Animals No Longer At Your Zoo You'd Like To See There Again

ZNE Franklin Park Zoo has a sizable amount.

- Tiger (subspecies unknown)
- Amur leopard
- Grevy’s and Grant’s zebras
- Flamingos
- Capybara
- Mandrill
- Bongo
- Tree kangaroo
- Red-eyed tree frog
- Poison dart frogs
- Siberian and red-crowned cranes
- Ruppel’s griffon vulture
- Palm and citron-crested cockatoos (maybe?)
- Prehensile-tailed porcupine
- Great Indian, Southern ground, and white-cheeked hornbill
- Sugar glider (oddly enough)
 
Lincoln Park Zoo
Spectacled bear
Sun bear
Mained wolf
Orangutan
Jaguar
Tiger
Mandrill
Wolves
All I can remember at this point
Brookfield Zoo
Spectacled bear
Guinea baboon
Forrest buffalo
I'm sure there are a ton more for each Zoo that others remember.
 
Lincoln Park and Brookfield have many that I wish they still had. Among them:

Lincoln Park - Mandrill, Drill, Arabian Oryx, Waterbuck (they were only at the zoo for a couple years and I never got to see them), Orangutan.

Brookfield - Walrus, Ibex, Nile Hippo.

Both - African Elephant
Just posted a list myself I forgot about the Arabian oryx, I want to say they also had Sable antelope as well while I know the old exhibits were outdated some of the cat species they had like servals and a few others
 
To update as I think it's been a few years... in each case the last few animals on the list are species I recognize will not realistically return but continue to miss or associate with the facility.

Lincoln Park Zoo
- Arabian Oryx
- Grant's Gazelle
- Secretary Bird
- Orangutan
- Giant Anteater
- Cavy
- Golden-headed Lion Tamarin
- Fennec Fox
- Sand Cat
- Pallas' Cat
- Koala
- Echidna
- Pama Wallaby
- Drill
- Sun Bear
- Persian Leopard

You could knock off a huge amount of this list by making changes to and expanding the Small Mammal-Reptile House, while the gazelle and secretary bird could return to African Journey and oryx to the Camel-Zebra Area.

If you asked me to pick only one, I would probably pick the gazelle.

Brookfield Zoo
- Elephants
- Hippopotamus
- Mandrill
- Southern Cassowary
- Kiwi
- Pygmy Slow Loris
- Golden Lion Tamarin
- Callimico
- Ostrich
- Warthog
- Cheetah
- Black footed Cat
- Caracal
- Rock Hyrax
- Moholi bush baby
- Aardvark
- Baboon
- Ibex
- Bettong
- Vampire Bat
- Chinchilla
- Orinoco Crocodile
- Raccoon
- Dall Sheep
- Baird's Tapir
- Andean Bear
- Pacific Walrus
- Forest Buffalo

Brookfield's collection has suffered some immense losses in the last decade and a half for almost no gain in return; a lot of these former species could be covered by potential expansion to the zoo's current Africa section, and many remain realistically possible with two or three exceptions. Some of the others could easily fit into the existing map. I would happily expect substitutions for the baboon and ibex in terms of species available.

If you asked me to pick only one, I would pick the aardvark.

Milwaukee County Zoo
- Cougar
- Dall Sheep
- Moose
- Wolf
- Springhare
- Kinkajou
- Owl Monkey
- King Penguin
- King Vulture
- Zebra
- Red Kangaroo
- Koala
- Malayan Tapir
- Polar Bear
- Potto
- Asiatic Black Bear

A few of these are actually likely to come back or return to display, particularly the North American animals, but I'd really like to see some Australian animals return and nocturnal species with the upcoming renovation. The real 'wild card' is I'd love if tapir could return.

If you asked me to pick only one, I'd like to see the moose back on display.
It's kinda shame how many species have left both Chicago zoos.
 
You also forgot for Brookfield

Coatimundi- 1950s
Flamingo- 1980s
Nubian ibex- 2009
Andean bear- 2010
Red faced spider monkey- 2015
I thought the red face spider monkey passed away with the size of the tropic world exhibits you would of thought there would of been more south American primates like howler monkeys in addition to what they had along with South American Tapir in the exhibit and for the asain exhibit a languar species with the gibbons and orangutans removing the small clawed otters from there
 
Alaska Zoo Update (have suffered some big losses over the years {and I’m not even including the African Elephant}.)

