Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Formerly Kept Species of the Jacksonville Zoo

Austin the Sengi

Austin the Sengi

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
Throughout the past one hundred and ten years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens have seen countless species come and go; and as is the case with similar threads. I want to look back on those species that are no longer present in the zoo’s collection.

Based on what you’ll see below, the following is the result of what I’ve sourced from old maps, ZooChat media, and general knowledge. But as always, do feel free to add more to the list, as I am certain that there are still some animals that I initially missed:


Older Collection: (based on aforementioned knowledge)

Mammals
• Asian Elephant
• Black Rhinoceros
• Hippo - (Nile)
• Hippo - (Pygmy)
• Onager
• Domestic Horse - (Shetland Pony)
• Gaur
• Sable Antelope
• Red Deer
• Guanaco
• Llama
• Fallow Deer - (European)
• Elk / Wapiti
• American Bison
• Gemsbok
• Cape Hartebeest
• Wildebeest - (Blue)
• Eland - (Common)
• Thompson’s Gazelle
• Waterbuck - (Ellipsen)
• Domestic Zebu
• Diana Monkey
• Lion-Tailed Macaque
• Orangutan* - (Sumatran)
• Sulawesi Crested Macaque
• Tiger - (Bengal)
• Polar Bear
• Sloth Bear
• Northern Raccoon
• Grizzled Tree Kangaroo
• Virginia Opossum

*planned to return, via the current master plan.

Birds
• Black Swan
• Mute Swan
• Pondicherry Vulture
• Tufted Duck
• Spot-Billed Duck
• Redhead
• Bar-Headed Goose
• Wood Duck
• Ruddy Shelduck
• Blue-Winged Goose
• Sarus Crane
• Sun Conure
• Yellow-Naped Amazon
• Bali Myna
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Lory
• Southern Ground Hornbill
• Greater Hornbill
• Toco Toucan
• King Vulture?
• Greater Rhea
• Lesser Magellan Goose
• Black-Legged Seriema
• Asian Fairy Bluebird
• Silver Pheasant
• Pink-Necked Fruit Dove
• Dusky Lory
• Orinoco Goose
• White Ibis - (American?)
• Cattle Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• “Louisiana Heron” / Tricolored Heron
• Eclectus Parrot?


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Uracoan Rattlesnake
• Leopard Gecko
• Green Iguana
• Peninsular Cooter
• Red-Eared Slider
• Rainbow Boa
• Black Rat Snake
• Clouded Boa
• “Amaral’s Boa”
• Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Gray-Banded Rattlesnake
• Green Tree Python



Recent Collection: (based on updates and news threads)

Africa / River Valley Aviary
• Impala
• Sitatunga
• Slender-Horned Gazelle
• Soemmerring’s Gazelle?
• Klipspringer
• African Buffalo
• Okapi
• Speke’s Gazelle
• Bontebok
• Zebra - (Plains)
• Leopard - (Amur)
• Cheetah
• Rock Hyrax
• Goliath Heron
• Saddle-Billed Stork
• Egyptian Goose
• Spur-Winged Goose
• Pink-Backed Pelican
• Ostrich
• Lappet-Faced Vulture
• White-Crowned Robin-Chat
• White-Bellied Bustard
• Golden-Breasted Starling?
• Marabou Stork
• White-Backed Vulture
• Nile Crocodile
• Slender-Snouted Crocodile > (if they were ever displayed)

River Valley Aviary
• Reeve’s Muntjac
• Palm Nut Vulture
• Diamond Dove
• White-Collared Kingfisher
• African Jacana
• Nicobar Pigeon
• Green Heron
• Cape Teal
• White-Faced Whistling Duck
• Cape Thick-Knee
• Mandarin Duck
• Lesser Flamingo
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Kori Bustard
• Kenya Crested Guineafowl


Wild Florida
• Southern Pudu
• White-Tailed Deer
• Florida Panther
• Bobcat
• Red Wolf
• Coyote
• Cooper’s Hawk?
• Sandhill Crane
• Whooping Crane
• Wild Turkey
• Bald Eagle > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Alligator Snapping Turtle


African Forest / (Great Apes of the World)
• Chimpanzee


Range of the Jaguar / Emerald Forest Aviary
• Baird’s Tapir
• Pygmy Marmoset
• White-Faced Saki
• Southern Three-Banded Armadillo
• Blue-Billed Curassow
• Taylor’s Cantil?

