Thank you for your effort @Zoofan15 @WhistlingKite24 @akasha and @Patrick Keegan . I often refer to them
Australasian Population List Index
- Thread starter WhistlingKite24
- Start date
2021 Summaries:
I will be posting 2021 summaries for each of my nine population threads throughout the course of the day: Asian elephant, hippopotamus, African lion, Sumatran tiger, Sri Lankan leopard, Western lowland gorilla, orangutan, Common chimpanzee and Mandrill.
2022 Population Lists:
Following this, I will post revised population lists for these nine threads if the events of the year are significant enough to warrant an update.
Out of respect for ZooChat’s rule on not posting 2022 content until all time zones are in 2022, this will not be done until Baker Island’s clocks strike 12 (not meant to be taken literally since Baker Island is uninhabited).
I will be posting 2021 summaries for each of my nine population threads throughout the course of the day: Asian elephant, hippopotamus, African lion, Sumatran tiger, Sri Lankan leopard, Western lowland gorilla, orangutan, Common chimpanzee and Mandrill.
2022 Population Lists:
Following this, I will post revised population lists for these nine threads if the events of the year are significant enough to warrant an update.
Out of respect for ZooChat’s rule on not posting 2022 content until all time zones are in 2022, this will not be done until Baker Island’s clocks strike 12 (not meant to be taken literally since Baker Island is uninhabited).
Finished!
I have finished summaries and population updates (if warranted) for seven of my nine species.
I won’t be updating the eighth (Mandrill) and ninth (leopards) as the former has some details to follow up on; and in the case of the latter, the list was only published four weeks ago and nothing has happened since.
If anyone is interested in writing a population list for an Australasian species we haven’t already covered, please send a group PM to @Zoofan15, @WhistlingKite24, @akasha and @Patrick Keegan.
Thank you for your time and effort
Classifying Regional Populations
I like this idea!
I’m thinking it could follow a variation of the IUCN Red List. This is what I’ve come up with:
Least Concern - Common across multiple zoos, easily able to be imported from outside the region. Examples include African lion and Common chimpanzee.
Vulnerable - Could go either way. Not held in high numbers and at risk of being phased out or dwindling further due to a lack of regional support. Examples include Sri Lankan leopard and Eastern bongo.
Endangered - Extremely low numbers, but able to be imported. Identified as phase out. Examples include Malayan sun bear and California sea lion.
Critically Endangered - Extremely low numbers and unable to be imported. Examples include Common hippopotamus, Greater flamingo and Andean condor.
Locally Extinct - Phased out but able to be re-imported. Examples include Siberian tiger and Leopard cat.
Functionally Extinct - Phased out and theoretically able to be re-imported, but practically speaking are unable to so. Examples include Jaguar and Temminck’s golden cat.
Extinct - Phased out and unable to be re-imported. Examples include Chilean flamingo and will soon include Collared peccary.
Swanson02
Well-Known Member
I really like this idea, obviously, we can't vote on it but maybe we can come to some sort of general consensus on where we think certain species sit. We could also add an indicator on every rating on where the population is currently traveling i.e. ↑ ↓ or -
For example, both the Sri Lankan leopard and Eastern bongo could be ranked as 'vulnerable'. but Sri Lankan leopard numbers have been increasing in the region and look to continue to do so. So arguably you could put Sri Lankan leopards down as "Vulnerable↑". The up arrow ↑ indicates things are looking good for them. Whereas the Eastern Bongo population lacks any imports on the horizon and has stagnated reproductively so could be put down as "Vulnerable↓".
I just think it would be a really good system for people like me who aren't knowledgeable across all species. So a singular ranking will allow me to quickly ascertain where say our Red Pandas are. I know there are plenty of them, but is this an all-time low/high for this species in the region? Are their numbers currently increasing or decreasing? How's their genetic diversity? All of this could be considered when designating them a ranking.
Personally, for example, I'd rank some of these populations this way -
Asian elephant (Elephas maximus): Least Concern (-)
Numbers are currently stagnant, the births of Melbourne's next three calves will counteract the losses of our last three cows (Tricia, Saigon, and Burma (TWPZ)).
Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus): Endangered (↓)
Numbers are low, two cows are nearing the post-reproductive danger zone and a bull import is looking evermore unlikely.
White Rhinos (Ceratotherium simum): Least Concern (-)
Numbers are stagnant as we have had a few recent deaths 1.0 Stumpy and 1.0 Inkosi.
Black Rhinos (Diceros bicornis): Vulnerable (-)
This population is on the smaller side, although calves are still being born, without an import soon this population will suffer from stagnation and eventually decline.
Indian Rhinos (Rhinoceros unicornis): Endangered (↑)
Extremely low numbers, although breeding is occurring and interest has been expressed by additional zoos to hold this species.
Malayan Tapirs (Tapirus indicus): Critically Endangered (↓)
A region-wide phase-out is planned for this species. Destined to be regionally extinct in the next 15 years.
Brazilian Tapirs (Tapirus terrestris): Critically Endangered (-)
Numbers are extremely low and no breeding is occurring, however, zoos have expressed interest in continuing this species
Common Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious): Critically Endangered (↑)
Numbers are extremely low, declining, and inbred. However, actions are being taken to counteract this by reigniting breeding, and imports are rumored.
Pygmy Hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis): Critically Endangered (-)
Numbers are extremely low, with one elderly breeding pair remaining, yet numbers are still declining and the population will be unable to continue without imports in the medium term.
