European Zoos

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tschandler71

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
There isn't a pan europe forum (or at least I couldn't find one) so this question occurred to me looking at pictures.

Historically in European zoos were collections of specific animals particularly African animals related to that countries colonies? Basically were they like spoils of war/tribute/imports or was their a viable animal trade system in the Scramble for Africa period?

The reason I asked was a picture of a Dutch Zoo randomly popped up and it showed Blesbok. That species seems almost non existent in American collections.

So during the colonial period did British Zoos keep Kenyan species, German Tanzanian, Dutch South African, Belgium Congo etc?
 
To a degree, yes - this did happen - and you can still see the effect of this in quite a few places - Antwerp's long history with Okapi, or Lisbon's higher-than-usual percentage of Angolan species, for example (someone will probably come along with better examples shortly!). I don't think it would have been 'exclusive' anywhere though, and it's basically broken down now.

Blesbok are reasonably common in Europe these days (there are over 40 zoos keeping them) so not sure if that's a specific case of this.

Oh, and: Europe - General Forums :D
 
Maguari said:
Antwerp's long history with Okapi,
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And they also had in the 1960's other species such as Congo/Red Buffalo, Bonobo, Eastern Gorilla, Hamlyn's Guenon and(?) Congo Peafowl at a time when these were rarely seen elsewhere.
 
Similarly Paris for many years had West African guenons that were pretty unusual, and Aye-Aye before anyone else in Europe.
 
Maguari said:
Lisbon's higher-than-usual percentage of Angolan species
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I see Maguari calling me... :D
Lisbon Zoo was always very connected to its colonies. In the 50's more than 600 birds were sent from Brazil to Portugal, including Harpy Eagles.
Angolan species are surely vey well connected to Lisbon. Angolan Giraffes, Angolan Impala, Angolan Lion and most other african species came from there.
In the past other angolan species that weren´t kept in many other places like Giant Sable Antelope, Angolan Vervet, Angolan Diademed Guenon, Angolan Vervet and various sub-species of Black Rhino.
 
What is the historical and current status of North American Megafauna in European Zoos? Are they common, rare or somewhere inbetween?
 
The example of the Netherlands and it's connection with South Africa is not that correct. Parts of South Africa have been colonies from the Netherlands but this was far for the development of zoos as we know them today. Afhter giving up South Africa to the English the Netherlands only had Suriman in South America ( from which species came regulary to Dutch zoos ), some Caribic islands ( none or very few animals from there came to Dutch zoos ) and Indonesia from which many specimens came into Dutch zoos ( Crowned pigeons, casuaries, orang utans, birds of paradise and so on ).
 
tschandler71 said:
What is the historical and current status of North American Megafauna in European Zoos? Are they common, rare or somewhere inbetween?
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It really depends on species or subspecies, as many species are found both in Europe and North America.
For example, the European Brown Bear is currently exhibited in 159 zoos, while the Grizzly Bear is found in 7, the American Black Bear in 32 and the Kodiak Bear in 5 zoological gardens. The situation is similar in other carnivores.
If we compare Bisons, the American is kept in 113 (wood-10;steppe-103) and the european in 163.
The Moose is kept 74 (european-72;american-2), Caribou (not including domestic reeindeer) is kept in 25 (european-22;american-3) zoos.
White-Tailed Deer in 7, Rocky Mountain Goat in 14, Dall's Sheep in 6 and the Pronghorn is non-existent.
American Alligator in 84, American Crocodile in 3 and the Gila Monster in 60.

You can check zootierliste for more species if you want.
 
tschandler71 said:
What is the historical and current status of North American Megafauna in European Zoos? Are they common, rare or somewhere inbetween?
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NA species used to be much more widespread in european zoos, circuses and private collections in the past (in last 2 centuries). They were popular among general public (partly because of the famous "Wild West" literature they were widely recognizable) and they were offered regularly and in large assortment by animal traders.

After USA and Canada adopted more stict laws on live animals exports, many species were already widespead and were bred in Europe, while more problematic species disappeared completelly (pronghorns...)

The biggest change came when EAZA and AZA were established more then 20 years ago and their represetatives first met and talked about the future of both regions. One of the generally accepted agreement was to not start organized breeding programs for NA species in european zoos and vice versa. The reason behind it was, that countries and thus institutions for nature protection in both regions are stable and rich and organized enough to take care about their local fauna alone. There is no logical need for NA zoos to start a program for any european-only species, when Europe can do it as well, with less costs, less logistic hassle and without any risk of potental invasive species escapes or desease transmition. Zoos space is limited and it can be better utilized for either local species or species originating from less stable/poorer parts of the world. This agreement was incorporated into most TAG collection plans on both continents and is the reason for slow phase-outs of most of the concerned species (for example grizzlys, baribals and kodiaks in Europe, european brown bears in NA).

This agreement is not 100% followed through, there are still some widespread species with low maintenance costs and high show value that zoos are unwilling to let go, like bisons or white wolves. They are of no conservation value but bring in visitors.
 
Yeah Bison are reaching farm animal level. I own 40 head,

Thanks guys for the answers. It was a quasi history answer I couldn't find solid info on elsewhere.
 
tschandler71 said:
Yeah Bison are reaching farm animal level. I own 40 head,

Thanks guys for the answers. It was a quasi history answer I couldn't find solid info on elsewhere.
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I can drive three hours and see bison in the wild so I agree, I wouldn't be as impressed seeing them.
 
Jana said:
NA species used to be much more widespread in european zoos, circuses and private collections in the past (in last 2 centuries). They were popular among general public (partly because of the famous "Wild West" literature...
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In Disney Village at Disneyland Paris, they have a long running evening dinner show based on the old American Buffalo Bill traveling show. The Disney version (like the original version) includes a live bison stampede (as well as cattle and horses..)
 
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tschandler71 said:
There isn't a pan europe forum (or at least I couldn't find one) so this question occurred to me looking at pictures.

Historically in European zoos were collections of specific animals particularly African animals related to that countries colonies? Basically were they like spoils of war/tribute/imports or was their a viable animal trade system in the Scramble for Africa period?

The reason I asked was a picture of a Dutch Zoo randomly popped up and it showed Blesbok. That species seems almost non existent in American collections.

So during the colonial period did British Zoos keep Kenyan species, German Tanzanian, Dutch South African, Belgium Congo etc?
Click to expand...

British Zoos such as the London Zoo have also kept a lot of Tibetan and Indian and Burmese species such as Chinkara gazelles, Wallichs deer (No feamales known to science of this cervid), Tibetan foxes and many others
 
ungulate nerd said:
British Zoos such as the London Zoo have also kept a lot of Tibetan and Indian and Burmese species such as Chinkara gazelles, Wallichs deer (No feamales known to science of this cervid), Tibetan foxes and many others
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Chinkaras are something I'd like to see in the US. What do you mean no female Wallich's deer known to science? How would they breed?
 
elefante said:
What do you mean no female Wallich's deer known to science? How would they breed?
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not with scientists!

Seriously though, I think he may have got that from Wikipedia where it says no females are known to science. It also says however that surveys in 1995 found a population in the hundreds..... which presumably weren't comprised entirely of stags.....

See abstract here: Cambridge Journals Online - Abstract
 
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