Animals You've Seen That Few Zoochatters Have Seen

My thinking with the albatross is that I don't think they are that common in zoos and in general, I'm guessing a lot of people haven't seen them. Our tour guide said we were lucky to see one as he had rarely seen them. The margay was included because I know they're very rare in U.S. zoos but didn't know how common they were outside of the U.S. The one I saw was at a wildlife sanctuary in Costa Rica.
 
devilfish said:
Me too :)
I've only seen waved and black-browed though.
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I have ten species on my list plus another one (Indian Ocean Yellow-nosed Albatross Thalassarche carteri which I've seen but don't count because they were too far away to make me comfortable about it):

Southern Royal Albatross Diomedea epomophora
Northern Royal Albatross Diomedea sanfordi
Snowy Wandering Albatross Diomedea chionoptera
Gibson's Wandering Albatross Diomedea gibsoni
Antipodean Wandering Albatross Diomedea antipodensis
Subantarctic Black-browed Mollymawk Thalassarche melanophrys
Campbell Island Black-browed Mollymawk Thalassarche impavida
NZ White-capped Mollymawk Thalassarche steadi
Salvin's Mollymawk Thalassarche salvini
Southern Buller's Mollymawk Thalassarche bulleri
 
Many of the European or Asian (living in Asia) ZooChatters probably have seen it, but most North American ZooChatters probably haven't seen the Eurasian Otter in captivity (I saw three at the Atlantic Sea-Park in Alesund, Norway). Also I have seen the African Clawless Otter at the Metro Richmond Zoo and the American Marten at ZooAmerica.
 
I was fortunate enough to add some mammal rarities to my life list from two recent trips I took in April and May:

Note this includes species seen both in captivity and the wild and I didn't include any bats yet because I wanted to be more sure of species IDs first.


1. Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus) -ZooDom

2. Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium) -ZooDom

3. Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) -Acuario Rodadero

4. little red brocket (Mazama rufina) -Quito Zoo

5. taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis) -Huachipa Zoo

6. olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina) -Quito Zoo

7. western mountain coati (Nasuella olivacea) -Bioparque La Reserva

8. Andean white-eared opossum (Didelphis pernigra) -Quito Zoo

9. brown-eared woolly opossum (Caluromys lanatus) -Las Leyendas

10. Peruvian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus yuracus) -Quito Zoo

11. Humboldt's squirrel monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis) -Quito Zoo

12. Brumback's night monkey (Aotus brumbacki) -Los Occaros

13. Lucifer titi (Cheracebus lucifer) -Cafam Melgar

14. black titi (Cheracebus lugens) -Los Occaros

15. ornate titi (Plecturocebus ornatus) -Cali Zoo

16. mottle-faced tamarin (Saguinus inustus) -Los Occaros

17. Colombian woolly monkey (Lagothrix lugens) -Santacruz Zoo

18. Miller's saki (Pithecia milleri) -Cafam Melgar

19. white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis) (wild)

20. white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) (wild)

21. mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) (wild)

22. Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis) -Palm Beach Zoo

23. yellow-nosed cotton rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus) (wild)

24. desert pocket mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus) -Wildlife World Zoo

25. southern pocket gopher (Thomomys umbrinus) (wild)

26. Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus) (wild)

27. spotted ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma) (wild)

28. Mexican fox squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis) (wild)

29. Abert's squirrel, or tassel-eared squirrel (Sciurus aberti) (wild)

30. Hopi chipmunk (Neotamias rufus) (wild)

31. Uinta chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus) (wild)

32. Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus)

33. Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens) (wild)

34. Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni) (wild)

35. white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus) (wild)

36. large-headed capuchin (Sapajus macrocephalus) -Barranquilla Zoo



If you'd like, let me know how many of the 36 you already had!
 
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Giant Eland said:
I was fortunate enough to add some mammal rarities to my life list from two recent trips I took in April and May:

Note this includes species seen both in captivity and the wild and I didn't include any bats yet because I wanted to be more sure of species IDs first.


1. Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus)

2. Hispaniolan hutia (Plagiodontia aedium)

3. Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis)

4. little red brocket (Mazama rufina)

5. taruca (Hippocamelus antisensis)

6. olinguito (Bassaricyon neblina)

7. western mountain coati (Nasuella olivacea)

8. Andean white-eared opossum (Didelphis pernigra)

9. brown-eared woolly opossum (Caluromys lanatus)

10. Peruvian white-fronted capuchin (Cebus yuracus)

11. Humboldt's squirrel monkey (Saimiri cassiquiarensis)

12. Brumback's night monkey (Aotus brumbacki)

13. Lucifer titi (Cheracebus lucifer)

14. black titi (Cheracebus lugens)

15. ornate titi (Plecturocebus ornatus)

16. mottle-faced tamarin (Saguinus inustus)

17. Colombian woolly monkey (Lagothrix lugens)

18. Miller's saki (Pithecia milleri)

19. white-sided jackrabbit (Lepus callotis)

20. white-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)

21. mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii)

22. Perdido Key beach mouse (Peromyscus polionotus trissyllepsis)

23. yellow-nosed cotton rat (Sigmodon ochrognathus)

24. desert pocket mouse (Chaetodipus penicillatus)

25. southern pocket gopher (Thomomys umbrinus)

26. Uinta ground squirrel (Urocitellus armatus)

27. spotted ground squirrel (Xerospermophilus spilosoma)

28. Mexican fox squirrel (Sciurus nayaritensis)

29. Abert's squirrel, or tassel-eared squirrel (Sciurus aberti)

30. Hopi chipmunk (Neotamias rufus)

31. Uinta chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus)

32. Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus)

33. Utah prairie dog (Cynomys parvidens)

34. Gunnison's prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni)

35. white-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys leucurus)


If you'd like, let me know how many of the 35 you already had!
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Which ones were wild?

BTW, I have seen NONE of those animals.
 
birdsandbats said:
Which ones were wild?

BTW, I have seen NONE of those animals.
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I edited to indicate which ones were wild, and exactly where I saw the captive ones.

And haha yea I'd imagine when I'm adding to my existing 1120 species they will mostly be ones not too many people have seen! Although I still have a fairly common one missing in Muskrat :(, and still waiting for Eastern or European Mole photos.
 
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Another update from a month-long journey to Africa- still sorting out many of the smaller mammals, but for now:

1. Malbrouck
2. Puku
3. Lichtenstein's hartebeest
4. Scrub Hare
5. Sharpe's Grysbok
6. Common Reedbuck
7. Bohor Reedbuck
8. Imbabala or Cape Bushbuck
9. Four-toed elephant shrew
10. Bushy-tailed Mongoose
11. Mutable sun squirrel
12. Red bush squirrel
13. Heaviside's dolphin
14. Karoo bush rat
15. Geoffry's Horseshoe bat
16. Riverine rabbit
17. Hewitt's red rock rabbit
18. Lesueur's hairy bat
19. Long-tailed serotine
20. Southern right whale
21. Cape grysbok
22. Cape gray mongoose
23. Bryde's whale
24. Walia ibex
25. Typical vlei rat
26. Big-headed African mole-rat
27. Bale monkey
28. Giant forest hog
29. Stark's hare
30. Ethiopian wolf
31. Gambian sun squirrel
32. Abyssinian hare
33. Bright's gazelle
34. Swayne's hartebeest
35. Mountain Nyala
36. Menelik’s bushbuck
37. Blick's grass rat
38. Abyssinian grass rat
39. Black-clawed brush-furred rat
40. Harar dik-dik
41. Meller's mongoose (?)
42. Angolan genet (?)

I need to properly ID the photos of the final 2 species. I know a few of these may only be subspecies but I was excited about them nonetheless haha!
 
Giant Eland said:
Another update from a month-long journey to Africa- still sorting out many of the smaller mammals, but for now:

1. Malbrouck
2. Puku
3. Lichtenstein's hartebeest
4. Scrub Hare
5. Sharpe's Grysbok
6. Common Reedbuck
7. Bohor Reedbuck
8. Imbabala or Cape Bushbuck
9. Four-toed elephant shrew
10. Bushy-tailed Mongoose
11. Mutable sun squirrel
12. Red bush squirrel
13. Heaviside's dolphin
14. Karoo bush rat
15. Geoffry's Horseshoe bat
16. Riverine rabbit
17. Hewitt's red rock rabbit
18. Lesueur's hairy bat
19. Long-tailed serotine
20. Southern right whale
21. Cape grysbok
22. Cape gray mongoose
23. Bryde's whale
24. Walia ibex
25. Typical vlei rat
26. Big-headed African mole-rat
27. Bale monkey
28. Giant forest hog
29. Stark's hare
30. Ethiopian wolf
31. Gambian sun squirrel
32. Abyssinian hare
33. Bright's gazelle
34. Swayne's hartebeest
35. Mountain Nyala
36. Menelik’s bushbuck
37. Blick's grass rat
38. Abyssinian grass rat
39. Black-clawed brush-furred rat
40. Harar dik-dik
41. Meller's mongoose (?)
42. Angolan genet (?)

