Making room on the ark – can rare zoo animals replace common ones in Europe?

[Jana]

Where would large carnivores be introduced? Do you honestly think that densely populated countries would want large carnivores, which associate humans with food, to be introduced into their countries with a risk of the carnivores killing people and their livestock

Public opinion in densely populated countries is not homogene and it evolves. There are people asking for more large carnivores and those that dont want them. If Californian agglomerations can coexist with puma and Germans tolerate around 1000 wolves already in their country, others can learn it too, sometime in future.

Actually, lynx reintroduction programs in Europe now complain they cant get enough animals for releases because Slovakia and Romania now have catch quota to limit number of wild animals they send abroad to not endanger their own populations. Demand for reintroduction is here.

 

[lintworm]

Thank you @Jurek7 for starting this topic, as I think it is a very important topic currently. Too many zoos just say they keep short-clawed otters/ring-tailed lemurs/white-handed gibbons/Alpine ibex and the like just because they can say they are an endangered species or used for re-introduction purposes. While at the same time from a collection planning viewpoint their space could much better be used by other species which are struggling.

For for example Alpine ibex, I would say that this is a species that wildparks and zoos with a European focus really should keep it, especially within the native range, but that still leaves 15 major EAZA zoos (like Artis, Wilhelma and Munich) that could use this space for Caucasian or Nubian ibex. It is however hard to convince smaller wildparks they should switch, even if some already hold Caucasian or Siberian ibex like Sababurg and Bouillon already do.

What makes it difficult for some zoos to switch to tropical species like banteng is the need for a heated stable. Even big zoos sometimes cannot get it done. For their Asian zone Wilhelma planned for banteng as their cattle species, but the city wouldn't fund a heated stable, so now they keep domestic yak. This cannot be explained logically and is a very weak statement from the city imo, but the zoo is also planning for Siberian instead of Sumatran tigers because of exactly the same reason. If such a major zoo already has such problems, how can we expect smaller zoos to invest in tropical species... (even if the tiny and free Schoenebeck does keep Visayan warty pigs as their pig representative....)

 

[remar]

Great thread! Thank you Jurek! Hopefully some zoo directors/curators will read it too

 

[Dassie rat]

Too many zoos just say they keep short-clawed otters/ring-tailed lemurs/white-handed gibbons/Alpine ibex and the like just because they can say they are an endangered species or used for re-introduction purposes. While at the same time from a collection planning viewpoint their space could much better be used by other species which are struggling.

The following lemurs are Critically Endangered:
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is kept in 193 ZTL collections with the white-belted form in 26 collections.
The red ruffed lemur is kept in 149 ZTL collections.
The Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur is kept in 19 collections.
The mongoose lemur is kept in 17 collections.
The blue-eyed black lemur is kept in 9 collections.
The greater bamboo lemur is kept in 6 collections.
The white-collared brown lemur is kept in 3 collections.
Generic ruffed lemurs are kept in 2 collections.

The following lemurs are Endangered:
The ring-tailed lemur is kept in 503 ZTL collections.
The black lemur is kept in 73 collections.
The crowned lemur is kept in 39 collections.
The collared lemur is kept in 8 collections.
The Sanford's brown lemur is kept in 0 collections.

The following lemurs are Vulnerable:
The red-bellied lemur is kept in 54 ZTL collections.
The common brown lemur is kept in 53 collections.
The white-fronted lemur is kept in 45 collections.
The red-fronted lemur is kept in 31 ZTL collections.
The northern bamboo lemur is kept in 4 collections.
The grey bamboo lemur is kept in 0 collections.

This indicates that there are too many lemurs of some species and too few of others in ZTL collections.

