Famous no-shows.

[Kakapo]

Last summer I visited Duisburg zoo with one of their keepers. One of the most exclusive animals here is the regal girdled lizard, Cordylus regius, not found in any other zoo in Europe. The keeper told me that it very difficult to find it outside, but he told me where is located and even some tricks for see it (trying to photograph the interior of the two burrows that are found in the yellow-footed tortoise square in the center of primate house), but even using flash for see the inside of the burrows, one is apparently empty and the other had a cricket.

In the same zoo, in the Rio Negro section where is the famous Orinoco river dolphin, theorically there is a tamandua. A tamandua that even the own keeper told me that he never saw!!!!!

 

[birdsandbats]

Wolves at a lot of places.

 

[Najade]

In the same zoo, in the Rio Negro section where is the famous Orinoco river dolphin, theorically there is a tamandua. A tamandua that even the own keeper told me that he never saw!!!!!

That one is pretty easy: usually on one of the beams under the roof above the dolphin tank or at the back wall. It's also sometimes seen on the evening-tours, because it has been known to go into the adjoining aquarium at night.

 

[jaykkey]

I had a bad run of luck in which I visited the San Diego, Dallas, and Toledo Zoos over a four year span to go and see the tuataras...and they never were on exhibit or weren't visible. When I made it to the St. Louis Zoo finally...lo and behold...an "off exhibit sign". One of the employees noticed my anguish in front of the tuatara enclosure and allowed me to go "backstage" to see them. It almost made up for three previous no shows...almost. I love you, St. Louis Zoo.

 

[Fallax]

I had a bad run of luck in which I visited the San Diego, Dallas, and Toledo Zoos over a four year span to go and see the tuataras...and they never were on exhibit or weren't visible. When I made it to the St. Louis Zoo finally...lo and behold...an "off exhibit sign". One of the employees noticed my anguish in front of the tuatara enclosure and allowed me to go "backstage" to see them. It almost made up for three previous no shows...almost. I love you, St. Louis Zoo.

I always feel quite lucky that I always manage to see the tuataras at Chester.

 

[TZDugong]

Whatever zoo I go to, I can never find Snow leopards!

 

[bongorob]

I see tuatara most of the time at chester, i'm very complacent when it comes to this unusual species.

 

[evilmonkey239]

Whatever zoo I go to, I can never find Snow leopards!

Just it is for scientists studying them in the wild, eh?

 

[evilmonkey239]

Arctic foxes at the Detroit Zoo. I've been there twice and not seen them.

I go there almost every year and I've never seen the beavers.

 

[TheEthiopianWolf03]

Indian muntjac at Oakland zoo. For the past 7 years I’ve never seen it. I’m 95% sure it’s dead or just at another zoo because it’s just always a no show.

 

[TinoPup]

Maned Wolfs anywhere

This was my thought as soon as I saw the thread! I don't think I've ever seen one standing/moving. I'm pretty good at at least spotting bits of red fur curled up between bushes and the like, but it's never more than that. I've been to at least 4 zoos that have them, and both of the main zoos I frequent keep them near the cheetahs, which I check in with several times each visit (my favorite species). I got a pretty good view of a sleeping one at Wildlife Safari in OR, now try and find it in the photo

I've never seen the black-footed ferrets in DC, and I've barely glimpsed the clouded leopards there. The cheetahs can also be very difficult. I haven't seen their gray wolves in years. Their giant anteaters were very active, though

At Philly, beyond the maned wolves, the mhorr gazelles are my nemesis. They have a large area with tall grasses and I've never spotted more than an ear. I usually stop and eat lunch by them in the hopes of seeing them, but no luck.

 

[agnmeln]

The margay at Edinburgh Zoo is the most difficult one to spot that I’ve come across, although I have seen it on some occasions.

 

[Pertinax]

Spanish wolves at Howletts and Port Lympne. Never saw them bar one brief glimpse over several visits. But I saw them very easily at Blackpool where they seemed to be active and totally relaxed the whole time, unlike the very shy ones in Kent. May have been handraised? Certainly something different about them.