Amur Tigers
Grey Wolves
Arctic Foxes
Snowy Owls
Dall Sheep
Glacier “Black” Bear
 
For Edinburgh Zoo, there’s a lot. I’d love to have seen Ratel, Marbled Polecat, Aardwolf, Galago, Maned wolf, White or Black rhino, Gorilla, Orangutan, Stump-tailed macaque, Bongo, Leopard, Jaguar, Margay, Hyrax, Hornbill, Pallas cat, Bush dog, Malayan civet, Aye-Aye, Gentle lemur and Chevrotain at the zoo (Some left before I was around, some left only a few years ago.)


Was lucky enough to see most of these at the zoo apart from black rhino and orangutan would be nice to see them back (in my dreams) plus painted hunting dog ,kea , Moluccan cockatoo,vasa parrots,African dwarf crocodile ,babarousa (sp) and honey badger Brazilian and Malay tapir as well
 
Lincoln Park Zoo
Spectacled bear
Sun bear
Mained wolf
Orangutan
Jaguar
Tiger
Mandrill
Wolves
All I can remember at this point
Brookfield Zoo
Spectacled bear
Guinea baboon
Forrest buffalo
I'm sure there are a ton more for each Zoo that others remember.
Happy to report there are still wolves at Lincoln Park Zoo, saw them in January. :)

It's kinda shame how many species have left both Chicago zoos.
Absolutely agreed. What makes the sense of loss feel more strange is there were a number of species phased out from both facilities almost at once -- mandrill/drill, warthog, andean bear, waterbuck, fennec fox. I get why many of these species were removed, but it almost feels like negative collection overlap to lose species once held at both facilities in a short amount of time. They also both focus on Africa and North America in terms of biogeography.

I thought the red face spider monkey passed away with the size of the tropic world exhibits you would of thought there would of been more south American primates like howler monkeys in addition to what they had along with South American Tapir in the exhibit and for the asain exhibit a languar species with the gibbons and orangutans removing the small clawed otters from there
The red-faced spider monkey did pass away. Soutrh American tapir was removed some years ago as well. I assume the howlers could not mix. Tropic World originally intended to exhibit crab-eating macaque alongside the gibbons and orangutans but they did not get along with the other species.
 
Happy to report there are still wolves at Lincoln Park Zoo, saw them in January. :)


Absolutely agreed. What makes the sense of loss feel more strange is there were a number of species phased out from both facilities almost at once -- mandrill/drill, warthog, andean bear, waterbuck, fennec fox. I get why many of these species were removed, but it almost feels like negative collection overlap to lose species once held at both facilities in a short amount of time. They also both focus on Africa and North America in terms of biogeography.


The red-faced spider monkey did pass away. Soutrh American tapir was removed some years ago as well. I assume the howlers could not mix. Tropic World originally intended to exhibit crab-eating macaque alongside the gibbons and orangutans but they did not get along with the other species.
The waterbuck Sable antelope the Arabian oryx would of made better fits than the alpacas which they could of kept at the farm yard for Lincoln Park zoo for Brookfield the old antelope house had multi species if I wasn't mistaken the aardvark could of moved to the desert exhibit area with rotation with the porcupines it makes sense on the Asia not getting along with each other and I guess Many factors go in to mixed primate species exhibits the drills/mandrills at both facilities were always so cool to see
 
Blackpool Zoo:

Giant Tortoise
White Rhino
Blesbock

Chester Zoo:

Polar Bear
Gorilla

Somewhat basic but these are the ones that come instantly to mind.
 
Blackpool Zoo:

Giant Tortoise
White Rhino
Blesbock

Chester Zoo:

Polar Bear
Gorilla

Somewhat basic but these are the ones that come instantly to mind.
I didn't realise Blackpool no longer had giant tortoise or blesbok, though it has been over 6(!) years since I last visited.
 
Yeah Darwin, the last Giant Tortoise, died about a year or two ago age 105! I was lucky to meet him (and be bitten by him over a piece of celery) on a keeper experience in July 2021. The Blesbok I believe are no longer held in the collection. They were down to single numbers a few visits ago (around December 2020) and have been absent from my last two visits (2021 and 2023).
 
New England Aquarium has a lot of big ones:

Sand tiger shark
Little blue penguin
Northern fur seal
Leafy seadragon
Lionfish
Stonefish
Blacknose shark
Red octopus
Kemp’s Ridley sea turtle
Nautilus
Zebra shark
Wolffish
 
I will answer to see if I can confuse things as I seem to have a near namesake.

For my nearest large zoo, Marwell.

Babirusa
Malayan tapir
Mishmai takin
Arabian sand cat

Not a specific species but the decline in cat species. Current cats are Amur tigers, snow leopards, clouded leopards and servals. This is a zoo that in the not too distant past held lions, tigers, leopards, jaguars, snow leopards, cheetahs and several species of smaller cat.
 
