Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Regarding the newly discovered species thing, remember what @Dassie rat wrote in the Rondo dwarf galago vs Javan slow loris poll ?
Could and should the ring tailed lemur be replaced by other lemur species in zoos ?
Regarding the newly discovered species thing, remember what @Dassie rat wrote in the Rondo dwarf galago vs Javan slow loris poll ?
Oh yeah, Now I remember. The Rondo dwarf galagos were sent to the London zoo, weren't they not? Thats pretty cool when I think about it, I wish that was done with zoos where I lived.
Dassie rat must have been very lucky to see that Rondo dwarf galago, the rarest species you've seen @Dassie rat
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
One was sent to London but it didn't go too well.
Well, yes, for a short period of time, still an interesting thing to do.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
It isn't quite as simple as reintroducing great numbers back to the wild.
Any reintroduction effort is very challenging logistically and economically and of course in terms of success both long term and short term survivorship too.
imaginarius
Well-Known Member
In theory, should zoos diversify and agree to each focus on a few endangered lemurs that are different from ones that others try to conserve, thereby maximizing the number of taxa held in zoos? Yes, that would be the best possible scenario. I just think that would take a lottt of cooperation, plus a great deal of money and coordination with the Malagasy government. The Bronx Zoo, Saint Louis Zoo, and Duke University do have a partnership with Madagascar to conserve lemurs within the country itself, but I honestly couldn’t tell you how much of a difference it has made.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Yes, I agree, I think it would be the best possible scenario that could be achieved.
Also agree with you regarding the difficulty of cooperation whether between zoos, NGO's or the Malagasy government (perennial issue in conservation) and ensuring sufficient funding to carry out work.
We do need to critically assess in-situ conservation efforts on the island and figure out what the shortcomings of these have been and improve upon these but even if there are difficulties it is very important that we continue to support conservation there.
That's an interesting idea that could attract visitors. I remember when the recently discovered Panay cloud runner was exhibited in London Zoo. The animals were the first to be shown outside the Philippines
I agree, Imaginarius. I was trying to promote the same philosophy to maximise the number of endangered species kept in different zoos.
It most certainly would attract me, because I'm always excited to see any new species that are discovered.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Totally agree that it would be good to implement this.
Really? How?And ironically it may end up being the case that London doomed the species
I posted about the matter recently - the relevant information is quoted below:
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Yep, I think that is a pertinent lesson for any conservation intervention that undervalues / underestimates the value of ex-situ.
Never a good idea to have all your eggs in one basket.
Which is why Woburn split the Pere David herd and sent some to Whipsnade. The rest is history
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Which is why Woburn split the Pere David herd and sent some to Whipsnade. The rest is history
With lemurs, so many of them are conservation dependent that I would imagine zoos and ex-situ populations outside of Madagascar will continue to be a important component of their conservation over the coming decades / century (regardless of the importance of in country captive breeding centers).
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
So what lemur species does everything one think would be better for some zoos to go into keeping rather than the ring tailed?
Personally, I think the black blue-eyed lemur would be a good alternative and evidently in great need of ex-situ populations.
Personally, I think the black blue-eyed lemur would be a good alternative and evidently in great need of ex-situ populations.
I agree, but prioritizing this beautiful species will probably make other species decrease in population....
Conservation is so limited and needs a lot of people to be on board with large decisions, so saying that we should prioritize in one species isn't that easy to convince a multitude of people. They are a beautiful animal though.
Blue-eyed Black Lemurs are around in US zoos, though obviously nowhere near as common as Ring-taileds.