Emerald Forest Aviary
• Harpy Eagle
• Red-Capped Cardinal
• Purple Gallinule
• Scarlet Macaw
• White-Headed Piping Guan
• Northern Cardinal
• Cedar Waxwing
• Brazilian Teal
• Black-Necked Swan
• Tabasco Slider
• Arapaima
• Peacock Bass
• Plecostomus sp.
• “Demon Fish”
• Black Pacu?


Children’s Play Park
• North American River Otter
• Domestic Goat - (Nubian)


Australian Adventure / Amphibian Conservation Center
• Koala
• Red Kangaroo
• Wallaby - (Tammar)
• Wallaby - (Bennett’s / Red-Necked)
• Grey-Winged Trumpeter
• Livingstone’s Turaco


Asia / Land of the Tiger
• Tiger - (Sumatran)
• Wrinkled Hornbill
 
Indeed, both were relatively recent departures. In the case of the latter, the zoo have been committed to displaying just the Malayan subspecies for now. Although, when Cinta’s cubs mature and move on to other institutions; I could see them bringing back a Sumatran or two.
 
After seeing some recent changes that came from a recent shift, I can now confirm the following for this thread.

Africa / River Valley Aviary
• Yellow-Backed Duiker
• Common Warthog > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Wattled Crane > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Blue Crane? > (still kept bts; no longer on display?)

Austin the Sengi said:
• Lappet-Faced Vulture
Click to expand...
With the vultures now on display in the former cheetah enclosure, this species will be removed the list.

Primate Forest (formerly African Forest)
*no new additions, other than the change in name.
 
After coming across and picking through the former species list provided by Zootierliste*; listed below are some new species never before seen on this thread:

Mammals
• Grizzly Bear
• Andean / Spectacled Bear
• Indian Flying Fox
• Brown Hyena
• Bontebok - (confirmed)
• Patas Monkey
• Spotted Hyena
• Gerenuk
• Soemmering’s Gazelle - (confirmed)


Birds
• Cinereous Vulture
• Andean Condor
• Burrowing Owl
• Black Crake
• Golden-Crested Myna
• Jambu Fruit Dove


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Cuban Crocodile
• Siamese Crocodile
• Shovelnose Guitarfish

*Do note, however, that the website’s list is currently incomplete, as well as being slightly inaccurate with certain species. Additionally, Zootierliste’s list does not include a significant number of animals that are already listed here on this thread.
 
As the year slowly begins to wrap up, I figured that now would be a good time to round out the former species list as it currently stands.


Older Collection: (based on personal knowledge)

Mammals
• Asian Elephant
• Black Rhinoceros
• Hippo - (Nile)
• Hippo - (Pygmy)
• Onager
• Domestic Horse - (Shetland Pony)
• Gaur
• Sable Antelope
• Red Deer
• Guanaco
• Llama
• Fallow Deer - (European)
• Elk / Wapiti
• American Bison
• Gemsbok
• Cape Hartebeest
• Wildebeest - (Blue)
• Eland - (Common)
• Thompson’s Gazelle
• Waterbuck - (Ellipsen)
• Domestic Zebu
• Diana Monkey
• Lion-Tailed Macaque
• Orangutan* - (Sumatran)
• Sulawesi Crested Macaque
• Mainland Tiger - (Bengal)
• Polar Bear
• Sloth Bear
• Northern Raccoon
• Grizzled Tree Kangaroo
• Virginia Opossum

*planned to return, via the current master plan.

Birds
• Black Swan
• Mute Swan
• Pondicherry Vulture
• Tufted Duck
• Spot-Billed Duck
• Redhead
• Bar-Headed Goose
• Wood Duck
• Ruddy Shelduck
• Blue-Winged Goose
• Sarus Crane
• Sun Conure
• Yellow-Naped Amazon
• Bali Myna
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Lory
• Southern Ground Hornbill
• Greater Hornbill
• Toco Toucan
• King Vulture?
• Greater Rhea
• Lesser Magellan Goose
• Black-Legged Seriema
• Asian Fairy Bluebird
• Silver Pheasant
• Pink-Necked Fruit Dove
• Dusky Lory
• Orinoco Goose
• White Ibis - (American?)
• Cattle Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• “Louisiana Heron” / Tricolored Heron
• Eclectus Parrot?


