Although Eurasian Otters also occur in Northwestern Africa, I think that those critters are misplaced in the former spotted-necked otter exhibit somehow. Wasn't Bioparc able to get the later from a Zoo in the USA or Africa (even wild ones/orphants)? Did they even try to do so?
Bioparc Valencia Bioparc Valencia News
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Attempting spotted-necked otters again would be a bit of a mess, in my opinion. Not only is it really hard to obtain some, if they manage to get more from the United States or Africa (where their populations aren't exactly blossoming either as far as I know) it would just mean bringing animals for the sake of keeping up with the theme or keep on housing a rare species, this way the Eurasian otter EEP has another holder. I doubt they even tried because as far as I know, it's not a very viable idea in the long run.
It's true that is sad to see a species out of the theme of the zone, but at the same time, I'm glad the park will keep on keeping otters. I gotta say that I thought that exhibit could be a nice summer exhibit for dwarf crocodiles, given the park's current enclosure is far from ideal.
Nothing is specified in the video but what I sensed is that they will be on rotation, similar to how they are doing with their spotted and striped hyenas.
Fair enough about having the place occupied by a(nother) otter species again. However, regarding the fact that there are more then 130 zoological institutions in Europe keeping Lutra lutra and even smaller animal parks can optain them, I don't think the need for another holder is that strong... On the other hand, if the population of spotted-necked otters is already threatened as you wrote (or at least in concern), it would make sense to built up an ex-situ population.
Is it already know who is the sire to the current 2 elephant calves at Bioparco Valencia?
I wasn't referring to the specie's situation on the wild, more about the situation of the species in zoos. As far as I know, the zoos that still house them in the States are just residual animals that don't really breed anymore, being phased out little by little (I could be wrong but I've been made to understand this). No idea about how they are doing in African zoos.
Both of them were artificially inseminated from samples of two wild males.
Bioparc Valencia recently has signed an agree with regional government for increase the work with local species
Firma convenio Fundación BIOPARC con Generalitat Valenciana
But I think that there is other great reason to choose this species instead of others
Ok, there is over 100 european zoos with this species, in Spain just in 10 and just a few zoos from big cities (According to ztl in Barcelona, Cordoba, Zaragoza and some more)
I don't know how is the situation in other european countries, but in Spain, the lack of knowledge in children about local or national species is disturbing. I've been done environmental education the last 15 years and every year the level is falling and in school books, the wildlife and flora has been reduce from a specific temarium to just a page or directly to nothing.
That a big zoo from a big city could contribute in this as education ambassador I think is a great new.
@Corby93: The lack of knowledge about local fauna/nature in many European countries is a constant problem since years/decades and has been so as well when Bioparc Valencia opened.
I have also my doubts that an african themed zoo is the best place to change this (=turn the focus of local fauna with less then a handfull species from the iberian peninsula).
But maybe Bioparc Valencia is more serious in that nowadays and will skip their plans for a South American themed expansion (if they are still accurate btw.?) and will built an iberian part instead...
I have also my doubts that an african themed zoo is the best place to change this (=turn the focus of local fauna with less then a handfull species from the iberian peninsula).
But maybe Bioparc Valencia is more serious in that nowadays and will skip their plans for a South American themed expansion (if they are still accurate btw.?) and will built an iberian part instead...
If Bioparc Valencia gets an expansion, I think it will continue with African fauna. Maybe you got confused with the south American expansion that has already opened in Bioparc Fuengirola.
Bioparc Valencia help the local fauna by their foundation "Fundación Bioparc" which is involved in lots of in situ programs of local and non-local species.
Bioparc Valencia help the local fauna by their foundation "Fundación Bioparc" which is involved in lots of in situ programs of local and non-local species.
It is a problem carried on for many years, but in my opinion never too late to address it. I'm glad more zoos acknowledge local wildlife, I think it can be really helpful.
I think Bioparc Valencia can do exciting things on this aspect because Africa and the Iberian peninsula share a ton of species, many of which are threatened (waldrapp, lesser kestrel, marbled teal, pond turtle,...). With the Eurasian otters already in the park, and other species such as the Iberian ribbed newt, ferruginous duck, or Rüeppel's vulture (which is a recent colonizer in the Iberian peninsula) I think that they can really reinforce the idea of how much wildlife is shared between both regions and do local conservation work (which by the way, they now also collaborate on rising European pond turtles to release back into the wild according to this video).
I really hope that if the expansion ever happens they don't do an entire zone dedicated to a different continent, I think it would feel out of place to have several African areas and then suddenly make a brand new area themed entirely around a different continent. Although a North African area would be a really nice way of incorporating local fauna without deviating from the African theme of the zoo.
