Yes, though neither species is doing well (Baird's is Endangered, Lowland is Vulnerable).
AZA Ungulate Updates
- Thread starter Kudu21
- Start date
Not only that but the EAZA population of Bairds is considerably minuscule, which makes the AZA population much more important imo.
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It has come to my attention that this year's AZA mid-year meeting is currently in session. Are there any updates to the ungulate programs from this year's meeting? I would expect that a few more species should be slated for phase out (I'm looking at you red-fronted gazelle).
The Ungulate TAG from this years AZA mid-year conference are now live on the AZA Ungulate website.
Some highlights from the meetings:
Antelope/Cattle/Giraffe/Camelid TAG:
Some highlights from the meetings:
Antelope/Cattle/Giraffe/Camelid TAG:
- With continued institutional interest in Kirk's dik-dik, the TAG is considering upgrading the species to Monitored Species from Phase Out.
- The common waterbuck and slender-horned gazelle have been down-graded to Monitored Species ahead of the changes coming to the SSP programs in order begin seeing how programs will continue to be managed once they no longer qualify as SSPs.
- With the changes to the SSP programs, this TAG will go from 33 SSPs and 11 Monitored Species to 13 SSPs and 31 Monitored Species.
- The desert bighorn program is growing with new breeders and holders.
- Nubian ibex program is looking to private holders for potentially establishing a consortium.
- Transcaspian urial program has been suffering due to small founder base, future of the program is uncertain.
- Only the Reeve's muntjac and tufted deer will qualify as SSPs moving forward.
- The TAG will be putting together husbandry management resources in an attempt to assist current holders and encourage new holders of Cervid species.
- Multiple new holders coming online for both Malayan tapir and pygmy hippos over the next several years.
- Both the Somali wild ass and Hartmann's mountain zebra programs have seen sizeable growth in the past four years and commitment to both species looks strong.
- At least four non-AZA partner facilities have import permits in for southern white rhinos from Namibia, through which we could see 30-50 rhinos imported into the country in the next serveral years.
I know both Zoo Tampa and Disney's Animal Kingdom hold this species (saw them at both facilities earlier this year). Not sure about others.
Thank you for sharing @Kudu21 !
The Giant Eland is still around and they are listed as Monitored Species – 19 in 4 AZA, ~ 20 in 1 non-AZA.
The only hope for Gaurs is practically Bronx's herd.
Sadly Red-fronted gazelle and Cuvier's gazelle are on the way out. At least the latter are doing relatively well in Southern Europe. I saw herd of 7 animals at Rio Safari Elche last year.
Albuquerque
B Bryan Preserve
Blank Park
Calgary
Cleveland
Dallas
Disney's Animal Kingdom
Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge
Elmwood Park
Fossil Rim
Franklin Park
Hogle
Knoxville
Louisville
Racine
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Utica
Virginia Zoo
Wild Animal Safari (Strafford, MO)
ZooTampa
You are welcome! Neither of these numbers are up-to-date.
The giant eland are now gone entirely from both San Diego parks, so they are only maintained in Miami (0.4) and African Safari Wildlife Park (0.2) within the AZA now.
Gladys Porter still maintains a small herd of gaur that they highlight on social media quite frequently, and there is one individual left at Miami, as well.
Perhaps I missed in the reading the Rhino TAG but it appears that the Black Rhino SSP is non-existent on the slides
maybe it wasn’t addressed regarding any progress this year?
I do not know why there were not any slides addressing the black rhinoceros program. I imagine it was discussed, as there are changes coming down the line for the program with regards to animal moves and holders and as it will be maintained as an SSP under the new regulations. It is entirely possible the slides were cut either accidentally or because they contained information that they were not comfortable sharing publicly as of yet.Perhaps I missed in the reading the Rhino TAG but it appears that the Black Rhino SSP is non-existent on the slides
That makes sense to me, thank you once again!
It’s been discussed in various threads on here but the issue is the population size of the Masai Giraffe SSP compared to the Generic Giraffe SSP. The AZA want to make a transition to Masai but zoos need giraffes to exhibit, so the much larger Generic Giraffe population is being maintained for the meanwhile but it could be a while until it’s all said and done. And as to imports of pure Rothschild or Reticulated, I imagine it has to do with importations of ruminant animals into the states but I’m far from an expert.
I imagine it's the government being paranoid about diseases that'll affect livestock
This is correct. There are a lot of restrictions, regulations, and protocols in place that make the importation of ruminants into the United States extremely difficult. These restrictions are in place, of course, to protect the cattle industry, as the United States government is deeply seated in said industry's pockets. It would be nearly impossible for disease to spread from an animal imported for a zoological collection to the greater livestock population with the amount of testing and veterinary care these animals would receive, let alone the degree of separation between the two industries, but it's all political. That said, even without those restrictions, the sheer time, cost,logistics, and ethics of importing giraffe from overseas in 2022 would make importing enough purebred animals to maintain a separate population a rather questionable decision to make.
What if AZA sponsored facilities were set up in range countries so that specific groups of animals could be bred?
Maybe even sponsor capture and roundups of animals like hirola and saiga for breeding into facilities like these.
Sort of like that 1 Sumatran rhino facility but on a bigger scale with more species.
@Kudu21 What do u think?
Maybe even sponsor capture and roundups of animals like hirola and saiga for breeding into facilities like these.
Sort of like that 1 Sumatran rhino facility but on a bigger scale with more species.
@Kudu21 What do u think?
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Glad this year's updates are a little more positive than I expected. Great news about the dik-diks! I'm disappointed about urial possibly being phased out (I'm a huge caprid fan and feel this group is way too underrepresented within US institutions.), and sure hope the AZA is able to turn this population around (along with the goral and ibex populations).
Taking animals from the wild is really frowned upon now, unless the species is at a critical point.
I've only seen exceptions made where the alternative is for the animal to be culled (not applicable in this scenario!) or where the animal is deemed unable to survive in the wild e.g. an orphaned animal or sick animal.
Australia Zoo was lucky to receive 1.2 Sumatran tiger cubs from Taman Safari. They rehabilitate injured adults and sometimes they stay at the zoo or breed in the interim.
African elephants spring to mind. The US have imported many scheduled to be culled which have now been incorporated into the breeding program.