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Uracoan Rattlesnake
• Leopard Gecko
• Green Iguana
• Peninsular Cooter
• Red-Eared Slider
• Rainbow Boa
• Black Rat Snake
• Clouded Boa
• “Amaral’s Boa”
• Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Gray-Banded Rattlesnake
• Green Tree Python



Recent Collection: (based on updates and news threads)

Africa / River Valley Aviary
• Impala
• Sitatunga
• Slender-Horned Gazelle
• Soemmerring’s Gazelle
• Klipspringer
• African Buffalo
• Okapi
• Speke’s Gazelle
• Bontebok
• Zebra - (Plains)
• Leopard - (Amur)
• Cheetah
• Rock Hyrax
• Goliath Heron
• Saddle-Billed Stork
• Egyptian Goose
• Spur-Winged Goose
• Pink-Backed Pelican
• Ostrich
• Lappet-Faced Vulture
• White-Crowned Robin-Chat
• White-Bellied Bustard
• Golden-Breasted Starling?
• Common Warthog > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Wattled Crane > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Marabou Stork
• White-Backed Vulture
• Nile Crocodile
• Yellow-Backed Duiker
• Slender-Snouted Crocodile > (if they were ever displayed)

River Valley Aviary
• Reeve’s Muntjac
• Palm Nut Vulture
• Diamond Dove
• White-Collared Kingfisher
• African Jacana
• Nicobar Pigeon
• Green Heron
• Cape Teal
• White-Faced Whistling Duck
• Cape Thick-Knee
• Mandarin Duck
• Lesser Flamingo
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Kori Bustard
• Kenya Crested Guineafowl


Wild Florida
• Southern Pudu
• White-Tailed Deer
• Florida Panther
• Bobcat
• Red Wolf
• Coyote
• Cooper’s Hawk?
• Sandhill Crane
• Whooping Crane
• Wild Turkey
• Bald Eagle > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Alligator Snapping Turtle


Primate Forest / (African Forest)
• Chimpanzee


Range of the Jaguar / Emerald Forest Aviary
• Baird’s Tapir
• Pygmy Marmoset
• White-Faced Saki
• Southern Three-Banded Armadillo
• Blue-Billed Curassow
• Taylor’s Cantil?

Emerald Forest Aviary
• Harpy Eagle
• Red-Capped Cardinal
• Purple Gallinule
• Scarlet Macaw
• White-Headed Piping Guan
• Northern Cardinal
• Cedar Waxwing
• Brazilian Teal
• Black-Necked Swan
• Tabasco Slider
• Arapaima
• Peacock Bass
• Plecostomus sp.
• “Demon Fish”
• Black Pacu?


Children’s Play Park
• North American River Otter
• Domestic Goat - (Nubian)


Australian Adventure / Amphibian Conservation Center
• Koala
• Red Kangaroo
• Wallaby - (Tammar)
• Wallaby - (Bennett’s / Red-Necked)
• Grey-Winged Trumpeter
• Livingstone’s Turaco


Asia / Land of the Tiger
• Sunda Tiger - (Sumatran)
• Wrinkled Hornbill



Undetermined: (sourced from Zootierliste)

Mammals
• Grizzly Bear
• Andean / Spectacled Bear
• Indian Flying Fox
• Brown Hyena
• Patas Monkey - (Common?)
• Spotted Hyena
• Gerenuk


Birds
• Cinereous Vulture
• Andean Condor
• Burrowing Owl
• Black Crake
• Golden-Crested Myna
• Jambu Fruit Dove


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Cuban Crocodile
• Siamese Crocodile
• Shovelnose Guitarfish
 
Austin the Sengi said:
• Common Warthog > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
• Wattled Crane > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
Click to expand...
As of my latest visit (which I will elaborate on in the respective news thread), both species are back on display in both an upgraded exhibit (warthogs), and the former exhibit for Lappet-Faced Vultures (cranes).

Also, while not entirely confirmed, there’s a possibility that the following species are no longer displayed:

• Straw-Colored Fruit Bat
• Blue Crane ?
• Rhinoceros Hornbill
• Yellow-Billed Duck - Anas undulata ?
• Leopard Tortoise

[Edit] I should also mention that the zoo still maintains at least one Wrinkled Hornbill, thus, removing the species from the main list.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
• Bald Eagle > (still kept bts; no longer on display)
Click to expand...
After another, albeit slightly shorter visit, I can confirm that the zoo still displays two bald eagles; both an adult and a juvenile of undetermined sexes.