@Ferni: Nope. See messages like this one:
@SivatheriumGuy: Agree that it is never to late to address it (but has to be done in a way where you address most and not only a few people). Also agree that it MIGHT be helpful. But that also means that they have to built new exhibits for Iberian and/or Atlas/Barbary/Northwest African animals. Otherwise, I don't think anybody (at least not Joe Common) can link e.g. Eurasian otters in an African Rainforest exhibit with local threatened fauna, no matter how big such signs may be (and we all know how precisely ordinary zoo visitors read signs)..
Can't share your phrases about "Africa and the Iberian peninsula share a ton of species" completely. That might be true overall, but absolutely not regarding 90 percent of the megafauna. And the megafauna is that, what draws most of the zoo visitors.
and further posts in 2009 in this thread. They demonstrate that there were at least extansion plans with other continents for Bioparc VALENCIA.
@SivatheriumGuy: Agree that it is never to late to address it (but has to be done in a way where you address most and not only a few people). Also agree that it MIGHT be helpful. But that also means that they have to built new exhibits for Iberian and/or Atlas/Barbary/Northwest African animals. Otherwise, I don't think anybody (at least not Joe Common) can link e.g. Eurasian otters in an African Rainforest exhibit with local threatened fauna, no matter how big such signs may be (and we all know how precisely ordinary zoo visitors read signs)..
Can't share your phrases about "Africa and the Iberian peninsula share a ton of species" completely. That might be true overall, but absolutely not regarding 90 percent of the megafauna. And the megafauna is that, what draws most of the zoo visitors.
I know what you're talking about, but that extension was planned to be started when Bioparc had just opened. They made another attempt a few years ago. The plan was to build a kind of water park based on Cambodia on a plot of land adjacent to the zoo entrance, and at the same time create an area with enclosures for Southeast Asian animals in another of the spaces belonging to the Bioparc management company. You can see what I'm talking about here, it's from 2017.
But I think neither of them are going to be started never. That's why I think I would do an extension of just more Africa in the terrain near the zoo passing the bridge. You can see some expeculations on my media page.
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The otters in the rainforest section not fitting I do agree with, but I don't see it as that big of an issue. As you said, Joe Common might not link seeing otters in the Bioparc to local species conservation just by reading a sign, but the few people that pay attention will, the children doing educative group activities will, in the chance of keeper talks being done with otters the people that pay attention will learn about it... ideally that exhibit would be occupied by an African rainforest species, but given current trend on Spanish zoos to take part in local species conservation and having the space to do so I'm okay with Eurasian otters living in an African rainforest zone. I'll go as far as to say that I see it as a positive for the Bioparc to keep on housing otters because most people don't even know there are otters in Africa.
And when it comes to megafauna, the Bioparc is well served. Most iconic African animals you can think of are already there, so what's the issue with bringing species living in both regions? They fit the Bioparc's African theme and would be contributing to local species, win-win situation.
@SivatheriumGuy: I'm happy to see that you have more "believe" in the attentiveness of children then I have. My experience - giving lessons for students/pupils in zoology and media occasionally - are not so optimistic. Even during educative group activities in zoos (whom I have joined one as I have visited Bioparc Valencia for the second time) and/or keeper talks, most kids pay their attention to other things. And elderly people who pay attention do it anyway or rather: they know the problem already.
Ref. megafauna: I do not have an issue by bringing in megafauna from the Iberian peninsula to Bioparc Valencia but giving the hint that the "ton of species" Africa and the Iberian Peninsula share are (mostly) not those, common visitors care of/are interested in. And I can't see how those iberian-african species, that Bioparc Valencia already has - and even with more popular species like wild boar or red deer - will draw the attention/popularity from "pure" african animals like hippos, girafes, gorillas, African elephants and rhinos to the former (and I don't know any European zoo by now who was able to do so when it comes to competition between native and african megafauna. So I have my doubts that there is enough attention left to "contribute" the local - and not so popular - species). But maybe I underestimate (spanish) zoo visitors in Valencia.
If you just mean, that Bioparc Valencia can (and should) support local threatened ibero-african species thanks to/enable by the "pure" african megafauna they have, then I'm absolutely agree. I presume, the discussion will only go HOW and WHERE in the park they should be exhibited...
Ref. megafauna: I do not have an issue by bringing in megafauna from the Iberian peninsula to Bioparc Valencia but giving the hint that the "ton of species" Africa and the Iberian Peninsula share are (mostly) not those, common visitors care of/are interested in. And I can't see how those iberian-african species, that Bioparc Valencia already has - and even with more popular species like wild boar or red deer - will draw the attention/popularity from "pure" african animals like hippos, girafes, gorillas, African elephants and rhinos to the former (and I don't know any European zoo by now who was able to do so when it comes to competition between native and african megafauna. So I have my doubts that there is enough attention left to "contribute" the local - and not so popular - species). But maybe I underestimate (spanish) zoo visitors in Valencia.
