I will be visiting Texas this September. Without a car, I will have to limit myself to collections accessible via public transportation (i.e. within the metropolitan areas of Houston, San Antonio, Dallas and Fort Worth) and leave out the regional ones which I would otherwise have liked to visit. I have friends in Dallas, they have offered to drive me to places but they are already offering me accommodation and I don't want to overuse their hospitality; gasoline is expensive, they would have to take time off from work, etc.
Members that have browsed through the Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville) gallery would certainly have been impressed by their collection of rare ungulates. In the gallery you see photos of animals like Bushbok, Jentink's Duiker, Bontebok and Hunter's Hartebeest. Many photos have comments with interesting discussions and information as well. The only problem is that some of the photos were taken as far back as 2002 and most of the comments are since 2008 so the information may well be very outdated. Judging by the comments, many of the rarities were the last remaining ones, even in captivity worldwide, or down to very few. Moreover they also no longer have African Elephants.
According to my present itinerary, I will fly from Washington down to Houston, from there to San Antonio and finally to Dallas (trains are cheap in Texas, according to the Amtrak website). But I keep thinking about Gladys Porter Zoo. Now might be the only chance I ever have. But it is hard to get to. It is not served by Amtrak, it takes many hours to drive to from anywhere in Texas (it is down by the Gulf of Mexico so it takes 7-8 hours via Greyhound from either Houston or San Antonio) and the airport is not even in Brownsville but in a nearby resort town called South Padre. I could fly to Brownsville from anywhere in the US via Houston or Dallas, but would the effort really be worth it? I understand that the last Hunter's Hartebeest has died now. But what about the Bushbok or the Jenkin's Duiker? Any other rarities which would make the trip worth it?
Members that have browsed through the Gladys Porter Zoo (Brownsville) gallery would certainly have been impressed by their collection of rare ungulates. In the gallery you see photos of animals like Bushbok, Jentink's Duiker, Bontebok and Hunter's Hartebeest. Many photos have comments with interesting discussions and information as well. The only problem is that some of the photos were taken as far back as 2002 and most of the comments are since 2008 so the information may well be very outdated. Judging by the comments, many of the rarities were the last remaining ones, even in captivity worldwide, or down to very few. Moreover they also no longer have African Elephants.
According to my present itinerary, I will fly from Washington down to Houston, from there to San Antonio and finally to Dallas (trains are cheap in Texas, according to the Amtrak website). But I keep thinking about Gladys Porter Zoo. Now might be the only chance I ever have. But it is hard to get to. It is not served by Amtrak, it takes many hours to drive to from anywhere in Texas (it is down by the Gulf of Mexico so it takes 7-8 hours via Greyhound from either Houston or San Antonio) and the airport is not even in Brownsville but in a nearby resort town called South Padre. I could fly to Brownsville from anywhere in the US via Houston or Dallas, but would the effort really be worth it? I understand that the last Hunter's Hartebeest has died now. But what about the Bushbok or the Jenkin's Duiker? Any other rarities which would make the trip worth it?
I would have furry or feathered pets too but allergies / asthma have made that too uncomfortable.