 

[Fallax]

The following lemurs are Critically Endangered:
The black-and-white ruffed lemur is kept in 193 ZTL collections with the white-belted form in 26 collections.
The red ruffed lemur is kept in 149 ZTL collections.
The Lac Alaotra bamboo lemur is kept in 19 collections.
The mongoose lemur is kept in 17 collections.
The blue-eyed black lemur is kept in 9 collections.
The greater bamboo lemur is kept in 6 collections.
The white-collared brown lemur is kept in 3 collections.
Generic ruffed lemurs are kept in 2 collections.

The following lemurs are Endangered:
The ring-tailed lemur is kept in 503 ZTL collections.
The black lemur is kept in 73 collections.
The crowned lemur is kept in 39 collections.
The collared lemur is kept in 8 collections.
The Sanford's brown lemur is kept in 0 collections.

The following lemurs are Vulnerable:
The red-bellied lemur is kept in 54 ZTL collections.
The common brown lemur is kept in 53 collections.
The white-fronted lemur is kept in 45 collections.
The red-fronted lemur is kept in 31 ZTL collections.
The northern bamboo lemur is kept in 4 collections.
The grey bamboo lemur is kept in 0 collections.

This indicates that there are too many lemurs of some species and too few of others in ZTL collections.

Assuming you limit your lemur definition to just the Lemuridae sure, the other four lemur families all also have threatened species.

 

[Dassie rat]

I know, Mayki. I decided to just choose the Lemuridae as lintworm mentioned the ring-tailed lemur. I saw representatives of all 5 families of lemurs when I visited the Paris Vincennes Zoo in 1988.

 

[Dassie rat]

Thanks, Mayki

Here is a list of other lemurs that are or have been kept in ZTL collections

Aye-ayes
The aye-aye is Endangered and is kept in 6 ZTL collections

Dwarf and mouse lemurs

The following species are Endangered
The Ganzhorn's mouse lemur is kept in 4 ZTL collections
The Coquerel's mouse lemur, hairy-eared dwarf lemur and fork-marked lemur are kept in 0 collections

The following species are Vulnerable
The fat-tailed dwarf lemur is kept in 3 ZTL collections
The Crossley's and greater dwarf lemurs, Peters's and rufous mouse lemurs and northern giant mouse lemur are kept in 0 collections

The following species are Near Threatened
The Goodman's mouse lemur is kept in 7 ZTL collections

Sportive lemurs
The red-tailed sportive lemur is Critically Endangered and is kept in 0 ZTL collections

Indriids

The following species are Critically Endangered
The crowned sifaka is kept in 6 ZTL collections
The Coquerel's sifaka is kept in 3 collections
The diademed and Verreaux's sifakas and indri are kept in 0 collections

The following species are Least Concern
The grey mouse lemur is kept in 22 ZTL collections

 

[Dassie rat]

Here is a list of otters that are or have been kept in ZTL collections

The following otters are Endangered:
The giant otter is kept in 23 ZTL collections.
The Alaskan sea otter is kept in 4 collections
The marine otter is kept in 0 collections.

The following otters are Vulnerable:
The Asian small-clawed otter is kept in 288 ZTL collections
The Indochinese smooth-coated otter is kept in 14 collections and the generic form and Indus Valley river otters in 0 collections.

The following species are Near Threatened:
The Eurasian otter is kept in 143 ZTL collections; generic otters are kept in 3 collections, the Chinese river otter in 1 collection and the Indian and Indonesian river otters in 0 collections.
The spotted-neck otter is kept in 2 collections.
The African and Congo clawless otters are kept in 0 ZTL collections

The following species are Least Concern:
The North American river otter is kept in 9 ZTL collections.

The Asian small-clawed otter is kept in more ZTL collections than all other otter species combined.