Maned Wolves are classic- though in UK Banham's seemed quite visible when I used to visit..
Spectacled Bears- rather notorious at least at Chester, though there they seem much more visible since birth of a cub recently.

Beavers are another classic-I have never seen one active in a zoo enclosure!

European Otter. Many zoos don't keep them due to nocturnal behaviour, choosing Asian Small-clawed or North American River Otter as more reliably diurnal.

Owston's Palm Civets.

 

[FBBird]

Spanish wolves at Howletts and Port Lympne. Never saw them bar one brief glimpse over several visits. But I saw them very easily at Blackpool where they seemed to be active and totally relaxed the whole time, unlike the very shy ones in Kent. May have been handraised? Certainly something different about them.

Maned Wolves are classic- though in UK Banham's seemed quite visible when I used to visit..
Spectacled Bears- rather notorious at least at Chester, though there they seem much more visible since birth of a cub recently.

Beavers are another classic-I have never seen one active in a zoo enclosure!

European Otter. Many zoos don't keep them due to nocturnal behaviour, choosing Asian Small-clawed or North American River Otter as more reliably diurnal.

Owston's Palm Civets.

Owston's Civets in Newquay's nocturnal exhibit are often active and visible.

 

[Pertinax]

Owston's Civets in Newquay's nocturnal exhibit are often active and visible.

I didn't know that- have only seen then via the mirror above their sleeping box.

 

[gentle lemur]

I didn't know that- have only seen then via the mirror above their sleeping box.

Those are the civets in the diurnal exhibit. On my first visit to Newquay I saw them being fed outside just before the zoo closed for the day - but either I was very lucky or they have changed the routine now, because I have never seen them properly since. There are now a pair in the nocturnal house near the entrance too and they showed well during the day earlier this year.
Incidentally I saw the old pair at Shaldon come outside for food too, but the current pair don't seem to venture out during the day and they are fed in their house.

 

[Great Argus]

The Two-toed Sloth at the Sacramento Zoo wins for me. Been there at least a dozen times and never seen it. Exhibit's not even that big either, nor is it heavily planted.

Maned wolves too... been to multiple zoos housing them but only seen them once. Asleep too, as others have noted.

Snowy Owl too come to think of it. And a pretty so-so look when I actually finally did see Woodland Park's as my first and only thus far.

Southern Cassowary was one for awhile... Was super excited about the fact San Francisco Zoo had one, and when I got back there I was told the bird had just disappeared into the back of its fairly wooded habitat due to some noisy kids. Despite waiting quite awhile the cassowary never reappeared. Wasn't till a couple years later back at San Francisco I saw it after waiting like 20 minutes. (Same thing had happened I guess) But patience paid off, it came down and stood right in front of me till I left.

 

[animal_expert01]

Tawny Frogmouths at most zoos I've been too.

 

[TheMightyOrca]

Maned wolf at the Houston Zoo. I'm lucky if I catch a quick glimpse. Wonder if I'd see it if I arrived right as the zoo opens?

 

[JVM]

Not sure I would call them famous, but both Lincoln Park Zoo and Brookfield Zoo recently phased out Andean bears, and while both of them had the species for a dozen years, the latter with access to multiple grottos, I never once caught sight of them. The entire 'bear line' at the former was usually disappointing for me - I only saw the sun bear on my final visit before the renovation, and never the andean bears or hyenas.

I could live with that though.. but I was terribly embarrassed to find out Brookfield had Kiwi when I was a child, but I simply never went to the Be a Bird exhibit, mistakenly believing it was empty on the inside. Have not had the pleasure of seeing the species since yet, although Brookfield still technically has them in their collection, they're on loan.

A different example -- I recall coming close to visiting Lincoln Park before they closed the Penguin-Seabird House and even though it was a lackluster exhibit, I still wish I'd stopped by. Same issue with Milwaukee's Australia House.

Travel has never been a realistic option for me, so I can't say I've come close to missing the Sumatran rhinos or Baby, much as I wish I had seen any of them.