Feel free to criticize these statements this is just an idea for a template
. I believe we should leave it up to the creators of each population index to decide where their species currently are.
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Thank you @Swanson02, I thought my idea was pretty decent too.
If everyone is happy with my idea (two posts above); combined with @Swanson02’s idea of arrows to denote the direction the population is headed, then myself and the other population holders (@Zoofan15, @WhistlingKite24, @akasha, @Patrick Keegan) will have a think and post a status for each of our population lists.
Anyone who has a different idea is invited to send a group PM to the four population list holders listed above and we will consider it against what we already have.
If everyone is happy with my idea (two posts above); combined with @Swanson02’s idea of arrows to denote the direction the population is headed, then myself and the other population holders (@Zoofan15, @WhistlingKite24, @akasha, @Patrick Keegan) will have a think and post a status for each of our population lists.
Anyone who has a different idea is invited to send a group PM to the four population list holders listed above and we will consider it against what we already have.
Australasian Generic Tiger Population List:
Our first population list in eight months!
Thanks to @Abbey, we now have one for our generic tiger population:
Australasian Generic Tiger Population List
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Our first population list in eight months!
Thanks to @Abbey, we now have one for our generic tiger population:
Australasian Generic Tiger Population List
aaaa
Australasian New World Monkey Population List:
Thanks to @steveroberts for starting this thread:
Australasian Ceboidea (NW Monkey) Populations (Present and Historic)
Thanks to @steveroberts for starting this thread:
Australasian Ceboidea (NW Monkey) Populations (Present and Historic)
Upcoming Lists
I’ve spoken to existing population thread authors and these are the lists we are currently working on:
Hamadryas baboon: @Zoofan15
Pinnipeds: @Zoofan15
Maned wolf: @akasha
Fennec fox: @akasha
Przewalski’s horse: @akasha
Small cats: @WhistlingKite24
Platypus: @WhistlingKite24
@Jambo wishes to create one for Plains zebra, which we’re happy for him to do since none of us are currently working on one.
I’ve spoken to existing population thread authors and these are the lists we are currently working on:
Hamadryas baboon: @Zoofan15
Pinnipeds: @Zoofan15
Maned wolf: @akasha
Fennec fox: @akasha
Przewalski’s horse: @akasha
Small cats: @WhistlingKite24
Platypus: @WhistlingKite24
@Jambo wishes to create one for Plains zebra, which we’re happy for him to do since none of us are currently working on one.
Thanks, I was also thinking of possibly doing one for African Wild Dogs and Bison too if any of you don't have them in mind already?
There are currently no plans for those two species. I did consider doing African wild dog when we first began these population lists, but decided against it as with the exception of Hamilton Zoo, the zoos are notoriously poor at updating on deaths and there’s very little information available online.
The best way would be to contact each of the holders, who may be happy to supply the names, DOB and parentage of their dogs. The open range zoos with the larger packs will be the greatest challenge.
It'd just as hard (if not harder) with the Bison too but i'm up for the challenge.
I'll see what I can come up with, but even some information on the regional population can be a start, and we can build up a list overtime.
It'd just as hard (if not harder) with the Bison too but i'm up for the challenge.
Sounds good.
I did my elephant and gorilla population lists in an hour because the resources were at my finger tips; but I spent months on compiling the lion population thread and others such as @WhistlingKite24 have spent equally long as their giraffe threads etc. There’s no rush, so take as long as you need.
PlainsWanderer
New Member
Bison will be very tricky due to the large amount of private owners. I know the popularity of the species in cow cutting/campdrafting homes is growing all the time.It'd just as hard (if not harder) with the Bison too but i'm up for the challenge.
Very true; hopefully I can get some numbers/names/DOBS for those individuals in public zoos though, at the very least. I have some info on Werribee's herd which is a start.
Definitely don’t worry about Bison held in private hands. It would be an impossible task to collate (and update) their holdings; as well as being of no more interest to people than what cows a dairy farmer on their farm given none of the individuals would have names etc.
There’s seven ZAA accredited facilities that hold Bison (Hamilton, Orana, Altina, Halls Gap, Hunter Valley, Monarto, Werribee); and two non accredited facilities (Mansfield and Wildlife Wings). I’d just focus on them. Hamilton list their Bison on their website, which is up to date bar the recent death of the breeding bull (Kaiya).
Australasian Exotic Mammal Species in Decline
Last month, @Swanson02 proposed an idea of introducing a grading system to assess the viability of our regional populations.
After discussing this with the other population list holders, there was some reluctance to make these assessments; so I’ve created the following list as a compromise: Australasian Exotic Mammal Species in Decline
It identifies the exotic mammal species in the region that are at high risk of phase out (or confirmed to be phased out) by listing all exotic mammal species held in the region that number 10 individuals or less - and assessing their future in the region from there.
There’s people on ZooChat far more knowledgeable than myself of the populations of exotic reptile and bird species in the region, so I’ve only assessed mammals.
Last month, @Swanson02 proposed an idea of introducing a grading system to assess the viability of our regional populations.
After discussing this with the other population list holders, there was some reluctance to make these assessments; so I’ve created the following list as a compromise: Australasian Exotic Mammal Species in Decline
It identifies the exotic mammal species in the region that are at high risk of phase out (or confirmed to be phased out) by listing all exotic mammal species held in the region that number 10 individuals or less - and assessing their future in the region from there.
There’s people on ZooChat far more knowledgeable than myself of the populations of exotic reptile and bird species in the region, so I’ve only assessed mammals.
A wonderful idea!