 

[Dassie rat]

Here is a list of gibbons that are or have been kept in ZTL collections

The following gibbons are Critically Endangered
The northern white-cheeked gibbon is kept in 35 ZTL collections
The southern white-cheeked gibbon is kept in 3 collections
The eastern and western black-crested gibbons, Kloss' gibbon and Hainan crested gibbons are kept in 0 ZTL collections

The following gibbons are Endangered
The lar gibbon* is kept in 161 ZTL collections, with the Malayan white-handed gibbon in 1 collection and the eastern white-handed gibbon in 0 collections
The siamang is kept in 67 collections
The red-cheeked gibbon is kept in 47 collections
The pileated gibbon is kept in 21 collections
The moloch gibbon is kept in 12 collections
The agile gibbon is kept in 9 collections
The grey gibbon is kept in 6 collections with the northern and eastern Mueller's gibbons in 1 collection and the Abbott's grey gibbon in 0 collections
The Bornean white-bearded gibbon and western hoolock gibbon are kept in 0 collections

The following gibbons are Vulnerable
The *central white-handed gibbon is kept in 2 collections
The eastern hoolock gibbon is kept in 0 collections

 

[Dassie rat]

Here is a list of sheep and goats that are or have been kept in ZTL collections.
Numbers of collections currently having the named animals are in figures.

The following animals are Critically Endangered:
Kara-Tau argali: 1

The following animals are Endangered:
Tajik markhor (51)
Kuban tur: 14
Tadjik urial (4)
Arabian tahr: 3
Cyprian mouflon (2)
Nilgiri tahr: 0

The following animals are Vulnerable:
European mouflon: 461
Atlas Barbary sheep (129) and Saharan Barbary sheep (3)
Nubian ibex: 25
Transcaspian urial (5)
Bezoar ibex: 3
Altai argali (1)
Armenian red sheep (1)
Afghan urial (0)
Putorana snow sheep (0)

The following animals are Near Threatened:
Himalayan tahr: 32
Siberian ibex: 29
Dagestan tur: 14
Cretan wild goat (13) and Persian wild goat (1)
Argali: 1 with Marco Poli sheep (1)
Markhor: 0

The following animals are Least Concern:
Alpine ibex: 110
Northern blue sheep (21) and Himalayan blue sheep (16)
Dall's sheep: 4
Spanish ibex: 2 with South-east Spanish ibex (0)
Bighorn: 0 with California bighorn (2) and Rocky Mountain bighorn (0)
Snow sheep: 0

The following animals are Not Evaluated:
Semipalatinsk argali (1)
Tianshan argali (1)

The following animals weren't classified by ZTL as regards rarity:
Laristan mouflon (4) and Urmi mouflon (3)
Libyan Barbary sheep (4)
Western Spanish ibex (3)
Altai ibex (2) and Central Asian ibex (1)
Armenian red sheep (1)
Astor and Kabul markhors (0)
Kamchatka snow sheep (0)
Tur: 0

Urial: 0
This shows how some types of sheep and goats are kept in many collections, while others are not. I was most surprised about how common the European mouflon is within ZTL collections.

 

[HOMIN96]

The base of the thread is interesting and needed to be raised, however, I do have couple of disagreements with your points:

I don't plan in any way to influence zoos, coordinators of breeding programs or EAZA.

Oh please do, they need it.

I also feel that education about domestic animals 'that milk comes from cows not factory' can be delegated to petting farms. it is not the core function of zoos. In the last decades, a worrying trend occurred in zoos - getting rid of elephants and black rhinos but acquiring cows and domestic goats. Is it really sensible?

Can you list an example of a such zoo? There is a ton of factors that can make that decision easily look sensible.

Is it sensible to keep domestics? Yes, 100%. A lot of us when we were younger, were disapproving of keeping domestics in zoos completely. But as I mature, the more I can appreciate a good cattle/sheep/fowl breed being exhibited, extra points if it is something rarely kept, or it is part of the nation's genetic resources/heritage (i. e.: Šumava sheep or Walachia sheep here in Czechia.)

Maneless Zebra by Elephantelephant. Neglected but became very threatened in the wild.

I wouldn't say neglected but rather awfully mismanaged (including trusting the wrong people).