If you just mean, that Bioparc Valencia can (and should) support local threatened ibero-african species thanks to/enable by the "pure" african megafauna they have, then I'm absolutely agree. I presume, the discussion will only go HOW and WHERE in the park they should be exhibited...
I don't understand what you mean, I haven't said anything about lesser-known species being big attention grabbers. I just think that BioValencia can perfectly house native fauna without disturbing the park's African theme, that was the basis of my claims. I'm not seeing this as a "competition" of megafauna and afro-iberian species, I'm just saying both can coexist perfectly within the Bioparc, and that it's a good thing to have these species in both for conservation or education.
And yeah, education can and should be done about local species no matter how "unattractive" they are, I work as an environmental educator, and with the proper materials and the proper environment you can make people learn new stuff about local wildlife.
Ideally and given the current setup of the zones at the Bioparc I'd say the area that suits the Eurasian otters might be Cueva de Kitum, given it's wetlands theme.
What irritated me was the term "tons of species", giving at least me the impression of a kind of attracitivity importance. If not: Sorry for misunderstanding.
However, again, it depends where those native fauna will be placed and in which context. Just put threatened local iberian fauna somewhere within the park doesn't support the understanding of natural connections of Joe Common and so reduce the educative value.
Looking at "proper materials" and "proper environment": Agree in general, those things can help. But they are not a miracle cure. You can make people learn about local wildlife (or wildlife in general) only if they want.
And speaking about the setup of zones at Bioparc Valencia, one of the zones I miss is the arid/mediterranean mountain range (that also has a huge intersection of Iberian and African species).
However, again, it depends where those native fauna will be placed and in which context. Just put threatened local iberian fauna somewhere within the park doesn't support the understanding of natural connections of Joe Common and so reduce the educative value.
Looking at "proper materials" and "proper environment": Agree in general, those things can help. But they are not a miracle cure. You can make people learn about local wildlife (or wildlife in general) only if they want.
And speaking about the setup of zones at Bioparc Valencia, one of the zones I miss is the arid/mediterranean mountain range (that also has a huge intersection of Iberian and African species).
This has turned into a fascinating discourse that I feel does transcend just the Bioparco Valencia thread. I would say there is this case to be made for all Iberian Peninsula zoo collections where a local native species. component is relevant both for wonder over nature as well as our connectedness and connection to local flora and fauna.
TBH: I would go so far as to contend that a native species connection and public awareness building about local fauna and flora and the level of threat towards our living environment locally where their is a huge human footprint. You can do this both for the serious zoo visitor as well as the recreational "have a great day out in the zoo" visiting general public. If I only look at Dutch zoo community ..., some zoos do have this native species relevance and public awareness building both by their zoo animal collection with a native species connection or in the wider sense promoting how local flora and fauna are represented in situ around the zoo and outside the animal enclosures ...!!!!
What I would hope for Bioparco Valencia is that their focus will be Eurafrican ..., where probably for other regions there is more an Eurasian focus for the zoo animal collection and curatorial management. Recent moves with addax and Mhorr gazelle entering the animal collection and the need for a Mediterranean / Ibero-Maghrebi connection to North Africa and its flora and fauna.
I would definetely like to see more mountain range fauna like Pyrenean chamois, true subspecies Barbary sheep and Iberian ibex as well as Spanish and Barbary red deer, various Dorcas gazelle subspecies, Cuvier's and slender-horned gazelle as well as Mhorr dama plus various other North African and Ibero fauna from both Carnivora and other mammalian species plus assorted herps, fish (also freshwater!!!) and invertebrates / insects et cetera from native species.
EXAMPLE Iberian ibex Capra pyrenaica:
of which only 2 subspecies out of the former 4 extant taxa are surviving in the wild and not extinct - read Pyrenean ibex (the IUCN now qualifies them as Iberian wild goat Capra pyrenaica):
1.) Capra pyrenaica victoriae - Sierra de Gredos (central Iberian mountains) and reintroduced Val d'Aran, Batuecos, Montserat and along the French Pyrenees side -
2. Capra pyrenaica hispanica - arc of mountains along the Mediterranean coast from Cadiz to the Pyrenees (an escaped population in Serra de Montgri) -
and the 2 extinct subspecies
3. Capra pyrenaica lusitanica - northern Portugal and gone extinct during the 19th century and
4. Capra pyrenaica pyrenaica, the nominate form - originally occuring across the entire Pyrenees (Spain - France) and lastly disappeared from Ordesa NP and - aptly named - Monte Perdido NP in 2000! -.
The reintroductions both planned and accidental started during the 1990's when a population of hispanica escaped from an exclosure into the Pyrenees. Well after extinction of the subspecies pyrenaica both French (2014 - French Pyrenees) and Spain (Catalunya) started reintroducing populations of the victoriae subspecies.