I should also mention that the zoo might no longer be a holder of the following species. Although, I did see some animal-made art for sale regarding the latter:

• Crowned Lemur
• Indian Peafowl
 
Following the activity of my recent posts, here is an updated version of the main list (as of 02/16/2025):


Older Collection: (based on personal knowledge)

Mammals
• Asian Elephant
• Black Rhinoceros
• Hippo - (Nile)
• Hippo - (Pygmy)
• Onager
• Domestic Horse - (Shetland Pony)
• Gaur
• Sable Antelope
• Red Deer
• Guanaco
• Llama
• Fallow Deer - (European)
• Elk / Wapiti
• American Bison
• Gemsbok
• Cape Hartebeest
• Wildebeest - (Blue)
• Eland - (Common)
• Thompson’s Gazelle
• Waterbuck - (Ellipsen)
• Domestic Zebu
• Diana Monkey
• Lion-Tailed Macaque
• Orangutan* - (Sumatran)
• Sulawesi Crested Macaque
• Mainland Tiger - (Bengal)
• Polar Bear
• Sloth Bear
• Northern Raccoon
• Grizzled Tree Kangaroo
• Virginia Opossum

*planned to return, via the current master plan.

Birds
• Black Swan
• Mute Swan
• Pondicherry Vulture
• Tufted Duck
• Spot-Billed Duck
• Redhead
• Bar-Headed Goose
• Wood Duck
• Ruddy Shelduck
• Blue-Winged Goose
• Sarus Crane
• Sun Conure
• Yellow-Naped Amazon
• Bali Myna
• Pileated Woodpecker
• Red Lory
• Southern Ground Hornbill
• Greater Hornbill
• Toco Toucan
• King Vulture?
• Greater Rhea
• Lesser Magellan Goose
• Black-Legged Seriema
• Asian Fairy Bluebird
• Silver Pheasant
• Pink-Necked Fruit Dove
• Dusky Lory
• Orinoco Goose
• White Ibis - (American?)
• Cattle Egret
• Great Blue Heron
• “Louisiana Heron” / Tricolored Heron
• Eclectus Parrot?


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Uracoan Rattlesnake
• Leopard Gecko
• Green Iguana
• Peninsular Cooter
• Red-Eared Slider
• Rainbow Boa
• Black Rat Snake
• Clouded Boa
• “Amaral’s Boa”
• Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
• Gray-Banded Rattlesnake
• Green Tree Python



Recent Collection: (based on updates and news threads)

Africa / River Valley Aviary
• Impala
• Sitatunga
• Slender-Horned Gazelle
• Soemmerring’s Gazelle
• Klipspringer
• African Buffalo
• Okapi
• Speke’s Gazelle
• Bontebok
• Zebra - (Plains)
• Leopard - (Amur)
• Cheetah
• Rock Hyrax
• Goliath Heron
• Saddle-Billed Stork
• Egyptian Goose
• Spur-Winged Goose
• Pink-Backed Pelican
• Ostrich
• Lappet-Faced Vulture
• White-Crowned Robin-Chat
• White-Bellied Bustard
• Golden-Breasted Starling ?
• Blue Crane > (most likely)
• Marabou Stork
• White-Backed Vulture
• Straw-Colored Fruit Bat > (most likely)
• Nile Crocodile
• Yellow-Backed Duiker
• Yellow-Billed Duck - Anas undulata ?
• Leopard Tortoise
• Slender-Snouted Crocodile*
(*if they were ever displayed)

River Valley Aviary
• Reeve’s Muntjac
• Palm Nut Vulture
• Diamond Dove
• White-Collared Kingfisher
• African Jacana
• Nicobar Pigeon
• Green Heron
• Cape Teal
• White-Faced Whistling Duck
• Cape Thick-Knee
• Mandarin Duck
• Lesser Flamingo
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Kori Bustard
• Kenya Crested Guineafowl


Wild Florida
• Southern Pudu
• White-Tailed Deer
• Florida Panther
• Bobcat
• Red Wolf
• Coyote
• Cooper’s Hawk ?
• Sandhill Crane
• Whooping Crane
• Wild Turkey
• Alligator Snapping Turtle


Primate Forest
• Chimpanzee
• Crowned Lemur


Range of the Jaguar / Emerald Forest Aviary
• Baird’s Tapir
• Pygmy Marmoset
• White-Faced Saki
• Southern Three-Banded Armadillo
• Blue-Billed Curassow
• Taylor’s Cantil ?