Allegedly, Banteng are very tamable.

So you are arguing that we should leave keeping domestics to farms, but then you list as positive argument that something is tamable?

Otters are represented by the Asian small-clawed otter in many zoos, as if other species don't exist.

I mean, for a lot of the collections other species really don't exist as they are unreachable with their resources...

 

[Jurek7]

Thanks everybody for the interesting thoughts!

The best thing that could be done is to educate the public

Education can be done without giving up endangered species. Zoos need to have several functions, and breeding endangered species is formally demanded from zoos in European law.

Actually, I know very few zoos which are poor in keeping threatened species but good in education. For me, a zoo saying 'we focus on education' is a bit of an excuse for not doing things which are more easily measured.

What makes it difficult for some zoos to switch to tropical species like banteng is the need for a heated stable. Even big zoos sometimes cannot get it done.

Yes, that is why I divided cattle into frost-hardy and tropical. For the frost-hardy, Wisent could be a replacement.

For their Asian zone Wilhelma planned for banteng as their cattle species, but the city wouldn't fund a heated stable

Unfortunately, I heard several times that Stuttgart city council does not fully appreciate the zoo. Stuttgart zoo is one of top attractions of the city, and known internationally. It needs more support.

The following lemurs are Critically Endangered:

Thanks for this listings. I will from mow on write concrete examples of rare species which can replace common ones.

Can you list an example of a such zoo? There is a ton of factors that can make that decision easily look sensible.

Lots of zoos stopped keeping elephants in the last decades, but many built children zoos. About black rhinos, an example is Zurich, which stopped keeping them, but has cows in children zoo educating about milk, yaks in a Tibetan area educating about milk, and also imported Dahomey cows for the new African savanna.

Collectively, there is an enormous number of domestic cows, sheep, goats and such domestic kept in major European zoos. Collectively, they take space which could support at least several endangered animals. From the point of view of one zoo, it may not be that obvious.

Writing this thread, two things became obvious for me. One is the need of zoos to optimize. Actually, books and press articles dealing with zoos during the 1980s predicted there will be fewer zoos than threatened species which will need saving in zoos. It looks this time has come.

Second is the power of big numbers. I did not expect that so many domestics are in major zoos, or that species like Alpine ibex, ring-tailed lemur, small-clawed otter are kept in so many more zoos than their conservation demands. I hope to make some useful thoughts of this. Actually, I did not expect that cheetah, snow leopard or gelada are so common in Europe, too. But more of it later.

I can appreciate a good cattle/sheep/fowl breed being exhibited, extra points if it is something rarely kept, or it is part of the nation's genetic resources/heritage (i. e.: Šumava sheep or Walachia sheep here in Czechia.)

The question is – is the place to see interesting domestic animals a zoo? Is a funny domestic goat really more interesting for the public, educative or worth protecting than every endangered wild animal which could be kept on its space? I think not.

So you are arguing that we should leave keeping domestics to farms, but then you list as positive argument that something is tamable?

It is unlikely that all zoos will change. Some others can replace an ordinary cow by a banteng.

 

[Jurek7]

Primates - Introduction:

Lemurs, monkeys and apes are popular, and there is space to have insurance populations of many endangered species.

Engineered zoo extinction vs unpredictability in the wild

At the same time, status of many primates on the IUCN Red List worsens literally every year. This is faster than zoos build insurance populations. As a result, several species which European zoos were not interested were reclassified as Vulnerable or Endangered, for example golden-bellied mangabeys, stump-tailed macaques, toque and bonnet macaques. This fast change forces flexibility. In particular, I would oppose planned extinction of any species, if possible.

Problem with import

Unfortunately it is very difficult to import new founder primates from their home countries. Ironically, many are common as rescues in their native countries, which lack good facilities to protect them. But importing any to Europe is frowned upon. Part of the problem is that older primate conservationists appear to be shaped by the reality from 30 years ago – when wild habitats were much larger and pristine, and zoos much worse. In the 2020s, their view on wild conservation is much too optimistic and view on zoos is much too pessimistic. Lets hope the new generation of conservationists will be more up to date.