I need to properly ID the photos of the final 2 species. I know a few of these may only be subspecies but I was excited about them nonetheless haha!
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Wow, you certainly have good success finding mammals! Most people would have no clue what most of the list are! :p
 
TeaLovingDave said:
@Giant Eland - You had better have taken shots of the carnivores and lagomorphs ;)
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@TeaLovingDave Oh you KNOW I took photos of everything on the list! :D In fact the only mammal I saw without being able to snap a photo was the slender mongoose in the wild (twice actually). Luckily a species I've seen before in captivity!

TinoPup said:
I agree completely, but the one I most want to see: the giant forest hog! Those things are so weird/terrifying looking.
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@TinoPup unfortunately this was the worst luck I had with photography! While I did manage a couple, it was at night and I was on the wrong side of the car in the passenger seat so there were too many obstructions in my way :(

Great Argus said:
Wow, you certainly have good success finding mammals! Most people would have no clue what most of the list are! :p
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Why thank you @Great Argus! Research, patience, persistence and a little bit of luck never hurt! I managed to photograph between 110 and 120 different wild mammal species in my 4 weeks! Exact number is still up in the air with a number of uncertain IDs for most bats and some rodents.
 
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TeaLovingDave said:
although I know for a fact there are a handful - is Wallcreeper.
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Which I now have also seen as of today :)
For me, in the wild, a whole load of Cypriot endemic fauna:

Cyprus warbler
Cyprus wheatear
Cyprus mouse
Cyprus spiny mouse
Cypriot mouflon
Cyprus whip snake
Troodos lizard
Cyprus water frog
Cyprus green toad

In fact I think that is all the endemics in Cyprus in terms of vertebrates...

Otherwise, Camargue horses (not really a species, but...), Eleonora's falcon, Cyprus chukar, Amur falcon, Vancouver island marmots.

In zoos, I guess Chinese pangolins are a highlight as well as Iberian lynx. :)
 
amur leopard said:
For me, in the wild, a whole load of Cypriot endemic fauna:

Cyprus warbler
Cyprus wheatear
Cyprus mouse
Cyprus spiny mouse
Cypriot mouflon
Cyprus whip snake
Troodos lizard
Cyprus water frog
Cyprus green toad

In fact I think that is all the endemics in Cyprus in terms of vertebrates...
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Any photos?

Also, you are missing one or two Cypriot endemics.
 
I’ve been to only a handful of zoos and aquariums: Shedd, National (US), San Diego, Woodland Park, Point Defiance, Seattle Aquarium, Waikiki, and Northwest Trek; but I can’t say I’ve seen any truly unique animals.

My “best” animals would likely be Hawaiian Monk Seal (Wild and Waikiki) and maybe Golden Grosbeak (Woodland Park). I have doubts about the Grosbeak however, don’t know how common those are (in terms of rarity I mean).

I was fortunate enough to visit Woodland Park’s fantastic Reptile House before the fire but as I was so young then I neglected to take any photos. :(
 
Crotalus said:
I’ve been to only a handful of zoos and aquariums: Shedd, National (US), San Diego, Woodland Park, Point Defiance, Seattle Aquarium, Waikiki, and Northwest Trek; but I can’t say I’ve seen any truly unique animals.

My “best” animals would likely be Hawaiian Monk Seal (Wild and Waikiki) and maybe Golden Grosbeak (Woodland Park). I have doubts about the Grosbeak however, don’t know how common those are (in terms of rarity I mean).

I was fortunate enough to visit Woodland Park’s fantastic Reptile House before the fire but as I was so young then I neglected to take any photos. :(
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With that set of zoos under your belt, you've seen a lot of interesting things.
 
Unfortunately many of those trips took place after tours of the city the zoo/aquarium is located in so my family, with tired feet, was hesitant to get back to the hotel...;)

The ones I can best remember because I have been there recently are PDZA, Woodland Park, Seattle Aquarium, and maybe Waikiki. As far as I remember Waikiki had a great collection of Hawaiian fish that might only be exhibited there but alas no photos were taken. :(
 
amur leopard said:
Which I now have also seen as of today :)
For me, in the wild, a whole load of Cypriot endemic fauna:

Cyprus spiny mouse

Otherwise, Camargue horses (not really a species, but...), Eleonora's falcon, Cyprus chukar, Amur falcon, Vancouver island marmots.
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How readily can Cyprus Spiny Mice be seen? I was under the impression that they're thought to be on the brink of extinction and hardly anyone being able to find them, this being why the IUCN lists them as Data Deficient as opposed to endangered.

Also, I'd love to hear the story behind the marmot! Any photos?

~Thylo
 
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