Captive Hunting...

NZ Jeremy

NZ Jeremy

Well-Known Member
I found this photo of a Lioness at Auckland Zoo, catching a Koi out of its water moat...

Auckland Zoo Play Video

I've seen them stalking Ducks that have landed in their enclosure and previously I've seen the last Tiger they had trying to catch birds that had flown in...

Quite interesting considering all the animals mentioned are captive born...

Any similar experiences..?
 
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There was a video on youtube of a tiger at London Zoo catching a pigeon mid-flight!


and the aftermath...
 
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I've seen the jaguars in chester catch birds many times plus theres animals such as bears who catch and kill animals that are placed in their enclosures etc. monkeys, tapirs.
 
There is a video also on youtube of a great Indian hornbill at Chester zoo trying to eat a bird in its aviary
 
the siamangs at Willowbank (in Chch, NZ) regularly catch the chickens and peafowl that roam around free, and drag them through the wire of their cage to be eaten.
 
I Think it's safe to say that all lions, tigers, jags, wolves and other carnivores have all done this at some time
 
a weka at Orana Park killed and ate one of the kakariki that shared its aviary
 
In London Zoo, two snakes were both trying to eat the same piece of meat. The larger of the two snakes then by accident swallawed not only the meat but also the smaller snake. Techinichally not hunting but still nteresting
 
I saw a wild rabbit carcass in the Cheetah enclosure at Paignton zoo, which I assume one of the animals killed
 
I remember seeing brood of half-grown Mallards in closed tiger "aviary" in London Zoo in 1990's. Here it was interesting, how they managed to get in, not to say survived. :eek:

Also brood of Mallards in lion moat in Copenhagen. Conclusion: Mallards are stronger than big cats! ;)
 
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When I first saw the title of this thread, and before I bagen reading it, I thought it was going to be about those canned hunts that some Americans seem to love. You know where the tame tiger is kept in a small cage for some 'brave' hunter to shoot. I'm really glad I was wrong.
 
Brooke the leopard seal at Taronga catches ducks, almost saw her one visit do it.
 
I think I read this in "A Zoo Without Bars", there was a chimp at Chester that used bread as bait to try and entice ducks on the enclosure's moat closer
 
An interesting topic, N Z Jeremy. Good one!

So far we have been discussing hunting behavior which was not intended by zoo authorities. How do people feel about the deliberate introduction of live prey animals to be hunted and eaten? Mice, rats and rabbits put into snake cages; fish put into pools for fishing cats. Acceptable? Then, how about deer put in with big cats, as is apparently done in China (and was done occasionally after closing time by a well known British private zoo owner.) Where do we draw the line?
 
Jurek mentioned one in the "Mixed Exhibits" thread... He said, Doves were added to a Persian Leopard exhibit as a long term BE, i.e. the Leopard would catch them over time...

I got the feeling he meant it was unsuccessful and the Doves integrated...

Jurek7 said:
Bern:
Persian leopard with rock doves in huge closed area - doves were expected to be slowly eaten as a sort of behavioral enrichment.
Click to expand...

There, Bern Zoo…

Ara said:
Mice, rats and rabbits put into snake cages; fish put into pools for fishing cats. Acceptable?
Click to expand...

It's funny it seems very much to depend on the prey animal, no one thinks twice about Gecko's getting live cricket etc... But a Deer in a Lion cage, most people would think, "You can't kill Bambi's Mother..!"
 
Apparently at least one dove was eaten soon after exhibit has opened (it is pretty new). I don't know how the situation developed.
 
At Monarto there are a few rabbits around. On the tour the guide said that a few go on a one way trip into the African Painted Dog enclosure.

I also have seen footage on U-Tube of two Polar Bears in the US chasing a deer around their enclosure. The wild deer jumped a wall and fell about 5 meters into the bears pond. The deer was somehow removed but the zoo claimed "it had to be put down due to injuries which were not caused by the bears, as they did not know how to hunt so would not have hurt it."
I dont believe that statement for an instant and buy the footage shown I am suprised the deer was not killed by the bears. In this sort of natural incident I would not mind the bears killing and eating the deer but I dont think the deliberate release of deer would be publicly acceptable.
 
It is illegal in South Australia to feed any live vertabrate to another animal, this includes fish.

I knwo it is different around the place but tahts the law here
 
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