Imbalance

With primates, zoo face a problem of imbalance. Many primates are present in very few zoos. At the same time, other species are over-abundant. Several of them are threatened, but zoo populations are far above needs of an insurance population. A 100th or 500th zoo holding a group no longer contributes to conservation of the species, especially that the same primates are usually common in zoos on other continents, too. Therefore, it makes sense that some zoos move away from the most common primates, so they collectively preserve as many species as possible.

The sensitive leaf-eaters

A significant proportion of primates is difficult to keep in human care, mostly groups specialized in eating leaves of trees. As the result, European zoos don't keep sportive lemurs, indris, awahis, uakaris, red or olive colobuses, most langurs, doucs nor proboscis monkeys. African and Madagascar leaf-eaters are unknown in human care in general. However, South American and South Asian zoos succeeded in keeping many of their local leaf-eaters. As the result, red-shanked doucs returned to two European zoos, including Chleby, which is one of the most forward-looking zoos in Europe. Chleby feeds their doucs a variety of oriental leaf vegetables like pak-choi plus ficus leaves obtained in cooperation with Vietnamese expat community in Czechia. The real problem seems to be logistical – ensuring import of tree leaves from the tropics. Nevertheless, most of the above primates will likely never return to Europe.

Below: Red-shanked Doucs by Al. Endangered, arguably the most colorful mammal on the world, but hard to feed where trees lose leaves in winter.

Red-shanked douc langur - Dusit - ZooChat

15. Lemurs and sifakas

Following forms are commonly kept:
Ring-tailed Lemur - 500 holders (IUCN status: EN)
Black-and-white Ruffed Lemur - 193 holders CR
Red Ruffed Lemur - 147 holders CR

847 zoos keep three over-abundant lemurs, which are additionally common in zoos in other continents. One Zoochatter commented that it is now very difficult to find a zoo without ring-tailed lemurs. Although these are threatened, it would be better if some zoos would switch to other threatened lemurs, especially Eulemur, Eulemur lemurs in real life are more active and interesting to visitors than the often lethargic ring-taileds.

Threatened alternative Eulemur already present in Europe are: Red-bellied, Collared, Crowned, Blue-eyed Black, Mongoose, Red-bellied, Red-fronted, White-collared Brown and White-fronted Lemurs. Also kept in Europe is belted subspecies of Ruffed lemur, and threatened bamboo lemurs (Greater, Alaotra and Northern) and two sifakas, which are more specialized feeders.

Below: Endangered Crowned Sifaka and also endangered Collared Brown Lemur in walkthrough at Cotswold by ro6ca66. Lets put these several 1000s of Ring-tailed Lemurs to the background.

Crowned sifaka; collared brown lemur; ring-tailed lemur : Cotswold WP : 12 - ZooChat

16. Night-active primates

Following forms are commonly kept:
Senegal Galago - 42 holders LC

Among nocturnal primates, non-threatened Senegal Galago could make space for threatened mouse lemurs, night monkeys or loris. In the latter, the EEP coordinator realized that European zoos collectively have space to keep only one of several endangered lories currently kept. Threatened replacements already found in Europe are Ganzhorn's Mouse lemurs, Fat-tailed Dwarf Lemurs, Bengal, Javan, Malayan and Pygmy Slow Lories, Grey-handed and Nancy Ma's Night Monkeys. There are also Aye-ayes, which of course, need much space and breed too slow to have animals to sentd to more zoos. Nevertheless, most of these species will not have space in European zoos.

Below: Bengal Slow Loris by devilfish. Endangered, and there is a constant flow of rescues which could start an insurance population, like this one.