Yeah Darwin, the last Giant Tortoise, died about a year or two ago age 105! I was lucky to meet him (and be bitten by him over a piece of celery) on a keeper experience in July 2021. The Blesbok I believe are no longer held in the collection. They were down to single numbers a few visits ago (around December 2020) and have been absent from my last two visits (2021 and 2023).
Blackpool do/did hold a single blesbok as of 01/01/24 as I saw it myself. :p

Incidentally, of the species you have mentioned, the mountain gazelle and tree kangaroo are the two that instantly stand out, however, the latter is more likely to arrive at the zoo than the former in any case.
 
Following the creation of my Colchester Zoo past animals thread, these are the species I'd love to see return (even if they left long before my time):
  • Feathertail glider
  • Dusky pademelon
  • Cape crested porcupine
  • Red-rumped agouti
  • Barbary striped grass mouse
  • Dourocouli
  • Talapoin monkey
  • De Brazza's and/or Diana guenon
  • Indian flying fox
  • One true small cat (erring towards rusty-spotted cat, fishing cat or margay)
  • Common dwarf mongoose
  • Zorilla
  • Malayan tapir
  • North Sulawesi babirusa
  • Lesser Malayan chevrotain
  • Lowland anoa
  • Mishmi takin
  • Chaco chachalaca
  • European turtle dove
  • Either red-crested or white-cheeked turaco
  • Kori bustard
  • Eurasian curlew
  • Pied avocet
  • Guanay cormorant
  • Bateleur eagle
  • Southern ground hornbill
  • Any of the four Ramphastos toucan species (toco, chestnut-mandibled, keel-billed or white-throated, erring towards the latter)
  • Salmon-crested cockatoo
  • Chattering lory
  • Any of the three macaw species, erring towards green-winged
  • Red-billed blue magpie
  • Common hill myna
  • Montserrat oriole
  • Java sparrow
  • Yellow-headed day gecko
  • Chinese water dragon
  • Mangrove cat snake
  • Burmese python
  • Puff adder
  • Home's hingeback tortoise
  • Indian star tortoise
  • Yellow-margined box turtle
  • Cane toad
  • Golden poison-dart frog
  • Fire salamander
  • Red-bellied piranha
  • Seahorses
  • Giant flower beetle
  • Fregate Island palm beetle
  • White-spotted assassin bug
  • Leaf-cutting ant
  • Butterflies
  • Ghana speckled-leg millipede
  • Mexican redknee tarantula
  • Imperial scorpion
Of course, I'd say 99% of this is wishful thinking - in fact, I think the only thing on my list with any official plans for a return are the butterflies.
 
My new "home" zoo is the ABQ Biopark Zoo. There are a lot of species that I would love to make a return at the zoo, many of which left before my time:
  • African Lion
  • California Sea Lion
  • American Bison
  • Koala
  • Red Panda
  • Meerkat
  • Capybara
  • Saltwater Crocodile
  • Secretary Bird
  • Bactrian Camel
  • Bongo
  • Sloth Bear
  • Fossa
  • Black Howler Monkey
  • African Wild Dog
  • Rock Hyrax
  • African Crested Porcupine
  • Red River Hog
  • Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth
  • Black-tailed Prairie Dog
  • Serval
  • Pygmy Slow Loris
  • Gerenuk
  • Binturong
  • Common Ostrich
  • Markhor
  • Desert Bighorn Sheep
  • De Brazza's Monkey
  • Tayra
 
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Hi!

My home zoo is Zoo Taiping in Malaysia.
These are the lost species that I'd love to see again:

Large Indian Civet / Viverra zibetha
Banded Civet / Hemigalus derbyanus
Small Indian Civet / Viverricula indica
Otter Civet / Cynogale bennettii
Banded Linsang / Prionodon linsang
Javan Mongoose / Urva javanica
Red Hartebeest / Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
Flat Headed Cat / Prionailurus planiceps
Pygmy Marmoset / Cebuella sp.
 
Hi!

My home zoo is Zoo Taiping in Malaysia.
These are the lost species that I'd love to see again:

Large Indian Civet / Viverra zibetha
Banded Civet / Hemigalus derbyanus
Small Indian Civet / Viverricula indica
Otter Civet / Cynogale bennettii
Banded Linsang / Prionodon linsang
Javan Mongoose / Urva javanica
Red Hartebeest / Alcelaphus buselaphus caama
Flat Headed Cat / Prionailurus planiceps
Pygmy Marmoset / Cebuella sp.
Wow great I 2nd the request.
 
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