be wild-caught.

It was interesting for zoos to have an Andean-themed exhibit with an Andean-themed aviary.
 
Randomname0183 said:
While not breeding any more, mountain tapirs are also kept in San Francisco, Fresno and in Zoo de Cali in Colombia
Click to expand...

Nix said:
I don't believe Fresno or San Francisco keep Mountain Tapir (Could you be thinking of Baird's?), Only Las Angeles and Cheyenne Mountain Zoo currently keep the species in the US.
Click to expand...

San Francisco did have Mountain Tapirs up until the mid-2000's, this is probably what you're thinking of. I'm not aware of Fresno ever having any, but they might have many years ago. Currently neither SF or Fresno has any tapirs, although Malayan is slated to return to Fresno with the new Asian complex.
 
Great Argus said:
San Francisco did have Mountain Tapirs up until the mid-2000's, this is probably what you're thinking of. I'm not aware of Fresno ever having any, but they might have many years ago. Currently neither SF or Fresno has any tapirs, although Malayan is slated to return to Fresno with the new Asian complex.
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Could be confused with Fresnos old Bairds or Malayan Tapirs. Do you know where San Franciscos Mountain Tapirs went? Also while I was researching possible mountain tapirs at fresno I found out Wilhelma used to have some which is interesting.
 
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