Bengal slow loris, June 2013. - ZooChat


17. Marmosets and Tamarins

Following forms are commonly kept:
White tufted-ear marmoset - 312 holders LC
Cotton-top Tamarin - 276 holders CR
Red-tailed Emperor Tamarin - 130 holders LC
Pygmy marmoset (generic) - 129 holders VU
Red-handed Tamarin - 117 holders LC

964 holders keep the above species. Zoos could switch to less common and threatened marmosets and tamarins: pure subspecies Pygmy marmosets, Pied Tamarin and Black Lion Marmosets kept in Europe in too small numbers.

If importing founders was possible, there are as many as 19 threatened callitrichids in South America. Many have very small ranges or are threatened by uncontrolled hybridization with released pets, so building insurance populations makes sense.

Below: Endangered Pied Tamarin by Rayane

Pied tamarin - ZooChat

Buffy-tufted Marmoset by Giant Eland. Endangered, and not found outside its country of origin, like most South American monkeys.

2013: Guarulhos Zoo - ZooChat

PS. Thanks HOMIN96 for the correction!

 

[HOMIN96]

including Zlin, which is one of the most forward-facing zoos in Europe. Zlin feeds their doucs a variety of oriental leaf vegetables like pak-choi plus ficus leaves obtained in cooperation with Vietnamese expat community in Czechia.

Got your Czech zoos mixed up a bit here...Chleby is the one with doucs

 

[Jurek7]

18. Larger South American Monkeys

Following non-threatened forms are commonly kept:
Crested Capuchin (generic) - 174 holders
Common Squirrel Monkey - 168 holders
White-faced Saki - 118 holders
Bolivian Squirrel Monkey - 96 holders

556 holders keep four common forms, and capuchins and squirrel monkeys are usually kept in large groups. Zoos could consider switching to replacements present in Europe: endangered Yellow-breasted Capuchins and (pure) near-threatened Bearded and Black-horned Capuchins. A zoo with more space can also choose to one of several endangered Spider Monkeys.

However, if importing fonders was possible, there are as many as 18 threatened forms of capuchins and 5 threatened forms of squirrel monkeys. They regularly end as rescues, but importing any to Europe seems near impossible. 23 threatened pithecids (sakis, uakaris and titis) and 36 atelids (spider, howler and woolly monkeys) are usually only found in their country of origin, too.

Below: Endangered Yellow-breasted Capuchin by vogelcommando.

Yellow-breasted capuchin - ZooChat

Endangered Central American Squirrel Monkey by ralph. Five threatened Saimiri forms could be a good replacement of common squirrel monkeys which thrive in n-th generation in European zoos. Alas, none is found outside local zoos.

Central-American squirrel monkey - ZooChat



19. Old World Monkeys

Following forms are commonly kept:
Barbary macaque - 153 holders EN
Hamadryas Baboon - 138 holders
Green Monkey (generic) - 102 holders
Japanese Macaque - 81 holders
Rhesus macaque - 80 holders
Crab-eating Macaque - 67 holders
De Brazza's Monkey - 66 holders
Mandrill - 60 holders VU
Mantled Colobus - 49 holders

796 holders keep these forms, usually in large groups, which can mean easily over 10000 individuals in total (I don't have access to ZIMS). Barbary macaque is endangered, but much too common in European zoos than its conservation dictates. At the same time, many threatened monkeys have very small populations in Europe, and would greatly benefit if some zoos switched to keeping them.

Monkeys can be divided into sub-groups with different needs. Frost-hardy (Barbary and Japanese macaques) and in need of a heated accommodation (others). Some live in smaller groups, typically with one adult male (most guenons, Lion-tailed Macaques, colobuses and langurs). Other can be kept in multi-male troops of 10s of individuals (talapoins, mangabeys, Hanuman langurs, most macaques, drills, mandrills, baboons). Most are tree-living. Minority are ground living and can be kept in more open exhibits (mangabeys, some guenons) or rocky exhibits (many macaques, baboons). Most are fruit-eaters or omnivores, but langurs and colobus are specialized leaf-eaters.