Emerald Forest Aviary
• Harpy Eagle
• Red-Capped Cardinal
• Purple Gallinule
• Scarlet Macaw
• White-Headed Piping Guan
• Northern Cardinal
• Cedar Waxwing
• Brazilian Teal
• Black-Necked Swan
• Tabasco Slider
• Arapaima
• Peacock Bass
• Plecostomus sp.
• “Demon Fish”
• Black Pacu


Children’s Play Park
• North American River Otter
• Domestic Goat - (Nubian)


Lorikeet Landing / Amphibian Conservation Center
• Koala
• Red Kangaroo
• Wallaby - (Tammar)
• Wallaby - (Bennett’s / Red-Necked)
• Grey-Winged Trumpeter
• Livingstone’s Turaco


Asia / Land of the Tiger
• Sunda Tiger - (Sumatran)
• Rhinoceros Hornbill ?



Undetermined: (sourced from Zootierliste)

Mammals
• Grizzly Bear
• Andean / Spectacled Bear
• Indian Flying Fox
• Brown Hyena
• Patas Monkey - (Common?)
• Spotted Hyena
• Gerenuk


Birds
• Cinereous Vulture
• Andean Condor
• Burrowing Owl
• Black Crake
• Golden-Crested Myna
• Jambu Fruit Dove
• Indian Peafowl


Reptiles / Amphibians / Fish / etc.
• Cuban Crocodile
• Siamese Crocodile
• Shovelnose Guitarfish

(underlined - recently added)
 
While looking around for archival footage to help expand the former species list. I came across an interesting YouTube video dated to 2004, which includes two particular scenes that were rather intriguing…

IMG_0721.jpeg
IMG_0722.jpeg
Source: “george aslanidi” on YouTube, screenshots of these clips were taken by yours truly, Austin the Sengi

Beginning at the 7:56 mark and ending at 8:14, a scene depicting an active Asian Elephant can be seen. In the clip leading up to this scene, an African Elephant in their current enclosure is also shown; so this enclosure where the zoo’s Asian Elephant was being housed may not have been in the same location.

This first scene, in my eyes, caught me off. I knew beforehand that Jacksonville had long been a holder of this species for a few decades, and knowing that the Giraffe Overlook wouldn’t open until the following year (2005); was it possible that the Asian Elephant exhibit was roughly located where the giraffes are today?

The next clip I wanted to discuss about begins earlier than the elephant clip at 6:37, and ending at the 7:10 mark. In between these parts of the video is a sleeping Binturong, which I never knew the zoo had prior to finding this video.

What sets this scene apart is that the binturong was displayed in a location with some decent-looking rockwork in the background (for the time). Where this was exactly located within the zoo is a mystery, but I’m certain some of our ever-helpful members could solve some part of these mysteries.


Lastly, for those who are interested in finding this particular video, it can be found on YouTube under the title “Best of Jacksonville Zoo (2004), Florida”.
 

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Last edited:
@bajabob8 , it should be noted that the wattled cranes were removed from the latest version of the list. Though, for whatever reason, I never removed the Lappet-Faced Vultures from that same version.
 
Austin the Sengi said:
While looking around for archival footage to help expand the former species list. I came across an interesting YouTube video dated to 2004, which includes two particular scenes that were rather intriguing…

View attachment 792352
View attachment 792353
Source: “george aslanidi” on YouTube, screenshots of these clips were taken by yours truly, Austin the Sengi

Beginning at the 7:56 mark and ending at 8:14, a scene depicting an active Asian Elephant can be seen. In the clip leading up to this scene, an African Elephant in their current enclosure is also shown; so this enclosure where the zoo’s Asian Elephant was being housed may not have been in the same location.

This first scene, in my eyes, caught me off. I knew beforehand that Jacksonville had long been a holder of this species for a few decades, and knowing that the Giraffe Overlook wouldn’t open until the following year (2005); was it possible that the Asian Elephant exhibit was roughly located where the giraffes are today?

The next clip I wanted to discuss about begins earlier than the elephant clip at 6:37, and ending at the 7:10 mark. In between these parts of the video is a sleeping Binturong, which I never knew the zoo had prior to finding this video.

What sets this scene apart is that the binturong was displayed in a location with some decent-looking rockwork in the background (for the time). Where this was exactly located within the zoo is a mystery, but I’m certain some of our ever-helpful members could solve some part of these mysteries.


Lastly, for those who are interested in finding this particular video, it can be found on YouTube under the title “Best of Jacksonville Zoo (2004), Florida”.
Click to expand...
The video would have to be older as Jacksonville's last Asian elephants left for Saint Louis in 2001. If I remember correctly from a visit in the late 90's both African and Asian elephants were housed together in the same habitat and were walked to and from it to a backstage area.
 
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