Black-and-Rufous Sengis in NA Zoos

Austin the Sengi

Austin the Sengi

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
The following document will be utilized as a record for all births, deaths, locations, and transfers of every black-and-rufous sengi in North America. This thread will also be continuously updated to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible. Also feel free to leave any new information in the comments here on this thread.
​
Each facility will be organized by country, then by the alphabetical name of each institution; with each individual being organized by both sex and age.

Total Facilities with B&R Sengis: 0; 0; 12 United States, (as of 2021; 6 listed below)

Total Amount of Individuals: 17 (8.5.4)*


UNITED STATES

Bronx Zoo - Bronx, New York - 3.1.0
• 1.0, Henry (07/11/2016; Bronx)
• 1.0, Hansel (10/29/2017; Bronx)
• 1.0, Bart (01/02/2018; Bronx)
• 0.1, Bianca (12/15/2016; Rotterdam)


Brookfield Zoo - Brookfield, Illinois - 2.1.1; (recent former holder)
• 1.0, Karma (unknown date & birthplace)
• 1.0, Newt (05/10/2020; Brookfield)
• 0.1, Gretel (10/29/2017; Bronx?)
• 0.0.1, “name” (circa March 2018; unsure of the sex & name)


Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo - Omaha, Nebraska - 1.1.0?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)


Philadelphia Zoo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 1.1.2
• 1.0, Niffler (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.1 Drita (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.0.1 “name” (circa March 2022; unsure of the sex & name)
• 0.0.1 “name” (10/18/2022; unsure of the sex & name)


Peoria Zoo - Peoria, Illinois - 1.1.0 (possible former holder)?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)


Zoo Boise - Boise, Idaho - 1.1.1 (possible former holder)?
• 1.0, Havok (unknown date & birthplace)**
• 0.1, Polaris (unknown date & birthplace)**
• 0.0.1, “name” (circa 2016; unsure of the sex & name)


(* means subject to change)
(** means that I am not certain if this individual is still alive)
 
Last edited:
I also wanted take this time to appreciate user @Grant for the helpful information regarding the Bronx individuals. In addition, if anyone happens to have any information regarding the Omaha, Boise, and Peoria individuals; I will certainly appreciate the knowledge, in regards of helping the thread grow.
 
I knew they weren't a dime a dozen, but hadn't realized this species was this uncommon in US collections! They have such a short lifespan that any chance of a sustainable breeding program is basically non-existent. Makes their recent departure from Brookfield even more disappointing. :(
 
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo formerly held this species in their Primate, Cat and Aquatics Bldg.
 
pachyderm pro said:
I knew they weren't a dime a dozen, but hadn't realized this species was this uncommon in US collections! They have such a short lifespan that any chance of a sustainable breeding program is basically non-existent. Makes their recent departure from Brookfield even more disappointing. :(
Click to expand...

Surprised to see this too, the European population is already bigger. Which is interesting as this species has only been in European zoos since about 11 years.
 
Now alongside writing about the general population list for zoos that currently have black-and-rufous sengis. I have also pieced together, a comprehensive list of institutions which have formerly held this species over the past three decades. With the Brookfield Zoo being the most recent former holder afaik, which is also featured alongside the following facilities, as seen below:

• Denver Zoo, - (unsure when removed)

• Louisville Zoo, - after 2012; (unsure when removed)

• Brookfield Zoo, - circa 2022

• Peoria Zoo, - circa 2021/22; (possibly? could be mistaken)

• Smithsonian National Zoo, - circa 2007 to late/mid 2010’s?

• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, - circa 2000 to mid/late 2000’s; (unsure when removed)

• Yale Peabody Museum, - after 2009; (part of a traveling exhibit)

• Staten Island Zoo, - circa 2012; (unsure when removed)

• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, - circa late 2000’s to mid 2010’s; (unsure when removed)

• Houston Zoo, - after 2012; (unsure when removed)

I am certain that there are probably other holders in the region that may have phased out this species as well, which I might’ve missed out on during my prior research. But for what I have going on into this list at the moment, I think that the list above does have a lot going on; especially in regards of how long and relatively quick this species have been phased out from all of these institutions.
 
It was 2016 that this species' most recent IUCN red list assessment was conducted and published, which, on the basis of improved data for modelling decline rather than any actual improvement in the wild population, downlisted it from Vulnerable to Least Concern.

I have no idea if this influenced any collections decisions to phase out the species (especially as several definitely predate this), or even if any of those collections did make a conscious decision to phase out the species, but it seems a plausible contributing factor.
 
As for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Black-and-rufous Sengi is listed as being at the zoo in 2016. I think they were present at the zoo until around then or 2017...
 
Do zoochatters believe this is a species with a flexible population that may continue to contract and expand, or is it simply on the way out?
 
As you can see, there hasn’t been anything going on, in regards of recent activity and new information. But thanks to fellow user Ituri, it seems that Zoo Boise is indeed a former holder of this species; with the zoo now being featured alongside the following facilities, as seen below:

• Denver Zoo, - (unsure when removed)

• Louisville Zoo, - after 2012; (unsure when removed)

• Brookfield Zoo, - circa 2022

• Peoria Zoo, - circa 2021/22; (possibly? could be mistaken)

• Smithsonian National Zoo, - circa 2007 to late/mid 2010’s?

• Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, - circa 2000 to mid/late 2000’s; (unsure when removed)

• Yale Peabody Museum, - after 2009; (part of a traveling exhibit)

• Staten Island Zoo, - circa 2012; (unsure when removed)

• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, - circa late 2000’s to 2017?

• Houston Zoo, - after 2012; (unsure when removed)

• Zoo Boise, - circa 2014?

Now once I manage to gain some further information about the majority of individuals in the current population. I suppose it wouldn’t take too long to update the current population list to make up for this newly-found knowledge.
 
Last edited:
Now before we begin to ring in the new year. I just wanted to quickly highlight the most recent list (12/29/2022), for the general B&R Sengi population in North America, before the end of this year:

The following document will be utilized as a record for all births, deaths, locations, and transfers of every black-and-rufous sengi in North America. This thread will also be continuously updated to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible. Also feel free to leave any new information in the comments here on this thread.
​
Each facility will be organized by country, then by the alphabetical name of each institution; with each individual being organized by both sex and age.

Total Facilities with B&R Sengis: 0; 0; 3+ United States

Total Amount of Individuals: 10/12 (5/6. 3/4. 2)*


UNITED STATES

Bronx Zoo - Bronx, New York - 4.1.0
• 1.0, Henry (07/11/2016; Bronx)
• 1.0, Hansel (10/29/2017; Bronx)
• 1.0, Bart (01/02/2018; Bronx)
• 1.0, Newt (05/01/2020; Brookfield)
• 0.1, Bianca (12/15/2016; Rotterdam)


Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo - Omaha, Nebraska - 1.1.0?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)


Philadelphia Zoo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 1.2.2
• 1.0, Niffler (unknown date & birthplace)
• 01 Harriet (circa 2017; unknown birthplace)
• 0.1 Drita (circa 2018; unknown birthplace)
• 0.0.1 “name” (03/25/2022?; unsure of the sex & name)
• 0.0.1 “name” (10/18/2022; unsure of the sex & name)


Peoria Zoo - Peoria, Illinois - 1.1.0 (possible former holder)?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)**
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)**


(* means subject to change)
(** means that I am not certain if this individual is still alive)
 
As usual, do let me know if I happen to miss out on any additional holders and individuals, (although, with the slow decline of this species in the region, I’m afraid that there wouldn’t be too many unlisted individuals left to be included into the list above). I also wanted to thank both @Grant and @pachyderm pro for helping me out with the whereabouts of Brookfield’s last individual in the “Brookfield Zoo News 2022” thread.
 
As usual, not much has been going on since the population list was updated back in December. However, while reading through Kevin2342’s “Philadelphia Zoo Review!” thread. I noticed that in their review of the Rare Animal Conservation Center, they briefly mention, in a sentence, a male pair of sengis who appear to be the sons of “the pair next door”, (which I assume are Niffler and Drita). But aside from this unexpected discovery, and along with a few minor changes to the list below; not much else has been going on in regards of recent activity and new information:

The following document will be utilized as a record for all births, deaths, locations, and transfers of every black-and-rufous sengi in North America. This thread will also be continuously updated to ensure that the information provided is as accurate as possible. Also feel free to leave any new information in the comments here on this thread.
​
Each facility will be organized by country, then by the alphabetical name of each institution; with each individual being organized by both sex and age.

Total Facilities with B&R Sengis: 0; 0; 4+ United States

Total Amount of Individuals: 10/14 (7/9. 3/5. 0)*


UNITED STATES

Bronx Zoo - Bronx, New York - 4.1.0
• 1.0, Henry (07/11/2016; Bronx)
• 1.0, Hansel (10/29/2017; Bronx)
• 1.0, Bart (01/02/2018; Bronx)
• 1.0, Newt (05/01/2020; Brookfield)
• 0.1, Bianca (12/15/2016; Rotterdam)


Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo - Omaha, Nebraska - 1.1.0?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)


Philadelphia Zoo - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - 3.2.0
• 1.0, Niffler (unknown date & birthplace)
• 1.0 “name” (03/25/2022?; Philadelphia)
• 1.0 “name” (10/18/2022?; Philadelphia)
• 0.1 Harriet (circa 2017; unknown birthplace)
• 0.1 Drita (circa 2018; unknown birthplace)


Peoria Zoo - Peoria, Illinois - 1.1.0 (possible former holder)?
• 1.0, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)**
• 0.1, “name” (unknown date & birthplace)**


(* means subject to change)
(** means that I am not certain if this individual is still alive)
 
I am hoping to visit Peoria sometime this year and in that case I will report if I see the animals and any information I can find there.

It's good to hear Philadelphia is still breeding. Do we know if Bronx or Omaha are?
 
So does that mean the Bronx now have six individuals in total? If that’s the case, it now means that the Bronx Zoo should have the largest number of sengis in the entire country.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
So does that mean the Bronx now have six individuals in total? If that’s the case, it now means that the Bronx Zoo should have the largest number of sengis in the entire country.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure of the total number, just that there were definitely four in one exhibit.
 
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