Zoo keeping frost-hardy Barbary and Japanese Macaques, if they have heated indoor accomodation, could switch to cold-sensitive monkeys.

Zoos which keep common macaques or baboons in small enclosures suitable for a smaller group only, could switch to less sociable guenons, mangabeys or Lion-tailed Macaques, for example.

Zoos which have exhibits suitable for large troops could switch to threatened mangabeys, macaques or drills. Rocky exhibits suit large groups of macaques and also smaller groups of Francois langurs.

Baboons are best left to the minority of zoos which are strongly committed to the African theme and have large and rocky exhibits. Hamadryas baboons are over-abundant in zoos. Anubis Baboons are likely all hybrids. Even Geladas are already sufficiently common to preserve them in Europe, with over 450 individuals.

There is a long list of threatened species which are possible replacement in Europe.
Partially ground-living and forming large multi-male troops:
Critically endangered: Sulawesi crested macaque,
Endangered: Drill, Cherry-crowned Mangabey, Golden-bellied mangabey, White-naped mangabey, Moor macaque, Southern pig-tailed macaque, Toque macaque. Vulnerable: Sooty Mangabey, Bonnet macaque, Heck's macaque, Northern pig-tailed macaque, Stump-tailed macaque, Tonkean macaque.

Partially ground-living and forming usually smaller one-male groups:
Vulnerable: L'Hoest's monkey, Owl-faced monkey, near-threatened: Patas Monkey.

Mostly tree-living and forming large multi-male troops:
Vulnerable: Black Crested mangabey, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Near threatened: Northern talapoin, Common mona monkey.

Mostly tree-living and forming usually smaller one-male groups:
Critically endangered: Roloway Monkey, Endangered: Benin red-bellied guenon, Diana monkey, Lion-tailed macaque.
Vulnerable: Eastern and Red-rumped Putty-nosed Guenons, Lowe's mona monkey.
Near threatened: Eastern and Western lesser spot-nosed monkeys, Red-tailed moustached monkey.

Mostly tree-living, forming usually smaller one-male groups and specialized leaf eaters:
Endangered: Dusky langur, King Colobus,
Vulnerable: Javan langur, Kilimanjaro black colobus.

Rock-living, forming usually smaller one-male groups and specialized leaf eaters:
Endangered Francois Langur. Also several Trachypithecus langurs not present outside Asia.

And, sadly, there are more monkeys about to disappear or already lost from zoos in Europe, and very likely will become threatened in the near future.

Below: Toque Macaque by FrancoiseLangur. One of several macaques which are hardy, were traditionally considered common and not very interesting, but is currently Endangered.

Toque macaque - ZooChat

Endangered Golden-bellied Mangabey by Michal Sloviak. An African example of a monkey which was traditionally considered common and not very interesting by zoos, but is currently Endangered.

Golden-bellied Mangabey (Cercocebus chrysogaster) - ZooChat

Endangered Francois Langur by Tomek. Specialized leaf-eater native to karst rocks, the only one of so-called rock langurs present in European zoos. There are several documentaries showcasing their skills in negotiating rocks and caves.

Francois’ langur (Trachypithecus francoisi francoisi) - ZooChat

 

[PossumRoach]

The question is – is the place to see interesting domestic animals a zoo? Is a funny domestic goat really more interesting for the public, educative or worth protecting than every endangered wild animal which could be kept on its space? I think not.

I don’t know about educative but I do argue that domestics could be more interesting. Unlike non-domesticated animals visitors can interact with domestics by petting and feeding them. Not to mention they probably won’t need double barriers or a moat for public safety which would make them “closer” to the animal which is a neat experience to visitors, especially city slickers who may not visit or walk by farms as often.

It is unlikely that all zoos will change. Some others can replace an ordinary cow by a banteng.

I’d like to ask how would they replace a steer with a banteng? I’d argue that both domestic cattle and banteng are very different from each other which you can’t just use the old switcheroo technique to replace the former with the latter. Other than the habitat and fence strength requirements, there’s also the fact that a domestic cattle is usually placed in an exhibit that is in a farm or European village themed area. Would the entire farm/village section have to be demolished to accommodate the banteng?

 

[Jurek7]

@PossumRoach
I am certain there will be enough small petting farms and such with domestic animals. But most institutions can do better.

 

[Jurek7]

20. Apes

Following generic forms are commonly kept:
Lar Gibbon (generic) - 162 holders
Chimpanzee (generic) - 118 holders
Siamang (generic) - 67 holders

Generic zoo chimpanzees were tested genetically, and, surprisingly, some are of pure subspecies and could contribute to breeding plans. Others should be slowly replaced with pure subspecies colonies.

Two abundant generic gibbons – lar gibbons and siamangs have no similar genetic information. It would be interesting to check the fine-tune genetics of gibbon species, both for conservation and also e.g. to investigate the biologically interesting hybridization between gibbon species in the wild. Otherwise, especially endangered Javan, Northern and Southern White-cheeked Gibbons should have priority.

Some zoos still breed generic apes. Looking at numbers, these occasional offspring, collectively, create a real competition of space. And, due to their longevity, will continue to be for 40 or 50 years to the future.

Conservation breeding of apes is complicated by their strong social bonds, which makes forming purebred groups difficult, by uncertain genetics and longevity. Unfortunately, trends show that formerly common chimpanzees and gibbons might become almost extinct in the wild within the lifetime of one generation of apes. This makes insurance populations worthwhile, even if chimps in zoos were traditionally considered less valuable than orangutans and gorillas.

Below: Javan Gibbon by Eagle. Another Javan endemic which already almost lost its natural habitat in densely populated Java.

Javan gibbon - ZooChat


Eastern Chimpanzee by vogelcommando. Only one zoo in Europe keeps pure breeding group of this subspecies. There seem to be some trends and fashions in zoo world - zoos have been taking care of separating forms of gorillas, big cats or bison for decades. But this trend largely bypassed gibbons and chimpanzees, which subspecies are just as much worth saving, of course.

Schweinfurth's chimpanzee - ZooChat

 

[Jurek7]

22. Kangaroos

Following forms are not threatened and commonly kept:
Red-necked Wallaby (generic) – 572 holders
Red giant kangaroo – 91 holders
Tasmanian red-necked wallaby– 55 holders

718 holders keep three common kangaroo forms. From the practical side of zoo care, no threatened kangaroo is tolerant to cold like Red-necked Wallaby or big and impressive as Red Kangaroo. Therefore purely for diversifying, smaller European zoos could instead try not threatened Eastern Grey Kangaroos and Swamp Wallabies (both occur in snowy parts of Australian Alps, so presumably are cold hardy).

For more ambitious zoos with warm accommodation, possible replacements already found in European zoos are: Western Brush-tailed Bettong (critically endangered on IUCN Red List), Goodfellow's and Matschie's Tree-kangaroos (endangered), Dusky pademelon (vulnerable), Long-nosed potoroo and Yellow-footed rock wallaby (near threatened). Near-threatened Parma wallabies are already common in Europe with 99 holders.

Below: Endangered Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo by Jackwow is not a straightforward replacement of common kangaroos because of e.g. need of a warm winter acoommodation.

Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo - ZooChat

Near threatened Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby by Macaw16. More typical kangaroo, currently needs new holders in Europe.

Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby - 19 January 2020 - ZooChat

 

[PossumRoach]

Red-necked Wallaby (generic) – 572 holders
Red giant kangaroo – 91 holders
Tasmanian red-necked wallaby– 55 holders

718 holders keep three common kangaroo forms.

Don’t most of these holders overlap?